Afterthought 1
tragicomedy in 1 act 2
3
Characters 4
Rona 5
Allison 6
Janet 7
Kate 8
Alison 9
Sean 10
Death 11
Scene: Rona’s home. The lighting is dull, perhaps a dirty yellow. A round table sits at centre draped in a white tablecloth. There are five glasses and napkins primly set around it. There is a chair for each glass: all of these are set in a manner that allows the audience to see the faces of those seated (think in terms of a committee facing a crowd or a town hall). The rest of the set is as scant or as elaborate as the director desires. Any modifications of stage directions already set down are of no consequence to theme (and are in fact recommended by the author). However, there should at least be a spotlight set to point at down centre for Sean and Death when they are isolated from the main action. 12
Setting: The time of the play is uncertain, nor important. It may be just after Sean’s Death (e.g. a dinner/wake of some kind). Dress should be based on whatever characterizations are developed in rehearsal. 13
A Note on Monologues: The play centres around four “letters” written by the character Sean to each of the women in his life. The director may choose to have himread them himself or along with the women (possibly both). 14
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Brief tableau: Lights come up slowly as
Rona: Turn that off! 17
The music stops abruptly. 18
Thank you… 19
She settles into her seat more comfortably and sighs at the box again. Pause. Enter Allisonfrom stage right carrying a similar red box. 20
Allison: Am I early? 21
Rona: You’re just on time. 22
Pause. 23
Allison: I let myself in…in case you’re wondering. 24
Rona:I wasn’t. 25
Beat. 26
Allison: Should I even ask? 27
Rona: (Smile.) Probably not…or do you want to know how I am generally? 28
Allison: Lately… 29
Rona: Absolutely horrible. 30
Allison: I’m sorry. 31
Rona: It’s all right. I’d probably ask you the same question were you in my position. (Beat.) Pray that younever are. 32
Allison: I will. 33
Terrible awkward silence. 34
Rona: Why don’t you take a seat? 35
Allison: Oh…yes, thank you. 36
She takes the seat directly to Rona’s right and places her box on the table. She smiles weakly. 37
(Hesitant.) Did he have any pain? 38
Rona: I don’t think so…although the look on his face seemed to say that he was a little bit shocked about the whole thing. I guess I would be that way too. But then…(Sigh.)He wasn’t one that was easily taken by surprise. 39
Allison: I– (Pause.) Uh huh. 40
Rona: He would have liked that though…I think. 41
Allison: He always did have strange tastes. 42
Rona: (Laugh.) He did that. 43
Allison: Indeed. 44
Awkward silence. Both sigh. 45
Rona: I’m glad you could come. 46
Allison: I am too. (Beat.) Are any of the other girls here yet? 47
Rona: The two you don’t know, Janet and Kate. They’re here. (Beat.) But I don’t think Alice will show. 48
Allison: Figures that bitch wouldn’t show. 49
They laugh. 50
Rona: That man of mine kept some strange company. 51
Allison: You’re telling me. 52
Rona: (Laugh.) 53
Pause. 54
Allison: How should I take that? 55
Rona: (Laugh.) As it was intended. 56
Enter Janet from stage left holding a brown box haphazardly under her arm. She balances a bottle and a full glass of wine in her free hand. She sees Rona, but not Allison. 57
Janet: Ronny! I found the wine! Hope you don’t mind, but I already took a glass. 58
She sets her things on the table and notices the glasses that are already set. She looks at her own glass awkwardly. Pause. She notices Allison. 59
(Embarrassed.) Oh! Hello! 60
Allison: (Inexplicably embarrassed.) Hello… 61
Rona: Janet, Allison. 62
Janet frowns slightly. 63
Janet: Oh…(Reserved.) Nice to meet you. 64
Allison: H– 65
Rona:Not thatAlison. This is the one with two Ls. 66
Janet thinks and has a look of realisation. 67
Janet: Oh! I’m sorry! You’re the otheractress named Alison! I remember now. 68
Allison: It’s a natural mistake. 69
Janet: Sorry…(To Rona.) It’s just that I’ve heard that nobody likes her– (Hurried.) The other one. 70
Allison: I was the one that started that rumour as a matter of fact. 71
Janet: Really? 72
Rona: (Smile.) Are you a bit drunk, honey? 73
Janet: We’ll know by the end of the evening. 74
Janet thinks. 75
Rona: Why don’t you take a seat? 76
Janet: In a minute. I’m not drunk enough yet. 77
Rona: If you insist. 78
Silence. Janetpicks up her glass and takes little sips. 79
Allison: So…what…do you do? 80
She sighs as if she’s said something very stupid. 81
Janet: I’m currently unemployed. 82
Allison: Ah. 83
Awkward silence. 84
Janet: It’s all right. It’s sort of a living unto itself. (Laugh.) No…itisa living! 85
Rona: You’d think that. 86
Janet: Yes. You would. 87
Pause. 88
Allison: How did you know– 89
Rona: Not now.All in due course. 90
Allison: Ah… 91
Janet: You’re such a stickler Ronny. 92
Rona: It can wait. Everyone has to share her experiences. 93
Janet: (Smile.) Silly little woman. 94
Rona: It helps being little. 95
Enter Kate from stage right carrying a blue box. She looks forlorn, but slightly irked. 96
Janet: There you are! 97
Kate: Yeah… 98
Janet: I thought you were feeling better? 99
Kate: All good things… 100
Rona: He wouldn’t have wanted you to be sad. 101
Kate: (Irritated.) I can’t help but be sad. 102
Rona: It’s not healthy to be sad. 103
Janet: Let her be sad. 104
Rona: Fine. 105
Janet: Kate, have you met Allison? 106
Kate: No. But I’ve heard she’s a bitch. 107
Rona: Not that one… 108
Allison: Uh– 109
Kate: There’s another Alison? 110
Janet: Right! 111
Allison waves at her. Kate notices her presence finally. 112
Allison: Hi. Right here. 113
Awkward pause. 114
Kate: Oh. Hello. I’m Kate. (She thinks.) I was Sean’s– 115
Rona: Wait until we start. 116
Kate: Fine…(Slightly cold.) Well, nice to meet you. Sorry if I seem cold. 117
She approaches and shakes Allison’s hand. 118
Allison: I hadn’t noticed… 119
