Photo by Matt Barnard from Pexels
Once every few years, even now … I find it impossible to bear.
– Barbara Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible
TIME AND PLACE
Scene 1: Late 1990’s. Before Y2K and 9-11. Summertime.
Midwest USA.
At center stage between two houses is a tree that can easily be climbed and sat in.
Nighttime. (Say, 10:15).
CHARACTERS
ANNE, female, 11 in Scene 1.
JULIAN, male (Anne’s next-door neighbor), 11 in Scene 1.
SCENE 1
JULIAN creeps out of his house and climbs the tree, stage center, putting an envelope in a safe spot higher up.
Shortly thereafter ANNE creeps out of her house and climbs the tree, sitting on a parallel branch.
JULIAN
[pause] Dr. Livingstone, I presume.
ANNE
[laughs] Nope.
The one and only Anne Brown.
JULIAN
Julian Henman’s my name. At your service.
ANNE
My pleasure, Master Julian, to be sure.
JULIAN
Are you in these parts often?
ANNE
When I’m exploring.
JULIAN
And what are you exploring tonight?
ANNE
Maybe just waiting.
JULIAN
For what?… For some news I have to tell you?
ANNE
For the fireworks. What else?
What news?
JULIAN
Ah, the terrible fireworks of July.
ANNE
Independence Day, tomorrow….
So … what is it you have to tell me?
JULIAN
[beat] Independence … that’s what.
But independence from what? would you think?
ANNE
From the British, I suppose. Is that what you mean?
JULIAN
Sometimes I’d just as soon trade our history of independence from England for another history.