Waiting (for the stars to fall)
BETH and KAIYA are walking through a large field near Midway airport (Yes, that’s in Chicago). KAIYA is carrying a backpack, BETH a blanket.
KAIYA
Oh man. This is awesome.
BETH
What?
KAIYA
This.
BETH
This field? There's nothing here.
KAIYA
Exactly. I didn't know there were any wide open spaces this close to the city. Except for the forest preserve but there are always so many people there it doesn't count. I can't believe this is your backyard.
BETH
My dad's.
KAIYA
Still.
BETH
And not even his really. It's just the space between his property and the airport's. No one wants to build here.
KAIYA
I feel like I can finally breathe…
BETH
Are you serious? It's so polluted I can taste the diesel from the planes.
KAIYA
I meant because of the space.
BETH
Oh. Yeah, it's alright.
KAIYA
Ah! A plane! It's taking off!
BETH
Yep. Every five minutes.
KAIYA
Even this late?
BETH
Okay. Maybe every ten. Might want to plug your ears…
KAIYA
Whoa… (watching the plane) Wonder where it's going….
BETH
Probably Salt Lake City.
KAIYA
That's not very exciting.
BETH
Apparently it's a main hub. Middle of the country or something. Good place to transfer.
KAIYA
Guess you're probably used to seeing them.
BETH
It got old kinda fast. But the open sky is nice. I think we should be able to see them from here.
KAIYA
I hope so. For Reul.
BETH
Yeah. For Reul.
KAIYA
I wish we could bring them to her. Bottle them up or something. It's totally unfair that she's locked up in that room and can't even see the stars.
BETH
Especially because of her name. I feel like it should be her birthright.
KAIYA
I know.
BETH
Too bad we can't film it for her.
KAIYA
Wouldn't be the same.
BETH
No. (beat) How about here?
KAIYA
Looks good to me.
BETH
(spreading a blanket out)
Which direction should we face?
KAIYA
She didn't tell you?
BETH
No. She just said between 12 and 3am.
KAIYA
Oh. Well, does it make a difference?
BETH
I don't want to miss them because we were looking the wrong way.
KAIYA
We could each face a different direction.
BETH
But then only one of us might see them. Reul said they fall in a blink of an eye. What if we both blink at the same moment?
KAIYA
You worry too much.
BETH
And?
KAIYA
We could lay down.
BETH
Oh right. Duh.
They lay down.
KAIYA
Ooh ooh ooh!
BETH
What?
KAIYA
Oh. Just a plane.
BETH
You thought it was a shooting star?
KAIYA
I don't have my glasses on.
BETH
Where are they?
KAIYA
In my pocket.
BETH
Don't you think they should be on your face right now?
KAIYA
No.
BETH
Uh…?
KAIYA
The stars are prettier without them. They’re all warm and fuzzy and they twinkle more.
BETH
Just as long as you can see them.
Moment. They watch the sky.
KAIYA
So this is what it’s all about…
BETH
If you look in just the right spot, where all you can see is sky, it almost feels like you’re floating.
KAIYA
You know what’s really weird?
BETH
Huh?
KAIYA
We are floating.
BETH
Shut up.
KAIYA
We are. The entire Earth is floating around in that great big sea of stars.
BETH
Thinking about that makes me dizzy. It's a good dizzy.
KAIYA
Ooh!
BETH
Where?!
KAIYA
No… I just remembered I have a little surprise in my bag...
BETH
What kind of surprise?
KAIYA
Remember what the three of us talked about on the bus to IMEA?
BETH
With Chambers or Ensemble?
KAIYA
Chambers. Of course.
BETH
How would I know that?
KAIYA
Come on. Ensemble was totally lame.
BETH
I liked 'Everlasting Melody.'
KAIYA
I'm not talking about the music. So, do you remember?
BETH
Did it have to do with drinking?
KAIYA
Uh huh…
BETH
No way. You got some?
KAIYA
Uh huh… from my aunt.
BETH
She gave it to you?
KAIYA
Well, not exactly gave... But I don't think she'd mind. She has a whole cupboard full of bottles…
BETH
You stole it from her?
KAIYA
You make is sound like a crime. I'm just borrowing it.
