(no subject)
Ben and Samantha are side by side. She likes him. He is on the fringe of liking her. Both are trying too hard
Ben: I like you
Samantha: I…don’t like you.
Ben: Ok. (waiting)
Samantha: or maybe I do.
Ben: Ok.
Samantha: I don’t know. I don’t know what I want.
Ben: Am I supposed to do something?
Samantha: Yes.
Ben: What?
Samantha: Tell me who you are. Maybe I’ll know if I like you or not then.
Ben: I think you’re just supposed to know, the knowledge is secondary. Its only the tangible reason for love.
Samantha: (confused. Slightly annoyed she didn’t understand) What?
Ben:I don’t know.
Samantha: This is so tedious. Is this it? Is this what we’re supposed to do?
Ben: I guess.
Samantha: Well, I find it boring…(whiny) Do something!
(looks, expecting something, at Ben)
Ben: No.
Samantha: I don’t like you.
Ben: I like you.
Samantha: Why?
Ben : I don’t know. ..Because I’m supposing to (pause)….C’mon. This won’t work if you don’t like me too.
Samantha: Yeah.
(Pause)
Ben: So?
Samantha: (hesitantly) I like you.
Ben: I like you too. (pause) Good…(relaxed) this is fun.
Samantha : (hopeless, but not cynical) No, its not.
Ben: You’re right. Its not. …maybe I don’t like you.
Samantha: maybe I don’t like you back
: (Pause) If this is it, I don’t want it.
Ben: (calmly) I don’t know. It’s ok.
Samantha: I’m bored.
(Pause) Isn’t this suppose to be easy?
Ben: What?
Samantha: (shy, vulnerable) You know.
Ben: (astonished) You thought this would be easy?
Samantha: (frustrated) Well..yeah!
Pause.
Ben stares at Samantha.
Ben: Love is not easy. Love is never easy. (Pause)
Samantha: (ignoring him) you know those movies where those couples just fit. Ou! Ou!
The princess and the prince! That one! The one where he sweeps her off her feet and they never worry about her falling because…I mean … really…she couldn’t fall. It just wouldn’t happen. (pause) I always thought it would be like that, easy. No struggles that could make them fall away or apart. They found each other. yay! And they would live happily ever after. The end. (proud she could articulate what she thought, surprising herself)
Ben: (ignoring her. Astonished) You thought love would be easy.
Samantha: (with confidence) Yeah.
Ben: (frustrated) Can’t you see?…Life isn’t easy. How is LOVE suppose to be easy, if
life is not easy?…We could be in love right now. This could be it, but it’s not
easy. It’s never going to be easy.
Stare at each other. Pause.
Besides this bores you. I bore you.
LOVE bores you.
(Pause. ) There’s nothing I can do about that.
Why are you still here?
(Pause) (Annoyed. Frustrated.) What do you want from me?
Samantha: I don’t know. (Pause) I thought maybe if I stayed long enough you would like
me or I would like you and this would be easy.
Ben shakes his head. Stares at her disbelieving. Then leaves haughtily through ‘boys’ exit.
Samantha is alone.
Samantha: I could have loved him…
But I didn’t.
Lights down. Samantha stays where she is. In the dark.
Samantha: (looks to the boys exit with hope) God, why didn’t I love him? She leaves.
Billy and Sophia enter laughing like they’d been talking awhile. They sit down on the bench. Stare at each other. As the laughter dies down Billy starts to talk.
Billy: I like you.
Sophia: (Skeptical) Really?
Billy: (genuine) Yeah.
Sophia. (giggles) Ok.
Billy : (serious) You intrigue me.
Sophia giggles. Pause.
You know,
(staring at each other)
you’re beautiful.
Sophia: (embarrassed) aww…no I’m not.
Billy : Yes, you are!
Sophia blushes.
Sophia: No one’s ever…no one’s ever -
Billy: I know.
Suddenly everything is really serious.
Billy: So what do we do now?
Sophia: I don’t know. We’ll think of something.
Billy: Of course we will. We always do.
Walk off stage together through girls entrance/exit…familiar laughing is heard from a distance. Lights down.
Enter Brad, already on bench, and Samantha.
Samantha: Hi!
Brad: (disconcerted, not really paying attention to her) Hi.
Samantha: (curious) Who are you?
Pause.
Brad: (still not paying attention, deep in thought) Nothing.
Samantha: You must be something. (Pause) What’s your name?
Brad: Brad.
Samantha: (enthusiastic, trying to get his attention) There. See! You’re a Brad.
You’re a something.
Brad: (still not paying attention to her) I guess, but I’m nothing.
Pause.
Samantha: Yeah.
Brad: (still focusing on himself) Yeah. I don’t know.
Samantha: I get it.
Brad: Yeah. (happier, not stressed) Samantha, huh? (Pause)
Weird.
Samantha: What?
Brad: I don’t know. (Pause) I guess you’re here because yours left you too. No one else comes here unless that’s the case.
Samantha: Yeah. (pause)
Brad: Why is it setup to fail?
Samantha: What?
Brad: Love. (Pause)
Samantha: I wouldn’t know.
