A ten minute
play
Rich Espey
410.825.4353
A ten minute play
Characters
Howard, 50’s
Carlene, 40’s
Time
An afternoon in August of next year
Place
Carlene’s office at
(At rise, CARLENE is seated.
HOWARD is standing. There is a large box on Carlene’s desk and similar boxes
are stacked in the office. HOWARD stares at CARLENE for a long time. CARLENE
does not look at HOWARD.
HOWARD
Don’t take it
personally, Carlene.
CARLENE
Why would I take it
personally? They’ll do what they want.
HOWARD
I mean, don’t hold
it against them.
CARLENE
Why shouldn’t I?
HOWARD
They’re just doing
what they’ve been elected to do. This is a democracy, after all –
CARLENE
God Bless
HOWARD
It’s important to
the community. You know that’s true.
CARLENE
I know.
HOWARD
I thought it might
come as a relief.
CARLENE
A
relief?
HOWARD
I mean no more
grief. No more for you to put up with. You got enough on your plate without
that –
CARLENE
Oh, come off it,
Howard!
HOWARD
Now look, Carlene, I
could have just sent you an email from the office about this, ordered you to do
it, but I wanted to explain it to you in person. Look, I know it’s not a
regular thing –
CARLENE
I’ll say!
HOWARD
But, you know,
that’s the point, it’s not a regular thing and I know if the Board were making these kinds of recommendations all the time that
would be one thing, but they’re usually pretty hands-off. It’s just that
there’s been so much outcry. It hasn’t let up all
summer.
CARLENE
I know. I go to
church, too.
HOWARD
Well then you
understand it. It...it challenges the most deeply held
beliefs in this community. It challenges the core of this community, what holds
this community together.
CARLENE
This community...I
have been the principal for twelve years, and every time I see a kid who’s graduating
and going somewhere, a kid who has some sort of spark, some sort of curiosity,
I always say to them, “Don’t forget about us here in
HOWARD
To
Kim?
CARLENE
I said it to her in
your kitchen the night before she went off to college and where is she now?
HOWARD
She’s coming back,
Carlene. She’s planning to come back.
CARLENE
To
HOWARD
She promised she’d
come back.
CARLENE
Anyone
who has a thought in their head leaves, Howard.
HOWARD
You’re here,
Carlene.
(HOWARD opens up a small
package which contains razor blades. He removes one blade and hands it to
CARLENE. She refuses to take it.)
If you don’t do it I
will.
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