ee scorr orcas CHARACTERS ‘Sue: A woman in her 308 Bruce: A man in his 3, I Phoenix SETTING New York, NY and Phoenix, AZ TIME, SCENE 1 The Present Bruce and Sue, in a coffee shop. sur: Three things. BRUCE: Ob, Okay. sue: Yeah, anvce: We're diving right in. ‘sur: There's unre things I want to say. sarc: Okay. Good things come in threes, High sur: Deaths, anv: Sorry? sur: And deaths. Come in threes. Is what they 1: Okay. Well. Before you sar ‘come back. su; Thank you. ‘mruct: What did that mean ‘sus: I don't know. ‘suc: Ip the only one hee sue: No big des ‘puck: How about d sue: Thanks again proce: And Hom Wot og sue: Uh, the wip? I Eo sack: [wasn’t Sue ‘sus: You did. Yous x2 Ist that what they And good things BRU eee juste the first 0 Say wel: terme be the fist 10 539?" his —weleorne back 243 i a244 SCOTT ORGAN sruce: It's been a while. es been ‘se: Four weeks. ‘avce: A month, right? ‘ve: No, Four weeks isn’t realy noc: Okay, right. Four weeks SUE: I was away. sruce: On business. soe That’ right. stuce: Well Weleome back, sur: Thank you. suc: A good trip? Sue: I guess. Neither good nor bad snuce: Okay, sue: Yeah. No, it was fine. suck: All right. Number one. sur: Whar? rcs: You had three things. soe: Ob, For a second I thought that was like a catch phrase or something. sauce: Which? sur: You said “number one.” Like “number one.” nce: Meaning? sur: No. Le’ just. ‘proce: Right. The three. Le's hear it sur: One. nce: (pretending it's his catch phrase-) Number One. sor: Wha? snuce: No, it's a... Go ahead. sur: The first thing I wanted o tell you. Before Ieft town, ‘rue: Back then, yes... Four wecks ago. sue: Ts Thad a great time with you that night. sxvc#: Me too. what? A month? sue: I did. On that... you know, i didn’t even qualify as a date... snuce: Drinks, or. sve: Yeah vce: Me too. I thought we rally hit it off sue: Yeah, uoeNtx 245 ssmuce: And the whole, crazy night, it was funny, it felt like we were ‘stupid college kids or something. suv: We actually were kind of stupid. ‘BRUCE: But, yes it was fun, the whole ‘sum: Hook up, I gus. scr: Better than that. Drinks soe: Well ‘oct: Just the hanging out, you know? Talking, and... a8 a team, you know, our siver medal performance i te trivia thing. ‘0x: We were robbed ‘Bruce: My fault suE:No. uct: Ie was SUE: Absolutely not. To say no one is buried in Grant's Tomb... ‘uct: Yeah. ‘0E: That he’s “entombed ‘aRUCE: “Entombed.” sox: Nor buried. Is. sauce: I agree. sug: We were robbed, ‘mevce: You are so good at trivia, You are. You're minded .... You're smart sue: Wel, i was fun, RUE: And, you know, [hadn't planned on things going where they id, You know later. som: Tthoughe they might, nUCE: And .... You did? sur: Yes, nvce: Oh. Wel. I wasn't going to presume, oF hore that didn't really havea plan, per sep in my hea. sur: knew. BRUCE: You did? sue: Fenow myself And [liked you. auc: Liked me? sut: That night. You know, and stil. You's a est 3: sauce: Thanks. sur: You're a little weird was going to say date, very trivial6 scort oncaN ruck: Oh, sur: Yeah. You are. ‘mruce: Okay, sur: But think that’s okay. There's good weird and there's bad weird nce: Right. Bad, lke, come look at my homemade chain mail armor that I made with my own two hands sor:You have chain mail armor? socx: No, I'm saying if. sun: Yes, And no, There's worse weird, believe me anuce: Or I'm in a barbershop quartet. sur: Depends. I feel like some guys could pl that off snuce: P'm not in one SUE: Depending on who you are ‘aruce: F'm not in one. ‘vr: That's fine. ‘anuce: Do you think that I should look into it? SUE:A barbershop quarte? snc: Ye. SUE: No, sock: Then we are agreed. See, I knew we get along. sux: eah No, it was fan. That night. sruce: Agreed once again. ‘ur Better than most -nnuce: Okay, Tan live with that. “Better than most” I won't pur it ‘on my headstone, but. sue: Meaning. Meeting stangers. Your odds, you know: They suck. noc: Right. sum: Not better than most smeuce: Okay, sur: As far as drinks with strangers go, that was my most enjoyable vet sauce: Number One! sue: T get it nvr: Sorry, sur: No, its kind of funny, actually. 'UCE: Mont enjoyable yet for me too. SUE: Okay. ee MMMM PHOENIX 247 sauce: Just handing out the superlatives now, aren't we? SUE: Yes. snuce: Bestest not-quite-date ever. sur: Yeah, and- snvce: I'm just glad you called, and I'm glad to see you in person and it had been a while and 1 was holding out hope, but it had been a bit, so I was alittle nervous I wouldn't hear from you, bat here you ar. sur: Here Tam, arvce: Yes, Time had passed. A month. Or, you know, nearly- sue: Right RUE: Which was enough time for me to think, “okay, I get the point...” suE:Yeab, well. ‘arvck: And think, “nex time, Bruce, get the its number, to0," you know? sue: Sure, tanuce: Don's just sete with handing yours over. I's fundamental. But, damn, that was fn, right, that nigh? sve:Yeah, it was ‘snuce: Right? And here you ae. You called. sue: Yeah, sanvce: Awesome. cE; And T should get tothe second thing. ‘BRUCE: Let's do this. svt: Okay, then, nce: I like your syle. I's very, vou know. svE: Okay. svc: Hit me, sor: Bearing in mind all that I said... snuce: (I'm) Bearing suE: T can't see you anymore, Pause, He begins waving in fro of hr fee. sevice: 'm right here. Right here. (paus,) didn’t expect that svt: Are you bearing in mind sill?zal scort onaax ruce: Is that supposed to take the sting out? SUE: T gues itis, ‘srvce: What? That you like hanging out with me but you don’t want to.see me anymore s0, what? It kind of evens out? su: Yes? Pause ‘ruce: There's somebody ese? suE: No. smvce: You sure? sun Yes, snuce: Because then I would understand, sut:TThen yes. Someone ese, My husband, in fc. snuce: No one else sur: No. site: You just prefer the company of say; no one, over, say; Me. su: ike you. I just don't want tobe involved with anyone right now. snuce: hear you. SUE: Good. snuck: Imean, Thear you. Dinner for one, nothing ike it. sve: Right... ‘sruce: You know. A can of soup is just the right size for.... And sprawling all across the bed. The great long late nights alone with not a fucking soul ro talk to except your two ats sur: You should probably get out more. noc: You know what, Sue? I probably should Pause sux: How did you know Ihave ro cats? snuce: I didn’t sur: Ido, smruce: Congratulations. ‘vz: Thank you, _Bnuce: Cats don't liveforever, you know, sue: Yea, snoce: I'm sorry. That sounded mean. SUE: I's just the truth, snoce: Well Just because i's the truth doesn't mean Thave to spout it out all the time Hoes 249 Sve: IP's not a problem. ‘savct: You know, “More than 25 million people have died of AIDS.” sue: Really? ‘BRUCE: Just because i’ true doesn’t mean Ihave to spout it out sus: Is anyone doing ansthing about AIDS, I mean, seriously. BRUCE: Well. T won't lie t you sur: Don’t ‘snvce: Iam sorry you're not interested. I am. SUF: It’s not you. I just... #8 not something I want to do Fight now: 1 was away and L was thinking about my life, about the worlds and saevce: And what? sur: And I just thought spruce: What? ‘sue: