Badwater

 

A Ghost Story

 

By

Brandon Seger

 

Bakersfield Community Theatre 2005 One-Act Festival

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Take a look at http://www.physics.utah.edu/~taunok/Pics/Travel/California/Death-Valley-Oct-2002/images/Death-Valley-023-Badwater.jpg for a picture of the actual Badwater area.

 

 

Characters

 

 

The Family

Dad

Mama

Daniel

Laura

 

The Ghost

Henry M. Robert

 

Props

 

Badwater 280 Feet Below Sea Level wood sign

Umbrella

Camera

Miscellaneous tourist gear

 

Synopsis

 

Badwater is a section of the vast, desolate desert plains of Death Valley National Park in east California, identified by a wooden sign and a unique geographical location for it is the lowest elevation in the western hemisphere.The National Park is called as such because in the 19^th century, a band of westward pioneers traveled through the valley, and upon losing many of its members to the harsh environment, they called it Death Valley.

 

One day, the location is visited by a family on vacation, as they are on a naturalist road trip.Upon arriving at Badwater and taking pictures, they are visited by the ghost of one of the pioneers who traveled through the valley two centuries earlier.

 

 

[Lights fade in. The stage is empty except for a solitary wood sign that sits at center stage, facing the audience and it readsBadwater: 280 feet below sea level, identical to the picture in the title page of this document.The family is offstage right.The sound of a swift breeze plays over the speakers.Next,, the sound of a car pulling up plays.Seconds later, Daniel speaks from offstage.]

 

DanielHere we are, Mama!

 

MamaI see it, honey.

 

Family enters.

 

Dad Andhere we are!

 

MamaYupBadwater.

 

Dad A whole 280 feet below sea level. Amazing.

 

Daniel Just think, if the ocean were here, we'd be way under it.

 

Laura Wow, I can't believe how smart you are!

 

DanielBe quiet!

 

LauraSo, this is it?Just a little sign in the middle of nowhere.Oh my goodness, I think I'm going to faint with excitement!

 

DanielWho cares about the sign?

 

LauraYeah�nothin but sand, sand, and more sand.And wait a minute--more sand!For miles and miles

 

Mama Except for those mountains.

 

Daniel We're standing in the lowest point in the western hemisphere.Don't you find that fascinating?

 

LauraYeah, totally.

 

MamaOh Danny, you know you're sister has never been a big fan of the outdoors.

LauraHey, I don't mind the outdoors.At least when we go camping, it's in a nice forest with many alpine trees.But at this place--there is just nothing!

 

Daniel Camping?You call staying in a warm, clean log cabin as "camping?"That's not camping.

 

Dad Yeah, sorry.Real camping is when you drive out to some remote spot in the forest, find a good open spot, and set up your tents and bring out the sleeping bags and gather scattered wood for a good old fire.

 

MamaGot that right.There�s nuthin like sitting around the campfire in the middle of the night, gazin at all the stars and listenin to the howls of the wolves.Truly sublime.

 

DanielBut we know miss prissy here couldn't stand it--the critters in the forest might crawl in her sleeping bad in the middle of the night!Oh no!

 

LauraShut upow, ow!I've got sand between my toes.[Takes of her shoes and shakes them out.]Oh, jeez!This ground is as hot as the stove![Dances around, then quickly puts her shoes back on wile Daniel laughs.]

 

Mama I told you not to bring sandals, honey.

 

Daniel Well, look, Laura[pointing at the sign]you've stooped to a whole new level!

 

Laura Hush your mouth!

 

Dad Now now, kids.I don't want no fightin.

 

Laura Why not?Ain't nothing else to do out here.

 

DanielWhy is it so boring to you.Look how the valley is surrounded by all these big mountains, look vast this valley is!

 

Dad Seems to have been lost in time.

 

Mama I'm sure there's plenty of natural treasures if you go lookin for them.

 

Dad Danny and I read up on this place in a nature magazine.Why, here in Death Valley they've got places like Devil's Cornfield, Devils Golf Course, a 400-foot deep crater--and this here place, Badwater! One of the lowest elevations on earth.

 

LauraAnd we're going to see all of these places before we leave?

 

DanielWe will, won't we?

 

MamaOf course we will.

 

Laura It would suck if our car broke down out here in the middle of nowhere.

 

MamaYeah it would, but we've got plenty of food 'n water with us, and we could call triple A if that were to happen.

 

Dad Yeah, nothin' to worry about.

 

Laura Why couldn't we do something else for a family vacation?Like go to Mexico½hey, Las Vegas is a couple of hours away from here, why don't we go there?

 

Mama Heavens, no.If you daddy here saw a slot machine, we'd have to get a whole army to hold him back, else he would pour all his money down it!

 

Dad grumbles

 

Dad So, I wonder why they call it "Death Valley".