Rona: Take a seat girls. We might as well start. I have a feeling the other Alison isn’t coming… 120
Kate takes the seat beside Allison and puts the box down. Janettakes the seat directly left of Ronaand does the same. 121
Allison: So– 122
Janet: Where do we start? 123
Freeze. Lights dim slightly. Pause. Enter Sean from stage left. He wears an old black housecoat and natty slippers. He is unshaven and looking a bit tired. He stops at down centre and rubs his eyes. 124
Sean: So dark in here…and cold. Goddamn furnace must be busted again. (Pause.) Rona? (Silence.) Rona? Are you around? (Silence.) I think the furnace died! (Silence.) Where is she? (He paces a bit.) Rona!? (Silence.) Maybe she went for a walk…(He thinks.) Probably. (Sigh.) I wish she’d brought me…(Yawn. Beat.) I hope it isn’t too late. 125
The women start to murmur a bit, but unintelligibly. 126
What’s that? (He listens.) Ah! She has company! That’s why she didn’t wake me! (Smile. Murmurs stop.) That kid is too good to me sometimes…well…back to bed then. 127
He turns to go, but as he does he sees the scene behind him. He lets out a yell of embarrassment. 128
Ladies! Rona– I had no idea! I wish I’d– I’m so sorry– (Pause.) Wait…Janet? What– Kate? Allison!? (Silence.) What are you doing here!? (Silence.) Girls? (Silence.) Girls!? (Silence.) Is something wrong? 129
Lights dim much further and a large spot comes up at down centre. Enter Death. He wears a dark suit or some other stereotypical “Death” costume (e.g.: robes, etc.), but there’s something out of place: perhaps he wears a pair of worn out sneakers or sandals. 130
Death: They can’t hear you. And there is something wrong. 131
Sean: Who the hell are you!? 132
Death: First things first: they can’t hear you. 133
Sean: What do you mean they can’t– Who are you!? 134
Death: They call me “Mort”. 135
Sean: Who are you really? 136
Death: I just told you. Or would you prefer “Death”? It’s a little cliché, I know, but far more ominous. How about “The Grim Reaper”? (Silence.) Perhaps “The Phantom of the Opera” is more to your liking? I’m not really him…but I think it would be quite neat to be called that. 137
Sean: What are you doing in my house!? 138
Death: Considering who I am, I think it would be fairly obvious. 139
Sean: I don’t buy it! (Logical.) Death isn’t a person. Death is a force. 140
Death: Excellent point. And this force is here to see you. 141
Sean: Go to Hell! 142
Death: Soon. Check your pulse. 143
Sean: What– 144
Death: Don’t ask questions. Check your pulse. 145
Sean: (Suspicious.) Will you go away if I do? 146
Death: In some way or another. 147
Sean attempts to check his pulse. Pause. 148
Sean: I haven’t got a pulse… 149
Death: Correct. 150
Sean: Meaning– 151
Death: You’re dead. 152
Sean sits on the floor, shocked. 153
Sean: But I felt so well last night…damn… 154
Death: Not quite. 155
Sean: What? 156
Death: That is, not yet. 157
Sean: Wha– 158
Death: You’re not quite damned yet. 159
Sean: Always good to know… 160
Death: I would imagine so. 161
Sean: I need to be alone! 162
Death: Haven’t got time for that. You have things to do. 163
Sean: Like what!? I’m dead! 164
Death: Perhaps the reason why these women are here would interest you? 165
Sean looks at the women. 166
Sean: (Less agitated.) Well…yes. It would, actually. 167
Death: They’re judging you. 168
Sean: They always did that. What’s so special about now? 169
Death: They’re fulfilling your last wishes. 170
Sean: My–(He thinks.) Oh. 171
Death: Quite. 172
Sean: The boxes? 173
Death: Yes. 174
Pause. 175
Sean: They’re actually doing that? 176
Death: It looks that way. 177
Sean thinks. 178
Sean: Well…perhaps this day won’t be so bad after all. 179
Death: I wouldn’t count on that. 180
Sean: Oh? 181
Death: I’m judging you too. 182
Spot goes down as lights come up suddenly. The women come out of freeze. Sean and Death observe, separated from the main action. 183
Allison: Why don’t we– 184
Janet: I’ll start. I’m very keen to find out what it’s all about. 185
Allison: You know– 186
Kate: That must have something to do with your attention span. 187
Allison: If you can’t decide who– 188
Rona: Let mestart.(Deep sigh.) Sean died. You all know that. So let’s forget about it for a moment. (Pause.) It’s been hard on me. It’s never easy to lose your husband. And he didn’t have many friends that I can talk to about it. In fact, most of the friends he had at one point or another are in this room. That’s why finding these boxes was good for me. And “us” if you want to be inclusive about it. (Beat.) You’re probably wondering if I know the contents of these boxes. I don’t. These are my husband’s last wishes. According to the note I found with them…(Searching.) He wants us to… 189
She produces a small slip of paper. 190
I quote: “Remember me in the a different light than the one I left with you, and perhaps understand why it didn’t work out sometimes.” (Somewhat unconvinced.) He probably meant “all the time.” 191
Allison: Indeed. 192
Janet: Oh yes. 193
Rona: As I stated in the letters I sent each of you, each box, should you have chosen to come, is to be opened in the presence of all women present. We are to reveal the contents, no matter what’s in them. If someone is absent…well apparently he didn’t think that out, so we’re just going to have to fudge it. 194
Janet: Sounds plain enough to me. 195
Kate: We got the idea. 196
Allison: Who’s first? 197
Awkward silence. 198
Rona: Janet, why don’t you go first? 199
Janet: If you like… 200
Long pause. 201
Rona: Well? 202
Janet looks at her box and opens it. She pulls out a piece of paper. It has clearly been torn from book, a journal of some kind (as the text is not printed). She stares at it and takes a sip of wine. 203
Janet: Why is my box brown? 204
Rona: Your eyes? 205
Janet: They’re not– 206
Kate: General earthiness? 207
