Intervention

A group of friends stage an intervention for their friend who has fallen low

Five people sit silently in an open room. Chairs and sofas are angled to create something of a half circle. Some are twiddling their thumbs and one has their face buried into their palms. They are waiting on the arrival of someone. There is tension in the open spaces of the room. John, in the middle of the silently seated, pulls his sleeve to check his wristwatch.  Audibly, a car is pulling into the driveway outside the room, a car door shuts and moments later there is a knock at the door.

           

John: (whispering as he stands up from his seat) Alright guys, remember, we love Ben. We are here to help him (Apprehensive nodding moves the group’s heads in unison. John opens the door)

 

John: (gesturing cheerfully with his free hand) Ben! How you doin’ man, come on in.

 

Enter Ben, his eyes are red and his face stricken with exhaustion. He does not seem to taken off by the group.

Ben: I’m good, thanks.

John: (Overly overjoyed) Great, great! Well, take a seat, take a seat!

Ben: (Moving through the open space created by the seats. Mark and Rosie scoot apart to make room) Sure, thanks.

 

Silence follows Ben taking his seat; there is an uncomfortable shuffling of each person. John sits back into his seat with a deflating sigh.

John:(Again with his hands) Well Ben, do you know why we are all here? (He looks over to the other two, Terry and Jackie. Ben slackingly follows his glance, he gives a brief and microscopic smile, and they do not return it.)

Ben: (Looking to the floor) I have an idea.

John: We think you are using Ben (The joy in his voice is gone).

Ben: Ah.

John: We all came here today…because, this is your intervention.

 

Ben looks to his right, He nods to Mark. Ben looks to his left, he nods to Rosie. Ben looks across to both Terry and Jackie. They nod simultaneously. John is nodding to himself, eyes closed.

Ben: (Sternly) Actually, John, this is your intervention.

John: (Eyes open suddenly, tilts his head) What was that?

Jackie: He said this is your intervention, John.

 

Rosie begins to cry into her hands, a loud and all-body type of cry. Ben rubs her back with the flat of his hand.

Rosie:(In between sobs) I…We all think you have a problem.

John: I (Looks to the faces of each of his friends) I don’t understand, we’re here because Ben has been usin"

Ben: (Still comforting Rosie) You’re addicted to intervening John, Can’t you see it?         Don’t you see that it is affecting all of us?

Mark: It’s getting out of hand, John.

Ben: We came here today because we love you, John. Terry, do you have something you would like to tell John?

 

All eyes go to Terry. Terry’s eyes are shining with tears.

Terry: (Fighting the dryness in his throat) I just want the old John back Ya’ know? (Tears are flowing freely from his eyes now.)

Jackie: (Now having to comfort Terry) We know, we all want the ol’ John back.

Terry: I wrote something for you John (He reaches into his front pocket and pulls from it a folded sheet of paper. Clearing his throat and looking once more to the now distant minded John, begins to read from the paper) John, my best friend, where have you gone? I can no longer say you are the John I came to be friends with back in college. You used to be so passive and unconcerned. There could be times when I would be strung out for weeks on cocaine and barbiturates, and you would say nothing at all, you made it seem like you had no idea what was going on in my life. And I knew that even if you did know, you didn’t care enough to bring it up and make a whole thing about it because that would be totally lame. What happened to you my friend? I just want the John who says nothing about my addiction to narcotics.

Rosie: Or my alcoholism (Rosie swipes the tears from under her eyes)

Terry: Yeah, or Rosie’s alcoholism.

Mark: And my Internet porn.

Jackie: And my gambling.

Ben: (Both of his hands now preoccupied with comforting) Don’t you see John, we want the old you back. The John who sat blindly as we gave in to our crippling addictions.

 

Each nodded in agreement and smiled sweetly.

Jackie: We are just afraid that you are becoming a buzz-kill.

Terry: (As though he is finishing Jackie’s thought) … A total blowhard.

Mark: You really suck John.

 

Ben gets up from his seat and approaches the seated John. John is looking to the floor. Ben gets to his knee, and places a hand on John’s.

Ben: You’re a dick John.

 

CURTAIN.

Author's Note

My first play, I've been reading the plays of Tennesse Williams. Can you spot the influence?

Reviews

[Vian]

You are an absolutely genius writer. Point blank, on the dot every time. I love it. You have this wonderful ability to get to the heart of the matter like a surgeon, there is never unnecessary, useless fluff with you, its perfect. You mislead and play with the reader like a master puppeteer and I am absolutely in awe with your work. Thank you for being a writer.

[ZackOfBridge]

And thank you for being a compliment-generous reader! I really appreciate it

[Chadvonswan]

Hahaha that was F*****g Hilarious. I read it again and enjoyed it more than the first read. Great job on your first stage play! You should write some more man!!

[ZackOfBridge]

Thanks brah! Yeah, it was pretty enjoyable because I didn't have to bother with all the words and actions and all that