Sean Penn in La Jolla
Kirby Wright


 
All I need are some tasty waves,
a cool buzz,
and I'm fine.
—Jeff Spicoli
 
Exterior:
 
DG Wills Bookstore breaks max capacity, even for those willing to stand. The writer paces the sidewalk. He stuffs his left hand in a denim pocket while brooding storefront glass. His novel balances on a blonde frame inside. He nods, acknowledging the claps from sidewalk chairs. Boomers sport sunglasses, long sleeves, and cardboard cups. See the black Yin & Yang sweatshirt? Check out those beaded purses. Some aim cells at the Oscar winner. Redheaded Grandma allows Granddaughter to crack open her pre-lecture copy with the day-old signature. Grandaughter mouths the words.
 
Interior:
 
Attention: you may
submit questions for
Sean Penn in advance
on these 3X5 cards.
 
The seated novelist boasts a red tan from his heated pool up north. He curls his mike toward a whiskey bottle. An LA Rams’ helmet graces the shelf above him. He lights up, parking his Camel between thin lips. Out come rectangular glasses with koa frames. The watchers cross arms; several intertwine fingers as if praying for magic. The writer’s voice reverbs through amps, a monotone laced with heavy breathing and the sound of sucking. He quotes a review from Salman Rushdie and suggests ridding the world of gray hairs. Dead air. Then comes a cascade of applause and laughter. A bald man peers in through the glass—he shields his eyes with a hand.

About the Author: Kirby Wright was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is a graduate of Punahou School in Honolulu and the University of California at San Diego. Wright received his MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. His first play was produced at the Secret Theatre's 2016 One Act Festival in New York and his second at Manhattan Rep's 2017 Non-Fest. He won the 2018 Redwood Empire Mensa Award for Creative Nonfiction.

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