Janet: Works for me…(She takes up the note again. Reading.) “March 13, 1994…” (Pause.) It’s a journal entry. (Inappropriately un-phased.) Hell…the day I broke up with him. (Reading.) “Dearest Janet…Janet…Jan. (Pause.) You and I have just ended our relationship on this unseasonably grey spring evening. And violently. Sorry about that kid. I guess I bring out the worst in people. You’ll be happy to know you’d be no match for my mother though. That title goes to Alice. I wish I could have told you I love you, but that would probably have earned me a day in the hospital. C’est la vie. (Beat.) So was it my fault or yours? I’d like to say it was yours…what with the raging alcoholism. The self-destruction…the irregular sleeping habits…there’s more, but I’d rather not discuss it. I’m sure you wouldn’t either. You know your life better than I do. I’m sorry for what I did to you. But I thought…and think…I was helping you. Honestly. It was what you needed. You’re on your way to self-destruction kid. I have to say that. If nothing else. Which is just about how much I got in edgewise anyway…” 208
She folds the paper over. 209
Rona: Is that it? 210
Sean: There was more… 211
Janet: Yeah…(Awkward silence.)I hated when he called me kid… 212
Allison: You too? 213
Kate: Me three. 214
Rona: Everyone did. 215
Sean has look of consternation. Death chortles, but stifles himself quickly. 216
Kate: What the hell does it mean though? 217
Janet: The note…or calling me “kid”? 218
General sigh (including Sean). 219
Sean: The note… 220
Rona: The note, honey. 221
Janet: Damned if I know…he got it wrong whatever the case! 222
Rona: Oh? 223
Janet: At least…he thought the wrong things. (Sigh.) Sean and I had a rocky relationship– 224
Kate: That’s to put it lightly. 225
Janet: And we had some real good spats. 226
Kate: “Spats”? 227
Janet: Let me tell my side…if yah don’t mind? 228
Kate: Certainly. 229
Janet: You know I’m an alcoholic…except you Allison– 230
Allison: I hear things. 231
Janet: (Sigh.) We loved each other. (Pause.) But he loved me more than I loved him…he thought I was perfect at first. Which is pretty nice for a girl like me. I let him love me. I emphasize the “let”. I liked it…you all know how sweet he could be. (General nod.) But I have to say, if two people were ever supposed to fight, it was him and me. We could go at it for hours…but he never wanted to let me go…a testament to the bull-headed-ness of men I suppose. (Beat.) We were so clearly mismatched…but he stuck with it. (Smile.) He was so pathetic…in that way of his. (General nod, murmur.)But after a while he was just too…I don’t want to say “mean”…but I will. He wanted to change me. Make me perfect. Sober, in other words. He couldn’t accept my drinking. So I broke up with him. It was his fault really…in actuality…you know– 232
Kate: We get the picture. 233
Allison: How do you mean he “couldn’t accept” it? 234
Janet: Well…he made a nuisance of himself. He was always scolding me about it. And relentlessly. Then we would fight of course. But– 235
Allison: He would always just– 236
Rona: Hold on…right? 237
Janet nods. 238
Kate: I never knew he was so needy. 239
Rona: You should have tried marrying him. 240
Kate: (Laugh.) I don’t think that would have worked out. 241
Janet: He was sweet though. That’s what I’d like to remember. 242
Rona: Yeah. 243
Allison: I don’t think that’s how he’dlike to be remembered though… 244
Freeze. Lights and spotlight as before on Sean and Death. 245
Sean: My passion is what I’d like to be remembered for… 246
Death: I can’t say it’s something that really comes to mind when hearing about you. 247
Sean: I can’t argue with that… 248
Sean sighs. 249
Death: Why’d you call them all kid? 250
Sean: I dunno. I guess I’ve watched to many Bogart movies over the years. (Laugh.) Funny…I always thought they liked it. 251
Death: Right…but back to the point. Why brown? 252
Sean looks at Janet. 253
Sean: The colour of rum… 254
Silence. 255
Death: They didn’t tell me you were so needy. 256
Sean: I’m not. She didn’t read the whole thing you know. 257
Death: Oh? 258
Sean: Yeah. She skipped the important part. 259
Death: (Unimpressed.) Being? 260
Sean: The part where I said it was my fault. 261
Death: Really? You actually said that. 262
Sean: Not quite in so many words. But it was heart felt. 263
Death: You called her a raging alcoholic. 264
Sean: I said raging alcohol-ism. 265
Death: And somehow that makes a difference to me? 266
Sean: It would if you were in fact paying attention. 267
Death: Keep arguing little man. I have lots of time. (Sigh.) What’s your point? 268
Sean: That I wasn’t just a fool. 269
Death: Enlighten me. 270
Sean: The way she puts it, it makes me look like some kind of abusive control freak. 271
Death: You weren’t? 272
Sean: Yeah. 273
Death: You were misunderstood. 274
Sean: Yes. 275
Death: She’s not being fair. 276
Sean: Right. 277
Death: Try harder. 278
Sean: What? 279
Death: You think I haven’t heard thatdefence before? 280
Sean: It wasn’t so much an argument as the truth…besides that, you said it! 281
Death: To make a point. 282
Sean: What? 283
Death: That you’re not trying. You don’t care if you end up in…well…you know. 284
Sean: I do! It’s just…(He frowns.) You think I don’t blame myself for that horrible relationship? It was all essentially my fault…I was trying to help her. Every drink she took was another nail in my coffin…(Sheepish.) So to speak…(Pause.) She was the last person who should have been drinking. What she fails to say is that she was a middle class girl who was fairly content in her life. She had no real problems to– 285
Death: What about her parents? 286
Sean: She cut herself off from her parents… 287
Death: And that wasn’t a factor? 288
Sean: I suppose– 289
Death: (Mock exasperation.) Continue… 290