BETH
Actually, it is a crime.
KAIYA
Whatever. I'll replace it with something really fancy when I'm 21.
BETH
What did you get? Vodka?
KAIYA
No, wine. Seemed more appropriate for the occasion.
BETH
Red or white?
KAIYA
I don't know. I just grabbed something and stuffed it in my bag.
BETH
I hope you brought a cork screw.
KAIYA
Duh.
She gets the bottle out. They look at it.
BETH
It's really heavy.
KAIYA
I think that means it's really good.
BETH
What?
KAIYA
Well, at least the glass is expensive.
BETH
Maybe. Hey. This says Champagne.
KAIYA
No way! I love champagne!
BETH
I thought you'd never…
KAIYA
Only one glass. For New Year's. With my aunt actually. I didn't get drunk or anything.
BETH
Wow. How classy is this?
KAIYA
Totally classy.
BETH
What about Reul? We said it'd be the three of us.
KAIYA
We can't exactly bring it into the hospital.
BETH
We could wait for her to get out. What?
KAIYA
She's been there almost a year.
BETH
She's going to get better. She has to.
KAIYA
I want her to get better too. But…
BETH
But you don't want to wait to get drunk?
KAIYA
But, we're out here watching a meteor shower for her because she can't. I think we should have a toast for her too. I think it'd make her really happy. That's why I got it.
BETH
I don't know…
KAIYA
She's the one always saying not to waste a second. And here we are, sitting out in this awesome field under stars that are about to fall out of the sky, and we have CHAMPAGNE. Are we really debating this?
BETH
I guess not. (beat) Can I pop the cork?
KAIYA
That's what I like to hear. (hands her the bottle) Do you know what you're doing?
BETH
Every New Year's Eve my parents used to get us cheap bottles of sparkling wine and we'd have contests to see who could shoot their cork the furthest. I won every single year. My brother swore I rigged the bottles.
KAIYA
I'm glad you’re such a cork-popping-champ. Those things terrify me.
BETH
Ready?
KAIYA
I think so...
BETH
Set...
KAIYA
Ooh, another plane!
BETH
Bon Voyage!!!
The cork pops at the same moment a plane passes over head. They scream happily.
posted by Joy @ 3:51 AM
6 Comments:
yes. very well done. this play will be amazing.
Ok. So I have another half of this scene where more poetic ideas are spoken and themes discovered and the stars do fall... but I'm wondering: what's going on with these girls that sets them apart from the other characters? Yes, their friend is in the hospital so they are dealing with the concept of illness/death in a very personal way but so are Sam and Noelle and Justin.
The great thing about them drinking champagne in this scene is that we will get to see them uninhibited. What do you imagine is at their centers? What are their secrets, their wishes, their fears?
After Kristin's post, I can't help but wander around the idea of one of them having really intense feelings for the other... but then I'm afraid that's cliché.
What themes, subjects, would you like to see explored in this play through these characters?
so.
two questions.
you mentioned about reuls name.
what does it mean?.
and what kind of hospital is she in?.
like is she in a physciatriac (spelling?.) one or just a normal one?
i liked the scene.
you certainly have been picking out unusual names for this time around janis.
i enjoy that.
I'd watch the hospital thing, maybe cut the thing with Gretchen being in the hospital. Someone who doesn't know who Gretchen is might confuse her with Reul, them both being in the hospital and all..... Unless Gretchen and Reul are in the same hospital and end up talking with one another. Is that what you were planning? I bet it was. Just ignore me. Good night.
Gretchen's not in this play. She got replaced with Jessie and Acadia. But, when she was mentioned in the Legislature scene, I only meant to imply that she was in shock about finding Elliot dead in the park. I don't think she's in the hospital or anything. I'll have to clear that up.
As for Reul, her name is Gaelic for star. I know that thanks to Molly who posted that a while back. And I think she has something like leukemia, although I think it's much lesser known and the doctors are very confused by it. But that's about all I've figured out for her yet. I do know that Beth and Kaiya figure out a way to bring the stars to her in the hospital... that's going to be fun.
just to clarify, i didn't post that reul means star. danny did. i don't want to take credit for his intelligence.
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