10 Aug 2015

PROMPT:  In the middle of a poem, write a scene. In the middle of a scene, write a novel. In the middle of a novel, sing a song.  In the middle of a song, close your mouth and leave the room.

Kirk Lynn, playwright/educator

George, 35, hops around on one foot.  He’s not very good, kind of wobbly.  Clairese, 33, enters.  She stops and watches George for a moment.
CLAIRESE
What are you doing, George?
GEORGE
(stops, standing on one foot looking around)
Ummm... hopping on one foot.
CLAIRESE
(annoyed)
I can see that you’re hopping.  Why are you hopping?
GEORGE
(hopping again)
Because it’s the only thing that makes sense.
CLAIRESE
Hopping on one foot.  How the hell does hopping on one foot make sense?
GEORGE
(stops)
Does anything else make sense?
CLAIRESE
No!
George begins hopping again.
CLAIRESE
(rolling her eyes)
That doesn’t mean hopping on one foot makes sense!
GEORGE
Who ever said it did?
CLAIRESE
You did!
GEORGE
I did?
CLAIRESE
I asked what you were doing.
GEORGE
Hopping around on one foot.
CLAIRESE
I know!  Would you shut up!
GEORGE
Can I sing?
CLAIRESE
No you can’t sing!
GEORGE
But I know a wonderful little song.
(reciting and hopping)
Twinkle, twinkle little bat...
CLAIRESE
That’s not a song!  It’s a poem!
GEORGE
Poems used to be songs and now songs are poems.
CLAIRESE
Shut up!  Shut up! Shut up!  Please just shut up!
GEORGE
(hopping)
Shutin’ up here boss.
CLAIRESE
George...!
GEORGE
(interrupting, hopping)
You don’t have to tell me twice to shut up.
CLAIRESE
Yes I do!
GEORGE
I know when to shut up.
CLAIRESE
No you...!
GEORGE
(interrupting, hopping, miming locking his lips)
Tic-a-lock.
CLAIRESE
(screaming)
Shut up!!!!
George puts his hand over his mouth and hops.  Clairese paces wildly in a rage.
CLAIRESE
What is wrong with you!?
GEORGE
Noth...
CLAIRESE
Shut up!
George hops.  Clairese paces and fumes.
CLAIRESE
(finally)
What am I supposed to do with you!?
George opens his mouth, but then remembers that he is supposed to be silent.  He hops and closes his mouth.
CLAIRESE
What am I supposed to do with you?!
George hops and shrugs.
CLAIRESE
You drive me crazy!
Clairese paces and finally turns again to George.
CLAIRESE
What have you got to say for yourself?!
George hops and mimes locking his mouth.
CLAIRESE
Speak!
GEORGE
(smiling)
Woof!
CLAIRESE
You are such an idiot!
George stops.  He takes a deep breath.
GEORGE
(serious for the first time)
What do you want me to say?
CLAIRESE
Why do you act like this?!
Clairese starts hopping around and looking stupid.  She stops.
GEORGE
(chastened)
I don’t know.
CLAIRESE
You don’t know!?  You don’t know?!
GEORGE
It... it relaxes me.
CLAIRESE
It relaxes you!!?
GEORGE
(indicating all around him)
I’m in a beautiful house.
(indicating Clairese)
I have beautiful wife.
(beat)
And I ask myself, how did I get here.
Silence.
CLAIRESE
How did you get here?!!
GEORGE
How did I get here?
Silence.
CLAIRESE
(calming a bit)
How did you get here?
GEORGE
I don’t know... Luck, good fortune... grace.
Silence.
CLAIRESE
Grace.
George hops and looks at Clairese.
Clairese, sighs, shrugs, and finally, hops.
End of play.