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Following in the footsteps of my friend and writer Jacob Juntunen, I've decided to post short plays now and then in my blog. The one I'm posting today was recently seen in Nashville at the Ten-Minute Playhouse (even if runs about 7 minutes). Next Stop Central Station We’re in a subway car. It’s run down, but efficient. Well traveled and in a major metropolitan area. It’s a weekday, about lunchtime. LAURA, mid-20s and casually dressed, is seated and reading a book. She’s near the door. Across the train is SAM, maybe 30s or 40s, sitting with a newspaper and briefcase, dressed in a suit. We hear a train announcement, in a automated kind of voice that is just clear enough to understand. ANNOUNCEMENT Next stop Fulston Station. LAURA looks at SAM over her book. And goes back to reading. But then looks at him again and puts her book down. LAURA Anything happening in the world today? No response from SAM. LAURA (cont’d) Great. (to herself) Awesome. LAURA goes back to her book. ANNOUNCEMENT Now approaching Fulston Station, please exit the train on your right. Thank you. (PAUSE) Doors opening. ALAN enters. 20s and fit, he’s also dressed casually. HE sits in the seats near LAURA. HE carries a small cooler, the kind that might hold a six-pack. ANNOUNCEMENT (cont’d) Doors closing. Next stop, McKinley Avenue. LAURA looks at ALAN and his cooler. Then her book. Then ALAN. LAURA Hi... I’m Laura. ALAN I’m working. LAURA Oh. ... Okay. (Pause.) ALAN I’m sorry -- you were being nice. LAURA I was trying. ALAN This is my first time doing this. LAURA Riding the subway or talking to strangers? ALAN My new job, I’m on the clock. I’m really nervous. I don’t want to get distracted and miss my stop. LAURA Understood. No distracting. There’s a pause... just awkward enough as these people suss each other out. LAURA (cont’d) What’s in the cooler? ALAN I’m sorry? LAURA The cooler. In your lap. What’s in it? ALAN Don’t worry about it. LAURA What, is it like a bomb or something? (SAM glances over.) ALAN What? No! What is wrong with you? (to SAM) It’s not a -- don’t worry, it’s not what she said. LAURA You don’t have to freak out. ALAN And you don’t have to go around mentioning incendiary devices on public transportation. LAURA Well it’s not a bomb is it? ALAN Would you stop saying that word? LAURA What, you think that one over there is an FBI agent? Uncle Sam might hear us joking? SAM I’m not an FBI agent. LAURA See? No harm. I was just kidding. SAM You shouldn’t joke about such things in this city. LAURA Damn, sorry. I was just making small talk. Forgive me for trying to pass some time and make some friends. ALAN I’m sorry -- I’m just ... I’ve got three more stops till we get to Central Station and then I can connect to the hospital line. LAURA Oh my god, are you transporting human organs? Can I see? ALAN No! ANNOUNCEMENT Approaching McKinley Station. Please exit on the right. (PAUSE) Doors opening. LAURA Well, then we’ll just sit here and bear the silence. ANNOUNCEMENT Doors closing. Next stop Anderson Street. LAURA puts down her book. SHE and ALAN exchange awkward glances. LAURA moves over and sits by SAM. SHE stares at him; he puts his paper down. SAM Can I help you? LAURA Can you believe that guy? He won’t show me what’s in his cooler. SAM He just met you. LAURA Actually, I don’t even know his name. A little suspicious don’t you think? SAM I’m Sam by the way. LAURA Nice to meet you Sam. I’m Laura. They shake. LAURA (cont’d) Where are you headed? SAM Central Station. LAURA And then? SAM Just Central Station. I have business there. LAURA Was that so hard? SAM No, it was quite lovely small talk. Very enjoyable. SAM goes back to the paper. LAURA goes and sits by ALAN. LAURA Very enjoyable. ALAN I heard. LAURA Good. (PAUSE.) ALAN What do you want from me? LAURA Small talk. ALAN Why? We’re just strangers. In two stops, we’ll never see each other again. SAM We’re all strangers, even in the best of times. But right now, play along. Or she’ll never shut up. LAURA I like that one. He’s observant. ALAN I need to focus on my job. LAURA We’ll help you focus. Sam’s getting off at Central Station so you won’t miss it. Right, Sam? SAM That’s a pretty good assumption. ALAN What’s the point? Now Anderson’s coming up and after that, it’s one stop. LAURA The point is that everyday I sit here on this train and watch the world ignore itself. And it hurts. Everyone has a paper, everyone has a book, or music shoved in their heads... but you, you had a cooler. And you were going to be different. Something to talk about. Something to break the silence. ALAN doesn't say anything. LAURA (cont’d) You know what? I don’t care if you are a terrorist, it’s something new. ALAN I don’t have a bomb, Jesus, here look -- HE opens the cooler for her. LAURA Oh my god, look at it... it’s so small. ALAN It’s for a child. That’s why I’m so nervous. My first day on the job and they give me a kid’s heart. It’s terrifying. To hold something like that in your hands. LAURA It’s beautiful. Look at all that life. So fragile. ANNOUNCEMENT Approaching Anderson Street. (PAUSE) Doors opening. SAM exits without his briefcase. LAURA Hey, Sam -- you forgot your... HE’s already gone. ANNOUNCEMENT Doors closing. Next stop Central Station. LAURA gets up and goes over to Sam’s briefcase. ALAN seals up the cooler. ALAN What are you doing? LAURA I’m going to see if Sam has a business card or something. SHE opens the case. LAURA (cont’d) I might be able to call and... SHE stops. Frozen. ALAN What is it? No response. SHE’s focused on the case. ALAN (cont’d) Hey, you’re freakin’ me out, come on. ALAN comes over and sits by Laura, looking inside the case. ALAN (cont’d) Jesus. Is that ...? LAURA It’s not a heart. ALAN We have to call the -- we have to get off this train. LAURA There’s no time... he was going to Central Station, he had business there. It’s the next stop. ALAN So this is it? LAURA I don’t even know your name. ALAN It’s Alan. LAURA Nice to meet you Alan. LIGHTS begin to FADE as we hear: ANNOUNCEMENT Now approaching Central Station. END OF PLAY 
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Jeremy's blog
Thoughts. From my brain. Anything to do with how we tell stories and the stories we tell each other. Literally and figuratively. About Jeremy
Writer. Husband. Father. Effulgent dreamer. A Fightin' Irishman (@NDdotEDU '01). A playwriting Bobcat (MFA in Playwriting, @OhioU '13). I write plays. I'm a geek. I wanted to be an astronaut. I go places in my head.
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