I don’t know. I don't know. rrvck: You should figure that out. sue: Well, no, T don’t really have to figure any fucking thing out. RUCK: OF course not. I'm sorry. Paws. Yeah. Sorry sue: Forget it ‘BRUCE: Our first and last ight sve: Yeab snevc#; Not bad. Only one ight svt: Not bad. pavck: You keep the cats svt: Thanks. ‘nxvck: We'll spit up the books later sve: Yeah Paws. I should go. I need to go. nvct; Okay. svt: Ihave to check in at work. BRUCE: Okay, sur: Wells Bruce, It was nice to talk £0 You. ‘BRUCE: And you.250 scort orcas svt: Ie was nice to see you and I wish you all he best (oause.) In all your future endeavors. Whatever they may be. snuce: Right back at you ‘She stars ou Sue, sux: Yeah? snc: Three. sue: What? nce: Number thees? sux: Oh, noc; Yeah, sur: Right. I said three, nue: You did. sur: Forget it. ‘Bruce: No, no. sur: Uh. snuce: Let's hear it sur: Yeah. nUCE: So far i’s—one, I like you. Two, le's never see each other again, I'm really looking forward to three, What could it be? sve Ie’ uhh. -nruce: Come on. You said three sve: Remember, ofall the myriad things we discussed that night, and you said you couldn't have kids... noc: Yeah. sue: Yeah, well... nce: Great first date material. Genius. Sue: Well—we were talking about everything, snoce: Oh, fuck. sue: What? noc: That's why. sor: What? snoce: You want children sux: No, noc: Of course. SUE: I told you I didn’t. That's why it came up. UM PHOENIX a BRUCE: Of course you would say that now. sux: No, I said ifs, [ssid I don’t want kids and then you told me.. snuce: Stupid stupid me. sur: No, that’s not it Seriously. snoce: What then? sue: Well snucE: Go ahead. sue: You can, sauce: Tean what? sue: You can have kids snuce: Why? sur: I don’t really know why. sxuce: Well, no, How do you know? sue: Because I'm pregnant. sane: Right, right, ight swe: Yeah, Pass suce: With whose? sux: Whose? snvce: Uh-huh sox: With you. svce: Me. sus: Yeah. Thar's what Pox trying to tell you. aver: With me sue: Yes. snuck: Me, su: Yes. sanvce: Bur I can‘. sve: You can. You can, Ichought you should know. Passe ‘So, you Know, now you now something new about yourself snuck: Okay. We were careful sil, sve: Not careful enough. nave: Right sux: thought this was something you should know. snvce: Right. sue: That you deserved to know.as scorronoax | ‘euce: And there's been no one ese sue: No one else. -nnvce: Really? sur: I would remember. I remember those things, Sex. With people sseoce: Wow. I was told I couldn’. sve: know, ‘Bkuce: That's what they told me.'That’s what the doctors told me. sur: Wel-They were wrong, And no worries am going to take care fit, wocE: Take care of the baby? SUE: Take care ofthe situation sxoce: Oh, Ob, sue: Yes.'l take care oft, I don’t nced any help is what I'm saying, snvce: Oh, ‘ve: Financial, or otherwise, No worries, sxoce: No worries, sue: Yeah. sbuuce: Holy shit. sve Wha? sce: Really? SUE: Yeah. I thought you should know. snuce: Yeoh, sur: Tt seemed the right thing to do, sruce: Thank you. SUE: T have to go now, sroce: What? SUE: So. Once again. Thanks fora fun night nuce: Really? sur: What? ‘Bruce: And now you're ust walking out the door? SUE Thave work. Ihave to check in with them. ‘uc: [feel like you've chucked a grenade on me and now you're permanently walking out forever. sor: have to check in with work I just got backinto town lst night. ‘aoc: Isn't there more that we need to talk about? SUE: don’t think sono. It's pretty straightforward KUCH: I it? Ponts 283 ‘nuCE: But we're, you know, even ifs... some weird... I'mean, this is something we've shared, or... you've dropped this arenade on my la. Because I was told that I couldn’. sur: Yes. They were wrong. And really do apologize but have to leave. RUCE: I feel sue: Em sorry ‘Bev: feel the least you could do is talk to me sue: Lean’, _nUCE: For a few moments atleast sue: Lean’t, nucx: A few minutes out of your entire life you could loan some out to me to let me register this, to talk about this with you, for \whom without this would never be happening. Can you not ive sme that? sv: No. snuce: Not even that? Not even that? SUE: No, He looks shocked. Pa, Atleast not now. Not now: Later maybe can find snuck: That would be nie, SUE: We'll se, tance: Beyond nice, t would be a tremendous act of charity sux: Can T call you later? anvce: Will you? sue Tey. anuce: Ifyou try you will succeed. sur: Yeah. snuce: Calling is easy. ean show you. s0E: No. nce: can even set you up so you pres justone single number and iewill call me su: Okay 's called speed dial svE: Teall you, snuce: Okay, then, ‘He sticks out hs hand, ite time,254 scort onaas sve: What is that? snuck: A handshake, A dea. ‘She hesitates know it’s one huge hell of commitment thing, this having to place a phone call to me, but ‘She shakes his hand. Lights ou SCENE? A phone ringing. Bruce and Sue om ther phones apart ‘nce: (looking fst a his phone) IC t isn’t my old friend “restricted caller” sue: Keeps the stalkers at ba. proce: Am Ia stalker? sui: You have potential. xnnucx: Someone who finaly believes in me. sue: But to the point. noc: Right. Okay. sue: T don't have a lot of ime ‘Bevce: Okay. My turn for three things. sve: Okay. ‘unuce: Maybe three. Depending on what you sy. sve: Okay. snvce: Seriously. Thank you for taking the time to call. sur: No problem. noc: I really appreciate it SUE: Ie’ fine. Let’ just go ahead, snuck: Ob. Okay. sve: Yeah, ‘Bruce: One is—have you... sur: Have P rnc: You know: SUE: No, I don't. snoce: What is it they say—terminated... the pregnancy? sux: Abortion is another term you may have hear ruc: Yea Howe ass SvE: Have I done that yet? snvce: Yes, sur: No, Thave not, BRUCE: Oh, SuE: Not yet. unvce: Okay. Then two: When are you doing tha? sve: Why? ‘BRUCE: I just wanted to know. suE: In a week oF 0. Bruce: Oh, sve: Yeah, luce: You have to wait? mean, T don’t even know SUE: I's a scheduling thing ‘BRUCE: Oh, sur: Tm going toa faciity—a place I'm very familiar with, BRUCE: Okay. Sve: Ita cline that know and trust, vce: You're a nurse sur: That's right [BRUCE: So you know people sun: To, sauce: You're a... what are you... you're traveling nurse? sue: That's right. ‘BRUCE: And what is tha sur: Well I's a nurse. Who travels Pause _BkUCE: Have I done something 0 piss you off? sur: You've impregnated me. RUE: I didn’t mean to sur: Laow. ‘anvcs: Not only did I not mean toy I didn’ think it was physically possible. sue: I know, sBkuce: You were, as I recall, rather forthright inthe removal of my pas sur: On a side-note, stock. you should, you know, consider rotating your255 ScorT ORGAN sroce: What? sue Your so-called “protection.” ‘nxoce: If you're implying that my condoms were somehow old as result of a lack of sexual activity on my part in recent, what, years, then, you know, you're dead on. sve: I'm just saying, they have expiration dates. snuck: Mine don’. SUE Because, T think, yours pre-date the modern practice of listing the expiration date ‘bruce: Ob, man. SUE: Look. I's just this whole thing is a bit of pain in the ass, and I agreed to call