Walls
by Robin

Characters
MAN
WOMAN
UPSTAIRS MAN
UPSTAIRS WOMAN
LEFT WALL WOMAN
RIGHT WALL MAN

Setting The MAN’s bedroom in a small apartment in Chicago.
Present day.

Note Would work best on small stage in a small theater, keep a claustrophobic feel. Voices of the offstage characters should be the recorded by the same two actors who are onstage. If you want more action on stage, the neighbors could be staged by using cubes, surrounding the main room. These should stay completely black until their scene, and remain dimly lit throughout the scene.

Dim lights come up revealing a small room. It is messy, one of a man in his early twenties, a desk to the right more school than work related, a door on the back wall to the left, a pile of clothes in the far right corner, and a mattress on the floor to the left. The walls are sparsely covered with posters, torn, etc., (of art/music(rockish)), a framed diploma hung crookedly, etc. It is clearly cramped and lived in, comfortable, etc. On the mattress are the MAN and WOMAN, sleeping in an embrace. The MAN slowly wakes up, his movement waking up the WOMAN in a hazy sort of way.

MAN: (whispering as he moves, beginning to prop himself up) Sorry baby. (She turns toward him, still half asleep)

WOMAN: What is it?

MAN: Nothing, go back to sleep. I just remembered something I have to do. (He gets up and wraps a towel around himself) I’ll just be in the kitchen for awhile where there’s some light. Go back to sleep honey. (She looks at him still sleepy and confused. He goes over and kisses her) I’m so glad you’re here. (She smiles, and he leaves, closing the door behind him)

She rolls over, and lets herself take up more of the bed. She appears to be falling back to sleep, but continues to move around occasionally, restlessly. Finally, she plops down and stays.

(A phone is heard ringing from the left wall. The WOMAN is startled and wakes up again, this time visibly staying awake and listening.)

LEFT WALL WOMAN: Hello?…Oh, hey….No, that’s okay, I couldn’t really sleep anyway….Yeah, me too. Thanks for calling, it seemsd like a lot of people don’t really know which one of us to be calling, I guess I understand that, but really, what kind of excuse does he have for sympathy? I know he’s probably having a hard time right now, but I wouldn’t give a fuck. He brought it on himself….I don’t know. I know some of them were his friends first. It’s just been really quiet here….Yeah, it definitely feels weird. I’ve been trying to sleep on the couch. I can’t really handle sleeping in our bed. I actually started wondering if it would have been better if I’d never run across that letter. What if I just didn’t do laundry that day? What if I’d forgotten to go through the pockets? (The WOMAN, looking more and more concerned, sits up and eyes the pile of dirty clothes with concern and suspicion, then turns to the computer on the desk with the same look, and almost lunges for it, but then just remains sitting up listening to the rest) Maybe my life would be better not knowing….You don’t know, I don’t think I believe that crap about it being better to know…. I don’t care how big of a lie it would be, I’d still be just as happy as I was. As I had been for years. God…(She fades into a sob). I just really can’t believe it. It’s like somebody died. One little thing, and your whole life is completely different, God, my whole life is over….(sobbing again). I know, I know. No, I’ll be alright….(She(LEFT WALL WOMAN) laughs a little to herself) I guess the apartment did finally get less cramped. (WOMAN smiles slightly) But now it’s just lonely and everything’s like it used to be except nothing’s really the same and everything reminds me of him….(WOMAN almost shudders, obviously sympathetic/recognizing/familiar with what she’s hearing, rests herself against the wall) Yeah….Yeah, no, I totally understand, it’s late, I shouldn’t be up either. Look, thanks for calling though, I really appreciate it….Thanks, I’ll try. Have a good night. Bye. (The click of the phone being hung up is heard and the WOMAN remains sitting, in thought and looking toward the pile of clothes, then slowly lays back down, obviously disturbed and unable to sleep for awhile. Eventually, she appears to have dozed off again. There is a break in time, perhaps a dimming of lights to show that she is sleeping.)

(The sound of a couple talking/argueing slowly rises from the ceiling area, eventually spoken above normal volume, slowly waking the WOMAN, who partially sits up, confused)

UPSTAIRS WOMAN: (quietly, but increasing in volume until fully audible by the end of the line. WOMAN perks up, becomes very interested) I just really don’t believe we’re fighting over this. This should be a complete non-issue. There’s just no question in my mind that the way you handled that was out of line.

UPSTAIRS MAN: You know how I was raised, you knew that when you married me. (WOMAN almost cringes, listens, siding with UPSTAIRS WOMAN in terms of her reactions)

UPSTAIRS WOMAN: Sure I knew that, but I also thought I knew that you wanted our family to be more normal than yours, so that our kids wouldn’t have to deal with the same shit.

UPSTAIRS MAN: (Trying to win her over, with a more affectionate voice) I do, and trust me, our family is far more normal than mine. I can’t help it if I slip back into that though.

