October 4, 2006

A Play A Day #174

Unspeakable


Cast:
Nick
Mira
Quew

Setting: Bar, table, lots of empties on the table, they all sit, twisting their fingers on the table, folding napkins, other useless stuff, something to indicate that no one wants to talk; something bad has been said.


Nick: (long pause at start, maybe thirty seconds, finally) Listen, I didn't mean it that way.

Mira: (angry)Ha! How did you mean it?

Quew: I'd like to know too, Nick; what exactly could you have meant saying something like that?

M: I don't see what possible explanation you could have.

Q: Perhaps he thought it was a funny metaphor or something... oh, oh, I've got it... he was thinking that we were uncaring and unthinking and completely empty-headed.

M: And! We were cretins; a good possibility...

N: Let me explain...

Q: Hey, Mira! I'll bet he thought we weren't here; you know, like he was talking to empty chairs.

N: No, I was talking to both of you. You're my friends.

M: Really!?

Q: Surprise, surprise!

M: You certainly don't know how to show it.

Q: I mean we dragged you from the shadows!

M: No, no! We dragged you from the alley!

Q: Lifted you up!

M: And showed you the light!

N: But...

Q: We taught you taste!

M: Gave you distinction!

Q: Separated you from the dregs.

M: Lifted you up!

Q: I already said that, Mira.

M: Well, we each did it, in our own way.

Q: True.

N: Listen! Alright! I'm sorry!!

Q: Apology definitely not accepted.

M: Things like this, this bad... this is going to take time.

Q: We don't heal that quickly.

M: Please be realistic, Nick.

N: All I said was I wanted a bud light!

Q: Bud... Light?!

M: Ahhhh! No! I thought you said you wanted a Bud!

Q: Dear God!! It's worse than we thought.

N: Yeah, but I didn't mean it that way.

M: What else could you have meant!?

Q: Don't make it worse for yourself, Nick.

M: Light? This is unbelievable!

Q: We did not befriend you to leave you to a life of horrible, substandard beer!

N: Beer?

M: I can't believe you, Nick!

N: I wasn't talking about beer!

Q: We're not stupid, Nick!

N: I meant I need someone to spark this joint. (holds up one) My lighter's dry.

M: Ohh... well...

Q: (pulling out his lighter) Why didn't you ask more clearly?

M: Ohhh! Nicky's back in the fold!

Q: Yes, that was very scary, old boy.

N: I'll be more careful in the future. (passing along the joint)

M: Well, we all make mistakes.

Q: No hard feelings?

N: No, no. We all make mistakes, don't we?

(lights out)

(end)

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