and talk, briefly, with you, and you're not neces- sarily making anything easier with the... casual conversa- tion. the “tell me about your job” blah bh blah Bruce looks alle like he's been punched. A pause. [signed up with an agency. travel to diferent hospitals and fa- cilities all over the country, sometimes outside the country, and | work for short periods of time, usually three months or 0, and then T go somewhere ese. ruce: All the time. snvce: You don’t live ere? sue: No, ‘nce: This never came up that night. sur find i takes away from a frst date elling the other person you don't actually live here ‘Beuce: Wow sur: My mother live here, I come here a few times a year rnvce: You didn’t tell me ths. Sur: You know what, Bruce? Had I—we woulda't have had such ood time. [UCE: And we wouldn't be pregnant. Sur: We aren't pregnant. PuorNtx as7 vce: Okay. sve: I'm sorry I didn't mention it that night. [RUCE: So when you said you were going away on business, you ‘weren't just going away on business? s0E: No, ruck: You were leaving for soe: Three months, [BKUCE: So when you sad you would call me when you got back? SUE: I misrepresented when I would be getting back, ‘suuce: Misrepresented. SUE: Tled. [BRUCE: So you did, And why are you back? sur: Nothing. Just coincidence. Job stuf. snvce: Ob, SUE: My job ran short and I'm being reassigned. kvce: So T just got lucky then. sux: Depending on how you look at it ‘UC: That you happened tobe back in town and happened to call. sox: [ever would have even told you ifyou hadnt told me that you ‘couldn't have kids, suck: I never would've heard from you. svE: Probably not. BRUCE: No. sup: No, Definitely not. sarvck: Okay. sux: I don’t want to be ina relationship. anvce: I've gathered sue: Yeah. ‘sauce: At least not with me. sve: No, that’s not true. liked you. ‘Bayce: There you go again with the past tense sve: Because, Bruce, and I am truly sorry if his sounds harsh, but you are past tense sanuce: I already am, sue: I thought I made that clear. But you m ‘And here we are. Pause what? | | ade me shake your hand.a8 scort oneay So what's number tree? He says nothing ve upset you. anuct: No, sux: I've called you past tense. snuce: You did do that A beat SUE: Look. IFT am short with you, it's because [have a whole army of brutal hormones fucking in a huge way with my body right now snuct: You do? sux: You know what? I knew we had conceived. I knew it when it happened, ‘seuce: How could you know something ike that? sue: fete it nuce: Really? sur: I know that seems crazy but it’s true. And Ignored it because I thought we had been safe and remembered you telling me that you couldn’t have kids. But I gotta tell you—the hormones kicked in right away-They're quite the tremendous force, let me tell you ‘aruce: Thanks for telling me that. ‘vr: I don't know what the fuck s going on, really. I don’t recognize ‘myself. I want to kill most people. I want to slep. I want to eat all the time except when I want to throw up. sruce: Sorry SUE: Would you lke to know what I had for lunch? suck: Of course SUE: Two big disgusting bearclaws. For lunch. suck: Yarn, sur: P'ma healthy eater. suck: Tike a bearclaw sux: Don't say that word, ‘nce: Bearclaw? SUE: Stop, ‘bruce: Sorry You said it sur: Do you want me to vomit? saguce: No, I don't. PuorNtx, 259 Sve: You sce? This is what I've been rede t,t top i al of, Thave another nek ofthis mvc: Pm sorry. S08: If not your fa ances: Nonetheless sor: Or tis your al smvct: [am so sick of you bat-mouthing my condoms. ‘She es a 1 did't know yout fel the pregnancy soon sor: You do. AC east do Pretty damn soon Isat pain inthe 255 And Tam eager have it done with Soi oem to be bruce! No It's chy sur: You want tot me your third thing? ce: Uh S00: No go ahead The hormones have spiked or something. I wont snap a you. {promise suc You se? su promise smpet: Oy. The hin hing may 1 come with you su: Come with me wher? xucs: When yo. terminate the pregnancy. sue: May you come with me? sur: Na saver: No? sv: No.What the el kindof question tha? anvct: A stupid one, puts. sur: Yes sauce: A stupid ove Pate. cart sor: Why? Why would yo wan ‘Ste Decne im ately, Bea Piae- sux: Nominal. uct Biologicals ook ing ies yw it at of ieee thas ny place260 corr orcas sve: That's good. ‘snuck: And frankly i’ not as ifT want you to do anything different than what you want vo ‘ur: Good. Because you would get nowhere with that, sruce: No, I don't... [don't want kids. I really don't svE: Okay. ‘Bruce: [just want tobe party to this thing that has happened. sue: Nothing has really happened, sce: No? sur: No. Nothing of consequence, snuce: To you, perhaps sue: Yes, o me. noc: I didn't even know that I could have kids, SUE: And now you know. But that s unrelated to this, I's of no con- sequence, ‘ruck: I want to come along Sur: Why? ‘uce: I can’t explain it All T know is I fel very compelled to be there. To... participate in it. To... liveit. sur: You realize your “participation” would be sitting on a shity couch reading an old copy of Rolling Stone? ‘ocr: That's fine, su; It's a procedure. A relatively simple one at that T's fucking ou patient. unyce: I understand tha. sue: And you still want tobe there? snuce: Ido. sur: Well, no. swuce:F insist ‘cE: You can’t insist. You have no right to insist. nce; Okay, it seems you gor me there. scr: Yea, well wnoce: Look. I just want tobe there. I do. And though may have no rights, per se, L ask you to let me do this. Thats and then T leave you alone. Illjust mee you there—T'l read the Rolling Stone— you'll come out, we'llsy hi and then that's that. sor: That's that? PHOENIX 260 saver: Yeah. sue: Why? rrvce: I don’t exactly know: I don't sve: You supply your own transportation? anvct: Of course, sue: And afterwards, that's that? saver: My word, sve: Okay, then. svc: Really? sux: Yes. You want to meet me there, I won't stop you. lRUCE: So that's a yes? sur: That isa yes seve: Thank you. sue: No problem. _BRUCE: So when are you doing i? sun: Next Wednesda. ‘BRUCE: Okay, great, Where? ‘uF: Phoenix. ‘sxvct: Phoenix. ..?Ts thatthe name of the facility? soe: Thar’s the name of the city. BRUCE: What city? sue: The city where the clini is raxvck: Phoenix, Arizom? sve: Yes, ‘BnucE: Phoenix, Phoeni? sue: Yes, My next jb. Phoenix. ji snxuce: Next Wednesday way the hell off in Phoenix. Arizona, sve: That's right. Long passe rvce: What time? sve: What? raxuce: What time s your appointment? sue: Oh, come on. srvce: Come on what? ‘ sur: You're not coming 1 Phoenit. nrvce: Yes Lam. sve: Bruce= ScorT onax BRUCE: I think So yes. So, ou know, where do I go? And what time? su: I don’t know. [haven't worked out all the details ‘aeuc#: Okay. Well Will you call me when you do? eat.) ‘You said yes. SUE: Fine. I'l call you the night befor. snvcs: That's the best you can do? ve Do you want me to call? ‘snuck: Fine, Will you shake on that? Metaphoricaly speaking? sux: What's with you and shaking? nxuce: It used to mean something. It means something to me. sur: Okay, fine. ‘Bruce does a shoking motion snuce: Are you