Unpublished: "Fleeting Moments"
by K-Robe
Scene One.
New York City, Pennsylvania Station’s waiting area. It’s very late at night, with few people around. Looking tired, Dennis (wearing a CCNY sweatshirt) walks in from stage right. He takes a seat, settles in, glances at the train times, makes a disgusted face, and checks his phone. After a moment, Kelly (wearing a Fordham University baseball cap) walks in from stage left. She glances behind her, nervous. She approaches Dennis.
KELLY
(Speaking rapidly.)
Excuse me, I’m so sorry for bothering you. Do you mind if I sit next to you? The guy over there, he’s – he sat next to me and I don’t want to assume anything but it was just really creepy and there are plenty of open seats and you look like a trustworthy guy and there’s an outlet next to you and my phone battery’s dead, so-
DENNIS
(A bit weirded out, but smiling.)
It’s fine.
KELLY
Oh my God, thank you so much. I can’t tell you how grateful I am.
Kelly sits down next to Dennis, plugging in her phone into the outlet. She is fervently waiting for the phone to charge again, tapping her foot nervously on the floor. Dennis looks concerned.
DENNIS
You, uh, doing okay there?
KELLY
Yeah, yeah. Just… you know, a bit frazzled.
DENNIS
Are you sure?
KELLY
Well, that creepy guy is still there and… is he-
(Averting her gaze, looking squarely at Dennis.)
Is he staring at me?
DENNIS
(Glancing in that direction.)
Is it the guy with the heavy coat and the huge beard?
KELLY
Yeah, that guy. He’s got the creepy stalker look down, doesn’t he?
DENNIS
Yeah, he’s still staring.
KELLY
Shit.
(Nervous.)
You think he’ll follow me to my train?
DENNIS
Well, if he does, then I’m pretty sure that you have cause to start talking to the police.
KELLY
Is that… is that true?
DENNIS
Yeah, of course. I study law up at City College. First thing that people learn up there is that the police don’t know what crimes are, either, so if you tell them someone’s doing something to you, you can probably get them to help you. I had a friend once who slipped and fell, blamed it on a guy, and the guy got dragged away by the police.
KELLY
Seriously?
DENNIS
Nah, I’m just messing with you. But they’ll probably help you, anyway. Most cops are good people. And since you’re white, they’re probably more inclined to.
KELLY
(Despite herself, she laughs.)
You know, I don’t know if you’re joking or not, but-
DENNIS
I am joking. Well, mostly. Always a bit of truth in vulgar humor, you know?
KELLY
Yeah. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be funny.
DENNIS
Exactly.
KELLY
So… you go to City College?
DENNIS
Yeah, uptown.
KELLY
Are you actually studying law or was that a joke, too?
DENNIS
(Smiles for a second.)
Art History major.
KELLY
(Grins.)
Wow, now that is a joke.
DENNIS
(His turn to laugh.)
Okay, good one. Not the first time, I’ve heard it but it’s always good for a laugh.
KELLY
I don’t mean to insult. It’s just that, you know…
DENNIS
I know. Art history is just something I’m really passionate about. I mean, there’s just so much interesting stuff out there. How art is a reaction to politics, how popular art creates influence on a huge scale, techniques for-
KELLY
(Holding up a hand.)
Wasn’t… asking for the rundown on your major, dude.
DENNIS
(Sheepish.)
Sorry. I kind of go on autopilot when someone asks me about my major. I’ve said the spiel so many times that it’s basically become my overlong catchphrase.
KELLY
It’s okay. It was actually, uh, it was actually kind of charming.
DENNIS
Really? Well, uh… sure. Thanks, I guess?
Kelly smiles, giggling a little bit. Dennis looks like he doesn’t know what to say. This goes on for a moment.
DENNIS
(Glancing at her cap.)
You go to Fordham?
KELLY
Hmm? Oh, yeah. I commute from West Egg so I have to come here every day even if it’s this late at night.
DENNIS
Oh, yeah. I used to do that in high school, too. Commuting to the Upper East Side.
KELLY
You went to high school in the Upper East Side? From where, Long Island?
DENNIS
Yeah, from Port Washington. I went to Arrowsmith High School. Ever… ever heard of it?
KELLY
Sorry, no.
DENNIS
Yeah, it’s, uh… it’s a great place. Great place…
Dennis suddenly looks distant and an awkward silence emerges. Worried now, Kelly taps him on the shoulder.
KELLY
Hey, dude…
DENNIS
Dennis.
KELLY
Dennis… you okay? You seemed really bummed out there all of a sudden.
DENNIS
Yeah. I just… high school. You know?
KELLY
I guess?
DENNIS
I’m being weird. I’m sorry. Yeah, it’s just… listen, I just got back from seeing a play. It’s the last performance ever for the people who were in the year after me. The current seniors, right? And you’re a-
KELLY
Freshman.
DENNIS
-freshman. So you know… you know how it feels when you see your old friends making new friends and you remember the days you used to have with the people who you thought would be your best friends forever but now you hardly ever see them?
