Conversations
with the Moon
By Amanda Martin
It
is evening in SELENE’s apartment in the city.
To the left is her small, cluttered kitchen, where SELENE stands,
putting dirty dishes in the sink, but not washing them. She has not left her apartment in days, and
thus has not made any effort to look presentable. Her hair is unkempt, and she still wears the
blue striped pajama pants and white tank top that she slept in the night
before. She crosses right to her living
“area” where, in addition to a white sofa, a TV, and a lopsided bookshelf,
there is a desk with computer and chair.
She turns on the screen, filling the darkened space with a pale, bluish
glow. Outside, the MAN in the moon,
dressed in a brown, tweed suit from the mid-19th century and a brown
bowler hat. He pulls a chain that
dangles near his face, illuminates the moon, and speaks.
MAN
So
what is it for tonight?
SELENE
(Seating herself at the computer) I can’t talk tonight. I’m writing.
MAN
I
see. And what are you writing?
SELENE
The
novel no one thought I could write.
MAN
A story of retribution and the strength of
the human spirit?
SELENE
A
novel no one wants to read. The story of a woman and her frustrated existence.
MAN
Sounds familiar.
SELENE
You’re
supposed to write about what you know.
MAN
So
you are your own inspiration.
SELENE
All
artists are narcissists. Or nuts.
MAN
And
where will your story take you?
SELENE
I
don’t know yet.
MAN
That
sounds about right.
SELENE
For
the moment I just need to write down some dialogue I have in my head. (Begins to fiddle with computer, randomly typing and moving mouse.) Error? No!
Fuck! Fuck! No error!
MAN
Trouble?
SELENE
Virus. Fuck! Not now!
MAN
May
I suggest a pen and paper?
SELENE
(Still fiddling with computer) I need my computer. The last time I turned it on it was
fine. I don’t understand what went
wrong.
MAN
You
can at least jot down your dialogue before you forget it. The virus can wait.
SELENE
You
don’t understand. It can’t wait. I don’t understand how it works. If I let it remain in there, festering, it
could ruin my computer.
MAN
You’re
overreacting. It’s probably nothing.
SELENE
(Clicking
and typing furiously) It could destroy everything I have saved, everything I’ve
ever done, just because some asshole decided to take his revenge on the world
through my computer. I have to be
defensive. I can’t just wait for him to
immobilize everything I’ve ever worked for.
I have to protect myself. He
can’t take it away from me.
MAN
(After a pause) Is this really about your computer?
SELENE
Of
course it is.
MAN
What
are you going to do about it then?
SELENE
God. I don’t know.