shaking? ‘She in’s sve: Yes. ssruce: You promise? They shake. nucs: Okay: See you Wednesday. sur: Right. Okay. Lights ou SCENE3 Bruce has to caffes—he holds ome out 10 Sue. snvce: Cream, righ? sve: Bruce snnoce: No cream? I was sure it was cream, They were about to close so Thad to make some executive decisions. Decaf, because of the hour, I hope tha’ okay sum: Bruce ‘WCE: They're closed. I thought we could walk or something. sv: What are you doing here? When I called you I fully expected to catch you at home, ‘ruce: [told you T would come PuowNts 263 sur Thought you mh hav a modicam af har some peopl ll vce And ans formesting up with me ong we it soustate one ot sox: You dove or ke the days all ie way ot hres ws smvponed od? vos: war expec anything far Thats goed cE ld you ht. My arm i staring tor ‘Shear ce sur: Brae, ert Real Thnk about it And ye, Lake sce. have acho of ston. Uso you no? And Te ays waned og the Cran Cason Ste. sow: Tey we igh ou know. Tey scaly planes owe deve ou heat bon? Sve: Where? What ae you aking AOC? tree: The Grand Caron, SOE No ae ee sum Oty bruce: That’ big nderttement Yous Ba for wake so: Roush 98 eve: You shuld Som probably hol pevck: Definite, Define for: You're ne, "nce Its like a four hour drive from our fee, uh. you can't pereie the depth ofthe ting. ieee a ere ponna e omeee es TNS oun, Bea | wn? Ws ob eal eri Mate ou nk. sve Abou wha? hon Oe Te eee Nea ‘time with the svt: Yeah, well. have a hard enough with three months, nee. I's nothing. I'm reling present.264 SCOTT oncAN snuck makes you fel pty insignificant. sur: Why would you intensonally choose to fel insignificant? re: I's berating in «way on’ you think? See: No.1 dont. Sounds ite it sucks sce: You know what? ser: What? sce: You seemed more fin on our date sor: Tam fun. Tam ‘aruce: Okay, | $0: Lam so much fan That’ ridiculous thing wo say about me. wo: Sorry. s0r: You should se how much fun Iam, amc: Olay S0E: Okay, what? saves: Let's it SU e's noe ike 1 rice: Olay. sor: Twas fun on that date. asic: You were S00: Right? ce: So much fun, we're in Phoenic SE Yea, well ncce: No That ight war # oof fn forme. So Okay then, See? rmice: Yeu. stand comected. You're fun, Passe Su So.The Grand Canyon, aeice: Yeah SUE 1... what? How ol? I's Yeats ld? Rc: 6000. sve: What? snvce; The earth i 6,00 eas old. Roush sur Uh rc: Grand Canyon was created by the fod 0: The flood sce: Yeah 1 don’: just do fun on command. what? The earth i billions of mm ee PHOENTE 265 SUE: The one with Nosh. Bruce: Yep. Pause. SUE: (to no one in particuar-) Check. BRUCE: It’s a joke. SUE: Oh. Well. T don't really know you, $0... sRUCE: e's a joke. SUE: Okay, ‘BRUCE: T think the earth i 4 oF billion years old soe: T thought I was old snuce: No. You're not old. SUE: 4 ors billion? ‘akUCE: I think so. ‘Sue ponders this sus: Okay, then, But. Did you know? snuce: What? sue: [read this thing—there are these scientist who s ‘ence is there or willbe there to time travel. ‘evce: Sounds good. sve: You'd think, yes You'd think, But here's the thing. arvce: What? ve: If that's true, which some very reputable people say is true, then ‘where are the time travel tourists? sarvce: What ae they? svt: Where are the people from the furure who come back here? [nvCE: Not here yet sux: Why now? ‘anu: I don’t know sve: Well I do. sauce: Tell me. sup; Because they aren't coming back. They haven't which means they won't, Because if they had we would know. Which could only mean one thing savce: What? sue: It could only mean that this world, at last as we know it, will ‘not be around for thar much longer. ‘aruce: Really? ff266 scorr onan SUE: Yes. I's the omly conclusion. In fact, there was a heavily: advertised time travelers convention —it was at MIT on May 7, 2005, designed for ime travelers to all come back on that date snuce: No one showed, SUE: Alot of people showed. sauce: Oh, Really? sur: But none were from the future. [HUCE: They didn't come back because the world as we know it isn’t even going to be around for that much longer sur: That’ right. nce: Wow, su: Yea, vce: If that’s true. Think itis. saeuce: Then that suck, sus: I thought you like feling insignificant. vce: Not that insignificant. sue: think i's about time, don't you? anuce: For what? sue: Earth is old. Time to move on. Let ‘er blow up. ance: You really believe that? sve: do, Did you read what happened today? anuce: No. What happened? SUE: I doesn’t even matter, realy: Same old shit Pick a day, read the paper. Doesn't matter. snvce: What happened today? sux: Doesn't matter. Is jst all very clea dhat we don't really learn 4 thing and we just play out the same shit over and over, over the millennia, and frankly, the sooner we fuck the planet, the better for the bacteria that are itching to take ver. aruce: Wow. sve: And you say I'm not fun, ‘Bruce: I can’t believe I'm about 0 do this. sus: Wha? aruce: I shouldn't be bringing this up. sue: What? orn 267 awuce; But I feel given the depths of your morbidity, I have no choice, sor: What? bwUCE: And T am breaking all sorts of rules here suo: Just tell me BRUCE: I'm that guy. sue: What guy? ‘nue: The guy... from the furure, SUE: You're that guy? suce: Tam that guy. i there sux: Well. Wow. Weleofne tothe past. anvce: Thank you. sux: I'm honored, You've come out to me. ‘mruce: You gave me no choice. SUE: So whats the future like? ‘mxuce: It's lot ike Battlestar Galactica. The orginal one. 0E: Nice, snuce: Yeah. It's not bad. sus: I'm glad to hear it. unvece: Did you ever consider that maybe people from the furure don’t tell the people in the past who they are? sum: Why wouldn't the? T would. ‘BRUCE: 'l tell you why—people can't handle it. People can’t handle very much inthe way of outright uth sue: [agree with you there, ‘eve: IFT went public Td end up in some subterranean holding cell in Quantico, Virgins sue: Possibly. . saver: So we doit on the dowa tow. ..Wejost come in perioicaly to poke around, see what's going 0: sur: Is that right? So why now? ssntce: Well. The truth? svE: Yeah. ‘nevce: Women from this erahave a svt: Oh yeah? BRUCE: So guys come back ooking ‘SF: A sex vacation inthe past reputation for being kindof cay. for ile action,268 SCOTT ORGAN ‘Broce: That's right Ihateto reduce it to this, but you're pretty much fishin a barrel sue Is that right? suc: In the future, men learn great deal more about seduction which make us 0 efficent inthis e ‘sue: You didn’t seduce me ‘ruck: That's how good Tam. sur: Yeah, right ‘Bruce: Ifyou see it it aint seduction. soe: Is that right? nave: I's a saying we have i the future, ‘vb: So what other advancements do we have to look forward to? sruce: Better batteries. Like, way better batteries that last hundreds of times longer. sv: That's positive snuce: Yeah, you won't belive the batteries of the future sve: What ese? rnoce: Turns out the Mormons were right, sve: Realy? noc: Yeah It was a big surprise vo everyone, Except the Mormons. Latter Day all the way. Is another saying we have in the fi ve: Wow, snvcs: I'm kidding sve About being ftom the future? ‘Bkuce: About