Objects in Mirror...

Written by

Melissa A. Bartell

Copyright (c)

First Draft

ACT ONE

SCENE ONE

An empty stage lit byworklights. WRITER enters andtakes position downstagecenter. The worklights dimuntil everything is blackexcept for a single spotlighton writer.

WRITERAutobiographical saga. This late in the challenge. Really?As if everything I've written hasn't had some element ofautobiography in it? Okay, I'm not really a mermaid, but Iam a beach baby stuck five hours from the ocean in a housewith a broken bathtub. The general consensus is that you'resupposed to write what you know... but I guess I write whatI am. Okay, I also write androids and monsters and serialkillers, but... there's more than a little of me in all ofthose things. Even when I'm writing (whispers) fanfic(normal voice) my version of those existing characters hasmore than a little of me in it. But... I digress. You want asaga. So... why don't I give you one to illustrate my point.

BLACKOUT

SCENE TWO

LIGHTS COME UP AS ANINSTRUMENTAL VERSION OF"BRAHM'S LULLABY" PLAYS OVERSPEAKERS

A bed is at center stage andwhite curtains hung fromrigging in the ceiling formthe walls of a CHILD'sbedroom, around it. A row ofstuffed animals is across thefoot of the bed, and the CHILDis resting in it, proppedagainst pillows, leaningagainst the headboard (may bejust a brass frame). There isa nightstand next to the bed.A rocking chair is furtherstage left of the bed, cantedtoward it so the audience can

see that MOTHER is in thechair, holding a book.

MOTHER(reading – she doesthe voicesaccordingly)

"Tracks," said Piglet. "Paw-marks." He gave a little squeakof excitement. "Oh, Pooh! Do you think it's a – a – aWoozle?""It may be," said Pooh. "Sometimes it is, and sometimes itisn't. You never can tell with paw-marks."With these few words he went on tracking and Piglet, afterwatching him for a minute or two, ran after him. Winnie-the-Pooh had come to a sudden stop and was bending over thetracks in a puzzled sort of way.

During the last paragraph theMOTHER's words fade into a softhum, and a follow-spot startingfrom the Audience shows us theDREAMER entering the scene, thoughshe pauses on the downstage fringeof it. Turning toward the audience,we see that she's wearing pajamasand that she has bunny slippers onher feet. She turns to address theAudience.

DREAMERI used to love it when my mother read to me before bed. Shestopped when I was five or six. I could read on my own bythen, and she was taking too long to finish…

(She turns slightlytoward the MOTHERand CHILD)

DREAMERKeeping nightmares at bay is so much easier for children.Belief in magic may make you more receptive to the thingsthat go bump in the night, but it also gives you a kind ofpower.We think of bedtime rituals as a hokey routine, but if youpay attention, and follow all the Rules for Safe Sleep,you'll see why childhood nightmares are so easily beaten.Step one: Story time. In this step it's essential that you…

2.

DREAMER AND CHILD(as one)

… finish the story!

The spot on DREAMER fades outputting the focus back on theMOTHER and CHILD.

CHILDPlease, Mom? It's not that long, and it's important.

MOTHERIt's very late, sweetie, and we're only half-way through thebook.

CHILDBut I have to know what happens, so I won't dream it wrong.

MOTHERI'll finish the chapter. That will take us to the end ofthis adventure.

(resumes reading)

MOTHER"I have been foolish and deluded," said he, "and I am a bearof no brain at all." "You're the best bear in all theworld," said Christopher Robin soothingly. "Am I?" saidPooh, hopefully. And then he brightened up suddenly."Anyhow," he said, it is nearly luncheon time." So, he wenthome for it.

(in her normalvoice)

MOTHERAlright, sweetie, time for sleep now.

CHILDYou have to check for monsters, first.

DREAMER has used this time to goaround the outer perimeter of thecurtains and sneak under the bed.As the MOTHER makes a show ofsearching all the corners of theroom, DREAMER rolls out from underthe bed, and sits up in the middleof the floor. Neither MOTHER norCHILD react to her presence.

