Dream a Little Dream By Toby Lurio

Hlurio@gm.slc.edu

Cast of Characters Ann: A young waitress who feels lost in her life. 20 years old. A man in his early 20s. He dresses well. Anns first dream boyfriend. Early 20s. Anns second dream boyfriend. He is the same person as James, but he looks different because of Anns inability to retain memories from dreams. Early 20s. A Jewish woman in her early 50s. Lindsays friend, also in her early 50s. Georges uncle. In his 40s. Georges mother. In her 40s. A Hispanic man in his 30s. Working class. Another Hispanic man in his 30s. Working class. A stranger on Omegle.

George: James: Robert:

Lindsay: Sara: Evan: Naomi: Man 1: Man 2: Stranger:

Scene New York City Time Present day

ACT I Scene 1 ANNs apartment. SHE unlocks the door and walks in. She throws her keys on the table while closing the door. SHE checks the clock for the time. 6:20. SHE takes off her coat and puts it on a hook. She empties her pockets onto the table. A wallet, a phone, an iPod with earbuds. SHE sits down on the bed and takes off HER shoes. SHE gets up and shimmies off her pants. SHE goes to the sink and gets herself a cup of water. SHE drinks it and lingers a moment with the empty glass in her hand. SHE puts it back in the cabinet. SHE walks to the table and checks her phone. Nothing. SHE walks over to the computer and sits down in her chair. SHE sits down in her chair and turns on the monitor. A projection of her screen is on the back wall. A silence as she clicks around. SHE starts making a Facebook status. SHE only finishes the word "Why". SHE puts both of HER hands on the keyboard palms down and puts HER face onto them. A long pause. Some letter is being repeated dozens of times on the screen. SHE lifts her face and hands up. SHE selects and deletes everything in the status box. SHE closes the browser and walks to the bathroom. SHE lies down, feet still in view. There may or may not be a cry. Scene 2 The song "Julie and Candy" by Boards of Canada. Lights up on 0:26. A hole-in-the-wall shop in a shopping arcade. One half of the shop is full of records and the other half is a coffee shop. The coffee shop is actually just a counter with JAMES behind it, making cafe drinks. HE is wearing a vest. There is a bench next to the shop. ANN enters wearing pajamas. They are unflattering. SHE goes straight to the counter and sits on one of the stools. SHE stares at the records for a while, then looks at JAMES. THEY stare at each other for a long time. ANNs lines are whispered and unheard by the audience. JAMES Hello. ANN ...

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JAMES No, I dont think we have. ANN ... JAMES I love you too. BLACKOUT. Scene 3 The music continues. A path scrolling down on a screen against the back wall. JAMES and ANN are lying on their backs on the floor, miming walking on the path projected on the wall. Theyre holding hands. THEY walk for a while. Suddenly, ANN realizes something. ANN This is going to end. Dead animals appear on the sides of the path. They get to be bigger animals and more frequent. The light slowly gets brighter. ANN (contd) I need to go. ANN lets go of JAMES hand and the light quickly gets extremely bright; blinding. BLACKOUT. The music fades. Scene 4 A dark room. There is a bed, a computer, a refrigerator, a cabinet, a microwave, a small round wooden table, and a chair. ANN is in the bed, sleeping. SHE wakes up as if shes made a smooth transition from HER dream self to her real self. As if its not waking up, but changing states. Besides HER eyes opening, her expression does not change. SHE sits up and gets into the fetal position. After a beat, SHE throws the blanket onto the floor, gets up, then sits down at the computer. The screen lights up HER face. It is projected onto the back wall. SHE goes into a browser and finds a dating website. SHE whispers every word as SHE types.

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ANN Im looking for someone who cares about dreams. Who thinks they mean something. Does someone out there want to learn how to lucid dream with me? I dont think that theres some Inception world inside of my dreams, but I feel like theres some part of me that I can only find when Im asleep. Something that I find every night, but I forget because everything fades when you wake up. Pause. ANN (contd) What Im doing with my life. Beat. I dropped out of college and Im a waitress now. Im fine having a job like this. I mostly just want to have something to keep me busy. Thats the most important thing. Everything else just comes out of that. Pause. ANN (contd) Im really good at...giving advice. Beat. I can beat everyone I know at chess. Except my uncle. Beat. I once got in second place at a vocabulary bee. I was in 6th grade and Id learned Latin so I could dissect all of the compound words. I dont think I remember most of it anymore. I still intuitively know what words Ive never heard of mean, though. Pause. ANN (contd) The first things people usually notice about me... Beat. is that I dont respond when they call my name. My names Ann and when I was little, I always said, "Yes?" when I thought I heard my name. But people were mostly saying, "and," so I eventually just stopped hearing it. People usually have to tap me on the shoulder. Scans a bit, then settles on the last part of the profile. ANN (contd) You should message me if you dont want to miss out on life while you still have it. SHE uploads a picture of herself, saves everything, then turns off the computer. SHE turns off her monitor and gets back in bed. SHE pulls the cover back onto herself and closes her eyes. SHE turns onto HER side. After a beat, SHE throws the covers off, goes to the fridge, and takes out

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a carton of milk. SHE pours the milk into a glass from the cabinet, then puts it in the microwave. SHE turns it on, then sits down in the chair. SHE watches as the lights fade. Scene 5 ANNs apartment. "rue the whirl" by Boards of Canada is playing. ANN is in her pajamas. SHE opens a window, puts her head through it, releases a sigh, then brings her head back in. SHE sits down on her bed and lies against the wall contentedly. JAMES climbs in through the window. JAMES Your room? Arent you more creative than that? ANN Opening HER eyes Thats imagination, not creativity. JAMES Sitting next to HER Same thing. ANN Its not. Creativity is being able to move a concept outside the box. Imagination is creating details from seemingly nowhere. I cant do settings. JAMES How about the coffee shop? ANN Its a shop in Indiana. I used to go there after school and think about buying records. And eventually resolve to pirate them. JAMES Creativity and imagination are the same thing. You just think that people who are better writers have some special advantage over you. Beat. ANN When I was 5, I went to a parent-teacher conference with my mom and my teacher told her that I had no imagination. And that broke my heart. For years after that I was angry at her for not seeing how much of a genius I was and I was angry at my mom for not standing up for me. But one day I realized that she was right. I never played with dolls. I never had an imaginary friend. I never played cops and robbers or whatever kids are supposed to play. I played very realist games (MORE)

5. ANN (contd) with clear goals. When youre "it" in tag, youre "it". You dont have to search for a motive or try and imagine what an "it" looks like. I was "it". And thats what all of my short stories were about. Ann with a different name and her extremely familiar adventures. JAMES Well maybe you just need a little kick to get your imagination going. You need to take the adventure so you can write about it. ANN I think Ive taken my last adventure. Every day is blending into the next. I dont remember the last time I had a real conversation. JAMES What about this? ANN A real conversation with a real person. Jesus Christ, Im talking to myself. ANN looks at HIM. ANN (contd) And I wish it didnt sound so shallow, but I just want to hold onto somebody. Feel a guys skin. And know that I could stay there forever. ANN puts HER head in HIS lap. Beat. ANN (contd) Please dont go when I wake up. JAMES Ill try. Scene 6 A diner. Two middle-aged Jewish women are sitting at one table talking to each other while two men are talking to each other at another table. They are gossiping in Spanish most of the scene. The dialogue is mostly nonspecific, but every so often, you can tell that theyre referring to the people around them. GEORGE is sitting at a table alone, eating a large breakfast. LINDSAY Diners are amazing, Sara. Anything can happen in a diner.

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SARA Nothing happens in diners. LINDSAY Everything happens in diners! Have you been to the theater lately? Confrontations happen in diners. Youve seen Fargo, right? Big deals are made in diners. Theyre cheap and unassuming. SARA Lindsay, nothing actually happens in diners. Stuff like drug deals are made in peoples homes. LINDSAY How would you know? Have you ever made a drug deal? SARA I smoked pot when I was 20. LINDSAY And you were chatting up the dealers? SARA I had a friend who knew one. And I paid my friend for it, so technically yes, I was chatting up a dealer. LINDSAY That doesnt count. SARA The point is we met at my dorm and we only went to diners after we smoked. LINDSAY You see, stuff does happen at diners! SARA A bunch of high kids going to eat is something happening? ANN enters with a coffee pot. It has an orange rim. LINDSAY Its more than nothing. SARA No, it is nothing. Nothing happens at diners. ANN To the hispanic men More coffee?

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MAN 1 Thank you. The other man nods and ANN pours it in both cups. They go on talking. LINDSAY In all the murder mysteries, the cops talk about the case at diners. SARA Thats just a scene to put them in. Most cops just talk about that stuff while theyre in the car or at the station. LINDSAY And how do you know so much about cops? SARA Larrys a cop. LINDSAY So that makes you the police chief? ANN is at the womens table. ANN More coffee? LINDSAY Sure. SARA Yeah. ANN pours coffee in LINDSAYs cup, then is about to pour it in SARAs before SARA pulls her cup away. SARA (contd) Wait, thats decaf. The men notice and start talking to each other about it. ANN Oh, Im sorry! To LINDSAY Ill get you another cup! Takes cup and rushes out with it. LINDSAY I didnt even notice.