the Mormons. No, so far no God has made him, her of itself known. The big stuff is still mostly orchestrated by ‘mankind. Things go really warm for a while. The size of the ‘population became a lot more reasonable. Then the cold comes. Comes and stays. sur: What happened? ‘Bruce: A massive meteor, smashing into the earth. Knocked off our axis. The electromagnetic field permanently altered. Nothing worked anymore. Nothing. Just a planet of very cold people, wandering around in the dark looking for food. As you can imagine, things got ugly. sve: Were you around for this? Puorsx 269 snruce: This was way before me. After some very brutal thousands of SUE: Stil no God? avce: No God, Nowhere SuE: And you're telling me this why?'To cheer me up? snuck: I'm not done. People started to organize again. They did. It ‘ook a long time of warring and slavery and general brutality, but our better instincts came to fore. SUE: See, | don’t belive you. sanuce: No? sur: Our better instincts are merely a by-product of living a Iacky life. ‘anvce: You think? ‘sue: T do, We are alla hair away from being the stvages we are at our core ruck: History proves you wrong. Future history. They started over. ‘From scratch, they started over. The good guys organized and ‘made it happen. And they had absolutely everything to relearn. Everything. It bad all been forgotten. And they dicn’t do £00 ‘bad. So you can stop stressing that its all going to end. sve: Thanks. That's @ load of. ‘ance: Right? There isa reason to stick around. sur: T guess I have to take your word for it being that Iam merely from the present. ‘anvce: You do, ‘sr: Okay, There's no Grand Canyon in the furs? ‘BRucr: I'm sad to say tat there is not, svt: What happened tot? ‘ance: I filled with sediment. sr: So you came all the way Back here 10 362 lanvc: No. ‘sur: Then what for? BRUCE: To See YOU sus: To see me. rixvce: Yeah. sur: Why me? tanec: You seemed Paws. she Grand Canyon? nice. At easton APES:370 ScOrT ORGAN ‘ux: Maybe you are bad weird. snuce: Oh—T joined a barbershop quartet. I would sing for you but itkind defeats the purpose without my guys hee. ‘ux: No worries. Pause, sock: I's getting late sur: Yea. nuce: We have to got up early sux: Yeah, Where are you staying? snucy: The Taurus, svt: Is that a hotel? ruck: My car, sue: Oh, You don't have a room? sauce: No. sue: Oh. How come? ‘unvce: I don’t know There's some sort of convention in town, ‘sur: Time Travelers? ‘Bruce: Yep. I really have no excuse for not having gone further back into the past ro book my room. sve: Stay at my place. sruce: No, look, I told you I wouldn't bother you any more than briefly tomorrow. ‘vE: Wait. You're actully going to say no to the Long Term Slash Short Term Inn & Lodge. ‘ruck: It does sound rather enchanting, ‘SUE: Right? They have a continental breakfast. sruce: Hmm ... Maybe ifit were inter-continental. sur: Oh. I is. Muffins from the English, snucx: Oh, Well. Toast fom the French? sve: Absolutement. roc: Wows, SUF: So... is that a oui? ‘unuce: For the Long Term Slash sur Short Term Inn & Lodge. ‘sruce: Inns T can do without. Hard to say no toa lodge though. SUE: You are preaching t the choir sruce: Do they have hot chocolate? PHOENIX an sue: No. BRUCE: Okay, it's deal. SUE: Just don’t try any ofthat sophisticated furure seduction. sarvce: You got it. SUE: Okay. You have to use your powers with a certain amount of re- sponsibility BRUCE: OF course. Lights ou SCENE 4 ‘Sue's housing. They ane hal dressed. No one saying amyching. nce: Ie's just second nature, the whole seduction thing sur: Of course ‘rv: Yeah, I can't really help it sue: Right. Atleast we know I didn’t get pregnant nue: True, svE: Ihope you understand that this is merely because am lonely and in a new ci ‘sevcE: Got it. Lonely: New city sve: Or alone, rather, Which I don’e mind. suc: Okay. sur: T'm alone. little lonely. It breaks up the day ARUCE: Of course uF: And nothing more. ‘anvc: I's okay—T'm on a sex vacation. so: I forgot. Happy sex vacation H ‘snuck: Thank you. And thank you for participating. sus: Always eager to elp a tourist. swuce: ere are the eats? Bee Wan mayne Tyre mine. Bu they Hv with my mothe. sarvc#: Can’s even commit tothe cats. sue: No. sanice: Thanks for letting me St. sue: Its no problem,an ScorT onGaN puce: And you wer phe About what? scce You ae fin aver: You are S00 Tiedt el oo ce: When youre not cating doom, you oa so Thanks, vce: You know You aT, wee wo fort. S01 How do you mets? vce: T mean, we've hung ou couple fines and Deen fn. sox Yeah Tomorow might pura dent in oe numbers saver: Doesnt ‘But hea of som Docs twa? vcr: don't Know We havea good time, you and. Does’ sem to bea shame hat we won't ever ee each oer asin? ‘A bet sor Let me ask you something vce: Sire S00 Are you just interested n ne Because Tam being ch pain a ‘the ass? Ne mkucE: You mean, because you're playing hard to get? ser You ee, Pm ot plying ely truce: You're joe plain olan 0 ge. fT sppone sc: WL Thats gn, Un, Pa uy ‘vce: But I think woul probebly ike you even you weren't aa ks he eee cy pee sux: My poi, bere we ae in Phowrity Atom snd Hare been clic wth outa am not inetd ny soto rei Sionship. And Tkeep puting you off and ce: Wall thi ongh puting me of? Sie Bend cat. Lr oe cocoons teed eT Gad mai ort chaage sce: Pethaps do T= mHoENtx 27 sor: But I'm just trying to remind you—take the game out of it and it’s just people. And people, meaning me, ae boring and petty and sesh, and if were to sit here now with you and suddenly Start ewiniling about the eyes and asking you your favorite ‘poem and movie and recipe and hanging on to your words aif they were the cure to cance; then you would feel amused and femboldened fora while, uni it became clear to you that there is no game in it at which point you would marshal your forees ‘on the next nice ass that walks By. anoce: Wow. You are soe: What? | aruce: Whats ityou hope to get out of lf? Realy. Because I'm hav | ing a hard time imagining what it could be. sus: As few problems as possible. I want things to go smoothly. 