DREAMERChecking for monsters before bedtime is just as crucial as amagician showing that there's nothing up his sleeves.

3.

(aside, whileDREAMER (cont'd)

demonstrating)There's nothing up my sleeves.

(continuesnarrating)

DREAMER

There are three places that must always be checked: behindthe curtains, under the bed, and in the closet.

CHILDDon't forget to leave the closet light on, Mommy. Monstershate light.

(MOTHER pulls the curtain back inthe corner of the room, and DRACULApokes his head out. Neither MOTHERnor CHILD react to him.)

DRACULA(nonchalant)

It's true. We hate the light. Darkness is our friend.

MOTHER mimes pulling the chain on acloset light. DRACULA retreatsbehind the curtain. A soft lightwill glow behind that corner forthe duration of the scene.

DREAMERLeaving the closet light on is vital. The door should beclosed though. You just want a crack of light around theperimeter of the door. After all, too much light could keepyou awake. (beat)Step three. Arrange the stuffed animals.

(MOTHER and CHILD pick up eachstuffed animal, a white tiger, arag doll, a plush seal, a ragged-looking Snoopy, and a turquoiseteddy bear. All but the teddy bearare lined up across the foot of thebed, with the tiger facingdownstage. The teddy bear is givento the CHILD to hold.)

4.

MOTHER

I thought you'd like to sleep with this one in your armstonight.

CHILDYes, please.

DREAMERTo adults, stuffed animals are nostalgic, remnants of pastinnocence, but to a child, they're the best defense againstnightmares.

MOTHERAlright now, your water is on the night stand –

DREAMERinterrupting( )

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

MOTHER- so, let's get you all tucked in.

MOTHER helps CHILD slide lower inthe bed and places the teddy bearin the crook of her arm. Then shetucks the blankets around CHILD upto her chin, ensuring that CHILD iscompletely cocooned, except for herhead.

DREAMERStep four – keep your hands and feet inside the ride – er –blankets… Keep your hands and feet inside the blankets atall times.It's a little-known fact – though commonly held instinct –that monsters cannot penetrate a child's covers.

FREDDY KRUEGER pops up from behindthe headboard. As with DRACULA andthe DREAMER, neither MOTHER norCHILD react to his presence. Heleans over the bed frame and brings

5.

his bladed fingers closer andcloser to the CHILD's throat.

FREDDY KRUEGER

Alright, my little piggy it's time to di – WHAT! BLANKETS!Noooooo!

FREDDY KRUEGER tumbles backwardaway from the bed.

DREAMERThe last protection against nightmares is the simplest. It'sthe goodnight kiss. It can come from Daddy or Grandmom orGrandpop, or even a babysitter, but the most powerful onescome from Mommy…

MOTHER(leans over CHILDand kisses herforehead)

Time for sleep now, my little love. Good night, sleep tight,and…

DREAMER, DRACULA, FREDDY KRUEGERAND MOTHER

(Together,themonsters popping infrom the 'closet'corner and behindthe bed, as before.)

Don't let the bed bugs bite!

MOTHER, DRACULA, and DREAMER allexit in various directions. FREDDYKRUEGER sits in the rocker.

FREDDY KRUEGERwhispering( )

Sweet dreams!

BLACKOUT

SCENE THREE

The front seat of a family carin the early 1980s. JILL (age16) and her mother LINDA (age36) are in the front seat).The radio is playing Jim

6.

Croce's "Bad, Bad, LeroyBrown"

LINDA(singing)

"... he's the baddest man in the whole damned down. Badderthan ol' King Ko-ong. Meaner than a junkyard dog..."

(nudges herdaughter)

LINDA

Jilly-bean, why aren't you singing?

JILL ignores her mother,recliningher seat and turning her head away.

LINDA responds by turning the musicup louder.

