Building Pyramids
by Steven Michelson
Copyright ã 1999 by Steven Michelson. All rights reserved.
Act I
Scene 1
(RICHARD MILLER and AMY ROSS, both about 33, are in the United Airlines wing of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, near the check-in counter for gate B42. Amy is dressed in a turquoise business suit, wearing a pair of pearl earrings. Richard is wearing a yellow shirt, and there is a fountain pen in his shirt pocket. Amy paces nervously, anxious about something. Richard is obviously annoyed, continually looking at his watch. Amy slams down her bag with her back to Richard.)
AMY
(to anyone who will listen)
They never tell you what’s going on. There could be three feet of snow on the ground, the airport could be closed, and all the airlines will tell you is "your flight is delayed."
RICHARD
(overhears Amy)
Tell me about it. Can you believe this blizzard? I was supposed to leave at six thirty, but I’ve been sitting here for forty five minutes. All I’ve seen are planes landing; nothing’s taking off.
AMY
Great. I’m supposed to meet with my boss in Denver in two hours, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. Are you going to Denver too?
RICHARD
No, New Jersey.
AMY
(AMY recognizes RICHARD’s voice, then turns to look at him.)
Richard? Richard Miller?
RICHARD
Oh my God! Amy Ross!
AMY
How are you?
RICHARD
Good. Real good. How about you?
AMY
Good.
RICHARD
So... what brings you to Chicago?
AMY
Business meeting.
RICHARD
What do you do?
AMY
Vice president of product development for a small technology company. We make virtual reality systems.
RICHARD
No kidding! I’m impressed, but not surprised. You always had ambition.
AMY
How about you - what do you do?
RICHARD
I write a column for a local paper.
AMY
So you did become a writer!
AIRLINE AGENT (over loudspeaker)
Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention. In just a few minutes we’ll begin boarding flight 941, non-stop service to Denver. Please have your boarding passes ready.
RICHARD
It’s not going to happen.
AMY
You’re probably right. But they still go through the charade. (beat) So, are you married?
RICHARD
Single dad.
AMY
Wow! You’re a daddy!
RICHARD
I have a little girl. She’s wonderful. Just turned three. Do you want to see her picture?
AMY
I’d love to.
(RICHARD takes a picture out of his wallet and shows it to AMY.)
She’s a pretty little girl. She has your smile.
RICHARD
Thanks. How about you? Are you married?
AMY
No.
RICHARD
Still haven’t met Mr. Right, huh?
(AMY shrugs and smiles. They admire each other for a moment.)
You look good.
AMY
Thanks. So do you.
RICHARD
Do you remember when we first met?
AMY
Only like it was yesterday. It was the second day of junior high, and we were just getting out of first period math class. I was looking in my purse for a tissue, and this ugly frog jumped right out when I opened it up.
RICHARD
It was a toad.
(PRE-TEEN AMY [12 years old] enters, carrying her purse, screaming. She is followed by PRE-TEEN RICHARD [12 years old].)
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
What’s wrong?
PRE-TEEN AMY
Some ugly green thing jumped out of my purse. I think it was a frog.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Nah, it’s probably a toad. How would a frog get in your purse?
PRE-TEEN AMY
I don’t know. How would a toad?
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
(defensive) How should I know?
PRE-TEEN AMY
What’s your name?
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Richard.
PRE-TEEN AMY
Hi, Richard.
(She brushes her fingers through her hair to move it out of her eyes.)
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Hi.
PRE-TEEN AMY
So...
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
So... what?
PRE-TEEN AMY
Aren’t you going to ask me my name?
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Oh. Yeah, okay. What’s your name?
PRE-TEEN AMY
Amy.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Hi Amy. I’m Richard.
PRE-TEEN AMY
I know. You just told me.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Oh yeah.
PRE-TEEN AMY
So, you’re in my math class? I didn’t see you in there. Were you hiding?
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
No. I was sitting in the back. (beat) Yeah. I guess you could say I was hiding. I’m not very good at math. I’m better at English. I sit in the front row in English.
PRE-TEEN AMY
I sit in the back.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Who do you have?
PRE-TEEN AMY
Miss Cook, fourth period.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Me too. She seems pretty cool.
PRE-TEEN AMY
I hear she gives a lot of homework. A lot of essays and stuff.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Oh, God! I hate writing.
PRE-TEEN AMY
So... did you make a new years resolution for the new school year?
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
You make resolutions for the new school year?
PRE-TEEN AMY
Sure. This year I’ve decided to wear more turquoise.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Okay, then I’m gonna wear more... yellow.
PRE-TEEN AMY
Yellow’s a good color for you.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
So... um. Maybe we can... sit together at lunch or something... if you want.
PRE-TEEN AMY
Okay. I mean... if you want.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Yeah. Well, I gotta go.
PRE-TEEN AMY
Yeah, me too. See ya in English.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
See ya.
(PRE-TEEN AMY and PRE-TEEN RICHARD exit.)
RICHARD
You know, I have a confession to make.
AMY
What’s that?
RICHARD
I put the toad in your purse.
AMY
I had a feeling...
(AMY starts playing with her hair.)
RICHARD
What can I say? I was staring at you all through first period. The way you kept running your fingers through your hair to pull it back, out of your eyes - very cute.
(He notices her playing with her hair. Amy catches herself, becomes self-conscious, then stops abruptly.)
