Scene Detail
"We've all got baggage. Sooner or later it has to start fitting in the overhead compartment or under the seat in front of you, or you're not able to go too many places anymore."
| From: the Dandelion Snow cycle | | 4 Characters |
| Gender |
Age |
Character Name |
| Male |
30's |
JULIAN |
| Male |
30's |
DANA |
| Male |
20's |
AIDAN |
| Male |
30's |
ASH |
Setup:
TOOLS (Sequence Four) - Dana and Ash, two former high school sweethearts, have recently reunited after a long absence and have found a lot of old feelings still very much alive. For a while, Dana and Ash spent some time after that in each other’s company whenever Dana’s new husband Julian was away on business - innocent in a physical, but not necessarily emotional, sense. Then Ash met Aidan, the pizza delivery guy. Now Ash and Dana are trying to get on with their separate lives, with mixed success.
********************************************
The full scripts of the plays in "The Dandelion Snow Cycle" are available for purchase as part of "Short Plays, Volume 2" (in hard copy or download form) at
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/short-plays-volume-2/5651425
Part of Matthew's online script store
http://stores.lulu.com/matthewaeverett
|
Scenecopyright 2000 by Matthew A. Everett
SEQUENCE FOUR - TOOLS
In the dark...
ASH
Oh my God.
AIDAN
You ready?
ASH
I haven't had one of these in my mouth in such a long time.
Lights reveal, ASH, a man in his mid-thirties, and AIDAN, a young man in his twenties, on Ash's bed. Fully clothed. Their laps full of junk food. Aidan is dangling a french fry slathered in ketchup near Ash's waiting mouth.
ASH (continued)
You are such a bad influence.
AIDAN
The potato is a noble food.
Ash takes the french fry in his mouth. Aidan has deliberately caught the side of Ash's mouth with some of the ketchup. They stare intently at each other, smiling hesitantly.
AIDAN
Someone really should --
ASH
-- clean that up.
Aidan runs his finger over Ash's lips, gets the ketchup, and sticks the finger in his own mouth just as Ash leans forward to try and get it himself.
AIDAN
Gotta be quicker than that.
ASH
You're hard to keep up with.
AIDAN
You know, some of it's probably still in there.
ASH
You want some french fry to go with that?
AIDAN
Sure.
They lean in and begin to kiss.
As the kissing continues, they try to get the junk food out of their laps as gracefully as possible without making a mess or breaking contact.
They accidentally wind up with a hand in each other's laps and recoil to opposite sides of the bed.
ASH
I'm sorry.
AIDAN
No, I'm sorry.
ASH
I mean, it's not that I don't want to -
AIDAN
Same here.
ASH
I just don't want to go somewhere I haven't been invited first.
AIDAN
Oh. I can just tell you, right?
ASH
What?
AIDAN
That you're invited. I don't have to write anything down, put it in an envelope --
ASH
No. Nothing formal. Informal is good.
Aidan pulls his shirt off over his head and tosses it at Ash.
AIDAN
Clear enough?
ASH
Great. Thanks.
Ash still hesitates.
Aidan pounces.
Emphasis shifts to another pool of light where DANA, a man in his mid-30s, roots through a junk drawer with one hand, holding a cell phone in the other.
DANA
I'm telling you they're not here.
JULIAN, a man in his mid-thirties, appears in an isolated pool of light, cell phone in hand, clearly the other part of this long distance conversation.
JULIAN
I don't see why this can't wait til I get back.
DANA
Because I'm tired of waiting. If we waited to fix everything in this place for the two days out of every month that you're actually home --
JULIAN
Not this again.
DANA
Well, gee, Julian, I'm sorry if my missing you and needing your help with "our" place is keeping you from enjoying all your business trips, really I am.
JULIAN
They're in the drawer, I swear.
Dana holds up a pair of standard pliers.
DANA
You don't mean the normal stubby pliers, do you?
JULIAN
You said pliers, those are pliers.
DANA
Needle-nose. I need needle-nose pliers.
JULIAN
Why?
DANA
Because the thing I'm trying to do, regular pliers won't work, they're too big.
JULIAN
What exactly is it that -- ?
DANA
I'm yanking all my nose hairs out one at a time to clear a better path for the cocaine I've taken to snorting to distract me from the loneliness and boredom that assail me when I remember that I'm supposedly in a relationship and yet seem to spend more time alone now than when I was single.