Sean: The point is this: she was like me with relationships. Crap. Fell in love too easily, so she needed an outlet. And she found that outlet. That was the bottle. (Beat.) I wouldn’t have minded being her outlet…if you know what I mean. (Sigh) But…so it goes. When I firstknew her she wouldn’t have even thought about drinking. 291
Death: And what does that tell you? 292
Sean: I– She started drinking before we dated! 293
Death: I see. And where did you know her from? 294
Sean: She was a set designer for one of my earlier plays– 295
Death: You’re a playwright? 296
Sean: Yes. So? 297
Death: (Snicker.) No reason. 298
Sean: Did they just send you here for the hell of it? Didn’t you at least do some research? 299
Death: Not the point. And I wouldn’t talk about Hell if I were you. 300
Sean: (Sigh.) Anyway…I tried to help Janet. But there was no way I could help her without being brutal. You can’t just ask an alcoholic to stop. (Resoundingly.) It was a matter of life and Death. 301
Death: Aren’t we the pious teetotaller. 302
Sean: If there were more of me you’d have a lighter workload. 303
Death: Perhaps. But then what would I do for fun? 304
Sean: Not the point. (Pause.) How’m I doing so far? 305
Lights come back on women as before. Unfreeze. Enter Alison (henceforth “Alice”) from stage right, unnoticed except by Sean (whom reacts somewhat horror-struck) and Death. She carries a black box. 306
Rona: (To Janet.) Is that all you have to say? 307
Janet: Mostly…yes. 308
Allison: Why was he so devoted to you? 309
Janet: Because of Alice. That bitch messed him up…even more than I did. 310
Allison: I should have guessed. 311
Rona: It’s the most logical explanation. 312
Alice: I see my reputation precedes me. 313
They all look at her. Long silence. 314
Janet: Hi. 315
Rona: Glad you could make it Alison. 316
Alice: I believe it’s “Alice” today Ronny. (Cold.) Hello Allison. 317
Allison: I’d say it was nice to see you. But I won’t. 318
Alice: That’s all right. (Brief pause.) I don’t think I’ve met you two. 319
Kate: (Terse.) Kate. 320
Alice: The writer? The fellow playwright? (Silence.) I’ve met you haven’t I? 321
Kate: Conceivably. (Aside.) I certainly feel like I’ve met you… 322
Janet: (Too loud.)Ditto! (Pause.) Erm…Janet… 323
Kate sighs. 324
Alice: (Amused.) You don’t have to be polite for my sake. I know half the rumours. Heck, I helped start most of them. 325
Allison: I thought I did that. 326
Rona: Be nice. 327
In unison: 328
Alice: If I must. 329
Allison: If I must. 330
Rona: Sit down Alice. You haven’t missed much. 331
Janet: Hmm? 332
Rona: You haven’t missed much. 333
Alice takes the last seat and sets her box on the table. 334
I assume you know what’s going on…? 335
Alice: Of course. 336
Rona: Good. 337
Kate: Who’s next? 338
Allison: (Vehement.) Perhaps it’s the new arrival’s turn? 339
Alice: I’d like a chance to get settled if you don’t mind. 340
Rona: Let her see how it goes first. Then she can go. 341
Janet: Why don’t you go Kate? 342
Kate: Why not? 343
Janet: Because you’re afraid of what you might find out? 344
They stare at Janet. Kate laughs. She proceeds to open the box and pulls out another piece of journal. 345
It’s another journal entry. 346
Janet: Well? 347
Kate: (Arching her eyebrow.) I’m not sure I wanna know this. 348
Allison: You agreed to come here. 349
Janet: You have to. 350
Rona: If not for his sake than for mine… 351
Pause. 352
Kate: Meh.(Reading.) “June 28, 1995: Kate I’m in love with you!” (Grim.) Oh Christ…(Sigh. Reading.)But…romance is mush…so where does that leave me? (Pause.) It leaves me as a reclusive jerk who waited too long to tell you that he was in love with you. That’s where it leaves me. I’ve gone over in my head how I might tell you this sad fact about a thousand times…I wrote three drafts of a love letter that I could neversend. I even considered telling you in person…that would have gone well. A stuttering, crying idiot trying to be sensitive. This is probably the worse way you could possibly find out. I certainly wouldn’t like it…it gives you nothing more to go on than a piece of paper…which is essentially what you’d get with a love letter, but with fewer lies…romance is mush, remember?I was going to wait…bide my time. I was going to analyze the whole damn situation…then I was going to muster all my courage together and…a lot of good that did me…I’m sorry kid.” 353
Silence. 354
Rona: Well? 355
Kate: I knew I didn’t want to know this. 356
Alice: Wait…you didn’t date him? 357
Kate: I was just a close friend. Very close evidently. 358
Alice: I had the impression that those assembled were former lovers. (To Rona.) And current– 359
Rona: What makes you think my husband and I made love? 360
Alice: Cute. 361
Kate: (Slightly regretful.) I knew I didn’t want to know this… 362
Janet: Is there more? 363
Kate: He’s prolific, but he’s to the point. (Beat.)I guess it doesn’t surprise me… 364
Janet: Well he did kind of hang off you for a few months there. 365
Allison: But he always did that with his friends… 366
Rona: He was so hideously insecure. 367
Kate: It wasn’t that. 368
Silence. 369
Alice: Then what!? 370
Kate: (Sharply.) It was the way he talked to me. Whenever we wrote something– 371
Allison: Wrote something? 372
Kate: Oh…we were collaborators. I suppose that’s what you’d call it. Both of us are…were writers. 373
Allison: Oh. 374
Kate: It’s how we met as a matter of fact. 375
Janet: I thought I introduced you? 376
Kate: You sort of did. But he didn’t really get to know me until he came to the paper I was working at and…(Smile.) Rebutted my review of his play. 377
Alice: You dared to give him a bad review? 378
Kate: I had issues with his dialogue. And he wanted to argue with me about it. Somehow we got into this huge philosophical discussion about theatre…you know, theatre geek crap. And it came out I was a closet playwright. (Cocky smile.) We were always friends after that. 379
Allison: And you knew Janet before him? 380
Kate: She was an old friend. Sean and I had met at a little cast party he threw. 381
