Ain’t Too Proud to Beg

A man is sitting on a red armchair. Bare-torsoed, he is wearing only a pair of dress pants and socks. He crosses his feet alternately, right over left, then left over right. He stretches his arms behind him, and peers at the silver Rolex on his left wrist. A woman enters from stage left. She is in an sparkling aqua dress, with white pumps. Her make-up seems rushed and her hair sticks up from various points. She avoids looking at the man, who stands up as she enters. She goes to the end table and picks up a ring of keys.

MAN (wanting to move but feels rooted to the spot): Don’t.

WOMAN (beat): Good-bye.

MAN: Please.

WOMAN (still averts her eyes): No.

MAN: Rest.

WOMAN (turns to exit): Time.

MAN: Ball.

WOMAN: Pass.

MAN (walks towards her): Beauty.

WOMAN: Imperfection.

MAN: Adoration.

WOMAN: Subjugation.

MAN (kneels down): Imploring.

WOMAN: Strength.

MAN: Begging.

WOMAN: Power.

MAN: Emotion.

WOMAN:  Thoughts.

MAN (stands up): Betrothal

WOMAN: Betrayal.

MAN: Kindness.

WOMAN: Disappointment.

MAN: Apologies.

WOMAN: Forgive.

MAN: Forget.

WOMAN: Never.

MAN: Love.

WOMAN: Love.

MAN: Stay.

WOMAN: Go.

Curtain

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This is the 100 Songs Project, a 100-day writing challenge based on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs. Every day, I write a short poem, prose piece, or play based on, reacting to, rejecting, accepting, or doing something related to one of the songs in the top 100 list.