31 Plays in 31 Days: 2013 Complete set by Joseph Frost

a play written for The 31 Plays in 31 Days Project

Draft August 2013

Attic Scripts, 2013 4550 Normandy Dr Jackson, MS 39206 atticscripts@gmail.com

ii.

Plays 1 Imagined Paris (p 1) 2 It Was (p 6) 3 Signal One at Oh Seven Thirteen (p 9) 4 Believe (thoughtcouldwant) (p 19) 5 Keys (p 24) 6 The We Are (p 37) 7 Constellations/ Polaris (p 42) 8 Quaker Meeting (p 60) 9 The Old Diner (p 68) 10 A Mother's Prayer (p 78) 11 The Edge of the World (p 83) 12 The Case of the Blue Darling (p 86) 13 unsaveable (p 110) 14 Cairn (p 118) 15 The Benevolent Monarch of Sodas (p 124) 16 Unturned Stones Make the Path Smooth (p 133) 17 Poison in Jest (p 135) 18 Fantasy, Dream, and Secret (p 145) 19 Story (p 162) 20 Remembering Afraid (p 166) 21 Hurry (p 167) 22 Oceans Away (p 170) 23 Fountain (p 177) 24 Ms. Elton (p 185) 25 David and Anny (p 192) 26 10-Year-Old You Would Have Loved This (p 201) 27 Even Magic Has Limits (p 208) 28 Memories (p 221) 29 In Memory of Roger Bucklesby Who Hated This Park and Everyone In It (p 226) 30 Faithless Ones (p 232) 31 Love's Night is Noon (p 238) These plays were written as part of the 31 Plays in 31 Days project, and submitted one per day for the month of August 2013.

PLAY ONE: IMAGINED PARIS A man stands on stage, holding an umbrella. A woman stands a few feet from him. rains a downpour on her. It

MAN When I died... when I was killed... the blade... the blade only went a few inches deep. It was held by a young man... at least 18 or so... you should have seen the look on his face. Before and after. He was so scared. Cloaked in fear he was just terrified. I almost offered him a hug, I felt so bad for him. He didnt want to be there, doing this thing, robbing me, whatever. At that point, all I wanted to do was give him my money. Reached into my pocket and grabbed my wallet. And damn if it didnt catch on the edge of my pocket. Thats what did it. Thats why Im dead. The edge of my wallet catching on the edge of my pants pocket. He was so afraid... his arm almost stabbed without him, really. It was instinctive, to thrust his arm forward. Almost like the knife wanted to stab me. And oh, his face... just ashen... all of that fear fled with the arrival of guilt. Tears, he shed. I swear. His eyes welled up as I dropped to my knees. I dont know if I hit the ground before the knife did, but I lay next to it for... for a time. Me on the ground, a full wallet in my pants pocket, and all of the blood I could bleed pooling around me and that... that now obviously small knife. And honestly I thought... I thought, if Id only worn a different pair of pants that day, if Id worn the blue slacks instead of the gray ones, my wallet wouldnt have caught, making that split second hesitation force that poor kid into doing this. Hed have my wallet instead of my blood on his hands and his shoes. And Id be home next to you, instead of dying in a wet alley. (beat) I was sorry. (beat) I should have worn the blue slacks. The man folds up the umbrella. The rain stops. A second woman enters, places a large beach towel around the wet woman. Dont laugh at me. WET WOMAN

2. SECOND WOMAN

I wouldnt.

WET WOMAN I want to go on a cruise. Ok. SECOND WOMAN

WET WOMAN I want to go on a riverboat cruise. Ok. Im serious. SECOND WOMAN WET WOMAN

I do.

SECOND WOMAN You need time to grieve. Ive grieved. WET WOMAN Now I want to go on a riverboat cruise.

SECOND WOMAN You want to grieve on a riverboat cruise. No. WET WOMAN I just want to go on one. Grieving is done. SECOND WOMAN

You never went on one. Never did. wanted to. Ok. A cruise. Not the ocean.

WET WOMAN Never said I wanted to. I want to now. SECOND WOMAN WET WOMAN SECOND WOMAN

I dont think I ever

WET WOMAN Im afraid of the ocean. Too deep. SECOND WOMAN

3. WET WOMAN SECOND WOMAN WET WOMAN SECOND WOMAN

A riverboat. The Mississippi. France. Rhine.

WET WOMAN I want to go in the fall. Ok. SECOND WOMAN The wet woman removes the towel and places it on the floor. She sits on the towel. I will miss you. Dont. Come with me. SECOND WOMAN (CONTD) WET WOMAN

I would love to.

SECOND WOMAN But I have to stay.

I have my obligations.

WET WOMAN Come with me for one week. SECOND WOMAN You know I cant do that. I dont know that. WET WOMAN

SECOND WOMAN I would love to join you. Thank you. WET WOMAN The second woman steps away from the wet woman. Goodbye. SECOND WOMAN

4. Lights dim on the second woman. WET WOMAN The countryside of France is a living storybook. Lush fields and mountainous horizons. Hard to tell if Im there or Im dreaming. If its fantasy or memory. Up and down the river. A waking dreamworld. (beat) Close your eyes. Close them. Me too. Closed. (beat) Picture Paris in your mind. Its better if youve never been, or even seen photographs of the real thing, just if youve seen movies or cartoons that have a very vague set of images of a Paris that isnt likely to exist in the world. Cobblestones and baguettes, churches and arches, bicycles and small yapping dogs. A man in a beret sipping wine and reading a book at a small table on the side of a street. Striped awnings. A couple gently kissing on a grassy bank near the river. A lonely woman on a bridge, dropping flowers into the water below. (beat) And I dont know about your imagined Paris, but in mine, the guy at the table... is him. (beat) You can open your eyes. Lights up on the side of the stage, where he man is sitting at a small cafe table, holding an open book. WET WOMAN (CONTD) In Paris. My imagined Paris. I think. (beat) I asked him back to my flat, and he joined me there, and it was like... it was just like before he was gone. There we lived our lives, work and hobbies, visiting family on holidays and talking about our family to come. Absolutely just like before he was gone. (beat) And one day... He was there. Light goes out on Man. It rains again on Wet Woman. a moment. It stops. Just for

Light comes up on Second Woman. She holds the umbrella, but does not open it. The wet woman stands.

5. SECOND WOMAN I would never laugh at you. WET WOMAN I want to go on a cruise. A riverboat cruise. I have already grieved. Ok. Dont miss me. SECOND WOMAN WET WOMAN SECOND WOMAN WET WOMAN The man the wet himself feet of I was sorry. Come with me. MAN WET WOMAN The Second Woman opens the umbrella. She stands behind the Wet Woman, and holds the umbrella over her. I have my obligations. SECOND WOMAN enters into the light, picks up towel. He places it around as he sits on the floor at the the Wet Woman.

MAN I should have worn the blue slacks. The Man holds onto the leg of the Wet Woman. Thank you. WET WOMAN A moment. Lights down on all three. End.

6. PLAY TWO: IT WAS On a raised platform stands a man. Surrounding him is projections of constantly moving cityscape. A female voice is heard. FEMALE (voiceover) It was your smile, convinced me to stay. It was. Crooked little grin, no teeth. Your right eye would squint first, and soon your left would join in. It was at its best when youd forget about it, and smile your own smile. It was that smile that made me want to make you mine. The cityscape comes to a stop. fades into a lakeside scene. The man kneels. A woman enters, kneels next to him. The man looks at the woman, reaches for her. She grabs his wrist to stop him. FEMALE (CONTD) (voiceover) The woman throws his wrist to the ground. She rises and exits. He stands. The lakeside scene pushes in to the waters surface, and skims along. The man struggles to remain standing, arms outstretched, almost waterskiing. FEMALE (CONTD) (voiceover) It was your touch, that made me stay as long as I did. It was. Your fingertips, palms. Youd run your middle and fingers across my skin, your pointer and pinkie slightly raised, your thumb at a right angle away. (MORE) It

That isnt me.

7. FEMALE (CONTD) And it was natural for you, to touch me that way. your touch that made me know that I was yours. It was

The waters surface pulls back to reveal the image of a bathtub. The man sits. He motions as if pulling bathwater towards him and washing his face. The woman enters. She has a sheer bathrobe on over her clothing. She stands with her back to the audience, facing the man. He notices her. She opens her robe and drops it to the floor. He holds out his hand to her, an offer to help her in with him. FEMALE (CONTD) (voiceover) The woman climbs in with the man, and sits on his lap on the floor. She nuzzles his neck. FEMALE (CONTD) (voiceover) He seems to have no pleasure with the woman. He stands, toppling the woman to the ground. She grabs her robe and exits, angry. The image of the bathtub pulls back away - it becomes the clouds. The man holds out his arms, almost flying.

That isnt me.

She is not me.

8. FEMALE (CONTD) (voiceover) It was... it was... your voice that gave you away. It was. Not words, not meaning. Your voice. The sound. It changed. It had. One day when you said... when you said that you... I dont know what you said. I heard your voice. And that was all I needed to hear. The lie in your throat that coated each syllable as it passed your tongue. It was that sound that told me you had never been mine, nor I yours. That sound, drove me away. He lowers his arms. He looks to see if the woman will return. She doesnt. FEMALE (CONTD) (voiceover) And I wont come back. The projection continues to fly through the sky, which darkens. The man remains still. Lights down on the man. The projection continues to darken into storm clouds. FEMALE (CONTD) (voiceover) It was your smile. It was. But no more. Lightning strikes in the projection. FEMALE (CONTD) (voiceover) Blackout. End.

She isnt me.

It was.

9. PLAY THREE: SIGNAL ONE AT OH SEVEN THIRTEEN A group of men in a very small, dimly lit room. Two men wear headphones, attached to some kind of radio device. One man stands near a telephone. One man stands holding a map, near a shelf containing other maps and papers. One man sits at a table with a Morse telegraph device. Silence for a moment. PHONE

What do I tell them?

MAP There is nothing to tell. Nothing. GRAPH MAP (to Radio Men) RADIO ONE Radio Two holds up a finger to silence Map. Silence. Map looks at the papers in his hand. Front. Then back. PHONE You want me to call them? Tell them there is nothing to tell.

What do you-Shh.

10. MAP Wait until there is something. Theyll want to know-PHONE

MAP Theyll want to know if theres something. (to Graph) Ask. GRAPH If I send a message, theyll be discovered. MAP They may already be discovered. Quiet. RADIO TWO Radio One waves with his palm flat, asking them to be quiet. Radio One and Two both make adjustments to their radio devices. Long silence. Radio One and Two shake their heads no. Map puts papers on the shelf and picks up another pile. He looks at these papers. Front. And back. Sir. They will want to know. PHONE MAP Phone picks up the receiver. Wait. Not yet. MAP (CONTD) Phone replaces the receiver.

11. Map looks at Graph. GRAPH They said oh six hundred. And its... Oh seven thirteen. MAP GRAPH

MAP Theyve been discovered. Sir. Not yet. Do it. PHONE MAP (to Graph) Graph makes an adjustment to his equipment. He begins to tap out a Morse Code message. GRAPH (in Morse Code taps) Report request signal one. Repeat. one. A silence. A squealing sound comes from the radio headphones. Both radio men scramble to make adjustments. Hands to headphones. Nothing. Feedback. South clear. North clear. RADIO ONE RADIO TWO RADIO ONE RADIO TWO

Report request signal

12. A silence. MAP (to Graph)

Well.

GRAPH (in Morse Code taps) Report request signal two. Repeat. two. Sir. Give them a chance. PHONE MAP

Report request signal

PHONE It is oh seven fourteen. Map places his papers on the shelf and grabs another set of papers. He checks them. Front. And back. MAP They cant have gone far. PHONE Unless they were discovered. GRAPH Unless they were discovered. They were discovered. MAP Radio men both jolt. Sir... Sir... What is it? RADIO ONE RADIO TWO MAP

13. PHONE MAP RADIO ONE RADIO TWO

Sir. Shh... I have something. Pattern emerging.

RADIO ONE Thats what I have, too. This is something. Sir. What is it. Sir... What! Something. Pattern. RADIO TWO PHONE MAP RADIO ONE MAP RADIO TWO Something is creating sounds. RADIO ONE Not static. RADIO TWO RADIO ONE RADIO TWO

Irregular.

Not interference. Not feedback. Irregular pattern.

Again.

MAP (to Graph)

14. GRAPH Report request signal

Yes sir.

(in Morse Code taps) Report request signal three. Repeat. three. Sir! PHONE

Dammit, man!

MAP (to Phone) Were getting something in now.

Wait!

Map turns his attention back to the Radio Men. Phone picks up the receiver and turns his back, whispering into the telephone. No response, sir. Keep trying! GRAPH MAP Graph continues to send the same message continuously. RADIO ONE Not sure how this is being created. RADIO TWO Attempting to zero a position. Map grabs another set of papers from the shelf. North or south? South. North. Keep trying. MAP RADIO TWO RADIO ONE MAP We have to locate the source.

15. GRAPH Repeating attempt. MAP RADIO ONE

No response, sir. Good. Electrical source.

RADIO TWO Cant be east of the river. Try signal eight four. Already on eight four. Level the-On it. RADIO ONE RADIO TWO RADIO ONE RADIO TWO

MAP I need information, gentlemen. Isnt that right...

I have people to notify.

Map turns to Phone and notices the receiver to his ear. What are you doing? MAP (CONTD)

PHONE (into phone) That is affirmative. What is affirmative? Confirmed. MAP PHONE Map grabs a hold of Phone. What is affirmative? MAP What is confirmed?

16. Phone is turned around and the phone cord is around his neck. Map slams him against the wall. What did you tell them? (beat) Tell me! MAP (CONTD)

PHONE They... they told me... it was already... happening... sir. What. Is. Happening. MAP A loud feedback sound comes from the radio headphones. Both radio men toss their headphones off, toward the radio unit. They instinctively fall back, and to the ground. Everyone looks at Map and freezes. A long silence. My god, sir. GRAPH Map grabs some papers and goes to the radio. They were there sir. GRAPH (CONTD) Werent they. Map holds his hand to his mouth, stifling tears. A moment. PHONE The command was given at oh seven hundred. (beat) There was nothing that we could have-Map wheels around and punches Phone directly in the face. Phone drops to the ground, the cord still around his neck.

17. Radio men and Graph grab a hold of Map and press him up against the back wall. MAP Nothing!? Nothing we could have-- you bastard! You did this! Those men out there... you could have been... You SHOULD have been one of them. Sir... RADIO ONE Map breaks free enough to kick Phone in the stomach. MAP I promise you... I swear I will see you-Sir! RADIO TWO

GRAPH The telephone line is still open. MAP You will rot in hell for this! Ill carry you there myself!

Map drops and chokes Phone. Radio men pull him off and to the side on the floor. Graph grabs Phone and pulls him up and away from Map. GRAPH (to Phone) What did you say? What? PHONE ... I said... expendable. (indicates receiver) Thats what they said. Expendable. Graph looks back at Map and the radio men. Graph takes a hold of the receiver. bashes it over Phones head. He

Phone drops, untangled from the cord.

18. GRAPH (into receiver)

Nothing...

(beat) Nothing more to report. Graph rips the phone cord from the wall. Drops the phone. A moment. Map on the floor. Radio One stands and crosses to Graph. Claps a hand on his shoulder. Radio Two shifts up into his chair. He picks up his headphones and puts one side to his ear. All look to Radio Two. He drops the headphones to the table. Another long moment. A MORSE CODE TAP. They look to the telegraph. Another TAP. The telegraph begins to tap wildly. The men look at each other. Blackout. End.

19. PLAY FOUR: BELIEVE (THOUGHTCOULDWANT) The sound of crickets. A table lamp illuminates a small desk, at which sits a man wearing a white undershirt and pants. He holds his left arm on the desktop, palm up. Looking at his veins. I wanted to believe I asked myself to believe MAN

evidence the mind thinks evidence is the proof it needs (he laughs) Sand as far as the eye whipping whirling scorching sand if I could have believed I could have I know I could have I dont know that not without evidence without evidence I cant believe He runs his right fingers down his left arm, from hand to elbow.

20. MAN (CONTD) its in there so Im told fresh and red enough to fill five soda bottles five soda bottles of fresh red pouring and pumping through each minute end to end one minute five soda bottles pouring pumping pushing pacing pacing pacing and I cant see it and I cant believe it because I cant feel it (angry) Because I cant feel it Man slams his arm down on the desk. MAN (CONTD) I wanted it to be for you I thought I believed it could be for you I believed I thought it could be for you I wanted to believe I asked myself to believe but it remains with me all of it all five soda bottles and none of it none of it was for you none of it was for you Man grabs the lamp and turns it to his face.

21. MAN (CONTD) (intensely)

You looked in my eye and told me confessed that it was needed from me you needed it from me it was all you needed from me and I believed you I wanted to believe you I think I believed you I believe I thinked you I wanted to think you I think I wanted you to believe in me like I believed like I believed but you looked in my eye and I in yours and I saw inside and I saw the evidence the evidence the proof the evidence your need your need your need was not of me it was not of me it was from me it was not of me I could give I believe I could I think I could believe I believe I think I could I could believe I think I could think I believe I wanted to think I could believe I think I could want to believe but

He slowly turns the lamp back to the table.

22. MAN (CONTD) but I think but I believe that in your eye was not was not belief was not in your eye The lamp is pointed back to the table. He places his arm back on the table. so so I I kept it I kept it all all five soda bottles pumping pushing pacing pouring each minute end to end I kept it because it wasnt in your eye like a fool like a damned fool damned fool damned He flexes his fingers and watches the muscles move. evidence hard evidence undeniable evidence denying undeniable evidence He runs his right fingers along his left arm. MAN (CONTD) MAN (CONTD)

23. MAN (CONTD) wanted to believe asked myself to believe thought I could believe could believe I thought wanted to believe I could thought I wanted to believe I could could

I I I I I I I

I could I could I believe The lamp fades to black. End.

24. PLAY FIVE: KEYS Three figures on stage. SAM, a girl, sits on the floor. PEALE, a boy, stands, back to audience, facing side. HARRIET, a girl, sits in a chair. This dialogue is said, almost overlapping, each line as if it had its own context. As if the audio was spliced together. You left. I did. Absolutely not. HARRIET SAM PEALE

SAM Ill be the first to admit. Im here. Waiting. HARRIET PEALE SAM

I want the truth heard. Whats that?

HARRIET Im not repeating myself. PEALE I want to be clear about this. Im... confused. SAM

PEALE Im not spelling it out. Im waiting. HARRIET

25. SAM I cant wait to hear this. I have no words. PEALE

HARRIET Thats the last youll hear from me on that subject. (beat) Lets just drop it now. SAM I cant live with an ambiguity like that. Its over. PEALE No other way to say it. SAM Hanging over me.

Dont say that.

HARRIET I cant ever repay you for this. Thats too bad. Its too late. Thursday it is. SAM PEALE SAM Dont be late.

Its too much.

HARRIET Ive been here for over an hour. SAM Ive apologized already. Its not my fault.

I look like an idiot.

PEALE But Im sorry you felt that way. HARRIET

It most certainly is. Its... a key.

PEALE You know... in case... SAM

Its an emergency.

26. HARRIET I wont need that from you.

I wont ever do that.

I love you...

SAM (laughing)

(beat) I didnt mean for it to come out like that. I take it back. Keep it. Ive moved on. HARRIET PEALE SAM

PEALE Well, its not over for me. HARRIET I cant do anything to help you. I cant do anything. I cant. PEALE SAM Lights change. Harriet rises from her chair and crosses away. She is not present in the scene, but she does not exit. Late. I know. PEALE SAM Im sorry, Peale.

I started without you.

My own fault. Have a seat. Id rather not, Sam.

PEALE SAM PEALE

27. SAM Peale sits on the floor next to Sam. An awkward moment. SAM (CONTD) I was down at the market this morning. This morning. I got up early. Surprising. I know. PEALE SAM PEALE SAM

Please.

(beat) Cold this morning. Every morning. That so. Just about. PEALE SAM PEALE

SAM I suppose I wouldnt know. I suppose not. Interesting, though. It is. The sounds. Yes. PEALE SAM The market. PEALE SAM The colors. The smells. PEALE

28. SAM Cant say when Ive experienced anything like it. PEALE Ive not been to the market here. Went to one back home.

SAM That would have been some time ago. It was. You should go. PEALE SAM To the one here. A moment. Now? Youd be surprised. Its not open now. Like I said. PEALE SAM PEALE

You should.

SAM Youd be surprised. Sam rises. She crosses to the chair and sits. Harriet turns.

You disgust me. Of course I do.

HARRIET You know that. PEALE

HARRIET You live like a child. A wandering adolescent, stealing what catches your eye and discarding the remnants. You save nothing. You work for nothing. You build nothing. You steal and destroy and expunge... expel... expire... no... Expend. PEALE

29. HARRIET And no, thats not it. PEALE

Dont do that to me. Exploit.

(beat) If that wasnt it, it should have been. HARRIET I dont know why I bother. I do. PEALE She crosses to go past him, he stops her. PEALE (CONTD) You want to know how I know. (beat) Even a child such as I can see it on your face. HARRIET Theres nothing on my face. I differ. You mean beg to differ. I dont beg. Macho? PEALE HARRIET

PEALE I just differ. HARRIET PEALE HARRIET

Really?

Harriet... Save it. Im done.

PEALE I dont know why, but I know you dont want to let yourself go after what you want. HARRIET You think you know what I want.

30. PEALE HARRIET PEALE

I think I know. You think. I do.