Allison: Maybe that’s why he sought you out. 382
Kate: I don’t believe in love at first sight. 383
Allison: Pity… 384
Kate: His problem was that he fell in love too easily. He would just decideto be in love. 385
Rona: No one ever said he was smart about it. 386
Sean groans sadly. Thoughtful pause. 387
Allison: Why couldn’t he be with you? What stopped him? 388
Silence. 389
Janet: Tom. 390
Alice: Who? 391
Janet: To– 392
Kate: (Irritated.) Who’s telling this story? 393
Janet: I’m just drunk…that’s all… 394
Alice: I think you’re all a little drunk in the head to be doing this. 395
Rona: The amount of alcohol they’re going to consume afterthis is over is nothing compared to what she’sgot in her now. Go on Kate. 396
Kate: Tom was my boyfriend at the time. 397
Allison: I think I know where this is going– 398
Kate: I met him after Sean…but I had never really thought of Sean in that way. Figures he’d wait until after the verylast moment to tell me he loved me… 399
Rona: That’s not quite– He loved me. 400
Kate: I forgot about you. 401
Rona: I’m often forgotten in the canon. 402
Freeze. Lights and spotlight as before on Sean and Death. 403
Death: Well aren’t you the sap. 404
Sean: What gave you that impression? 405
Death: Do you know anybody who writes love letters? 406
Sean: I wrote love letters. 407
Death: Who ever said you were anybody? 408
Sean: Certainly not them… 409
Silence. 410
Death: Why did you never tell her? 411
Sean: Well, uh…”Mort”…there were a lot of reasons…one being that I was terrified of her boyfriend…physically. 412
Death: (Laugh.) Big guy, eh? 413
Sean: Huge guy. An athlete. Muscles like a Greek statue. And the intellect of one. Which always surprised me considering how bookish she was. Is. 414
Death: He treated her well though. 415
Sean: Magnificently. One of the nicest guys you could ever meet. 416
Death: And you hated him. 417
Pause. 418
Sean: That was the one cliché I didn’t fall under. I thought he was great for her…but I thought I would have been better. 419
Death: But you never even attemptedto make the case. 420
Sean: That’s not quite true. There was a moment. 421
Death: A moment is all it takes. 422
Sean: Tell it to my rotting corpse. 423
Death: Oh! I could show you that if you want. It’s always fun. 424
Sean: God no! (Pause.) Kate and I…Kate and I were friends forever. And I couldn’t hurt that. (Beat.)When Rona and I moved out here though, well, that was it. Kate and I were certainly not to be by then anyway…especially considering I fell in love with two other women after her. 425
Silence. 426
Death: What was the moment? I have to know this stuff. All part of my case. 427
Sean: It was a brief moment. I was sitting with her in a library. Not the most evocative of places, but still…(He thinks.) We were looking up something about…Shakespeare…and I think I was quoting something…right. (Aphoristic.)“Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of York…” 428
Death: Richard III? (Slightly confused.) Isn’t that the one with the crippled murderous king? 429
Sean: Well…yes.You’d have to have been there. Very romantic. 430
Death: Evidently. 431
Sean: It wasn’t so much what was said. It was the feeling. Emotion…if you will. 432
Death: (Smile.) Very arousing? 433
Sean: No. It was a moment of clarity. I knew at that moment I wanted her. (Pause.) It could have been nice…but I hesitated. 434
Death: What a Hamlet. 435
Sean: I don’t think Shakespeare would agree. 436
Death: I’ll have to ask him. 437
Lights come back on women as before. Unfreeze. 438
Rona: (To Kate.) Is that all? 439
Kate: Yeah. 440
Pause. 441
Rona: Who’s next?(Silence.)Which Allison is it gonna be? 442
Allison: Why not you? 443
Rona: I’d like to, but– 444
Alice: I’ll go. 445
Rona: If you like. 446
Alice: I do. 447
She opens her box, taking her time to be careful, as if it were very delicate. She takes an envelope from it, opens it just as precisely and takes a piece of folded paper from it. 448
Well. At least not a journal. Typed too. How considerate. I could never read his handwriting. Now let’s have a look…dated October 31, 1993. It’s a poem. In…French? 449
Pause. 450
Rona: Go ahead… 451
Alice: (Sigh. She looks up.) I’ll get you for this… 452
She reads. 453
“Ne me libérez pas, 454
Je ne pourrais pas survivre la douleur, 455
Pour perdre vos lèvres douces, 456
Cela parlent pour un tel esprit. 457
Ne me libérez pas, 458
Votre pensées toujours vrai, 459
Votre coeur toujours vrai, 460
Ne libérez pas mon amour.” 461
Pause. 462
(Irritated.) I really hope one of you speaks French. I really, reallyhope one of you speaks French.Whydid have he have to write in French!? 463
Allison: You haven’t a romantic bone in your body… 464
Alice: It’s not that. He knows…knew? (Pause. Irritated.)I’m monolingual! 465
Allison: I think you’ve missed the point. 466
Alice: I think his point was to piss me off. 467
Allison: You– 468
Janet: (Exasperated.) How long have you two been married? (Sigh.) Give me that! 469
She snatches the paper from Alice. 470
(Translating.)“Do not release me, I could not survive the pain, to lose your soft lips, that speak for such a spirit. Do not release me, your thoughts always true, your heart always true, do not release my love.” There.(To Alice.) You need to work on your enunciation by the way. 471
Silence. They stare at her. Sean laughs. 472
Janet: What? Why does that surprise you? 473
Rona: (Repressing a laugh.)Uh… 474
Allison: (The same.) It’s just…forget it. 475
Pause. 476
Kate: Itcertainly loses something in translation, doesn’t it? 477
Janet: Well he was much better in English…where he should have stayed. 478
Alice: I guess I should be flattered… 479
Allison: Yes. You should. 480
Alice: Okay, other than Allison and Rona, who knows the story? 481
Janet and Kate remain inert. 482
