Tina Leary, in Hard Choices

Hard Choices

In this compelling script for an audio drama podcast, we meet Tina Leary, a psychic with an office in Washington D.C.'s fashionable Dupont Circle, who is caught between sessions when a man named Wilco walks in. Wilco, described as a weathered, Western-looking man, seeks a reading to resolve a long-standing issue.

Wilco is haunted by a particular kind of difficult choice—a "Hard Choice"—one made blindly when the consequences are unknown and potentially life-altering. He recounts two stories to illustrate his struggle: an ancient tale about a boy forced to choose between a lion and a girl behind two doors , and the modern-day Star Trek scenario of the Kobayashi Maru test. Wilco has developed his own variations on both, where the protagonist actively tries to "cheat" the test to survive and succeed.

Ultimately, Wilco reveals his own personal "hard choice" : a time when he met a girl named Sherry while traveling west and chose to leave her to head back to West Memphis, Arkansas. He wants to know what would have happened if he had chosen differently.

Since Tina can't sense alternate timelines , she consults her deceased mother through a radio. Her mother relays a grim alternate reality in which Wilco and the girl marry and have two children, but she and a third child die in childbirth. Consumed by grief, Wilco descends into alcoholism, neglects his children, and eventually dies by suicide, with his son later dying in a car crash. Despite this tragic outcome, Wilco still expresses regret, seeing the survival and success of his daughter as a worthwhile achievement.

The episode concludes with Tina offering her own insight: she believes her mother fabricated the story. Tina argues that life isn't about one single "hard choice" but about all the choices made constantly, which cumulatively shape reality. There is only one timeline, one reality, and no "alternate you".

🧭 Major Themes

• The Nature of Choice and Destiny: The script constantly questions whether a person's life is defined by one single, pivotal decision (a "hard choice") or by the cumulative effect of all their daily choices.
• Alternate Realities and Regret: Wilco is driven by the desire to know "what if" he had chosen a different path, highlighting the human tendency to wonder about life's unrealized possibilities and the pain of regret.
• Cheating the Test (The Kobayashi Maru): Wilco’s fascination with Captain Kirk reprogramming the Kobayashi Maru simulation suggests a theme of refusing to accept an unwinnable situation and seeking creative, even rebellious, solutions to overcome perceived destiny or traps.
• Morality and Transformation: Wilco's thought experiment about the boy in the arena transforming from a "sweet Romeo" into a vengeful killer explores the idea of how extreme circumstances and external cruelty can corrupt one's nature.
• The Comfort of a Single Answer: Tina suggests her mother lied to give Wilco a "tangible answer" to his question, implying that sometimes people crave a definitive, even if tragic, resolution over the uncertainty of the unknown.

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Hard Choices
by
Rick Regan
Sept. 20, 2023

