A Mini-Play: Compulsion

3-Act Play in 12 Lines

Jill: “What about you, Jack? Have you got any compulsions?”

Jack: “Yeah, I always count to three aloud as I lock the door when I leave my apartment.”

Jill: “Why? Sounds like OCD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.”

Jack: “Maybe. I started doing it to remind myself, for later when I’d worry I’d forgotten.”  

.   .   .  

Jill: “Seems more a habit, than a compulsion that negatively impacts your life.”

Jack: “Yeah, except for that time my girlfriend dumped me.”

Jill: “ … Oh? What happened?”

Jack: “Sue had an annoying habit of counting to three after asking me to do things, you know, like Hop to it, Buster! Right after I didn’t hop to it that time, we had to leave for a party.”  

.   .   .

Jill: “She dumped you because you didn’t hop to it?”

Jack: “No, she dumped me because I said “Hurry up, we’ll be late!” right before I did my door-lock-counting thing. She assumed I was mocking her, and stomped off.”

.   .   .