(Sigh.) I was an actress in one of his first plays…and among the cast and crew I had a reputation for being something of a man-eater. (Smile.) I can’t say it wasn’t true. 483
Allison laughs. 484
Anyway, I think he wanted to test that rumour out. He asked me out one day…and for some reason I accepted. I don’t know why. He was never particularly attractive or witty to me…but there was something. I think I liked the way he wrote. Some of those words, well…they rolled off my tongue quitenicely. (Beat.) We started dating…and it was pretty hot. He was sexy when he wanted to be. But Sean was – as you all probably know – possessive. I got tired of him– 485
Allison snorts. 486
I got tired of him, and broke I it off. But in classic Sean fashion he managed to entirely alienate himself from me. (Sigh.) He would yell at me for no apparent reason. He would…be creepy. It nearly derailed the whole play. I simply refused to work if he was around. 487
Rona: I was rather pissed about that. 488
Kate: You were directing from even way back then? 489
Rona: Always. 490
Alice: You’ll get your turn Ronny. I’m not done– 491
Allison: She treated him horribly. 492
Alice: No worse than he treated me. 493
Allison: I was there too you know. 494
Alice: What do you know about it? 495
Allison: Enough. 496
Alice: You have his word to go by. You never heard my side. 497
Allison: And what is your side? 498
Alice: That despite everything you and he ever said about me, I did in fact love that son of a bitch. 499
Allison: Oh? 500
Alice: For a while. But he wasn’t what I wanted. He wanted too much out of me. 501
Allison: He– 502
Rona: (Exasperated.) Shut up for a second Allison. (To Alice.) What does that poem meanto you? 503
Alice: Well…the date was the day we broke up. Or at least when I told him it wasn’t working. (Beat.) It was passionate…I’ll give him that. And he was just as passionate about keeping me. 504
Rona: So you felt he drove you away? 505
Alice: That’s one version. I believe shewould disagree. 506
Allison: I never said it wasn’t his own fault…I just think you were cruel. 507
Alice: I wasn’t cruel. 508
Allison: Bringing your new boyfriend to the rehearsals wasn’t cruel? 509
Alice: I was making a statement. And I didn’t feel safe around him anymore. 510
Sean frowns. 511
Rona: I always had the impression that you didn’t like the way it ended. But you were always so Goddamn flippant afterward. 512
Alice: I grew tired of him because he couldn’t keep up with me. He wasn’t any fun to me anymore…I know that sounds shallow…but when your boyfriend is such a stick in the mud about…everything…you have to make changes. I still had a thing for him, but he was pretty swift in killing that off. It hurt to know I had hurt him enough to hate me. 513
Rona: I think that poem shows he didn’t hate you. 514
Allison: Neither of you handled it well I guess… 515
Silence. 516
Janet: Isn’t this the soap opera… 517
Kate: (Slightly bewildered.) I knew I didn’t want to know this. 518
Freeze. Lights and spotlight as before on Sean and Death. 519
Death: Shall we throw passion off of the list of things you want to be remembered for? 520
Sean: I don’t think she described my passion so much as my obsession… 521
Death: You were obsessed then? 522
Sean: No more than any other lover. 523
Death: Uh huh. 524
Sean: Fine. Don’t believe me. 525
Death: It’s not much of an argument. 526
Sean: Why exactly am I arguing? You seem pretty bent on condemning me! 527
Death: When did I give you that impression? 528
Sean: (Sigh.) Maybe I’m in Hell already. What better torture than to have all of one’s former loves deconstruct his every motive in loving them? 529
Death: A rather apt torture for a certain kind of man…but you aren’t that much of a bastard. And besides, that’s not what’s going on here. 530
Sean: Then what is? 531
Death: Later. Tell me about Alice. 532
Sean: (Sigh.) There’s not much more than what she said already. (Beat.) I know I treated her badly. I know I was obsessed. But she did things to me. I mean…look at her! 533
Death: (Wry.) I did. 534
Sean: She was a sex object for me at first. (Smile.) At firstit was just to see if I could get into her– 535
Death: Get to the point. 536
Sean: But I fell in love with her. And that was my mistake. 537
Death: She seems to have loved you too though. 538
Sean: Yeah…maybe. But she’s a good actress…excellent actress… 539
Death: Perhaps. 540
Sean: Which isn’t to say I didn’tuse her…but it may be why I fell so hopelessly in love with her. 541
Death: No wonder she felt unsafe. 542
Sean: I never realized it went that far. But I was angry. I hated her for her little games. She would parade that boyfriend in front of me…like nothing else… 543
Death: Perhaps. 544
Sean: See? It wasn’t my…(Sigh.)Fault… 545
Death: (Cold.) Three down, two to go. 546
Lights come back on women as before. Unfreeze. 547
Alice: Anyway, that’s all I have to say about it. It’s in the past. 548
Rona: I think that’s what he wanted. 549
Alice: No doubt. 550
Janet: Who’s next? 551
Allison: I think I am…(To Rona.) Unless you– 552
Rona: Best for last. 553
Allison: (Hesitant.) I see… 554
Rona: Mmm… 555
Allison opens her box swiftly and produces another rumpled journal entry. She sighs. 556
Allison: Here we go…(Reading.) “October 8, 1996: So Allison. What was it for? To hurt me? Simply for pain? Is that it!? How nice of you. I thought you had a bit more class. I thought you were like me. With a little bit of heart. Romantic perhaps? Jesus Christ. How could you? How could you do this to me? After all we went through? After everything we’ve done for each other. (Sad sigh.) Okay. I’ll stop asking questions. Let me say what I know. You made me love you and now you’re trying to take it away. You’re doing exactly what Alison did…exactly what Janet did. Heck, even Kate did it. But they were never so brutal. No. Not even Alison. Not even that bitch.And don’t try to play the sad sack with me. I know how it goes. As soon as I’d talk about it, you’d be angry. You wouldn’t talk about it. Well now I’m angry. And I want to talk about it!” (Pause.) It goes on like that… 557