HARRIET You couldnt be more wrong. PEALE What you want couldnt be more wrong. Its wrong for you. It wont give you the happiness you think it will. No? I guarantee it. HARRIET PEALE Peale crosses past Harriet, behind Sam in the chair. I cant believe it. HARRIET

SAM End of the month. Ill be gone for about six months, I think. Depends on how it goes. It could be longer. Thats the hope. The hope. Yeah. Sam. I know. HARRIET SAM HARRIET SAM HARRIET SAM

31. HARRIET You couldnt have worse timing. SAM I could have. They offered me a spot on Monday, but I said I needed until the end of the month. HARRIET And Im supposed to... what... SAM Youre supposed to be happy for me, Harriet. This is what I came to do. This is the opportunity Ive waited for for six years. Ive told you about this since the day-I know, Sam. Process it. Yes. Stop. HARRIET I just... have to... SAM HARRIET A moment. SAM I cant take very much with me, so you can either take whatever you want with you or itll just get junked. With me. Its my lease. Dont do that. Harriet, I have to. No. No you dont. HARRIET SAM HARRIET SAM HARRIET Now youre just punishing me. SAM

Im not.

HARRIET Youre just rubbing it in now. you kidding me?

Im out on the street?

Are

32. SAM Its my name on the lease. wanted. It isnt. It was.

You knew that.

Thats what you

HARRIET SAM

HARRIET Well, lets change that. Well change it. name. Im not doing that. And thats that, is it. I guess it is. SAM HARRIET SAM

Put it in my

HARRIET Success feels that good. Yes it does. SAM Harriet steps back. HARRIET Ill be out by the end of this week. That isnt necessary. SAM

HARRIET I wont need any of your stuff.

Its already junk.

Harriet pulls the back of the chair that Peale sits in. He tumbles back as the chair hits the floor. Harriet is gone. Sam goes to Peales aid. You OK? SAM

33. PEALE Im not even sure what happened. Cheap chairs. SAM Dont worry about it.

PEALE Four legs on the floor, my mom always said. SAM Very few people even saw you. They look around, as if in a public place. PEALE Just all of these people. (beat) Thank you. Sam. Thank you, Sam. SAM PEALE Samantha. SAM

Strange name for a boy. No. No. Im Peale.

PEALE Everyone calls me Peale. SAM PEALE SAM Sam extends a hand.

Even strangers. Once theyve met me. Peale, then.

Sam.

PEALE Peale shakes hands with Sam.

SAM Its nice to have met you.

34. PEALE

Yeah.

SAM Ill let you get back to eating. PEALE I wasnt... I was just... (beat) I was waiting for someone. Shes late. Yeah. Then its her loss. Have a seat. You sure? Please. SAM PEALE SAM PEALE

SAM What if she shows up? PEALE Peale holds the chair as Sam sits. Harriet turns.

Why now?

PEALE (CONTD)

HARRIET What difference does it make? PEALE Ive asked you to move in for months. And now Im saying yes. HARRIET A moment. Sams leaving. PEALE

35. HARRIET A moment. Peale takes a set of keys out of his pocket. He walks over to Harriet. He picks up her hand and places the keys in them. A moment. She crosses past him. Harriet walks around the chair and kneels in front of Sam. She holds out the keys to Sam. Last chance. HARRIET (CONTD) Dont do this. Sam takes the keys from Harriet. Sam rises and walks away. Harriet crumbles down to the chair, crying. Sam walks over to Peale. She kisses him on the cheek, then backs away. Youre a fool. I try. SAM PEALE Sam tosses the keys to Peale. Peale goes to Harriet. Its OK. Shh... PEALE (CONTD)

End of the month.

36. Harriet smacks Peale and rises. Leave me alone. Wait... HARRIET PEALE Harriet crosses away. A moment. Peale reaches the chair and climbs onto it, as if the back were a railing. He holds out the keys, arm fully extended. He drops the keys. A moment. Peale on the chair. Sam and Harriet with their backs to him. The keys on the floor. A moment. Lights down. End.

37. PLAY SIX: THE WE ARE A man and a woman. Seated on the floor, facing the audience. The each wear a muslin outfit, with a muslin blindfold across their eyes. Lost lost it all all is lost all lost lost all gone gone and lost it all all gone and lost lost all gone lost MAN

Man holds out his hand for woman to take. She does not. He puts his hand down as... WOMAN I know it was raining because I heard it on the roof. It was a tin roof. And when it would rain, hard, Id always think it would give way. It never did. But I never stopped worrying about it. Never stopped. Never stopped raining. And the waters rose past the levee at the lake and it poured over top. They said it would never do that, but I saw never with my own eyes. My own two eyes. A steady stream pouring down over the wall - a temporary waterfall. Not beautiful, but terrible. A terrible waterfall. And I remember thinking... I thought... I remembered having been so worried about the roof... Man holds both his arms out, stretching as much as possible while remaining seated.

38. MAN

Ships sink in the tempest tide sails shred in the wanton wind hulls hulk through crowned crests minded mast toward home home

Mans outstretched arms reach over top of Woman. She stands as Man collapses toward where she had been. Woman slowly crosses the stage during the following: WOMAN I knew it was a penance. Sins to pay for and debts to be settled, in a universal sense. Im not a fool, I know that its too simplistic to say that God sent the rain to wash us, or to wash us away. Its never that simple. A God of love isnt a God of vengeance. I mean, a God of vengeance is also a God of love. Thats what I mean. Vengeance and love. Two hands of the same God. Right and left hands. And feet. On the right foot is compassion, and the left heel is judgement. (beat) When youre being crushed, you cant tell the left from the right. Man curls up on the floor. MAN When the winds dissipate when the air stills to calm when the waters smooth to glass the emptiness of absence the emptiness cavernous silence stillness lost longing left (MORE)

39. MAN (CONT'D) abandoned in the storm there was presence in the storm an actuality in the storm being without merely survival and that lacking WOMAN All of that is behind me now. I moved. Started over. Wasnt easy, Ill tell you that, but if I ever took the time to tell anyone my story, it always opened doors. Renewed my faith in people, and thats the truth. I stopped telling, at some point. Didnt want to take advantage. (beat) I moved on. (beat) New life, in a way. I dont think Im a different person. Im still me. Ive just... just seen some things... is all. (beat) No, I havent been back. I see pictures sometimes. I dont think Im missing much. Its not the same place, anyway. Its not the same. As before. Its not home. I have a home. (beat) I have a home. Woman turns back. She is facing Man.

Man rises during the following: MAN Blowing out birthday candles year after year celebrating holidays personal and national remembering old days and remaking them new not the i am but the we are new traditions the days we met original hand-me-downs right from the box

(MORE)

40. first annuals on the sunset of spring not the i am but the we are alone in a room and can touch both walls space is made by adding within and subtracting without twos and twos and more not not not but the the the the i am i am i am we are MAN (CONT'D)

not the i am but the we are Man is facing Woman. He reaches out and touches her shoulders. She leans toward him. He bears her weight. He turns her. An embrace. If I only if only I if only I could go could go home home Man carefully sits, embracing Woman. She makes a move to get behind him either over his shoulder, or around his back. A dancerly move. WOMAN AND MAN She crumples into him.

41. WOMAN AND MAN (CONTD)

If I only if only I if only I would go would go home home

They spin again, and they share each others weight. A balance. If we only if only we if only we are only we are home home Lights dim on this shared pose. WOMAN AND MAN (CONTD)

42. PLAY SEVEN: CONSTELLATIONS/POLARIS Two men and a woman. A cushioned chair. The woman seated. Carl looks up into the sky. Its there. Im certain it is. The North Star. Polaris. Yes. HAROLD CARL HAROLD CARL HAROLD

CARL Ive never been one for stars. I know. HAROLD

Constellations.

Harold turns to look at Blanche. Carl notices. CARL What... what do you think of her? (beat) Harold. I dont think of her. Oh? Shes yours, Carl. Ok. HAROLD CARL HAROLD CARL

43. HAROLD (beat) (beat) CARL HAROLD CARL HAROLD CARL HAROLD CARL A moment. Im confused, Carl. HAROLD

All right. Ok. Well then. Yes. Carl. Yes.

Well then.

I said shes yours. I heard you. Ive admitted it. Yes. Thanks.

CARL You shouldnt be. I know full well shes mine. think that was in doubt? I thought... You didnt. Come on. HAROLD CARL Really? HAROLD

Did you

Harold.

Then whyve I come?

CARL Im not sure why youve come, but I know why Ive called you here.

44. HAROLD

Ok.

CARL Ive called you here, Harold, my friend... (beat) I was just thinking. I was just thinking about our freshmen year. At uni. Yes. In the Templeton. HAROLD CARL Third floor. HAROLD

The vine bet. Yes.

CARL Exactly right. The vine bet. (beat) Somehow I knew youd remember. Nearly broke my ankle. I did. HAROLD CARL

HAROLD Thats how I know I nearly broke my ankle. If Id have fallen like you, I would have broken my ankle. The men laugh. Four days in hospital. Six weeks. It was. CARL Crutches for weeks. HAROLD

CARL Youre correct. Six weeks. (beat) You remember who made the bet? Who it was bet whom? Whose idea. Yes. HAROLD CARL

45. HAROLD CARL

I havent a clue. No?

HAROLD Not the faintest. I dont think it made much difference to me one way or the other. CARL Then you dont remember who won. The bet? HAROLD Wouldnt that be the man on crutches six weeks? A moment. CARL I bought a car recently. A car? Recently. HAROLD CARL

HAROLD You didnt tell me you were looking for a car. I wasnt. It found me. CARL HAROLD CARL

Figuratively, I hope. Indeed.

HAROLD Why do you need a new car? I dont. CARL

HAROLD Is it green? I saw a green car parked out front when I came in. Gorgeous. Sleek. Just looking at it in the drive, it felt powerful. Can imagine taking the convertible top down and giving it a spin, ocean side. Open it up and let it take you where it wants to go.

46. CARL

Can you.

HAROLD Proven I already have, wouldnt you say? A moment. CARL I bought it from a man, a casual looking fellow down the way. He told me he was in a bad way, having a tough time. Said he needed my help. Did he. HAROLD

CARL He came to me. Like a man does. Man to man, he said, I... am a man in need. God knows Ive been that man in my time. Its true. HAROLD

CARL Thank heavens Im not that man today. Thats right. HAROLD

CARL And I do, Harold. I do. (beat) But I still remember what it is to have that need. have something. Something with which to bargain. Bargaining chip, yes. Exactly. Indeed yes. HAROLD CARL A chip. A moment. HAROLD So you bought his car to help him. Who? The man. CARL HAROLD

And to

47. CARL

What man?

HAROLD The man with the green car. Green car? CARL No, the green car in the front is

(beat) Oh, no. The green car. not my car. (beat) My car is black.

Harold moves toward the chair. Carl turns his back. Blanche looks to Harold. BLANCHE Dont tell me about him. Talk to me of us. HAROLD Ive told you, its not easy for me. BLANCHE Ive left him a hundred times. Ill do it a hundred more. Dont tell me about difficulties. Blanche... HAROLD

BLANCHE Since it means nothing to you, Ill tell you about Olivia. Dont. HAROLD

BLANCHE She wakes up midnights each night. I know this because Ive caught her staring out her dormer window, looking for Orions belt. Honestly. Shes searching so hard and its nothing but three white dots in a field of other white dots that somehow she has the idea that if she can find that series, that collection of lights, that she will have her father home again. (beat) That poor little ignorant. (beat) You should be ashamed.

48. HAROLD

I am.

BLANCHE Telling her that story only made her believe. (beat) Tell me you understand. HAROLD I do not admit anything. BLANCHE She loves her father, Harold. Loves him. She doesnt even know him. How ridiculous is that? She loves that shining bastard like he was a knight in armor, jousting dragons to rescue her from the wicked tower window. This is because of your stories. HAROLD They were just bedtime stories. BLANCHE Saying just doesnt minimize anything. Just bedtime stories. Just wartime atrocities. Just genocide. Just giving a little girl the hope that her father is even a portion of a man. (beat) They were. Bedtime stories. (beat) Youve spilled the milk, Harold. Dont cry. Put an end to it. HAROLD I cant unpour the milk. You will. BLANCHE

(beat) The how is yours. Blanche rises from the chair, and crosses behind it. Harold crosses away. Carl sits in the chair. CARL And it was more than forty minutes waiting before he returned. Forty minutes. Can you believe it?

49. BLANCHE Ive waited forty-five minutes there

I can, actually. before.

CARL Appalling. Customer care is a number one priority in good business. Its bedrock. The customer must be cared for. Find out what the customer needs and care for that need in all haste. Capitalism depends on it. Blanche plays with Carls hair. BLANCHE Im sure they will improve, Carl. Improve? How? Its not worth fussing.

CARL How do you know they will improve? BLANCHE Theyve gone from forty-five minute wait CARL

They already have. to forty.

Im serious, Blanche.

BLANCHE So it says on your business cards. (beat) Im trying to cheer you, dear. CARL Find out what the customer needs. BLANCHE (snide) Capitalism depends on it. A moment. Carl stands.

Carl Ellington, Serious.

BLANCHE (CONTD) Thats not what I-- hold on... It isnt what you-CARL

BLANCHE Wait a minute, please wait. (half beat) Its happening.

50. Carl stops. After the Fall. It isnt. Turns.

BLANCHE (CONTD) CARL She nods. stomach. Puts her hand on her

I never meant to-You didnt.

BLANCHE CARL

BLANCHE Awfully inconvenient for me, if you think about it. Is it? CARL

BLANCHE I was getting a foothold. A moment. We agreed. I know. CARL BLANCHE That Ive planned.

(beat) This isnt something Im doing to you. I... we both tried not to. CARL I wasnt accusing you of-You were. Its ok. BLANCHE Even if you werent. (beat) I was too. CARL

You shouldnt.

BLANCHE Ive been accusing myself of many things in the past few days.

51. CARL

Blanche...

BLANCHE Oh, the things Ive been thinking... Dont. Too late. CARL BLANCHE A moment. CARL You couldnt have waited. For what, Carl? BLANCHE

CARL I could have at least help you pack your things. You knew. BLANCHE

CARL You took the painting in the hall. The Millicent. BLANCHE

(beat) You hate that painting. But it was gone. going to stay. No. CARL Youd never have taken it down if you were BLANCHE A moment. Blanche turns, and immediately is behind Harold. She leans in and embraces him from behind. HAROLD He said hed never take you back?

I would never.

52. BLANCHE HAROLD BLANCHE HAROLD BLANCHE HAROLD

Never was said. Its not true. It is. You cant believe that. I can. Blanche...

BLANCHE You didnt see his face, Harold. Not like that. No. He was furious. Wouldnt you be? (beat) Tell me. Furious... no. HAROLD BLANCHE HAROLD

Youve never seen his face.

BLANCHE

HAROLD You never loved him as he did you. I never did. Of course... Whats that? He was so... broken. BLANCHE (beat) HAROLD BLANCHE

53. HAROLD BLANCHE

As one would be. Its funny.

(beat) I never thought much of it, I never expected to have the same feeling he had for me. I thought it was simply me - that those feelings were off the table for me. Not in my stars. And somehow. Somehow I must have known. I must have always assumed he would be broken, furious, in just that way. And it was that image - the image I had assumed until today it was realized - that image of the look in his eyes... which kept me from loving him. She pulls back from Harold, hands still on his back. She stares at her hands on his back. And now? HAROLD She moves her hands to her stomach. Now? BLANCHE

(beat) Now, Id like to learn love. She drops her hands as Harold turns to her. Blanche. Harold. HAROLD BLANCHE She holds her hands up to hold his face. He steps toward her. Slight hesitation. Before he steps past her and toward Carl in the chair. CARL She was telling me the greatest story this morning.

54. HAROLD CARL HAROLD Blanche turns. He exaggerates. No, it was. BLANCHE

Blanche? Indeed. Oh?

CARL Tell Harold. He would appreciate it. HAROLD Lets say that. CARL BLANCHE

I would try, at least. Tell it, please. Its nothing. Modesty.

CARL Her greatest virtue. HAROLD CARL

One of many, Im told. Who said that?

HAROLD Why, you did, of course. CARL Sounds like me. (beat) Blanche, please tell him. Id rather not beg, but I will. Be my guest. She doesnt need to-Sugar on top. BLANCHE HAROLD CARL

55. BLANCHE All right. But please remember that while I am telling this story, and indeed I previously lived it, if you find it dull, it was Carl made me repeat it. So stipulated. CARL

HAROLD Youll take the blame for dull? I do every time. Certainly. Madam? CARL HAROLD (beat) A moment. BLANCHE I was able to leave work this morning at half ten. Gerry Talbot got sick in the main hall and the cleaning crews were called in to clean. As they do. CARL

BLANCHE Am I telling this or you? CARL I wanted you to tell the other part. The kid in the cart. BLANCHE Yes, but to understand the reason I was at the market, he needs to know I was off work at half ten on a Tuesday. I dont just leave work to go to market at half ten every Tuesday. CARL But thats not the part thats wonderful. BLANCHE Am I telling this story? CARL I wish you were, my dear.

56. BLANCHE (to Harold) So since I had some time this morning, and I was near the market downtown, I decided to do some shopping. Save myself some time later in the week. For what, Im not sure, but to have the time later for something unexpected is... well, its better to not have to lose a chance, lets say. A chance? For? HAROLD

BLANCHE One rarely knows, Harold. CARL Tell him about the sample tray. BLANCHE At the end of the first aisle, there was a sample tray. Biscuits. CARL Not the biscuits... the... (rises from chair) Forget it. (to Harold) Just forget it. Shes doing this on purpose to torture me. BLANCHE Im just telling the story, Carl. CARL Youre not. Just. Telling the story. Blanche. (to Harold) There was a kid in the store. Sitting up in the seat of the cart. All alone in the seat of the cart. No mother, no father, no one in that aisle, the next one, the previous. All alone. A kid in a cart seat, with a basket of box cereal. Just sitting and waving little light-up shoes back and forth and back and forth. The cart moving ever so slightly with each kick. Can you believe it? All alone with a basket of box cereal kicking away. (beat) And Blanche looks at the kid, and the kid says... (beat) The kid says... BLANCHE I dont like this cereal. But I like the prizes. Big smile from Carl.

57. Blanche and Harold just look at Carl. CARL I dont like this cereal. (beat) But I like the prizes. A moment. Carls smile fades. Blanche sits in the chair. HAROLD Ive come to be honest with you. Indeed? CARL Well, thank you. HAROLD

I think I owe you that.

CARL Nonsense, Harold. Please. Dont think you owe me anything. I couldnt bear thinking you thought that. Honestly. (beat) Lie to me. (beat) Thats what you owe me. A moment. Im leaving. Youre leaving. Yes. Now? Soon. HAROLD CARL HAROLD CARL HAROLD

CARL Youre leaving soon, and youre just telling me now.

58. HAROLD

Yes.

CARL And when were you going to tell me about this? Now. HAROLD

CARL I see. This is the appointed time. and now was the time-Im going away. Ah. HAROLD For good.

You thought this through

For good, you say?

CARL For whose good? HAROLD

Mine?

Carl.

(beat) You asked me to lie to you. I certainly did. CARL

HAROLD Can I be honest for a moment? No. Its for Olivia. Olivia? My Olivia? CARL HAROLD CARL A moment. Yes. Funny you mention her. Midnight. HAROLD CARL She woke me last night. HAROLD

It was late.

59. CARL A

Yes.

(beat) Seems she wanted to show me something in the sky. constellation. Or part of it anyway. Orions belt. The Dipper. Little? Or Big? HAROLD CARL HAROLD

Both, in fact.

CARL Seven stars in each.

HAROLD You know... you know that theyre also called Big and Little Bear. Mother and child, yes. CARL A moment. Harold turns and takes a step away. CARL (CONTD) Olivia... she pointed out that the Little one, the dipper, the bear, the child. Its the little one that contains Polaris. (beat) The North Star. (beat) That was something... that was something I didnt know. Harold goes further away. They hold for a long moment. Lights dim to three spots, illuminating Carl, Harold and Blanche. The lights then go out. End.

60. PLAY EIGHT: QUAKER MEETING Three rows of pews. A man sits in the back - he is plainly dressed. Another man sits on the front row - his shirt is a bright color, but no pattern. They are silent for a time. Enter a third man. He is dressed very contemporary, bright and with pattern. He sits in the middle row on the end. Silence. THREE (to the second man)

Excuse me. Pst.

(beat) Excuse me. The second man turns.

THREE (CONTD) This is... this is a church, right? Second takes a moment, then nods affirmative. Three leans toward Second. THREE (CONTD) I was just... I was looking for a church, and I saw this place and it was open. But I was worried it wasnt a church. There arent any statues of... anything. Or pictures in the windows. Pretty drab in here. I was expecting... I dont know... lots of saints and cherubs and sh... (beat) Shh...tuff. You know what Im talking about, though, right? Am I right? (looks around) Wheres the priest? (looks) Seriously, is this a church or what?

61. SECOND (whispers) It is a meeting. A meeting? Yes. AA? THREE SECOND THREE Dude, I am in the wrong place. SECOND Its another name for a church.

A meeting.

THREE Ive never heard church called a meeting. SECOND Its what a church is called by the Society of Friends. The French? Friends. THREE

SECOND Frien-ds. With an s.

THREE I dont want to go to no French church. Friends. Friends. Friends. SECOND THREE

(beat) You and this guy back here are friends. Yes. Good friends? SECOND THREE

SECOND The Society of Friends is another name for the Quakers. Society of Friends. THREE

62. SECOND

Yes.

