Extraordinary

A Stage Play by Vanessa

Three friends. All on the brink of beginning the next chapter of their lives. These three friends have experienced the beauty of growing among fellow art lovers, including live theatre.

Characters:

Alice

Piper

Abner

(There are three seats and one coffee table. Piper and Abner are sitting in a seat, leaving the other one empty, having Abner in the middle. He has a guitar and is strumming it quietly, his eyes closed. Piper is humming and singing softly to the tune. Alice enters carrying two notebooks and sets down her mug before sitting down)

Alice: Okay, the hot chocolate is ready!

Abner and Piper: (look at each other simultaneously) No thanks.

Alice: I let it finish boiling this time, I promise.

Abner: No, I don’t want you yelling “I just cleaned the floor and you’re spilling hot chocolate all over it!” When actually, I was watching my life flash before my eyes, but who cares, it was just me choking on your hot chocolate.

Piper: Alright man, get over it. It’s been a year; a lot of things happen in a year. And a lot ,for me, is deciding on a job offer.

Abner: A garage band full of nobodies are taking sold out stages. That’s a lot.

Alice: Or a lot is selling my parents’ house and taking an internship in Ireland. (brushing it off) But really, these are all just details.

Abner: How are your folks doing anyway? Its gotta be some change.

Alice: They’re…coping. The move wasn’t a big deal. It was always my dad’s plan to move back to his hometown after he retired. So, I know they’re fine with that. It’s his health. Arthritis just hates everyone, especially older people. I mean, he turns 61 this year and he tries to just be whatever about it. But it’s obvious he needs a wheelchair now. And for a man like my father�"

Abner: No flippin way, no freaking how.

Alice: Exactly. He’s active, he’s a perfectionist, he wants to do everything himself.

Piper: It’s going to be hard.

Alice: After all the effort he puts into everything�" I mean look at this house. He made his dream house, he made our dream house. And now it’s sold.

Abner: Hey, you’ll always have it. Strangers ain’t taking away the life you lived here.

Piper: And all your dad’s work is still going to be there. (Abruptly) And did Abner really just say flippin?

Abner: (smirks) Oh yeah you noticed that huh? I’m using other F-words instead of the OG F-word.

Alice: (struggling to suppress laughter) OG F-word?

Piper: There is no explanation for that.

Abner: Oh, flip off, I’m cleansing my aura�"

Piper: Ahh! That’s your stoner drummer talking!

Alice: (hysterically laughing) Time out, time out! Omg I’m crying.

Abner: Whatever, you motherpuckers.

Alice: Speaking of motherpukers, have those “high end” executives given you anymore crazy “possible” scenarios?

Abner: Hold hold hold hold, hold up. Your butt actually decided?

Piper: My butt?

Abner: You know what I mean. Is this happening?

Alice: Did you blindfold and pick?

Piper: No I�"

Abner: She’s lying, no way she’s picked anything.

Piper: Well, hey. It’s way more than just a job. It’s where I live; it’s people I’m choosing to be around. If you really want to get into it, it’s also people I could maybe date. Me choosing my work is more than choosing who gives me a paycheck. But nobody ever talks about that. Nobody ever thinks about the little things.

Alice: That’s because nobody looks as far ahead as you do. It’s always a right here, right now type of thing. People get scared to decide; people are scared of the future. When you realize you’ve grown up, it’s like you have to say goodbye to your childhood.

Abner: Yeah, but it’s more than just that. It’s the different pictures and visions you had of yourself in the future. They’re fantasies when we’re tiny humans, so we are all hopeful and doe-eyed and s**t about one day having that. Then time catches up. And that kid�" (flustered with words) that kid that we let be all innocent and believe in fairy miracles or whatever the fluff it is… he shatters. Because now, now the future isn’t a fantasy anymore, and s**t in life gets too real. It’s goddamn real. (pause, then dejected) So, yeah, I do say choosing jobs is more than just a paycheck.

Piper: (gently) I don’t think you should forget about fairy dust, or whatever, you know. You’ll kinda need that, for when things get too real.

(Abner then picks up his guitar and begins strumming again. There’s a comfortable silence before Alice begins writing in her notebook.)

Piper: (noticing) Alice, do you write about us? I bet you do. What do you say about us? I don’t care what you say about Abner, what do you say about me? I am in there, right? I’d be offended if I wasn’t because�"

Abner: Man! Girls talk too much.

Piper: (looks at him) I think Neverland is looking for its Peter Pan.

Abner: (mimics playing a pan flute, continues quoting) Well, get on with it girl.

Piper: I take that back. I’m putting money that they kicked you out of Neverland.

Alice: (gesturing) This is why I bring my notebook.

Abner: Soooo, you do write about us?

Alice: I mean, it’s a possibility that you guys somehow make appearances onto the pages inside of my notebook.

Piper: (beat) Right okay, so who else is in there?