JULIAN
We should be having this argument in person.
DANA
No argument here.
JULIAN
Dana. I love you.
DANA
And that's supposed to tide me over.
JULIAN
It used to.
DANA
You're taking me for granted.
JULIAN
I'm sorry if you feel that way, I really am.
DANA
You know what? Don't worry. I'll just go over to Ash's place.
JULIAN
Why?
DANA
Because he always has what I need.
Dana hangs up on Julian, who is abruptly plunged into the dark.
Emphasis shifts back to the shirtless Aidan, on top of Ash, the two exploring each other.
The phone rings.
Aidan tries to continue kissing Ash but Ash is trying to reach for the phone.
Aidan grabs his hand playfully.
AIDAN
Oh no you don't.
ASH
No, I really should --
Aidan kisses Ash.
Ash isn't exactly fighting it, but he hasn't stopped talking either.
The phone rings again.
ASH (continued)
-- I mean it's late -
Another kiss.
ASH (continued)
-- it could be --
Aidan just stops. Defeated.
AIDAN
Who?
The phone rings again.
ASH
It's a new cell. The only people who have the number are --
AIDAN
Me.
ASH
And my mom.
AIDAN
And Dana.
The phone rings again.
ASH
Fifty-fifty.
AIDAN
Yeah.
The phone rings again.
AIDAN (continued)
Voice mail?
ASH
Not set up yet.
The phone rings again.
AIDAN
Tell you what, I'm just gonna sit over here and try to retrieve some dinner, and pray it's your mom. You go ahead and get that if you want.
ASH
Aidan -
AIDAN
Fifty-fifty.
Aidan turns away.
Ash answers the phone.
Dana pops up in the pool of light.
DANA
Shower?
ASH
Hi. Look, this is really --
AIDAN
(loudly)
-- the worst possible time you could have called.
Ash looks at him.
AIDAN (continued)
It's not your mother.
DANA
He must be mad. I could hear that all the way through the door.
ASH
You're at the door?
AIDAN
Oh, let me get it.
Aidan heads for Dana.
Ash tosses Aidan his shirt but Aidan doesn't even try to catch it. He just keeps walking.
Ash follows Aidan.
Aidan mimes opening the door to Dana.
Dana sees Aidan, shirtless, hangs up the phone.
AIDAN
You're supposed to call before you come over.
DANA
Am I interrupting something?
ASH
(simultaneous with Aidan)
No.
AIDAN
(simultaneous with Ash)
Yes.
DANA
I just need to borrow the needle-nose pliers.
AIDAN
How do you know he even has any?
ASH
I got custody of the toolbox when we split up.
AIDAN
And how many years ago was that again?
ASH
Can I see you in the bedroom a minute?
Aidan smiles pointedly at Dana while he follows Ash into the other room.
Once there, Ash picks up the shirt and holds it out to Aidan again.
AIDAN
You can't be asking me to leave.
ASH
No, just to cover up. You've made your point.
AIDAN
No, I don't think I have. Look, I get that he was really important to you at one time in your life.
ASH
Still is.
AIDAN
But he's married now. Are you still wishing he wasn't?
ASH
(pause)
No.
AIDAN
Then it's not your problem.
ASH
You don't understand. I owe him.
AIDAN
Because you broke up with him? He landed on his feet, he's doing just fine. You're the one who's still --
ASH
What? Single?
AIDAN
You want to be?
ASH
You offering an alternative?
AIDAN
You think I'm here for the food?
ASH
It's complicated.
AIDAN
We've all got baggage. Sooner or later it has to start fitting in the overhead compartment or under the seat in front of you, or you're not able to go too many places anymore.
Aidan hands the shirt back and heads for the door.
Ash follows as Dana watches.
ASH
Where are you going?
AIDAN
Just going to get something out of my car.
ASH
Like that?
AIDAN
(as much to Dana as to Ash)
I won't be gone that long.
ASH
So you're coming back?
AIDAN
Hey, that's a good shirt your bedroom. I'm not going anywhere without that.
Aidan walks into the dark.
(there's more, but the conclusion to the scene isn't available for viewing on this website)
copyright 2000 by Matthew A. Everett
|