THREE Society of Friends is a church. SECOND The church is a meeting. Huh. THREE

(beat) Did I come during naptime or something? Three sees One sitting in the back and waves. One puts his finger to his lips to say shh. SECOND Friends meetings are held in silence. What? In silence. THREE SECOND

THREE You dont sing or nothing? We do. You sing in silence? No. Then how do-SECOND THREE SECOND THREE

(beat) So whens the sermon? SECOND When the spirit leads someone to share. Someone? THREE

63. SECOND THREE SECOND THREE SECOND THREE SECOND THREE SECOND

Anyone. Anyone? Yes. Where is the priest? We are all priests. Youre a priest? Yes. And this guy back here. Yes.

THREE Why dont you sit up front? SECOND I havent been recorded. You in a band? No. THREE SECOND

THREE You sing solo, in silence? Second just looks at him. Recorded? THREE (CONTD)

SECOND A record is made of each meeting. (beat) Written record. (MORE)

64. (beat) Its written down. What is? SECOND (CONT'D)

THREE

SECOND What happened at the meeting. A moment. Three looks around the room. THREE I gotta get out of here. Wait a moment. SECOND

THREE I cant wait a moment. I came here to talk to a priest and then get out of here. I have to go. SECOND You came for absolution. To confess. Yeah. You can. Quakers do that? THREE SECOND THREE Like the Catholics? But you can confess.

SECOND Not at all like the Catholics, no. To who? You? To God. THREE SECOND THREE

Of course not. Hes here?

Of course he is.

SECOND He is omnipresent.

65. THREE SECOND Hes everywhere. His spirit surrounds us and THREE SECOND THREE SECOND THREE SECOND THREE

Omni-what? Hes here. fills us.

Like oxygen. Very much like oxygen. Im out. God go with you. Huh? God go with you. He will?

SECOND He goes before you and with you. A moment. THREE So I might as well be here then. Might as well. SECOND A moment. This is f... messed up. THREE Dude. He scoots back.

SECOND I appreciate you trying to watch your tongue. My tongue? THREE

66. SECOND I appreciate it. THREE

Your language. Yeah.

SECOND I assume youre doing that for me. And because of God. Meeting. THREE Im in a church. SECOND

THREE Right. My mom would beat my a... me. Shed beat me she found out I cussed in a church. Meeting. Its fine. SECOND

THREE To cuss in your.. Meeting. (beat) I dont see you cussing. SECOND You dont see it. Its in my heart. And I cant hide anything from the Spirit of God. He knows me better than I do. A moment. So what do we do here. We wait. For? The Spirit to move. THREE SECOND THREE SECOND A moment. THREE I dont know if I can wait that long.

67. SECOND A long moment. The First man in the back starts to sing a hymn. The second man joins in and harmonizes. The song has a chorus that is repetitive enough that Three is able to sing the last line with the other two men. Another moment. Lights down. End

Me neither.

68. PLAY NINE: THE OLD DINER A run down, burnt out cafe in an urban American area - maybe Detroit. The front window is broken and hardly any tables or chairs are in working shape. GARY, mid 40s and wearing a brown leather jacket, sits in one of the only working chairs at a wobbly table. He sips from a coffee mug. Through the window steps ALEC, mid 20s, wearing jeans, T-shirt and a blue hoodie. He stops when he sees Gary. A moment. Youre glad to see me. I am. I bet. Been lookin for ya. Really. All over. That so? Yeh. Lucky you. GARY ALEC GARY ALEC GARY ALEC GARY ALEC GARY

(beat) You should have bought a lottery ticket. Gary sips from the mug. Alec reaches into the hoodie pocket and pulls out a black plastic bag.

69. ALEC GARY ALEC GARY

I got it here. Put it away. Ill just set it-Put it away.

(beat) In your pocket. ALEC Whats your problem, dude? GARY In the west, a dude was a person from the city, incapable of life in the harsh surroundings of the cattle ranches, like a city slicker. Before that, a dude was an overly well dressed man, like a dandy, or even a metrosexual today. Its also a term of camaraderie for surfers. (beat) Which of those do you think I am? Sorry. ALEC

(beat) Whats your problem, asshole? (beat) Thats only got one meaning I know of. GARY Why am I here, Alec? (beat) I mean it. Why am I here? I get that you think Im here for that bag of weed in your pocket. But you cant really think that, can you? Im sitting in a burnt out diner. Drinking what must be rancid coffee. Im waiting, in the dark, patiently. And so the question you are not asking yourself, but honestly you should, is if he wanted this bag of weed, is this how he would go about getting it? ALEC I dont know what youd do. GARY By now, Alec? Be honest. I know you observe better than you let on. Ive been watching you. I know how you operate. Youre not a chump. A weasel. A punk or a pigeon. You know the game, and the players. You... are a smart. guy.

70. ALEC GARY

Thank you... (claps)

Bravo, you.

(beat) I know it sounds like Im full of it right now, but honestly, somewhere along the line I lost my ability to sound sincere. I rarely find that I miss it. (beat) Have a seat. They all broken. ALEC

GARY Thats almost true. (points to an overturned chair) You should be more thorough. (beat) Go ahead. Alec retrieves the chair, brings it to the table. As he scoots in, he leans on the table, which tips toward him. He rights himself. A moment. So... So? ALEC GARY Gary sips.

ALEC So, whats the answer to my second question? No. Ok. GARY ALEC

GARY Ive come to this... charming place this evening, Alec, because I believe. I believe in you. In me. ALEC

71. GARY I think that given the chance, that not only would you be capable, but willing to do... the right thing. The right thing. Indeed. Doesnt sound like me. ALEC GARY ALEC Alec pulls his hood back for the first time. GARY (smiles) How is Charlene? (a long moment) You dont know, do you. Her mother took her far away from you. A year ago? Last June. More. I see. ALEC

GARY You miss her. (beat) She turned 2, then, if it was last June. By now shes walking - you missed that. Depending on the individual child, she probably knows some words. Mama, for certain. Dada... maybe not. ALEC What are you trying to-Gary pulls out a small picture frame from his inside jacket pocket. He sets it on the table, with a kickstand. GARY When mine were that little, I cant even tell you. After a hard day, or night, whichever... their little smiles, their hands grabbing at my legs as I walk in the door. Honestly, theres nothing like it. Not a thing. I wouldnt know. ALEC

72. GARY Those first few years... nonstop firsts and new things, and getting bigger and taller and more dextrous. They learn to say their ls, rs and t.h.s. Then they start dressing themselves, and theyre able to make food for themselves. Yeah. ALEC I dont know what Im missing. GARY

Now you do.

ALEC Whats all this have to do with you and me? GARY Theres the point in the life of a child, Alec, when the parent has the most startling realization. That realization is this. Not only have you reached the point where the child no longer needs you, but you are also staring in the mouth of the realization that the child, in fact, no longer wants you. That their own choices are more important than yours. That their path is indeed now theirs. And they will defend their right to that path, do the death if necessary. ALEC Charlenes going to kill me? No, Alec. GARY Youre going to kill me. A moment. Gary pulls out a gun and points it at Alec. ALEC Whoa, Gary... Im not... Gary lets the gun swing on his finger. He sets it on the table, which wobbles a bit. You are. kill me. Tonight. GARY Thats why Ive come here. For you to

(beat) Its the right thing to do. Alec stands up and moves back.

73. ALEC Gary rises as well. GARY Thats not the right question, Alec. Again. You have a very bad habit with that. Try and keep up. (beat) In this life, I am your parent. Ive brought you up. Ive tied your shoes and showed you the ropes. And now I have realized that it is that time. Now is that time. I dont want that. ALEC Im not going to... Its about nature.

Why would I...

GARY Its not about want. Its not about us. This is nature. Its natural. ALEC This is a burn out diner. Exactly. you do. GARY Thats exactly right. You see.

You do.

I know

(bangs on the counter) This diner. This is it. This is me. This diner was my first hold up. I took $8.14 from this very register. I was in 8th grade. This was the start of me. And so we are here to end it. ALEC I was just cuttin through to get to-I know. GARY

(beat) I know where youre coming from and I know where you were going. (beat) Thats not marijuana in that bag. Alec pulls out the bag and unrolls it. It is a doll. May I? GARY (CONTD) Alec tosses the doll to Gary.

74. Gary looks at it a moment, then tosses it back. GARY (CONTD) Thats nice. Flame retardant. Didnt have that option when my girls were little. You wont miss them? When? After. No. Not after. ALEC GARY ALEC GARY I... I already miss them.

ALEC Havent seen them in a while. GARY You see? I know you see. This is what Im talking about. This is why I know that this is what is supposed to be. (moves toward Alec who retreats) Wait. Look. No. (stops) Im not going to do anything to you. I should say the same. Of course you are. And then what? No. ALEC

GARY Youre going to kill me.

ALEC I take over your beat.

GARY Absolutely not. Youll take over yours. (beat) Its your path, Alec. Not mine. Alec takes a step towards the gun. Go ahead. GARY (CONTD) Im not going to stop you. Alec stops at the table.

75. ALEC GARY Alec reaches into his pocket and pulls out the bag. He puts his hand inside, then picks up the gun. Ive never actually... ALEC

Fingerprints. You see.

GARY Its as simple as it looks. Like a camera. Like a camera. Arent you scared? No. Why not? ALEC GARY ALEC GARY ALEC

Point and shoot.

GARY Thats another stupid question. Please. Theyre the only thing that makes my confidence waver in the least. Dont ask me questions the answer of which you already know. I wont ask any more. ALEC Alec points the gun at Gary. Thats my boy. Last words. No one to tell them to. GARY ALEC GARY Lets not bother. A moment.

76. ALEC Ill give you one more shot at last words. (amused) GARY

One more shot.

ALEC You dont want to go out on a pun. Try me. GARY Alec pulls the trigger. The gun goes off with a tremendous BANG. Alec screams in pain, flings himself back against the wall. Gary is still standing. The gun has misfired. ALEC Fuuuu--!!! God dammit, my hand! Blew my thumb off! Shit!

Gary picks up the gun, tucks it back in. ALEC (CONTD) You did this... you did this on purpose! you did! You did! I know

Gary steps forward toward the crumpled Alec. He picks up the picture frame from the table, and sets it on the floor in front of Alecs face. ALEC (CONTD) Tell me you did this on purpose. Tell me! GARY Hiding your question in a command. Clever.

Gary pulls out another gun. No. No! ALEC Dont do this...

77. GARY (gestures around) Its nature. ALEC

But Alec.

Why are you doing this?

GARY And theres a stupid question. Gary pulls the trigger. Blood. Alec is dead. Gary sets the gun next to Alec. He reaches into Alecs pocket and pulls out the doll. A cell phone RINGS. Gary pulls out his phone. GARY (CONTD) (into phone) (beat)

Yeah? Hey baby.

(beat) Im on my way. (beat) Daddys got something for you, baby. (beat) No. No, its a surprise. Youll find out when I get home. I know that. He steps out of the broken window. GARY (CONTD) (into phone, walking off stage) I just finished talking to an old friend.... Lights down. End

78. PLAY TEN: A MOTHERS PRAYER A girl and her mother. A backless bench. GIRL I wanted nothing more than to stay. MOM I wanted to hold you close to me. GIRL Funny if that were true. I wouldnt lie to you. MOM

GIRL Youve told me lies my whole life. MOM Santa and the Easter Bunny dont count. They are not real. GIRL

MOM Theyre real, they just dont exist. Mom. GIRL

MOM You cant tell me I didnt want you to stay here. I begged you. Begged you. I pleaded. I threatened, and cried. What was I supposed to do? Tell me the truth. I knew what was best. I know. Now I know. GIRL MOM GIRL I didnt know that then.

MOM If we could go back and tell her.

79. GIRL She wouldnt believe me. She didnt believe you. God, I loved her. You did. MOM GIRL I couldnt before.

(beat) At least I can be honest with you now. I know. MOM

GIRL I dont want to go this time either. Dont tell me that. Im just being honest. MOM GIRL

MOM But you know, dont you? Of course. GIRL A moment. MOM Ill tell you something. You have to promise not to tell your father. GIRL I wouldnt even if I could. MOM While you were gone... every day... I... prayed... for you. Prayed. Yes. GIRL Like prayed, prayed. MOM Like on your knees. To God.

GIRL You dont believe in God.

80. MOM That was your father. Didnt breathe a word about God in his house, forty years. He was angry and a drunk and a liar, and somehow he got it in his head that God was all those things too. Like God was made in his image. (beat) But that wasnt me. I never knew. GIRL

MOM I kept it quiet because of your father. (beat) Thats not saying that I thought it would do anything. I was praying about you as much as I was for you. When I started. But every day I would get down on my knees and I would fold my hands and I would say these words. A mothers prayer. (beat) Oh God. You are big, and Im small. Im sorry I do wrong, but forgive me, because I forgive the wrongs done me. I dont understand why she left, but keep her safe. I dont think I could take it if anything happened to her. But if something does, let it be what you want. Amen. That was your prayer. Something like that. A mothers prayer. Every day. And I was kept safe. GIRL MOM GIRL MOM GIRL

MOM I dont know about that. So much happened to you. would have kept all of that away from you. But Im here. You are. I am. GIRL MOM GIRL

I wish it

81. A moment. Youd better go. Yeah. She needs you. I dont know... She does. MOM GIRL MOM GIRL

MOM She needs you to pray for her. GIRL MOM

Im not sure... She needs you.

GIRL I dont know if there is a God, mom. MOM God doesnt need your belief to exist, sweetheart. Girl gets up to leave. GIRL That was all you had to say... to pray? That was it. MOM

GIRL Did you have to mean it? I sure tried. MOM Girl takes a few steps away, stops and turns. GIRL Will you still pray for me? Im doing it now. MOM

82. Girl exits. Mom gets down on her knees at the bench. A moment. Lights down.

83. PLAY ELEVEN: THE EDGE OF THE WORLD A couple dances, slowly, in the dimly lit upstage. Downstage, BRIAN stands, hands in his pockets, facing out. LONA sits on the floor away from Brian. She writes on the floor, as if in the sand. BRIAN She brought me to her favorite place in the world. A place where the sea met stone, and staring out from land was staring off the edge of the world. LONA Have a seat Sit Look with me Look at me Look at me at the edge of the world I will never be the same I will never be the same The couple dances a moment. BRIAN The sound of cresting waves washed over tried. I did my best. I looked at her allowed me. Wind whipping my face, and ocean gusts. She was daring me to look more than anything to comply. LONA (still seated) us as we sat. I for as long as she thrashing us with deeply. I wanted

Rise come with me follow along with me follow me follow me to the edge of the world we will never be the same we will never be the same The couple dances more. BRIAN Over craggy rocks covered in moss, we stepped and hopped, to the place where the water briefly separated us, two people on either side of a passage. She had lined her way across the downed tree limb, and was now face to face with the endless. (MORE)

84. BRIAN (CONT'D) (beat) The fabric of her dress spoke of the volumes of rushing air, flung landward from the sea. She raised her arms wide, trying to catch, to embrace that air. That air, which was at the same time, threatening to carry her away. LONA Fly fly with me glide along with me glide with me glide with me over the edge of the world it will never be the same it will never be the same The couple dances for a time. BRIAN I placed one unsure foot on the wooden limb. And before I could place another foot, whipped up was a mist and sand that threw me back. I fell onto the sharp stones, my hands, my side, my legs. (beat) I cried out to her... WAIT FOR ME! but she did not. Wiping away the grains and beads, I looked directly... directly into the glare of the open sun. Across the edge of the world. (beat) All that remained was a fabric and a sound. Brian reveals a piece of white fabric. LONA Ascend ascend with me ascend past the edge of the world you are not the same you will never be the same The couple dances. BRIAN Left alone I stood, with nothing but stones as witness. I sat and I looked for as long as I could last. And when I could take in no more, I rose, and I took a pebble from my pocket. I asked the stone, as I had asked her, to wait for me. (MORE)

85. (beat) BRIAN (CONT'D)

Wait for me.

Brian mimes tossing a stone. The couple dances through the following. Projection: I cast my pebble onto the shore of Eternity. To be washed by the Ocean of time. It has shape, form, and substance. It is me. One day I will be no more. But my pebble will remain here. On the shore of eternity. Mute witness from the aeons. That today I came and stood At the edge of the world. --Brian Inder The couples dance comes to an end. The projection goes out. Brian stands with the fabric. Lona moves to Brian. She takes the fabric from him, raising it above his head. She steps away with the fabric, stands upstage, back to audience, and raises her hands. Brian turns to her. Lights dim. End

86. PLAY TWELVE: THE CASE OF THE BLUE DARLING A man in a hat and suit is in a spot in a downstage corner. DETECTIVE Some say she never existed. The girl in the blue dress, who had this town in her spell for that whole summer. There wasnt a dame who didnt have her name on their lips, for good or for ill. And there wasnt a man breathing air that didnt have that image burned on the back of his eye lids. Upstage, backlit, a young woman in a blue dress. We do not see her face. The light goes out. DETECTIVE (CONTD) That girl. It was a hard case to make, seeing as she didnt want to get found. But when the tough jobs come along, thats when theres a knock on my door. A knocking sound. Lights shift to a desk in a dimly lit office, lamp directly over the desk. The Detective crosses around behind the desk. A woman, SALLY, sits in front of the desk, hands folded neatly over her purse. SALLY Thats when I was told to see you. DETECTIVE When the other options are closed, and all is lost. Thats right. job. My lucky day. SALLY They told me that you were the man for the DETECTIVE

SALLY No one has seen her in two weeks.

87. DETECTIVE No ones willing to admit it, anyway. SALLY I know shes been... wicked... these past weeks, but I promise-Weeks? Months. DETECTIVE

SALLY I promise you, Detective, that my sister is not that kind of girl. Ms. Carmichael... Sally. DETECTIVE SALLY

DETECTIVE Ms. Carmichael, your sister has been the kind of girl that those kinds of girls dont tell people theyre like. (beat) Im sorry, but I cant take this case. A wayward wanderer lost in the sleaze she pursued really isnt worth the paper your moneys printed on, no matter how high they stack. Please... SALLY

DETECTIVE Im afraid Im otherwise engaged, Ms. Carmichael. I have two tickets to an island far away from this one, and much warmer. Two? SALLY

DETECTIVE I like to put my feet up. (beat) I wont bother to walk you to the door, its right behind you. SALLY You have to listen to me... DETECTIVE Ive listened, but theres nothing to hear. Shes made a spectacle of herself and now shes bottomed out. While theres many places she could be, I have no interest in scraping through every pig trough in town. (MORE)

88. DETECTIVE (CONT'D) (beat) I know you dont want to hear it, but shes got what she deserves, which is more than what most people get, so lets at least call it fair. (beat) My plane leaves first thing in the morning, so I will say good evening, Ms. Carmichael. Sally rises, and crosses to the door. SALLY Detective, I know... all about what happened... When? What happened? DETECTIVE SALLY

All those years ago...

DETECTIVE Ms. Carmichael, I advise you to not make the play youre about to make. Youve been told I have a heart. Not all rumors are true. SALLY Then theres only one thing left to do. Sally sets her purse on the table, and takes off her gloves. Now, look, Sally-DETECTIVE She unsnaps her purse. Out of the purse, she pulls a small figurine. SALLY What do you say now, Detective? Is that... The Blue Darling. DETECTIVE SALLY Detective takes a moment. DETECTIVE Id prefer it if that werent left here.

89. SALLY You know what it is, then. DETECTIVE My biggest fear is that you dont. I certainly do. SALLY

DETECTIVE Then your sister has the-She does. She did. SALLY A moment. DETECTIVE Ive never been too fond of beaches, anyway. in my shoes. Lights shift. The desk becomes the table in a diner. Detective sits. Sally becomes the Waitress, who brings a bowl and a spoon. WAITRESS Wet out there tonight, Jack. Whats that? DETECTIVE Too much sand

WAITRESS I say its wet out there tonight. DETECTIVE Thats just because of all the rain. WAITRESS Glad we got you working the scene, tonight. DETECTIVE You seen Smiley tonight? WAITRESS Not in a couple of days. But hell turn up. apple. Like a bad

90. DETECTIVE If you see him, let him know I need him. A man enters in a wet raincoat. Tell him yourself. WAITRESS Waitress exits. Smiley sees Detective and sits at the booth. Jack. SMILEY Boy, am I glad to see you, Jack. DETECTIVE

I can see that, Smiley.

SMILEY (holds up a large manila envelope) I got it, Jack. Right here. You needed it, and I got it for you. Isnt that great? Keep it down, Smiley. DETECTIVE Put it on the table.

SMILEY (handing it to him) Here you go, Jack. Put it on the table. Jack. Table. DETECTIVE SMILEY DETECTIVE

SMILEY Why you got to do this to me, Jack? mug. Like I mean nothing to you.

You make me feel like a

DETECTIVE Nothing is certainly more than I think of you. Smiley gets intense and leans in toward Detective.

91. SMILEY You gonna go back on your word, Jack? You gonna go back on it? You said you would help me, Jack. That youd help get me out of this place. I got a mother, Jack. She needs me. I gotta get home to her. You promised me, Ja-Detective shoves Smiley in the face. Smiley drops back into the booth seat, and drops the envelope on the table. DETECTIVE You make a spectacle of yourself all you want, Smiley. you dont make one out of me. (beat) Its in here? Yeah, Jack. SMILEY It sure is. Detective pulls out a locker key. DETECTIVE Theres a ticket and a satchel in the locker A21 at the South Street Train Station. Be on the 10:13. And I dont see you around these streets again. Smiley stands up and grabs the key. Detective slams his hand down on Smileys arm, holding him still. DETECTIVE (CONTD) If this envelope doesnt give me what I need, that satchel wont be full enough and that train wont be fast enough. You got me? I do. I got ya. SMILEY Detective lets him go, Smiley rubs his arm. Is it true? Is what true? SMILEY (CONTD) DETECTIVE But

SMILEY Does she... does she have it? She does, doesnt she. else would you go looking for a dame like that?

