CHARACTER NAM E
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
AGE
GENDER
Lucia Rick
A middle-aged woman A middle-aged man
middle-aged woman middle-aged man
SCENE THREE. A living room. A large window sits in the center of the wall. It’s barred and covered. A heart can be heard BEATING in the background. LUCIA sits at the table, a look of concern on her face. RICK paces back and forth. RICK If I had a choice... I wouldn’t make it. (He stops pacing and looks dolefully at Lucia.) It makes my heart hurt just thinking about it. Beat. LUCIA You know you don’t have to— RICK (suddenly losing his temper) —Don’t say that! You know I have to. Lucia stares back for a moment in silence. A stern, strong silence, yet one of empathy, no, sympathy. RICK I’m sorry I... I... Ugh, you know me. Lucia, I have to do this. I have no choice. LUCIA But you don’t have to— RICK —How many times do we have to go through this?... How many times? LUCIA I’m just saying you—
2.
RICK —Lucia, this isn’t— LUCIA —Stop interrupting me. He stops interrupting her. Beat. LUCIA Have you tried talking to someone? RICK Of course of I’ve tried talking to someone. I’m talking to you right now. LUCIA No, talking to someone, not at someone. This struck a chord. Beat. LUCIA Rick, you don’t have to go. You don’t have to do this. RICK Yes Lucia, I do. LUCIA But what about me? What am I gonna do? RICK This isn’t about you. LUCIA (powerfully) But it affects me. (Beat) And it’s gonna hurt me too. Rick looks away.
3.
RICK I’m sorry darling, but I have no choice. And, like I said, even thinking about it makes my heart hurt... Lucia’s head falls into arms on the table. The two remain absolutely motionless for a moment... until, presently, Lucia slams her arms on the table, jumps up, knocks the chair over, and walks up to Rick. LUCIA Don’t give me that shit Rick. You’re doing this for yourself. RICK No, don’t say that Lucia. Don’t. Don’t say that. LUCIA I’m saying it; I’m saying it; I’m saying it. You, Rick, are a selfish bastard. RICK I’m not doing this for myself Lucia! I’m doing this for (pointing out into the audience) them. For humanity. LUCIA Ugh, bull shit. She walks over to the window and stares out. RICK (tenderly) Lucia, don’t do this to me. M y heart’s gonna hurt real bad, real soon. Don’t make it worse. LUCIA Rick, you’re not gonna have a heart soon. (Beat) And you deserve it.
4.
RICK Are you trying to hurt me? LUCIA No, but you’re obviously trying to hurt yourself. Beat. LUCIA Can’t cure stupid. RICK That hurts Lucia. LUCIA Yeah, and that’s gonna hurt a lot more. RICK M aybe. But calling it stupid? LUCIA (turning back to face him) Rick, performing open heart surgery on yourself is probably the stupidest idea in the history of human civilization. Rick stares back in silence for a moment. Beat. RICK What about love? (Beat) Or “trickle-down”?