JILLDo you have to do that?

LINDADo what? Sing? It's a good song. You used to like it, whenyou were little.

JILLYeah, well, I'm not little anymore. I'm sixteen. I'm theonly one in my class who isn't driving yet. I'm the only onein my class who still wears glasses that look like safetygoggles. I'm the only one in my class who still has a motherwho does what you do.

LINDA(confused)

What is it that I do?

JILLYou know.

LINDANo, sweetie, I really don't.

JILLYes, you do. You do it all the time. Every time there's somedead-rock-star song on the radio, you do it.

7.

LINDA(growingexasperated)

Jill, I honestly have no idea what you're talking about.

JILL returns her seat to itsupright position in as passive-aggressive a manner as is possible.

JILL

You... were just doing it in the car, and you did it in thegrocery store. You... you bop around and act cute, like youwant people to see you, and it's horribly embarrassing andyou do it on purpose!

LINDA'Bop around and act cute?'

JILL

Yeah, you know... dancing to the radio while driving.Dancing to the music in the store. But never the good music.Like this station... seriously... dead rock stars is allthey play...

BLACKOUT

SCENE FOUR

Lights come up on a whitetiled kitchen in a Spanishcolonial home with blueaccents. MOM and WOMAN are atthe dining room table. They'reeach drinking coffee butthey're sharing a single sliceof cheesecake.

MOMconcerned( )

You're moving in with him?

WOMANconfident( )

Yes.

MOMYou've only known him for five minutes. You know nothingabout him.

8.

WOMANActually, it's been six months.

MOMStill…

WOMANticking things off(on her fingers)

I know he likes strawberry-rhubarb pie and singing when hemows the lawn, and wearing socks during sex.

MOM gives WOMAN a gushy-mom look.

BLACKOUT

SCENE FIVE

The waiting room of a countycourthouse, outside a doormarked REGISTRY OFFICE. A setof benches against the cornerof the wall. Two women (MARGOand LAUREL) and three men(MAX, CHARLIE, KENT) aresitting, talking.

MARGOSo, now I'm not the only person I know who meets guys on theInternet and screens them for dating material. SolidaritySister!

LAUREN and MARGO high-five eachother.

KENTYou're the only one not marrying one.

LAURELWho wouldn't marry Max? He's sweet, he's kind, he's…

(looks at MARGO)Why am I being your maid of honor instead of killing you andmarrying him myself?

MARGOBecause you're a woman who believes in supporting otherwomen, or because I'm your weyrwoman on a virtual realitygame where you really, really, really want a gold dragonsomeday… or because you've been secretly lusting afterCharlie for a year and a half.

9.

CHARLIEThe third one! Pick the third one!

MAXI'm going to go see how much longer we have to wait.

Max wanders off to the windowacross the room.

LAURELSo, what are my chances of a gold dragon, exactly?

MAX

(returning)We're next.

(softly, to MARGO)You ready for this?

MARGO

grinning, madly in(love with MAX )

I was born ready.

All five walk into the registryoffice.

BLACKOUT

10.

ACT II

SCENE ONE

WRITER walks onto the stageagain. This time she'scarrying a mug of coffee. Themug has a green background andmermaids and mermen frolickingon it.

WRITERAre you beginning to see my point? Dreamer, Child, Jill,Woman, Margo... they're all different characters, butreally, they're all aspects of myself. Oh, but, you thinkall my characters are just ordinary women. But they're not.Here. Look.

BLACKOUT

SCENE TWO

Time: The night of the fullmoon, just before moonrise.Summer.

Place: A rocky outcropping orislet in the middle of theocean.

At rise, Oskar, a thunder god,dressed like an ancientScandinavian (think Viking,but softer) is standing on therocks staring at the sea. WhenOskar speaks it's in a vaguelySwedish accent, and hisEnglish is broken, choppy.

OSKARHarmony... Harmony...

HARMONY's head surfaces from a poolof water. She is a mermaid.