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SARA You gotta notice things, Lindsay. LINDSAY I do, I was just distracted. ANN runs back in and gives LINDSAY a new cup. SHE runs to get the coffee. GEORGE Wait a minute. ANN Ill get to you in a second, sir! A silence. ANN comes back with the coffee and pours LINDSAY another cup. LINDSAY Thank you. ANN walks over to GEORGE. ANN Can I help you? GEORGE Sit down for a minute. ANN What? GEORGE Just sit down. ANN Im okay. GEORGE You just look like you need to take a break. ANN I take breaks. I still have another hour till it comes. GEORGE It looks like you need one now. ANN Its the morning rush; I need to work. I have plenty of time to relax later.

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GEORGE Do you meditate? ANN Do I meditate? No, I dont meditate. GEORGE You should. Its good for you. ANN I dont have time to meditate. GEORGE No one has time to meditate. It makes time. Take 10 minutes out of your day. When you have a clear head, everything becomes easier. MAN 1 To ANN Can I get some real coffee? ANN To MAN 1 One second! To GEORGE, sarcastically Yeah, Ill think about it. GEORGE Just need to relax. ANN takes the coffee pot and walks over to the hispanic mens table as lights dim. Scene 7 The diner. "turquoise hexagon sun" by Boards of Canada is playing. ANN is in her pajamas, lying in MOMs lap. They are on the floor downstage of the rest of the diner. ANN What am I doing? MOM Youre lying in my lap. ANN No, what am I doing? MOM Dreaming, I guess. You havent talked to me since you dropped out. I dont think itd really be appropriate to drive to New York like that.

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ANN I dunno. That kinda sounds like you. MOM Ann, Im waiting for you to call. I know my boundaries. ANN Really? MOM Whats that supposed to mean? ANN You sold me out, mom. MOM I "sold you out"? ANN I gave you my notebooks and you showed them to Dr. Silverman. MOM Honey, you were suicidal. ANN Raising HER head up No! I wasnt! I was emotional. Theres a difference. MOM I didnt want you to hurt yourself. I needed a professional opinion. ANN Well I didnt! I wanted your opinion! I wanted you to tell me that I was talented or something; not that I needed help. MOM You did need help. ANN And you didnt give me any! Silence. ANN sighs. SHE walks over to a wall and sits against it. Another silence. MOM Do you remember the time that you hit me? ANN ...Yes.

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MOM You were angry about something. I dont even remember what it was. ANN Ethan died, mom. MOM No, it wasnt about that. ANN Standing up Ethan died and I hated everyone! MOM No, I think it was about missing the bus on a class trip. ANN You told me everything would be fine! That Id forget about him! MOM Thats not what were talking about, Ann. ANN Walking towards HER Who tells that to their daughter? That Id forget about my only friend? Should I forget about friends altogether? MOM Ann, calm down. ANN Im always calm! Stop telling me to be calm! Ive never felt alive! Ive never felt like I was part of something! Ive never felt like I was wanted. Im not even the antagonist; Im the extra with two lines! Am I supposed to blame myself for that? For the person Ive turned into? MOM What? ANN Or should I blame you? Should I blame the person who raised me to be safe over happy; to the person who made me scared to ever do anything worth doing? MOM What are you saying?

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ANN Fight me, mom. I love you, but right now I hate you. MOM Im not fighting you, Ann. ANN Let me do something with my life! I want to make mistakes! Let me at least fight against you! MOM No! ANN throws a punch and her MOM catches it. Her MOM grabs HER and holds her firmly. ANN grows limp, in her MOMs arms and starts crying. ANN crumples to the ground. Her MOM sits back down and leads ANNs head back to her lap. SHE strokes ANNs hair as ANN cries. BLACKOUT. Scene 8 ANN is in her room on her computer. The screen is blown up on the back wall. SHE is browsing Facebook and finds nothing of interest. She finds herself going to Omegle and talking to a STRANGER. For each chat, there is a different silhouette of the STRANGER, but the same voice throughout. STRANGER hii ANN Hey. Hows your night going? STRANGER Its been pretty good wbu? ANN Fun times? STRANGER i guess... O_o ANN Im just bored right now. STRANGER haha same

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ANN Havent done anything real in a while. STRANGER try sky diving :p that seems pretty "real" to me haha ANN I would. I feel like Id do anything right now. STRANGER or scuba that sounds like a lot of fun ANN Sounds terrifying. STRANGER i think falling out of the sky would be more terrifyin than scuba personal opinion ANN Nah, scuba diving is a slow death. In sky diving, you hit the ground and youre gone. Or you get a heart attack. "Your conversation partner has disconnected." She clicks "New". STRANGER hey ANN Evenin. STRANGER how are you ? ANN Super amazing. STRANGER asl? ANN 20 F NYC

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STRANGER whats up? ANN Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh Im okay. STRANGER why are u super amazing than ? :P ANN S...sarcasm? STRANGER lol okay than whats ur name ? ANN Ann. Where are you? STRANGER im Julian 22 male and from germany ANN Whats it like there? STRANGER cold and dark :P ANN Fulla beer and sausages? STRANGER and that too xD you like beer and sausages ? ANN Not so much for either. STRANGER hmm ANN Just dont like the taste of beer. Never got into it.

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Apparently on my 100th beer Im supposed to like it? STRANGER german beet tast much better than american one i have herd :P *heard ANN Im near my 50th, I think. I didnt count them before 18, though. STRANGER lol i never did count em :P so what do you prefer to eat/drink? ANN Sandwiches? Im not...really a food person. I should be more of one. ANN (contd) I tend to just eat whatever. STRANGER hmmm kay ANN And I like it, but Ive never really been adventurous about it. STRANGER so what are your hobbys ? ANN I feel so boring right now. I swear Im better than this. STRANGER you got boobs your not boring :P ANN clicks disconnect. STRANGER Hey, they told me you have a super power. What is it? Dont worry, you can trust me. I wont tell. ANN How did you know?!?

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STRANGER They were talking about it at the convenience store. What is it? ANN Well...I guess I can tell you. Pause. I have a ten-inch cock. STRANGER Man, thats not a superpower. ANN I am a girl, though. STRANGER Oh dang! Thats pretty impressive, Ive gotta say. ANN Yup. STRANGER Now some people would consider that a disability, but its inspiring to us all that youve turned it around. ANN Hahaha. You have a superpower? STRANGER Well, just one. Pause. I can make a girl orgasm in 5 seconds. ANN Impressive! How did you acquire your powers? STRANGER Sleeping with thousands of women and a little determination. Its less of a superpower and more of an acquired skill. ANN You must make a lot of money. STRANGER Nah, its the kind of thing I save for someone I like. I wouldnt want it to be my day job. ANN You wouldnt? STRANGER No, I only want to do it once or twice a day.

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ANN All ten seconds of it? STRANGER No, sex in general. Sex isnt all about orgasms. I actually care more about the warmth and the personal touch. ANN You know what? I agree with that. Feeling wanted is what I really care about. STRANGER I mean, the Greeks thought that humans were a split whole that can come back together. That feels like it makes sense. Metaphorically, anyway. ANN It does. When youre with someone you like, you feel complete. STRANGER And when you have a long kiss, it can be more personal than sex. Pause. ANN Are you in love with someone? STRANGER Not right now. Im not sure I have been. Its so impossible to describe that I probably wont realize it when its happening. ANN You probably wont realize it until its over. Pause. STRANGER Where are you? ANN My location? STRANGER Yeah. Pause.

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ANN Im in New York. STRANGER Me too, actually. The browser window closes. "Chrome quit unexpectedly". ANN just stares at the error message, not quite knowing how to react. After a long silence, DIM TO BLACKOUT. Scene 9 NAOMIs dining room. GEORGE is setting the table for three. GEORGE Next time I go to that diner, Im asking her out. NAOMI Why didnt you already? How hard is it to ask a girl out? GEORGE It feels impossible. NAOMI Just go up to a girl and say, "You seem nice. You want to go get coffee sometime?" GEORGE I was already having coffee. NAOMI Dinner, a movie, whatever. GEORGE But theres this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that depending on how I ask her, she could change her answer. NAOMI If she says no, then it wasnt meant to be. GEORGE What does "meant to be" mean? NAOMI You know Im only trying to cheer you up. Of course everything has consequences. But if you think about them constantly, youll go insane.

19. GEORGE So I should just go for it? NAOMI If you wait too long, shell stop caring anyway. Beat NAOMI (contd) Georgie, theres only two of us. GEORGE Oh, shit! Force of habit. NAOMI George! GEORGE That too! GEORGE starts putting back the third setting. NAOMI Are you ever going to stop doing that? GEORGE The third setting is for Elijah. NAOMI Were Jewish enough as it is. GEORGE Well, well just have to deal with a little more. NAOMI Or well start having to invite another person over. GEORGE Im working on it, mom. NAOMI I dont mind if shes Christian. Or Asian. Ive always wanted to learn about Buddhism. Do you have a thing for Chinese girls? GEORGE Maybe! It depends on the girl! Silence. NAOMI If youre into boys, I honestly dont mind. You can tell me anything.