 

Laura Well, duh!Look how *dead* it is out here!

 

Mama Funny name for a national park.

 

DanielActually, it's called that because in 1849, during the gold rush, a band of travelers from the east came, wanting a piece of fortune.Then they found themselves going across this valley, and the environment was so harsh, some of them died.

 

Laura Oooh�spooky.Now, are we going to leave soon?

 

Enter Henry. He is clothed in eighteen-century pioneer garb: boots, pants, worn out leather hat, and the like.He has a gruff voice.He seems to have appeared out of nowhere, and the family is taken aback by his appearance.

 

Henry Howdy, folks.

 

Mama Who might you be?

 

Henry Pardon me for dropping by. My name's Henry Monty Robert.

 

Dad What are you doing all the way out here?

 

Henry Why, this be my home, gent. Plain 'n desolate, I know, but that be it.

 

Laura Your home?I don't see any houses out here.

 

Daniel Something we can help you with, mister?

 

Henry Not really, I just like to stop by every once'n a while and greet visitors.It�s so lonely out here in these parts.

 

MamaYou look so dehydrated.Why, here�take a bottle of water.

 

Henry Oh, no thanks, ma'am. Water ain't much use to me anymore.

Dad How long you been out here?

 

Henry I get asked that a lot. Well, darn' been longer'n I can remember.You sure cant count them with your fingers.

 

MamaYou startled us, we didn't even see you--it is so desolate out here, you could see a pig a mile away.

 

Henry Didn't mean to give you such a spook, ma'am.I've been known to surprise people.No longer bound to physical laws, that kinda happens.

 

Laura Is there something you want from us?

 

Henry Course not, just wanted to see how you're doin and to thank you for coming all the way out here.It's gets awfully lonely, as you can imagine. Sometimes I see some of my buddies from so long ago, but they're as elusive as the wind.

 

Dad Well, if you've been stuck out here, we can give you a ride to the next town.We got another seat.

 

Henry That won't be necessary, my friend.[Pause.]Kinda interestin', this location.I never knew how special it was 'til they put this here sign in the ground so many years ago.

 

Daniel You look like you just came off the set of "A Home on the Prairie."

 

Laura What's up with that outfit?

 

Henry It's mighty comfortable, been wearin it for ages.I'm stuck with it here in these lands, seems like I will be for a long time to come.

 

Mama What are you, a ghost? You tryin to fool us?

 

Dad He ain't no ghost.Maybe a park ranger, pullin our tails.

 

Henry� There ain�t no tails to pull.

 

Laura� �Pulling off a show, all right.

 

Henry Never been in a show, myself. It must hard to believe your eyes. I'd never thought I would ever become an apparition, but here I am.

 

Dad �You think you�re funny, huh?

 

Mama� All right, for real, who are you, and where did you come from?

 

Henry I'm from Nebraska, ma�am.I was a shoe-smith, owned my own little shop.It wasn't a very big town.We got some competition comin in, trying to put us out of business.We started runninshort of money, then I heard news of a gold rush going on over in California.So I got with a few fellows of mine, we got all our stuff and I took my family with me and we came out here hopinto find riches. The trip was goingaight.On our way through the states we'd stop at towns, get food and water.Weeks of travelin.Then we reached California, and we got all excited.We continued on toward the west, then we come across some mountains and found ourselves out in this here valley. It was so hot, the sun did not forgive us.It seemed to be punishing us for going this way, as if it was cursed.We ran short of food and water.You couldn't find either out here.Not a drop, not any wild hog to shoot down.We didn't want our families to starve and go thirsty, so we gave them what we had left.Some of us started feeling week, like we couldn't go on.My family was getting distressed, they saw me getting pretty sick. We already lost a few folks on our party.Then one day I slump down to this sand, havin no energy in me left.They grab me, tryin to pull me up.The next thing I know, I get up, and no one's around.Not for miles.Then I see some of my old buddies.I thought they were dead, but actually they were.Here I was with them, now a permament resident of these parts.Been that way ever since.

 

A brief silence.

 

Dad [Clapping] Bravo, bravo, you're a great storyteller. You should get into the writin' business, you know?

 

HenryWell, folks, I thank you for paying these hear parts a visit.I don't know why anyone would want to come out here, but I sincerely preciate that they do.I will be on my way now, you all take care, and be safe.

 

Henry tips his hat to them, and walks offstage.They watch him walk away.A few seconds later, they all gasp.

 

Mama Where'd he go?

 

Dad Did he just disappear?

 

DanielOut of thin air!

 

Laura Ok, I've had enough of this place.

 

Mama Let's go, kids.

 

They all walk offstage to their car, except for Daniel, who still stands in place, staring.

 

Daniel Wowthey sure gave this place the right name.

 

[Mama hollers at Daniel and he joins up with them.Lights fade out on the lonely sign.]