KELLY
(Silent for a moment.)
That was a mouthful. Taking a cue from me?
DENNIS
I guess so.
KELLY
No.
DENNIS
What?
KELLY
No, I don’t know what it means. Sorry, I didn’t have… I didn’t have a lot of friends when I was in high school. But I feel for you, I guess. I just don’t know what that’s like.
DENNIS
(Smiling, musing.)
It was the best. It was like being a family. We were so tight-knight, our friend group. Rehearsing for theater after school every day for four hours. Going to Panera after hours to cool off and complain about prices.
(Laughing.)
I remember one time my buddy decided to mix all the drinks at the fountain into one. It took him twenty minutes of barfing in the bathroom and two whole cases of breath mints before he could face us again. Meanwhile, we were busting up laughing the whole time.
KELLY
(Grinning.)
Sounds like you guys were really close.
DENNIS
Yeah…
KELLY
You miss it, don’t you?
DENNIS
Yeah.
KELLY
You miss your friends or…?
DENNIS
(Nodding.)
I guess I miss how it feels. I haven’t found anyone who… who I could connect to the way that I want to connect to them.
KELLY
I know that feeling.
DENNIS
You do?
KELLY
Yeah. Since we’re baring our souls and everything-
DENNIS
(Light-hearted.)
Unintended consequence of this conversation.
KELLY
(Laughing.)
I guess so!
DENNIS
But I want to ask your name before you get started with your rant, which I’m already sensing you’re gearing up for.
KELLY
Oh, you know me so well already. Do you even need a name?
(Smiles, beat.)
Kelly.
DENNIS
Nice to meet you, Kelly.
KELLY
Nice to meet you too, Dennis.
DENNIS
Anyway, continue.
KELLY
This one’s about love.
DENNIS
Ah, the great equalizer.
KELLY
Isn’t that… death?
DENNIS
That’s the other great equalizer.
KELLY
(Smiling.)
Sure. So… my ex-boyfriend called me today. He’s kind of an asshole, but I don’t think he’s a bad person. He wanted to hang out; I didn’t have anything better to do so… I decided, why not? It was a fun enough… outing. I don’t want to call it a date. But we had a lot of fun and… at the end, he kissed me. That was just an hour ago. He kissed me and…
(Laughing.)
… I hated that it made me feel good. I hated it, hated it.
DENNIS
Why did you hate it? Just ‘cause you lost the spark or whatever?
KELLY
No, it’s just… he is an asshole, don’t get me wrong. Getting into a relationship with him is going to end badly for both of us. He’s a sophomore now at Columbia and he’s such an elitist snob and that’s charming in small doses but… I could never measure up. Measuring up is hard enough as it is and I don’t want to be the girl that’s known for having a boyfriend at Columbia. So much for women in the workplace, right?
DENNIS
It’s just a status thing?
KELLY
What?
DENNIS
This guy, the snob, you don’t want to be with him because you’re afraid he’ll swallow your career or something?
KELLY
No, it’s not that. It’s that disagreements with him will kill the relationship. It’ll kill whatever remaining love I have for the guy and he’s just… insufferable sometimes.
DENNIS
I get that.
KELLY
Yeah.
DENNIS
Your problems are probably worse than mine, though.
KELLY
(Laughing.)
Yeah, be thankful.
DENNIS
(Laughing.)
No, really. You have such an awful life.
KELLY
Oh, you mean Mr. I-Miss-My-Friends-Oh-Boo-Hoo doesn’t have worse problems than me?
DENNIS
Touché.
KELLY
(Beat. Hesitation.)
What’s your number?
DENNIS
What?
KELLY
You’re… an interesting guy, Dennis. What’s your number?
DENNIS
(Slight smirk.)
Are you asking me out?
KELLY
No, dingus! I just want your… are you going to make this tough on me or what?
Laughing, Dennis takes her phone and puts his number in.
KELLY
There. Was that so hard?
DENNIS
No. Hey, your phone is charged.
KELLY
Huh?
DENNIS
Your phone is charged. And, hold on, you’re from West Egg, right?
KELLY
Yeah, so…?
DENNIS
Train left two minutes ago.
KELLY
(Standing up, aghast, and staring at the departure screen.)
What?! Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me…
DENNIS
Looks like you’re stuck with me for the time being.
KELLY
(Sits back down.)
Yeah…
DENNIS
Would that be so bad?
KELLY
(Slowly smiling.)
No. No, it wouldn’t.
DENNIS
Well… got any more stories?
KELLY
As long as you have some, too.
DENNIS
This is good. Fleeting moments, you know?
KELLY
(Chuckles.)
Yeah. Fleeting moments.
END.
"Unpublished" is a new segment that puts out new creative ideas based on brief ideas had during the day. While unpolished, unworked, and largely unedited - these serve as a mechanism for improving K-Robe's skills as a writer.
"Unpublished" is a new segment that puts out new creative ideas based on brief ideas had during the day. While unpolished, unworked, and largely unedited - these serve as a mechanism for improving K-Robe's skills as a writer.
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