Day 76 Thursday 8/4

Another late post.

We're leaving on vacation tomorrow, but I expect to be able to keep posting. I decided with 25 days left to take a stab at another play. This one is much less clear in my head, but I think a shorter work. Anyway here's the opening.

DESERTED

Cast

Man

Woman

Setting

Porch of house in High Rolls NM

W: I suppose I should get dinner. I was going to do hamburgers. That ok?

M (reading): Hmm? Sure, whatever.

W: Or we could just skip it, we both could lose a few pounds.

M: Hm-hmm.

W: Right, well in that case, I'll go for a walk.

(she rises and exits, man continues to read)

M (after as long a pause as you think the audience will take): May? (no answer) May? Wonder where she went? (He stands opens door and looks around inside) May? Must've needed something.

(He goes back to reading – again for as long as the audience will tolerate – finally stands again and crosses to front of porch and down steps and looks around)

M: Car's still here.(he returns to his reading)

(Lighting shifts to twilight, he rises, looks around baffled, goes inside and turns on an overhead light on the porch, returns outside and walks down the step and crosses to each side of the stage. Finally seems to see something, waves and responds as though his wave has been answered)

M (calling to the distance): What happened? Where were you?

W (distantly): What? I told you. I went for a walk. (she enters the stage).

M: A walk? I thought you were making dinner. Hamburgers right?

W (shaking her head, but she's calm, relaxed): You seemed uninterested, so I said I was going for a walk. It's beautiful this evening. It's a pity almost all the orchards have gone to seed.

M: Uninterested?