Three Nights in Paris

Kate Jones © 2012

Bed and pillows are taped out on the house right wall, near the pillar in the second row. Nicole stands next to the pole, Dan stands to Nicole’s left; both are holding a blanket up so that it looks like they’re in bed.
1: This tape represents the dimensions of a normal full sized mattress.
2: I am [approximately] his size.
1: And I am [approximately] her size.
2: A bed of this size was in an apartment they shared.
1: One block from the Eiffel Tower.
2: Two friends, on vacation.
1: Just friends.
2: Three nights in the city of love, the city of lights.
1: They made chocolate volcano cakes.
2: Clinked Cotton Candy Cocktails.
1: Walked arm in arm along the Seine.
2: Daydreamed about their next adventure.
1: But each night, when they climbed into bed
2: He was at the edge. (Turn body to L, head looks L unless delivering a line)
1: And she was pressed up against the wall. (Turn body to R, head looks R unless delivering a line.)
2: Polite with pillows and blankets.
1: Cautious not to kick, or accidentally spoon
2: Three nights in bed, and they never once touched.
1: She thought, ‘if anything was going to happen, it would happen in Paris.’
2: She’s not convinced he was thinking at all.
1: The victims of over thinking it so much…
2: That they were both paralyzed with fear.
1: (pause) Nothing happened in Paris.
2: (pause) Something happened in Paris.
Both turn to face the audience, hold hands behind the blanket.
1: The ‘something’ being the realization that they both wanted more than nothing.
2: That maybe they should try it, before they give up on it.
1: They haven’t shared a bed since they got back.
2: But one assumes they probably will.
1: (Turning to Dan) Who assumes that?
2: Well… She wrote the play.
Drop the blanket to reveal holding hands, smiling at the audience.

Curtain.

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Everything I Need to Know About Being an Artist, I Learned in the Second Grade.

Kate Jones, © 2010

Kate is CS sitting at a table with a picture of her mother and a coloring of a clown. There are crayons and Kate will color while telling this story.

My mom didn’t really help me with my homework when I was a kid. She was always insecure about her education. She grew up in Vietnam and dropped out of school in the 4th grade.

But there was one day, on time, when she did help me. My teacher gave us a picture to color of a clown who was juggling balls, and in each of the balls, there was a math problem. So the assignment combined my two loves, art and math. I had waited until the last minute to do the assignment and my mom offered to help. I was so excited. She had never tried to help before but this was an assignment she could handle.

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