Panel 1
(M.Slade and bestie/ex-gf Tina walk out of a movie screening of Get Out eyes wide.)
Text: After a showing of Get Out by Jordan Peele –
M.Slade: Well that just blew my mind.
Tina: Yeah, it was a great film. Seriously, A+.
Panel 2
(M.Slade geeking out excitedly with an image of Chris and Rose from Get Out in the background)
M.Slade: The way they wrote Rose was great.
Panel 3
(Rose and M.Slade smiling arm in arm with the phrase “Not All Whites” in big cursive behind them)
M.Slade (Text): Like I knew she was saying messed up stuff, but that white part of me still wanted to connect with her to avoid blame.
Panel 4
(On a movie screen, Chris is scared and cornered at the bottom of the stairs as Rose’s family surrounds him, with Rose on the stairs above him)
M.Slade (Text): So when the truth came out –
Chris: Gimme the keys, Rose.
Rose: Psych! I’m complicit in racism.
Panel 5
(Rose’s head and torso emerge from the screen. Rose yells and points cheerily at M.Slade in the audience)
Rose: And you are too!
M.Slade: Noooooooo!
Panel 6
(Cut back to the movie theater entrance. Tina is excitedly talking with M.Slade. The image of a crying Georgina looms above them, along with the photo of Georgina with Rose pre-kidnapping)
Tina: Yeah, they set that up so well. Especially the photo scene. What I wondered from the beginning is if “Georgina” is gay.
M.Slade: Whoa, I’ll bet she is!
Tina: Poor Georgina.
Panel 7
(M.Slade looking contemplative and guilty while Tina looks surprised)
M.Slade: The whole thing makes me think a lot about back when you and I were together in high school. I’ve definitely been that girlfriend before. Not intentionally, but still.
Panel 8
(Close-up on Tina, who looks at M.Slade expectantly, like there are some specific mistakes she is hoping M.Slade will open up about and admit responsibility for)
Tina: How do you figure? I’m curious on your take on it.
Panel 9
(We see an image of a high-school-aged M.Slade casually introducing a clearly uncomfortable Tina to a bunch of zombie-like Caucasian hands reaching out towards her)
Reflective Text: Like, bringing you to places that were awkwardly super white without thinking about it.
Young M.Slade: And here’s my gay-friendly church. You’ll love it!
Hand 1: I’ve never had a Black friend before!
Hand 2: Can I touch your hair?
Panel 10
(Young M.Slade whining dramatically on the phone to a young Tina. M.Slade’s speech bubbles completely swallow Tina, and Tina’s own words are really tiny in comparison.
Reflective Text: Or the times I whined about white guilt to you. That was so manipulative and unnecessary.
Young M.Slade: Blah, blah, blah not fair whine whine whine so hard for me because white tears white tears.
Young Tina: Uh –
Panel 11
(Back in present, Tina folds her arms and looks seriously at M.Slade)
Tina: Yeah. I remember you saying you wished you were a person of color due to your white guilt.
Panel 12
(M.Slade looks surprised and upset. Sinister silhouettes of Rose’s family are at Slade’s sides, as if Slade is one of them)
M.Slade: What? When?
Panel 13
(Tina reflects on a memory. In this memory, Young Tina and Young M.Slade are walking in a rainbow crowd holding signs and AIDS awareness ribbons)
Tina: You don’t remember? I remember it so clearly. We were at the AIDS walk.
Panel 14
(Young M.Slade is talking loudly over Young Tina, who is looking alone in the crowd)
Tina: I thought it would be a safe space for me as a queer person. But, it wasn’t.
Panel 15
(Back in present, M.Slade holds their head down in shame)
M.Slade: That (pauses) sounds like something I would’ve done. I’m really sorry.
Panel 16
(Tina shrugs. Behind her is the memory again. It’s zoomed in on Young Tina’s face as Young M.Slade rambles. Young Tina is smirking to herself and trying to hold back laughter at the bullshit.)
Tina: It’s okay. I knew you didn’t know what you were talking about.
Panel 17
(At the movie theater entrance, Tina sticks out her tongue at M.Slade, who laughs meekly)
M.Slade: Hahaha. Thanks.
Panel 18
(The two friends are now outside of the movie theater. It’s night time.)
M.Slade: Oh gosh, I’m gonna be thinking about that for the rest of the day. And like, how carelessly I said that stuff to you. Like you were my emotional dumping ground.
Panel 19
Tina: Uh, sorry for bringing it up?
M.Slade: What? No way!
Panel 20
(M.Slade smiles at Tina)
M.Slade: Actually, I should thank you! You’re totally right. And I need to be thinking about this.
Panel 21
(Tina smiles in relief)
Tina: Okay. I’m glad.
Panel 22
(Tina and M.Slade smile while looking at each other)
M.Slade: You’re a good friend.
Panel 23
(Tina pats M.Slade on the head)
Tina: You too.
