Jul 2010
LARISSA LOU McCASKY female 40 years of age 5’7” lanky physique stitched old pillowcases random fabric homemade knee length wrap skirt tight brown velvet vest no shirt camping sandals subtle smile
CLYDE ELI MOSKOWITZ male 52 years of age 5’9” athletic build yet signs of age white painter’s pants rolled up to mid-shin light blue vintage cowboy shirt wet black high-tops
act 1 scene 1
Sky bar 4th Avenue Tucson Arizona 6:30 PM actors sit 3 seats away from each other at bar bartender approaches Larissa
BARTENDER can i help you?
LARISSA (she looks up from cell phone) yes thank you may i please have a glass of sauvignon blanc or reasonable facsimile and tall ice water
BARTENDER we have a California pinot grigio $5 a glass
LARISSA is it good? i’ll try a glass (bartender serves wine and tall ice water Larissa sips) oh yeah this is good thank you
CLYDE excuse me i was considering switching from this Spanish red to what you ordered you like it huh?
LARISSA yes it’s quite good funny coincidence i just switched too from pinot noir last week i decided it’s unseasonably heavy you look familiar have we met?
CLYDE we’ve almost met on several occasions i’m a fan of your beauty (raises hand appealing to bartender’s attention) hi may i please try what she’s having
BARTENDER no problemo señor
LARISSA oh that’s sweet i thought for a moment you were going to say you’re a fan of my writing
CLYDE you’re a writer huh what kind of writing?
LARISSA whim fancy poetry fiction essays critiques i like to experiment with different formats
CLYDE hmmm what are you currently reading?
LARISSA aren’t you the inquisitive one i’m currently reading Yukio Mishima’s Madame de Sade it’s a play
CLYDE wow i’m a fan of Yukio Mishima and the Marquis de Sade yet unaware of the work are you enjoying it? i’m Clyde what’s your name?
LARISSA Larissa i just began reading it so far so good
CLYDE may i move closer?
LARISSA yes
CLYDE thank you (he picks up glass and sits next to her) hello
LARISSA is the mustache recent?
CLYDE still growing in
LARISSA i like you better without it
CLYDE got a razor on you?
LARISSA it makes you look sad
CLYDE hmmm (long pause he looks away then into her eyes)
LARISSA are you ok?
CLYDE yes
LARISSA what’s your profession?
CLYDE i’m a painter sometimes writer and i teach yoga when i can find work otherwise i scrape out a living house painting restoration whatever pays
LARISSA a painter what do you paint besides houses?
CLYDE i’m old i’ve painted everything figurative representational abstract symbolism you name it i’ve painted it
LARISSA you’re funny
CLYDE you think so?
LARISSA Clyde why are you sad?
CLYDE oh Larissa i don’t know what to say in a way i feel i was sent here to do a different job i don’t understand why i'm here or what i’m doing do i sound crazy? life throws a lot of hardballs at you few are good enough to make the big leagues the rest of us struggle day to day no i don’t mean to express that thought i’m grateful for the opportunity of this life in my own little way i try to make a better difference
LARISSA you’re not crazy Clyde you’re wise well spoken words you’re a sweetheart i’m glad to finally meet you
CLYDE oh god Larissa you have no idea how good that makes me feel i am such a fan of your beauty the way you dress your voice gestures everything i look forward to reading your work
LARISSA chill on the flattery Clyde my dog is dying (tears well up in her eyes)
CLYDE i am so sorry for you (he reaches into back pocket) here’s a tissue i know what it’s like to lose a precious friend i lost my baby 12 years ago and still carry her picture in my wallet i’m probably not someone you want to talk to i totally freaked out (tears well up in his eyes)
LARISSA Clyde you are so sweet can i buy you a drink anything what do you desire please
CLYDE uhh thank you but no not tonight i think i’ve had enough i need to go home Larissa you’re an angel my precious angel thank you my heart flames for you (he stands up)
LARISSA you’re being dramatic Clyde please stay and talk with me i won’t ask you again why you’re sad i like your mustache it’s growing on me please hang out with me
act 1 scene 2
9 PM they are walking back to her place
CLYDE (looking up at sky) the moon Larissa the moon
LARISSA you’re so dramatic Clyde
CLYDE you think i’m a drama queen?
