BY LAUREN WINN
Copyright © by Lauren Winn. All rights reserved. Published with permission from the author. Inquiries concerning rights should be addressed to Lauren Winn at laurennakaowinn@gmail.com.
Presented October 25, 2013 | Kenan Theatre, UNC Department of Dramatic Art | Directed by Mark Cornell
Original cast members are in brackets.
NICK 19, male, troubled [Max Cullen].
DOUG 46, male, high-spirited [Trevor Johnson].
Present. The railing of a large city’s spanned bridge.
On NICK. He’s STANDING at the railing of a large bridge. A SOUNDSCAPE of various CITY-CENTRIC NOISES can be heard. . . . honking horns, cars driving, buses stopping. Nick is dressed in a black suit, but there’s something disheveled about him. His tie is loose and uneven, a corner of his shirt is untucked, the fabric seems stretched and wrinkled at the same time. His hair is matted, and his face is red in some places and pallid in others. Nick GAZES below, eyes unfocused and burdened with angst, confusion, guilt, and lost purpose. He rests his hands on the top of the railing and looks directly down. He fidgets.
DOUG [offstage] Would it be easier if I gave you a quarter?
[DOUG APPEARS from behind a girder, which is off to one side. He is dressed in weekend get-up: a faded baseball cap, worn jeans, and an old plaid shirt. He has a bulky pack on his back. A digital SLR camera hangs from his neck.]
NICK [confused] What?
DOUG A quarter. . . . to decide.
NICK [incredulous] It’s not that simple.
DOUG Why not? You flip the coin and it tells you what to do. One minute you’re here, the next you’re gone. Sounds simple to me.
NICK I don’t need your quarter. I already know where this ends.
DOUG [inching forward] Do you?
NICK Stay back!
DOUG I’m not going to do anything.
[Nick climbs onto the railing.]
NICK Any closer and I jump.
DOUG I didn’t come up here to see some kid kill himself. Let’s talk.
NICK There’s nothing to talk about.
DOUG I think there’s plenty.
NICK Leave me alone.
DOUG You got a name?
NICK Why do you care?
DOUG Just want to know your name.
NICK It’s Nick.
DOUG Nick then. Nick, have you ever wondered what it would be like to live forever?
NICK What does it matter; it’s impossible.
DOUG Is it? How does man become immortal?
NICK What kind of question is that?
[Doug lifts his camera and takes a photo of Nick. He checks the image on the LCD screen on the back, nods in approval.]
DOUG You’re photogenic, Nick. But it’d be better if you smiled.
[Doug fiddles with a setting on his camera before pointing it again at Nick. Nick twitches uncomfortably as he stares at the water below.]
NICK I have no reason to.
DOUG [lowering the camera] Sure you do.
NICK Why, because an old guy like you thinks he can talk me out of jumping?
[Doug lifts the camera again. He pans Nick’s face with it, his left eye squinting in concentration.]
DOUG I’m not that old. And I never said I was going to talk you out of it.
[He takes a photo.]
DOUG But, look here.
[Doug closes the distance between them.]
NICK Hey!
DOUG Easy. I just want you to see this photo.
[Doug extends the camera’s LCD screen toward Nick.]
DOUG See this? This is proof of your existence. If you jump, right now, you leave this behind. Whatever happens to you, this photo stays.
NICK That doesn’t make me immortal.
DOUG No, but your actions do. Think. If you jump here, you’ll be remembered as a jumper. If you don’t jump, do something with your life that affects someone else, that’s what will be remembered. You could be someone’s anchor. [long beat] How old do you think this camera is?
NICK [studying the bulky digital SLR] I don’t know. It looks new.
DOUG Yeah, it does. It’s eight years old. I got it for my birthday. Always wanted to use it but never had the time. . . . too focused with work. It’s just one of many things I’ve wanted to do.
NICK So do them.
DOUG I am. [beat] Do you have anything you wish you could do?
NICK [beat] Maybe say goodbye.
DOUG What’s stopping you? You don’t even have to say goodbye. Go back and appreciate those you would leave behind.
NICK You don’t get it! He’s gone already! I’m alone. I have no one!
He was all I had left! I have nobody. You understand? No one.
DOUG Trust me, I do. Truth is, and I’m not lying. . . . I came here to jump too. I want to know if you’re going to do it because I don’t want to go alone.
NICK [stunned] You can’t be serious.
DOUG I am.
NICK Whatever happened to all that jumpers and anchors crap? Get the hell away from me.
[Doug CHUCKLES in response.]
NICK And why are you laughing!?
[Doug removes his backpack and hunches down to retrieve its contents. He holds up a BUNGEE CORD AND HARNESS. Doug steps into the harness before pulling and snapping it tight. Nick looks on with astonishment.]
DOUG Now look where we are.
[Doug pulls out ANOTHER BUNGEE HARNESS.]
DOUG Always carry two in case one fails. [beat] So Nick, what’ll it be? [Nick stares back incredulously. Doug waits patiently. Shortly, Nick looks down from the bridge.]
NICK How would we get back up?
DOUG Cops will help us. Saw a guy over there make a call. They’re probably on their way.
NICK What!?
DOUG The cops. They’re on their way up here to stop us from jumping. Which is exactly why we should do it now! Let’s give them something to talk about at the station.
[A ghost of a smile flashes across Nick’s face. He’s filled with nervous excitement.]
DOUG Whaddya say?!
[POLICE SIRENS echo from offstage.]
NICK [softly] Okay.
[Nick pulls on his harness and snaps it into place. Doug checks to ensure that it’s attached properly. They snap on the carabiners of the bungee cords before locking them in. They CLIMB ONTO THE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE. Nick looks intimidated.]
DOUG Having doubts?
NICK I don’t suppose you have a quarter on you?
DOUG [laughing] I don’t.
[Nick braces himself and steps closer to the side. Doug lifts his camera and pulls Nick into the frame view.]
DOUG Smile.
[They both smile. Doug takes a selfie of them, then secures the camera onto his harness with a carabiner.]
DOUG Okay, on one. . . .
NICK . . . . two. . . .
BLACKOUT
DOUG and NICK Three!
END OF PLAY