HARMONY:

Oskar… I'm glad you called, but I feel bad. You're needed athome. Your people need you to make it rain.

11.

OSKARI had to see you. Difficult in summer. Not enough moistureto make clouds solid.

HARMONY Well, I'm here now. (smiles) How long do we have?

OSKAR Not long. When moon rises, I must go.

HARMONY(reaching for therocks, then fallingback)

I can't lift myself out of the water, here. The rocks aretoo sharp.

OSKARIs not matter.

(he takes off hisfur cloak andspreads it on therocks)

Come now.

HARMONY pulls herself out of thewater and onto the cloak-coveredrocks. OSCAR sits behind her, hislegs on either side of her tail. Hewraps his arms around her, and sheleans back to rest against hischest.

HARMONYI'd have picked a better place if I'd known you could sparethe time. Usually you warn me you're coming; you send astorm.

OSKARYes, but no storm tonight. Is… date, not… tryst. Also, thisplace is where I want.

HARMONYYou chose it on purpose?

OSKARIs best place on earth to watch the moon and stars come.

12.

HARMONYI had it on good authority that I was your 'moon and stars.'

OSKARsimple, honest( )

No. You are breath and blood to me.

HARMONYtouched( )

Breath and blood? Really.

OSKAR(stroking her hair)

Really. There is song… may I?

HARMONYYou know I love it when you sing to me.

OSKARsinging( )

Allt jag är, allt jag har,till mitt sista andetag.Ska jag älska dig medhjärtats alla slag.Allt jag ber, allt jag vill,att få vakna tätt intill.Att få älska dig i alla mina dar,med allt jag har.

HARMONYtranslating slowly( )

All I am, all I have… to my last breath…

OSKARsinging in English(this time)

All I am, all I have,until my last breath.Should I love youthe heart of all kinds.All I pray, all I want,to wake up close by.To love you in all my days,with all I have.

HARMONYOh… Oskar.

Harmony turns her head in anattempt to kiss Oskar, but he stopsher with a gentle touch.

13.

OSKARKiss later. Now, watch.

As the two of them watch, the moonrises from the sea and rises to apoint directly above them. Starsare already twinkling there. Themoonlight makes the rocks glitterlike a second sky full of stars.

HARMONYOhhhh! It's amazing.

OSKARFull moon, clear skies, stars above and below because we aretogether, but when we are parted all is dark again. Mustremember this.

HARMONYI could never forget this… Or you.

Clouds come to obscure the moon,and an arc of lightning illuminatestheir faces.

OSKARsighing( )

No time. Never enough time.

HARMONY

It won't be summer forever. When fall comes, and the air iscooler, we can be together longer.

OSKARI wish I were time god instead of thunder god.

HARMONYlaughing( )

But I'd miss your stormy presence, and your wonderfulrumbling voice. (softer) When you're holding me, I can feelyour songs inside me.

OSKARWhen I hold you, the sea is inside me.

HARMONY tries for another kiss.This time she succeeds. She turns

14.

in OSKAR's arms, and places kisseson his face, his chest.

OSKARgently, stopping her( )

No time, Harmony. No time.

HARMONYwith surety( )

But I'll see you again.

OSKARNext full moon. Is date. Go now, I watch you swim home.

Harmony slides back into the water,and disappears. OSKAR collects hiscloak, holding it close, smellingher aquatic scent on his furs. Thenhe wraps it around his shoulders.There is a crash of thunder, aflash of lightning.

HARMONYoffstage, singing( )

Allt jag är, allt jag har,till mitt sista andetag.Ska jag älska dig medhjärtats alla slag.Allt jag ber, allt jag vill,att få vakna tätt intill.Att få älska dig i alla mina dar,med allt jag har

BLACKOUT

SCENE THREE

An officer's suite on aspaceship. Upstage has thecurved bulhead wall with awindow showing space beyond. Asofa is centered under thewindow, with a coffee table infront of it, and two clubchairs on either end. Asliding door stage left of the

15.

couch leads to the 'bedroom'(off stage) . Stage left wallhas a food slot with a smalldining table. And anotherdoor. The stage right wall hasa corner computer console.