1 ‘don’t want disappointment. don’t want to get my hopes UP ‘BRUCE: Its not all disappointment, you know. ‘Sux: Iti. Ii. Te ulkimately aways i. You see, you sy that to me, and fact is, that’s bullshit, because you're gonna dic. And how is your endgame anything other than a disappointment? To the ‘People who fove you? And in the interim, everyone i a terrified Esshole, who given afew minor adjustments to thet lifey would ‘cut your fucking head off with a machete. sseece: You think that? ov: Of course I think that. OF course. Our baser nature is our base ‘nature, What in te hell have we learned? Really. Tell me, ‘BRUCE: And this is how your interest in nursing began? sux: No. BRUCE: I was wondering. tor: Tt began when I was young and I needed a job to get me out of the house ft and sey were hiring and paying for schooling and ‘otherwise Tmay not have even made it this far. Don't get me ‘rome, My job requies compassion and that is something 1 a6- qually have, believe it oF not In fact, Ihave so much compassion, Tm trying ro ave both of us from having ro go through the a= novance and potential pain of an inevitably doomed relationship, ‘sRvce: I don’t need you 10 look out for me. SUE: I think you do, I think you don"t know any think ‘peter. That's what E a aa4 scort ORGAN suce: Tell me why its doomed. S08: It’s doomed because I doom it. Thar's why. I don't even live anywhere. I don’t. That's how I actually like it. And that’s just ‘one of many many reasons why I preemptively doom our rela- tionship. ‘nuce: Let me just say this, I don’t need you making decisions for ‘me, out of whatever itis you think you have over me, your om- niscience or whatever the hell you think itis you own, sve: I'm trying to save you some time and effort ‘Bruce: And furthermore. I'm not looking to get marred to you. As ‘you may recall all Irealy said was that I thought t was a shame that we won’r see each other again. And though itis obvious thac Thave some interest in you sue: You drove to Phoenix to join me for my abortion. swucx: Which is actually not relly about you, sve: Fine. ‘vce: And all I was saying was that it would be a shame. And I get you, really do, and I get chat you are trying to put me off; and 1 will confess to you that I may not be as incorrigible as you think, and that you ae starting to have some success. sur: What do you mean? snuce: That you are beginning to succeed in putting me off You are ‘winning that batt, soe: Okay, then. xo I's working SUE: Okay. ‘Bruce: I feel that Tam beginning to like you les, sur: Great sruce: So—well done som: Thank you, Pause. She begins wo redress sunuce: Yes. Let's do that. “He puts om his ther clothes—they do this in silence. They Finish. Long pou. sve: Tm sorry. srvce: For what? sve: Pm just... sorry sevce: Okay, PHOENIX 275 ssnuce: What? su: Facts don't entirely dislike you. suc: T'm turning red from your effusions. sve: Will you let me talk in the way I would like to tlk? sskvce: Okay. sve: Iwouldn’t be this stnd-offsh if it weren’t forthe fact that Tike you t00. [BRUGE: So this is what i fel ike to be liked by you? A beat, ‘seuce: All I was saying vas—maybe next time you come see your ‘mom or something, we could have a beer or something. Go ‘bowling. That's really ll was saying, A beat, sur: Ike bowling ‘sRUCE: I do 100. SUE: Me to, ‘exuce: That’s all T'm saying. I just didn’t want to drive out of here ‘tomorrow without saying thet maybe there could be a way to see each other again sur: Okay. ‘sxuce: And not will ou marry me now. sue: Otay. Goeat.) ‘Are you going to make me shake on something? ‘smvce: No. SUE: Olay. Good. ssnuce: I'm saying the equivalent of “call me next time you are in town and perhaps we could go bowling.” Okay. That’ fine. ssmuce: Okay then, S50: I'm not a very good bowler. ‘smc: Well You don’t have tbe. SE: Are you? ‘szvce: Not particulary. 2: Good. ssmuce: I get lucky sometimes. -276 scorr oncan sur: I don’. rive: And thar’ the crux of SUE: The crux of what? ‘nuce: Bowling. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't SUE: I guess so. Why are we sill up? We have to get up early. ‘HUE: I’ already ealy. Look outside. ‘She doe. sur: What should we do? We'd sleep for what-an hour? swUCE: Lean’t do that suk: Me neither. Maybe we should just clean up and go out and get some coffee of something, snuce: Catch the sunrise. SUE: Yeah, okay. snuck: Okay. (pause,) Now? sue: Not just yet no. unuce: What are you doing? svt: Nothing Ruck: Okay. They both are sil for a moment Lights out SCENES ‘The clinic. Sue and Bruce. suck: Damn. sve: What? snuce: You promised. sve: I promised what? sauce: No Rolling Stone anywhere. sue: Oh, sorry. snuce: I'll survive. How are you feeling? sue: Tired, sauce: Me too. Nice place. Empry sur: I know the nurses. The clinic doesn't actually open for an hour. nUCE: Aren’t you fancy? Ports 277 ‘sor: Iam fancy: Soi this worth the three-day drive? vce: I think so, yeah (ause.) In the future, having a child, you know, is so much easier. sue: Why is that? ‘BRUCE: Because most people travel backin time to take care of them selves as babies. ‘ur: Really? anv: What beter caretaker? ‘SUE [guess so, Did you do that too? BRUCE: T did. I's hard work. sve: Pi bet. saxuces Iwas a big crit from day one. sve: You turned out okay. saver: Thanks. SvF: Not to0 bad. pause.) | certainly admire anyone who has the balls to raise a child aKDcE: Me too. SUE; And T'l tell you what would keep me from doing it. srvce: What? svt: The simple fact that they could die before you. sauce: Oh, sur: And therefore whats the fucking point? Because that isa storm Teould not weather anvce: Wow. ‘svt: I guess it doesn'thappen a lot pital, T can tell you. And you Tan tell you tis wth one Iundred fone thinks that until it happens to them. fone is safe know. Pve seen it ‘anvce: Lagree. ‘uF: You do? pprvce: Ido. ‘SUF: I thought you were my counerpointon these ASHES: snruce: You're right. No one is safe. No one suf: That's right bucit does happen. Twork in hos think it won't happen to you, but percent certainty—every- Doesn't matter. Nox8 scorr oncax snuce: When I went to the movies with my wife yeas ago I certainly didn’t think I would be the only one eventually coming home, sur: You're married. anuc: Iwas. sor: Oh, What happened? mvc: An accident. You know, you talk of our base natures and mo- chetes andl all that, but when it comes down to it most people are just getting hit by cars. Nearly $0,000 people last year died in auto accidents just here inthis county. sum: Pm sorry. sues: Thanks. sur: When was this? sruce: Years ago, sur: You never mentioned it snuce: ‘There never seems to be the perfect moment for such a con- versational tidbit. sve: And you thought, why not the abortion clinic? sruce: Exactly. Wht else to do in the abortion clinic? When there's zo Rolling Stone. sve: Pm sorry. ‘ruce: That's when I was told that having children would be an i= possibility. sus: Oh, wow. _nucs: To which, I thought, well a I have no wife to speak of, I don't think chats big problem, sue: Right ‘aoce: So I get you. No one is safe suE: No, nce: And yet we have our lives to lead, don't we? SUE: I guess so. A pause. They are both alone in their thoughts fora long nu: I’ kind of cowardly, realy, when you think about it SUE: What ie? sauce: You know, cowering in the corner because of what might hap- en, sue: And what will happen. muorsts a Bent cnevttere ma es = Te cma ttre te ean es acount mt > mi eanene =e se vearaen Saapag cana z _ na amt em ems TT se ane Ak in et = Saieiee shat oe it's not working. Because eve it is very definitely then whar fucking here. Was amazing. jor much is safe, Tet that. I definitely child isi ruck: But | get you- Ks a ternifying prospest maving sec st: Tthink so. Le tpruce: My wife and [had been deliberating bout sue: Really? oe see Yeah, And, ubyafer the accident. Ijarkne dis have Kids anymore. ne: Yeah. io Bruce is win thought fora momen fisauce: But I don’t know. really don’t know, 'm just thinking about allthis... What if was just... wrong... about myself? sue: What do you