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GEORGE Mom! NAOMI I wont judge. It would honestly explain a lot. GEORGE Im not gay! NAOMI You say it as if its a bad thing! GEORGE Its not! Im just into girls, okay? NAOMI If youre so into girls, then why dont I have grandchildren yet? Beat GEORGE I can never tell if youre being serious when you say that. NAOMI Oh, you know Im just joking. Beat NAOMI (contd) It would still be nice if I had some little kids running around the house again. GEORGE glares at NAOMI. SHE does not seem to notice. NAOMI (contd) I just spent so much time raising you and taking care of you that it feels like its the only thing Im good at. When I get grandchildren, Ill feel like Im at home again. NAOMI brings the food out onto the table. GEORGE Why did you want kids in the first place, anyway? NAOMI When I married your father, I never wanted kids. It just sort of...grew on me, you know? It feels like theres a hole in your life. I just wanted to take care of something. I feel like if I called it a pet project, (MORE)

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NAOMI (contd) it might sound odd. But thats kind of what it is. Something that you work on bit by bit. And it was amazing when I finally let you go for college. Just thinking, "Me and your father made that." Beat NAOMI (contd) I expect being a grandmother is like that, but with less of cleaning up your messes. GEORGE All of the fun and none of the problems? NAOMI Exactly. GEORGE So Ill be stuck with the disasters. NAOMI And youll get to watch it all from afar someday. But youve got to pay your dues first. GEORGE I think I might pass on having kids for a while. NAOMI Not too long, though. GEORGE Ill think about it. THEY eat for a short while. NAOMI George, what have you been doing in the last few months? GEORGE What do you mean? NAOMI What have you been doing? GEORGE You know. Work stuff; its not exciting. NAOMI No, I mean side projects. Have you been keeping up with your French? Parlait vous le francais?

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GEORGE No. NAOMI Youre not even going to try? GEORGE I dont want to talk to you in French. Its not like you even know any. NAOMI You could translate things for me. GEORGE I just...dont want to do that. NAOMI Well do you have anything else youre doing? Beat GEORGE Ive been watching a lot of movies. NAOMI Youve got to stay interested in something, George. Otherwise youll end up depressed. I spent far too much of my life doing nothing and I dont want you to turn out the same way. You need a pet project. GEORGE Im not ready to have kids, mom! NAOMI Different kind of pet project! Silence. NAOMI (contd) But it wouldnt hurt. Scene 10 "Corsair" by Boards of Canada is playing. ANN is in her pajamas. SHEs at the diner, sitting at a table across from JAMES. LINDSAY is sitting across from MAN 2 at another table. LINDSAY is dealing cards, but they never actually play anything. SHE either has an "endless" deck of cards up her sleeve or takes all the cards back to re-deal once shes done. When ANN speaks, SHE whispers, but every one else talks at full volume.

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ANN I hate working here. JAMES Stop thinking about your job. Youre supposed to enjoy your dreams. ANN Yeah, but when you start thinking about something, you cant just stop. JAMES Of course you can. Just think about flying or something. Did you start lucid dreaming because there werent enough hours in the day to worry? ANN I cant fly in my dreams. JAMES Now youre just looking for excuses. ANN Cant we do something else? JAMES Cmon. Just stand up and do it. JAMES lifts ANN to her feet and sits back down. ANN Im supposed to just think about it, right? JAMES Yeah, just kind of imagine a floating energy at your core. Youve seen Dragonball Z. Its like that. ANN closes her eyes, tenses up and slowly raises to her toes, waits a few seconds, then lifts one foot off the ground shakily. SHE hops. SHE hops again. SHE may or SHE may not fall. SHE opens her eyes. ANN Not working. JAMES Youre overthinking it. Just relax. ANN I cant fly tonight. Ask me again tomorrow.

24. JAMES What makes you think Ill be here tomorrow? ANN Well, I can just will you here, right? JAMES What makes you think youll be able to control your dream tomorrow? Or even remember me. Youll probably forget we had this conversation. ANN Ill write it down when I wake up. JAMES You could. You probably wont. You usually just remember the dream that you wake up from. ANN I could force myself to wake up right now. JAMES Going off-stage What if its the middle of the night, though? Then youre going to turn on the light, get out of bed, write it all down, then try and go back to sleep. ANN Itd be worth it. JAMES Calling from off-stage Theres nothing worse than trying to fall asleep. Its torture. MAN 2 Falling asleep is pretty easy for me. I just close my eyes and Im out. LINDSAY I use Ambien. I used to have sleep trouble. The pills are like having an off switch. MAN 2 Do they make you sleep walk? JAMES comes out in a waitresss uniform with a coffee pot. HE pours LINDSAY and MAN 2 coffee. LINDSAY No, I dont cant sleep I sometimes sleep until too. get any of the side-effects. Although I without them anymore. When I go on vacation forget my pills. I literally dont go to I find a pharmacy. Its pretty expensive

25. JAMES pours ANN and himself coffee, then sits back down. ANN Ill stay up the night if I have to. I dont want to just forget part of my life. Its something that happened to me and it feels like a part of me dies every time I wake up and forget. Its like having amnesia and theres no one there to remind you of who you are. JAMES Ann, if you wake up now, you might not see me again. This could be the last dream with me. ANN Beat. So why are we sitting in a coffee shop? JAMES Someone has to work your shift. ANN Stop it. Its a dream. We could be doing anything. JAMES I wanted to go flying tonight. ANN I dont care about flying. JAMES What would you rather do? SHE gets up, sits next to JAMES and holds HIM as tightly as she can. After several moments, SHE kisses HIM, almost attacking HIM with it. It lasts a beat, then SHE breaks off and rests on HIS shoulder. HE rests his chin on HER shoulder and closes HIS eyes. FADE TO BLACKOUT. Scene 11 ANN is sitting at the diner in her uniform, where she was when she was kissing JAMES. Shes the only one there. A coffee pot is on the table and a coffee cup is cradled in her hands. Shes looking straight ahead, concentrating on the shreds of her last dream. GEORGE enters, looks around, and sees ANN. HE walks up to her. GEORGE Youre the waitress, right? The one who wouldnt take a break?

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ANN Were not open yet. GEORGE Its 7:20. The diner opens at 7. ANN Im not ready yet. GEORGE All I want is a cup of coffee and a bagel. ANN Ill get to you in a minute. GEORGE The coffees right here! Look, Ill just get a cup/ from the ANN Standing up Okay! Ill get you a cup and a bagel. SHE walks offstage. GEORGE Im sorry if Im being annoying! ANN A bit indignantly No, its fine! GEORGE It just seemed pretty simple at the time! ANN Returning Here. SHE hands him an empty cup and a bagel, no plate. GEORGE Thanks. ANN Sitting back down, picking her coffee cup again. Sorry if Im being annoying. GEORGE Sitting down across from her No, its fine. A pause. GEORGE (contd) Pouring himself some coffee So, uh, whats wrong?

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ANN Im trying to remember a dream. GEORGE What was it about? ANN I dunno. I think someone was playing cards. Beat And I tried to fly and I couldnt. Beat And I kissed someone. I definitely kissed someone. And it felt important. But I dont know why. GEORGE Do you think it means something? ANN Yes. But I dont know what. GEORGE It doesnt necessarily mean anything. ANN You dont understand. Everything felt so clear when I was asleep. It wasnt exactly the best dream, but I felt relaxed, you know? Beat. GEORGE No, I dont know. ANN You know that feeling when youre in a bad dream, but it feels nicer than when youre just lying in bed? GEORGE No. I dont like nightmares. ANN Bad dreams arent the same thing as nightmares. GEORGE Im pretty sure thats the definition of nightmare. ANN No, you can have a bad dream like being in your underwear in public and thats not good, but its not, like, being chased by a monster. Its just uncomfortable. GEORGE If its bad its a nightmare.

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ANN Well agree to disagree. GEORGE I hate when people say that. ANN It means that they dont like to argue! GEORGE But its frustrating! ANN Are you gonna drink your coffee? GEORGE looks down, realizes HE hasnt started drinking yet. HEs about to say something, decides not to, then takes a sip. ANN (contd) Do you have someplace you need to be? GEORGE No, not yet. ANN Why are you here at 7 in the morning? GEORGE I like to have a long breakfast. I dont like to be rushed while I eat. ANN Youre having a bagel and coffee. GEORGE I usually order a bit more; I didnt want to trouble you. ANN Youre so kind. A short silence. ANN (contd) I feel like Im being a bitch. GEORGE I dont mind it; I enjoy it. ANN Smiling Thats not what youre supposed to say!

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GEORGE What am I supposed to say? ANN "Youre not a bitch." GEORGE Well you were being a bit unfair before. Takes a sip of coffee. ANN You are the least comforting person on Earth. GEORGE And you are the most hyperbolic person on Earth. ANN glares at him and HE smiles into HIS coffee. ANN looks around the diner and sighs. SHE takes a big sip of HER coffee. ANN Sometimes New York just feels empty, you know? Theres plenty of people on the street, but where are they all going? I havent met anyone interesting since I moved here. And, you know, youve gotta know people to meet people. GEORGE Well thats not true. Youve already met an interesting person today. ANN Smiling and sitting back down Youre pretty arrogant. GEORGE Its what Im supposed to be. ANN According to who? GEORGE According to the scientific method. ANN And what? You think youll win me over with being a smart ass? GEORGE Its working too. ANN Oh really?

