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By Savannah Haze Date: 2001 Jun 27 Comment on this Work [[2001.06.27.16.58.31038]] |
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SCENE SEVEN (present-as in where we started.) (Allie and Michael are on top of her apartment building. It is several days later, perhaps a week. They are sitting in a lawn chair. Michael has his back to the back of the chair and Allie has her back to his chest. He is smoking a cigarette. It is late in the day; the light grows dimmer as the scene progresses. A small radio plays commercials and a DJ's voice softly in the background.) MICHAEL "So you come up here to sunbathe?" ALLIE "Yep. It's not like there's that many places around here where I would lay around in a bathing suit." MICHAEL (mock disappointment) "Oh, you wear a bathing suit?" ALLIE "Of course I do, why would you ask... (Understanding what he's getting at and turning around lightly slapping him) God, Michael, I'd almost forgotten what a perv you are. I guess it's true that some things never change." MICHAEL "Hey, a guy can hope." ALLIE (sarcastically) "Yeah, I'm sure that hoping's not all you do." MICHAEL "What I do in the shower is none of your business." ALLIE "Good call, I don't even want to think about it." (She turns back around and he puts his arms around her. She leans back on him, sighing.) MICHAEL (as he puts the cigarette to her lips so she can take a drag) "What's wrong?" ALLIE (exhaling) "What do you mean?" MICHAEL "You sighed." ALLIE "Not because there's anything wrong. That was a sigh of contentment." MICHAEL "Are you content?" ALLIE "Absolutely. Why? Aren't you?" (Pausing as if he is contemplating what to say or perhaps how to say it.) MICHAEL "No, not completely." (Allie doesn't say anything. She stares ahead.) ALLIE "I don't think I quite follow." MICHAEL (taking a breath and flicking his cigarette away) "Turn around so I can look at you." (She turns around, sitting Indian style in front of him. Her face shows concern.) ALLIE "Are you not happy being with me?" MICHAEL "No, no don't think I'm not happy. God, I haven't been this happy since... well, since last time I was with you." ALLIE "So you're happy but not content. What's wrong? Have I done something?" MICHAEL "No, it's just that..." ALLIE "Just that what?" MICHAEL "I've been here for almost a week now and we are yet to have a real conversation." ALLIE "Michael, we've stayed up till all hours talking ever since you got here." MICHAEL "But it's not real talk. We talk about your job and my music and college. We haven't even gotten below the surface." ALLIE "Well, what are you wanting to talk about? The past? I thought we weren't going to worry about the past." MICHAEL "No, not the past. I don't know, Allie." ALLIE "Well, if you don't know then why does it bother you?" MICHAEL (quiet as if choosing his words) "Okay, how about this. You haven't mentioned Sean at all." ALLIE "Seth?" MICHAEL "Whatever. I mean, are you still married? Are you separated? Is he dead? What happened? I mean, you could have a kid by now." ALLIE "No, he's not dead. He's in Denver working for a law firm." MICHAEL "Are you going to join him?" ALLIE "I, I don't know. We've been separated since last August." MICHAEL "Oh. (Pause) Are you getting back together?" ALLIE "I don't know." MICHAEL "You don't know? Well, do you want to get back together? (Taking her arm, a sudden thought entering his head) Allie, did he do something to you?" ALLIE "Oh, no, no! He didn't do anything. (Trailing off) Nothing at all." MICHAEL "You left him?" (Allie nods.) MICHAEL "You're not the leaving type, Allie. You had to have a reason." ALLIE "I wasn't happy." MICHAEL "But I thought you loved him." ALLIE "I did. I still do. I think. But I wasn't content." MICHAEL (almost to himself) "There's that word again." ALLIE "Seth was perfect to me. But not for me. I constantly felt like I was being patronized. And it was so damn frustrating because I was the only one in the relationship with any balls. He wanted to be my big protector and take care of me, but he was completely dependent on me. So often I felt I wasn't even talking to another adult. It got to the point where we didn't even talk. He would ask me how my day was and I would try to sound interested in his cases. We went almost a whole year without having sex. I just couldn't get into it anymore. Then one day, I just couldn't take it. I told him I was moving out. It was horrible, Michael. I felt like such a bitch. But I couldn't take it. I was miserable, and as much as he loved me, he was miserable too. So I moved here. He rented the house out and took a job in Denver." MICHAEL "Do you speak?" ALLIE "I call him to check up on him every so often. He calls me every few days. Every time we have a decent conversation and I think he's getting on with life, though, he breaks down and cries. MICHAEL "What did you tell him when you left?" ALLIE "I just told him how I felt." MICHAEL "You told him that he didn't have any balls?" ALLIE "Okay, I lied to you. And kind of to him. I actually told him I needed to