INT. DAY - TINA LEARY’S OFFICE, WASHINGTON DC
Tina Leary has set up an office in the fashionable Dupont
Circle area of DC. It is a converted row-house and has lovely
proportions, old timey windows and weathered hardwood floors.
She has a desk in the corner away from the main seating area
and her big radio on a stand in the corner. There are
comfortable chairs, a small sofa and a pretty area rug in the
middle. Tina is at her desk looking at her phone.
The door opens an a man comes in. Wilco is a weathered,
Western-looking man, like a cowboy without a hat.
TINA
(hearing him come in)
Oh, hello. Can I help you?
WILCO
I’d like to talk to the psychic, if that’s alright.
TINA
Well that’s me, but I usually make appointments.
WILCO
Well, I see. I could come back, at a time convenient
for you.
TINA
You know, you’ve caught me between sessions so I have
a few minutes.
WILCO
Alright.
TINA
Do you want a reading?
WILCO
Yes.
TINA
About something specific?
WILCO
Yes, ma’am. I can tell you all about it.
She stands and indicates that they should sit.
TINA
OK. Give me a moment to collect myself.
She looks right at him, then closes her eyes for a moment. He
waits. Then she looks at him again.
Let me see. You are here to answer some question that
you’ve had for a long time. You are hoping to resolve
some long standing issue. But I’m not sure if I see
the answer. Can you tell me more?
WILCO
Yes, ma’am.
TINA
(pause)
Go on then.
WILCO
Well, it begins like this. I’d read a story some time
ago about making choices, having to choose, when you
don’t know where either path goes. Like that music
boy at the Crossroads. You don’t know which way to
go, but you have to go anyhow.
TINA
I see. Go on.
WILCO
And I read this story about a fella in old times,
Roman-era, when they put prisoners and Christians,
and the like, into the arena and had them fight
lions.
TINA
Uh-hmm. Right.
WILCO
And there was this young fella. He was in love with a
girl. But her father was the big honcho and he didn’t
like that boy, at‘tal. So when the boy goes to the
old man and says that he wants to marry the girl, the
ol’ snake says that he’ll put him in the arena. And
there will be two doors. Behind one will be a lion,
and the ‘tother will be the girl. If he guesses
right, he gets the girl. If he guesses wrong, he gets
the lion.
TINA
Hmm. So what happens?
WILCO
Well that’s the thing. The story doesn’t really go on
from there. We don’t know whether the boy gets eaten
by the lion. And I figure that’s because it’s not
about the love story. It’s about having to choose,
when you don’t know what you’re choosing, and that
your whole life will change once you make that
choice. It’s choosing blind, you see.
TINA
I see. And you have some choice like that to make?
WILCO
Well, yes and no. You see, I thought about that story
a lot, for a couple of years now. And it occurs to me
that when that boy is in the ring, staring at them
two doors, he doesn’t know what to pick. But thinking
about that wily snake of the father, I thought, well,
he’s not going to put his daughter behind one of the
doors. He’s going to put lions behind both doors. And
when the boy picks a door, the lion eats him.
TINA
Oh my!
WILCO
And what’s the boy going to do? Complain that the old
man cheated him? No, he’s dead.
TINA
So...?
WILCO
But then, some time later, I was reading some Star
Trek and came upon the story of the Kobayashi Maru.
You know it? Star Trek?
TINA
No, I’m afraid I don’t.
WILCO
That’s alright. I’m kind of a sci-fi geek, I guess.
Anyhow, so Kirk is at Starfleet Academy, not a
captain yet. And the final test is called the
Kobayashi Maru. It’s a version of the Trolly Problem,
if you know it.
TINA
The Trolly Problem. Yes. You have to choose between
killing the pedestrians or killing the passengers.
Two bad choices.
WILCO
But the trolly is moving, so you have to choose. You
can’t not choose. Anyhow, so the Starfleet test has
the student making a choice between saving a planet
from destruction by the Romulans, or somebody, by
attacking their ship but sacrificing the ship and all
the crew. Or, abandoning the planet to their fate but
surviving to fight another day. And you have to
choose.
TINA
Got it.
WILCO
But Kirk, he understands the problem and figures out
how to reprogram the computer that is running the
test, so that the Romulan guns fail. Then he attacks
their ship, saves the planet AND lives to tell the
tale.
TINA
Ah, I see.
WILCO
Of course the Starfleet brass are outraged, saying
that he cheated. But he says, well, what’s the real
test? To make the choice or to survive and succeed,
however you need to?
TINA
Interesting.
WILCO
So that brings me back to that boy in the arena. You
see I bet if he knew he was going to have to pick the
right door, he’d want to know which one. And I bet
he’d find some lion-tamer or something, who could
tell him, like, how to whistle just right, that would
make the lion roar, behind the door.
TINA
Hmm. Go on.
WILCO
And that boy would walk up to the first door, make
just the right whistle, and that lion would roar. And
he’d know, Right!, The girl is behind the next door.
But just before he frees the girl, he whistles again.
Now there is a roar behind the second door.
TINA
Oh!
WILCO
And it all clicks into place. He knows he’s been set