I just had to meet you and putting the toad in your purse was my best move.
AMY
Should I be afraid to open my carry on?
RICHARD
No, I don’t use toads to meet women anymore. I’ve advanced to more sophisticated and elaborate schemes.
AMY
Like what?
RICHARD
This blizzard... my doing.
AMY
Aren’t you a powerful force. And here I was thinking it was just a nice coincidence that we bumped into each other.
RICHARD
Not a coincidence at all. I planned it.
AMY
Okay, Mr. "all powerful," if you truly have the power you claim to have, let’s see you close the airport so we’ll be stuck here together all night until the storm passes.
RICHARD
What about your boss?
AMY
I see him all the time. You I haven’t seen in... fifteen years.
RICHARD
(playfully hesitant) I don’t know. Look at all the people it would inconvenience. I’m sure a lot of folks here want to get home, just like us.
AMY
You’ve become considerate in your old age.
AIRLINE AGENT (over loudspeaker)
Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention. The airport is temporarily closing due to the snowstorm. As soon as we receive further information, we’ll be sure to pass it on to you. We’re sorry for the inconvenience, and appreciate your patience.
(RICHARD and AMY look surprisingly at each other as the lights go down.)
End of Scene
Act I
Scene 2
Several hours later
(AMY and RICHARD have been talking for several hours. They are laughing and obviously enjoying each others’ company. Among other food items that they’ve consumed, Amy is drinking bottled water and Richard is snacking on Pez candy.)
AMY
Oh my God! I forgot all about that! You were a wild one, Richard. That’s what I liked about you. No limits.
RICHARD
Like the time I crashed your slumber party?
AMY
You nearly got us both grounded for life.
RICHARD
It was worth it, don’t you think?
(PRE-TEEN AMY [12 years old] and PRE-TEEN RICHARD [12 years old] enter.)
PRE-TEEN AMY
Richard, what are you doing here?
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
I heard you were having a party. Why didn’t you invite me?
PRE-TEEN AMY
It’s a slumber party. How did you find out about it?
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Alyssa told me.
PRE-TEEN AMY
Did she also tell you it’s only for me and my girlfriends? Boys aren’t allowed.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Why not? What are you doing that’s so secret?
PRE-TEEN AMY
Richard, you have to leave.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Why?
PRE-TEEN AMY
You just do.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Come on. I brought firecrackers.
PRE-TEEN AMY
What are you going to do with firecrackers? Oh, never mind. If my father finds you here, he’ll probably kill you and ground me.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Don’t you want me here?
PRE-TEEN AMY
It’s not that I don’t want you here. I just don’t want to get in trouble. Now go, before my dad finds you.
(Pre-teen Richard and pre-teen Amy exit.)
RICHARD
What did you do at those slumber parties, anyway?
AMY
I don’t know. We’d try different hairstyles on each other; paint each others’ nails; talk about which boys would be our dream dates. I guess you did something similar with your friends.
RICHARD
No, we just blew things up.
AMY
You blew things up?
RICHARD
Yeah - plastic trucks, racecars, little toy soldiers.
AMY
Suddenly it all makes sense. It’s amazing boys and girls ever hook up.
RICHARD
Speaking of hooking up, remember my thirteenth birthday party?
AMY
How could I forget? It was my first boy-girl party.
(PRE-TEEN AMY [12 years old] and PRE-TEEN RICHARD [13 years old] enter.)
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Well, looks like you’re the last one. I hope you had a good time.
PRE-TEEN AMY
Yeah, it was fun.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
I’m really glad you came. Thanks for dancing with me.
PRE-TEEN AMY
You’re welcome.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Hey, guess what I think my parents got me.
PRE-TEEN AMY
What?
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
A most excellent gift - a Swiss Army knife. I’ve been dropping hints left and right. I think even my parents got the message this time. They can be so dense.
PRE-TEEN AMY
Tell me about it.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Maybe... next weekend you can come over and we can carve a totem pole with it or something... I mean... if you want.
PRE-TEEN AMY
Yeah... I mean... Sounds like fun.
(A slightly awkward silence)
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
So... how’d you do on the big test in sex ed?
PRE-TEEN AMY
Ninety one.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
That’s good. I got an 88. He took off two points because I mis-spelled fallopian. (beat) Like, why would spelling count in sex? It’s not like playing scrabble. (beat) Is it?
PRE-TEEN AMY
No, of course not. (beat) I don’t think so.
(A car horn honks in the background.)
I think that’s my dad. I better go.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Wait, just a second.
(He darts out, and quickly returns with a glass bottle.)
I want you to have this.
(He hands the bottle to Amy.)
PRE-TEEN AMY
The bottle from spin-the-bottle.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
I’m glad it pointed to you when I spun it the first time.
PRE-TEEN AMY
Me too.
(She turns the bottle around in her hand until it points to Richard.)
Round and round the bottle goes, where it stops nobody knows.
(They look at each other for a moment, then awkwardly lean toward each other to kiss. Just as their lips are only inches from each other, the car horn honks again, startling them and ruining the mood.)
I gotta go. My dad’s waiting.
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Okay.
(The two kids look at each other a little uncomfortably for a moment.)
PRE-TEEN AMY
Well... happy birthday.
(She gives him a quick kiss on the cheek, then darts off.)
PRE-TEEN RICHARD
Thanks.
(PRE-TEEN RICHARD exits, with his hand held against his cheek.)