Distant bell. Ritual room. My cat licks me, thanking me very very much that this is the last one. I inform her that soon there will be another show, and she bites me on the head and runs into the closet to sulk. Natalie and John meet MM and John unchains them, saying, “Don’t know if I want to do this.” I do. You do. John talks now, saying that the last four days have been fun and they connected physically, but basically he’s looking for someone “further along” and with whom he connects with more on an “intellectual level.” Diss, diss, and diss. Natalie just keeps nodding and saying, “Mm-hm.” John says he doesn’t want to pursue a relationship with her. He then gives her three thousand dollars because he likes her more than the other girls combined, and also because if she was just playing the game, she deserves it. Natalie could save face and make it look like she was, but she continues to pout. Aw. MM boots the bitch, and she leaves.

Natalie then says she was surprised and upset to get jilted. She gets into the short bus. John tells us that Natalie is wonderful and “sweet,” but not in the same place as him in life. Natalie says they had a great date and connected and she continues to delude herself, saying that if John knew she was into him, maybe he would have answered differently. Oh, that is “sweet.” She thinks John may have just been in it for the game. No! Perish the thought. John then lies, saying he hopes she understands and that it was not a game for him. Dude, she’s gone. You can lay off the bullshit now. You’re among friends.

The Locksmith stands on a cliff overlooking the ocean, wondering if he’ll ever work in this town again and thinking that maybe he can get into a Wilson-Phillips cover band as The Graphic Of Who Cares reads, “Days later, John invited Natalie over to apologize for cutting her loose. He apologized, they fooled around and he cut her loose again.” The card they leave off is, “You can now catch her dancing at Crazy Girls on La Brea and Sunset every weeknight from 8 PM 'til 2 AM."

And it’s over. Forgive me if I don’t stick around and shed a tear. I’m not a magician for godsakes.

Until next terrible show, people. Later!