Carpe per diem - seize the check.

Opening Scene

The sun is setting, casting a warm orange glow over the bustling city street. Jack leans against the brick wall of a small café, a half-drunk coffee in one hand, his other hand shoved deep into the pockets of his leather jacket. The city hums around him: the sounds of people talking, cars honking, the faint melody of a distant saxophone. He watches the crowd, the light catching the edges of his features. Jeeny sits at a nearby table, flipping through a notebook, scribbling down thoughts, her face distant, as though she's not quite in the present moment. As the wind picks up, the door to the café swings open, and Jack steps inside. He looks at her, his eyes narrowing, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Host: The city pulses with life, but inside, amidst the clattering cups and the low hum of conversation, the atmosphere between Jack and Jeeny is quieter, heavier. They’re about to embark on a conversation that will swirl between laughter and frustration, between life’s absurdity and its truth. As the door closes behind him, the tension in the air thickens.

Character Descriptions

Jack: A man in his mid-thirties, tall, with a lean but muscular build. His grey eyes are sharp, scanning the world with a touch of sarcasm and a lot of cynicism. His voice is deep, often bitter or witty, depending on his mood. He approaches life with pragmatism, but often hides a deep discontent beneath the surface. He’s the skeptic, always questioning, always mocking, but there’s a part of him that’s afraid of the vulnerability that comes with truly living.

Jeeny: A woman in her early thirties, small, with dark, flowing hair and brown eyes full of passion. She speaks with conviction, often in poetic phrases, reflecting her deep empathy and belief in the goodness of people. While she seems soft-spoken, there’s a fierce strength behind her words, a belief that life can be both beautiful and full of meaning, even when it’s hard to see.

Main Debate

Jeeny: (her voice quiet, but carrying a hint of amusement) “I’ve been thinking about that quote of Robin Williams’ — ‘Carpe per diem — seize the check.’ It’s so absurd, yet so real in its simplicity. What do you think it means, Jack?”

Jack: (his eyes flicker with mild amusement, the corner of his mouth curving into a smirk) “I think it’s just sardonic humor, Jeeny. Williams had a way of taking life’s chaos and making it sound like the joke was always on us. 'Seize the check'? It’s mocking the idea of seizing the day. Who wants to take responsibility for their life, right? It’s so much easier to just hand it over to someone else.”

Jeeny: (her eyes narrowing slightly, as she puts down her notebook and meets his gaze) “But isn’t that exactly what life is? The moment we take for ourselves? You see it as absurd, but I see it as a reminder that we can’t wait for the perfect moment to live. Seizing the check is acknowledging that we are in charge of our own time, our own choices. We’re not just passengers in this life. We’re the drivers.”

Jack: (his voice sharp, questioning) “And what happens when we’re driving, Jeeny? What if we crash? What if we take the wrong turn? Seizing the day sounds great in theory, but life is a lot more complicated than just grabbing the wheel and hoping for the best. We’re not in control like we think we are.”

Jeeny: (her voice rising with passion, her hands gesturing as she speaks) “But that’s the point, Jack. You can’t wait for everything to line up perfectly. You have to take the leap, take the chance, even if it’s uncertain. If you wait for the perfect moment, you’ll never get anywhere. Life is about embracing the messiness, the imperfection, and still going forward. It’s not about control — it’s about courage.”

Jack: (his eyes harden, his fingers tapping the table, the sound sharp in the silence) “You really think courage is going to make life less messy? Look around, Jeeny. Look at the people who try to seize their moments. Most of them end up falling flat on their faces. The world doesn’t reward bravery. It rewards those who know how to play the game. People like us — we’re navigating through this life with nothing but a handful of hope and a vague sense of meaning. Nothing more.”

Jeeny: (her voice low, but steady) “I don’t think courage is about perfection, Jack. It’s about trying. It’s about living fully, without waiting for everything to be in place. You can’t just wait for the world to hand you your purpose. You have to create it, take what you have and make something of it. Robin Williams knew that — his humor was his way of embracing the chaos, of telling us that it’s all a game, and we’re meant to play it, not hide from it.”

Host: There’s a brief silence. Jack watches Jeeny, his lips pressed together, as if weighing her words against the ones that have always echoed in his mind. The city outside continues its endless rhythm, but inside, it feels like time is holding its breath.

Second Round of Debate

Jack: (his voice gruff, as he leans back in his chair) “And what if you get it wrong, Jeeny? What if you seize the check and it bounces? What if your choices lead you to places you can’t come back from? People talk a good game about seizing the day, but the truth is, we’re all just stumbling around, hoping we don’t step on something we can’t fix.”

Jeeny: (her eyes softened, she leans forward, her hands resting on the table as she looks at him) “But that’s what makes it real, Jack. The risk. The unknown. If you never step out of your comfort zone, if you never take a chance, then what’s the point? You’d be sitting on the sidelines, watching life happen to everyone else, too afraid to make a move. It’s risk that makes the victories worth something. Without it, we’re just existing.”

Jack: (his expression grows more serious, his voice quiet but insistent) “And what if you risk it all, only to end up with nothing? You think the people who took those chances were any happier for it? They might have experienced life, but it didn’t mean they found anything worthwhile. We all end up dead in the end, Jeeny. Some of us just get there faster.”

Jeeny: (her fingers lightly tapping the table, her voice steady, but with a fire in her eyes) “Maybe, but at least we would have lived. Don’t you see, Jack? It’s not about avoiding death — it’s about making sure that when the end comes, you can look back and say you seized what you had. You created something. Even if it doesn’t turn out the way you hoped, it will have been real. That’s what makes it beautiful.”

Host: Jack’s expression softens. The air between them, thick with tension, now carries a strange mix of vulnerability and understanding. The city noise fades slightly, leaving behind the soft clink of cups and the murmur of voices. For a moment, they both sit in the quiet, pondering the weight of the conversation.

Climax and Reconciliation

Jack: (his voice slightly hesitant, as if considering the possibility of change) “Maybe you’re right. Maybe we do need to take those chances. But, I still don’t think it’s as simple as you make it out to be.”

Jeeny: (with a soft smile, she nods gently) “No, it’s not. But it’s about accepting that it won’t be easy. Seizing the check is a reminder that life’s not about waiting for the perfect moment. It’s about taking what you have and making something beautiful of it — even if it’s not perfect.”

Host: As the last rays of sunset slip away, a quiet understanding settles between them. The city is still alive, still moving, but for a brief moment, everything slows. The air is filled with the subtle truth of their words. It’s not about perfection — it’s about living fully, with all the messiness that comes with it.

The camera pans away from the café window, and the soft light of the city reflects on the glass, capturing their reflections — two figures, imperfect, yet determined to make the most of the time they have.