Why

92. A moment. DETECTIVE She reminds me of my little sister. You aint got a sister. SMILEY

DETECTIVE And I aint got to tell you a thing. SMILEY What are you going to do with it when you get it? Smiley... Come on, Jack. DETECTIVE SMILEY Just between you and me.

DETECTIVE Youll promise not to tell? Cross my heart, Jack. SMILEY

DETECTIVE Im starting a little garden, in a planter on my fire escape. Daisies, petunias, gardenias. Im gonna use it as a garden gnome. Get out of here, Jack. SMILEY

DETECTIVE I was going to tell you the same thing. Smiley rises and starts to exit. SMILEY Youre gonna miss me when Im gone, Jack. DETECTIVE Thats the plan, Smiley. Smiley exits. soup. The detective sips his

Waitress comes back and sits.

93. WAITRESS What happened to your little friend? With any luck at all. DETECTIVE

He vanish?

Whats this?

WAITRESS (notices envelope)

DETECTIVE A letter from my mother. WAITRESS You dont have a mother, Jack. He picks up the envelope. DETECTIVE Everyones got a mother. WAITRESS Not some people. Some people just showed up on this earth and walk the streets for a time, no mother, no father, no people. Youre one of them, Jack. A man without people. You arrived some time ago, and in no time at all, youll be gone. And you never had people. He starts to get up. DETECTIVE If only that were true, Alice. If only that were true. My names not Alice. had. My real nam-I like that name. WAITRESS Thats just the left over nametag they

DETECTIVE Should be your real name.

WAITRESS On second thought, maybe it is, Jack. Detective steps away. WAITRESS (CONTD) You want this on your tab? DETECTIVE Only if you want me to come back. Alice.

94. Detective exits. The waitress exits. The table stands up as a door. bench becomes a lounge chair. A window is present. BOSS is played by Smiley. on the lounge chair. He is laying The

Waitress becomes WOMAN with a foreign accent. Detective knocks on the door. Who is there? Im looking for him. WOMAN DETECTIVE I need to talk to him. Woman looks at Boss, who drops to the floor. WOMAN He is not here. I dont know who youre looking for. back at another time. Perhaps then he will-Come

DETECTIVE Lies arent going to help you. Whats going to help you is you opening this door right now. How do I trust you? WOMAN

DETECTIVE Youd be a fool to trust me. WOMAN Then I do not open door. Boss shouts from under the chair. BOSS Get lost, Burns. Ive got no business with you. away, and we got no problems. Just walk

95. WOMAN Burns? This is Burns I talk to? Bur--

You didnt tell me it was

Boss climbs out from under the chair. Detective has picked the lock, and entered the room. Shut up. BOSS Go get me a drink. WOMAN BOSS Detective stands behind Boss. Boss. Oh! My stars. DETECTIVE BOSS Ill handle this.

You say that-I will handle it.

(beat) You want to give me a heart attack? DETECTIVE If thats what it takes. BOSS Im serious. Sneak up on me like that and Im a goner. ticker cant take that stuff no more. DETECTIVE I came here because youre going to tell me something. I am? Yes. BOSS DETECTIVE This

BOSS Im guessing that its a secret. It is. DETECTIVE

96. BOSS Its a secret from even me. DETECTIVE Youre going to tell me what I want to know. Is that a threat? Its your palm reading. BOSS DETECTIVE Im from the future. A moment. BOSS Burns, I got no beef with you. DETECTIVE Good. And if you dont want one, youre going to tell me where the girl is. Who? The girl. BOSS DETECTIVE

BOSS She went to get us some drinks. Pulls out the envelope. This girl. That girl? DETECTIVE BOSS Thats an envelope. DETECTIVE BOSS DETECTIVE A moment.

You know who it is. I do? Youre eyes say you do.

97. BOSS I dont know what youre talking about. is... her.

Only girl I know

Woman returns with two glasses. Here you go. See. Hey! Quiet, doll. WOMAN

BOSS One for me, one for you. WOMAN BOSS Have a seat. Woman sits on the lounge chair.

Have a drink, Burns.

BOSS (CONTD)

DETECTIVE You know why I came here. BOSS I assume you came for the witty repartee. DETECTIVE How long since youve been socked in the nose? Me? BOSS That doesnt happen to-Detective punches Boss in the face. Boss drops to the floor. Woman screams and stands. DETECTIVE (to Woman) She sits. BOSS Awh... ahh... shouldve seen that one coming. DETECTIVE You shouldve seen all of this coming.

Ah, ah, ah.

98. BOSS The repayment of the debts from a life of crime and debauchery? You think youre justice in a fedora? I want the girl. The girl? Thats why Im here. DETECTIVE BOSS DETECTIVE Boss rises. The girl. Ha ha! BOSS The girl.

DETECTIVE Nothing funny here, Boss. BOSS Theres like twelve things that are funny here. which is you telling me youre here for a girl. (beat) Especially, the girl in that envelope. I am. DETECTIVE Boss snaps at Woman, she moves her legs, and Boss sits down on the lounge chair. I want you to think. Enlighten me. That girl? Doll. Me? Dont be afraid, Doll. you. BOSS Think very carefully, Burnsy. DETECTIVE The least of

BOSS The girl in that envelope. (beat) Why dont you tell him? WOMAN BOSS Burnsy would never hurt a dame like (MORE)

99. (beat) BOSS (CONT'D)

Tell him. Her?

WOMAN The girl you got in there. DETECTIVE

Youll never find her.

And why is that?

Woman stands. Detective.

She gets close to

WOMAN Dont be silly, honey. (beat) Shes gone. (beat) Like a candle in a rain storm. (puts her arm around him) But let me tell you, mister... Detective... DETECTIVE

WOMAN Detective. Girls like that? While theyre hard to follow, you just turn around, and shes around every corner. Just waiting for you. Waiting... What do you mean? DETECTIVE Woman pulls Detectives head down and knees his jaw. She sweeps his leg and drops him to the floor. Boss rises and crosses to the envelope. BOSS Burnsy, I gotta tell you. Sometimes, you make me so happy, I dont even hardly want you dead. (picks up envelope) Saved me a lot of trouble, delivering this to my door. (kneels down to Detectives face) I see you walking again... youll walk no more. Boss rises, snaps to Woman. She kicks Detective as the lights blackout.

100. A moment Lights spot Detective on the ground, the sound of rain. He is on the street. The waitress discovers him. Jack? Uh... Come inside, Jack. A... Alice? Y... yes. WAITRESS Jack is that you? DETECTIVE WAITRESS Lets get you out of the rain. DETECTIVE WAITRESS

DETECTIVE Alice, what are you doing here? WAITRESS Youre lying in the street outside the diner. Outside the... wait... DETECTIVE He checks his pockets, his coat. WAITRESS What are you looking for? Its gone. Youre wallet? No. Never mind. DETECTIVE WAITRESS DETECTIVE WAITRESS

Let me help you.

DETECTIVE I cant be helped, Alice.

101. WAITRESS I can at least get you warmed up and dried off. some coffee? He rises, she helps. I wish that would help. Cant hurt. It could. Come on in... Im sorry, Alice. DETECTIVE WAITRESS DETECTIVE WAITRESS DETECTIVE I cant. I have... I have to... Detective spots something off in the distance. You have to what? WAITRESS He starts to leave, perhaps running. DETECTIVE Ill be... Ill come back to pay my bill in the morning, Alice. Thats ok, Jack! WAITRESS You dont have to do that! DETECTIVE He runs. Waitress exits.

How about

I always settle up.

Detective runs up to Smiley, standing on a corner reading a paper. Detective fully tackles Smiley, and pins him to the ground. Jack! SMILEY What in the world! What are you doing, Jack!

102. DETECTIVE Youre supposed to be on the train, Smiley! SMILEY I was, Jack. I promise. The train stopped! It broke down and they made everyone get off the train! I promise you. Please dont kill me, Jack, I dont wanna die. I wanna get back to my mother. Shes sick, Jack. Im going out in the morning, I promise. (digs in his coat) You see? I got the new ticket right here. Just like I said. (Detective grabs the ticket) Its the 6:42. In the morning. As early as I could get. Im gonna stay up all night, Jack and Im going home. (Detective drops the ticket) You were right, Jack, its the right thing to do. I cant leave my mother out there all alone. Shes sick, did I tell you that? (Detective starts to run away) I been telling her Im coming home for months, but I never had the money till now, or at least the money I had never got to the ticket window. But Im heading home now, Jack, and all because of you. Because of you! Thank you, Jack, Im going home! Detective runs away. A door. Detective knocks on it. When it opens, it reveals Sally. Detective? Ms. Carmichael. Youre soaking wet. SALLY DETECTIVE SALLY Smiley exits.

DETECTIVE Been on the streets, Ms. Carmichael. You have? SALLY Well, come in, please.

Hot on the trail.

Detective enters plain. There is sits, packed, on teapot sits on a

the room. It is one suitcase, that the end of the bed. small table.

103. SALLY (CONTD) DETECTIVE SALLY Her whereabouts?

You have news? News? About my sister. Yes. Yes.

DETECTIVE About... her. SALLY Where are my manners? Please. Give

Im sorry, Detective. me your coat and hat.

She takes them and sets them on a chair. SALLY (CONTD) If we give them a moment, perhaps they can dry. Sally notices him staring at the teapot. SALLY (CONTD) Would you like some tea, Detective? Im afraid it might not be very warm, but youre welcome. No. No tea. DETECTIVE

SALLY Youre a coffee man, I suppose. Im afraid I dont have any coffee. Certainly not at this hour. This hour. DETECTIVE What time is it?

SALLY Its a quarter to one, Detective. Im lucky you didnt catch me in my dressing gown. Ive just been packing my suitcase. Im going to have to leave the city and go home for a few days. My mother cabled to tell me shes quite ill. Ill? Shes ill? DETECTIVE

104. SALLY She is quite old, Detective. Her health has declined in recent months, as word arrives continually of my sisters... exploits. Exploits. Yes, indeed. Indeed. DETECTIVE SALLY DETECTIVE He fixates on the suitcase a moment. Sally crosses and closes the suitcase. SALLY You said you had news of my sister, Detective? Your sister. Yes. DETECTIVE (beat)

(beat) Im afraid your sister is something more of an enigma now than she was before you arrived. How so? SALLY

DETECTIVE I know youre aware of her... reputation. A fun girl, a swell time, party till dawn and sometimes through till the next one. All that sound familiar? Im sorry to say yes. SALLY

DETECTIVE But asking around about this girl, why, I have to tell you Ms. Carmichael, theres some stories not even you would believe. SALLY Oh dear. Please spare me the sordid details, Detective. I wont be able to keep the truth from my poor ailing mother. Shell read me like a dime paperback novel.

105. DETECTIVE A dime novel. I bet she can. (beat) Truth is, Ms. Carmichael... Sally. Its nothing you could even imagine. (beat) Your sister... has run off and gotten married. Yes. What? SALLY

DETECTIVE Shes married. She found a guy and left town about three weeks ago. Headed south. You might find her in New Orleans. New Orleans? No. SALLY

(beat) Detective... thats... not possible.

DETECTIVE Im afraid it is. She met and married a Howard Finklestine, a broker downtown. Im told they met at an Automat. An automat? SALLY Finklestine? No. No.

DETECTIVE Ive heard it from a number of sources, and my sources are never wrong. Shes a married woman now, settled herself down and theres talk of a bun in the oven. SALLY This is not true. This is not true! (beat) You take it back. Take it back! DETECTIVE Im just passing the word along. wanted. This is the information you

SALLY This is not what I wanted. This is not who my sister has become. You... you... you tell them. Go back and tell them thats not what happened. DETECTIVE Ms. Carmichael, its not my story to tell. You do it! SALLY You GO! (she hits him in the chest) (MORE)

106. Get out of here! is NOT... SALLY (CONT'D) And you tell them my sister is not... she A short moment. Real. DETECTIVE

(beat) Shes not real. Is she? How dare you... Ms. Carmichael. SALLY DETECTIVE Sally... Sally pulls a revolver from her suitcase. You go out there. SALLY And you tell them.... Sally starts to circle the room. Detective counters. DETECTIVE I cant go tell a whole city anything. (beat) Sally. Put the gun down. (beat) There never was a sister, was there? She is... real. SALLY She is my sister. DETECTIVE I know the truth. SALLY Detective reaches into the suitcase, and pulls out the blue dress. DETECTIVE Wheres the Blue Darling? (beat) Sally, where is it? Sally makes a small glance to the teapot.

Shes you, Sally.

How... how can you...

107. Detective looks right at it. SALLY Dont you dare. Dont you dare. (pulls back the hammer) I will kill you. Right here, Detective. No! No. Its mine!

DETECTIVE Youre not leaving this town with the Blue Darling. SALLY You cant stop me. Its mine. I stole it fair and square, and now we will leave town together. You and I? Me and the Darling. I wont let you. DETECTIVE SALLY DETECTIVE

SALLY Youre the only thing between me and that train in the morning. DETECTIVE Then Ill have to stop you. How is that, Detective? SALLY Detective spins the dress around the gun. The gun fires into the floor. Detective spins toward Sally, and is able to grab the teapot in one move. He smashes the teapot across her head. Sally drops to the floor. The Blue Darling is on the floor amongst the teapot pieces. At the door arrives the Hotel Manager (Smiley). What is going on here? HOTEL MANAGER I heard a gun shot!

108. DETECTIVE HOTEL MANAGER

All taken care of, sir. Is she dead? No.

DETECTIVE But shell have quite a headache in the morning. Hotel Manager spots the Blue Darling. He picks it up.

What is this? Its a figurine.

HOTEL MANAGER DETECTIVE A collectors item.

The Blue Darling. It

HOTEL MANAGER Oh! Its... its turning colors. Its becoming red! must be the Red Darling.

Detective takes the Darling from him, hands him the revolver. DETECTIVE No. It... changes. In the light, its color is red. dark, it changes to blue. (beat) Its more valuable... when its in the dark. Detective goes for the door. Huh. HOTEL MANAGER In the

(beat) What should I do with her? DETECTIVE With her? Oh, dont worry about her. enough, Im sure shell change too. If you wait long

Detective exits. The location changes to the diner. Detective enters to find Waitress cleaning the table. Alice. DETECTIVE (CONTD)

109. WAITRESS DETECTIVE

Jack. Ive come back.

WAITRESS Time to settle your bill? Time to settle down. DETECTIVE Detective takes her in his arms and embraces her. They kiss. Jack. Yeah. I should tell you. (beat) My names not Alice. Alice? What? I should tell you. (beat) My names not Jack. WAITRESS DETECTIVE WAITRESS

DETECTIVE WAITRESS DETECTIVE

They kiss. Lights down. End.

110. PLAY THIRTEEN: UNSAVEABLE A dank room. blacklights. Unnaturally lit. Perhaps Uplighting. Dim.

A few inches above the stage, a chair. On his knees, a MAN. His arms are outstretched, with ropes around his wrists. Holding a powerful flashlight is a WOMAN, standing far from Man. Thats what happened. You left her there. Of course I did. MAN WOMAN MAN

WOMAN She asked you to leave her. She did. You believed her. I did. MAN WOMAN MAN

(beat) I should not have. WOMAN There will be time for that. MAN There will be a time to come? Woman turns the light on him. WOMAN If there were not, I would have told you. She takes the light away. In the time to come.

111. MAN Youll find her where I left her. I wont. I didnt. WOMAN (beat) MAN

Thats not my fault. Of course it is.

WOMAN You left her there.

MAN She was... fine... when I left her. She was far from fine. Yes she was. WOMAN She was quite far. MAN Woman stands right behind Man. I cared for her. WOMAN Very much. MAN

She was lovely. (beat) I cared for her once. You did.

WOMAN

MAN I tried to care for her again, and she... she was... she was not the same. Not the same as when I cared for her. She was not. WOMAN

MAN I wanted so much to care for her. I know. WOMAN

112. MAN She could have been... for me... she could have... she could have saved me. She would have saved me. WOMAN Thats what you wanted from her. MAN Thats what I needed from her. (beat) And now, without her... It was. Say it. Without her... I... Unsaveable. Yes. Yes, Im afraid. WOMAN MAN WOMAN MAN Unsaveable. She holds the flashlight directly over his head. You saw her... On the boardwalk. You asked her... WOMAN MAN Overlooking the ocean. WOMAN

MAN Where shed been for so long. She said... Around. You asked her... WOMAN MAN WOMAN

MAN To join me for a cup of coffee.

113. WOMAN MAN WOMAN

She said... No. You said...

MAN I would just like to talk. And she... She... Refused. And you... You... And. You... WOMAN (beat) MAN WOMAN (beat) (beat) She hits him over the head. to the ground. He drops

WOMAN (CONTD) And now, we cant go back. (beat) It was a simple proposition. A reconnection. Reunion. Reestablishment. Of the former. To create the new. A new former. (beat) And now. And now... MAN A moment. WOMAN Im disappointed, is what I am. I know. MAN

114. WOMAN MAN WOMAN MAN

I wish you did. I am the unsaveable. Yes. I am disappointed.

WOMAN You cant rob me of this. I dont care what you are. Unsaveable. Corrupted. Damned. Makes no difference to me. This is about me. You are a part of my story. I am. MAN

WOMAN Your pain is nothing but a shadow of mine. (shines light on him) Agree. MAN You cant do anything more to me. damneder. More damned. WOMAN

An echo.

You cant make me

MAN You dont have the power. You hope thats true. Shes already gone. This is my story. WOMAN

MAN I am unsaveable. WOMAN She advances on him. He swings the ropes around her, he catches her around the throat, and holds her down. The flashlight falls to the floor.

115. MAN WOMAN A moment. MAN This is what you wanted. WOMAN What I knew would happen is not the same as what I wanted. MAN Put yourself in the room with an unsaveable and let nature take your life. Convenient, eh? WOMAN

And now. And now.

MAN I wouldnt think so, were I you. All part of a plan. Not so great a plan. WOMAN MAN

WOMAN You havent seen the ending. Ive seen one. MAN Man squeezes as Woman chokes. Man twists his hands. Womans neck snaps. She drops to the floor. He drops back, seated. MAN (CONTD) That wasnt part of the plan. Was it? Man rises. He tries to take off the ropes. He cant.

116. As he struggles, he catches the ropes back around himself. I didnt do it. MAN (CONTD) Im telling you. The ropes constrict him. Im innocent. MAN (CONTD) Im innocent. Im innocent. He is bundled by ropes on the floor. He lay next to Womans body. He struggles for a moment, then stops. A moment. With a large breath, Woman jolts. She rises. She notices him on the floor. WOMAN Tell me... tell me you arent unsaveable. saveable. (beat) You are guilty. But you can be saved. (beat) That I can save you. (beat) Let me save you. That youre

She holds a hand down toward him. He does not move. She collects the flashlight. She sits on the chair above the stage. I can save you. (beat) Let me save you. (beat) You arent unsaveable. WOMAN (CONTD)

He lays on the floor.

117. She sits in the chair. The dim lights go down. She turns the flashlight to him on the ground in a spotlight. She turns the flashlight off. Blackout.

118. PLAY FOURTEEN: CAIRN A MAN is placing stones into a cairn a marker tower of stacked rocks. He carries heavy stones to the center, then places them purposefully. A story TELLER sits on a far stool. He holds a pint, and drinks occasionally. TELLER And they asked the man, excuse me. Excuse me, they said. Why are you stacking those stones? Excuse me, mister, they said. Why are you stacking those stones? (beat) He didnt often notice them, or acknowledge the question or their presence. He continued to stack, occasionally checking the horizon, with his squinty eyes. Hed look, sometimes with his hand on his forehead, shielding from the sun. (beat) Excuse me, they said louder. I said excuse me, sir. I wonder why you are stacking those stones. (beat) Youd feel bad for them. He was unflappable. Theyd ask, and hed work, and neither would be satisfied at the end of day. And when the sun went down. When the sun went down hed take his eyes off his work. Hed take his eyes off the horizon. And it was then. It was then hed notice them, if anyones still there. If they hadnt gone. Hed smile a pleasant smile at them, almost make them forget how stubborn hed been all day. (beat) Sir, theyd say, if you dont mind telling me why do you stack those stones? Oh, of course not, hed say right back immediately, I dont mind at all. I suppose Id ask if I saw a man stacking stones by the sea. (beat) Then why do you stack the stones? Because, says he, they wont stack themselves. The man has assembled the full cairn. The story teller exits, his pint now empty. The stacking man looks out at the horizon, squinting and holding his hand to his forehead. He moves downstage. Upstage enters a young GIRL, in a simple dress, carrying a basket.

