Sunday, November 27, 2011

Green and Yellow Melancholy

The first scene of a play I started over two years ago. Thought I'd post it here, if anyone reads this.




GREEN AND YELLOW MELANCHOLY
                                    
   Scene 1

                                        Outdoors. A garden with some trees
                                        around. Or maybe it's in... No, I
                                        like a garden with trees. It's a
                                        garden with trees. Lights come up,
                                        soft. There is a bench. Next to the
                                        bench, a Woman, ELAINE, in early
                                        twenties is kneeling, wearing a
                                        white dress, knee length or a
                                        little shorter, and has a white
                                        parasol next to her, unopened. she
                                        has been crying, but she's over it
                                        now. she speaks softly, gently,
                                        carefully. Sincerely.

                                        Enter a Man, PAUL, in early
                                        twenties wearing a collared shirt
                                        underneath a sweater. He is well
                                        trimmed ans sincere.


                                        PAUL
               Hi.

                                        ELAINE

                                        looking up at him
               Hi.

                                        PAUL
               I thought you had left.

                                        ELAINE
               nope. still here.

                                        PAUL
               yeah, I see that.

                                        ELAINE
               I mean, nothing against your party. I just needed air, you
               know

                                        PAUL
               it looks like you needed more than just air.

                                        ELAINE
               I guess

                                        PAUL
               are you okay?

                                        ELAINE
               Yes.

                                        PAUL
               really?

                                        ELAINE
               yeah, I'm fine. I guess my heads just not with me today.

                                        PAUL
               I think I know how that is. But how do you mean?

                                        ELAINE
               what do you mean?

                                        PAUL
               I just mean what is up? why are you feeling so bad

                                        ELAINE
               Paul, you should get back to your party. people will miss
               you

                                        PAUL
               no, they're mingling. and people miss you. You're gorgeous
               tonight. I mean, that's not why people... you know, it's
               just... separate thought.

                                        ELAINE
               Thank you. I'm sorry if I'm attracting attention. that's not
               why I'm out here.

                                        PAUL
               Oh, I know that. You're not

                                        ELAINE
               you said people were missing me

                                        PAUL
               well, they are, but I meant, mostly, that I was. I didn't
               know where you went. I thought you left. But Jacquie said
               she gave you a ride. And she was still around. so I thought
               I'd come look for you. are you okay?

                                        ELAINE
               yeah. I'm fine. thanks for coming all the way out here. you
               really didn't have to.

                                        PAUL
               Oh, I'm sorry, if you were trying to be alone or away from
               people for a while, I understand. I'm sorry. I just wanted
               to see how you were doing.

                                        ELAINE
               Oh, no, it's fine. Thanks. I guess I just needed to think
               for a bit. My heads been kind of not with the rest of me
               today.

                                        PAUL
               yeah. Is it... what?

                                        ELAINE
               oh, I don't know. Memories I guess.

                                        PAUL
               ah. I understand. That happens to me a lot. I'm not sure if
               it's exactly the same thing, but I remember something, like
               one little part of a memory. One with a lot of emotional
               involvement, and I just latch on to it for the next couple
               of days, sometimes weeks. And it can keep me up all night,
               prompts 3 a.m. drives to nowhere, just trying to enhance the
               memory. Enhance or get it to leave. I don't care which. Or,
               at least, that's what I tell myself. That i don't care
               whether it stays or goes, just so long as it doesn't stay
               the same. But I know, honestly, that I'd much rather have
               the feeling, the memory, the pain, usually, regret, than
               live without it. Have it grow inside me that lose it. I
               don't know if that's at all what your feeling, but that's
               how I feel sometimes. I guess it's cause it's just so hard
               for me to feel anything that when something finally does
               come around, albeit sad, I just latch on to it.

                                        ELAINE
               Yeah, thats exactly what this is actually. that's so weird.

                                        PAUL
               well, I mean, that's just how I feel. You don't have to say
               that. but if some part of it realtes, I'd like you to know
               about it so you can talk to me. I understand at least a
               little, you know?

                                        ELAINE
               no, I was serious, that really is how i'm feeling.

                                        PAUL
               really?

                                        ELAINE
               yeah.

                                        PAUL
               Have you ever read Twelfth Night?

                                        ELAINE
               yes.

                                        PAUL
               I don't know much about Shakespeare, but this one part of
               that one sow always struck me. it's when Viola, I think
               that's her name, when she is sitting talking to the count. I
               dunno, that part isn't important. It's what she says. She
               says "She pined in thought, and with a green and yellow
               melancholy she sat like patience on a monument, Smiling at
               grief. Was not this love, indeed" And I guess I bring this
               up because, well, one, I think Shakespeare would have been a
               great prose writer, with descriptions like that. But two,
               that's what I thought of when I was walking out here. when I
               saw you. that's exactly what I thought of.

                                        ELAINE
               wow, thats...

                                        PAUL
               I saw you and I immediately knew what you felt like. I knew
               the deep pain you must have been feeling. it waas palpable
               to me. And i knew "this was love indeed"... you know. what
               you were feeling. How you felt could only be... well, you
               know.

                                        ELAINE
               ... I... That describes it perfectly. I mean, I wasn't
               exactly smiling at grief, at the loss love, but like you
               said, better pain than nothing.

                                        PAUL
               yeah. that's kind of how I feel. I'm sorry, was that
               overstepping a lot of lines, I'm sorry. I just, I dunno,
               thats just exactly what I thought of. I knew that was the
               image in Shakespeares mind when he wrote that. You, at that
               moment.

                                        ELAINE
               well... I don't know what to say right now. Thank you Paul.

                                        PAUL
               You're welcome Elaine. Really, I'm here if you need me.

                                        ELAINE
               thank you

                                        PAUL
               do you need to stay out here for a little longer?

                                        ELAINE
               Yeah, i think so

                                        PAUL
               okay. well hey, I'm sorry you're feeling so down. If you
               need to talk, come in and get me. I'll come right out and
               talk, okay?

                                        ELAINE
               yeah, okay, thanks.

                                        PAUL
               it's nothing. really. take your time. feel better. Okay
               Elaine?

                                        ELAINE
               hey, Thanks Paul. Alot. That really helped.

                                        PAUL
               I'm glad. I really am... I'll just be right inside, near the
               door, okay. I'd love to talk some more, if you want.

                                        ELAINE
               yes! yes, I'd love to. you help me. i feel, just, I don't
               know, calm? safe? Understood. i think that's it. I feel
               understood around you. Important. can we talk again?

                                        PAUL
               of course.

                                        ELAINE
               okay. I;m gonna sit out here for a bit more, smile at grief
               with my green and yellow melancholy. but I'll need to talk
               to you some more. I just need to wallow a bit more first

                                        PAUL
               i completely understand. Okay.

                                        ELAINE
               'kay

                                        PAUL
               I'll see you in a bit then

                                        ELAINE
               yes.

                                        PAUL
               kay

                                        ELAINE
               alright

                                        PAUL
               kay, bye.

                                        ELAINE
               bye... Thanks again.

1 comment:

A and O said...

This is great! Are you still writing plays?