LOVE (excerpt) by Aja Nisenson

1 CHARACTERS EM, late 80’s, F PHOEBE, mid 30’s, Em’s granddaughter, F WALT, mid 80’s, M

SETTING Em’s house in New Jersey

TIME 2017, fall.

NOTES A slash “ / ” indicates an overlap in dialogue.

A dash “— ” indicates a silence in dialogue.

For Scene Six: There are 3 options for Production.

2 SCENE TWO : ROLE PLAY Walt and Em are alone in the living room. Several weeks later.

WALT Pretend I’m Lee. EM What?

WALT Yell at me.

EM Don’t be funny.

WALT I’m serious.

EM I’m not yelling at you.

WALT Tell me everything you couldn’t tell your husband to his face.

EM This is silly.

WALT Try it.

EM You’re being ridiculous.

WALT What do you have to lose?

We used to do it in the 60’s. Remember when role-playing was big and all those couples were yelling at chairs pretending they were their parents?

Go ahead, I’m a big boy, I can handle it.

EM I’m not yelling at you.

3 WALT Then tell me all the things you never had a chance to tell him.

EM Like what?

WALT I don’t know, you tell me. a long pause EM I —WALT Yeah?

EM I don’t think you love me — loved me— I don’t think you ever loved me.

WALT How could you say something like that?

EM Oh, he wouldn’t say that.

WALT What would he say, then?

EM Lee doesn’t talk.

WALT He grunts?

EM He’d probably not say anything. He’d probably be reading the newspaper or watching Turner Classic Movies.

WALT I always loved you.

4 EM Ha! Oh my! He would never say that. I don’t think I ever heard him say the L word except in reference to Obama. He loved Obama. Really loved the man. I mean we all did— do. And Michelle. And those kids. And those dogs. The two Portuguese Water Dogs. Come on! The whole family is ridiculously wonderful. God I miss Obama…

WALT We all do. a beat EM Is it normal for couples married 68 years to never tell each other they love each other?

WALT Normal or common?

EM I’m being so sentimental, geez louise, I’m being sickeningly saccharine.

WALT Why is it not ok to tell your lover you love them?

EM I don’t know. It just isn’t.

WALT Can you hug me?

EM Are you asking as Lee or yourself?

WALT Lee. EM Lee never asked me to hug him.

WALT Well I’m Lee, and I’m asking you.

She thinks.

She approaches him.

5 She hugs him.

A pause, mid hug, EM This is the first time we’ve touched.

WALT I touched your hand.

EM You touched my shoulder— WALT When?

EM Last week. When I was— there was a fly. a beat as they hold each other.

EM Lee was much taller WALT You want me to stand on a stool?

EM Can you? No, I’m just kidding, this is fine.

They still hug.

EM I never realized how— WALT What?

EM How intimate this is.

WALT A hug?

6 EM Yes WALT An embrace. They call it an embrace— EM For a reason, I suppose. a pause WALT Do you want me to let go?

EM No, not really. I’m enjoying this WALT Ok. EM No one ever touches me any more. This feels good.

They hug each other for a long time, then Em lets go.

EM You scared me.

WALT When?

EM When you looked at me a certain way.

WALT What way?

EM The way that reminded me of your mother. Upturned mouth, angry eyes.

WALT Oh wait, are we still role playing?

7 EM Yes, oh yes! Sorry, I thought I made that clear.

WALT Ok. Give me a second…

Start again.

Go ahead.

EM From where?

WALT From the looking thing.

EM When he looked at me a certain way?

WALT Yes! From there. Go ahead.

EM (clears her throat) You scared me when you looked at me a certain way.

WALT What way?

EM The way that reminded me of your mother. Upturned mouth, angry eyes, when you—WALT What?

EM Nothing.

WALT Did I ever... hit you?

EM Once. In front of the children. I told you if you did it again I’d leave you.

8 WALT Did I do it again?

EM No. Not that I can remember.

WALT Can or want to?

EM What’s the difference? Memory now is but a faint image. It’s as easy to forget as it is to remember.

WALT As easy to forget as to hold on.

EM Lee? WALT What?

EM When my father walked me down the aisle to you— you with your pale face, made up with pale powder— oh god! You looked so silly, all that pale powder over your 5 o’clock shadow— tall lanky arms and those fearful eyes and you — oh, this is foolish. I’m feeling foolish.

WALT KEEP GOING EM You turned to me just before I was about ready to reach the altar and you said something.

WALT What did I say?

EM You said something odd.

WALT What was it?

9 EM You said you wondered how long it would take before I learned to hate you.

WALT I did?

EM Yes. And it always stuck with me.

WALT As what?

EM Well as odd I suppose, terribly odd. And a little deranged. Oh this is terrible! I’m criticizing the dead. It seems wrong.

WALT I’m not dead, I’m right here.

EM Walt?

WALT Lee. EM Walt, I want to stop. It’s too painful.

WALT Alright then.

We stop.

Do you smoke?

EM No. WALT Neither do I, but it seems like a good time to take a smoke break…

EM Do you want to switch roles? I can play Sylvia?

10 WALT I almost fell last night EM What do you mean almost?

WALT Nearly.

EM Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?

WALT You didn't ask.

EM I'm supposed to ask you each day if you almost fell?

WALT It was at night. I was getting a cookie from the freezer.

EM How dare you! Thin mints? Why didn't you bring me any?

WALT The girl scouts were very stingy this year. I was only allowed a few boxes. Plus their rates went up! A box is nearly 6 dollars. I was tempted to do my “heart attack bit” again, but I decided against it.

EM Heart attack bit?

WALT I never told you about the bank?

EM What bank?

WALT A few years ago I marched into Wells Fargo and gripped my chest and yelled out, " THESE RATES ARE KILLING ME!” and then I fell to the ground.

11 EM You did not!

WALT I did too. I’ve done it on several occasions. It usually gets a standing ovation. Although the EMT people didn’t think it was so amusing…

EM Did it work?

WALT Did what work?

EM Did they lower your rate?

WALT What do you think…?

Can we kiss?

EM I don’t know if I remember how.

WALT Neither do I, but I think it’s like riding a bicycle.

EM Easy to fall off?

WALT Easy to remember how.

I’ll teach you.

The French taught me.

EM I’ve only ever kissed one person in my life: Lee. WALT How did Lee kiss you?

EM Like he knew me for 70 years and didn’t know me at all.

12 WALT I don’t know if I can kiss you like that. I’ve known you for a few weeks and I feel like I’ve known you my entire life.

EM Try. Walt approaches her. He stops.

EM What?

WALT I don’t know if I remember how.

EM It’s like riding a bicycle.

I’ll teach you.

The French taught me.

WALT I don’t think I’m ready.

EM Neither am I.