119. She sets down the basket, and pulls out a small blanket, which she lays out on the floor. The stacking man moves away from the cairn, and the girl. The girl begins to eat a picnic during the following. STACKING MAN The story of the Arabian king goes like this. (beat) Once, there was a king. And he ruled all of an Arabian kingdom. He was blessed with a beautiful wife, whom he lost when she gave birth to an even more beautiful daughter. Not only was this child the most stunning thing the king had ever laid his eyes on, she was the image of her mother, the love of his life. He doted on the girl for her whole upbringing, giving her all of the finest jewels and linens, and reading her the best books, and playing for her the most gorgeous music. She wanted for nothing, though being as beautiful inside as out, she never demanded any of these things from her father, not spoiled in the least. (beat) But there was this one thing. Her feet, or her toes more like, where gnarled like a grandmas knuckles, craggy as tree roots, all twisted like a city councilman. Didnt hurt her at all, didnt stop her walking, they were just - if it can be said of such a beauty - ugly, ugly feet. (beat) Her father, with all the care in his heart, wanted to do anything he could to fix the problem, but he didnt want to make her self-conscious about them. He didnt mention them to her, ever; but he spread word throughout his kingdom that if someone could help his daughter with her only flaw, the reward would be great. (beat) Wise men and wizards and all kinds come up to the palace, to the king, and come up with all sorts of solutions. Potions. Creams. One fella wanted to build her jade shoes which would stretch her toes, another wanted to cut em off and replace them with a kind of wheel, like roller skates. The king was not satisfied. He wouldnt try any of these solutions until he was completely convinced. (beat) Then there was that day that the mysterious stranger arrived. That one day. The king told him the story of the daughters ugly feet, and the stranger screwed up his face, like, all twisted and confused. He was mysterious, sure. The mystery man says to the king, Your daughter is beautiful in all else but this. Cant you be happy with that? The king was insulted. (MORE)

120. STACKING MAN (CONT'D) He fussed and he fumed and he threatened Mr. Mystery with kicking him out of the kingdom or worse. Probably killing him, is the worse. So Mr. E says to the king, Fine, fine. Heres what you do. You gather all the stones in this courtyard, all the big ones, and I want you to build a cairn. Stack the stones as high as theyll go, and the answer to your problems will come to you. (beat) So the king orders his servants to gather the stones. And the stranger is, no. You, yourself must do it. With your own hands. (beat) Now, this king, hes a good man, but an honest days works never hung over his doorstep. He starts gathering stones, and his hands get roughed up, little nicks and cuts, and callouses form, and since hes pretty old too, his knuckles ache and all around, I gotta say, his hands looked horrid. His hands looked as theyd gone 14 rounds bare knuckle. Hed been juggling a machete and lost. Scars and slashes all over. (beat) Next day, the stranger comes back. King says, I done it like you said. Now what? Stranger looks at the pile. He gives it a good slap, and the whole thing tumbles down flat. Stranger says, do it again. So the king does. Stacks and re-stacks and learns how to stack it right to make it sturdy and strong. But his hands are now twice as bad. (beat) Next day, stranger slaps the stack, and the stones stay strong. Kings all satisfied with himself. Stranger looks king in the eye, and as he does, he kicks the bottom stone loose. Crumble. Says, do it again. The Mystery Mans becoming a real jerk. Takes all the king has not to behead him right there himself, if he could hold a sword with his swollen fingers. But the king remembers the girls feet and gets back to stacking the stones. By this time, kingys hands are like ground beef mitts. Theyre just barely hanging on, really, stumpy stubs on his wrists. Nasty. (beat) Next day, here comes stranger man. King stops him and says, Dont touch the stones, man. Just tell me what will fix my daughters toes. Im not fixing her toes, Im fixing your eyes. Your hands are far more ugly than her toes ever were. Look at them. Now look at her toes. King looks at hands, then at toes. Mystery stranger was right. To him, they were no longer ugly, but a part of the full beauty of the girl. (beat) King turns back to the stranger to thank him... all he sees is sand... strangers gone... (beat) Mysterious, no? A moment.

121. He crosses back to where the girl is picnicking. He picks up an apple from her basket and eats it. He goes to the cairn. GIRL It was a warning (rises to knees) A warning to those far away out at sea up the valley to the top of the distant mountains dont come round here, it said dont come round here things happen things happen to folks who come round nosy folks things happen, and youve been warned a warning it was (she stands) They painted the cairn the stones in stack painted them sos to distinguish the cairn from natural a pale red such as the sky had never been a pale red unlike the blood on the land a pale red that would scream to them scream loud in a voice that drowns out the wind this is the place this is the place you should not come this is the place (she circles behind the cairn) And they cried (MORE)

122. GIRL (CONT'D) when they finished they cried because they knew the warning they gave damned them cursed them separated them from all others that travellers would stay clear and messengers would turn back and word would never come that enough days had passed and time had taken course that enough moons had come and gone for it to be safe it wasnt safe it would never be safe as long as it stood as long as it stood for as long as it stood The girl stands directly behind the man. She leans into his back. The story teller re-enters, goes to his place. His pint is full. TELLER What do I think? Whew, dont know, exactly. Ive nothing against them, sure. They mark the territory. Boundaries. Mountain peaks. (beat) I dunno, is there a place for making them anymore. I guess the question is: is there anything left to mark? New places unexplored. Have the boundaries moved? And... ooh, and... is there anything else thats happened, or will happen, that will be worth remembering. For the generations, or for all of us, or even just for yourself. (beat) Thats a question. (beat) That is a question. He puts his pint on the stool. Teller picks up the last unstacked rock.

123. Teller, Girl and Stacking Man work together to place this last stone. They all step back. Lights dim, then go out. End

124. PLAY FIFTEEN: THE BENEVOLENT MONARCH OF SODAS Lights illuminate a billboard upstage, an advertisement for King Cola - the benevolent monarch of sodas. The ad has a comical king holding an enormous soda bottle. Downstage is Will and Kevin, both young and dressed average. Kevin stands looking upstage. Will is sitting on the ground, leaning back. WILL If they hadnt gotten sued, they would have advertised it as the King of Pop. A moment. Sued by who? KEVIN A moment. Lady Gaga. Really? WILL

KEVIN That doesnt make sense-WILL KEVIN

Michael Jackson. More sense.

(beat) Whos the little man? Dwarf. No. WILL

KEVIN The dude with the bottle. WILL He lives in a box down there. KEVIN

Thats Hobo Louie. On the sign.

125. A moment. Seriously. Yeah. Its King Cola. WILL KEVIN WILL

KEVIN That didnt take much imagination. No. Terrible ad. WILL KEVIN Doesnt even look like he likes to drink it.

WILL Well, at least its accurate. Why? KEVIN

WILL It takes like bath water. A moment. KEVIN You dont think thats what they were going for? I seriously doubt that. WILL A moment. Still. Still what? He is the king. Hes a cartoon. KEVIN WILL KEVIN WILL

126. KEVIN WILL A moment. KEVIN Its good to be the king. (beat) History of the World. Part one. I know. WILL

Still. Sure.

Mel Brooks.

KEVIN Its good to be the king. Of cola. (beat) If he drinks that whole thing, his bladder would explode. WILL I almost guarantee that that sentence was never spoken at King Cola headquarters during a marketing meeting. It would. KEVIN That bottles bigger then him.

WILL I refuse to participate in this conversation any further. Just know that. A moment. KEVIN She move her stuff out already? Yes. Fast. Definitely. WILL KEVIN WILL

KEVIN You know shes going to Shirleys. No. WILL

127. KEVIN You dont know, or you do and shes not. Yes. Which of-WILL KEVIN

WILL Shes not going to Shirleys. How do you know? Followed her. How? KEVIN WILL KEVIN

WILL Despite my appearance, I am a crafty fellow. A moment. Hug? What? You need a hug? Absolutely not. KEVIN WILL KEVIN WILL A moment. KEVIN Its ready if you change your mind. WILL I appreciate that, Kevin, but you gotta know, I have no intention of hugging you. Fair enough. KEVIN A long moment of silence.

128. KEVIN (CONTD) WILL

King needs a scepter. You cant be serious.

KEVIN I absolutely am. Hes got a crown, sure. regal if he has a scepter.

But hes more

WILL He cant hold a scepter. Hes holding the giant bottle. doesnt have any hands left. KEVIN The bottle is a scepter. I get it. No. It makes sense now. a king. He has a crown on. WILL

He

KEVIN Just having the bottle is what makes him WILL

KEVIN Yeah, but without the bottle, hes just a dwarf in a yellow pointy hat. Little person. You said. Im retracting. WILL KEVIN WILL I was wrong. A moment. KEVIN If you could have told her that, she might not have-I know that. WILL

KEVIN You think its too late?

129. WILL Shes already moved out. KEVIN A great man once quoted someone else who said, its never too late. WILL Thats what youve got right now? KEVIN I would also tell you that its the benevolent monarch of sodas. Ugh. WILL

KEVIN Hes at least twice as regal if he has a scepter. WILL Perhaps that was regality overload. KEVIN No such thing as too much regal. WILL When youre selling bottles of soda, maybe there is. I dont buy it. KEVIN Too much regal.

WILL Neither did anyone else. Its why theyre bankrupt. Bankrupt. KEVIN With an empty factory. Just like your apartment.

She took the couch. night.

WILL I sat on the floor to watch TV last

KEVIN She took the cat too, right? Nope. WILL

KEVIN Thats cold, dude. Sticking you with the kids. wanted them in the first place.

Like you

130. WILL KEVIN

I did. Oh.

Was my idea.

(beat) I hate your cat. I like difficult women. WILL A moment. KEVIN Perhaps if you had a scepter. WILL Or a bottle of King Cola that was twice my height. KEVIN No way you could carry it like that dude. Im no king. Or Little Person. WILL KEVIN A moment. What am I gonna do? Which movie are we in? I dont know. WILL KEVIN WILL

KEVIN Itll make a difference which speech I give. The Go get her. The move on. The St. Crispins Day. WILL Im not storming a castle. You could. KEVIN

WILL Make as much sense as sitting around here.

131. A moment. KEVIN Im trying to cheer you up. You suck at it. WILL

KEVIN I will let that slide because youre hurting. I appreciate that. WILL

KEVIN Its hard to not be a miserable turd in times like these. Shut up. See? I understand. WILL KEVIN A moment. KEVIN (CONTD) The top of the bottle is really almost the size of his head. He could climb into that bottle, drink his way out. WILL Then hed be stuck in a bottle. KEVIN Hadnt thought that far ahead. WILL Hes be trapped in there. Walled off from everything around him, but still able to see it all. Just disconnected. (beat) And hed be the same little king he was before, who loved his giant sodas, but now... I know. KEVIN A moment. WILL Why does it have to suck this much?

132. KEVIN A moment. I should go home... Feed you cat.... Poison. WILL KEVIN WILL Will stands. He and Kevin face one another. Will leans in and hugs Kevin. Thanks, Will. Yeah. KEVIN WILL Will turns to go. KEVIN Youre not going to poison the cat. No. Good. WILL KEVIN Be the benevolent monarch of your apartment. WILL Will exits. Kevin looks at the advertisement again. KEVIN Hes wearing one white glove. Lights down. End

It just does.

I will do my best.

133. PLAY SIXTEEN: UNTURNED STONES MAKE THE PATH SMOOTH Darkness. Breathing. I I I I I I VOICE tried my best wanted to try my best hope I tried my best dont think I tried my best didnt really try didnt try at all Lights up slightly. A figure emerges from the darkness, kneeling. VOICE (CONTD) It took time to forget Time to remember That remembering was far too painful And that unturned stones Make the path Smooth The figure rises in a fluid motion, almost a dance. VOICE (CONTD) Guilt and shame My motivation Laid bare in daylight Exposing Facts and Truths Telling the only half of the story Worth hearing The half Worth knowing Remains untold The figure spins and whirls. VOICE (CONTD) The darkest parts of me Resisting illumination Hoping to remain Buried deep within The safety of solitary night Undisturbed The figure bursts and leaps. Then...

134. VOICE (CONTD) Fighting for freedom The suffocated truth Gasping for air Tortured lungs Bursting with lack And burning with purest empty Until The figure exhausts itself. It comes to rest in a held position, not comfortable, but relaxed. Until VOICE (CONTD) The figure drops to the ground. Until VOICE (CONTD)

Desperation for that deepest need Being Known Takes the helm And steers And steams And sails Directly Into the murky waters Of being revealed The figure rises back into a kneel. The dim light fades into a full backlight - or perhaps scrim. Unturned stones Make the path smooth VOICE (CONTD)

Turned stones Make the path the journey All lights fade to blackout.

135. PLAY SEVENTEEN: POISON IN JEST Two sit in a coffee shop sitting area two chairs and a table far too low to be a useful table. Two coffees are on the table. The two are uncomfortable. MAN I didnt know you lived in Texas. I dont. SHE I havent for some time.

MAN I heard you lived in Texas. Who told you that? I dont know. SHE

MAN Im sure it was someone.

SHE I moved there from here, if thats what you mean. MAN I meant that I thought you still lived in Texas. You assumed. I suppose so. SHE MAN But you dont live in Texas. A moment. SHE Youre still at Smith Henderson. I am. MAN

I know that now.

SHE Youve moved up, Id wager. And youd be wrong. MAN

136. SHE Youre still in the same position. MAN Largely, yes. I took on a few more accounts, and I have some oversight on some younger guys, but its still essentially the same position. SHE More work and no title bump. MAN Whats a title when you already work at Smith Henderson. SHE Youre well-liked, then? I suppose I am. MAN I dont go around asking. A moment. SHE Was it always this cloudy here? this cloudy when I lived here. I dont remember it being

MAN Plenty of sun in the summers. And in the spring. want the sun, its there. High in the sky. SHE What happens when you dont want it? Its still there. MAN Its the sun.

When you

SHE I was asking about clouds. They come and go. MAN

SHE When they come, how long until they go? Im not an ecologist. MAN I dont believe in global warming.

SHE The one of those doesnt have anything to do with the other.

137. MAN

I disagree.

SHE Ecologists dont study global warming. They should. MAN I hear its a hell of a problem. A moment. Man leans down and grabs his coffee. He sips it as he leans forward over the table, and sets it back down. MAN (CONTD) Penny didnt tell me anything. Nothing? Not anything. Thats the same. SHE MAN SHE

MAN Neither of them are anything at all. SHE So youre wondering why were here. I know why Im here. MAN

SHE Because Penny asked you here. MAN I dont know why youre here. She smiles. SHE Youre worried Ive had your baby. A moment.

138. MAN I will say that when there are clouds, it doesnt rain as much as you think it would. Not like Texas. SHE I dont live in Texas anymore. Nor here. Thats right. MAN SHE

(beat) Are you still angry? MAN That cant be why youre here. It can be. It isnt. SHE But it can be.

MAN When Penny told me you were in town and that she wanted me to meet you here, I remembered what this place used to be. Just now? SHE You pass this place every day, dont you?

MAN Driving by here doesnt trigger memories anymore. SHE It hurts to look at a bunch of twelve year old bartisettes over there where Papa Gino would have been. Used to have character here. Still has character. Not like the old days. Old days. MAN SHE

MAN You make it sound like it was the 1940s. SHE

To me it was.

MAN If Glen Miller could play Smells Like Teen Spirit.

139. SHE A long moment. She picks up her coffee and sips it. MAN Theres not a chance in hell that youre getting me back. SHE Thats not at all why Im here. Like hell it isnt. I have a request. MAN SHE

They were my 1940s.

MAN You know my answer. (beat) I wouldnt be here at all if it werent for Penny. God bless that girl. Certainly has. SHE MAN

SHE Youre not with Penny now. Shes married. MAN You dont know him.

SHE But you were with her after me? MAN I know she told you that we were. A moment. SHE What happened to your car? It got sick. MAN Lengthy hospital stay and a lot of doctors.

140. SHE Must have been hard to pull the plug. Shockingly easy. You loved that car. MAN SHE

MAN If only it had loved me back. (beat) I left it by the side of a road. Seemed only fitting since it had done the same to me so many times. Heartless. Just. SHE MAN

SHE A little maintenance goes a long way. (beat) Me. Penny. MAN I was talking about my car. I wasnt. SHE Man leans forward, as if to rise. MAN Its nonsense like this, why I wouldnt have come. Except. SHE He leans back. Its good to see you. SHE (CONTD)

MAN Im about halfway between haircuts. my hair, always makes me look good.

Its the best length for

SHE You always could make a girl feel special.

141. MAN A moment. MAN (CONTD) Youve moved back to town. (beat) Youve lived here for almost a year. (beat) You moved here to live with a man who left you. (beat) You invested in a startup coffee shop. SHE You never liked surprises. MAN With you, Ive never been surprised. Not once. Not when you moved in to my apartment when I was at work. Not when you proposed to me. Not when the apartment was empty by the time I got home that day. As mysterious as you think you are to everyone, you are an open book to me. (beat) I dont want you back. A long moment. SHE Madam, how like you this play? The lady protests too much, methinks. MAN Oh, but shell keep her word. SHE Have you heard the argument... MAN Is there no offense int? They do but jest... Poison in jest. SHE MAN Another moment. She picks up her coffee.

Thats what I live for.

142. SHE You finally read Hamlet. MAN I found the ending kind of convenient. SHE 4 dead bodies is convenient? MAN All that deserved to die had died. SHE Ophelia deserved to die? Ophelia? None greater. MAN

SHE She was a simple girl, who loved men operating in a sphere she didnt fully understand. MAN Then she had no business making those men love her. SHE Kind of harsh, dont you think? I do. MAN A lot of people died.

SHE All deserving, apparently. (beat) I like that you finally read it. MAN I had some time on my hands. A moment. SHE You still havent asked. Asked. MAN

Shame it took you so long.

SHE About why were meeting. Right now.

143. MAN

Because I dont care.

SHE That cant be true. (beat) Pennys been having an affair. well aware, arent you? Shes my friend.

Of course, you are already

MAN We speak, occasionally.

SHE Im not talking about her cheating on her husband with you. (beat) Shes cheating on you. And her husband. MAN I suppose youre going to say that its with you. If I did? Then youd be lying. (beat) You are right, though. I wish it could say it great deal, she is one she is also my lover. (beat) This is how she wanted SHE MAN I am well aware of her relationships. bothered me. I do care for her a of my closest friends, if not the, and It just doesnt. me to know. SHE She hoped to shock you. You are

Shell be disappointed. unflappable.

He leans forward as if to rise. MAN If thats all you have for me, I have no need of finishing this coffee. Its terrible. Which is why theres no business in here at 10 am on a Friday. This is prime coffee run time, and this place should be packed. He stands and steps behind his chair. SHE Your daughter has been asking about you. And you lied about me. MAN

144. SHE For a long time.

I tried.

She doesnt believe me anymore.

The man turns back and looks at her. Wise girl. MAN

SHE I could tell her where you are. MAN The sad part is, I can tell that you think shed choose you over me. When whats happening right now is, shes moving her things out of your apartment and over to my house as we speak. (beat) If youre here, doing this, then youre not there. (beat) Poor thing wanted nothing more than to get away from you. No one understands that more than I do. Man exits. Lights down.

145. PLAY EIGHTEEN: FANTASY, DREAM, AND SECRET ALAN, a man brushing his teeth. ALAN (while brushing) He wasnt a kind man... kind... he wasnt kind. Thats all Im saying. My dad wasnt kind. Selfish. I mean, everyones selfish, but he, he had mastered selfishness. Like a... like a thing youd master. I dont know. (beat) I know it was a long time ago and all, but... and this is weird... when I was a kid, and people would take photographs, like birthdays and stuff... if he knew he was in the picture... weird... hed close his eyes. Every time. For a while, everyone thought it was some kind of consistent accident, bad luck on his part. Grandma made kind of a deal about it, but everyone else thought it was funny, laughed it off. Every picture, dad with his eyes closed. Us curled up as a family: closed. Him and me at the first day of school: closed. Him sitting in a rocking chair, in the background of a picture that wasnt even of him. Closed. It was uncanny. (beat) I saw him do it once. Mom didnt believe me, but I know what I saw. And even more, Im pretty sure he knew I saw him. I dont think anyone else around noticed it, it was probably just to me, but I could feel him turn guilty, or something. I dont know how to tell it. But he knew he was busted, and he knew he shouldnt be doing it. Did it anyway. (beat) Meant to ask him about that. On his deathbed, or something. Walks off. Lights up on Nell, a woman with a candle. Almost ready. NELL Alan returns without the toothbrush. ALAN The power came back on an hour ago. NELL I had already planned this. ALAN Powers been off for three hours. fossil fuels? Can we please burn some

146. NELL He sits. ALAN If you have a Ouija board, Im leaving. NELL I want us to share three things. ALAN Bag of chips, the sofa, a movie on Netflix. NELL Please dont ruin this for me. Please dont ruin-Alan. ALAN NELL She starts to get up. ALAN Im sorry, Im sorry, Im sorry. behave. (beat) What are the three things? He stops her. I will

Sit.

Please sit down.

NELL A dream weve never shared. A fantasy weve never admitted. And a secret weve never confessed. No way. ALAN

NELL We used to do this stuff all the time. When we were dating. Yes. ALAN NELL

ALAN I know better now. This is just an exercise in me deciding on three things youre going to hold over me for the next few years.

147. NELL This is us being open and honest with each other. Honesty is overrated. Alan. ALAN NELL

ALAN Nell, seriously. If theres a secret I have, and that is not an admission, dont you think that theres a good reason I havent told? I tell you everything that I can think of that would actually be of concern. That would be worthy of a candle-light confession. I have nothing to tell in this situation. Honestly. I have one. You do? Yes. NELL ALAN NELL

ALAN You wouldnt have come up with this if you didnt have one already. (beat) Youre going to have to give me more time to think. NELL Ill go first. And you dont have to start with the secret. Theres also the dream and the fantasy. ALAN Arent those the same things? NELL A dream is something like, like a way you see us in the future, something you want for us. A fantasy is something... silly... or ridiculous. Maybe even a little selfish. But it has to be honest. And real. Winning the Masters. Alan. ALAN NELL

148. ALAN I want to win the Masters. NELL ALAN NELL ALAN

Im serious. Ok. Why?

You didnt say why. I am now. I look good in green.

NELL You can do better than that. Masters? I like golf. And? ALAN NELL

Why would you want to win the

ALAN I would like to be good at golf. Why? I dont know. NELL ALAN Its good to win things?

NELL Do you... think youre not good at things? Im good at things. I know. ALAN

NELL Youre the one wishing you were better at something.

ALAN I guess the recognition. Recognition. Fame. Fortune. Yeah. NELL ALAN That stuff.