LARISSA i don’t know you well enough yet Clyde are you?
CLYDE sometimes i think i’m a woman trapped in a man’s body
LARISSA shut up Clyde
CLYDE i’m definitely a man but way too sensitive for this world
LARISSA i need to *** (she squats and pees)
CLYDE (he looks up and down street keeping guard) you’re the coolest girl in the world
LARISSA you think so?
act 2 scene 1
cell phone conversation
LARISSA i’m taking Sweeny to the vet i can tell he’s hurting bad
CLYDE i’m coming with you
LARISSA no this is too personal
CLYDE shut up Larissa i’ll see you there
LARISSA i don’t know i need to do this by myself i feel so sad Sweeny’s eyelids are half closing I’m losing him
CLYDE i love Sweeny for adoring you the joy he brought to you please don’t shut me out Larissa i’ll meet you at the veterinarian’s we’ll figure this out write paint practice yoga work it out somehow
LARISSA ok alright see you at the vet’s
act 2 scene 2
they are shoveling a hole in her backyard deep enough so no creatures can intrude both are crying Larissa is in a daze
CLYDE that caliche is a ***** to shovel through
LARISSA yup
CLYDE oh baby let me have the shovel
LARISSA i can do this i need to do this i think it’s deep enough let’s go look at Sweeny (tears pouring out of her eyes they go back into house Sweeny is lying wrapped in blanket on table)
act 2 scene 3
he is lying next to her sniffing smelling her underarm kissing her neck hair she is lifeless coming to consciousness crying hysterically
CLYDE rest easy darling Sweeny is up in heaven waiting for you
act 2 scene 4
Thai restaurant
LARISSA i’m not hungry can’t focus on the menu order for me
CLYDE i love you Larissa more than anyone anything else in this whole world i love you
LARISSA i feel sick tired
CLYDE shall i drive us home
LARISSA no let’s eat in an unforeseen surprising way Clyde i love you too deep down stay with me Clyde don’t ever go away
CLYDE ELI MOSKOWITZ male 52 years of age 5’9” athletic build yet signs of age white painter’s pants rolled up to mid-shin light blue vintage cowboy shirt wet black high-tops
act 1 scene 1
Sky bar 4th Avenue Tucson Arizona 6:30 PM actors sit 3 seats away from each other at bar bartender approaches Larissa
BARTENDER can i help you?
LARISSA (she looks up from cell phone) yes thank you may i please have a glass of sauvignon blanc or reasonable facsimile and tall ice water
BARTENDER we have a California pinot grigio $5 a glass
LARISSA is it good? i’ll try a glass (bartender serves wine and tall ice water Larissa sips) oh yeah this is good thank you
CLYDE excuse me i was considering switching from this Spanish red to what you ordered you like it huh?
LARISSA yes it’s quite good funny coincidence i just switched too from pinot noir last week i decided it’s unseasonably heavy you look familiar have we met?
CLYDE we’ve almost met on several occasions i’m a fan of your beauty (raises hand appealing to bartender’s attention) hi may i please try what she’s having
BARTENDER no problemo señor
LARISSA oh that’s sweet i thought for a moment you were going to say you’re a fan of my writing
CLYDE you’re a writer huh what kind of writing?
LARISSA whim fancy poetry fiction essays critiques i like to experiment with different formats
CLYDE hmmm what are you currently reading?
LARISSA aren’t you the inquisitive one i’m currently reading Yukio Mishima’s Madame de Sade it’s a play
CLYDE wow i’m a fan of Yukio Mishima and the Marquis de Sade yet unaware of the work are you enjoying it? i’m Clyde what’s your name?
LARISSA Larissa i just began reading it so far so good
CLYDE may i move closer?
LARISSA yes
CLYDE thank you (he picks up glass and sits next to her) hello
LARISSA is the mustache recent?
CLYDE still growing in
LARISSA i like you better without it
CLYDE got a razor on you?
