A Play A Day #244

Current Affair


Cast:
Peg
Meg

Setting: A bridge


(very minimal lights up, Peg and Meg lean over the upstage guardrail of a bridge, a large duffle bag between them)

Peg: Then we walk slowly to the other side.

Meg: Right now?

Peg: Yes, we dropped them, and they've hit so we move to the opposite side of the bridge and see which is the first to appear downstream.

Meg: Peg? Do we leave the bag?

(They turn and start walking to the downstage guardrail)

Peg: Yeah, no one's coming along this time of night.

Meg: So what do I get if I win?

Peg: You get to kiss me.

Meg: If I lose?

Peg: You get to kiss me harder.

Meg: Promising.

Peg: If we tie, then I get to kiss you everywhere.

Meg: More promising still.

Peg: I've got the flashlight. (produces it from inside her coat)

Meg: (reaching the other side, looking over) Shine it down there.

Peg: One moment. (fumbles with switch, turns it on, shines it over the guardrail to the water below)

Meg: (long pause, they look into the water) You know, that's what Greg always used to say. "One moment", "One moment, Meg!" "Just give me one damn moment here, Meg!" "I'll get to it in just one moment, Meg!" "Damnit, Meg, I leave you along for one moment, and you do this?!"

Peg: Yeah, I heard him say that too.

Meg: I never knew exactly how long one moment was.

Peg: How could you?

Meg: I mean, sometimes he'd say "I'll be there in a couple of moments", and he'd show up almost immediately, and then he'd say "I'll be there in a moment", and he wouldn't get there for hours.

Peg: How long is a moment anyway?

Meg: No idea. I think he really meant that he'd be there when the moment struck him.

Peg: Or when he felt it was the moment to strike you.

Meg: That too.

Peg: He had a lot of moments.

Meg: Yeah. He did.

Peg: It's done. We're gone. We can do this. We can live like this. We're smart; we have energy. We can move around, live anywhere, earn enough to move on.

Meg: Nomads.

Peg: More like the orphans of the world. You know, free... children. Playing children's games. Like this. You know... (turning back to the water search with her flashlight) ...those pieces must have sunk.

Meg: Oh, what does that mean?

Peg: Game is inconclusive... I think that means I let you kiss me.

(they kiss)

Meg: I'm terrified, Peg.

Peg: (holding her) A new life is always terrifying. I mean, we're starting over, but we're doing it together. You know I will never hit you. I will always treat you as well as I know how. We're in love, Meg, nothing can ever break that apart.

Meg: (moving her head back) Greg sure tried. He freaked out when he found out about you. (starts heading back upstage, faster walk this time)

Peg: I thought he had finally killed you. What did you ever see in him?

Meg: For the first year, we both drank too much to know that we drank too much. I quit. He kept going. (pause) He would have killed me, if I hadn't found you.

Peg: He almost killed you; because you found me.

Meg: Ahh! Let's just finish this.

Peg: Maybe the next pair will float.

Meg: I don't know, he was an awfully dense man. (laughs, opens up duffle bag)

Peg: What to dump next?

Meg: So much... to choose from... here (pulling out two pieces)... let's try his tongue versus his penis... they never did me much good. (more laughter, they each take a part, stand at guardrail and count) 1-2-3... (they drop the parts)

Peg: Do you want to watch for them?

Meg: (nervously) No, let's keep going.

Peg: This is going to work, Meg. This current runs deep and slow. In two miles, the river turns into over a thousand square miles of alligator and snake-infested swamp land. What the meat-eaters don't get, the swamp muck will swallow deep.

Meg: (digging into the bag) Let's do the feet next. I always hated his feet.

Peg: He never wore socks, did he?

Meg: Stank like nothing! But... guess what? (digs into her pocket) I brought a pair!

(laughs from both)

Peg: Pink! Ahhh!

(more laughter, lights fade quickly)

Meg: At least part of him will travel in style.

(lights out)

(end)