Amor Fati

(Love is a Religion)
Written by
Joseph Frost
written for the 2014 31 Plays in 31 Days Project
Play 03
Draft
8/4/14
Attic Scripts 2014
Joseph Frost
4550 Normandy Dr
Jackson, MS 39206
atticsripts@gmail.com
Dim lights up on a man, LEONARD, standing center
stage. Two female figures are upstage, back to audience.
A startling shock of flashing lights and intense club-style
music begins. Leonard steps forward, and talks over the
music.
LEONARD
(almost shouting)
It was the last place I ever thought I would meet someone. Me. In a club. Id never been
before. Not exactly a place Id usually go, big neon sign saying Club Baby Seals. Sick, if
you ask me. I said, sick.
(beat)
I wish I could say that it was one of those across a crowded room things, that all time
and matter and sound stopped, we locked eyes and we both knew it was destiny. Nothing
that world changing. I spilled my drink on her when someone bumped into my back.
Spilled it on her dress, her hair, makeup smeared on the left side of her face. I tried to wipe
it off, but I made it worse. I apologized a couple of times, I think she only heard the once.
We decided that it would only be fair if she spilled a drink on me, too. So she did. My
mouth was open, so I choked a little. But then she let me buy her another drink. You cant
really talk to someone in a place like that, so we werent there long. She left, and I had
forgotten to ask for her number. I tried to follow her out, but lost her somewhere in the
crowd. I looked down at my hand, and there was a phone number, written in sharpie,
already there. Carved on my skin.
The music and lights stop abruptly.
HANNAH lays on a table. JEAN is far from her.
A monotonous sound - like a dishwasher or washing
machine.
JEAN
I didnt want to leave.
HANNAH
You didnt let that stop you.
JEAN
Im trying to explain.
HANNAH
Dont bother.
JEAN
Hannah.
HANNAH
Your plants are dead.
JEAN
I saw.
HANNAH
I didnt water them like you showed me.
JEAN
I see.
HANNAH
I didnt get the watering can from under the sink. I didnt fill it with water. I didnt go
around to each plant in the house. And I didnt pour water down into the root of the plant.
JEAN
Hannah...
HANNAH
If I had watered them, I would have poured water on the leaves. The plants dont need
water there, and it makes a mess on the floor.
JEAN
I didnt want to leave.
HANNAH
You said that already.
JEAN
I want you to believe me.
HANNAH
Tell me the truth.
JEAN
I wanted to stay.
HANNAH
Staying would have been easy. You just dont go.
2.
JEAN
If it were that simple.
HANNAH
If it were.
JEAN
You want an apology.
HANNAH
You want forgiveness.
JEAN
You really want me to be sorry.
HANNAH
You really want to be innocent.
JEAN
Im not.
HANNAH
No, you are not.
Jean backs away.
Hannah drops to the floor and crawls under the table.
Leonard is under there with her.
Storm sounds.
LEONARD
I dont think the storm is that bad.
HANNAH
When the siren goes off, youre supposed to take cover.
LEONARD
I didnt hear the siren.
HANNAH
Yes, you did.
3.
LEONARD
I didnt see any tornado.
HANNAH
If you had, youd be sucked up in it by now and thrown into the next county.
LEONARD
And here we are.
HANNAH
Safe and sound.
LEONARD
Safe.
A moment.
HANNAH
You dont want to be here with me.
LEONARD
Its not exactly comfortable.
HANNAH
I didnt say it was.
A moment.
LEONARD
How will we know when the coast is clear?
(beat)
Do they have a siren for that?
(beat)
I think its clear.
A moment.
Leonard goes to move.
Hannah grabs his hand.
HANNAH
Stay with me.
She puts her hand on his face.
4.
She kisses him.
She breaks away, and slowly gets out from under the
table, leaving him frozen in the pose of the kiss.
Jean sits on the table.
Leonard climbs up onto the table as well, with great effort.
