Word Blast

Woman

2010-09-08T13:26:00.001-07:00

Oh yes god yes!

(gasp)

(gasp)

(gasp)

Man

2010-09-07T12:35:00.000-07:00

Mary, mother of Jesus, please help us! We have to get off this plane.

This could be it. The real thing.

I can't risk being smashed into smithereens when this could be...when this is what I've been waiting for...

(He unbuckles his seat belt and stands up)

STOP THIS PLANE!

Woman

2010-08-20T11:05:00.000-07:00

They didn't-

I waited and they didn't-

He didn't.

(pause)

So I-

(quick breath)

- was looking up at the Arrivals.

And then you-

You.

I thought why not-

He's here.

Man

2010-08-18T23:33:00.000-07:00

Oh.

Who?

And what possessed you to accept my invitation?

Woman

2010-08-18T23:26:00.000-07:00

I came to meet someone...to take them home.

Man

2010-08-18T13:22:00.000-07:00

Not a therapist, no. She died. Unexpectedly. I've suffered loss. Plenty of it. But...but...what were you doing at the airport?

Woman

2010-06-10T16:59:00.000-07:00

Ah. Well. Well. Now. What is it now?

(Pause)

You do realize, don't you, that you've never once asked me what I'm doing here. Why I came to the airport. What possessed me to accept your invitation. It's as if I'm here for your convenience. That, sir, is capital "N" Narcissism. I'm assuming that the highly qualified individual you mentioned earlier is a therapist. A therapist? Well?

2010-06-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

Thick, inexplicable silence. It lasts for 3 months, 9 days, and 20 & 1/4 hours.

Woman

2010-02-15T21:15:00.001-08:00

(condescending)

Okay. Why did you ask me to go with you. Err- excuse me: come with you?

Woman looks around for open seats.

Man

2010-02-15T17:00:00.000-08:00

I'm terribly sorry about this, but I need you to do something for me.

(pause)

Ask me what I'm doing here.

No. Ask me...ask me what I visualize myself doing in five years.

God, no, no, no, no. What a fool--

Okay, maybe ask me why I asked you to come with me. Yes?

(pause)

Can you ask me that?

Now?

Right now!

Please?

Woman

2010-02-09T17:47:00.000-08:00

You are the cutest thing. Your nostrils are flaring. Just the slightest bit. And your pupils are dilated. Or have the whites of your eyes gotten bigger? I can't decide.

Man

2010-02-08T23:29:00.000-08:00

Between us and what...

Death? Doom? Oblivion?

Woman

2010-02-03T02:05:00.000-08:00

It's the seat belt-

(loosens her belt)

It just-
and the-

(pulls up the arm rest between them)

There.
Nothing between us!

Man

2010-02-02T11:03:00.000-08:00

(Man and Woman are seated next to each other inside an airplane, kissing passionately. We hear the pilot's voice over the intercom saying "flight attendants, please prepare for take-off.")

(Man pulls his face away from Woman)

It's not working.

Woman

2010-02-01T19:43:00.000-08:00

Yes! Okay. Yes!

Man

2010-02-01T19:14:00.000-08:00

Awfully sorry.

I'm really not very good at this.

You're just a bit intimidating is all.

And I...I don't quite know what I'm doing here. What I mean to say is that I don't know if I'll be able to...

Oh, what the hell...

(gestures to the ticket counter)

Shall we...?

Woman:

2010-02-01T14:17:00.001-08:00

Now I wonder. What do you mean by that? The girl. Am I the girl. The girl of your dreams? Not likely. The girl most likely? Probably not. I think you know who I am. So stop playing coy and get on with the business.

Man

2010-02-01T11:46:00.000-08:00

I sense some antagonism.

(pause)

Pardon me if I'm overstepping...but if we're going to be travel mates I suppose it will all come out in the end anyway. (laughs uncomfortably)

(pause)

Are you the girl?

Woman:

2010-02-01T11:34:00.000-08:00

Ah. Divorced parents. Going to see Dad for a few days? Mom's not too involved. Obviously. Probably looks like her Dad. It's the eyes. Memories. Resentment. Likely to become an arsonist.

Man

2010-02-01T11:18:00.000-08:00

He's going to see his mother, for her 73rd birthday. Begrudgingly.

And the child over there. All by herself. What's her story?

Woman:

2010-02-01T11:09:00.001-08:00

Look at that man over by the window. Where do you think he's going?

Man

2010-02-01T10:57:00.000-08:00

Oh, I'm not from around here. In fact I've travelled quite a ways to be...simply to watch others travelling...unless of course we really do...

Does it really? I do love the woods, but that's not my...I mean it is now...but that's not what you...rather, it's from a second hand shop. The cardigan.

Woman:

2010-02-01T10:44:00.000-08:00

No. That wasn't-

Not smoke.