spend time 'finding myself' and 'chasing my dreams.' And I meant that. But that was more of an excuse. I just made sure I left an open door. Not as much for myself, but just to give him something to hold onto." MICHAEL "Do you have any intentions of going back?" ALLIE "To be honest, I have barely thought about it." MICHAEL "You're good at that." ALLIE "What?" MICHAEL "Blocking things out." ALLIE "Yeah. This one keeps trying to come back, though." MICHAEL "You miss him? ALLIE "It's not that. I rarely think about him or us. But I feel guilty for--(pause) for not feeling guilty, I guess. Does that make sense?" MICHAEL "As much sense as ever." ALLIE (looks slightly frustrated) "I don't feel guilty for leaving him. I don't feel guilty for not loving him. And I SHOULD feel guilty. I feel like a horrible person for THAT. I should be wracked with guilt but I'm not. And that's why I feel bad." MICHAEL (nodding) "I understand." (Both are quiet as if they don't know what to say.) MICHAEL (hesitantly) "Did the two of you have any..." ALLIE "No. We tried. I was pregnant--once." (Michael starts to say something and Allie cuts him off.) ALLIE "I lost it during the second trimester." MICHAEL "I'm sorry." ALLIE "Don't be. It would have only made things worse." (Both are silent.) MICHAEL "Allie, I'm sorry. (Pause) I really am happy, content even. I should be more patient but I had to ask." ALLIE "It's okay. I would have told you eventually. I just didn't know how to bring it up. I couldn't very well say, 'Oh by the way, I left my husband six months ago." MICHAEL "I understand." ALLIE "Any other questions? We might as well get everything out right now." MICHAEL "No, no more." (Allie turns back around a lays against Michael again. She is only settled for a moment.) MICHAEL (suddenly) "Did all this with Seth start after I came back last time?" ALLIE (closing her eyes) "Michael, this isn't your fault..." MICHAEL "Did it?" ALLIE (her head lowered) "Yes." (Michael exhales and leans back. He runs his hands through his hair.) ALLIE "Michael, no. Don't think that. It was always like that between Seth and me. I was just more, I don't know. Understanding. Tolerant. Idealistic. Pick one. It was only a matter of time before I left." MICHAEL "But I'm the catalyst that set this off?" ALLIE "I guess in a sense. But Michael, I didn't try to find you. I didn't leave him just for you so it wasn't your fault. (Turning again and taking his hands) Listen, your coming back was what I needed. I needed to be reminded of what my life used to be, the dreams I used to have. That life was exciting. You were that reminder." MICHAEL "I don't understand, though. If I caused this somehow, they why didn't you find me?" ALLIE "I needed time to work things out in my head. I couldn't just walk out of a marriage and start seeing another man." MICHAEL "I'm not saying that. I, I just wish I could have been there for you." ALLIE "Michael, remember when we were younger, and I told you that I wanted the chance to be on my own? I wanted to prove to myself that I could make decisions and not completely screw up my life. Almost my entire existence has been spent either under the rule of my parents or Seth. What little time I had on my own I made a mess of. The past six months have been great. I mean, I've been kind of lonely; but it's given me a chance to do what I want without the influence of anyone else." MICHAEL "Well, do you have any plans? I mean, as far as work. Are you going to stay at the book shop or are you going to teach again?" ALLIE "I'm not sure. The university has approached me about teaching a class. I haven't gotten back to them. I may start singing again. I may try writing a book. Hell, maybe I'll save the rainforest. The point is that I have no one to tell me what to do or not to do. Last month I got an urge to see the mountains so I hopped on a plane and flew to Montana for a week. I let Shannon run the store and had the post office hold my mail. And you know what? It felt good. I'm just leaving myself open to whatever life lays in front of me. " (DJ's voice becomes more audible: "Off the request lines, this is going out to Selina from Ricky." (Live's "When Dolphin's Cry" begins. Michael speaks after the first line of the song: "The way you're bathed in light.") MICHAEL "Just whatever? Would you be open to a whomever?" ALLIE "Seth?" MICHAEL "Me." (Michael leans over to kiss her. She closes her eyes. Right before their lips touch she moves back.) ALLIE "Wait, Michael..." MICHAEL "Allie, I want to be with you again. We've lost each other over and over, and I don't know if I could handle coming this close and losing you again." (Allie looks at him and puts her hand on his cheek. She pulls his face close and their lips touch. They kiss for a moment and then open their eyes. ) MICHAEL (unsure if he's overstepped his bounds) "Al..." ALLIE "Shhhhh. Don't talk, just keep kissing me." (They kiss again; the scene fades to black with Allie and Michael tenderly kissing. As the music grows more intense, so does their kiss. The scene fade with last line of the chorus) |