How Not to Leave your House Plant

the aftermath of a couple's fight; the thoughts; the actions; the fear; the love; the strain and the regrets.

setting: living room

 

characters: a radio/television announcer, woman on tv/radio (Anne), a woman (June) & a man (Harry)

 

[scene opens with a woman sitting on a couch on in a living room. the couch is facing the audience. there are a few moving boxes placed around the set. and there is a small coffee table downstage of the couch with a few smaller moving boxes on it. random personal belongings peek out of some of the boxes. the woman is looking through some of the items in one of the small boxes, slowly, one at a time as her dialogue begins...]

 

June: (almost like she's talking to or apologizing to the item she is holding at the time) ...why do I always ruin everything?...I know, it's my fault, you're right, just like always. (sets down item, looks at audience and now begins to talk to them) This is hopeless...I am hopeless! There must be something really wrong with me, every time anything begins to go well in my life, I manage to mess up, and that single good thing in my life, is snatched out from under me as quickly as it got there (she takes some time to look at other objects)...have you ever had one of those conversations, where it's going really well for a good while, and then just as quickly as the words tumble out of your mouth with no chance for biting your tongue--you realize you've said something that you shouldn't have? Well, welcome to my life. Every single day. (sits down on couch, depressed, and flips on radio [or television] June has a consistently blank stare throughout the entire broadcast; almost trance-like.)

 

the radio/television announcer booms across the solitary room: (actors are offstage/not seen) "AND NEXT ON THE AIR TODAY, ANNE FROM FLORDIA; HOW ARE YOU TODAY ANNE?

 

Anne: Well Dr. Bill, i'm actually not doing so well

 

r/t announcer: THAT'S NO GOOD ANNE, WHAT IS IT THAT'S BEEN BOTHERING YOU?

 

Anne: Oh, my husband and I have been fighting lately...it's nothing serious, I just haven't seen him in a couple of days...

 

r/t announcer: IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU TWO NEED TO WORK IT OUT, HAVE YOU SAT DOWN AND TALKED TO HIM ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON BETWEEN YOU TWO?

 

Anne: I've tried to...sort of. We've mentioned it, but I just don't think it would do a whole lot.

 

r/t announcer: IT SURE IS WORTH A TRY ANNE, THINGS ARE ALWAYS BETTER WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THEM, ESPECIALLY FACE TO FACE. EVEN IF YOU CAN'T COME TO ANY CONCLUSIONS RIGHT AWAY--YOU'LL AT LEAST HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON WHAT IS GOING ON.

 

Anne: Dr. Bill, you're right. But I don't know, I'm just not a confrontational person...I don't think I could do it, let alone even bring up a topic like that.

 

r/t announcer: AND THAT'S WHERE YOU JUST HAVE TO TAKE A SHOT AT IT ANNE, THERE'S NO HARM IN TRYING, AND YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO DO IT. IF IT'S REALLY THAT IMPORTANT TO YOU, YOU JUST HAVE TO GIVE IT YOUR ALL AND--(June switches off radio/or television in mid sentence, she continues to stare blankly at nothing in particular.)

 

June: (stands up [if not already]) It is important to me! I do want it! ...I do want...him--and I can't let him slip away like this. All I have to do is pick up that telephone... (looks at telephone) dial the number, apologize and...(sits/plops down, puts head in hands or lays on couch or shows some signs of exasperation, either cannot see the doorway or has back to the doorway) uuuuuuugh! I can't.

 

Harry: (opens the door quietly and walks in the room to a box close to the couch, possibly picking at a few of it's contents; June does not notice his entrance)

 

June: (still does not see Harry) ...I wish I could just...turn back time, i wish i could just tell him how wrong I was! ...how inconsiderate. I finally have that someone who's a really important part of my life, and I ruin it--i rip it out at the roots!! (picks up a house plant or potted [rooted] plant of some sort. now, saying to the plant...) well, considering I do that to everything else, I could probably rip you out at the roots too if you wanted me to do that for--[interrupted by Harry]

 

Harry: I would like my plant to stay intact, thanks.

 

June: (avoids Harrys eyes and remains that way) ........

 

Harry: I...was in the neighborhood, and I needed some....(looks around for something to grab)...toothpaste. (awkwardly reaches in one of the boxes and grabs a tube of toothpaste) well...(hesitates)...i guess i'll see you later...(begins to head for the door)

 

June: Wait--Harry...I...um...here (hands the plant to Harry) i'm no good at keeping things alive, so you better take your plant with you too.

 

Harry: (takes plant) right. i have been missing my fern [or whatever plant is the prop]...

 

[both stand face to face, awkwardly, avoiding eye contact for a few moments, not speaking, possibly a head scratch or some awkward gestures like that at this time]

 

June: I...am sorry, Harry. I wish i could be everything you want me to be...I shouldn't have gotten as upset as I did. ...I was just afraid...of loosing you.

 

Harry: Look, June, I shouldn't even be here right now I--[interuppeted by June]

 

June: I'm sorry! i'm sorry i'm sorry i'm sorry! *sighs* (sits down)

 

Harry:  Well, what I was saying before you interuppted me as usual was, I didn't really stop by for toothpaste. I actually have plenty at the hotel. I stopped by...because I was thinking of you this morning.

 

June: About how terrible I am?

 

Harry: No,  (sits down by June) I was walking through the park this morning on my way to pick up some groceries, when I came across two teenagers a their first date. They were feeding cereal to the ducks at the pond, and laughing, and giggling, and having a good time. And i missed you, i missed us, i missed how we used to be. without all of the fighting, and the paranoia, and the uneasy feeling you get when you know that the person you love is seeing someone else too...I tried, June. I tried to forget about you. after what happened last week, I was heartbroken, I thought, there are other fish in the sea Harry go out and find one that will treat you right! but no matter what, my thoughts always came back to you, June...(pause)...and don't be afraid of loosing me, because you never did, I've been right here this entire time.

 

June: (looks at Harry, finally) Oh Harry, [hugs and holds for this sentence or two] I don't even know what was wrong with me. I miss you too. I promise I will never do anything like that to you ever again! You make me happier than anything in the world.

 

Harry: [end hug] (smirks and laughingly say) Good, you better have missed me! Now, would you like to go feed some ducks in the park? (smiles & pulls out a box of cereal from somewhere, stands up)

 

June:   As long as i'm with you, (stands up also) i'll go anywhere Harry. (CUTE : exchange glances and walk out the door)

 

END.

 

 

Reviews

[Trixolomanea]

Yay, I'm the first to comment.

I really did like it. I totally feel what you were trying to evoke. If I may add a little point of critique, at some points it feels a bit... unnatural if I may say so. Perhaps you were going for that, I don't know. But it really is cute and sweet. :) By the way, I really like the name June!

Well done!