Lights up on BASIL (wearing aspace-y version of a navalofficer's uniform, with therank insignia of a commander)and ZOE, his girlfriend, in adomestic scene. She issignificantly younger than his30-ish years – likely auniversity student. There issomething about BASIL -silvery skin tone, mannerisms,whatever, that implies he'snot exactly human.

ZOE

at food slot( )This recipe is supposed to be pretty amazing. Are you sureyou don't want some?

BASIL

I will never understand the organic tendency to consume theflesh of other animals.

ZOE

I may have ordered meatloaf, but it's still replicatedmeatloaf. You know as well as I do that it's not actuallyanimal flesh, any more than you are.

BASIL

That is true, but…

ZOE brings her tray to the tableand places a salad in front ofBASIL. Both of them will eat theirmeals during the conversation.

16.

ZOE

I know, it's the principal of the thing. From replicatedmeat to actual meat is a slippery slope you 'have no wish toencounter.'

BASILYou are imitating me.

ZOE

Yes, but I do it out of love… speaking of which…

BASILwary( )

Yes?

ZOE

When were you going to tell me your mother was a Synth, likeyou?

BASILYou know she is a Synthetic Being? How were you able todiscern this when my colleagues – our friends – could not?

ZOEI've been dating you for two and a half years, and livingwith you for almost half that time. Do you really think Ican't tell a Synth from an Organic? Especially when so manyof your mother's mannerisms are so much like yours?

BASILI have had the same set of colleagues and circle of friendsfor significantly longer than we have been in arelationship.

ZOE

True. But they don't see you without your public face. Theydon't see you in your off hours when you're not expected tobe anything but your most basic self.

BASILMy mother is not aware she is Synthetic.

ZOEYou're joking.

17.

BASILWhile my base programming has expanded to include sarcasm,snark, irony, whimsy, and the occasional humorous anecdote,I believe you are aware that I would never attempt to 'joke'about such a thing. Indeed, I could not.

ZOEOkay, that's valid, but… How can she not know? And how didyou find out. Do you have some super-Synthetic equivalent ofgaydar, or something?

BASILgiving her a(reproachful look)

I have no such… sense. Rather, I noticed that her blinkingpattern was the same as mine… exactly the same. That wouldnot be possible in an organic being. As well, when she hadthe accident during the diving expedition –

ZOEinterrupting( )

I knew that dive was too deep, even for you –

BASIL

- her programming caused her to enter a state ofunconsciousness until she could be reset. In the process, Idiscovered a comm-chip from my father.

ZOE

How is the old coot? We really should try to visit him,soon.

BASILIt was not a real-time relay; merely a recorded message.

ZOE

If found, please return to Doctor Benedict Rathburn?

BASIL

Not as such. Rather, it was an explanation of what she was.It would seem that she was injured when she and my fatherescaped from the Slitheroid Invasion of Kestrin Blue thirty-five years ago.

ZOEWhen they left you behind, you mean.

BASIL

(MORE)

18.

BASIL (cont'd)

Yes. Mother was critically injured in the escape. Fathercould not stand to live without her, so he transferred herconsciousness into a Synthetic body.

ZOE

Without her permission?

BASIL

Apparently.

ZOEAnd she has no idea?

BASIL

She does not.

ZOE pushes her plate away indisgust. Then she crumples hernapkin into a ball before droppingit on the table. She scoots herchair back, and stands up, butseems unsure where to go. Finallyshe goes and sits on the couch.

BASIL

Dearest, I do not understand your reaction. My father lovedmy mother so much that he found a way to preserve her life.She may be Synthetic, but she has been designed to live ahuman lifespan and then die of 'natural' causes.