149. NELL Im going to say, I wish I had a beach house. ALAN NELL

Ok.

My turn.

A beach house. Yes.

ALAN Is that a dream or a fantasy? Im thinking fantasy. NELL Its never going to happen.

ALAN I dont know about that. NELL Have you seen our bank statement? ALAN Its not going to happen next month, but I dont know. not out of the realm of possibility. Someday. Maybe. NELL I didnt say youd be there. ALAN Perhaps it was the settlement in my wrongful death suit that got you the money to buy it. NELL Thats how I like to picture it. (beat) My dream is different. What is it? ALAN Its

NELL My dream... is that we move overseas. Really? Yes. To where? ALAN NELL ALAN

150. NELL I dont know. Im thinking someplace non-English speaking. Even Europe is too easy. Maybe Southeast Asia. ALAN Why is this more feasible than a beach house? Theoretically if we could move to Sri Lanka and buy a beach house there, right? They have beaches. Im serious, Alan. Really? Yes. NELL ALAN NELL A moment. ALAN Youve never said you wanted to move overseas. I know. NELL

ALAN That would... kind of make this... your secret as well. NELL If you want to look at it that way. ALAN Someone who wants to move overseas is very different from someone who doesnt have that in mind. Is that bad? NELL

ALAN Not necessarily. Just surprising. (beat) All three of your things make sense together. NELL I didnt say this was my secret. What is it? ALAN

151. NELL Its your turn, thats what it is. ALAN Im still trying to wrap my head NELL

What is it?

My turn. I dont know. around Sri Lanka. I didnt say Sri Lanka. I did.

ALAN Now its all I can think about. (beat) Ill never win the Masters if I move to Sri Lanka. NELL And Id hate to spoil that for you. your dream for us? What? Im embarrassed now. ALAN NELL Can you please just say

ALAN No. Dont be. I think its... adventurous of you. To want us to move overseas someday. I just dont know what to think of it yet. Ive never thought about it before. I dont even have a passport. (beat) Can that be my secret? I knew that already. I dont think I did. Not the same thing. Whats your secret? You want to know? Yes. NELL ALAN It was a secret from myself. NELL ALAN Youve had time to think. NELL ALAN

152. NELL You remember when we first met? The dorms at Henderson. Yes. ALAN NELL

ALAN I saw you in the hall, and I thought you were gorgeous, and I asked you if I could help you, and you said you were looking for a guy youd seen at orientation, and I asked if youd come to meet me and you said you had. I hadnt. What? NELL ALAN

NELL I wasnt there to see you. Who? Freddie Enreight. Freddie Enreight. ALAN NELL ALAN I dont remember that guy.

Who is that?

NELL He lived on your hall. Tall guy, dark hair. Kind of skinny. He was very sweet. Hed helped me during orientation find my class schedule and hed taken me around to where the classes were. I think he majored in Biology or something. (beat) I had come to that hall to see him, not you. ALAN Nell, I knew you hadnt come to see me. NELL But you didnt know who Id come to see. Thats my secret. Thats your secret. ALAN It was Freddie.

153. NELL I didnt say it was deep and dark. now you do. Ok. Youre turn. What do I have left? ALAN NELL ALAN

But you didnt know, and

NELL Your dream for us, and a secret youve never told. ALAN What if I said that the secret Ive never told is the dream I have for us? Is that true? In a way. What is it? NELL ALAN NELL

ALAN My dream is that I never tell you my secret. Alan blows out the candle. Alan, brushing his teeth again. ALAN (CONTD) Secrets are funny. Once theyre known, they dont exist. Its like ignorance - dangerously fleeting. Learn one thing, its gone. (beat) My dad died before I asked him about the closing his eyes during pictures thing. I know for sure that if Id asked him, he would have told me exactly why he did it. (beat) Im so glad I never did. He exits. End

154. PLAY NINETEEN: STORY A small room, white walls and a small wooden door. Practically covering the walls is uneven hand writing, organized in columns. A short man in worn peasant-like clothing, KEN, is standing on a simple ladder, and is writing, continuing the story on the wall. Another man, LANSING, is taller and more collected, perhaps wearing a suit. He has a digital camera and a recorder. He stands staring blankly at the walls. Ken stops writing for a moment and looks back at the writing behind him. KEN A story nothing as important as a story a story can change a heart change a soul change the world it was a story that ripped me away from what had been my life and dropped me into the middle of the world but a world with less color and less life than I had ever noticed a story with such sweet sensation that the world without it was pale with sick and death (he stops writing for a moment) And so (he continues)

To restore the health of my world I sought the story again until it was again completed (MORE)

155. KEN (CONT'D) And again And again (he stops writing)

until the question remained how how to preserve that sensation of being within the story of being within the story Ken continues to write. BELL, another well-dressed man, enters carefully through the door. Wow. BELL

LANSING It doesnt disappoint, does it. Does not. Not yet. Get em so we can go. Were in a rush? BELL You get some pictures. LANSING BELL LANSING

BELL Were not going to stay here all day. The guides itching to get back to the villa. Something about crickets tonight. Cricket. Whatever. I dont want to rush. The sport. LANSING BELL LANSING

156. BELL Take your time, just hurry up. Lansing stands back as far as he can and tries to get a wide-shot picture. The camera flashes. Ken notices something. writing. Lightning a storm comes KEN He stops

a storm wind and water with fire and fear (he hops down from the ladder and goes to the window) (Lansing snaps more photos) In the distance the clouds grow angry and wake the gods of vengeance jealous that their story stolen from the fireside maybe set on record definitive and not allowed to grow and change evolve as they do as they grow as they change Lansing snaps another picture. Ken stares out the window into the distance. Any idea what this is? BELL

LANSING Handwriting on the wall. What the story is. BELL

LANSING Guy wrote on a wall, I think.

157. BELL The story he wrote on the wall. No clue. You cant read it? LANSING BELL

LANSING No. Its not a dialect I recognize. Some of the words look similar to markings Ive seen in caves not too far from here. But I dont know what theyd be doing in a shack like this, built long after the cave dwellers who wrote that stuff. Weird. Exactly. BELL LANSING Lansing takes another picture. It comes this way he is angered with fire the story the story must be Ken rushes back to the ladder. hurredly continues to write. He KEN

Bell moves closer to where the ladder is. You get this over here? What? BELL LANSING

BELL This part. Where is gets all crooked. Its changed. Its even pretty much throughout, then right here. See? It changes. Changes the changes in the gods angered KEN

(MORE)

158. then pacified then amorous then furious and we we as men built below and we abject and subject to fickle whims the story the story must be told must be told Lansing takes a picture. That is something. LANSING KEN (CONT'D)

BELL I wish I knew what it said. LANSING That word looks a lot like... umm... crush? heavy object. A rock or something. Pulverize? Like that. BELL LANSING Like I said. Its similar. Like with a

(beat) I dont know if thats right. Yeah. BELL

(beat) You get what you need? What? We have to go. LANSING BELL

LANSING We came all the way here, and this is all the time I get? BELL The guy wants to see a cricket game.

159. LANSING BELL Take your pics.

Match. Who cares, man.

We gotta run.

Lansing starts taking many pictures. Ken hurries faster. continues. Once it is written once it is saved then then the gods the gods become the gods become known the gods of tall tales told by the fire side become the gods of the story told the same from day to day from parent to child and they will be and they will be Lansing snaps even more photos. Ken grabs his pained hand, he shakes it out and tries to keep writing, but he is clearly in pain. Photos. BELL You take enough pictures we can print them out when we get home, make this place over again in your study. Maybe I will. LANSING KEN Shakes his hand,

(beat) I have that second guest room I never use. Ken steps down from the ladder.

160. BELL I wonder why he stopped. Who knows. LANSING Story was over, I guess. Bell places his fingers on the writing, as if hes reading it by braille. The. Butler. Did. It. BELL He laughs. Lansing smiles, reluctantly. Lansing takes a picture of Bell at the wall. LANSING That better not be what it is. Ken has fallen back into the far corner of the room. Finished I hope it is finished enough KEN

finished enough that the gods have changed all by a story a story a story Ken slumps slightly, exhausted. dead. He is

BELL You got what you need now? Dudes cricket match is gonna start. I think I do. LANSING They start toward the door. LANSING (CONTD) Cant imagine what would be this important to write this way.

161. BELL Let me out. Let me out. (laughs) LANSING

Let me out.

Shut up. Im hungry.

Lets go.

BELL Lansing and Bell exit. A moment. Thunder rolls and the sound of rain. Lights down. End

162. PLAY TWENTY: REMEMBERING AFRAID Lights up on a set of wooden stairs ascending tenuously into the air. It seems barely supported. A young man sits at the bottom of the stairs, facing out to the audience. A long moment. A girl enters, light and airy, delicate. She moves slowly and simply, almost gliding. An old man is seated on the floor in a downstage corner. He is peeling potatoes, or whittling. OLD MAN It wasnt long after the war. Long enough to feel as though something, anything, should have returned to normal. Until you remembered that you had no memory of what normal was. But you knew that it wasnt this. My sister and I had moved away from home in the city, living now in the country. We all thought that somehow that was safer, being out of the city. Lost about a dozen school friends. The girl moves to the center of the stage. The young man watches her closely. OLD MAN (CONTD) It had been over for days. We hadnt heard anything, since one of the last strikes had knocked down our radio tower. It took some time to put it back up, to put anything back up so that we could get radio signal again. Hard not to feel silly that wed been so nervous for days, when in reality, the war was over. That time, in the interim. The girl turns to the young man. GIRL I know youve noticed me. YOUNG MAN You do? GIRL I saw you.

163. YOUNG MAN You saw me noticing you. GIRL I have. From the corner of my eye. YOUNG MAN The corner. So I am a peripheral vision. GIRL You are my peripheral vision. A moment. OLD MAN Such a short time, for so much to have happened. I have always had difficulty speaking to women that beautiful. Words become blocked. GIRL You have a funny way. So quiet. YOUNG MAN I try to be. The girl comes near to him. GIRL You succeed. A silence. OLD MAN Dumbfounded. GIRL Where do these stairs go? YOUNG MAN Stairs. GIRL Yes. Where do they go? YOUNG MAN Up.

164. GIRL What is at the top? YOUNG MAN The last stair. She smiles at him. OLD MAN Of only it had been intentional. GIRL Youve heard the news. About the radio tower. YOUNG MAN Fell down. GIRL Havent heard from the outside world in days. We dont know what is happening. Anywhere but here. YOUNG MAN Theyre fixing it. GIRL But in the meantime, we dont know whats going on in the world. YOUNG MAN No. OLD MAN At some point, I decided that her hands were the most delicate, the most fragile things I had ever seen. GIRL So the only thing in the world that we know is whats happening right here. YOUNG MAN I suppose. GIRL You and I... are the whole world.

165. OLD MAN It took until that moment for me to realize she was right. I couldnt remember anything else in the world, except she and I. A moment. GIRL Are you ever frightened? I am. Several times a night, its as though I can feel that moment. The moment before the signal alarms start to sound. Its like the siren pulls air into itself before ringing out. I can feel that pull of air, as if it is the moment just before the alarms sound. Several times a night. YOUNG MAN There are times when I walk into a room, and the first thing I do is decide where I would hide if something were to happen. What I would use to protect myself. How I would escape. Sometimes I do that. A moment. GIRL Can we decide something? Can we decide that if something were to happen, if the sirens go, if we are near one another... YOUNG MAN I think we have decided. A moment. Girl kisses young man on the cheek. She rises and slowly moves away. OLD MAN And that was the beginning. The beginning of a life. (beat) It was many years later before she was no longer able to be by my side. (beat) I miss her. And when I do, I remember that day on the stairs. Remember what we decided. Girl moves near the Old Man. She leans over and kisses Old Man on the cheek. OLD MAN (CONTD) And I remember how lucky I was to have her near.

166. A long moment. Lights down. End

167. PLAY TWENTY ONE: HURRY A woman sits in a wooden chair, next to a small table. She is on the small stoop in front of a door, which leads into a small house. The table has a small glass with simple flowers in it. The woman has a shawl and wears a bonnet. WOMAN I have something in mind Hes returned home to me Well and alive Hes got a distant look in his eye He looks through me And I know what hes seen But my heart doesnt care Because hes come back Able to come back She moves the flowers toward the front of the table. WOMAN (CONTD) Cooler today Supposed to rain Not a day for reunion Not a day for returning Much cooler than yesterday Clouding over And a hint of rain in the air That taste She adjusts her shawl and bonnet. WOMAN (CONTD) Hes so far to walk From the front to home Miles and oceans I cant imagine I always imagine him walking (MORE)

168. fields and valleys around obstacles and obstructions until he walks that lane right up to me and I embrace him She moves the flowers again. WOMAN (CONTD) Hell pass the gate by the edge of town past the guards and guns Sideways keeping his attention away from distraction She pulls the shawl tight. WOMAN (CONTD) Cooler even more Id eat but for the fear of missing him Id rest but for the fear of him missing me Id close my eyes but for the fear She leans forward. WOMAN (CONTD) (pleading to no one) Hurry hurry come to home save waiting for another day and begin the journey home She leans back. WOMAN (CONTD)

169. WOMAN (CONTD) Hurry for the waiting has made me old the waiting has taken my strength has stolen my heart She reaches out for the flowers, but does not reach them. WOMAN (CONTD) Hurry Her hand rests on the table. She looks at the flowers. WOMAN (CONTD) Hurry Her hand drops to the table. She pulls it back to her lap. She continues to stare at the flowers. A long moment. Lights dim. End.

170. PLAY TWENTY TWO: OCEANS AWAY A plastic table and chair in the center of a stage covered in sand. In the chair sits a woman, GENA, maybe 40, wearing a bathing suit underneath a flowered mumu-like covering. She wears a large brim hat and has on sunglasses. On the table is a cloth bag, a few towels, and some snacks with bottles of water. In front of the table is a blue beach blanket, laid out carefully, with small weights in each corner. Gena reads a book - perhaps a trashy romance novel. A few moments pass. ARTHUR, a man in a business suit and tie, late 60s/ maybe 70, wanders in from off stage. He carries a briefcase in one hand, and his shoes with the laces tied together in the other. His socks are stuffed into the shoes. Arthur stands vaguely in front of Gena for a moment, staring out. GENA I cant see my kids. Arthur does not move. GENA (CONTD) Excuse me. Sir? Please move, I cant see my kids. Arthur does not move. ARTHUR (a little lost) Kids... I havent seen... I havent seen my kids in years... GENA I need to see my kids... playing in the ocean.

171. ARTHUR (lost) My kids loved... playing in the ocean... (notices) The ocean. I can see em. Like yesterday. Playing in the ocean. Sally and Billy... Bill, now. Now, hes Bill. GENA (as forceful as these words can be) Id appreciate it if you would please move your... person... so I can-She rises and comes around the blue blanket and touches Arthur on the arm. GENA (CONTD) Sir... As soon as she touches him, he drops his briefcase and shoes, falls to his knees, and begins to weep. GENA (CONTD) Oh... oh, sir, please, I didnt mean to... (shouts toward ocean) Jerry! Oh, Jerry! (to Arthur) Sir, Im sorry... I dont know... um... what can I do.... (looks around) Theres not a lifeguard here... or a police officer... (back to him) Sir. Sir? ARTHUR Hes Bill now. Dont you understand? Hes Bill. GENA I dont understand, no. Whos Bill? ARTHUR Billy is my son. (beat) I have no idea who Bill is. GENA Well, maybe you could go call him and...

172. ARTHUR I havent seen Billy in 8 years. I dont know where he is. Him or Sally. GENA His wife? ARTHUR His sister. Havent seen her in 9 years. They dont write. They dont call. GENA Not to be argumentative, but have you written or called them? ARTHUR Not since Alice died. Their mother. My wife. She was good at that stuff. GENA That stuff. Talking to people. We should all be good at that stu-(notices the ocean) No, Im fine. No, just... swim some more, its good, Jerry! Ok! She has stepped forward to shout at Jerry. Behind her back, Arthur has sat down on the blue blanket. ARTHUR Its all gone now. GENA (turns back) Oh... Oh, sir... please dont... Im sorry, Im going to have to ask you to-ARTHUR Its all gone. Dont you see? Gone. GENA See what? ARTHUR Ive chased everything away. (a sad laugh) Its all gone. Alice. Sally. Bill... (beat) I had to sell the house last year. Payments had gotten outrageous. And with repairs, I couldnt keep up. That was after theyd scaled me back at work. Cant have an old man on the phone with customers anymore. Gives the wrong impression. So I moved downstairs. Downstairs. When I first started there, we... we used to... (MORE)

173. ARTHUR (CONT'D) wed make fun of the guys working downstairs. Wed say that they werent good enough to be us. We were... we were... superior. GENA Yeah. I bet you were. Listen, I dont want to be a bother, but could you please get up from my blanket here? I had it all laid out for my kids and husband once they were done swimming... ARTHUR Hm? GENA My husband and kids. ARTHUR Oh. Oh. Sure. Sure thing, Alice, Ill just-He starts to get up, but has difficulty and plops back down. GENA Oh. Oops. Here, let me help you. (beat) And my names Gena. ARTHUR Hm? GENA Gena. You called me Alice. ARTHUR Alice? GENA Yeah. Youre wife. ARTHUR Alice. Yes. Alice liked to come here. This spot. Right past 14th. That lot back there is where wed park. GENA You parked back there? Ill help you get back to your--

174. ARTHUR Me? No. I take the bus now. I just got on the bus and rode for a while. (beat) Ill say this... the ocean... still blue. GENA Yeah. Yeah, its blue all right. Blue as... the ocean. A moment. ARTHUR That your family out there? GENA Yeah. ARTHUR Out in the ocean. GENA Yeah. ARTHUR They look so... small from here. GENA I dont know... ARTHUR Oceans away. (beat) Blue oceans away. A long moment. GENA Are you ok? ARTHUR I was fired today from my job. GENA Im sorry, sir.

175. ARTHUR Arthur. GENA Im sorry, Arthur. Im sad to hear that. I really am. Its not fair that in the modern workplace, there isnt room for the respect our elders deserve. ARTHUR I liked to work. Gave me something to do. I hate daytime TV. Alice used to like it. Im not sure if shed like it any more. Too trashy. A moment. GENA Are you hungry? Im going to get you a water. She gets a water, opens it and hands it to him. He drinks. ARTHUR Thank you. GENA My goodness. Youre already looking red. ARTHUR Hm? GENA Your head. And your face. Youre already turning red. She grabs sunscreen and opens it. ARTHUR I dont get out in the sun very much. GENA Here. She squirts sunscreen in his hand. ARTHUR What do I do with this?

176. GENA Put it on your head and face. He struggles to do so. GENA (CONTD) Oh, here.... She wipes sunscreen from his hands. She puts it on his head. She puts it on his face. ARTHUR Thank you. Thank you, Alice. GENA Ge-He stands up. He grabs his briefcase and his shoes. He walks off. Gena rubs the rest of the sunscreen in her hands as she watches Arthur leave. She rubs the rest on her nose. She looks out at the ocean for a moment. Lights go down. End

177. PLAY TWENTY THREE: FOUNTAIN An elevated pathway runs diagonally across the stage, like a bridge. The downstage end of the bridge is a set of stairs. The floor beneath is pale, onto which images can be projected. The upstage end disappears through a doorway, behind which is a red storm cloud. The rest of the upstage wall looks to be a clear blue day. A WOMAN stands near the center of the bridge, facing up stage. A MAN stands in the doorway. After a moment, he raises his hand out to her. WOMAN There are days past in which I wanted nothing more than your outstretched hand, beckoning me to come to you. I lack the strength to tell you it is too late. Though I lack the strength to resist. So I wait, on the bridge between you and not you. Wait, for blood enough to act upon my choice. The choice of here and now or there and then. MAN I can only say the words I am sorry. WOMAN And if words were truth, I could only believe. MAN I have no truth in me, but these words, these sounds I make are made of my only sincerity. I am false. I am untruth. I am failure. (beat) You are my truth. Be my truth. She turns from him. A projection turns the floor into a lush green.

178. WOMAN The land of my home, our familys land, grows strong each spring, after the thaw refreshes the streams trickling down the mountain ridges, like the haunting tears of the snow caps, grieving for the loss of winter. Their wounded weeping feeds the long dormant grasses, hibernating, waiting for the suns of spring. Those days finally approaching, the grasses stretch with joy, reaching up to tickle the clouds. Unaware that their green stretches come at the cost of the cold mountain caps. (beat) If they knew... if they only knew... I have to believe... I truly believe... that they would mourn. The projection begins to slowly fade. The man steps from the doorway, toward her. MAN Your father... the land of your father... that land is gone. It is gone. Years of neglect and misuse have left it wild, almost unrecognizable. A small shack leans on its foundation in the middle of a barren field, overgrowth has claimed it, and the rains seep in every crack. It is... it is a shame. The projection has become brown. WOMAN Come no closer! He stops, though he is within arms reach. MAN It is a shame. WOMAN Tell me... tell me of my father. Is he... MAN He is gone. WOMAN (stunned) Father.... (beat) Gone. He is gone. Where has he gone? Is he dead? Tell me.

