CAST
THE MAN: A man in his early to mid-20s, floating his way through life with a happy-go-lucky attitude.
THE WOMAN: A woman in her early to mid-20s, an academic type, high-achieving, yet frazzled.
Scene
A city somewhere in America.
Time
The present.
ACT I
Scene 1
SETTING: A secluded area of the city at night, perhaps on top of a hill or a tall building. The scene is empty except for blankets spread out across the ground. City lights glow in the background.
AT RISE: The MAN stands and looks outwards at the night sky, pacing slightly, while the WOMAN lies on her stomach, dejected.
MAN
I think it’s going to be beautiful. Don’t you?
WOMAN
(The WOMAN lifts her head.)
Hmm? Oh. Maybe. At the very least we’ll probably see more colors than we ever knew existed.
MAN
How many, do you think?
WOMAN
I’m not sure. Millions? Billions?
MAN
That seems like a good amount.
WOMAN
You could say that.
MAN
(Beat.)
Uh, so I have to say I was pretty surprised when you called me.
WOMAN
Surprised like a happy-birthday surprise or surprised like your-house-caught-on-fire surprised?
MAN
Well, both, I think. But maybe the last one is more fitting.
(The MAN laughs nervously and trails off after the WOMAN does not reciprocate. He sits.)
I still can’t believe it’s happening this soon. I guess I always expected it to a certain extent, but the way everyone talked about it so much made it feel like it wasn’t even real anymore, it just became this thing that we all had to be afraid of but was never actually going to happen. Like how our parents told us about the Cold War.
WOMAN
(She sits up.)
The Cold War did happen.
MAN
Okay, sure, but not —
WOMAN
What? Just because we didn’t die from it means it didn’t happen? Or does it not matter because it happened to the poor little Cuban kids instead of us?
MAN
Okay, okay, Jesus. You know that’s not what I meant.
WOMAN
Sure, but it’s an ignorant way of looking at things.
MAN
So that’s what you think of me? Ignorant?
WOMAN
No — come on, you know I didn’t —
MAN
(The MAN rises to leave.)
Maybe I shouldn’t have come. Sorry for giving you the benefit of the doubt.
WOMAN
Wait!
(The WOMAN rises to stop him and grabs his arm. Beat.)
I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have called you if I didn’t want you to be here. You know that.
MAN
(He pulls away from her touch.)
Yeah, well, it doesn’t really feel that way.
(He looks at her, debating whether or not to speak, but does.)
Why did you call me, anyway? Aren’t there other people you’d rather be with right now than some dude you dumped a year ago?
WOMAN
(Wincing a bit at his words.)
No. I mean, I don’t know. I got the emergency alert on my phone, and then all the news notifications, and then all the text messages started coming in, but I… really only wanted to call you.
MAN
(Hiding his flattery.)
Why me?
WOMAN
I don’t know, okay! I just did. I don’t know why.
MAN
The most ignorant guy you know?
WOMAN
(The WOMAN laughs dryly.)
Yes. That, exactly.
MAN
(He sits back down.)
Sometimes I think you could stand to be a little more ignorant, you know.
WOMAN
Excuse me?
MAN
I mean, did it ever just exhaust you having to care so much about everything all the time?
WOMAN
(She is taken aback, and sits down beside him.)
Yeah, actually. A lot. I think part of me is really relieved to not have to deal with everybody else’s problems anymore.
(She places her hand over her mouth in shock.)
Oh my God, I think that’s the meanest thing I’ve ever said.
MAN
Nah, it’s fine. You’re kind of right. You always cared so much about the elections and the child laborers in Ghana and the Amazon rainforests — which is great, don’t get me wrong, but you went through a whole bunch of protests and petitions and phone banks trying to single-handedly save the world.
WOMAN
Doesn’t look like I did a very good job of it, does it?
MAN
Well, I could have told you that much from the beginning.
(The WOMAN is overwhelmed and places her head in her hands. The MAN moves closer to her and places his hand on her shoulder.)
Hey. Come on. Don’t beat yourself up about something that isn’t your fault. You made a big difference while you were here. That’s gotta mean something.
WOMAN
I just thought that I’d be so much more by now.
MAN
Like what?
WOMAN
I don’t know. Get a PhD, write a book, cure cancer or cholera or something. Leave something behind that proves that I was ever here.
MAN
I don’t think you need a PhD to do that. I’d remember you just fine.
WOMAN
You’re not going to be here to remember me.
MAN
Neither will anybody else. So even if you had written the next Great American Novel, there wouldn’t be anybody left to read it.
WOMAN
So you’re not concerned about it at all.
MAN
What’s there to be concerned about? What’s done is done. I had a pretty good run. I think you did all right for yourself, too.
WOMAN
Thanks.
(She smiles sadly.)
I’m sorry if I was kind of a pain to be around.
MAN
I accept your apology, even if you are kind of a pain to be around.
WOMAN
Was.
MAN
No. Not yet.
WOMAN
Probably a few more minutes though.
MAN
Yes.
(The MAN glances over at the WOMAN, who is looking outwards, hugging her knees to her chest. He deliberates, but moves closer to her and puts his arm around her. She hesitates, then unfolds her legs and leans against his shoulder. They are running out of time, and they know it.)
MAN
(He whispers.)
Do you think it’s going to hurt?
WOMAN
For me, maybe. But not for you.
MAN
What are you talking about? We’re here together.
WOMAN
I can see that. I meant that if there is a heaven then I think you have a decent shot.
MAN
I thought you didn’t believe in things you couldn’t see.
WOMAN
I don’t. I just think you deserve it.
MAN
Well, thanks, that’s, that’s really sweet of you.
WOMAN
No, I mean it.
(She straightens up, more urgency in her voice now.)
You’re a lot nicer than me. You care about everybody, even when they don’t care about you. You don’t care what anybody else thinks about you. I was always so jealous of that. And you came here, like, picked up my call and drove out here, just so I wouldn’t have to be alone, even though the last time I saw you I told you I never wanted to see you again, I mean, who does that? What kind of a person does that? Are you some kind of masochist or something? You still love me even though I told you I hate you, is that it?
MAN
(Beat, quietly.)
Yes.
WOMAN
(Startled.)
Thank you.
MAN
I’ll see you soon, okay? Just close your eyes and I’ll be there when you wake up.
(The WOMAN nods and leans into the MAN, falling asleep with her head on his shoulder. He keeps his arm around her as he looks outwards, trying not to cry. A white light appears, dim at first, but grows brighter, and with it, his emotion intensifies. Suddenly, the sound of an explosion and a blinding white light.)
(BLACKOUT.)
(END OF PLAY)