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GEORGE Yep. I treat you like I dont care what you think and then when we get back to the bedroom, I bait and switch with my real personality. Youll never see it coming. ANN It does sound like a flawless plan. GEORGE Im glad you agree. MAN 1 comes in, sits down, and reads a menu. ANN notices, then looks back at GEORGE. ANN So youre saying that under this disguise, youre not actually witty at all? GEORGE This isnt even my real voice. Im reading this whole thing off my hand too. Youd be surprised at how close these conversations end up. ANN Getting up I should probably get everything ready. What time is it? GEORGE takes out a fancy pocket watch with a chain and checks it. GEORGE Seven twenty-three. ANN Almost making fun You have a pocket watch? GEORGE Yeah. It was my dads. I thought he always looked like an idiot when he took it out and checked the time. Like he was checking the time to show how rich he was. ANN exits to get plates and silverware and such, but continues the conversation. SHE goes on and off-stage during it. ANN Is your family rich? GEORGE No, we actually didnt have that much money. We almost never went out to eat. And we bought everything in bulk, so we ate the same meals over and over again. Its just that every so often, once or twice a year, he (MORE)

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GEORGE (contd) bought something expensive. We always had a nice TV. My mom got angry at him over the pocket watch because the rest of us couldnt use it, so he bought us all big Hannukah presents that year. I dont know how he got the money. Sometimes he skipped lunch, but I dont think that that by itself wouldve been enough. ANN Why didnt he just return the watch? GEORGE I think it was something about pride. My dad didnt like to admit he made a mistake. I think the watch also made him feel important. Like hed become a successful businessman. ANN When did he give it to you? GEORGE It was part of my inheritance. ANN Oh. Sorry. GEORGE Yeah, I didnt really get much more than this. My mom has most of our stuff. The house and the stocks and everything else. Looking down at the watch I dont even really like this thing. Itd be easier to just carry around a cell phone. And its kind of gaudy. But I dunno. It means something. I dont wanna forget about it. Silence. ANN I wish I had something like that. GEORGE It doesnt make telling the time any easier. Get a wristwatch. ANN No, I mean an object that means something to me. Memorabilia. Momentos. GEORGE You dont have anything that reminds you of your past?

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ANN Nope. GEORGE Not, like, a stuffed animal or some jewelery you got as a gift? ANN I mean, yeah, I still have some stuff from my childhood, but none of it really brings back vivid memories. Or means anything beyond what it actually is. Shoes I got for my 16th birthday are just shoes. When I was in high school, I knew all of these people with boxes of personal items. They had things like a piece of their first blanket, their first R-rated movie stub, stuff like that...Love letters...And all of it seemed so important, you know? Little things that kind of come together to describe a person? GEORGE In the end youre not your stuff, though. ANN Still, when you look at my apartment, its barren. Have you ever played the game where you think of what youd save in your house if there were a fire? GEORGE Uh, yeah, sure. ANN What do you rescue? GEORGE ...My watch...A few books...And my laptop, I guess. ANN You see, besides my computer, I dont have anything that Id save. Nothing comes to mind. The only thing tying me to the world is myself. My brain. GEORGE How about people? ANN I have family, but theyre not close. Thats about it. GEORGE Nobody in New York? ANN Its an anonymous city. Where am I supposed to start? Looks at MAN 1, then back at GEORGE. Give me a second.

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ANN walks over to MAN 1. ANN (contd) Are you ready to order? MAN 1 Yeah. Ill have 2 eggs sunny side up and some whole wheat toast. SHE writes down the order. HE hands HER the menu. ANN Thanks. SHE exits. GEORGE watches her as SHE exits. HE takes a napkin and scribbles something onto it with a pen from his pocket. HE leaves, in a hurry. A few seconds after HE leaves, ANN comes back. SHE looks for GEORGE, confused, a bit worried, then finds the napkin HE wrote on. At first SHEs confused, then SHE smiles. SHE sits back into the booth and starts typing into HER cell phone. Scene 12 ANNs apartment. "Monolith" by CFCF is playing. ANN is in her pajamas. The entire cast except GEORGE and ROBERT is out on stage. THEY all walk around the space quickly, swarming. EVERYONE is bumping into each other. ANN keeps jumping up, looking for her boyfriend. ANN Help! I need you! JAMES Im over here! ANN Where? MAN 1 By the bed! ANN I cant see you! MAN 2 Lets just wait for this to pass! ANN This is scaring me! What am I supposed to do?

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LINDSAY Stop worrying for two seconds! Theres nothing you can do. Just enjoy the feeling. ANN I cant enjoy it; Im trapped! I dont know if its real or if Im in a dream. If people would stop pushing me I could think! SARA Stop thinking, Ann! Make that your goal! For the night, anyway! ANN If I stop thinking, Ill turn into a vegetable! MAN 2 Grabbing and holding ANN No you wont! Just hold on for a second! THEY wait there, in the swirling mass of people, then watch as the people all fall away, one at a time except for GEORGE, MAN 2, and EVAN. ROBERT enters the front door. ANN calms down. MAN 2 releases ANN, then falls to the floor. JAMES holds ANN. JAMES How are you feeling? ANN Im...not feeling a lot. I guess I feel relaxed. I can just think one thing without interrupting myself. JAMES releases ANN, replaced by EVAN. JAMES falls to the floor. EVAN Thats how youre supposed to think. Just worry about what you can do, then just let yourself get lost in the rest. Youve been spending so much of your time going through the motions of life. You start living when you can zone out and just enjoy it. ANN This feels so natural. I cant even imagine why Id worry anymore. EVAN releases ANN, replaced by JAMES. EVAN falls on the floor.

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JAMES You feel silly. ANN I dont think I understood how thinking less could make me understand something. It feels so obvious now. JAMES releases ANN, replaced by ROBERT. JAMES falls on the floor. ANN (contd) Im happy and I want to be with you. ROBERT Ill always be with you. THEY kiss. As THEY fall, BLACKOUT. Scene 13 A rooftop. There is a door to the stairs onstage. GEORGE and ANN enter the door. GEORGE is holding ANNs hand. The door closes behind them and they stand there for a moment, mouths slightly agape, looking at the skyline. Its exciting. A world in front of them that ANN hadnt really thought about before. GEORGE has. This is HIM sharing the moment. THEY sit down against the wall next to the door. ANN This is amazing. GEORGE Its the only place in the city I really care about. ANN Really? You have a place too? GEORGE What? ANN Youre so attached to the world. GEORGE Ann, you just told me you were an athiest. ANN I am! Its just that you have so many of those things. Things that mean something to you.

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GEORGE Normal people have those. ANN Im apparently not normal. GEORGE Yep. ANN Oh, come on! Is it really that strange to be detached? To live without Earthly possessions? GEORGE Youre starting to sound like Buddha. ANN Buddha had it right! He knew that whenever you have things, youll just want more. He was a prince and he was miserable. GEORGE Thats about wealth, not about memorabilia. He was against greed in society, not about living a full life. ANN Its the same thing! Its about wanting something instead of just enjoying the moment. GEORGE So enjoy the moment right now. This is beautiful. Thats my point. ANN Alright. A silence. ANN (contd) Do you think it matters? That Im sitting here right now, enjoying the view? GEORGE What do you mean? What does anything matter? ANN Well yeah, theres that level, but Im talking about on a conscious level. Like, is this really happening, am I really experiencing it, or am I just experiencing this moment in my memory?

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GEORGE Youre right here now. Youre experiencing this moment with me. The skyline is making you smile. ANN Youre taking this on the most physical level! In my brain, in my conscious mind, is this really happening? Because tomorrow Im going to remember this and its going to bother me so much that I cant be here. Ill be in my room and Ill think, "That was the most perfect thing. Why cant I still be there taking it in?" I cant relive this in my memory. GEORGE So we can come back here again. ANN But that situation will always come up. And I cant be here constantly. And whenever Im thinking of these kinds of moments, the thought always comes up, "Was I ever really there?" GEORGE Youre insane. ANN How do I know Im conscious in the moment? My brain only reacts to things that have happened in the past. It takes time for me to think things out, even that the air up here is cold and that light is entering my eyes. Everything that I experience is just assumptions. Thats probably a building I see in the distance. Looks at GEORGE Thats probably your face. But I never really know. I cant know anything for sure. And thats scary, you know? Living in a reality made up by my mind when I think its real. Life isnt that much more realistic than dreams. Ones just a bit more influenced by the outside world. GEORGE One is made to help you understand the world while the other one is just emotional baggage. ANN Maybe. Nobodys completely sure what dreams are supposed to do. Anyway, the point is that as far as Im concerned, Im not really seeing this and its possible that Im just living my whole life remembering things while my robot self is just doing everything in the present.

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GEORGE Wait; back up. ANN What? GEORGE Whats going on right now is not some sort of robot self. ANN Why not? GEORGE Because youre making up this whole philosophical monologue off the top of your head. You had to be thinking about all of this stuff in the now. ANN Man, free will is so old-school. GEORGE Im pretty old-school myself. ANN So you believe you can control your life. GEORGE That I do. ANN Alright. Prove to me you have free will. GEORGE smiles and kisses HER on the lips. It lasts a moment. HE breaks it off. GEORGE You were honestly asking for that. ANN Smiling That I was. THEY kiss again as lights dim. Scene 14 "Bible School" by Blithe Field is playing starting at 1:00. ANN is in her pajamas, waiting in a doctors examination room. SHE is waiting with ROBERT. ANN is sitting on the "bed" covered in butcher paper.

