The Veríssimo Project

Paul and Dee invited Lana and Antonio for dinner at their house and then to watch what Paul referred to as “a lil porno” on the VHS. Antonio went against his will, whereas Lana didn’t see any harm.
- I don’t see any harm.
- C’mon, Lan!
- What’s the problem?
- I dunno – said Antonio, who didn’t want to be a party pooper, but c’mon!
They barely knew Paul and Dee. He eventually agreed on one condition.
- If this thing involves a midget or a goat, I am walking out!

When he put the tape in the player, Paul winked and said, “This one stars Mike McGee.”
- Ahh, Mike McGee – said Antonio, as if he knew who that was.
- Is he good? – wondered Lana.
- Watch – said Paul.
Dee chimed in:
- Just watch.

In the car, on the way home, Lana was silent. Antonio had already dissed the food (“Strogonoff, in this heat?”), dissed Paul (“He cuts out articles from the Christian Science Monitor, did you see?”), even dissed the dog (“Annoying”) and Lana remained silent, pensive. Finally Antonio said:
- How ‘bout that Mike McGee?
And Lana:
- Crazy, right?
Antonio looked at her from the corner of his eye.
- That could be a trick, you know?
- Trick? How?
- A trick. Make-up. It could be fake, rubber.
- I don’t think it was.
- The guy is an imbecile. C’mon, be serious. He looks retarded. Don’t you think?
- Not really.
- Oh come on, Lan. Could you imagine someone like that… someone like that…
- What?
Antonio searched for words. Finally he said:
- Reading Rilke?
Lana exuded disdain.
- I don’t know what good reading Rilke has brought some people…
I knew we shouldn’t have gone, thought Antonio.