ZOEBut she doesn't know, Basil. She isn't who she thinks sheis, and she doesn't know.

BASIL rises from his chair, gatherstheir used plates and utensils, andpiles them onto the tray. Hereturns them to the food slot,waits a moment, and then punchessome buttons on the display. A fewseconds later a new tray appears,this time with two steaming mugs.

19.

BASILbringing the mugs to(the couch andoffering one to ZOE)

I have made tea. You are sixty-seven-point-nine-two-fourpercent more likely to engage in rational conversation whenyou sip tea while we converse.

ZOEtakes the offered(mug and sniffs it )

Mmm. Peppermint.gives him a look( )

But, Basil, darling, nothing I've said has been irrational.I get that your father was devoted to your mother –

BASIL

interrupting( )- as devoted as I am to you, dearest –

ZOE- but he changed the essence of who she was without herconsent.

BASILYou are aware that my consciousness was transferred into aduplicate body after I was critically damag –

off a look from ZOE( ) - injured – during a skirmish with the native population ofZithros Five. And yet, I am still the Basil whom you knowand love, and who is looking forward to marrying you nextyear.

ZOE

Well, yes, but it's different. You've always been Synthetic.There was never an Organic being called 'Basil Rathburn.'Sure, you might technically be Basil, two-point-oh, but youressence is still the same.

BASILI do not believe it would benefit my mother to know thetruth.

ZOEIt would probably do more harm than good.

BASILBut that the same time, if she knew, then I would be lessalone in the world.

20.

ZOEYou're not alone, Basil. You never have been, love.

BASILIt is not the same.

ZOEI guess not.

Zoe drains her mug and then sets iton the coffee table, then slidesacross the couch to snuggle againstBASIL. He puts his arm around her,but there's something slightlymechanical in the gesture.

ZOEPromise me something?

BASILYou know I would do anything for you, dearest.

ZOEPromise me, no matter how old or sick I eventually grow. Nomatter if I succumb to some horrible disease or get hit by abus, or whatever… Promise me that you will never, ever,transfer my consciousness into a Synthetic body without mypermission.

BASILI do not wish to lose you.

ZOEWell, you're like fifteen years older than me, so it's notlike you're going to lose me anytime soon, but, Organics aremeant to die, sweetie. It's part of our 'baselineprogramming.'

BASILIn a Synthetic body, you would be as immortal as I am meantto be.

ZOEI know that, but I wouldn't be me; I'd just be a copy. Anddeath is part of life. You know that.

BASILI dislike it.

21.

ZOEI'm not really a fan, either. But I need you to promisethis.

BASILVery well, Zoe. I promise that I will not transfer yourconsciousness into a Synthetic body without your consent.

ZOEYou've considered it, haven't you?

BASILNot with any real aim.

ZOEYou love me that much?

BASILMy love for you defies quantification.

ZOE reaches up to guide BASIL'shead down so she can kiss him. Theycontinue kissing as the lightsfade.

BLACKOUT

22.

23.

ACT III

SCENE ONE

Writer returns to the stage,she's barefoot now, her blondeand green hair in a messy bun.It's still just her in aspotlight, but it's closer,brighter, and we can tell thatshe's small, curvy, and in herlate forties, although shedoesn't really seem old. Herenergy is old and young atonce.

WRITEROkay, okay, I get it. Mermaids and androids and girlfriendsin space are fantasy selves. But this is why we writefiction isn't it? To escape the mundane reality of normallife as normal humans? To explore life as something otherthan ourselves? Or just to expand our perspective. Or...maybe we do it - at least, maybe I do - because it's fun.Still, I guess at some point we have to face that we're notperfect. That aging is a thing. Although, if you readbetween the lines, that's what that last scene was reallyabout even if one of the characters was immortal.

BLACKOUT

SCENE TWO

A kitchen and breakfast nookcombo; MAN and WOMAN arecleaning up after dinner.

This is the same WOMAN fromthe scene with MOM earlier.