LARISSA it makes you look sad
CLYDE hmmm (long pause he looks away then into her eyes)
LARISSA are you ok?
CLYDE yes
LARISSA what’s your profession?
CLYDE i’m a painter sometimes writer and i teach yoga when i can find work otherwise i scrape out a living house painting restoration whatever pays
LARISSA a painter what do you paint besides houses?
CLYDE i’m old i’ve painted everything figurative representational abstract symbolism you name it i’ve painted it
LARISSA you’re funny
CLYDE you think so?
LARISSA Clyde why are you sad?
CLYDE oh Larissa i don’t know what to say in a way i feel i was sent here to do a different job i don’t understand why i'm here or what i’m doing do i sound crazy? life throws a lot of hardballs at you few are good enough to make the big leagues the rest of us struggle day to day no i don’t mean to express that thought i’m grateful for the opportunity of this life in my own little way i try to make a better difference
LARISSA you’re not crazy Clyde you’re wise well spoken words you’re a sweetheart i’m glad to finally meet you
CLYDE oh god Larissa you have no idea how good that makes me feel i am such a fan of your beauty the way you dress your voice gestures everything i look forward to reading your work
LARISSA chill on the flattery Clyde my dog is dying (tears well up in her eyes)
CLYDE i am so sorry for you (he reaches into back pocket) here’s a tissue i know what it’s like to lose a precious friend i lost my baby 12 years ago and still carry her picture in my wallet i’m probably not someone you want to talk to i totally freaked out (tears well up in his eyes)
LARISSA Clyde you are so sweet can i buy you a drink anything what do you desire please
CLYDE uhh thank you but no not tonight i think i’ve had enough i need to go home Larissa you’re an angel my precious angel thank you my heart flames for you (he stands up)
LARISSA you’re being dramatic Clyde please stay and talk with me i won’t ask you again why you’re sad i like your mustache it’s growing on me please hang out with me
act 1 scene 2
9 PM they are walking back to her place
CLYDE (looking up at sky) the moon Larissa the moon
LARISSA you’re so dramatic Clyde
CLYDE you think i’m a drama queen?
LARISSA i don’t know you well enough yet Clyde are you?
CLYDE sometimes i think i’m a woman trapped in a man’s body
LARISSA shut up Clyde
CLYDE i’m definitely a man but way too sensitive for this world
LARISSA i need to *** (she squats and pees)
CLYDE (he looks up and down street keeping guard) you’re the coolest girl in the world
LARISSA you think so?
act 2 scene 1
cell phone conversation
LARISSA i’m taking Sweeny to the vet i can tell he’s hurting bad
CLYDE i’m coming with you
LARISSA no this is too personal
CLYDE shut up Larissa i’ll see you there
LARISSA i don’t know i need to do this by myself i feel so sad Sweeny’s eyelids are half closing I’m losing him
CLYDE i love Sweeny for adoring you the joy he brought to you please don’t shut me out Larissa i’ll meet you at the veterinarian’s we’ll figure this out write paint practice yoga work it out somehow
LARISSA ok alright see you at the vet’s
act 2 scene 2
they are shoveling a hole in her backyard deep enough so no creatures can intrude both are crying Larissa is in a daze
CLYDE that caliche is a ***** to shovel through
LARISSA yup
CLYDE oh baby let me have the shovel
LARISSA i can do this i need to do this i think it’s deep enough let’s go look at Sweeny (tears pouring out of her eyes they go back into house Sweeny is lying wrapped in blanket on table)
act 2 scene 3
he is lying next to her sniffing smelling her underarm kissing her neck hair she is lifeless coming to consciousness crying hysterically
CLYDE rest easy darling Sweeny is up in heaven waiting for you
act 2 scene 4
Thai restaurant
LARISSA i’m not hungry can’t focus on the menu order for me
CLYDE i love you Larissa more than anyone anything else in this whole world i love you
LARISSA i feel sick tired
CLYDE shall i drive us home
LARISSA no let’s eat in an unforeseen surprising way Clyde i love you too deep down stay with me Clyde don’t ever go away