Brad: (ignoring her) I loved her you know. Loved her well.
Samantha: Who?
Brad: (upset she doesn’t understand) Sophia.
Samantha: How?
Brad: It just happened.
Samantha: (Laughs) Are you sure that was love?
Brad: (defensive) Yeah. …(Pause) No.
I guess I just liked her because she didn’t like me.
(Laughs) It sounds stupid, now, but that’s love…or maybe not. I don’t know what I felt. Why do I have to be so stupid?
Samantha: Oh, you’re not stupid…I thought love was supposed to be easy.
They both laugh.
Brad: (cheers up) Yeah. Well if things are this hard, there better be something to show for
it. Do you think there is?
Samantha: Yeah. (Pause) No.
Brad: Well which one is it?
Samantha: (frustrated) I don’t know.
Brad: No?
Samantha: No.
Brad: I don’t either. Sometimes I think there will be, I mean, I have to. Otherwise its
hopeless.
Samantha: (Understanding) Hopeless.
Pause
Brad: What happened?
Samantha: He just didn’t like me. He thought I was frustrating and naïve.
Brad: Oh. (Pause.) Mine tried to like me, but apparently I’m disgusting or pathetic, and she’s impossible…or impossible, but I guess it just didn’t fit…I thought maybe it would. She seemed like my type,…from far away.
Samantha: you were, like, right next to her. All the time.
Brad: (not listening to her) but love doesn’t have a type, does it? What a stupid idea. I guess. (Justifying) She’s just allergic to love.
Samantha: (agreeing) Yeah. Some people are.
Brad: (pensive again) Or maybe its just me.
Samantha: Maybe, but what can we do about that? (Pause) I think sometimes it just doesn’t work.
Brad: (upset, but making an honest effort) Well, then why are we here? Are we
really supposed to love? (thinks) Or are we supposed to abuse ourselves trying to
fix things we have no control over? Fight over things that aren’t our fault. (pause.)
Samantha: (gently) No, to love.
Brad: then why does this hurt so much? (pause, cynical) Love! Love is a sickly abuse.
Samantha: (gently) Love. (takes his hand)
Brad: Then is it love if you don’t?
They are now facing each other. Both are calm.
Samantha: Don’t what?
Brad: Abuse each other.
Samantha: I guess.
Brad: (honest)It’s not fun if it’s not a challenge.
Samantha: Well, it’s not supposed to be easy.
Brad: but is love a challenge or an accomplishment?
Samantha: I think it just …happens.
Brad: When you aren’t looking--
Samantha: It just hits you.
Brad: (playfully) There you go with abuse again.
Brad laughs.
Samantha: (playfully) That was you!
(pause.)
Brad: (suddenly serious) I never said it wasn’t worth it.
Do you think it’s worth it?
Samantha: Yes.
Brad: Yes, what?
Samantha: it’s worth it.
(Pause. Long Eye contact)
Brad: I should go. (Doesn’t move)
Samantha: Me too. (Doesn’t move)
(Scene ends with them staring at each other. They are mesmerized. Lights fade.)
Ben enters still frustrated. Sally enters she is plain and upset a little.
Ben: (trying to think through it) Some things are too simple. (thinks) Love is suppose to
be simple, not easy, just simple. Life is supposed to be simple. Death, Birth,
Breathing, Walking, Simple. Simple. Simple. Pause. I’m simple. If nothing else,
I’m simple.
Sally: If you’re simple, would you know it?
Ben: It’s a part of you. …Simple things don’t change.
Sally: Oh.
Ben: My life has no meaning.
Sally: Well, then add meaning! Mockingly It can’t be as hard as you seem to make it
Pause.
Ben: (rational, hopefully) Will you love me? (Pause)…that would add meaning to my life.
Sally is surprised, but quickly recovers from the frankness.
Sally: It’s not that easy.
Pause.
Ben: (still thinking through it) I can go to all the regular things, but it’s all empty. I just always thought love would …would
Sally comforts him.
Sally: It’s not that simple.
Ben: disconnected. I don’t even know what love IS.
Sally: Does anyone?
Ben: I guess. I just don’t know who. It’s no one I know, otherwise I’d ask.
Sally: No one I know either. What would you ask them?
Ben: What it is. Where it is. How to get it.
Sally: what if they said it wasn’t like that? What if they said it wasn’t simple? You can’t think in terms of logic with love.
Ben: (honest, not sarcastic) Wow. That was insightful.
Sally: Someone said that to me awhile ago. I don’t remember when.
Ben: It was beautiful. It’s just kind of devastating that everything I thought to be one
thing is something else. I wish someone just knew. I want someone to know.
Sally: No one knows.
Ben: I’m beginning to see that.
Sally: Maybe no one knows because if someone knew then it would be no big deal and it would be nothing.
Ben: I don’t think love could ever be nothing. I think it would just be easy.
Sally: do you really want it to be easy like everything else?
Ben: Thinks. No. I guess I don’t . I just want something to fit. I want someone to be with. exist with. See. Know. And I guess that seeing and knowing and being with someone is loving them. Is that?… do you think that’s love? Is that being in love?