Where do you live?

There's a deep forest smell in the wool-

Man:

2010-01-31T23:44:00.000-08:00

I believe the word you're looking for is "smoke."

No, I don't.

And from the heady smell of your garment here, I don't believe you do either.

Which is good.

I mean, what's the point of all this...conversation...if we're killing ourselves in the process, right?

Woman

2006-05-08T22:58:00.000-07:00

Raw silk. Yes. My favorite.

(smells his cardigan)

Do you...?

Man (dismayed)

2006-05-07T01:04:00.000-07:00

Oh my. Oh my, oh my, oh my. I didn't expect . . . I can't promise you . . . I certainly never meant to . . .

(Hetakesoff his cardigan and drapes it over her bare shoulders. Then he picksupher shirt covered in red lipstick, closes his eyes and bringing it closetohis face, inhales deeply. After a moment, he opens his eyes again.)

Yes it is.

Woman: (bursts into tears)

2006-05-04T02:50:00.000-07:00

A vacation of a lifetime? I'm not good with pressure. I've disappointed anyone who's ever expected anything of me. This is such an act of faith. It's only fair- It's only right that- You should know- You should know the truth-

(pause)

I'm selfish. I'm self-absorbed. I don't match my reds. I can't tolerate ignorance. I forget to say thank you. I give advice when I don't know what the hell I'm talking about. I'm churlish and vain. I'm allergic to wheat, soy, eggs, nightshades, dairy, and nuts. I can't stand being alone, but I hate being smothered. I prefer Mingus to Parker. I masturbate with the lights on. I can't tolerate ignorance. I finish other people's sentences. I don't give a damn about global warming.
I'm needy. I'm fragile. I'm falling apart. Unravelling. Heartbroken. I'm on the run. Looking for shelter. I'm never on time. I'm liar and a betrayer. I could go on, but it would only lessen your opinion of me.

(breaks down and can't hold back)

I don't shower as often as I might! There, I said it, it's out. I would love to believe in something. To be swept up in a great passion.

(reaches in her purse and pulls out a tube of lipstick)

I'm doing this now, so there will be no secrets between us.

(takes off her shirt, writes)

Yes. Yes. Yes.

(speaks as she writes more yeses)

For whatever pathologies or proclivities or illusions bring us together. Yes.

MAN

2006-05-04T02:48:00.000-07:00

It's rather embarassing, but I'm trying to overcome my fear of flying, and someone, I won't say who, except to note that she is a highly qualified individual, recommended that I plan a fictional vacation and come to the airport on occasion to put myself at ease. You know, to simply expose myself to people who are about to board or have just deboarded an airplane. So that I might...gain some confidence by my proximity to others who are choosing to fly of their own free will. (pause) But it's not working. It only makes me more anxious really. You've probably already noticed that I'm perspiring even though the air conditioning is working perfectly well in here. I've come here a total of forty-three times now and never until this moment did it occur to me that I should actually do it. Not just pretend to be here for a vacation, but really go on a vacation. You know, actually board an airplane and see what happens. So you see, here we both are, watching other people rush to and fro to make their flights or meet their loved ones who have just arrived, and I was thinking...Simply put, I'm asking if you want to join me on the vacation of a lifetime. What do you say?

(written by Susan, March 10, 11:37 pm)

Woman

2006-05-04T02:44:00.000-07:00

Why no. What do you have in mind?

(Written by E., Feb, 2006, day and time unknown)

MAN

2006-05-04T02:41:00.000-07:00

Miracle or no miracle, I need help and I need it now. Do you...do you have plans tonight?

(Written by S., Feb, 24, 2006, 1: 37 am)

Woman

2006-05-04T02:40:00.000-07:00

Oh, it does. It really does. But one can't expect miracles, eh?

(Written by E., date and time unknown)

MAN

2006-05-04T02:39:00.000-07:00

No. Does it work? All's Well That Ends Well, I suppose.

(Written by S., Feb, 24, 2006, 1: 37 am)

WOMAN

2006-05-04T02:38:00.000-07:00

Have you tried colon therapy?

(written by E. Wednesday, Jan 11, 2006)

MAN

2006-05-04T02:37:00.000-07:00

I always come here thinking it will make me feel better, but it always ends up making me feel worse. Will I ever learn?

written by S. on Jan 11, 2006, 11:37 pm)

Playwrights' Notes

2006-05-04T02:26:00.000-07:00

When we first started this play, we did it via email. Today we thought we might try blogging it. I wasn't able to create individual postings on each response which explains some of the postings.

Our intention is to make our responses more frequent. With the potential for an audience, the pressure is on.

The exercise is this- I write a line and publish it, then my partner writes her response and does the same. A new twist to the surrealist game "The Exquiste Corpse."

Carry on!