WOMAN takes a used filter out of acoffee maker and dumps it in thetrash bin.

24.

WOMANwrinkling her nose( )

There should be a super-villain who makes you forget toempty old coffee grounds from the filter-basket.

MANmoving toward the(counter where thecoffee maker is,sponge in hand)

He should also cause grounds to wind up all over the counterwhenever you grind beans

WOMANAnd he shall be called…

MAN & WOMANtogether( )

The Grounds Keeper!

BLACKOUT

SCENE THREE

A couple's (AUDRA & ROGER)bedroom, late at night. Astorm is in full force, withlightning striking apparentlyinside the room. Their dog(FORTINBRAS) is present.

AUDRAmuttering( )

Ozone. Tastes… tastes likes ozone.

FORTINBRAS whimpers.

ROGERsitting up( )

That was close. (beat.) It'll move away soon, though.

Thunder rumbles and it sounds sortof like cranky old men.

AUDRAsleepy, altered( )

Stop knocking. No, no, we're… no, sorry, sirs. We're notinterested in vacuums or blenders today. Maybe next year. Ornever. Are your brains fresh?

25.

ROGERHon, wake up.

AUDRAWhy?

ROGERYou're doing it again. Talking to the thunder.

AUDRAIt's trying to sell us stuff we don't need.

ROGERO – kay.

AUDRA sits up in bed and ROGERwraps his arm around her shoulders.The dog lifts his head, decidesit's not worth moving, and goesback to sleep. The storm continues.

AUDRAHow long has it been?

ROGERFifteen minutes.

AUDRAHalf-way to working. Can't they work faster?

Her face is pale, drawn. Her eyesare hollow, tired. She rests herhead against ROGER's shoulder andlets her hand fall to rest on histhigh. He is grounding her againstthe storm outside and the oneinside her head.

BLACKOUT

SCENE FOUR

The loft that BELOVED andLOVER share. It is earlymorning and the large archedwindows (think pre-war NYC)are letting in the light of arainy day.

26.

On a bed pushed against theupstage wall, LOVER liestangled in sheets. BELOVEDenters from off-stage rightwith a tray holding coffee andbagels. He is bare-chested andwearing loose pajama pants.

BELOVED(softly,seductively)

Morning... time to get up...

LOVERrolling over and(sitting up, butkeeping the sheetswrapped around her)

Do I smell coffee?

BELOVEDYou do... Slide over...

LOVEROhhh... I do love you.

BELOVEDYou say that to all the men who bring you coffee in bed.

LOVERNo... only to the ones who remember I like cream.

BELOVEDAh, well, then I'm in luck.

Balancing the tray, BELOVED joinsLOVER in the bed. He sets the traybetween them and LOVER reaches forone of the mugs, sipping for it andsmiling.

LOVERPerfect.

BELOVEDThank you, you're not so bad yourself.

LOVERI meant the coffee.

BELOVEDAh...

27.

LOVERBut since you made it...

BELOVED... and the bagels...

LOVERAnd the bagels, I guess I'll keep you. For a while anyway.

BELOVEDOnly a while.

LOVERWell, musicians are fickle. You might get bored with me,move on to someone else... same way you might fall out oflove with Bach and decide you want to obsess over... I don'tknow... Faure.

BELOVEDNo one ever falls out love with Bach.

LOVEROh?

BELOVEDNo. It's not possible. Bach is... you know the prelude I wasplaying last night? You can play it every day for a year,for two years, and you might think you've found every nuancein it, eked out every little flair in each note. Found everyplace where you can accent this or underplay that... andthen you can set it aside for a decade and come back to itand it's like a whole new piece... you... you're the same.

LOVERmock-insulted( )

I'm someone you want to put aside for a decade?

BELOVEDNo. You're someone I want to learn every nuance of, someoneI want to play -

LOVERPlay?

BELOVEDWorship. Delight. Entrance. Experience. Love. (beat, andthen darkly) Play.