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ANN I hate doctors offices. What am I even sitting on? Isnt this what you wrap meat in? Or cheese? It makes me feel like some sort of product. I want to pretend that Im an individual. American culture is so centered around the idea that everyones a genius at something. That they just need to find what theyre good at, then they can become rich doing it. But people arent actually equal. Society tries to give them equal opportunities and some people just cant win at life. Still, its comforting to think that Im really good at something. Its like the idea of heaven. Since we cant prove what happens after death, we just assume that well get everything we want. First it started off as living forever, then it turned into our personal fantasies. As if what we want really matters in the long run. That theres justice beyond our cultures ethics. That if we do good things for our species, then itll be reciprocated in ways that cant be proven. But it turns out that long-term investments dont always work out. Beat. Maybe I am really good at something. Maybe Im the best windsurfer in the world and I just havent tried it yet. But would it matter? Should I try every stupid thing that I could possibly master? Theres more things to do in the world than Id ever have time for. And even if I happened upon it, then itd take at least a few months before I found that Im some sort of prodigy. ROBERT Thats kind of the point of education. ANN I know. ROBERT And you did pretty well at school. ANN I know. ROBERT What happened with that? ANN It seemed inane to me. So what if I can memorize equations or Latin roots? I dont want to be doing that with my life. Homework is terrible and I hated it. I worked so hard in school because I expected it to all change after I was done. Some crazy idea that people (MORE)

40. ANN (contd) would just give me money because I got As. But its just a gateway to doing more of that work. And then Id be doing that for all of my life. Thats not what I want. I never wanted any of that. ROBERT When did you realize that life never turns out how you want it? ANN Week 4 of college. I had just started doing real work and it hit me. College isnt different than high school. And then I realized that graduate school would be harder. And less rewarding. And I wasnt meeting anyone there. I spun out of control. I cant believe I made it to the end of the semester. ROBERT You couldve finished college and gotten a real job. ANN What wouldve been the point? ROBERT Because even unskilled jobs need college degrees these days. ANN My job is as good as any other. ROBERT Its unrewarding. ANN What stable jobs are consistently rewarding? ROBERT Its mindless. ANN It lets me drift off. Thinking about other things is healthy. ROBERT Being in the moment is healthy. Being in the past only depresses you. Being in the future is ultimately just waiting. And being in a fantasy is completely useless. What youre doing isnt living. ANN Its as good as living. Being distracted is simpler than figuring my life out.

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ROBERT And is replacing a life the same as fixing it? ANN Of course it is! I spend my days in limbo and my nights in my own reality. Dreams last longer than the outside world anyway. Its crazy to think of dreams as the sideshow. EVAN enters wearing a white doctors coat and a clipboard. EVAN Alright, lets see here...Ann? Howre you feeling? ANN Who are you? Beat. EVAN Im the doctor. ANN To ROBERT Then who are you? ROBERT Im your boyfriend. Beat. ANN Oh. Right. Of course. Beat. EVAN So then, how are you feeling? ANN Um, Im alright. EVAN You dont need to worry about it. Im a doctor. You can tell me anything. Beat. ANN Im scared of my life. Whenever I try and put myself out there people dont give a shit about me. Because everyone else is trying to be special and nobody cares if I need help. Im just another person on an (MORE)

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ANN (contd) overpopulated planet, so why help me? And none of it is my fault! I was bred to be existential and disillusioned since I was a kid because my parents thought it would be a better idea to make me into a pessimist. Because Santa Claus never existed and it wasnt a big deal. Just a myth that some of the less brilliant kids believed in. My parents never lied to me. And maybe thats the problem with the world. Maybe everyone is like me and thats why society is falling apart. Beat. If Im just a product of my generation, does everyone feel this terrible? EVAN takes out his otoscope. EVAN Say "Ah." SHE opens her mouth. Fade to blackout. Scene 15 ANNs apartment. Pitch black. "Intro" by The xx is playing softly on her computer, but the monitor is off. ANN is on the bed lying down with her eyes closed. SHE is not asleep. The front door opens. The light feels blinding to ANN. SHE puts her arm in front of her eyes. As ANN yells out, GEORGE turns on the lights in confusion. ANN Close the door! No, turn off the lights! GEORGE What? ANN Turn em off! GEORGE Turning off the lights Sorry! Its pitch black again. GEORGE feels HIS way around and finds the bed. GEORGE (contd) Why are the lights off? HE accidentally sits down on ANN. ANN Ah!

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HE stands back up quickly. GEORGE Oh! Sorry! HE feels around, then finds a place on the bed to sit. HE sighs. ANN Im thinking about things. GEORGE But why are all the lights off? ANN You never just sit in the dark and think? GEORGE Im kinda scared of the dark. ANN Laughs You think that theres something in the darkness that will eat your soul? GEORGE I know its irrational. I just dont like the idea that something could happen to me and I wouldnt see it coming. ANN I promise that nothing will happen to you. GEORGE I believe you. ANN You shouldnt put that kind of trust into me. GEORGE smiles. GEORGE So what were you thinking about? ANN I was thinking about losing yourself in the darkness. When youre constantly looking at something, you can get lost in the automatic nature of life. When you cant see anything, everything suddenly has meaning to it. I have to feel how long this blanket is to make the bed. I cant just look at it and throw it on. I need to find the shorter and longer side.

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GEORGE So? ANN So it makes everything take longer and in making the bed, you realize how many times youve slept here. How many times youve just laid under this and let yourself dream. GEORGE That seems kind of basic to me. ANN Everything physical is basic. Its just that when you focus on something more than usual, you start thinking about how close these objects are to your life. You know that I can only fall asleep when Im in this bed? I dont even get sleep when I go on vacation. GEORGE None? ANN Not more than two or three hours a night. And its not just unfamiliar beds or jet lag. Ive had a few boyfriends and I havent actually fallen asleep when I slept over. Beat. Actually, even when they came here, I couldnt sleep. Ive never fallen asleep next to someone. GEORGE Beat. You could try taking Ambien. ANN I was trying to be deep, George! GEORGE Sorry! It probably doesnt mean anything, though. Some people just have sleep trouble. Beat. ANN But why does it have to be me? GEORGE Theres nothing cosmic about it. Its our culture. More people have insomnia because everything is so ADD. ANN Dont use that term.

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GEORGE What? ANN ADD. Dont describe something as ADD. GEORGE Fine. Everything has a deficit of attention these days. ANN Better. GEORGE Youre just one of the people who its affected. ANN Whom its affected. GEORGE Catching her No, whom is the object, while the sentence started with "you are", meaning that youre the subject. ANN Fuck! GEORGE I am on top of my shit, motherfucker! Beat. ANN Did you just say "motherfucker"? GEORGE Im sorry. ANN You should be. Beat. ANN (contd) Wait a second. It doesnt matter whether youre the subject. Youre also the object. The word placement is what makes it whom. GEORGE Really? ANN Yeah.

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GEORGE Damn it! ANN smiles. It fades. ANN I talk too much. GEORGE Everyone has their flaws. ANN But it takes over my life. I intellectualize everything and I feel like I need to say something or else everythings going to be awkward. Like words keep me from being embarrassed. GEORGE You dont need to talk. Sometimes silence is beautiful. Maybe we should appreciate it more. Silence. A kiss. The strain of box springs. Scene 16 ANN is in her room, pajamas on. SHE is sitting on top of the refrigerator. MAN 2 and LINDSAY are standing in the most open part of the apartment. ANN stares at them for a while. SHE raises her right hand and moves it to the right. LINDSAY moves with the hand. ANN puts her right hand down and raises her left, moving the hand left. MAN 2 follows suit. ANN is entranced. SHE raises both her hands and moves them slowly in unpredictable ways. ANN puts the tips of her fingers together and as they start dancing slowly, the song "Black Castles" by FUR plays. All of THEIR movements are mirrored by ANNs hands. The song fades out. ANN separates the two and the lighting changes to strips of light coming out of Venetian blinds. The sound of thunder and rain is heard. MAN 2 is thrown a fedora from off-stage and he puts it on, tilting it downward. MAN 2 faces the audience and steps forward. LINDSAY focuses on the spot where HE just was. ANN is controlling all this. MAN 2 It was a lousy night and the city agreed. Nothing on the street but a few taxis splashing water on the spare pedestrians. I wanted to leave the office, go home and get a little reading done, but I had to get a few drinks in me before I could brave the storm.

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HE goes to the refrigerator and pulls a tumbler of whiskey out. He takes a sip and sees LINDSAY. LINDSAY Excuse me, sir. MAN 2 To the audience A dame walked in. A bit of a fixer-upper, but I hadnt had a girl for a long time and I was getting desperate. HE puts down his drink on the table. MAN 2 (contd) To LINDSAY You need something? LINDSAY I do, actually. My...my husband has been murdered. Ive gone to the police and they wont even look at the case. They say its a suicide and think its closed. My husband would never kill himself. I have a feeling that it was one of his business partners. MAN 2 To the audience A woman in distress. Nothing easier. Id normally be able to get her into bed within the hour, but I was a bit rusty. I decided to take the case so I could have a little more time. To LINDSAY Ill look into it. What kind of business was he into? LINDSAY Narcotics, mostly. He had plenty of people after him and his enemies know how to manipulate the police. But theres one man in particular Im worried about. He said that if he ever caught my husband stealing, itd be the end of both him and me! His name/ is ROBERT enters with a gun. ROBERT Gangster accent Your worst nightmare. Hands where I can see them. THEY put their hands up. ROBERT (contd) Looks like I caught you before things got hairy. Any last words? LINDSAY You think youve won. Youre wrong!

48. LINDSAY runs toward ROBERT. HE shoots and she falls to the floor. HE shoots MAN 2 too. MAN 2 puts his hand to his gut and falls to his knees. MAN 2 No, it cant end like this. Im too young. I didnt even stick my nose in his business. Why me? HE collapses. ROBERT puts the gun in his pocket and the lights go back to normal as Black Castles resumes at 0:28. HE goes back to the front door and behind it grabs some groceries. HE comes back carrying them. ROBERT That was fun. You should do that more often. ANN Whats going on? ROBERT Move your legs. ANN Oh, sorry. SHE pulls up her legs and ROBERT opens the fridge door. HE starts putting the groceries inside. Not all of the groceries are food. ROBERT You put up your hands and they started following you. ANN Ive never done that. ROBERT Like, you cant or you havent? ANN Beat I think I cant. I mustve tried it before. Im sure this is the first time Ive controlled a dream. SHE puts her hands back up and they rise again. SHE quickly clasps her hands together and the two grab each other and kiss. SHE releases her hands and the come out of it emotionless. SHE repeats the action twice, enjoying herself thoroughly, then puts her hands down. ANN (contd) Do think theres a reason why? Like, why did it happen tonight?