mean? snuc#: And like Iwas saying, you have to lve your life, you know? SUE: Thar's what they say on the tv nue: You have to drive a car to get where you want. SuE: Trains are pretty safe ‘BRUCE: I's so fuckin’... Here we are all alone at an abortion clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, Think about ths. sur: Think about what? sauce: What brought us together, vou know? sur: We like the same bar? snuce: No, I don’t think so no, sur: What else could it be? rnuce: Because I don't know. I mean, what ae we doing here? sue: Abortion. Remember? snuce: No. Bigger than that. What got us here? sve: The Taurus. nnucx: Do you see this? sur: See what? snuck: What am I doing here? I came all the way here. I drove here. Here we are, sue: didn’t ask you to come, nce: You see this, right? sur: What are you talking about? ‘Bruce: What I'm saying to you, Sue, is that pethaps what has hap- pened ... is something extraordinary. sue: Nothing has happened. ‘aevce: They tell me I can't have kids, Suddenly, what? I don’t want them? Of course I dont. Because T ean'thave them. And then sur: So what are you saying? You're saying now you do? You want children now? ‘bruce: Uh, you know. sum Wha? suce: Yeah. SvE: Okay. That's your prerogative ‘vce: Do you see what 'm saving? sue: Your life, Bruce snvce: Maybe there are gifts, you know? Sometimes? Maybe there are sux: What are you talking about? anvce: You. “He point io hr bel. Both of you. sve: Funny. snuck: You know if suddenly did believe in miracles then this sone. SUE: All right, Bruce. I get the joke. anuce: I'm not joking. Look at me. I'm not. Pause, sue: You want what? That we aRvCE: I don't know. sue: Whae? Wha ‘Bruce: Okay. That we walk out of here sve: Wait... that we walk out of here? auc: And we go get cup of coffee, of decaf coffee, and have a con- SUE: A conversation? srvce: Yes. A conversation. Yes, About this situation. About us. Paws su: Bruce. seuce: What? ‘uF: And I am serious about this. sauce: Okay. svE: Get the fuck out of here. srvce: No. Why? su: Get the fuck out. Tam done with you. ‘srvce: No. Listen, al Pm saying is we tak sve: As I'm sure you noted, thee is security here, ‘you will init, they will be siding with me the ‘Screaming for you to get the fuck out. ‘nav: Just come with me so we can talk about the future; ‘sor: There is no future. No future: peter | want to be ‘BRUCE: But, oksy, if you don't wa wpe | Tow: maybe [ould take this child and ease im OF DSS sorte ime and as Yam su rmimute I startBRUCE: And can we go have this discussion somewhere other than an abortion clinic? svt: No. We need to be inthe abortion clinic in order to get the abor- tion. I don’t believe Starbucks offers abortions. snucu: Because we kind of have to have it now, And I think we've been given tis chance—this exceptional thing has happened SUE: No discussion, nce: Please. I nced you to hear me out. Just hear me out vr ..No.. snuce: ... Lev’s just put the appointment off perhaps for a day or ‘90 lets just do that, kay? sux: No. BRUCE: And let's just go outside, right now SUE: Stop. Bruce, anoce: What? sus: You and I are done. With this conversation, With each other. For ‘good. How do T know this? Recause unless you walk out right now I'm going to scream. BRUCE: Pease don't, sur: Out snc: Pease, SUE: oud) Leave me alone anu: uit) Pleas. Sur: (louder) Leave me alone, Paws. swvcE: Sue. SUF: (cutng him offloud) Get ut! Lights ou. SCENE 6 ‘Bruce's aparment. Sue is atthe door, in her coat. Uncomfortable A long beat. sur: Tcame back for the cat, wvce: Okay. sue: Yeah. Penne 283 eo fs eee oe po Es eee eres ie pe eens oo =e = oom =o ae = Mi age nanan 2 aC ec tn ice: Youdothewodo noc: You of weap Tawa po A284 scort onaas ruck: I know, sur: I really was. Roce: I know i was, SUE: T didn’t begin to expect that from you and I was taken aback and reacted the only way [felt I could. [wih it hadn't come to that, but it did. You are hard to deal with sometimes. You are hhard to say no to. And I needed to say no to you Bruce: Tknow you did, sue: Yeah. You don’t just spring that on someone at an abortion clinic You just don’t do that, Bruce. ‘unuce: Look, Whatever you need t0 dish out, dish it out. You want contrition, I offer you contrition, sve: I'm not trying to punish you, ‘Bevce: Ie’ fine if you are, sue And I know it was noc an ordinary situation, We hadn’t slept, seuce: So what? It’s no excuse. SUE: I don't know, Beat, ‘sruce: You know what? [eft that place just angry. But, you know, hnad a three day drive coming back her, 30 sur So. ‘Bruce: So Thad time to think. And get a litle slep, you know? sur: Yeah. ‘aruce: And truth is, was alunatc out there, you're right: We hadn't slept. IFT had had chat thought any earlier than when I did, there in the clinic, I would've told you. soe: Yeah, ocr: But I didn’. I, uhh, I'm sitting there and al of the sudden 1 hhave this bright idea, you know sur: Yeah, ‘seuce: Which was not so bright. sur: Yea. _BRUCE: I's just fanny, really. sur: What? ‘Bruce: How you have a whole life of knowledge and experience behind you and suddenly you're wiling to just drop ital. t's crazy. sur: No, T know: PHOENIX 285 ‘anvck: I'm that much ofa sucker? There's what? Suddenly miracu- lous events? A guiding hand out there? A greater meaning? 1 ‘mean, there ate just mounds of evidence in my life to suggest otherwise and thee Iam suddenly a sucker. sue: Don’t he so hard on yourself ‘axuck: I need to be hard on myself. Keep myseiin check, I do.You ‘now, it’s simple, relly, there are no miracles. SUE: I guess not ‘BRUCE: You know, and really I wouldn't want there to be sue: Why not? ‘BRUCE: Because the implications are just too terrible. Pause So you know, Iam very glad you are here. sus: You are? ‘BRUCE: I am. These past couple of weeks—t've been thinking about you. sos: Why? [BRUGE: Thinking I jst wish I had the chance ttll you in person that Tam very sorry for my behavior. Bur the dumbass that am, you know, I seill don'thave a number for you, do you realize thar? sue: I wasn’t sure ssruck: That's how ridiculous I am. sux: You're not ridiculous. ‘BRUCE: Saying that sitto you inthe clini 'm standing there, saying lets tall about having a kd and I don’t even have your phone number. sue; It’s not important ‘snuce: No.’There are no miracles. Just the stupid shit that Bealls us sue: Yeah, ‘sruct: And so, Tam so sorry sve: It's okay. Me too. 