LOVERLike Bach?

28.

BELOVEDNo. Like my cello. Only you're my lover and she's mymistress.

LOVERYou sure it's not the other way 'round?

BELOVED(sheepish)

Well. Maybe. Sometimes. But you're the only human I sharemyself with. Me and you. Flesh and blood. Body and soul. Meand cello. Wire and wood.

LOVERteasing, flirting( )

Wood, huh?

BELOVEDHush. Eat your bagel.

LOVERBagels can wait. Rainy mornings should not be wasted.

BELOVEDGood point.

LOVER puts her mug back on the trayand BELOVED puts the tray on thefloor next to his side of the bed.LOVER manages to rearrange thesheet so that it's over both ofthem without baring herself to theaudience.

BELOVEDwhispering( )

I love you too, you know.

BLACKOUT

SCENE FIVE

A living room in a tracthouse. East coast. Built inthe late fifties, butredecorated since. ESTHER isseated at the piano, playing.It's slightly out of tune butsince she's just improvising,rather than playing 'real'

29.

songs it doesn't reallymatter. EDWARD, a few yearsolder, short hair, mostlygray, a round belly, issitting in the red chairreading one of the magazines(either NEWSWEEK or MODELRAILROADER).

BOTH are dressed in casualsummer clothes. EDWARD in ashort-sleeved button-downshirt and light khaki pantswith leather 'work shoes.'ESTHER in a blue and whitetennis shirt over white cottonpants, rolled up at theankles, and white canvasespadrilles.

ESTHERstops playing( )

Eddie.

EDWARD continues to read.

ESTHERlonger, sing-song( )

Ed-die!!

EDWARDstill reading( )

Yes, dear?

ESTHERThe golden… something?

EDWARDGolden rule? The golden ratio?

ESTHERYes, that! It has to do with shells.

EDWARDNautilus shells have spirals that follow that ratio.

ESTHER gives EDWARD a look thatencourages him to continue.

EDWARDThey're nature's illustration of the Fibonacci numbersequence.

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ESTHEROh, yeah? Who was he?

EDWARDAn Italian mathematician.

ESTHERpleased( )

Italian. Really?

EDWARDYep.

ESTHERtasting the word( )

Fibonacci.

EDWARD returns to reading hismagazine and ESTHER resumes herplaying.

ESTHERhumming with her(music)

Da, da, da de. Da da da, da da de da de. Da da da de da deda de…

Her random noodling resolves intothe chords for "Somewhere my Love"

ESTHERsinging( )

"Somewhere, my love… there will be songs to sing…"

The music continues to the end ofthe verse.

BLACKOUT

SCENE SIX

We're back to that blank stagewith the single spot again,and the WRITER is back.

WRITERSo, you see what I mean? I'm in everything I write. All ofit. And, okay, those last two people were literally mygrandparents, but those are the people who helped make me...

(MORE)

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me... so it's totally legit that they're part of the play,WRITER (cont'd)

you know? Look. I could have written another monologue aboutmy years doing celebrity interviews and told you about howGeorge Wendt once sent me a pizza and John Barrowman taughtme never to ask about favorites in interviews and how MarshaMason told me that even if your story is similar to everyoneelse's it's still your story and so everyone should write,but name dropping is tacky, and you don't need to know thatgetting celebrities to engage with me on a human level isone of my super powers.

WRITER runs a hand through her hairmessing up her already frazzledmessy bun.

WRITERBut the thing is, Madeleine L'Engle was right when she saidthat the Judao-Christian God was literally MADE of Story,then if humans are made in God's image, we're made of Storytoo, so if you want to know me, the best way to know who Iam, is through the stories I tell.

WRITER turns to leave, then pauseson the edge of the spotlight'scircle of illumination and stepsback into the light.

WRITERBribing me with dark chocolate and frou-frou coffee havealso been known to work.

BLACKOUT

FIN

32.