One Act Play - To Say Goodbye

Setting: It’s an overcast day and the air is slightly chilled.  Two fifth grade girls sit in front of a large Victorian house by a car filled with luggage.1

Andi: [yawns] I’m gonna be going to bed early tonight.  I swear we didn’t get any sleep last night...2

Cynara: Last night was so great!  [looks at her arm]  Those designs you taught me how to draw were so cool.  I hope mine never comes off…but you don’t really think we’ll get ink poisoning, do you?3

Andi: [laughs] No it’s just regular pen ink and besides, your mom was just messing around with us.4

Cynara: Good.  I don’t know why she does that…you know, yesterday, I was drinking some coffee and she told me coffee stunts your growth! 5

[They laugh hysterically]6

Andi: My mom tries the same stuff…7

Cynara: [giggling] Do you want some more of those brownies we made? …or just the bowl again?8

Andi: [smirking] Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, but the batter is always better than that actual thing you’re trying to make.9

Cynara: [pretending to be offended] Whoa, girl, are you dissing my cooking abilities?10

Andi: [playing along] Oh, Cynara, of course not!11

Cynara: Yeah, you know my brownies are the best ever.12

[Andi looks down at her feet and back up at the sky, as if she were searching for something]13

Andi: [reminiscent] Hey, remember the time when we’d have those basketball contests?  I’ve always been so short [pause] and you’d beat me every time! 14

Cynara: [whole-heartedly laughs] Oh, yeah!  But Mackenzie was even better than me!15

Andi: Barely.  She could just jump really high.16

Cynara: [smiles to herself] Remember the super heroes that we made up in like the first grade? What was the name…”The Glitter Girls!”17

Andi: Of course!  I was the green Glitter Girl [pauses to remember]…you were blue?18

Cynara: Yep! Mackenzie was purple…and…and Bunny was pink!19

[They both nearly fall over laughing.  After about ten seconds, the laughter dies down and Cynara looks around nervously as if trying to find an easy way to say something.]20

Cynara: [with fake enthusiasm] Well…the house in New Hampshire is huge…and it’s even older than this one!21

Andi: [trying to sound interested] Oh? How old is it?22

Cynara: Over 250 years!23

Andi: [suddenly depressed] …wow.24

Cynara: [keeping up appearances by smiling and nods] Yep.25

Andi: So…when do you leave?26

Cynara: In the morning – ‘round 6 A.M.27

Andi: [tears well up in her eyes] Oh…that’s so early.28

Cynara: I know…look, it’s not like we’ll never see each other.29

Andi: [sarcastically] Oh yeah, we’ll see each other.  We’ll see each other so often, it’ll be once a year…once a year!30

Cynara: But when we do, you’ll stay for months.31

Andi: [irate] That doesn’t seem much better.  Best friends should see each other more than that.32

Cynara: Andi, I don’t want to move.  I have to.  If you’re gonna get mad at anyone, get mad at my parents.33

Andi: I’m sorry—I’m just gonna miss you so much…34

[They both embrace and cry]35

Cynara: I’ll call you everyday…and e-mail…and letters…36

Andi: All I’ll answer the phone everyday…respond to all your e-mails and letters…37

[A shout from Cynara’s mom comes from inside the house]38

Cynara: I…I have to go—My mom’s calling me…39

Andi: [head weighted down] Ok.40

Cynara: [in a sudden compassionate tone] Love you…41

Andi: I love you too.42

[The both embrace]43