Subtle sound of wind. Birds.
LEONARD
(winded)
You wanted to meet up here?
JEAN
I like the view.
LEONARD
(looking)
Oh yeah.
(huffs)
Nice.
JEAN
I always wanted to paint this landscape.
LEONARD
You paint?
JEAN
Not well.
LEONARD
Probably better you didnt.
JEAN
Hm.
LEONARD
I like the way the river... winds through...
JEAN
(points)
Like there. Around that park.
5.
LEONARD
Yeah.
JEAN
Thats my favorite park.
LEONARD
You like it there.
JEAN
Ive never been. But I like the way it looks from here.
LEONARD
Oh.
JEAN
I want you to know that its nothing... personal.
LEONARD
What is?
JEAN
Its not something youve done, or something I detect inside you, an ulterior motive or
shady past or something. It honestly, actually, truly, has absolutely nothing to do with you
whatsoever.
LEONARD
I dont know what youre--
Jean pulls a note card from her pocket.
JEAN
Youll call Hannah. When the call goes to voicemail, you will read this card.
LEONARD
How do you know it will go to voicemail?
JEAN
I erased your contact from her phone. It will ring as unknown. She never picks up calls
from unknown numbers.
LEONARD
What does the card say?
(beat)
It explains why she wont ever see me again.
6.
JEAN
No. It explains nothing. But that she wont see you for a while.
LEONARD
Which will become forever.
JEAN
One can only hope.
Jean rises.
LEONARD
Was there something up here you wanted me to see?
JEAN
Like I said, its not about you. I was going to be here today, anyway.
Jean goes to climb down.
LEONARD
And if I dont call her? Leave this message?
JEAN
You will.
Jean climbs under the table.
Hannah joins her.
They giggle, excitedly. They are young.
Perhaps a Christmas tune. Music box.
JEAN (CONTD)
Shh...
HANNAH
I cant help it.
JEAN
Try. If we get busted...
HANNAH
It was your idea.
7.
JEAN
You didnt have to come along.
HANNAH
What if we see him?
JEAN
We wont. There is no such thing.
HANNAH
Then where do the presents come from?
JEAN
From dad. Dad puts the presents out. After we go to bed.
HANNAH
Then why is there a reindeer sleigh?
JEAN
There isnt.
HANNAH
They wouldnt make up a lie that big and tell everyone in the world this huge lie just to lie
to us.
JEAN
Hannah, they would, they have, and they do.
HANNAH
Im proving you wrong.
JEAN
Well prove me quiet.
A moment.
HANNAH
Dads asleep, anyway.
(beat)
Hes snoring.
JEAN
Hell wake up. And hell bring down the presents. Even the stockings. Hell eat the
cookies and drink the milk. And before your eyes, you will see that there is not, nor has
there ever been a Santa Claus.
8.
The music plays.
They are silent a moment.
They both droop, and fall asleep.
The music fades.
LEONARD
I never wanted to be a super hero. The tights, the capes. Bright colors. I know - theres
the brooding, mysterious ones - your dark, twisted anti-heroes. I never bought it. It was
all too easy. A whack-job jumps up and hatches an elaborate scheme, and the hero just...
knows, somehow, exactly what to do to stop it. Out of the goodness of the heart. An act
of love for... a person... a city... the world. And it never seemed possible. That anyone,
especially someone as special as the super hero, would ever spend their energies, their
powers, not just for the less fortunate, for the unfortunate. For the losers. The incapable.
The inept. The lost. To do that... thats the closest thing I can imagine to love. And love?
That wasnt something for capes and neon colors. Not in my mind, anyway.
Leonard sits on the table, still.
Hannah and Jean climb out from under. They sit on the
table, Leonard in between.
They lean toward his shoulders.
Leonard rises and crosses away.
Hannah and Jean lean into one another.
Leonard stops, far from them.
Lights dim.
End.
9.