179. MAN I wish I could tell you. WOMAN Why can you not? MAN I travelled there long ago. I made my way though the brush toward the house, but darkness overtook me by the setting of the sun, and the paths covered in growth. I almost missed the cabin, thinking it to be merely an outcropping, until I realized the truth. That this was the place. Your home, the land of your father. I could but scarcely believe. WOMAN Nor I. Nor I. She begins to rise. MAN This is the truth I kept from you. She is standing, turns to him. WOMAN And a truth I can not hear. (beat) I doubt you. MAN And this, I regret. Man crosses past her. She does not turn. WOMAN (angry) It is your lies that tempt my anger. It rises at the sound of your voice, and only burns brighter when these words, these thoughts are fed into the fire. You have admitted your falsehood. And I... I choose to believe... in the character and the perseverance of my father. He reaches the steps and sits. MAN The old fisherman sets his line in the same stream day after week, after month. It is his belief in the advanced luck in his chosen spot that keeps him coming back. His catches, the few that there are, only hardens his mind against the thoughts of moving on. (MORE)

180. MAN (CONT'D) He believes that these few measly, tiny fish are evidence of the convergence of universal forces that allow him to be fed full, and his return is certain. This man, this old fisherman, dies one day, in his chosen spot, fully believing in his own wisdom, unaware that the depth of the river and the speed of the stream only around the bend from his daily watch would result in catches of much greater significance and frequency. But he believed. Oh. He believed. She turns to him. WOMAN How can I be a fool to doubt you, and a fool to believe? MAN That is a truth that I cannot hold. (stands, turns) What is it that you make of me? WOMAN Look at me. Examine me. I am not a mystery to you. You read my book and quote me the passages that punish me. That strip me bare in the daylight. MAN Am I that to you? WOMAN There is no wound greater that the wrath of your words. MAN (amused) Oh... my dear... the powers you grant me... WOMAN I am scarred. I am severed. By you. MAN These are not my powers. (beat) They are yours. (beat) You wound yourself on my behalf. These slashes, these stabs. They are wounds made by my outstretched hands as your force yourself into them. WOMAN No.

181. MAN I may be false. But this is none but the truth. These wounds are your own. The projection on the floor chances to a deep water blue. WOMAN The floods that come, that come to wash us away. Not like tears but spilled up from the ground, suddenly, and curiously. Those waving leaves of grass suddenly overtaken, fading, then succumbed to the rising. The rising. (beat) Up through the boards of fathers cabin, rising up, lifting our shoes up from the floor, lifting the chairs and the table. We climbed to the attic and through the thatch out to the roof. And there it was no longer. My fathers land, under a new sea. (beat) I wanted to believe that it was my fathers sea. That it had come to bury my fathers land. And that this was our new home. It was this thought that brought me calm, there in the midst. Calm. As my mother wailed, clutching her baby. A calm, that brought more fear to my fathers eyes. Man steps into the projection. MAN Your father... wanted nothing more than... a ship... WOMAN A ship. MAN A ship on which his family could flee. WOMAN Could flee. MAN For he... was powerless... against the floods. WOMAN Powerless. MAN But his escape was not... it was not... WOMAN Escape.

182. A moment. The man reaches his arms out to the woman. MAN Let yourself... give in... to the floods. WOMAN Im afraid. MAN It is the sea of your father. It is his new land. It is your new home. WOMAN I saw the eyes of my father. I saw the fear of my father. MAN He was afraid. Of you. That you would not follow. Your father wants you to follow. WOMAN I want to believe it is true. MAN You believe it is true. WOMAN I... I do believe. Woman begins to reach, but pauses. MAN Follow. Lights shift. Woman kneels. WOMAN The image is clear to me. The flickering candle falling across my fathers worn face, sitting in a chair at our table, his boots on the boards beside. And his eyes... they are full... his eyes... a flood, small enough to wash clean his eyes. And he looks directly through me, into the deepest part of me. And he sees... he sees... (beat) And his words, simple and clear. (MORE)

183. WOMAN (CONT'D) (beat) You are a fountain. You are a fountain. MAN It was from you that the water came. WOMAN It was from me that the water came. The projection fades. She looks toward the doorway. She rises. MAN Where are you going? She walks toward the doorway. MAN (CONTD) Where are you going? The man jumps up onto the bridge. MAN (CONTD) Stop! She stops. MAN (CONTD) Where are you going? WOMAN I am going... deep... into the sea of my father... She steps to the doorway, just outside of it. MAN To go, I must be by your side, for only I know the way. The path is long since overgrown. The day is all but gone. Perhaps we should wait. A moment.

184. WOMAN Wait. (beat) I no longer have to wait. (beat) I am a fountain. She steps through the doorway. The red through the doorway trades places with the blue sky - the front is now red, including the floor. She turns to look at him. MAN You will never find the truth without me. WOMAN Without you, only the truth is left. She exits. The man kneels on the bridge. The entire stage goes red, then slowly dark. Black. End.

185. PLAY TWENTY FOUR: MS. ELTON A small office. A large wooden desk takes up most of the room. A tiny window is opposite a door. A womans voice is heard from the hall. The door opens and WHITFIELD enters, followed by his assistant, MS. ELTON. She reads from a note pad. They are both dressed in business attire. As Ms. Elton rattles off this info, Whitfield puts his things away. MS. ELTON Then after that, you have a 9:15 conference call with Adam in Accounts. Youll have to leave that early, because at 9:17, youre expected to jump on to an overseas Skype session with Japan. Theyre wanting the info youll be getting on the 9:15, so make sure you have it before you hang up there. Dont forget that youve got the 9:21 meet and greet with the commission from the European office downstairs, but you can only stay for about 3 minutes before you have to be upstairs. (beat) With Landry. WHITFIELD With Landry? MS. ELTON Yes. WHITFIELD When did this happen? MS. ELTON I dont... I dont have that in my notes. WHITFIELD It wasnt on the schedule yesterday. MS. ELTON Sometime between then and now, I guess. WHITFIELD I needed to know that ASAP.

186. MS. ELTON You just came in. WHITFIELD I have a cell phone. You could have called. You could have emailed. Sent me a text. Why do I have all these things if I dont have the information I need? MS. ELTON You have the information now. WHITFIELD You wrote this down on a note pad. MS. ELTON Yes. WHITFIELD Where did you write it down from? MS. ELTON I dont know what... WHITFIELD You took the note from somewhere. From where? MS. ELTON I didnt. This isnt my handwriting. WHITFIELD Who-MS. ELTON You dont really have time to play detective. Your conference call is in a few minutes. WHITFIELD I need to be ready to meet with Landry. I cant do these other things. MS. ELTON Whats going on with Landry. Whitfield looks out the door, pushes it almost closed.

187. WHITFIELD Im meeting with Landry... I let him know that Im interested in the position that Hinkley left open. MS. ELTON VP of Western Hemisphere? WHITFIELD Thats right. MS. ELTON Is that even possible? WHITFIELD I can do that job. MS. ELTON Youd be jumping 3 positions. I dont know if this is-WHITFIELD Ms. Elton, I assure you. I am qualified, capable, and prepared for that position. MS. ELTON But the seniority structure. WHITFIELD Capell is months from retirement. Maxen is unstable; last week he overturned four desks in a tirade over properly filling out time cards. If hes not gone by the end of the week, Id be shocked. MS. ELTON Smith. WHITFIELD Im not going to lie, Smith is a problem. MS. ELTON All it takes is for Smith to be in line ahead of you. Dont set your heart on getting that job. WHITFIELD Ms. Elton. I have a plan. MS. ELTON (nonplussed) Really.

188. WHITFIELD Ms. Elton. Have you no faith? MS. ELTON Smith is poised, Whitfield. Hes ready. WHITFIELD Im poised. Im ready. (beat) You think Im not ready? MS. ELTON This is Smith were talking about. You know this man. Every plan you hatch, every scheme you devise, hes not only already thought of it, hes probably already done it. WHITFIELD Can I trust you? MS. ELTON What? WHITFIELD Youre not going to tell Smith my plan, are you? MS. ELTON Would I do that to you? WHITFIELD Youre not saying no. MS. ELTON Im not going to tell him your plan. WHITFIELD Ive got an insider. MS. ELTON An insider? WHITFIELD Ive turned his assistant to my side. MS. ELTON Ms. Vitner...

189. WHITFIELD Shes going to sabotage Smith. MS. ELTON Why would she do that? WHITFIELD I had to make a promise. MS. ELTON Not... WHITFIELD No, no. Dont worry. Im taking you with me. But Im going to protect her from Smith, and give her a position in the suite. Maybe as your assistant. MS. ELTON Im sorry, but I have no respect for that. Thats against the assistants code. WHITFIELD What code? MS. ELTON We work by a code in the assistant industry. Loyalty is ultimate. WHITFIELD Not everyone is as good an assistant as you. MS. ELTON Your first conference call is ready - see that blinking light? WHITFIELD Isnt that a voicemail? MS. ELTON You were supposed to get a call before the main conference. WHITFIELD Lets listen to the message... Whitfield hits a button on the phone. Over the speakerphone:

190. LANDRY All employees. This is Landry. Im glad to know that all of you were able to figure out that yesterday was Spring Forward, so you were all in the office on time. Except for you idiots that missed the conference call with Accounts, stood up our European commission, and left the Japan office talking to themselves for an hour on the computers. (Whitfield looks at Elton) Im sure youre all aware of the upheaval in the Western Hemisphere office, and Im glad to know that Smith is going to take care of that for us as the new VP over there. Expect him to start cracking the whip by the end of the week. Get back to work. Dial tone. Whitfield hits the speakerphone button. MS. ELTON Im not happy that it had to be this way. WHITFIELD Youre going to work for Smith. MS. ELTON He fired Ms. Vitner. WHITFIELD This was his plan all along. MS. ELTON It was. WHITFIELD Should I clear out my desk? MS. ELTON If you wait until he fires you, therell be severance. WHITFIELD Right. Ms. Elton goes to the door. MS. ELTON Hes always been one step ahead of you.

191. WHITFIELD Thought I had him this time. MS. ELTON Nope. Not this time. Ms. Elton leaves, closing the door. Whitfield sits at his desk in shock. Lights down. End

192. PLAY TWENTY FIVE: DAVID AND ANNY A girl, ANNY, waits by a railing. She wears a coat and scarf. A boy, DAVID, enters behind her. He wears a heavy sweater and a stocking cap. ANNY I love that sound. The leaves of autumn rustling in an evening breeze. Something... comforting. It could be the sound of a friend, shuffling their way toward you. DAVID I like the cold. Where you can see your breath. I can feel it in my lungs, chilling me from the inside. And when I breathe out, its like... evidence... of me. And I know that Im present in the world. A moment. ANNY I wanted you to meet me here. DAVID Thats why Im here. ANNY I am irresistible to you. DAVID Is that what it is? ANNY Always has been. DAVID You make me feel bad about that. ANNY Whys that. DAVID I dont know.

193. ANNY You do. (beat) I embarrass you. DAVID I suppose. ANNY Its just you and me here. No reason to be embarrassed. (beat) If anything, I should be ashamed of myself. DAVID Why? ANNY I knew. And I... really liked to mess with you. (beat) It was on purpose. DAVID Oh. Ok. ANNY It wasnt ok. DAVID It was a long time ago. ANNY Im still responsible for it. I still feel bad about it. Not like theres a statue of limitations on being a jerk. DAVID I never felt like you were being mean to me. ANNY Thats the worst part, David. By far, the worst part. A moment. They look out over the railing. DAVID We arent supposed to be here. Park closes at dark.

194. ANNY Then why are all of my memories of this place of it at night? DAVID Because it was the best place to hide from the parkies. ANNY Were adults now. Were allowed to be here, right? DAVID No. Park closes at dark. ANNY You park up by the apartments? DAVID Of course I did. ANNY Good. Another moment. DAVID Long time ago. ANNY What? DAVID Everything. A moment. ANNY You ever miss living here? DAVID Sometimes. Nights like this, I do. But itll get colder. ANNY I would do anything to get out of here. DAVID There are no locks on the doors.

195. ANNY Says the guy on the outside. DAVID I walked through those doors. Im a living testament. ANNY Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if you hadnt moved away. DAVID Me too. ANNY What do you think? Wed be married now? DAVID That would have been my hope. ANNY I would have found some way to drive you away. DAVID Why would you say that? ANNY Well, for one, I did. That actually happened. DAVID Anny, thats not what... ANNY Im still here, you left. These are facts. DAVID But thats not what happened. You know that isnt why I left. (beat) You know it isnt. ANNY I know it, but I dont feel it. A moment.

196. DAVID Anny. Im sorry I left. For your sake. ANNY Dont. Please. I dont expect you to-DAVID But you know that I love her. ANNY Absolutely. I know. Im just... nostalgic. DAVID Yeah. Me too. A moment. ANNY You didnt buy a convertible, did you? DAVID What? ANNY You always talked about buying a convertible. Stupidest thing. DAVID I did not. Rest assured. ANNY Good. I couldnt live with myself knowing that I really could have stopped that from happening, and I did nothing. Now THAT is something I could never get over. DAVID I only wanted one because I thought youd like it. ANNY I know. (beat) See? I am such a jerk. DAVID Its just the truth. I was kind of pathetic, wasnt I? ANNY You were an adorable little wounded bunny.

197. DAVID Wow. ANNY In a good way. DAVID You know, if thats true, then so many things make sense now. ANNY Like what? DAVID I dont know. (beat) Like the way you treated me. ANNY Yeah. DAVID I get it. ANNY Im sorry. DAVID No reason to be. Long time ago. A moment. ANNY You remember that time when you actually almost asked me out? DAVID I remember the time that I did actually ask you out. ANNY Wed gone to my dads house. And I dropped you off. And you asked if itd be ok if you asked me out on a date. DAVID And you said, didnt we just go on one? (beat) Yeah, there was no recovery from that.

198. ANNY I was just being funny. DAVID Yeah, that crushed me for a while. ANNY You stopped talking to me. DAVID Didnt know what to say. ANNY I was waiting for you to ask. DAVID It was all I had in me to work up the courage to ask the first time. ANNY You should have. DAVID I was afraid. ANNY You had no reason to fear. DAVID I know that now. A moment. ANNY I drive by this place a lot. Not, like, a LOT a lot. But every couple of weeks. I dont usually stop, but I go by. I think of times. DAVID I would have thought that driving by all the time would make you not pay attention any more. ANNY Me too. A moment.

199. DAVID You should... you should go. ANNY Yeah. DAVID I mean, now. ANNY Why? DAVID Theres no reason to wait. Those days you remember here wont come again. ANNY Are you sure? DAVID No. ANNY You came back. DAVID And youre still here. (beat) Anny, Im telling you, you can move on. (beat) You can. (beat) Ill stay here, and you go. ANNY Are you sure? DAVID Yes. Anny steps back from the railing. She steps away to exit. ANNY I miss you.

200. DAVID I miss you. Anny exits. David looks over the railing. He breathes deep, then exhales. Lights down. End

201. PLAY TWENTY SIX: 10-YEAR-OLD YOU WOULD HAVE LOVED THIS A man, WILLIAM (mid forties) sits behind a desk in a stereotypical business office. He types for a while. Into the door, walks a CLOWN. He perhaps has some balloons. William stops typing but says nothing. WILLIAM Can... I help you? CLOWN Im looking for a... (looks at a card) William Simpson. William considers his answer. WILLIAM (a long moment) I am William Simpson. CLOWN Then Im here for you. WILLIAM May I ask a question? CLOWN Other than that one? WILLIAM Yes. CLOWN Go ahead. WILLIAM Why are you here? CLOWN Ive been asked to come here.

202. WILLIAM Who asked you-CLOWN I only gave permission for one question. A moment. WILLIAM I would like for you to leave. CLOWN I cant. WILLIAM You mean you wont. CLOWN I wont, but its because I cant. WILLIAM I cant have a clown in my office. CLOWN You mean you wont have a-WILLIAM Shut up. Please leave. CLOWN Theres something that you need to do for me. WILLIAM There is nothing that I will do for you. There are things I will do to you. There is a difference. CLOWN You know, the ten year old you would have loved this. WILLIAM What? CLOWN You heard me. You. At ten. Would have loved this.

203. WILLIAM You dont know me. A moment. CLOWN Lets assume that I dont. WILLIAM You dont. Youre a clown. CLOWN I know people. WILLIAM Is that a threat? CLOWN It is a fact. I know people. You implied that because I am a clown, because I dress this way, and have rainbow wigs - yes, I have more than one - that I dont have the ability to know people. As if I dont have friends, or family. That Im incapable of love or relationships. And I want to state for the record that I do, in fact, have relationships. I have love. WILLIAM I would like for you to leave. CLOWN Im sure you would. But again, I would like to point out that if you were ten, youd love this. WILLIAM I am not ten. CLOWN Im not sure if thats sadder for me or for you. WILLIAM Get out, please. CLOWN When you were ten, you wanted nothing more than for a clown to visit you on an ordinary day.

204. WILLIAM When I was ten I wanted to be a rocket ship. CLOWN I can only make one of your dreams come true. A moment. WILLIAM Your balloons are taking up a lot of room. CLOWN They are several square inches of rubberized plastic inflated with helium. Taking up room is what they do. WILLIAM Leave. CLOWN I intend to. WILLIAM When? CLOWN When you agree to come with me. A moment. WILLIAM That will be a long time from now. CLOWN I hope not. WILLIAM I have a job. CLOWN Hey, me too. WILLIAM I have responsibilities.

205. CLOWN Again with the assumptions. I have responsibilities. I hose down ring number two after the elephant act. WILLIAM Thats a terrible job. CLOWN Sitting in a windowless office for 8 hours a day, filling out forms and pushing paper. WILLIAM Pushing a shovel full of elephant poop. CLOWN Takes 3 minutes. Which is, incidentally, how long I can now hold my breath. (beat) Go ahead, laugh. Seems like its a useless skill until its your turn in the dunk tank. A moment. WILLIAM You think that Im going to-CLOWN I dont think. I know. WILLIAM How? CLOWN I dont show up in random offices, William. Im an idiot, not a clown. WILLIAM You said that wrong. CLOWN Did I? A moment. WILLIAM Im not go--

206. CLOWN You are. WILLIAM I dont want to leave this j-CLOWN You do. WILLIAM You want me to run away-CLOWN And join the circus. WILLIAM Thats ridicu-CLOWN It is not. WILLIAM Im too old. CLOWN Under the makeup, no one will know. WILLIAM Im out of shape. CLOWN Round is a shape, my friend. A moment. WILLIAM I cant just go. CLOWN Im here to tell you, you can. (beat) Seven years in an HR office. I was in the second basement. The elevator didnt go down there, I had to use the stairs. For two months, the stairs were out. I dont even know how that works. But I was one serious man. And one day, some clown sat on my desk and gave me the chance I didnt even know that I wanted. That I didnt know that I needed. A pair of trick pants and a bucket of mime white later...

207. WILLIAM Look at you. CLOWN Look at me. (beat) I can teach you to work with balloons. WILLIAM You know that I already know about balloons. CLOWN So you know weve been watching you. WILLIAM You wouldnt want me if I didnt know youve been watching me. CLOWN Then you know its time. William opens a desk drawer and pulls out a makeup container. He wipes some white on his forehead. WILLIAM Sounds like theres some work to be done. CLOWN Thats what we needed to hear. William and the Clown stand simultaneously. WILLIAM Lets roll. The clown opens the door. William does a forward roll out the door. CLOWN Thats what Im talking about. The clown exits. Lights down. End

208. PLAY TWENTY SEVEN: EVEN MAGIC HAS LIMITS A large flat table, about knee height - a sturdy coffee table size. Sitting on the table are MALLORY (26), JEAN (25) and ANDIE (22). MALLORY I didnt think youd make it. ANDIE Wasnt as far as I thought. MALLORY A day drive. ANDIE Long. MALLORY But a day. ANDIE Im here. Thats enough. A moment. MALLORY A day drive, and this is the first time youre here in 3 years. JEAN Mallory. MALLORY Im not-JEAN You are. Andie rises and crosses away. Jean goes after her. ANDIE I wont put up with it.

209. JEAN She doesnt mean anything by it. ANDIE Absolutely does. JEAN Youve been gone a long time, Andie. ANDIE Im not a runaway. And Im not the prodigal. JEAN No one said you were. ANDIE Wheres the fatted calf? JEAN You arent the prodigal. ANDIE You know what I mean. JEAN I dont think I do. ANDIE Im supposed to be welcomed back with open arms. Right? Isnt that the plot twist at the end? JEAN I dont think so. ANDIE Instead, Im the one that has to put up with--JEAN God, Andie, just shut up. (beat) Just stop being victimized for a second and think about whats happening here. ANDIE I know whats--

210. JEAN No. Not to you. (beat) Dad is dead. ANDIE I wouldnt be here if he wasnt. JEAN Jesus. ANDIE I know whats happening. Im not stupid. JEAN I didnt say you were stupid. Youre being blind because of how selfish you are. ANDIE Jean... JEAN I dont actually care, Andie, but I swear if you keep it up, I will stop protecting you from Mallory. She is pissed at you, and has every right. She will eat you alive if not for me. ANDIE Thanks, but I dont need you to save me. JEAN At some point, youll change your mind on that. Hope its not too late. Jean backs away, leaving Andie. MALLORY Shes not coming is she? JEAN I called her. MALLORY What did she say? JEAN Nothing. MALLORY Not nothing. After the nothing. Then what did she say?

211. JEAN Said its a long drive. MALLORY Long drive? Its a day. Not even a full day. Its like a long afternoon. I had to fly here. JEAN And? MALLORY I had the decency to get here in time. JEAN Congrats for you. MALLORY Thats not what I meant. JEAN Its not what you meant to say out loud. MALLORY Well, I guess it was hard for you to come all the way down stairs. JEAN You dont even know whats hard for me. MALLORY I know you act like being seen by people is hard for you. JEAN Mallory. Dont punish me for being here during this whole thing. Just being here was bad enough. MALLORY I know. Im sorry. JEAN Im going to go up and lay down for a while. MALLORY So is she coming? JEAN She will.

