| The Play's The Thing |
| Steam By: Catherine Womack |
| Cast of Characters Benny: A little overweight Paul: Slightly hefty, not too big (Two New Yorkers) |
| Setting Sitting in two big chairs in their NYC apartment. Paul on the left, Benny on the right. Paul holding a cup of coffee. Benny resting with the sports section across his stomach as he starts to fall asleep. |
| Paul: You know Benny, Sometimes at night I get real philosophical. Benny: MmmHmm Paul: YOu know, one of those moods where you're just listening to that damn classical music and it gets you all serious. Benny: MMmm Paul: I'm serious Benny, I got to thinkin' last night. I was drinking my coffee and I looked in the cup, and I looked at the steam comin' up into the air, and I thought, well Paul, you're like that steam. Benny: Coffee? Paul: Steam Benny. Think Steam. We got this big world out there, lotsa freakin' people, ya know? Benny: Yes Paul: Yeah, so we're like coffee. Well not really coffee, but a mixture of stuff. We're all different, and sometimes we go one way, and sometimes we go another. And there's no way of knowing where we'll end up. Those coffee beans didn't know they were gonna be coffee Benny...God knows if they were prepared for it or perfectly calm...And I'm worried Benny. I'm worried I'm not gonna be ready. Benny: Uhuh Paul: And the steam Benny, that's the stuff that escapes, gets to leave, or in a sense not be part of everything else which would be the coffee, get what I'm sayin'? Benny: Sure Paul: So I guess in a sense Benny, I feel like the steam because I feel like I've left the coffee, I feel like I've left life. Left all the good stuff. Benny: Huh? Paul: Benny...I feel like it's too late. That I've messed up, missed out, and now...I'm steam Benny... Benny: Steam? Paul: I can't get back in... Benny: Oh Paul: And you know what Benny? Benny: Huh? Paul: Last night...I cried. (10-15 second silence) Benny: (sits up) Paul? Paul: Yes Benny: If you're steam...I'm steam...and you know what? I'm pretty damn happy. And you know what else? You ain't lost...You gots me...and together we can go further and see more than any a' that damn coffee. They're stuck in that cup Paul...but you and me, we's different...We's livin'. Paul: Wow Benny. Benny: Night Paul (dozes off again) Paul: (5 seconds) Night Benny. |