Swinging
Cast:
Jules - young girl
Cyla - young girl
Setting: A swing set in a public park. Jules is swinging quite high as lights come up.
Jules: (seeing audience, she starts talking) She's coming. It doesn't matter when I start swinging, she always seems to know. She's horrible! Wait 'til you meet her; you'll see what I mean. Ohhh, here she comes...
Cyla: (entering) Hi, Jules!
Jules: (darkly) Hi, Cyla.
Cyla: You're such a good swinger!
Jules: (darkly, cynically) Thanks.
Cyla: Can you teach me how to swing that high?
Jules: No.
Cyla: Oh, why not?
Jules: I'm busy.
Cyla: Busy?
Jules: Yeah, busy swinging.
Cyla: When you stop, then you can help me?
Jules: No.
Cyla: Oh, why not?
Jules: Because I'll be busy.
Cyla: Really?
Jules: Yep, busy not swinging.
Cyla: Wow, you're always really busy!
Jules: Yes, I am.
Cyla: Too busy for me, huh, Jules?
Jules: Yes. Too busy for you.
Cyla: (long pause, Cyla sits on ground, very close to the arc of Jules' swing, pause continues) Jules?
Jules: What?!
Cyla: Why are you too busy for me?
Jules: I have a lot of things to do.
Cyla: So you don't...
Jules: (interrupting) Don't sit so close!
Cyla: What?
Jules: Move!
Cyla: Where?
Jules: Away!
Cyla: Away from here?
Jules: Away!
Cyla: O.K. (she stands and turns, Jules' arc makes her feet slam directly into Cyla's back, Cyla is knocked forward, facedown on the stage, Jules does nothing, continues to swing)
Jules: Why'd you do that? (no response) Hey, Cyla, why'd you stand there?! Cyla, what are you doing down there!?
Cyla: (stirring, she sits up, she is bravely holding back tears) What?
Jules: I asked you why you did that?
Cyla: Did what?
Jules: Stood up right in front of my feet.
Cyla: I didn't mean too, Jules.
Jules: You slowed down my swing!
Cyla: Sorry, Jules, I...
Jules: I can't believe you could be so stupid!
Cyla: I just wanted...
Jules: You wanted what?!
Cyla: I just wanted you to touch me.
Jules: Fine then. I did.
Cyla: Yes. Thank you.
Jules: Don't you have somewhere to go to?
Cyla: No.
Jules: Could you find someplace else?
Cyla: Probably not.
Jules: Why do you have to be so difficult?
Cyla: I really want to play with you.
Jules: Who needs you?
Cyla: You?
Jules: Wrong! Guess again.
Cyla: You?
Jules: Still wrong, Cyla.
Cyla: I think it's right.
Jules: Cyla, I don't need you.
Cyla: Why did you call me?
Jules: What do you mean?
Cyla: You called me and told me to come to the swingset at the park.
Jules: What!!?
Cyla: Ummm, you did.
Jules: (slowing down on the swing) I don't even know your phone number!
Cyla: My mom told me you called and talked to her.
Jules: Ha! Liar! I talked to your Dad!
Cyla: Sorry.
Jules: (slowing down more) Why do you tell such awful lies!?
Cyla: I don't know.
Jules: (stopping, but staying on the swing) You're just a liar; that's all you are.
Cyla: I just want to be your friend.
Jules: I don't need any friends, o.k!
Cyla: But...
Jules: NONE!! Got it!!
Cyla: I'll do whatever you want me to.
Jules: You couldn't do anything I wanted you to!
Cyla: I can try.
Jules: Listen, you just don't undersatnd me, alright?
Cyla: But, I could!
Jules: No... listen... you want to be my friend?
Cyla: Yes! Yes! Yes! Of course!
Jules: Really?
Cyla: Uh-huh!!
Jules: You still have that stupid cat?
Cyla: You mean Sir Puddles?
Jules: Yeah, the one with the retard name.
Cyla: Yeah, but I don't think...
Jules: Where is he?
Cyla: He's at my house.
Jules: Listen, I'm going to go get him; you stay here.
Cyla: Why?
Jules: Because I'm going to bring the dumb thing back here.
Cyla: No... why are you getting my cat?
Jules: Well, I want to find out how badly you want to be my friend.
Cyla: Real bad! But why are you going to get Sir Puddles?
Jules: You'll find out!! Just stay here and swing and something and don't tell anybody where I went!
Cyla: But I'm...
Jules: Got it?!
Cyla: Yes.
(Jules exits, Cyla starts swinging, as she approaches maximum height, she says her lines)
Cyla: She's coming. It doesn't matter when I start swinging, she always knows. She's horrible! Wait 'til you meet her; you'll see what I mean. Ohhh, here she comes...
Jules: (entering) Hi, Cyla!
Cyla: (darkly) Hi, Jules.
(lights start to fade)
Jules: You're such a good swinger!
Cyla: (darkly, cynically) Thanks. (breaking character) Oh wow, Jules, "mean teenager" is the toughest character yet!
Jules (also breaking character) Yeah, I know! Are we really going to be that mean when we're 15?
Cyla: I hope not. C'mon, what's your next line?
Jules: Ummmm... oh yeah... Can you teach me how to swing that high?
(lights out)
(end)
3 comments:
Holy crap... this play rocks!
b,
It sounds a lot like the disagreement Louisa had with her best friend yesterday. But I don't think they were play-acting. (Luckily we don't have a cat.)
Was your middle child an inspiration for this in any way?
s
No, Mcmd, no inspiration from anyone of this establishment. I just wanted to tie the concept of swinging to their personalities, make them reversible, then thought I'd throw the twist at the end that they were acting out a part.... rehearsing for their near future, in a way. I just didn't have the heart to make Jules that mean when I was writing it out. Another night and this play could have ended very miserably; I had several choices to make, and, surprisingly for me, I chose the relatively optimistic path.
Doug, thanks for the support and encouragement in getting these plays on the big site. Check out some of the archived plays for further fun. I can't say you'll like them all as much as this one, but there's a pretty big batch to choose from. I have yet to put up a play that I dislike; that's not to say that other people will like them all. Indeed, even some people, like this one woman I know, who are very close to me don't like them all.
I've been called "filthy", "degrading", "cynical", "dark", "pessimistic" and "disgusting" among other descriptors. I say, you ain't seen nothing yet.
But, don't read #56, unless you want to be worried.
Into the arms of satire, I fall and sleep.
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