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ROBERT I dunno. Anything eventful happen during the day? A beat. ANN gazes to her side, into space, as if someone were there. ANN George is sleeping next to me. ROBERT Whos George? ANN Someone I met. ROBERT Boyfriend? ANN Maybe eventually. Ive only met him a few times. ROBERT God, youre easy. ANN Hey! ROBERT What? You slept with him on the second date. Thats what Id refer to as "easy". ANN Its not like I do it with every guy I meet! We had a real connection. ROBERT Of the pelvises. ANN is not amused. ANN I like him and things got...intimate. Theres nothing wrong with that. ROBERT Never said there was. ANN Besides, I havent been with someone in a while. Im glad I did it.

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ROBERT Maybe you should get to know guys better first. ANN Im not arguing about this. Im in bed with someone amazing and now I can control my dreams. Beat. ANN (contd) Can I do this because I met the right person? ROBERT Maybe. ANN Smiling If it is, thats such a beautiful thought. You meet someone who makes you happy and your dreams come true. ROBERT Except for the coming true part. ANN Well, the dreams I dream of become my real dreams. Beat. ROBERT What? BLACKOUT. Scene 17 NAOMIs dining room. The table is long and beautifully made. Everything in this house is nice. Not necessarily expensive, but NAOMIs house gives an aura of good taste. GEORGE and ANN are sitting down. NAOMI comes in with a dinner. SHE sets it down and serves them. ANN ...I dont know. Just after a while, you can get used to eating the same meals over and over. Ive been eating the same lunch for...I dunno, three months? A rueben and water. I asked what the cook at the diner made best and he said reubens. So Ive been eating that since. NAOMI Well a reuben is a good sandwich.

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ANN Its lost its flavor. I want to ask the cook to make something different, but Im worried hell take it the wrong way. And he doesnt really speak English well, so I dont know if Id be able to explain it to him. Beat. ANN (contd) I guess I could eat somewhere else, but then Id have to pay more. A silence. THEY eat. NAOMI So, Ann, are you still in school? ANN Uh, not anymore. NAOMI What was your major? ANN I didnt...have a major yet. I dropped out after first semester. NAOMI Oh. ANN But I kinda knew what I was doing. I was thinking of majoring in philosophy or linguistics. NAOMI Oh, you know a lot of languages? ANN Well, uh...no. Linguistics is more about figuring out how language works and it doesnt really focus on speaking them. NAOMI You should learn a language. Georgie learned French in high school. ANN I didnt know you spoke French. GEORGE I took it for a few years in college.

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NAOMI And he spent a semester in Paris. I wish I had that kind of opportunity as a kid. Ive been there once, but its not the same when youre older. Youve got to travel when your young. Thats when youll really enjoy it. ANN To GEORGE You think Id like Paris? GEORGE I thought it was amazing. Its a much less anonymous city. In Paris, strangers just spontaneously talk to each other. But theyll hate you if you dont know the language. NAOMI You should learn one. It opens up the rest of the world to you. ANN I dunno. Maybe I will. NAOMI Maybe? No, youve got to decide these things, then stick to it. If youre not sure, then youre gonna quit halfway through. Gets up Give me a second. Ive got something for you. NAOMI exits. A beat. ANN Do I seem stressed out? GEORGE Youre fine. ANN I feel like a nervous wreck. I want your mom to like me. GEORGE Im sure she does. ANN What happens if your mom doesnt like me? Will she just pretend to like me when Im around or will we just kind of avoid each other? GEORGE Im sure she likes you, Ann.

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ANN But /what if NAOMI enters with a textbook and places it in ANNs hands. NAOMI Here you go. Georges old French textbook. Its not the easiest language to learn, but its so beautiful. Have you ever seen a little French kid talk to their parents? Its adorable. I wish Id learned French myself. I only know Spanish and a little Yiddish. GEORGE You dont know Yiddish. NAOMI I know how to complain in Yiddish. Thats the only part that people still use anyway. ANN Trying to give it back Thank you so much for the book, but I dont think I really have time to learn a language. NAOMI Course you do! I bet you have plenty of time when youre on your breaks. While youre eating your reubens, learn a coupla words. ANN Thats...really not enough to understand the whole language. NAOMI And George can practice with you. To GEORGE You need the practice anyway. To ANN Trust me, Ann; learning a language makes you feel great. Its a good project and Im sure you could use one. ANN smiles. THEY go back to their dinner. Fade to black. Scene 18 ANNs apartment. ANN and GEORGE are sitting on the bed. ANNs head is lying on GEORGEs shoulder while GEORGE is flipping through the French textbook. GEORGE I love these textbooks. Not that I really liked learning French, but I love the illustrations. The (MORE)

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GEORGE (contd) pictures are so badly drawn and all the scenes try to convey five different things. They tell stories, you know? Theres a family here and the mother is yelling, the father is reading the newspaper, and the daughter is writing something at her desk. Its not supposed to mean anything, but it does. Theyre all living weird, unsatisfying lives. None of them are happy. Beat. Except maybe the girl. Her family is collapsing around her, but she has an escape. Maybe its supposed to be her homework or something, but I think shes writing about this. Beat. Maybe she wrote the textbook. Checks cover. Nah, its a guy. HE continues to slowly flip through the book, glancing at the pictures. ANN Did you write as a kid? GEORGE A bit. I was more of a visual guy, you know? I could see peoples faces in my mind and draw them perfectly. It didnt actually look like them, but I drew in a way that the person always came across. Like I captured their essence or something. But when I tried to draw with them in the room, it always turned out boring and wrong. Realistic, but not what I was going for. ANN Do you still draw? GEORGE I havent in a while. ANN You wanna draw me? GEORGE Smiling Sure. GEORGE finds a notebook and pencil on the desk. GEORGE (contd) I cant be looking at you, though. ANN Okay. GEORGE sits back down and lets ANNs head settle back. HE starts drawing. GEORGE Do you ever...

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ANN What? GEORGE Never mind; it was stupid. ANN What was it? Beat. GEORGE I was gonna ask if you ever wish you could put makeup on. ANN I do put makeup on. GEORGE Thats why I wasnt gonna say it. ANN Laughing But why were you about to? GEORGE Cause I was thinking of you as a guy for a second. ANN Hey! GEORGE Take it as a compliment! ANN How am I like a guy? GEORGE I dunno, its a subconscious thing. ANN Im very feminine. GEORGE Dont worry; Ill draw flowers and butterflies around your head. ANN If Im manly/ GEORGE Not manly/

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ANN If Im manly, youre feminine. Why do you wanna wear makeup? GEORGE Because things go wrong with guys faces too. All sorts of weird things happen at the wrong times. Im at a party and Im hoping to meet someone nice, but nobody would find me attractive if I had acne all bunched up on the left side of my face. ANN You dont have acne. GEORGE I used to. And things still go wrong all the time. I moisturize and do all that stuff, but I wish I could just turn my face into whatever it needed to be. Make it passable at least. ANN Ill let you borrow my base sometime. GEORGE But will I still be a man underneath it? ANN What does it matter? Nobodyll be able to tell. GEORGE Ill know. Beat. ANN Do you really care about your manliness? GEORGE Of course I do! Its my...well I wouldnt call it my identity, but its definitely a part of me. ANN So what would makeup change in you. GEORGE It would turn me into a different person. A person who wears makeup. ANN George: if you want to wear makeup in the first place, youre already that person.

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GEORGE I guess thats true. Ill think about it. Beat. Ill try it out. ANN Better start calling you Georgia, then. GEORGE Im going to add angry eyebrows to your portrait. ANN Looking No, dont ruin it! GEORGE Stop looking! SHE settles down. GEORGE (contd) I wont draw angry eyebrows. ANN You better not. GEORGE Its my portrait. ANN Its my face. A silence. ANN (contd) Wish I could draw. GEORGE Its not that hard. ANN Yeah, but I never had the mind for it. Can hardly draw stick figures. Beat I used to write a lot. Beat When I was a kid I used to write every day. Beat My mom taught a writing workshop for kids and I sometimes spent days doing nothing but writing. I got better than the rest of the kids my age, so I started sticking around for when the older kids had their classes. But the older kids were harder to get along with. They were better at writing, but I never quite fit in with them, so I invited my best friend to come to the older class. He wasnt that good, but I had someone to talk to. Silence.

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GEORGE So? ANN What? GEORGE Whats the end of the story? ANN Its not a story; I was just musing. GEORGE Well what happened to the class? What happened to the friend? Why havent I seen your writing? ANN Oh, I stopped writing when I was 13. GEORGE Why? ANN It got really depressing. All the characters were me. And when you write about yourself, people catch on. Whenever I finished something, I showed it to my mom and she started using it to psychoanalyze me. She started showing them to my therapist. So I stopped showing her my stories. And I didnt really have anyone else to show them to. GEORGE And you just stopped writing? Even for yourself? ANN I did a little, here and there. But I kind of lose my drive when Im not impressing someone, you know? So it just kinda stopped. Silence. GEORGE You should try writing again. ANN What for? GEORGE Itll make you feel better. Ill read it for you. HE shows HER the drawing. ANN smiles.

