~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     Colin paced nervously around his dressing room as he had been doing for the past half hour. Every once in a while he'd look down at his watch, counting down each minute with fear and dread. He checked the mirror for the thousandth time, making sure he wouldn't look horrible on camera.

Of course, that wasn't what he was worried about.

Last time he was on "Whose Line is it Anyway?" it hadn't been all he hoped for. Likewise, he wasn't what everyone else had hoped for, he got the impression. Yet he found himself back again. "Thanks Ryan" he thought to himself. It was Ryan who had talked to the producers and convinced them to have Colin back on again, only this time having the two of them together. Colin was a little surprised and scared by this, but he needed the money so he took the job. What he really needed was for this to work out, though he really doubted that would happen. Colin had very little confidence left in himself, and he didn't understand how Ryan managed to have a completely different assessment of his abilities than he
did. That didn't matter now though, as the show started in five minutes. A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Colin answered the door to find the comforting image of his friend, Ryan Stiles, standing in the doorway.
"Hey." Colin said, managing a smile.
"Hey Col." Ryan said with a wide grin, "Just wanted to see if you were about ready."
"Ready?" Colin scoffed, "That's a laugh. I've got the make-up and the wardrobe ready if that's what you mean. But honestly, I could be walking out on that stage completely naked and I'd still feel about as ready as I do now."
"Well first, thank you for sparing the audience and myself that image, and second, why don't you feel ready?"
"Why? Because last time I was here, it was a disaster!" Colin growled in frustration at the memory.
"It was not a disaster, you were very good."
"But not as good as everyone thought I'd be. I walked out of that show thinking 'Okay, I have no talent, I have no business being a comedian, I'm not funny, and everyone who ever said I was was just being nice to me.' And to tell you the truth, I still feel like that. I'm just going to disappoint you and everyone else." With that, Colin flopped down on one of the chairs. Ryan looked at his friend with a contemplative look, his head cocked to one side. After a minute, he walked over to his friend, bent down, and put his hands on his shoulders.
"You will be a disappointment..." Ryan said firmly.
"Oh thanks." Colin growled.
"ONLY if," Ryan continued, "you keep up that attitude. You are hilarious, I know that. I wouldn't have given Dan a tongue lashing to get you back if I didn't know that was the case. But you need confidence, you know that. That's how those sick things come out of your mouth."
Colin smiled at his friend briefly, then looked down again. Ryan stood back up and folded his long arms, disappointed that Colin wasn't getting his message. Then, he had an idea...
"Stand up Col." Ryan ordered. With a quizzical look, Colin obeyed. Ryan then took him by the shoulders and turned him to the mirror.
"Now look at yourself Col'. You are going to be terrific out there. Now repeat after me: I, Colin Mochrie, am going to kick some improv ass out there!"
"Sure coach." Colin said sarcastically.
"Don't give me any lip soldier!" Ryan said, pulling his best "drill sergeant".
"Fine," Colin sighed, "I, Colin Mochrie, am going to kick some improv ass out there."
"Again."
"I, Colin Mochrie, am going to kick some improv ass out there."
"Make me believe it Col," Ryan said, his voice rising.
"I, Colin Mochrie, am going to kick some improv ass out there!"
he exclaimed, feeling a surge of enthusiasm from his best friend's support. Ryan suddenly turned Colin to face him harshly.
"Are you ready?!" Ryan asked forcefully.
"I'm ready!" Colin said with a growing smile.
"What are you going to do?!"
"Kick some improv ass!"
"That's right! Who's the man?!"
"Uh...me?"
"Yes!"
"All right!"
"Ahem!" A man cleared his voice in the doorway. Ryan and Colin both turned to see Clive Anderson leaning in the doorway, a look of mild amusement on his face.
"I didn't mean to interrupt the pep session, but the taping is about to start gentlemen."
"Thank you Clive." Ryan said confidently. Colin felt a little embarrassed, but Ryan's confidence got his emotions back on his feet.
Clive nodded and walked off to the stage.

"Those two should make this show quite interesting." Clive muttered
with a grin.