Photo by Lucas Andrade from Pexels
TIME AND PLACE
2001. A patch of beach in Southern California toward sunset. EILEE, barefoot, in a two piece bathing suit. Sand. Water. A surfboard. Sounds of waves rolling in. In the
discretion of the Director the ocean may be positioned at the back, side, or front of the
stage. If at the front of the stage, EILEE steps into the ocean by stepping toward the
audience.
CHARACTERS
EILEE, age 37. Married. Mother of two. In a state of postpartum suicidal depression.
RACE, died at age 29 in 1992. In Eilee’s imagination, Race is still age 24. (Essentially a ghost figure in the play).
DAVID, Eilee’s husband.
… in the dialogue indicates a thoughtful break.
NOTE
Eilee [rhymes with Kylie or Riley] has come back to a place where she can rejoin the memories of her and Race’s love affair from their mid 20s. Race is present, but essentially in Eilee’s mind only; and throughout the scene she never directly acknowledges his physical presence. Balancing on her surfboard in the sand she teeters between returning home to her family, or paddling out into the ocean to join her dead lover.
SCENE
EILEE enters with a surfboard, holding it at her side like a woman might stand in the sand
next to her lover. In a few moments she walks with it to the edge of the waves.
RACE is sitting in the sand, a short distance away from EILEE.
EILEE and RACE never make eye contact, nor do they have any direct interaction, EXCEPT
WHEN Eilee’s eyes are closed.
EILEE
Looking out to the ocean.
I used to cherish closing my eyes here and just listening.
[beat] Like the sand flowers, to the waves.
Reaching down to touch the water.
If anything that’s how life is:
Just the moment.
The breathing.
The thoughts.
The feelings of loss.
The insistent presence of the universe on our backs.
Its inhuman love. Its indifference.
Its filling up our emptiness.
And then taking everything away from us in the end.
Like a shipwreck.
[pause] When I drive I count milestones.
It’s my habit, to pass the time.
If traffic is normal, and the weather is normal,
there’s hardly a thing on my mind that’s more unwinding than driving.
The mechanics of it. The escape.
Like slow waves brushing against the sand.
[pause] I got here a couple of hours ago, I guess you know.
Thinking of you.
Talking to you.
Just sitting there.
Not getting out of the car right away.
I’m not alone, you see.
Thirty thousand suicides a year, the person on my cell phone told me.
Give or take.
In our country alone.
And far more who try and fail.
[pause] It’s not always the pain of a broken heart.
But I spose it mostly is.
Lost love.
That, and shame and guilt.
EILEE lets the surfboard fall to the sand and puts her hands over her eyes. As she does, RACE comes over to her and
holds her in his arms. After a space he returns to sitting in the sand; and EILEE takes her hands down from her eyes.
EILEE
I can feel you, Race.
And see you, kissing me.
Is that what death feels like?
[pause] Back when our closeness was always near, I could forget everything else.
When we were young for forever, and made love into our sleep.
When sleep would forget everything else.
Except you.
And me, wanting you.
To never stop loving me….
You understand, don’t you, my Love?
RACE
[pause] I understand.