up. The old man has fixed it so he would get killed,
guaranteed. And now he knows it. But, what if he
opened both doors, with a stick or something, at the
same time. Them lions would jump out and be staring
at another lion. The boy could duck into one of the
doors and close it. He could get away. And two lions,
male lions, they are going to fight each other. And
nobody is going to take on two fighting lions. Not
the Centurions, not the Gladiators, nobody.
TINA
So the boy gets away?
WILCO
Right. And now he’s got to make a choice. You see
where this is going?
TINA
Not exactly.
WILCO
Well, we’ll land her okay, don’t worry.
TINA
If you say so.
WILCO
So now the boy, free from the lions, has to figure
out what to do. Seems like he’d light-out and get
away from the wrath of that old man, right? But what
if he figures, damn it! I’m not running away! I’m
going to kill that old goat! And let’s say he tracks
the movements of the father. Watches him coming and
going. In and out of the Coliseum. Down through the
Vomitorium. And what if that boy finds just the
perfect spot to jump out and stab the old man? So
let’s say he gets a knife or a short-sword and stands
in the perfect spot, waiting.
TINA
So he has to choose?
WILCO
Right. Does he kill the father or not? See, one thing
that has me stumped is how that boy went from being
some sweet Romeo, all hearts and flower, just wanting
to be in love with the pretty girl, and now his heart
has turned black, with hate and fury. Now he’s ready
to kill, murder. But what if, while he’s standing
there, he thinks about this change, in him, and
thinks, wait, it was that old man. He did that to me.
He made me murderous and cruel, just like him. He
throws prisoners to the lions, just for
entertainment. But this young fella, he’d have lived
in a time with a different idea of morality. It
wasn’t turn the other cheek. It was eye for an eye.
The Roman way was that the strong should rule, and
attain glory through victory. You see?
TINA
You’re losing me but go on.
WILCO
And that boy right there, he’s got to make a choice.
Is there victory and glory in revenge? Or is it worse
to gain the revenge but become the person who stabs a
man in the street? And whichever way he picks, his
life will be different, even if he does nothing,
because that’s choosing too.
TINA
Okay. So what happens?
WILCO
I don’t know. But I think about if he chooses one
way, his life will go on one track, and if he chooses
the other way his life will go on another track. And
you can’t go back.
TINA
That’s true.
WILCO
But what if you could?
TINA
Meaning?
WILCO
What if you could know what the other path would have
been? If I made a choice along the way, and wonder
what would have happened if I’d have picked the
t’other?
TINA
But we can’t really know can we?
WILCO
Can’t we? You’re the psychic, right?
TINA
I’m not sure I get where you are going?
WILCO
So there was this one time, a while ago. I made a
choice. And I wonder what would have happened if I’d
chosen otherwise.
TINA
Is this about the girl? I saw a girl.
WILCO
That’s right! You really are good.
TINA
It’s a gift.
WILCO
So I was living in West Memphis. Had a job, making
some money. And I decide to take some time off, go
West see some of the wide open spaces. And get out of
the fetid backwaters and malarial swampland of the
Delta.
TINA
OK.
WILCO
And I took off. And I turned up in Denver. Spent a
few days, then headed west again. And I stopped at a
place for some gas. And there was this girl, real
pretty young woman, sitting under a tree at a picnic
table. And she says...
SHERRY
(walks onstage, holding two
sodas)
Hey! I got an extra Coca-Cola. You want one?
WILCO
Yeah, sure. I’ll take a free Coke-cola. Where’d you
get ‘em?
SHERRY
Man inside. He said I could have it because the cap
came off. Couldn’t sell it but there was nothing
wrong with it. Where you headed, cowboy?
WILCO
Well, I was headed west but for no real reason. How
about you?
SHERRY
I live in town but came out for the day, for a hike.
Such a pretty day today.
WILCO
It is. It is.
SHERRY
What’s your name, cowboy?
WILCO
They call me Wilco.
SHERRY
Like in the old movies? “Roger WilCo! Over and out!”
WILCO
Yep. Just like that. Roger Wilco.
SHERRY
You want to come back to town with me? We could have
some lunch.
WILCO
Uh, could do. Could do.
SHERRY
I’m looking for a ride back. Hiked up. You could give
me a ride? You could meet my cat. He’s a good boy.
WILCO
Cats are fun. That’s nice.
Wilco takes a long pause and looks back at Tina Leary.
TINA
So what happened?
WILCO
I gave her a ride back to her place but I told her I
had to head back to West Memphis. So I left.
Sherry exits.
TINA
Right. OK.
WILCO
So I always wondered, what if?
TINA
What if you’d have gone with the girl? What would
your life have been like?
WILCO
Right. An alternate reality. Another path.
TINA
I don’t think I can sense what would have happened in
an alternate timeline. I can’t sense what never
happened.
WILCO
Well, maybe, is there somebody who does that kind of
thing? Like another psychic pal of yours or
something?
TINA
Well.... There’s my mother.
WILCO
She does that kind of thing? She around?
TINA
She’s dead.
WILCO
Oh. I’m sorry for your loss.
TINA
Thank you. But, you see, she still communicates with
me.
WILCO
(astonished)