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Scene 19 The rooftop. "Overboard" by Blackbird Blackbird is playing. ANN and ROBERT enter through the door. ANN is in her pajamas. THEY are holding hands. THEY sit down in the same fashion that GEORGE and ANN sat down before. ANN Beautiful. ROBERT Its perfect. ANN I love the skyline from up here. ROBERT Its the perfect thing. Visually anyway. ANN Mm. Youre right. I could have something to eat. Could you get me a sandwich or something? ROBERT Producing a sandwich hidden near him onstage Here you go. SHE takes the sandwich and takes a bite out of it. SHE chews and swallows. ANN Is this tongue? ROBERT No, youre just tasting the roof of your mouth. ANN Still delicious. SHE takes another bite and swallows. ANN (contd) You know whats so great about this? I can see this skyline over and over again. For hours on end. I never have to worry whether Im really experiencing it or not because I am. ROBERT Said like, "Are you really not getting this?" Youre dreaming.

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ANN Well yeah, but Im in the moment. The experience is all thats going on in my mind. Im not distracted by all the other things going on with my body. And I dont need to worry about this ending too soon because this lasts for so much longer. ROBERT Its all going to end eventually. ANN And then tomorrow night Ill spend days floating out there and visiting the lit up windows. This is honestly perfect. There is no way I could get anything better than controlling my dreams. ROBERT Its different than real life, though. ANN Well, yeah. Its better. I can be here and also be having crazy sex with you on a bed. Im not restricted by common sense or logic here. ROBERT But will you remember it tomorrow morning? ANN Thats irrelevant. ROBERT Is it? ANN Yes! Being in the moment is all that matters, right? Living in the moment is healthy. Living in the past is depressing. ROBERT Thats not true. You need the past to appreciate the present. ANN My past isnt important. My past is boring and uneventful. ROBERT What if you had an exciting life and you dont remember any of the important parts? What if your life turned into Momento and a problem will always haunt you because you cant remember fixing it?

61. ANN For once in my life, I dont have a problem. I have George during the day and I have you and all of this during the night. For once, I feel at peace. Its a weird feeling. Let me appreciate it. THEY watch the skyline. Fade to black. Scene 20 ANN and GEORGE are lying in bed holding each other. ANNs cell phone alarm goes off. SHE and GEORGE both wake up, sleepily. ANN doesnt open her eyes. SHE just reaches for the phone, turns it off, then holds GEORGE again. GEORGE looks at ANN. GEORGE What was that alarm? ANN Smiling, eyes still closed I dont care. GEORGE Are you going to be late to work? ANN I dont wanna go to work. GEORGE George gets up and opens the shades Youve gotta go to work, Ann. ANN Shh, come back to bed... GEORGE How long do you have? ANN Opens eyes...About an hour...come back to bed. GEORGE I dont want you to get in trouble. Do you want some coffee? Im gonna make you some coffee. GEORGE starts making ANN a cup of coffee. ANN Theres plenty of coffee at the diner, George. GEORGE If you dont have some now, youll never get out of bed.

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ANN I dont want to get out of bed. Come on back. GEORGE stops making the coffee. ANN (contd) Just for 15 minutes. GEORGE Will you set an alarm for 15 minutes? ANN Yes. GEORGE Alright. GEORGE gets back in bed with ANN. ANN grabs GEORGE. ANN Playfully Im never letting you go. GEORGE Unamused Set the alarm. ANN Fine. SHE sets a new alarm on her phone and lies back down, facing away from GEORGE and smiling as HE holds her. A pause. GEORGE What did you dream about last night? ANN The view on your roof... GEORGE You dreamt about a view. ANN And other things... GEORGE Like what? ANN Shh. If you talk to much its impossible to fall asleep again.

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GEORGE Why? ANN Because your mind loses the ability to think like youre in a dream. You need to scramble your thoughts if you get too out of it. Start connecting things that dont work in the normal train of thought. Just start saying random words to yourself. Whispering Drain, train, frog, lisp, head, bed, fender bender. A recording of ANN stringing nonsense together with a simple beat behind it plays. The lights come up on NAOMIs dining room and dim on ANNs room. MAN 1, MAN 2, and NAOMI are sitting, eating a dinner. ANN enters. NAOMI Sit down. ANN Im not going to stay that long, I just want to tell you something. NAOMI Sit down. ANN I dont want to. I dont know the people at the table. NAOMI Sit down, theres plenty to eat. ANN I just wanted to say something to you. NAOMI Sit down and well talk. Beat. ANN Fine. SHE sits. MAN 1 and 2 get up and leave. NAOMI What do you want to talk about? ANN Why are they leaving?

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NAOMI They were about to leave. ANN No they werent! They were just eating! They were eating a lot and got up with their mouths full! NAOMI Ann, people love you. ANN What? NAOMI Youre a great person. How could people not love you? ANN Because Im not a great person. I make everyone around me feel awkward. NAOMI Its a bad environment. If you went to a nicer school, all of the kids would like you. ANN So why dont we move? NAOMI Its expensive to move, Ann! ANN Normal people do it all the time! Weve lived her forever! How am I supposed to grow up right if I never have someone to trust? NAOMI Whats that supposed to mean? ANN Youre amazing, but I need a friend, not a mom, okay? I need someone who I can talk to on my level. I fucking hate everyone in my grade. NAOMI Im sure thats not true. ANN It is! You dont know, mom! Youd hate them as much as I do! NAOMI Stop yelling at me! This isnt my fault!

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Beat. ANN Fine. Beat. ANN (contd) Im sorry. Beat. ANN (contd) Can we move? NAOMI Maybe in a few years. We just got the house. ANN We bought the house four years ago. NAOMI We have our whole life in this town. Are we supposed to just up and leave? ANN Yes! Thats what normal people do! Theres nothing to do in the suburbs! Theres nothing to do in these suburbs! Beat. ANN (contd) Anywhere else. NAOMI Ill think about it. Beat. ANN Did you have a lot of friends as a kid. NAOMI Just one. ANN "One good friend is better than ten alright ones." NAOMI I told you that.

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ANN Its not true, though. Its not true at all. Having shitty friends is one thing, but when you have one friend and he fucking dies? What am I supposed to do? Who am I supposed to turn to? NAOMI We came to the funeral. ANN I dont want you to comfort me! I want a friend to comfort me! NAOMI So why dont you make some friends? ANN Standing up Im fucking trying! A silence. Things zoom back into focus. ANN Youre not my mom. A silence. SHE sits back down. ANN I remember why I came here. I wanted to apologize for before. I hadnt really had a normal conversation for a while. Im still kind of figuring out people. You know, in general. A silence. ANN (contd) Why are you so quiet? Do people even do that? Not talk for periods of time? I mean, I know that people do it, but isnt it awkward? Isnt it something that youre not supposed to do? NAOMI I dont talk when I have nothing to say. ANN How can you not have something to say? Theres always something to say. Theres always something profound going on. NAOMI Sometimes my thoughts arent worth bringing to light.

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ANN If theres no such thing a stupid question, then there cant be a stupid thing to say, right? NAOMI Getting up and exiting Whoever told you that theres no such thing as a stupid question was an idiot. Fade to black on the dining room. ANN returns to bed. The recording stops. Lights up on ANNs bedroom. ANN ...sender of letter, fetters, clang, hammer, slammer. GEORGE Whispering Youre not making sense. ANN Shh; thats the point. Cmon, do it with me. GEORGE I can fall asleep without tricking my mind. I just tune out. ANN You have it easy. Being an insomniac is about finding little tricks to beat a mind against you. GEORGE Well, if it makes you feel any better, I envy your dream life. ANN Its nothing to be envious of. Its just the best of all possible worlds is all. GEORGE Then why even come back here? ANN Its nice to every so often visit the land of the mortals. You know, catch up on chit chat. Gossip. Its like being a ghost. The less fortunate have good stories. GEORGE Am I a good enough story to tell your ghost friends? ANN Youve come up from time to time, yes.

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GEORGE Well, I hope that I can keep this story interesting enough for you. ANN Its not like I have the choice to just end my life and continue dreaming forever. GEORGE Why not? "To sleep perchance to dream." ANN Are you telling me to kill myself? GEORGE What? Thats not what I said. ANN Yes it is! George! GEORGE I was bringing a different point of view into your conversation! ANN Thats inappropriate! GEORGE Whats inappropriate about it? ANN Its death! Not okay! GEORGE Youre a grown adult, Ann. We can talk about death. ANN Its a fucking scary idea. That nothing afterward will exist? That I, the consciousness, will just end? Its not just something you can suggest! Beat. GEORGE Isnt that what happens when you fall asleep? ANN What? GEORGE When you go to bed, youre never quite sure when you fall asleep, right? Its impossible to catch the point when you fall.

