5.11.2007: The Tower Outside of Town (Leander, Hero, and the Impossible Space Between What’s Real and What’s Imagined)

The lights come up on Leander (in his goggle, flippers, ect.) and Hero. They sit side by side, saying nothing.

Silence for a while. Then:

HERO
Thanks for coming again.

LEANDER
No problem.

HERO
I hope the water wasn’t too cold tonight.

LEANDER
Nah. Not too bad.

HERO
Good.

LEANDER
But thanks for asking.

HERO
Of course.

Another silence.

LEANDER
How are your folks?

HERO
They’re good. You know. Same old thing with them. Mom asks about you all the time.

LEANDER
Oh yeah?

HERO
How’s your dad doing?

LEANDER
He’s better. Just needed some antibiotics and a little rest.

HERO
Good.

Another silence.

HERO (cont.)
Well, I guess we should get to the thing…

LEANDER
Yeah, the thing.

They stand. They face each other. Leander takes off his mask. They prepare.

A deep breath. They begin, with as much enthusiasm as they can muster.

HERO
I love you…

LEANDER
I love you…

A pause. It’s clearly a deeply uncomfortable moment for both of them.

LEANDER (cont.)
Do you?

HERO
What?

LEANDER
Love me.

HERO
Oh.

LEANDER
Because, you know, we don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.

HERO
Oh but I do. Want to.

LEANDER
So you do love me?

HERO
Of course I do.

LEANDER
Because lately I’ve been wondering…

HERO
Do you?

LEANDER
Do I what?

HERO
Love me?

LEANDER
Yeah. Yeah, I do. I swim the Hellespont for you. I mean, who would do that for you if they didn’t love you?

HERO
Okay. Because I’m starting to feel like you’re just here because you feel obligated.

LEANDER
No.

HERO
The initial enthusiasm is worn off or something…

LEANDER
I think you might be reading too much into things.

HERO
Really?

LEANDER
Unless…

HERO
Unless what?

LEANDER
Unless you feel that we’re only doing this because we feel somehow obligated…

HERO
No. Not at all.

LEANDER
Because I’d understand…

HERO
You would?

LEANDER
Not that I’d want to. But if you wanted this to be over, I’d understand.

HERO
I didn’t say I wanted it to be over.

LEANDER
I know.

HERO
Do you want it to be over?

Silence. Filled with the uncertainty of whether or not something is actually something or just something you willed into being because you needed it or something that was only meant to last a moment, not the lifetime you were hoping it would be.

Am I thinking about this too much? Probably. Am I overanalyzing every detail? Definitely.

LEANDER
Why can’t these things be clear?

HERO
Because they’re not.

LEANDER
That’s not fair.

HERO
Nothing we can do about that.

The playwright at his computer hates this feeling. The feeling of not being able to enjoy three dates for what they are worth without wrangling with the What-Comes-Next. Because maybe nothing comes next. Maybe everything comes next. He just doesn’t know.

LEANDER
This is harder than swimming the Hellespont.

HERO
What is?

LEANDER
Crossing the space between what’s real and what’s just imagined.
Knowing the difference in the first place.
Not just being happy with what is.

Pause.

The playwright at his computer does not want reassurance. He just wants the best of what time with the object of his attention can bring him. That’s all. And the playwright at his computer smiles at himself for worrying so damn much about it.

Thank God these stage directions won’t end up being seen in production.

LEANDER (cont.)
Tell me again.

HERO
Are you sure?

LEANDER
Am I sure?
No. I’m not sure of anything right now.
But I know I like to hear it when you say it.
And maybe it’s never going to be the truth.
Maybe it’s just not true yet.
We can at least enjoy the sound of it, right?

Pause.

HERO
I love you…

LEANDER
I love you…

HERO
I love you…

This goes on and on as the lights fade away.