Silence. 558
Janet: (Quiet.) Holy– 559
Kate: Yeah… 560
Alice: (Laugh.) You sure ours weren’t mixed up? 561
Allison: (Sad.) No…because I’ve read that before…a longer version. 562
Rona: What do you mean? What was that about? 563
Allison: What I did to him…you know. 564
Silence. 565
Rona: No…he never told me why you two broke up. 566
Allison: Uh… 567
Kate: Nor me. And I was his best friend. 568
Pause. 569
Allison: Janet? 570
Janet: I only knew what he told me in letters. Which wasn’t much. 571
Allison: (She looks up.) Thanks Sean…(Sigh.) I had an affair. 572
Long silence. 573
Rona: You– 574
Alice: You? 575
Pause. 576
Rona: You!? 577
Alice: Oh yes!I treated him horribly! 578
Allison: I thought this was general knowledge! 579
Rona: (Incredulous.) No. 580
Allison: I thought he would have told you people! (Embarrassed and panicky.) Why didn’t he tell you people!? 581
Alice: This makes me feel awfully morally superior! 582
Allison: Shut up! I still feel terrible about it! 583
Rona: Tell us… 584
Sean: I didn’t blame her… 585
Allison: (Calming.) He blamed me for it. I did too… 586
Sean: …but she broke my heart the hardest. 587
Allison: It was never intended to go as far as it did. 588
Rona: What happened? 589
Pause. 590
Allison: (Remembering.) We had been dating for three…four months. I had always been attracted to him He had a poet’s heart. And I found that really…sexy.He was like me too…he liked old movies. Things starring Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart. Christ…I remember the first time he kissed me. It was over the last scene of Casablanca…right when Bogey shot the German major…(She savours the memory.) It was nice…but everyday was a routine.Our relationship was a big rut after a while. And then I met Beau. (Beat.) Beau was nothing to look at. In fact he was almost downright ugly. But he was different, and I liked that. So against my better judgement, and all the love I had for Sean…I had an affair. It didn’t last long…but the guilt was too much for me. I told him. And that letter was a direct result… 591
Rona: Why did he leave you that note? 592
Allison: I guess it’s a warning… 593
Kate: Not to stray? 594
Allison: That he’ll haunt me. (Pause.) It was heartbreaking…for both of us. But I moved on eventually. 595
Rona: But you did love him? 596
Janet: That’s what she’s been saying. 597
Rona: And he forgave you. 598
Kate: When did he forgive you? 599
Allison: It took a long time. I was barely invited to their wedding…(Pause.) He forgave me when I told him I didn’t love him anymore. That I was over him. 600
The girls give nonverbal acknowledgement. 601
Janet: How strange… 602
Allison: I always thought so too. But it was the relief of him not…hating me anymore. 603
Alice: No wonder you hate me so much…you needed someone to hate more than you hate yourself. 604
Allison: No. I always hated you. 605
Silence. 606
Janet: I hope I don’t remember any of this tomorrow. 607
Allison: Indeed… 608
Freeze. Lights and spotlight as before on Sean and Death. 609
Death: You forgave her because she didn’t love you? What kind of sentimental shit is that? Or is she even worse than you? 610
Sean: (Terse.) You don’t have to rub it in. They’ve already done a fine job of it. (Beat.) I needed to know I hadn’t missed out on something. 611
Death: But you were about to get married. 612
Sean: Don’t imply things you know nothing about. Christ you’re unprepared! 613
Death: It’s part of my job description to be unprepared. Death’s like that. (Laugh.)Rather, I’m like that. 614
Death laughs again. Sean groans. Beat. 615
Sean: For a long time I was in love with both of them…Rona and Allison. 616
Death: And what won you over in the end? 617
Sean: A number of things. I had a few realisations. Personal things– 618
Death: (Dark.) There’s nothing personal with me. If you don’t want to end up where I think you will, you’ll tell me. 619
Sean: It doesn’t exactly help to have you and them breathing down my neck. 620
Death: Point? 621
Sean: (Sigh.) Rona was better for me…Rona was stable. Rona was…Rona. 622
Death: As simple as that? I just don’t buy it. 623
Sean: (Angry.) Stop it! I don’t have to tell you everything! What do you want anyway? Something like: I was unsatisfied with her sexually? She was ugly? She had a vestigial tail? Is that what you want to hear? I wish it were the case! (Sigh.)It’s my life, not my feelings that are on trial here. 624
Death: Keep on believing that. You’ll sleep better. 625
Sean: I’ll never sleep again after today! 626
Death: I wish you would get with it. It’s not that hard you know. Just bare your soul a little. 627
Sean: I thought that’s what I was doing. 628
Death: So far you’ve been too repressed. 629
Sean: What about my note? 630
Death: I have no idea why you really left it though. So I’m afraid you’ll have to tell me. 631
Sean: I left that because I wanted her to know I wasn’trepressed! Which is what drove her to the affair. I wanted her to know I was still capable of feeling. (Reflective.) I wrote that woman a hundred poems…dedicated plays to her! But none of it could express my feelings for her. (Grim.) I just had to wait for the worst possible event to befall us to show her how I really felt. 632
Death: (Cruel smile.) Was that so hard? Didn’t help you much…but it didn’t hurt. 633
Sean: You haven’t won yet. There’s one more to go. 634
Lights come back on women as before. Unfreeze. 635
Alice: So…who’s next? (To Janet.) You? 636
Janet: I already went. Is she done though? 637
Allison: I was done about two pages ago. 638
Rona: Then I suppose I’m next… 639
Kate: Don’t wonder. You are. 640
Ronastares and sighs at the box as she did at the beginning. 641
Rona: Funny…I feel hesitant. 642