From the great beyond?
TINA
Right. Through that radio over there.
WILCO
The wha???
TINA
I know. I know. It’s pretty unbelievable, even to me.
WILCO
Well, I guess it’s worth a shot. How’s it work?
Tina gets up and wheels the radio over to the chairs. She
switches it on.
TINA
It takes a minute to warm up.
WILCO
Ok, right. I’ll wait.
TINA
(into a microphone)
Mother? Are you there? Mom?
MOTHER
(through the speaker)
Tina-dear, I’m kind of in the middle of something.
TINA
Mother, I need you to take a look at something for
me.
MOTHER
I’ve kind of got my hands full. You see, I’ve made a
new friend. Henry.
TINA
Mom, are you seriously getting it on with another
ghost? Gross!
MOTHER
You should see it, dear! It’s not called heaven for
nothing.
TINA
Oh god! I’m surprised you can hear me - with your
mouth full!
MOTHER
Don’t be crude, dear! Now what do you want? Is it
about that dusty drifter in your office?
TINA
Yes. How did you know? Are you watching?
MOTHER
I’m always watching.
TINA
He wants to know what would have happened if he’d
made a different choice, in life.
MOTHER
Well, I took a look and I’m afraid it’s bad news.
TINA
(to Wilco)
It’s bad news. Do you still want to hear it? You
don’t have to.
WILCO
No, I’ve been bothering this question a long time.
I’d like to be done with it. Let’s hear.
TINA
(into the radio)
He says he wants to hear. What would have happened if
he’d have gone with the girl?
(to Wilco)
That’s right, isn’t it? That’s the question?
WILCO
Right. That’s it.
MOTHER
Well, it goes like this. You, Mister Wilco, would
have gone with the girl. You two fall in love and get
married. She has two children but she dies in
childbirth with a third. The baby dies too.
WILCO
Oh, lord!
MOTHER
And you, Mister Wilco, in your grief, start drinking
again. Which means that you neglect your children,
who you loved so much. Your mother comes to Denver
and takes them away from you. You can’t stop her and
don’t want to anyway. Some months later, you put a
pistol in your mouth and blow your brains out.
WILCO
Christ! And the kids?
MOTHER
The girl grows up and goes off to college. That’s
about where we are now in the timeline. The younger
one, the boy, dies on his prom night in a car crash.
He was driving a new sports car, full of his friends
and his girlfriend in the front seat. They drive off
a sharp turn near a bridge and they are all killed.
It is a terrible loss for the town. But the young
woman is doing well. So there is that.
WILCO
Good god almighty. What a turn!
TINA
Thank you mother. I appreciate it. Now you can resume
your regularly-scheduled program of servicing Henry,
the Friendly Ghost.
MOTHER
Anytime dear! Call anytime at all! Goodbye!
TINA
Mister Wilco, I’m sorry about the tragic news but,
you know, that’s not what happened. Right? You chose
differently.
WILCO
But you know, I kind of still regret it. Not choosing
that path.
TINA
But why? Why, Mister Wilco?
WILCO
Well, despite all the death and pain, maybe it would
have been worth it, for that young woman, my
daughter, to be smart and beautiful, like her momma,
and be off at college. I’d count that as an
achievement. But now it’s just regrets.
TINA
I expect that you will think a long time about what
you have heard today.
I expect that you will see many sides to your story.
But can I tell you something about choosing, Mister
Wilco?
WILCO
Umm, sure, yeah.
TINA
It’s never just one choice. It’s all the choices. All
the way along. It’s all the choices you make all the
time that lead you to have-to make the next choice.
WILCO
What do you mean?
TINA
Kirk chooses to go to Starfleet Academy, first,
right?
WILCO
Right.
TINA
And the boy, he chooses to go to the father. Right?
WILCO
Right.
TINA
And all the choices we make, before we make the next
choice. And Robert Johnson, he chose to go to the
cross road, so that he could choose what to do out
there. And then, later, choose to not go back. You
see? It is all the choices that get us where we are,
make us into ourselves, our lives. It’s never just
the one choice.
WILCO
Hmmm. I think I see where you are going.
TINA
And the choice with the girl? You first chose to head
west. You later chose to come home. You chose to come
in here today. All of it, all the choices, they add
up.
WILCO
OK.
TINA
Which is why I think my mother is lying.
WILCO
Come again.

TINA
I think she made that story up, just to satisfy me,
so that you would have a tangible answer to your
question. But, Mister Wilco, the answer is that there
is only one timeline, one reality. A choice goes one
way or another, but we choose all the time. We
navigate and make the reality ourselves. There is no
alternate reality because there is no alternate you.
You are only you.
WILCO
Well, now that puts a real fine point on it. I’ll
think about that. Thank you, ma’am. And thank you for
squeezing me in today. I’ll think on it.
TINA
You are welcome, Mister Wilco. And that will be
seventy-five dollars, thank you.
WILCO
Can you bill me for that?
TINA
I’d prefer cash but I take cards.
Wilco fishes out his wallet, hands her a card and she runs it
through a point-of-sale machine.
WILCO
All set?
TINA
All set. Good day, Mister Wilco.
WILCO
Alright. Thanks again.
Wilco exits. Tina goes back to her phone. Soon a new client
appointment will arrive.
END