Just A Touch
Cast:
Rosa
Sean
Setting: A cafe. Sean is sitting at a table with two chairs. He is reading. Rosa enters, looks around for a minute, spots Sean. Slowly edges her way to his table. When she is about fifteen feet from his table, she speaks.
Rosa: (timid) Hey.
(no reaction)
Rosa: (quiet) Hi.
(no reaction)
Rosa: (stepping a little closer, maybe ten feet away now, still timid) Hi.
(no reaction)
Rosa: Hi... there.
(no reaction)
Rosa: (shaking with nerves, stepping closer, now about five feet from Sean's table, says in n awkward attempt at being seductive) Hello... there.
(no reaction)
Rosa: (throwing herself into the empty chair, slamming her head down in her arms and crying loudly, Sean jumps back with surprise) Ahhhhh! I knew I couldn't do it! I knew, I knew, I KNEW it! (lots of crying, upset adlibs)
Sean: (looking at her, but also looking about in confusion) What... ummmm.... hello? Hey. What is... what, hi, ummm, what's going on? Hello? (pats Rosa on the arm) Hey, ummm, can I...
Rosa: (throwing her face up, extremely eager) Love me? Yes, yes, yes, please, yes, please, love me!
Sean: (pulling very far back) Ummm, that's not... help you... I was going to say.
Rosa: I there any chance by saying "Can I help you?" that you secretly were coding it so that it meant "Can I love you"?
Sean: Ummm...
Rosa: There is?!
Sean: But...
Rosa: You didn't hear it that way, I know.
Sean: No, I...
Rosa: Sometimes it's hard to know what we say, or why. I knew as soon as you gently massaged my arm that you meant love in evrything you said. From that point on, your intentions were clear in your carress. Sometimes, I get like that, and I may be saying the most horribly ambiguous things to someone, but my touch will betray my words. Your touch will betray everything about you. I felt that in you. You coud have shouted at me, and I would have known from that moment that you would have meant only the best. It's easy for our words to get lost on the way out of our mouths, but our touch will always speak the truth, the truth of everything we say, even if we are not actually saying it. I know this about you now. What's your name?
Sean: Uhhh... Ted.
Rosa: I'm Rosa, (shaking hands and shaking her head) Nice to meet you.... Sean!
Sean: What... wait... how...
Rosa: How did I know? Hmmmm... didn't you hear what I was going on about just a moment ago? It's all in your touch. It gives it all away.
Sean: But... you said that was just emotions.
Rosa: No, I only spoke of your emotions, but as I said, it gives away everything... your touch is your truth.
Sean: Okay, okay... Rosa... that's your real name isn't it?
Rosa: If your were attuned to touch, you would know it was.
Sean: Alright, well, yeah, I'm probably not that attuned to touch, truth be told.
Rosa: Yes, I know you aren't.
Sean: But, I wasn't offering to love you, when you sat down, crying like that.
Rosa: You haven't listened, Sean. Your touch betrays, get it, betrays you.
Sean: Right... I heard that.
Rosa: So, you don't actually know what you meant to say, you don't know it... in your brain... but your touch tells the real story.
Sean: You're saying I might mean something entirely different from what I mean, even if I mean what I think I mean?
Rosa: None of that matters. It's in your touch.
Sean: And my real name?
Rosa: Your touch.
Sean: Really?
Rosa: Everything.
Sean: If you have this amazing ability, why were you so shy about approaching me when you first walked in?
Rosa: Because I wasn't sure how to proceed.
Sean: What do you mean?
Rosa: With my message.
Sean: Message? What message?
Rosa: That I want you.
Sean: Oh... uhhh...
Rosa: Look, just because I can tell you anything about yourself by the briefest of touches, doesn't mean I'm a sparkling and confident dater.
Sean: Okay, yeah... I guess I can see that.
Rosa: I hope you can, because my collapsing was real. I've watched you for months in this cafe; you come in here every other night, always get a mocha and half a tuna fish sandwich, sometimes you buy a cookie, you always read the same magazine, you always stay for about forty-five minutes.
Sean: Wow. I'm flattered. Did you touch me before all this?
Rosa: I wish.
Sean: So, what happens if I do this? (he grabs her hand gently)
Rosa: (reeling back, getting weak) Perfect!
Sean: (releases her hand) What?
Rosa: Do you mean it?
Sean: Mean what?
Rosa: What you just said in your touch?
Sean: Uhhh.... what did I...
Rosa: That you've always loved me.
Sean: Hey, I...
Rosa: That you want to start your failed life over with me.
Sean: Failed... What are...
Rosa: That I am for you, and always will be.
Sean: I don't even know who you are!
Rosa: Your touch does, and, sweetheart, that's all it takes.
Sean: I...
Rosa: Love you, Rosa.
Sean: I, listen, you're very attractive, and I'm sure it might be nice to know you, but... you're a bit too intense.
Rosa: Liar.
Sean: No, I... I... mean... you know, you don't have to call me a liar.
Rosa: But you are. Your touch told me everything about you; everything that you don't know about your own self, is in your fingers.
Sean: I'm... Rosa, I don't really believe any of what your saying.
Rosa: How did I know your name?
Sean: You asked one of the waitresses, or someone else that you saw talking to me.
Rosa: How did I know about your dog?
Sean: My... what... I don't have a dog.
Rosa: I know, he died three weeks ago, on the third of this month, right?
Sean: Yes. How... that's in my touch?
Rosa: Everything is there. I know how to find it.
Sean: You stealing my credit card information too?
Rosa: Maybe, but it wouldn't matter anyway.
Sean: Why not?
Rosa: We'll have joint acounts soon enough.
Sean: (getting up) Rosa... (offers his hand, quickly withdraws it) No, I'll keep to myself for now. I have to go.
Rosa: No you don't.
Sean: I mean I want to go. You... kinda... scare me.
Rosa: I know.
Sean: Good-bye. (starts to exit)
Rosa: See you soon. I'll call you.
Sean: Please don't.
Rosa: See you here in two days. We'll discuss the wedding plans.
Sean: Uhh... I... listen... uhhhh... (leaves quickly)
Rosa: (calling after him) Thanks for the diamond that you're buying me tomorrow! I'm just going to love it!
(Rosa turns back to the table, picks up his coffee cup, and closes her eyes and smiles, lights out)
(end)
2 comments:
Neat concept. Imagine how much richer your life would be if you could actually do something like that.
-A
I think you might have to be very careful if you truly had Rosa's ability. Who would you want to touch? Besides me, of course; everyone would want to touch me... no different than how things are already. Sad.
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