Landscape
October 1st, 2020
Starring: D (male/female, 28-35), M (male, 28-35)
The exterior of a home. A decently sized yard (just grass, no flowers yet), with a paved driveway up the side. D pulls up with the car into the driveway. M sees and comes out of the house to greet. D gets out of the car.
M
Hey
How did it go?
D
Fine.
I picked up something.
M
I just ate—
D
Not like that.
D goes to the trunk and takes out a small tree sapling, packed in a tub of dirt.
D
I was thinking we could plant it there.
M
...is that what we want?
D
It’s not about what we want.
M
Um...ok?
I’m not opposed I just think
Well I thought the plan was landscaping—
D
This is the landscaping. It’s the whole landscape for everything. It’s bigger than us.
This is for our grandchildren to have shade.
This is for our great grandchildren to climb.
This is for our great great grandchildren to have to argue with the energy company about it blocking too many powerlines.
This is for our great great great grandchildren to have a view that rivals highrises.
This is for the futuristic wood hippies who’d rather die than see this get chopped down.
This is for its acorns. And its acorns acorns. And its acorns acorns acorns. To be taken by hand or by squirrel or by wind or by sewer and end up somewhere else. So they can start anew.
An unstoppable cycle of life. That’s the landscape I see.
…
M
Was the nursery stop on the way there or on the way back?
D
Why does it matter?
M
Because you didn’t tell me how it went.
D
I said it was fine.
M
Then define fine.
Like
You’re killing me here.
…
D
My swimmers can’t be called swimmers unless they learn how to float first.
Straight from the nurse’s mouth.
Nothing completely ruled out but
Yeah
Not great
Actually it’s dogshit.
…
So that’s fine.
…
M
There are still a lot of ways.
So so so many ways—
D
I know.
But
Maybe this is the best one.
M
It’s worth a try.
D
You’re not just saying that?
M
No. It’s all worth a try.
But let’s talk about it. Give it the weekend.
D
Sure. Yeah, that sounds good.
M
Good. Come on in.
M waits for D to follow into the house. M goes inside. Before going inside, D leaves the sapling next to the front door, when the time’s right.