Sally: (not skeptical, matter of fact) I don’t think you should try to explain something you
don’t know, have, or feel. I wish there was someone with answers too Pause. Some things most people can’t define.
Ben: (brazenly) I can.
Sally: No you can’t.
Ben: I wish people didn’t act like they had the answers. I don’t think I ever did. The
more I think about it, there are no answers to be had. Just…just… (reaching for
something)
Sally: Moments. All we can hope for is moments. (Pause)
Ben: Yes. Moments.
Pause.
They smile at each other. Happy.
Sally: Is this it?
Ben: I don’t know.
Sally: No one knows.
Ben: Yes.
Whispers aside to audience. This is it.
Sally: Let’s go somewhere.
Ben: Yeah. Let’s do something.
Sally: Ok.
Ben: Just promise me something.
Sally: What?
Ben: Don’t ever ask me where we’re going.
She nods her head.
They leave hand in hand. Smiling. Content.
End scene.
Enter Brad and Samantha.
It is obvious they have been arguing. It is the climax of the argument
Brad: (furious and frustrated) I hope you die of syphilis!
She slaps him.
He turns away and starts to cry, uncontrollably.
Samantha: (indignant, angry, and disgusted) Why are you crying?
Brad: I’m not!
He continues to cry.
His hands are over his face. He is ashamed, but cannot stop.
Pause.
Samantha: Aww…(comforts him) You know I love you
His hands are off of his face, his crying has reduced to serene speckles.
They embrace. She is slightly calmer. He is relieved. He holds her tightly, desperately, she is just there.
Brad: I love you too. (he means it. He says into her ear…the one not shown to the audience but heard by them)
And I’m so sorry about that.
Both let go.
She leaves. He takes some steps back.
(To the Audience): I really am.
Leaves opposite exit from her.
Lights down. Brad walks off stage…and is still noticeable in the medium darkness.
Enter Billy and Sophia.
Billy: I can’t stop thinking about you
Sophia: Really? (Pause.) Billy smiles. What are you thinking about?
Billy: What I had for lunch, it was awesome. I was just pizza, but you know those--
Sophia: but you said you couldn’t stop thinking about me
Billy: Shrugs. I guess it slipped my mind. I
Sophia: you’re impossible!
Incredibly frustrated, hurt, and regretful. She leaves hautily through the girls exit.
Billy: I love you. (he says half to her, half to himself)
I love you. (mostly to himself, looking at the floor)
(to audience, softly) But who am I?
Lights down. Billy walks off stage and is still noticeable in the medium darkness.
Enter Ben and Sally. They are not paying attention to each other. At all.
Ben: hi.
Sally: hi.
Ben: what’s going on?
Sally: not too much.
Ben: Haven’t seen you in…where have you been?
Sally: Around. (Pause) Listen. We…um…I don’t think this is gonna work out.
Ben: Oh.
Sally: um. Yeah. So…goodbye.
Ben: Bye
She leaves.
He leaves out a different exit.
Narrator stumbles on stage drunkenly with a bottle in his hand. All characters are on stage talking to each other normally. They do not notice the narrator.
Narrator: Hi! I’m the narrator. This is the stage. This is the play! Stumbles on nothing. Fuck! Wait…stabilizes himself And this is love grandiose motion to people who continue to talk. He starts to feel sick. Covers his mouth, recovers. I’ve had one like this grabs Samantha by the hair, she continues talking like nothing happened, he lets go. And this (grabs a Brad same thing happens) I’ve had all of them and they don’t even know it! Laughs. It doesn’t matter. Had. Have. With. Without. No difference. Stumbles.
To audience. I know I’m a little late, but shrug fuck it! You saw it. That’s what matters. They continue on. It continues on. Stumbles off stage but continues to talk Its too late. Always too (throws up) Love! What a bitch. Not worth it. Pathetic. Who is throws up Where’s the …? Hey, get out of my way! …But there are lots of those people. Those doers, they try. They get married. They fuck. Makes crude gesture. Pause. Fuck! Pause. But not me! No I’m better than all of (cries) No! I …I just comes back on stage don’t know what to do. To the audience I’ll tell you a secret . Shhhhh…Shhhh… I made this! I did. Yes, I did. I swear. Pause. But I could never be in it. I could never be in love. I can barely talk to my family or my friends about what I do and don’t want. But I did once! Once. Stumbles and falls. I was in love. Couldn’t stomach it. It was too good. I was bored! I was. I mean who wants to be happy all day or successful? Or healthy or sane? Please. It was too easy. I didn’t deserve it. So. I left. Why, they ask? I just (cries) didn’t know how to stay. Something was , is, wrong with me. I know. But…Fuck. I forget. Pause. This is love! Pause Did I say that already? Because it is.
So go. Shoo’s audience.
Just go and leave me alone That’s what happens anyway. Throws the bottle on stage. It shatters. One of the characters looks at him funny) Like you care! Fuck.
To Audience. I loved them all once. Once.
Everyone else continues talking obviously finding new pairings. Disregarding the narrator as they have the whole scene. Narrator stumbles off stage where he entered.