The Wake

April 24th, 2020

Starring: Shelly (male, 60+), Bernice (female, 60+)

Early morning.  A porch, or a front stoop.  Bernice sits on the stairs, looking out. Shelly enters through a screen door, holding a five-iron.  He joins Bernice. 

SHELLY 

Well.  It’s done. 

BERNICE 

That was fast. How do you feel? 

SHELLY 

I don’t know.  My leg won’t stop shaking. 

BERNICE 

Adrenaline. 

SHELLY 

Must be. 

BERNICE 

Sorry to make you do it. Goodbyes are hard. 

SHELLY 

Should they be? With those? 

BERNICE 

It’s a big decision. 

SHELLY 

And I hate that.  That it made me feel so… 

BERNICE 

Lost? 

SHELLY 

Yeah.  Lost, empty, something. 

It’s like…why does this have to feel like when we put down the cat? 

BERNICE 

Because we’re losing something, Shel.  Saying goodbye is saying goodbye. 

SHELLY 

It’s not the same.  They didn’t know they were saying goodbye. 

BERNICE 

Nor did the cat. 

SHELLY 

But the cat was living, Bern!  It provided a lifetime of love and comfort. 

BERNICE 

So did our Macbooks.  They were loyal, loving, obedient. More than Grover. 

SHELLY 

Exactly!  Because they were machines.  Because they were expensive, flawless, things of beauty.  Because they were made to not be lived without.  

So we had to.  We had to smash them. 

BERNICE 

Had to.  

Hon, all I’m saying is you don’t have to act like it was easy. 

…  

It’s alright to mourn, Shel.  Mourn with me.  

Because I’m gonna need you. 

Shelly takes a breath.  He moves closer to Bernice and holds her tight.  They look out. 

SHELLY 

We’ll get through this.  We will.   

Together. 

END OF PLAY