UPSTAIRS WOMAN: Can’t help it? I hate the way you do that. The way you try to justify yourself with how helpless you are in controlling things. It’s such bullshit. I didn’t marry you so that I could watch our kids get treated this badly and taught to dislike their father and see him as manipulative, screwed up and evil.

UPSTAIRS MAN: (Now clearly more upset, with sarcasm, threatening) Well if that’s really how you see me, maybe I just shouldn’t be around here screwing things up and disappointing you. (WOMAN looks concerned, starts to look as if she shouldn’t be listening)

UPSTAIRS WOMAN: Oh shut up. Goddamnit, don’t get so fucking defensive. You know I think you’re a great father. The kids get so much out of having you around. Tonight was just really scary though. That wasn’t the man I married.(Long silence)

UPSTAIRS MAN: (somewhat quietly, admittingly) I’m sorry, I know. It scared me too.(another long silence)

UPSTAIRS WOMAN: Look, just come to bed, I’m too tired for this. We’ll talk about it in the morning.

UPSTAIRS MAN: (After a pause) Alright. (the squeak of a mattress is heard, and then the click of the lights being turned out)

(WOMAN sits up resting against the wall. She is affected, saddened, staring off in thought. Her eyes are down, but then become focused on a some pictures (presumeably of the MAN’s family) sitting on the desk across from her. She remains focused on it for some time, frightened, appearing concerned, thoughtful. She is clearly not able to get herself back and ready to sleep, but eventually drifts off while still sitting)

(After a brief silence, the sound of a television blaring is heard to the right. The WOMAN is jerked awake by it, and the shouting that follows. It is the voice of an old man, and the television is some sort of late night trash, coming in with bad reception)

RIGHT WALL MAN: (speaking to himself, and overly loudly, speaking over the television which is also too loud) Goddamn antennae. I can hardly see! (pause and the sounds of the reception being changed but never improved) Goddamn. What is it they’re selling? HA! That’s so pointless. The stupid things people come up with these days…. (The WOMAN smiles, slightly amused, the channel is changed, finally settling on a news channel) Ah, here we go. (Reports of horrific events are heard…murders, bombings, war, etc. The man is quiet and lets the television stay for awhile). (Depressedly) No…. (The WOMAN is now looking confused, concerned, interested. The RIGHT WALL MAN begins changing the channel again, this time stopping on a movie. It starts out sounding normal, then moves into a scene of violence.) No, no, no. Goddamn insomnia. Stupid empty apartment. Goddamn broken antennae! (The man is heard getting up from his squeaky chair. He turns of the tv. There is a long moment of silence. The WOMAN listens curiously, looking rather concerned. After a few moments, the man is heard weeping. The WOMAN reacts very visibly to this, showing surprise, concern, even crying a bit. She remains in this emotional state until after the man’s weeping has faded out. The woman lays back down, clearly disturbed, but eventually settles back into sleeping)

(After awhile, the sound of a large gust of wind is heard, causing the woman to once again wake up, looking up sleepily, this time toward the 4th wall/audience. The wind continues loudly and fiercely, as if trying to be heard. The woman props herself up on her elbows, looking out towards the audience, clearly frustrated and tired. She then appears to grow thoughtful, as if hearing what the wind is telling her. A look of concern, turned excitement, turned fear, turned comfort. She then lays back down, comfortable, but eyes open, thoughtful, evaluating what she’s heard. After a few moments, the MAN reenters through the door. She looks up at him.)

MAN: (Smiling, and quietly) Hey honey. Aw, did I wake you up again? I’m sorry….

WOMAN: (Smiles, almost laughing to herself, reacting to him in a slightly disconnected, distant way) No, just all the noises around here.

MAN: (Walking over to the mattress and sitting down) That wind really was something, wasn’t it? I’ve gotten used to the rest of it, sleep through everything now. (He pauses, looking concerned) Are you okay? I’m really sorry you haven’t been able to sleep. I know this place must be kind of strange for you.

WOMAN: No, no, I’m fine. (Trying to be subtle, but suspiciously) What were you doing in there for so long?

MAN: Oh, nothing. Just some work I’d forgotten about.

WOMAN: (Looking unsatisfied by his response, concerned, suspicious) Well good thing you remembered.

MAN: Yeah, definitely. (Brightened, playful) Now lemme in there, it’s cold out here. (WOMAN smiles, moving to one side of the bed, and opening up the covers. MAN crawls in and puts his arms around her. She looks off into space, he’s looking intently at her)

MAN: I’m so glad you’re here.

WOMAN: (sounding unconvincing, sad) Yeah, me too.

MAN: You sure you’re okay?

WOMAN: (brightening up a little) Yeah, I’m fine.

MAN: Well alright then. Let’s get some sleep. (Reaches up above them and shuts off the light) I love you baby.

WOMAN: (after a pause) I love you too.

THE END