Janet: Who wouldn’t? You just had your husband’s entire love life splattered on the floor like blood from a slit throat– 643
Allison: You’re not helping. 644
Rona: Apt metaphor though. 645
Kate: Simile. 646
Allison: You either. 647
Rona: I should just get on with it. (Pause.) But I don’t want to… 648
The women groan. She stands up and goes to down centre with her box. 649
It’s not as if he’s watching… 650
Sean: Open it… 651
Death: No prompting. 652
Janet stands and joins her. 653
Janet: It can’t be that bad. Just consider the acts you’re following. 654
Allison stands and joins them. 655
Sean: You know I wouldn’t hurt you! 656
Allison: If you don’t want to open it…you don’t have to. But you’ll never find out what you want to know if you don’t. 657
Alice and Kate join them. Ronasits on the floor. 658
Rona: And what might that be? 659
Allison: That he didn’t settle for you. That we didn’t simply drive him into your arms. 660
Rona: You always could read me…(Beat.) I just hadn’t considered that perhaps it would be best I didn’t do this… 661
Sean: No it wouldn’t. 662
Janet: Nobody’s forcing you. But you said yourself, “no matter what.” 663
Kate: We’d like to know. 664
Alice: If we can do it you certainly can. Anyone that can direct that man’s plays without being driven nutsis strong enough to do anything. Let alone love him. 665
Rona: It’s not a question of not being able to take it. 666
Sean: Rona… 667
Rona: It’s a question of spoiling my memories of him… 668
Sean: Ronny… 669
Rona: (Absent.) I was his friend before he knew any of you. And I was always his director. He thought I knew his characters or something. He always spent too much time on exposition and dialogue. But that poetry…even in the plays there was always a love of the written word. That made me fall in love with him. His language. (Beat.) After five years of putting up with his love life bullshit I told him I loved him and that I had from the very start. God it was wonderful…he was just the man I thought he was…crippling emotional tics and all. I could understand that. (Thoughtful pause.) I don’t want to open– 670
Freeze. Lights and spotlight as before on Sean andDeath. 671
Sean: Hey! 672
Death: I’m afraid if she chooses not to open it I make my decision now. 673
Sean: Based on the worst relationships of my life? Not a chance! 674
Death: The worst? 675
Pause. 676
Sean: And best…but they didn’t know me! None of them knew me…except Rona. That’s why I married Rona. Because she really did get me. She was my real love after all of the others. 677
Death: Well, if I don’t get her commentary, then I can’t pass the judgement you want. It’s burning by default. 678
Sean: I don’t care what you do to me. I want Rona to know how I felt. 679
Death: You could try asking her I suppose. 680
Sean: How? I’m the living impaired. 681
Death: Stranger things have happened. I mean, you’re talking to the personification of Death aren’t you? Consider your situation more thoughtfully my boy. 682
Sean thinks. 683
Sean: (Quiet.) Right you are… 684
He crouches down beside Rona. 685
Ronny…well…I’m sorry about dying. I really am. I guess I really should have gone on more walks with you, eh? 686
Death taps his foot impatiently. 687
You need to open that box. Everything will fall into place, kid. Everything will make sense. You’ll know how much I loved you. How much I love you. Forget about the others. They’re not important anymore. Just see it. Even if you don’t get it…but I know you will.You’ll see my last message. You’ll have fulfilled my purpose in leaving those…stupid boxes. (Pause.) After all the others, you’ll see the message is the best. Just…open it. 688
He kisses the nape of her neck. 689
Death: Shall we try again? 690
Lights come back on women as before. Unfreeze. 691
Rona: I don’t want to hurt him though…but… 692
She opens the box: it is empty. Pause. She smiles widely. 693
He really did… 694
Silence. 695
Alice: Uh…it’s empty. 696
Kate: I’m confused. 697
Janet: Even if I were sober I’d be confused… 698
Allison: What does it mean Ronny? 699
Rona: (Ignoring them.) The best message ever. 700
Alice: I really don’t– 701
Rona: It’s exactly what I wanted to know. (Quiet.) I didn’t hurt him… 702
Sean smiles. Pause. The girls suddenly get it and let out a resounding “Oh.” 703
Allison: But if he had– 704
Kate: He would have said something. Like he did to us. 705
Janet: It means that you weren’t just second choice. 706
Kate: Nor fifth. Even better. 707
Alice: And it means he didn’t hurt you. 708
Kate: Well put, old man. 709
Janet: Very poetic. 710
Alice: Sappy to the end– 711
Allison: As it should be. 712
Janet: (Resounding.)Let’s get drunk. 713
Freeze. Lights and spotlight as before on Sean andDeath. 714
Sean: Is that what you wanted to hear? 715
Death: Exactly what I wanted to hear. We just needed to know if you had at least one successful love. 716
Sean: Why? 717
Death: Because you seemed to have a real preoccupation with love. Whether you were successful in life or not, love was the most important thing to you. Otherwise you wouldn’t have pulled this stunt. 718
Sean: Why Rona last? 719
Death: The big guy must be just as much of a romantic as you are. That or we were just trying to kill some time. Your choice…maybe you’ll ask him. 720
Sean: Yeah…(Pause.) Time to go? 721
Death: Yeah. 722
Sean: Alright. 723
Freeze but for Death. 724
Death: (Toaudience.) Very touching. I do love a happy ending, even if I don’t show it all the time…(Beat.) Lights please. Something backlit I think. 725
Lights go down and the scene is suddenly lit brightly from behind, making the characters appear as silhouettes. 726
Good…music? 727
Song fades in. Death looks at the others and delivers his line before the vocals of the music come in. 728
Good. Now…who’s next? 729
Brief tableau. Blackout slowly as music grows louder. Curtain. 730
End731
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