'm sorry ‘BRUCE: Let's just... can we just allthis thing «v= sve: Okay BRUCE: ...and move on sue: What do you meant? ‘nnuce: Everything cancels out We're eve: Here we are, no better | il286 scorr oncAN SUE: Okay, snuce: Which is better than so many run-ins you have with people sur: Yeah. ruck: You see what I mean? sue: guess. BRUCE: And really, seriously, beyond apologizing to you I should thank you, sue: For what? snvcx: For actually being a grounding force for me. SUE: Me being a grounding force for you? ‘sxvce: That's right. I can be a victim of my own enthusiasm if I'm not careful ‘ve: I don't think that’s necessarily a bad thing. snocs: It can be. Icabsolutely can. For me. You know, if don’t keep my feet on the ground, I... what? ‘ve: You fll down? ‘snuce: Yeah. [fall down on my ass, Which hurts And looks stupid to onlookers. sow: Yeah. nce: So thank you, sue: Okay. sruce: So maybe not even even. I came outa litle bere in the end. (ick his hand out) Shall we shake on i for poetry's sake? Pause. She shake sue: Okay. A beat, snoce: Thanks for coming by. SUE: Yeah. Okay. ‘Bue she doesnt gu long pause, Nothing i aid nnvce: How did it go? sve: How did what go? nnocs: After T left the other day. sue: Ob, snoce: Yeah. How did it g? Did i go okay? ‘08: Oh, Wel, It didn't go, snoce: Oh. What do you mean? uoeNtx 287 sur: You had me very upset. ‘anvct: No, I know. 'm sorry again. sur: T know, anvce: You didn’t have the abortion? sue: That day. (beat.) Not that day. snvce: Oh Yeah. Right. Beat sue: Did you think otherwise? ‘sauce: When I saw you here, maybe for a moment, thought ‘uF: Does that upset you? ‘BRUCE: That you had the abortion? sue: Ye? sauce: It upsets me. suf: It does? ‘UCE: ... jm that 'm guessing it's a sucky thing to have ro do. sv: Yeah. Well, it ‘Bruce; But if what you mean is am T regretful then no. sur: Yeah Okay. Me to. srvce: Yeah? sve: Yeah. Puss sBrvce: But it went okay? ‘uF: Ie id, yeah, snnvck: Good. sv: Yeah. Pas ‘BRvcE: Seemed like a good clinic. sve: Yeah, aevce: Good security sur: Yeah, well Yeah, ‘smvce; Clean. It's clean... Allright, Pm jost rambling. ‘sve: Yeah. pavce: Okay. T guess this sit then, sor: Yeah? ‘anvce: Yeah, Nothing really rying us together anymore:sum: No? sanuce: I guess not A long pause. Agsin, nothing is said, And Suis not leaving. You're sil here. sur: Yeah. -nrvce: Do you need more contrition? I have more. Ican bring it on ifyou want. sur: I don't want any more contrition, rues: Then what else? ‘She doesn’ ans ‘Am I missing something here? sue: You're content to just allt even, or whatever the hell you call ity and do your stupid handshake, which, incidentally I am so sick of, and go back to your casserole? I that it? sruce: Well Sue, I guess sue: You guess? snoce: Are there other options? sue: [don’t know. I guess not. Now that your feet are firmly con- creted to the fucking earth rock: You confise me. Sue: You think T confuse you? You should sce what I do to myself snoce: What am I missing here? I was a stalker who got stupid. Tam sorry. We shook and agreed to cut our losses. Right? sve: That's what this is, cutting our losses? snUcE: Don’t you think we should? Since our thd date involved an abortion clinic, screaming, and a scufle with security? sue: I should've figure. nce: Sue. sue: Yeah? snuce: We barely know each other. sue: So? snnoce: I don’t even know your last name, SUE: You don't know my lst name? snuce: No. don't. [know you told it to me, But, no, don’t know it, okay? sue: That's just... fucking priceless, morn 289 mc: Look 1 dot now what’ ging om Bere. The last Ts of your ou were scening sme An er ou ne sue Hee Lam, doc: And so whats you wan? ST to. Twat wos you: Tao you. You kno we roc: Pople msl the tine or Weve gone though al css Be Thee ings poe ears pice: They jt hap. lhe te in it Sue No, Teno > tim. ic: Te neve. Anything that happens so exrdinars Ste T now Jus twa you eas She spi hit chat els a Sor Buc eri not ae, nomen Br Se whe ca yo eile Sur And sabe is nox eneondinary ands ceri no mice, tur here we re Broce poss Yeah Hew eae hd She Lan’ come lh ay ber fo ge cee nce, Ns sea thik his might be a hans sus: I don’t know. Maybe. I don’r know anymore, And why is it so hocin here sccm baking Se Thnow Met. sre, No Pm anual aking Tn she ce ooh prc: Should roca You mst be ting warm ost ‘SUE: So what are you saying?eee ee - scort oncay snuce: I'm saying do you want me to take your coat? sue: No. No. noc: I know i's tle hot in here. SUE: I's hot ‘nrvce: Do you want to take off your coat? svE: No. ‘aruce: Okey, sve: Do you want me to take off my coat? ‘proce: Ifyou're warm, ys sve: F'm fine snoc#: Or to stay for ail while. I can make coffee. soe: ike tea snuce: Okay. Me too. sve: You do? sauce: Yeah, SUE Then why did we keep getting coffee? ‘neues: I don’t know. sur: T's stupid, Tike tea. snuck: Me too, I prefer it SUE: Me too. You ordered coffe. HUGE: Because we called it “meeting for coffe.” So did you for that sue: You were having coffe. So sruce: Do you want some tea? sue: No. eat.) ‘Are you having some? sruce: No. Yes. Iam, sur: Pm okay. ‘ruce: I'm making some anyhow What type of tea do you like? He start off but she stops him. ‘vr: Bruce. You know, it was tremendously misguided, but you were really laying it all onthe line out there nce: It turned into hinaey. Sue: T guess it did, But atleast it was something, you know. And it got me thinking. And for whatever reason, I went against ever)~ ‘thing that makes sense and I came up hereto see you. And I'm worse st ere, And he you, Bruce. Ina mich as 1 know you Which tained, is ot at ct: We ike te Who knew? Sor, Exacly-And iyo don't want os around ere ad hae one Imore conertagon inthe abstract abou things A est oats ge thn agree wih you Pm ied of taf. saver: Oy. $0: Tm geting sick fy own voice buck Me too (aba) Sick Stny camvoie. Not your You acwaly have a Very Pet sor: Bur you've tena couple of stands with me and maybe thn fre akc one too. Which sth: Brae. Tm aking oF my con Sh do save: Ob. He takes hero sve: Thank you wn din. proce Let me ar of he ve sor: Wait Bruce, Hears hk het Do you tke me? Beno Tike ou. Te much Ike yu, Suc Teledu sins the inte Tet 90 ‘bet Now uta sor: on’ ne What do we do? bwvcr: don't om ‘apa sor: We could tow mvc: Bow? Sot Bowing. Go bowing. proct: Oh meee ember “Cal me when youre backin tow can so bowing” vc: Yea. 10 oe T'm sony vase ea nice lg bong wih 908 maybe we292 scorr naa sue: You will? noce: Ike bowling, sue: remember, snc: Yeah, SUF: We haven’ even been on a dat. vce: T know. sux: Not really. We can just go bowl a game or two ight? unuce: Why not? Why the hell not? ‘ur: Okay, then. snuce: Okay. When? ‘UR: I don't know. Now? Is now too soon? suc: Now? SU: Is that too soon? Tomorrow? The next day? snuce: No. Now is good. Now is okay. sur: Okay, good. Good, Pause.) Shall we just. snc: Yeah, no, We can just go. UE: Okay, ‘ics: Let me, umm... Iwas going to say get my things, but one doesn't really need anything to bow! do they? SUE: Just ourselves. ‘bruce: Okay, then, Let me turnoff my oven. And off tothe bowling alley. He steps ou for a moment ‘She pulls out a srap of paper and a pen, and is iting Somedhing down ashe returns. Are we ready? sur: Before I forgt. ‘She hands him the pice of paper ‘My number. snvce: Oh, thanks. Right (eat —he looks ait.) Holmes? SUE: Sorry? ‘ocr: Your last name, Ies Holmes ue: Yeah. It is muowsrs 293 vce: Sue Holmes, SvE: And now I have to confess I don’t know yours spruce: Really? SvE:I don’t know youts ether, no. RUcE: After the shit you gave me. ‘sor: Yeah. arvce: It's James. sue: James. sanuce: Yeah. sve: Well, then. anvct: Yeah. SUE: Nice to meet you BRUCE: Nice to meet you t00... ‘Sue sticks her hand out—they shake hands. Lights out The end.