Alice: (nervous) Well, it isn’t just people. Sometimes its things people say, or random poems I think of…or (quickly) just songs and song lyrics.

Piper: Lyrics about�"

Abner: Song lyrics?

Alice: Well they aren’t exactly mine�"

Abner: Woah woah woah woah, they aren’t yours? (suspiciously looks at her) Alice, did you write down all of mine and Piper’s old songs?

Piper: You did?

Alice: (sheepishly) I just, I think they were great. More than great! (getting excited) And yeah Piper I know you would do it just to help him practice, but you would have these ideas�"and I know! I know Abner you said everything you were singing was babbles because you didn’t believe anything you were saying, but I was your guys’ fan. (reaches for the second notebook) A fan that was sure writing it all down would pay off one day. (hands Abner the notebook)

Piper: This is all ours?

Abner: (skimming, pausing to read) Hell yeah, this is all us. (pause, smiles) You even tried writing guitar notes?

Piper: (reaching for it) This was when we were still in college. (beat, reading) I remember. It was our first play together.

Abner: (smiling) Ah man, we had so many jam sessions after rehearsals.

Alice: You always had your guitar of course, and Piper had her ukulele, and you guys would just harmonize all night.

Piper: We either were on front porches or in bedrooms decked out in records and record players. (points at Alice) Omg that’s right! You would always have a notebook with you.

Abner: Yeah you woooouuld. (laughs) That was also the summer Alice got some good freakin taste in music.

Piper: Girl, you’re welcome. You needed us. (pause) That summer was when you joined the theater, I remember that.

Alice: Yeah, I was intimidated. I fought the urge to run away every day. But it was great.

Abner: Ohhh I remember that. My first play was hella nerve-wrecking, but man it was hilarious. There were so many first timers in the play.

Piper: It was one for the books. Everything changed after that, in so many ways. (looks at Alice) You and I became inseparable.

Abner: Twins! That’s what we called you. (nostalgic) It was a damn rollercoaster after that play. And seeing it today, there are so many damn things I would do differently.

Piper: Same here.

Alice: I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t change a thing.

(They turn to look at her.)

Abner: (deadpanned) Really.

Alice: Really. Every single decision I made brought me here. I’ve met people I never thought I would have in my life. I don’t want to change where I am, so I wouldn’t change my choices.

Piper: I can understand that. Best decision I ever made was staying in theater. I felt invincible when I was on stage.

Abner: I always always felt like I was finally home. It’s like you’re on the road for who knows how flippin long, then you turn that key to open your own lock. That comfort, the hallelujah chorus. That’s what I always get.

Alice: I feel pure fear. In the beginning and throughout. When the stage is dark and nobody else is there, I realize I’m about to step on, and this shaky terror consumes me. And it isn’t until my feet hit that stage, the lights come up, that things make sense. For the most part. I don’t know why. I think it’s because I feel like myself when I’m on stage.

Piper: That’s always been kinda wacky to me. How easy it is to play other people, but we could never be comfortable in our own skin.

Abner: It’s hard to love yourself. Not for me, for others.

Piper: There it is. But that’s why theater was our place. It was us, you know.

Alice: It was a breath of fresh air. Everyone there was a breath of fresh air.

Abner: It was different. (clears throat) And then we left the nest. We had to spread our wings.

Alice: That’s true. It was just hard to leave.

Piper: Oh, you don’t have to tell me. You put it off an extra semester. I was upset. (mimics) “It’s not the right time,” that was you!

Alice: (suppressing smile) I was afraid!

Abner: (laughing) Man, that ain’t fear. Afraid is what I was when my band had their first gig. I had to physically breathe into a bag.

Alice: Is that when you guys accidently set the stage on fire?

Piper: Now that was a good time!

Abner: Frick you, that was expensive as hell. Instead of paying me, I paid them.

Alice: Yeah but now people are paying you. A world tour. How does it feel?

Abner: I honestly don’t know. We have our first show in two nights; it still feels like a garage rehearsal. But. A whole year on tour. I’ll let you know when it’s over how I feel. Cause, s**t right now. (shakes his head).

Piper: Well, I have all the confidence of the world in you. Which isn’t a lot, but hey you started off in musicals, writing lyrics on napkins.

Alice: Short videos on Instagram.

Piper: Your guitar was your arm at some point.

Abner: Alright, alright. (smiles) Damn, I feel scolded for having some actual goals in my short life.

Piper: Short life? You know what, I’ll be nice. I think you are very lucky Abner. Not a lot of people can say they’re living their dream.

Abner: Oh, aren’t you kind. But Alice will be able to say that real soon.

Alice: No no no no no. I think that’s still off.

Piper: Are you kidding? This is what we talked about our junior year in college. Then that email came senior year, telling you you were moving to Ireland. You are going to live abroad, and all you have to do all day is read and write. You said it’s what you’ve always seen right?