212. MALLORY Did she say she was? JEAN No. MALLORY She wont. JEAN Dont be stupid, Mal. Shes on her way. MALLORY Itd be like her to not show up and leave everything for us to do. JEAN Ive already made the arrangements, you dont have to do anything. MALLORY Of course. JEAN Im going up. MALLORY Ok. Mallory stands, while Jean lays down on the table. Mallory and Andie sit on the floor on opposing sides, with Jean between them. MALLORY (CONTD) So you just put one finger here under her shoulder and one down by here knee, and we should be able to pick her up. ANDIE No way. Shes too heavy. MALLORY Thats the magic of it, Andie. ANDIE Im not doing it.

213. MALLORY Im big sister, and big sister says were doing it. ANDIE Why cant I be the big sister? MALLORY Youre too young. ANDIE No fair. I wish I was the oldest and you were younger than me. MALLORY If theyd had you first, theyd never have gotten to me and Jean. ANDIE Take that back. MALLORY Hold out your fingers. Mallory and Andie put fingers underneath Jean. ANDIE Shes going to wake up. MALLORY No she wont. ANDIE When she hits the floor, she will. MALLORY She wont fall, not if you have the magic. ANDIE Do you have the magic? MALLORY Of course I do. Were doing this to see if you have it too. ANDIE What if I dont?

214. MALLORY Then shell hit the ground pretty hard. ANDIE I dont want to play this, Mal. I dont believe in magic. MALLORY Yes you do. ANDIE I dont. Magics not real. MALLORY Yes it is. ANDIE It isnt. MALLORY You dont know. ANDIE I do. They said at school. Theres no such thing as magic. Its fake. MALLORY This is real magic. ANDIE Whats real magic? MALLORY Lifting up Jean with just two fingers. ANDIE Then you do it. MALLORY Even magic has limits. ANDIE Then it isnt magic. MALLORY I cant do this if you dont believe!

215. ANDIE I dont! Mallory rises. MALLORY Fine, then! We wont pick her up at all! Mallory storms away. Andie jumps up onto the table with Jean. JEAN Hm? Wha? ANDIE I heard thunder. JEAN Oh. Hm? ANDIE Thunder. JEAN Storm rolling through. ANDIE Im scared. JEAN Youre too old to be scared of storms. ANDIE Never too old for common sense. JEAN Im too old for you to be in my bed at 2 am. ANDIE 15 minutes. JEAN All right. Fine.

216. A moment. ANDIE Ive been thinking. JEAN About thunder? ANDIE No. About leaving. JEAN (after a moment) Whats dad say? ANDIE Nothing. JEAN You havent told him. Oh, Andie... ANDIE I cant stay here. JEAN You cant get through a stormy night without climbing in my bed. ANDIE I can. I just dont want to. (beat) I want to go to the mountains. JEAN Thats not very far. ANDIE Im not running away. JEAN Then what are you doing?

217. ANDIE Outgrowing this place. (beat) I didnt mean... JEAN You did. Its ok. This place is me-sized. Im fine. ANDIE I need a new start. JEAN I know. (beat) You have to tell dad. ANDIE I cant do that. JEAN Thats the only thing I ask of you. You go. Ill help you pack up. But you have to tell him. ANDIE Jean... JEAN Thats all I ask. A moment. ANDIE Ok. Ill tell him. Tomorrow. JEAN Ok. Now please let me sleep. A moment. ANDIE Im too excited to sleep. JEAN Then just lay there and daydream. Quietly. A moment.

218. Jean sits up. JEAN (CONTD) We have to. MALLORY No we dont. JEAN Its dads will, Mal. MALLORY Right. JEAN It says three ways. Even. MALLORY She doesnt know that. JEAN The lawyers will tell her. MALLORY Jean... JEAN Ill tell her. Youre not cutting her out. MALLORY It was just an idea. JEAN It was more than an idea. MALLORY You cant believe that she even wants her third of this place. Shes the one who walked out. JEAN It wasnt like that. MALLORY Skulk off in the night. Disappear.

219. JEAN She didnt skulk. MALLORY Broke dads heart. You cant deny that. JEAN I wont. MALLORY If she takes her third, you know you cant keep this place. JEAN I know. It will be good for me to sell it off. I can finally get free of it. MALLORY You hate moving. JEAN Which is why its best that this happens. Otherwise I might never go. Jean stands still. ANDIE Dont let her stay with Dad alone. MALLORY Why? ANDIE Its not good for her. MALLORY Shes lived here her whole life. ANDIE My point exactly. She needs to move on. MALLORY She likes it here. She loves her family. Shes dedicated. She doesnt disappear when hard things have to be done. ANDIE You want to call me a coward, go ahead.

220. MALLORY You are a coward. You are weak. You are small. A moment. ANDIE You wont see me here until probably Dad is gone. MALLORY Why do you hate him? ANDIE I dont. I really dont. But I have to go. And Im just being realistic. MALLORY Then go. ANDIE Tomorrow. MALLORY Tonight. A moment. ANDIE Ok. Andie crosses away. Mallory begins to cry. Jean sits on the table. Lights down. End

221. PLAY TWENTY EIGHT: MEMORIES Two men. MAN You dont remember me. GUY Wish I could say I did. MAN We met last year. GUY Im going to have to trust you on that. MAN A wedding. Cynthia and Phillip. (beat) You were in the wedding party. GUY Was I? MAN No. I was. GUY Testing me. MAN Im sorry. I bet that happens a lot. GUY Not really. MAN People just believe you. GUY They arent bold enough to test me like that.

222. MAN Id ask you what happened, but that seems a foolish question to ask someone with a memory problem. GUY Im told it was an accident. MAN Would hardly be on purpose. GUY Automobile. Car. MAN I see. GUY Im told its quite rare. MAN Automobile accidents? Not at all. GUY Memory loss. MAN In this way, Im sure. GUY I wish I could tell you more. MAN I believe you. GUY I really do. MAN I said I believe you. GUY The way you said it... MAN Not believable.

223. GUY Yes. MAN I can imagine. GUY I believe you can. A moment. MAN So you dont remember anything. GUY I do. Just not before about four months ago. MAN You remember your childhood. GUY No. Not clearly. MAN Not clearly. Then there is something. GUY Something. Murky. MAN They say that smell triggers memory stronger than any other sense. GUY So you think if I smelled Lysol and cigarettes, Id remember my grandmothers face. MAN I think its possible. GUY Oh. MAN More possible than if you didnt smell Lysol and cigarettes, anyway.

224. GUY Lucky me. (beat) How will I know if those memories are real? MAN I suppose on some level, you wouldnt. But if you didnt know they were real, but you remembered them, exactly what difference would it make if they were real or not? GUY None, I guess. MAN You guess. GUY Thats right. MAN If they showed up in your memory, to you they would be real. Whether or not they happened. GUY I dont-MAN When I was a kid, we moved to Florida. Long car ride, stuffed with suitcases and things. Obviously, I was in the car. But I have a memory. A distinct memory. Of seeing our familys green station wagon driving down the highway, almost if I was riding in a car in front of ours. I can see through the windshield, see my dad driving, my mom in the passengers seat doing a crossword puzzle. My brother and I in the back seat, peeking out around the front seats - who wore seat belts back in those days. No one, Ill tell you that. GUY Those were the days. MAN The days where many people died. GUY Or lost their memories in car accidents.

225. MAN My point is... my point is, that memory cant possibly be true. Its not real. Its something that happened, sure, but I cant possibly have seen myself in that situation, through the windshield sitting in the back seat. Its not real. Even though that might be the clearest memory I have from my childhood. GUY An even larger question could be, who cares? MAN Exactly. (beat) Exactly. A moment. GUY I dont remember you. And thats all there is to it. (beat) There is no malice in my lack of memory. I dont have a reason to dislike you and therefore not remember you. If I had a fully functioning memory, Im sure you would be memorable enough for me to recall. Simple fact is, I dont. For your sake, I wish I could. Man pulls out a marker and writes on his hand. GUY (CONTD) Whats this? MAN A note to myself. GUY On your hand. MAN I have a terrible time remembering things. Lights dim. End.

226. PLAY TWENTY NINE: IN MEMORY OF ROGER BUCKLESBY WHO HATED THIS PARK AND EVERYONE IN IT A green park bench, wooden. On it sits a woman, CARA. She holds a dog leash without a dog. She stares ahead. From upstage, LIAM enters. He is wearing athletic gear, and is at the end of a run. He jogs in place or stretches during the scene. LIAM Your dog. CARA Hm? LIAM Your dog is off the leash. CARA Yeah. LIAM You should get him. CARA Whats the point. LIAM Bucklesby. CARA I cant... LIAM We have to be strong. CARA I know. LIAM We must live. A moment.

227. CARA You switched to the longer jogging shorts. LIAM I have. A moment. CARA He hated Patsie. He used to spray her with a hose. LIAM Kept her off the lawn. CARA Still. LIAM He was a man, warts and all. CARA He was the worst human being Ive ever met. Liam sits on the ground near her. He stretches. LIAM We have to consider the totality of the situation, Cara. Bucklesby was a horrid man. But in the grand scheme of the world, dont we need those who steer us down the right path? CARA Did it have to be with a cattle prod? LIAM No. It didnt. I dont think so, anyway. But even if it was, did he not serve the same purpose? Did Bucklesby not serve us as well as a good shepherd, if he led us to better ourselves? CARA He was a bad shepherd. He did not care for us. LIAM He served us though, if we allow ourselves to see it that way.

228. CARA He hated us. He called the cops on us. LIAM He never called the cops on me. CARA On me. Cops came to my door. Tried to arrest my dog. LIAM They cant do that. CARA Animal services. Like Patsie was a skunk, or a weasel or something. A menace. Which is what Bucklesby was. A menace to this neighborhood. To the people who use this park. I saw him chase kids away from the slides one time. LIAM He didnt... CARA Its true. He treated this public park like it was his private garden. LIAM Isnt that what we want from our community? To take ownership? To treat public spaces with the respect that we would treat our own property? CARA And try to kick other people out? LIAM There may need to be limits. (beat) Of course, I did see him burying something just outside his fence. CARA In the park? LIAM Mhm. CARA Why didnt you say something? LIAM I didnt think anything of it.

229. CARA What was it? LIAM I couldnt see. CARA Where? LIAM Over there. Behind his fence. CARA Near that brown patch? LIAM I dont remember that brown patch being there, but yeah, near there. A moment. CARA He killed the grass. (beat) He was a horrible man. A moment. LIAM Did you go to his funeral? CARA I didnt see you there. LIAM I wasnt allowed to go within 50 feet of him after the restraining order. CARA Hes dead. That cant apply anymore. LIAM It was stipulated. CARA I see. A moment.

230. LIAM Lots more people in the park this week. CARA Yeah. LIAM Almost crowded. CARA Yeah. A moment. LIAM Too crowded. CARA I was just about to say. A moment. LIAM As I look back. Ive come to my peace with his place in my life. And Im now relieved that his new place is six feet under. CARA Ive brought Patsie here every day since I heard. (beat) Its strange to spend so much time here, now. I find Im getting less and less done around the house since Im here so much. LIAM Hm. CARA Im not saying I miss him. (beat) Because I absolutely dont. (beat) Not one bit. LIAM Me, neither.

231. CARA Good riddance. LIAM Exactly. CARA So much happier without him. A moment. LIAM That dog is sniffing Patsie. CARA Hey! You! Shoo! Get away from my Patsie! LIAM Thats not good. CARA Hey! Stop it! Quit! (she exits toward them) Ill hose you down, you dont stop that right now! She is gone. Liam looks at his watch. He jumps up and jogs off opposite. Lights out. End

232. PLAY THIRTY: FAITHLESS ONES VOICE It was the faithless ones... the faithless ones who suffered in the absence. Lights up. It is a stony field. TERRIN, a young boy, stands one of the larger stones. He wears worn clothing and a bright red scarf. NAILL, mid twenties, sits on the ground, almost hidden amongst the stones. TERRIN If I could see anyone, Id see them by now. NAILL Are you certain? TERRIN I am. Nothing far as the eye can see. Terrin jumps down near Naill. NAILL I saw it with my own eyes. It was horrible. TERRIN Was there blood? NAILL Was there blood. Of course there was blood. Was everywhere. Almost nothing but. TERRIN Theirs or ours. NAILL Wasnt none of yours. TERRIN Im on your side. NAILL No youre not. Youre not. Say youre not.

233. TERRIN I am. Naill grabs him. NAILL Tell me now, or Ill not say another word about it. TERRIN Im not. NAILL Ill not have you on any side in this. Its done, and thats that. Last thing you need to be doing is signing up for a lost cause. TERRIN But were right, arent we? NAILL Terrin, by this time, theres no one right any more. TERRIN Dont you believe in what they died for today? NAILL What did they die for today? TERRIN Principle. NAILL Principle means very little in the streets with your guts on the outside. Bleeding from 3 wounds at once. TERRIN But they bled too, didnt they? NAILL Who? TERRIN They. The others. NAILL Not enough.

234. TERRIN Whats that mean, not enough? NAILL Terrin... TERRIN Whats it mean, Naill? (beat) Look at me. NAILL Dont be a man, Terrin. TERRIN One of us has got to be. NAILL You dont know what it is to be there. You dont know what it smells like when people die around you. TERRIN That blood on your hand isnt yours. NAILL It isnt. TERRIN It should be. NAILL Its easy words to say in an empty field. TERRIN Youre in the same field. NAILL You dont know how lucky you are. The only thing that I cant do anymore, is to enjoy my ignorance, the way you can. TERRIN Im not ignorant. NAILL You are. And thats why I envy you.

235. TERRIN Im going. NAILL Where? TERRIN Im going to the fight. NAILL Sit down. TERRIN You cant stop me. NAILL Sit down. TERRIN Youre a coward, Naill. I never thought Id say it. I never thought Id mean it. But if youre not going to fight, Im going to have to. NAILL I said sit. Terrin sits. NAILL (CONTD) Its simple. Weve already lost. Thats done. Whats left now is to live on. TERRIN Live on? NAILL Take those shards of life left in the wake, gather them and assemble them. They may not be what they once were, but they can be new again. TERRIN Why do that, when all that needs to be done is to take our needs to our gods. They will take our side. NAILL Thats all well and good.

236. TERRIN Its simple, I know. But it has the benefit of being the truth. Terrin rises. He begins to climb a stone. NAILL Dont go, Terrin. TERRIN When I get there, I wont say anything about what youve become. NAILL And whats that? TERRIN Weak. NAILL Bravery is easy when youve not seen. TERRIN Ill see. NAILL You will. You will. Terrin is on top of a stone. TERRIN I dont like having to tell you this. Youre a coward, Naill. I never thought Id see the day that you would value higher your neck over your brothers. Im ashamed of you. Im ashamed that I let you go fight for me, when all you did was run. The battle is what we run towards. Thats what we do. We run towards. A distant gunshot. Terrin is hit. He drops back down to the ground, directly onto Naill. NAILL Terrin! Oh god no! Terrin, speak to me. Speak. Sp-Naill begins to weep.

237. NAILL (CONTD) God no... why... why God... Naill holds Terrin and cries. Moments. Blackout. End

238. PLAY THIRTY ONE: LOVES NIGHT IS NOON MATTHEW and LAURA sit in chairs. MATTHEW How is he? LAURA You know as well as I. MATTHEW I wouldnt have asked. LAURA You would have. MATTHEW Hes still with Ashland and Peters. LAURA Of course he is. You dont think hed leave a position like that. MATTHEW I suppose he wouldnt. LAURA Hes set up there for a while now. MATTHEW Lucky man. LAURA I heard. MATTHEW Its not as bad as it sounds. Ive had some time off before needing to move on. Prospects seems positive. LAURA Good. Im glad to hear it. MATTHEW Sophie?

239. LAURA In third grade, if you can believe it. MATTHEW I cant. Third grade. Time... LAURA It refuses to stand still. A moment. MATTHEW I wish youd called me. LAURA I did call you. MATTHEW Three months gone. LAURA Hindsight. MATTHEW If it happened again, you still wouldnt call. LAURA It wont happen again. A long moment. MATTHEW I took a trip up north. LAURA Cold up there. MATTHEW It was. (beat) Was on the coast. Little cabin up there. Alone, for the most part. Just this little... man. I was going to call him a hermit. Didnt talk much, but I was desperate for a conversation. Id ask him about the cabin, the land. Nearby towns, the history of the area. (MORE)

240. MATTHEW (CONT'D) Hed only ever respond in short sentences. It was almost as if he had a dislike for words. He didnt seem to have a need for them. A moment. LAURA These shoes are a perfect match for the dress I wore yesterday. I dont know why I wore them today. Laura holds still as Matthew rises. NOLA enters. MATTHEW Shes fine. NOLA She called you up and you met at a bar because shes fine. MATTHEW Apparently. NOLA She lied to you. MATTHEW Nothing I can do about that. NOLA What did she talk about? MATTHEW Sophie. Shes in third grade, if youd believe it. NOLA Thats about right. MATTHEW I couldnt believe it. NOLA You dont pay attention. So its always a surprise when time passes. (beat) Ill give her a call.

241. MATTHEW I wouldnt. NOLA No? MATTHEW I dont think its necessary. NOLA Just a quick call. MATTHEW If she wanted to talk to you... A moment. NOLA Dinners in the oven. MATTHEW I smell it. Smells delicious. Nola goes to him and embraces him. It is a moment before he returns the embrace. NOLA Im glad youre home. MATTHEW Im glad youre glad. The embrace continues as ORREN enters. ORREN I would like it if youd please leave. NOLA I came to talk to Laura. ORREN She is not here. NOLA I can see that.

242. A moment. ORREN You dont have to stay on my account. NOLA Id wait for her if shell be soon. ORREN That is information I dont have. NOLA You dont have to be rude to me. ORREN No. But I do enjoy it. NOLA It was not my idea. ORREN Why would that matter? NOLA Im not the one responsible. ORREN Accomplices are certainly responsible. NOLA Im not an-ORREN You were there. You had a chance to put a stop to it. You could have said something. My god. You should have said something. (beat) I actually cant believe you didnt. NOLA You dont understand Matthew and I. ORREN I most certainly do not. NOLA I love him.

243. ORREN I thought it might have something to do with that. And honestly, Nola. Honestly. That is the part that I understand the least. Orren moves away. NOLA Your idea of love... (beat) Is small. Theres no room. ORREN For? NOLA The scale of it. A moment. ORREN The time that she and I stayed up that whole night, waiting for the sun to rise. I should have understood it then. The sun shining on young love that way. The sun shining... Orren is still. LAURA I should have said something to you myself. NOLA You dont have to say that. LAURA But I do mean it. NOLA You dont owe me a thing. LAURA I neglected you. You and I. In this whole thing. NOLA Laura. LAURA I mean it, Nola.

244. A moment. NOLA I found a photo of the four of us in my old album. LAURA I dont think I could look at it. NOLA We are all so small. LAURA I can only imagine. NOLA I was sad to find it in the state its in. LAURA Hows that? NOLA Its quite faded. LAURA That long ago. NOLA Its a bit hard to make out our faces. LAURA Time does that. NOLA Im afraid I left the book out in the sun at some point. Open to the page of our picture. LAURA You did? NOLA It faded. In the sun. So that we... none of us... we are barely recognizable. (beat) Barely recognizable. They hold still.

245. MATTHEW It was much better before. ORREN Cant exactly turn back now. MATTHEW They can clean it up. ORREN Do we just all pretend that past 15-20 years never happened? MATTHEW Baseball was better without drugs. ORREN I cant believe youd say that. MATTHEW It was. ORREN Be honest with yourself. MATTHEW I am. ORREN Who are you kidding? MATTHEW It was the way the game was meant to be played. ORREN And football is without pads or helmets. Tennis rackets are made of wood and they play in dress pants. MATTHEW How can you defend performance enhancing drugs? ORREN Its what we want. The long ball. Power pitchers. Guys playing into their mid 40s. That doesnt happen naturally. We dont set off fireworks for a double to the corner. And we dont buy the shoes advertised by the scrawny shortstop with the decent batting average and a handful of stolen bases. (beat) (MORE)

246. ORREN (CONT'D) Its what we wanted. Its what you wanted. (beat) Lets not pretend. MATTHEW Im not pretending. ORREN Please. MATTHEW Its the purity of the game. A day/ night double header. The hit and run. Hot dogs and peanuts on a Sunday afternoon. (beat) Thats what it is. (beat) When a man comes up at bat, we know that hes worked thousands of hours to make what is about to happen, happen. Hes prepared himself, hes focused, and hes ready. ORREN And Mighty Casey swings at a 1-2 in the dirt. MATTHEW Or he can waddle to first when the other team wises up and doesnt bother pitching to him. A moment. ORREN If Id have told you that you would turn into a Romantic, youd have punched me in the face. MATTHEW Teen grunge angst stops working when you turn 30. ORREN Which is why hippies wont trust you anymore. A moment. MATTHEW Did Laura tell you? ORREN Nola. Another moment.

247. Orren steps away. MATTHEW Its better this way. LAURA Hardly. MATTHEW It cant continue. LAURA Not once youve moved, thats for certain. MATTHEW You know as well as I do. LAURA I dont know a thing, Matthew. You want to make this into some kind of noble act. That once the light of day hit, that somehow it would just disappear. It hasnt. It wont. (beat) You go ahead and make the move if you believe it will make you happy. That it will make Nola happy. You want me to tell you that it will make me happy too. Its not that easy. I wont let it be. MATTHEW Im sorry. Matthew steps away. LAURA What I do know is this. (beat) You will still know how to get in touch with me. MATTHEW Tell Sophie I said goodbye. Matthew holds. Lights isolate Matthew, Laura, Orren and Nola. Then fade. End