RUN INTO A GREEN SKY

Written by
Joseph Frost
Draft
8/1/16
written for the 2016 31 Plays in 31 Days project

Joseph Frost, 2016

4550 Normandy Dr
Jackson, MS 39206
FrostJosephD@gmail.com
* member, Dramatists Guild of America

Two people sitting in the front seat of an older truck.

A man, CHUCK, drives.
A woman, LEIGH, sits in the passenger seat, clutching an
overstuffed backpack.
Chuck silently drives, Leigh looks out the window.
A long silence.
The road noise is fairly loud.
LEIGH
Thank you.
CHUCK
Hm?
LEIGH
Thank you. I just wanted to say thank you. Again.
CHUCK
Hm.
LEIGH
Not everyone wants to pick up a hiker. These days. Anymore.
CHUCK
Whys that?
LEIGH
Dangerous, I guess.
CHUCK
Dangerous to hike, too, aint it?
LEIGH
I guess.
A moment.
CHUCK
See that?

2.
LEIGH
What?
CHUCK
Up there.
LEIGH
Those clouds. Yeah, kinda dark, aint they.
CHUCK
They are.
LEIGH
I wouldnt want to get caught in a storm, thats for sure.
CHUCK
For sure not that one.
LEIGH
Whys that.
CHUCK
What color.
LEIGH
What?
CHUCK
What color is it?
LEIGH
I dont know, kinda greenish, maybe.
CHUCK
And whats green mean.
LEIGH
Um... I dont...
CHUCK
Green means go.
LEIGH
Ok.

3.
CHUCK
Green sky means tornados.
LEIGH
Oh.
CHUCK
Thats why I picked you up.
LEIGH
You saw the green sky?
CHUCK
Yep.
LEIGH
And you saw me.
CHUCK
Yep.
(a moment)
Ya headed?
LEIGH
Hm?
CHUCK
Where you headed?
LEIGH
Oh. Yeah, Warren.
CHUCK
Im stopping in Andersonville.
LEIGH
Yeah. No. Thats fine. Great. I appreciate the-CHUCK
Having lunch.
LEIGH
Yeah.

4.
CHUCK
I go to Andersonville once a month to have lunch.
LEIGH
Yeah, Im headed up to Warren. But Andersonville will be a huge help for me. I might
not have gotten there until-CHUCK
Warrens a hike.
LEIGH
It is. That it is.
(long moment)
Why do you eat lunch in Andersonville once a month?
(silence)
Sorry. I was just curious.
Another moment.
CHUCK
My daughter.
LEIGH
Shes in Andersonville.
CHUCK
Lives there. With her mom.
LEIGH
Why do they live there? Theres nothing in Andersonville.
CHUCK
Im not in Andersonville.
LEIGH
Ah.
A silence.
CHUCK
Warren.
LEIGH
Yeah.

5.
CHUCK
To or from?
LEIGH
Warren?
CHUCK
Yeah.
LEIGH
Im going to Warren.
CHUCK
Whats in Warren?
LEIGH
Nothing. Same thing as in Andersonville.
CHUCK
Then you arent going TO Warren.
LEIGH
Hm?
CHUCK
Youre going FROM.
LEIGH
From.
CHUCK
From somewhere else.
LEIGH
Oh. Right. Yeah. I guess I am.
A silence.
CHUCK
And you run into a green sky.
LEIGH
What? Yeah. Run into a green sky. Thats my luck.

6.
Silence, but for the road noise.
CHUCK
When I stop in Andersonville, I usually gotta sit for at least an hour.
LEIGH
Yeah?
(beat)
What do you do for an hour in Andersonville?
CHUCK
Wait.
LEIGH
Yeah.
CHUCK
And what will you do when we get there?
LEIGH
Me?
CHUCK
In Andersonville.
LEIGH
Keep walking, I guess.
CHUCK
Run into the green sky.
LEIGH
I dont have a choice now.
CHUCK
You could.
LEIGH
Could what.
CHUCK
Have a choice.
(beat)
Not much in Andersonville.

7.
LEIGH
No.
CHUCK
But, theres a diner.
LEIGH
Where you eat lunch.
CHUCK
You could... wait... with me.
LEIGH
I could?
CHUCK
You could.
LEIGH
I cant... Im not hungry.
CHUCK
Im gonna stop at the diner, and Im gonna order two plates of the special.
LEIGH
Oh, I cant...
CHUCK
That skys just looking greener.
LEIGH
I want to get to Warren.
CHUCK
Warren will still be there.
LEIGH
Im worried it wont.
CHUCK
That so.
LEIGH
A look at that sky. Those clouds.

8.
CHUCK
Getting greener.
LEIGH
Thats Warren up that way.
CHUCK
Yep.
LEIGH
Greener up that way.
CHUCK
Yep.
A silence.
LEIGH
Whats the special today?
CHUCK
Same every time Im there.
LEIGH
Whats that?
CHUCK
Catfish. Never been there when its not catfish.
LEIGH
Not so special then.
CHUCK
I think the deal is special. Not the catfish.
LEIGH
I guess thats so.
(road noise)
How olds your daughter?
CHUCK
She was 10.

9.
LEIGH
She was?
CHUCK
Tornado. Years ago. Sky as green as this.
LEIGH
And her mom?
CHUCK
She always hated green skies. Slightest turn shed go crazy. And Id say to stay calm,
everythingll be fine. I always told her everythingll be fine. Every time.
The road.
LEIGH
Catfish sounds good.
CHUCK
Dont it?
A moment.
LEIGH
Looks clear that way. Toward Andersonville. Not so green.
CHUCK
Yeah.
They drive.
Lights down.
End