Alice (quiet) Yeah, it is. Ireland will be new to me. But it is where I’ve always pictured myself.

Abner: I see why. You’ve always kind of stood out, not in a bad way or “oh look she’s a weirdo”, just, it’s like you’ve always wanted to be somewhere else. Piper is like that too, though. Seattle ain’t gonna know what hit it. (pause) Wait, Seattle is what you decided, right? Because that’s kind of the only one I liked. The other one was crap.

Piper: (smiles) Yup, I picked Seattle. It’s all coffee shops and music capital of the country. At least that’s what all the pamphlets say about it anyway.

Alice: Mmmhmm. You should always listen to the pamphlets.

Piper: I mean, I almost didn’t. But I picked what I wanted.

Abner: More people should be like that. Brave enough to go after what they want without having a plan B.

Alice: Plan B’s aren’t a bad idea. You never know what can happen.

Abner: Well yeah, I agree with that. But I also think, no, I know, that if plan B’s are your safety pocket, then you put restraints on yourself. You don’t let yourself go for that dream hanging right there.

Piper: Okay sure, but at least you know you tried, then you can have something to fall back on.

Abner: But if you have something to fall back on, you never really feel what it’s like to fail. It’s almost like falling into a safety net. You never have the fear of hitting the damn ground, so you keep trying and trying, but you don’t feel that fear. That fear of “holy s**t, I’ve gotta make this happen. Because there’s nothing I want more than this.” There’s nothing pushing you.

Alice: I feel like my brain is slowly trying to make sense of what you just said.

Abner: Look, what I’m trying to say is we prioritize, yet we toss aside what we really do love. We settle; we focus on math; we honor in science; we please our parents; we please society, we do this for her, we do this for her, we do this for him, omg my dog died. And somehow, we end up making sure we are unhappy in the process. (softly) It’s better to try without a safety net and fail, than to fail but never feel the impact.

Piper: There’s a difference. You have to choose.

Abner: (picks up his guitar) Life is a true work of art. I don’t remember where I heard that, but it stayed in my damn brain. Also, I have been looking at that hot chocolate for the past ten minutes. I want it. I’m getting it. (starts to leave) I know, I’ll be careful. (exits).

Alice: I swear if he chokes again I am going to be so embarrassed.

Piper: Who cares, he’ll be fine. (pause) Are you?

Alice: Am I what?

Piper: Fine.

Alice: Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?

(Abner begins strumming his guitar offstage)

Piper: I just… (stares at her) I saw your face when we mentioned Ireland.

Alice: (nervous) Oh. I’m great! I’m excited and nervous yeah. But…I’m excited!

Piper: (moves to middle seat) How scared are you? Truth.

Alice: (deflated) I’m not just scared. It’s that noticeable?

Piper: I just want to make sure you want to get on that plane tomorrow. And if you don’t, I’m kicking your a*s onto it.

Alice: I do want to go. I do.

Piper: Tell me.

Alice: (breaks) I’m nervous, and terrified I chose wrong. That I’ve jumped without a safety net, and it’s a really bad move. I’m nervous about regretting. I don’t want to have regrets, you know that. But by the time I realize this was a bad move, it’ll be too late. I’ll have failed. All the people that believed in me are proven wrong. All the dreams I had, gone. All that faith and belief and time, yeah that’s all wasted. I’ll be alone.

Piper: Stop. You will never be alone; do you hear me. Alice, if you fail, then fail big. Don’t hold anything back. Go out there and scare some sense into yourself. That’s the key to no regrets. These are your choices�"this, right here, tomorrow, it’s your choice. Even if it’s the wrong one, you’re already one step ahead of everyone. Because sometimes, all it takes is for you to take the wrong step in the right direction.

Alice: (quietly) You believe that?

Piper: I trust it. (pause) Mr. Hugh would be proud of you.

Alice: He’d be proud of all of us.

Piper: Yeah, he was cool.

Alice: You know, up to this date I’ve never told him. But he helped me find something I’d been looking for since I was a kid. He believed in me, he believed. He trusted. He gave me confidence. I don’t know how you ever repay that.

Piper: (clears throat, doesn’t want to cry) Yeah, I’m pretty much in the same boat. But I figure, do what makes you happy. That’s the best way to give a person like him something back. Oh! And did you know that the name Hugh means heart, mind and soul.

Alice: No freaking way, that’s just like him!

Piper: That’s what I said!

Alice: (laughs) I’m really happy I met you.

Piper: I’m really happy you met me, too. You’re gonna be fine out there! You’ll be extraordinary. And I know I’m not the only one who tells you that.

Alice: No, you’re not.

Piper: How is he?

Alice: He’s great. San Francisco is great to him.

Piper: Have you guys talked?

Alice: We talk every night.

Piper: Keep it that way.

(There’s a moment of comfortable silence. Alice reaches for her notebook when Piper looks up)

(overlapping)