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Beat. GEORGE (contd) Am I right? ANN Yes. GEORGE So that means, at least for a second, your consciousness ends. You dont just instantly find yourself in dreamland. Theres buffer time. Beat. ANN So what youre saying is that whenever I fall asleep, my consciousness ends. GEORGE Yeah. ANN And thats like death. GEORGE Mmhmm. Beat. ANN But thats not permanent. It doesnt count. Death happens and then things are over forever. GEORGE But death is just a longer version of that. Its just going to sleep and not waking up. Beat. ANN Wait. What if every time I wake up, I create a new self. I mean, the me that goes to sleep and the me that wakes up are two completely different people anyway. Its possible that my consciousness only exists until it stops taking the same stream of thought. Like how people with memory disorders lose themselves every time they get distracted or just lose where they are. Whatevers happened since last time is deleted. That person dies. And people forget things every time they go to sleep. Looks into GEORGEs eyes. Every time I go to sleep, part of me dies. Even if this is my same consciousness as yesterday, there are bits and pieces (MORE)

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ANN (contd) of it that my brains gotten rid of. Stuff that cluttered up my thoughts that isnt there anymore. Doesnt that scare you? GEORGE I was trying to make death easier to think about Ann. You take everything as a cue to freak out about the ramifications about things you cant help. ANN The world scares me, George! Everything feels fake or wrong. Doesnt everyone feel this way? Or at least arent there enough people to make me feel better about it? The alarm rings. GEORGE Turning off the alarm Probably enough to form a book club. ANN That was not 15 minutes. GEORGE Yes it was. ANN That was, like, 3 minutes tops. GEORGE It was 15 minutes. HE shows her the time on the cell phone. ANN Ugh. It doesnt count. I didnt fall asleep. GEORGE Doesnt matter. You need to get to work. ANN Putting the pillow over her head Mm... The same recording of ANNs voice returns with a different simple beat behind it. GEORGE gets up and starts making a cup of coffee. ROBERT enters. HE replaces GEORGE as GEORGE exits. ROBERT You think youre addicted to coffee?

71. ANN Taking the pillow off HER head Im not addicted to coffee. I dont like the effort it takes to wake up. Sometimes its nice to have a crutch you can fall back onto. Also, theres a certain ritual to making coffee in the morning. I might enjoy making coffee more than the coffee itself. ROBERT So youd be willing to quit cold turkey if you wanted to. ANN Sure. If I wanted to. ROBERT "I can quit anytime I want." ANN Hey! Thats not the same thing! ROBERT Caffeines a drug, Ann. ANN Its a different kind of drug. Its good for you. ROBERT So? ANN So its a healthy addiction. I think I read a study about how coffee will make you live longer or something. ROBERT So you admit youre addicted. ANN Kind of. If I were committed to it, Id be able to make it through the withdrawals. ROBERT So get yourself off caffeine. Addictions arent healthy. ANN There are such things as healthy addictions. ROBERT Come on. Beat. ANN sits on the edge of her bed.

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ANN Im allowed to have a vice. Im 20. I dont drink, I dont smoke; Im allowed to have something. ROBERT Youre constantly drinking it. Its getting out of hand. ANN Theres nothing wrong with it. I get it for free at my job, anyway. Its not too expensive. ROBERT It makes it harder to sleep. ANN I feel like Im constantly sleeping. Is it ready? ROBERT Yeah, one second. HE takes a large mug out of the cabinet. Its big enough to be a soup bowl. ANN Besides, it makes me dream faster. Smiles Coffees awesome. Dont knock coffee. HE pours the coffee into the cup and gives it to ANN. ROBERT Everything in moderation. ROBERT exits. ANN starts to drink the coffee and stares at the floor. The light changes to sunset as the recording quiets. The recording is still there on a very low volume. GEORGE enters. GEORGE How was work? ANN Didnt go. GEORGE What? ANN I didnt go.

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GEORGE Why? ANN I fell back asleep when you left. I called in sick at ten. GEORGE Cmon, Ann. ANN Im sorry! I couldnt get myself out of bed. GEORGE Whats wrong with you? Its not like we stayed up late last night. ANN I dunno. After 10 oclock, I kept waking myself up. Ive been making progress, but its, like, hour blocks between every step. I made this coffee at 4:00. SHE takes a sip. Its terrible, but Ill probably fall asleep if I put it in the microwave. SHE takes another sip. GEORGE Are you really sick? He feels her forehead. ANN Maybe. I coulda caught something from a customer. GEORGE Your heads cool. ANN Maybe its a cold? One of the ones that just make you feel weak? GEORGE I guess? ANN You know, I dont think it is. Ive been feeling this way for months, but its been building up. Its like Im never getting enough sleep. GEORGE Do you have mono? Could I have mono? ANN I think youd have symptoms by now. How are you feeling?

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Beat. George quickly thinks about his day. GEORGE No, I feel fine. ANN Its probably not that. I just... I feel like going to sleep doesnt have an effect on me. GEORGE Well then you should at least get out of bed. ANN Alright. GEORGE You want to go for a walk? You need some air. Its too hot in here. ANN Yeah. Okay. I just need to finish my coffee. SHE takes a sip and grimaces. Ech. I cant finish this. I need, like, a coffee IV. GEORGE Ill get you a hot cup when we get out of here. Cmon. ANN Actually, can it be iced? GEORGE That practically is iced. ANN Theres a difference when coffee hits a certain temperature when you ice it, it becomes good again. This is just...a...disgusting...temperature. I dont know what to call it. GEORGE Alright, Ill get you an iced coffee. Lets go. GEORGE goes to the refrigerator, opens it and disappears inside it. ANN Wait! Im not dressed yet! ANN gets up, quickly grabs a shirt and pants from her drawers, then follows through the refrigerator. The recording stops.

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Scene 21 The same setting as last scene, but ANN is in the clothing she got out of her drawers, asleep in bed. GEORGE comes out of the bathroom with the sound of a flushing toilet. GEORGE Ann? Ann! Wake up! ANN wakes up with a start. You fell asleep again? ANN What? Wait. Didnt we just go through the...Oh. Okay. Beat. Wait a second. When did you come in? GEORGE A few minutes ago. Confused beat. We were just talking. ANN Beat. What were we talking about? GEORGE You feeling sick? Do you still wanna get a coffee? ANN No, that...that was a dream. GEORGE checks ANNs head again. Still cool. GEORGE I think I should call a doctor. ANN Why? Whats going on with me? GEORGE I dont know. Thats why Im calling a doctor. ANN Standing up. I need to use the bathroom. Exits. GEORGE Im calling my uncle. ANN Offstage Okay. Yeah. GEORGE takes out his cell phone and scrolls through contacts. He finds EVAN and presses send. It rings.

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GEORGE Hey, Evan...Yeah, Im fine...Hey, do you have a minute to come over? Anns feeling pretty sick...My girlfriend...Yeah, shes nice...Could you come over?...Itd be better if you came here...Yeah, thats fine...Thanks. Its on Lafayette, across from my old high school...Ill be outside...Okay, Thanks. HE hangs up and puts his phone back in his pocket. ANN comes out of the bathroom. ANN When will he be here? GEORGE In about an hour. How are you feeling? ANN Just...really thirsty. Could you get me some water? GEORGE Yeah. One second. HE gets her a glass of water while she sits down on the bed. Theres a silence. HE gives her the glass and she drinks it in one swig. ANN Im still thirsty. GEORGE Ill get you another. The action is repeated. ANN Im still thirsty. GEORGE Ill get you another. The action is repeated. A beat. ANN Ill just get more myself. She goes to the sink and fills cup after cup with water, drinking each as if it were her first. She stops. She gasps.

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Scene 22 The same room. The recording starts again very quietly. It is slightly warped. ANN is alone and already mid-gasp as the lights come up. SHE throws the covers off of herself and runs to the light switch. SHE flicks it off and on. It works as a light switch normally does. SHE regains her composure, then goes to the sink. SHE gets a cup, drinks two glasses of water, then goes to the bathroom. While SHE is off-stage, GEORGE and EVAN enter. EVAN is carrying a black medical bag. THEY look around for HER. GEORGE Raised voice Ann? Where are you? ANN Im in the bathroom! GEORGE Okay. To EVAN So what do you think is wrong? EVAN I dont know. I havent looked at her yet. GEORGE Well what do you think are the possibilities? EVAN It could be a lot of things. Its hard to tell when you hear about a patient. GEORGE Cant you just give me one of your hunches? EVAN I really couldnt tell you. It could be mono; It could be strep. Ill tell you in a minute. ANN enters. Shes surprised by EVAN. SHEs a bit on edge because HE looks like the doctor in her dream. SHE sees him this way because SHEs slightly delirious. ANN Oh. Hi. Youre Georges uncle? EVAN Yes, Im the doctor. Youre Ann?

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ANN Yeah. Um, what should I call you? EVAN Evans fine. Would you like to sit down? ANN Sure. SHE sits down in the chair. EVAN does a few tests including checking her ears and throat with an otoscope. EVAN Well, its probably not strep or mono. He checks her breathing with a stethoscope. Eventually, he puts the instruments down. EVAN (contd) You just seem exhausted. How much sleep have you been getting? ANN Something like, 9 to 10 hours a night. EVAN How do you sleep? Do you wake up a lot? ANN No. I usually sleep through the night. I have insomnia, but Ive been feeling, like, narcoleptic recently. EVAN Maybe you havent been getting restful sleep. Why dont you spend a night at the hospital and well do some tests while youre sleeping. ANN Do you have to put it that way? EVAN Smiling Its not like people are going to be watching you sleep. You pretty much just sleep next to a machine. ANN thinks about it for a second. ANN To GEORGE Are you gonna come?

79. GEORGE You want me to stay the night with you? ANN Yes! GEORGE Alright. Scene 23 The recording continues. A park. ANN and GEORGE walk down a path, then sit down on a bench. Shes even more exhausted looking than last scene. ANN So what do you think I should do? How am I supposed to sleep right? GEORGE Well, when did you start to sleep this way? Beat. ANN I guess...when I started sleeping with you. GEORGE Are you sure? ANN I think so. Before we met, I always woke up in kind of a haze. That night we spent in the dark; that was the first night I had a dream I perfectly remembered. It was like I was awake. And thats what dreams have been like since then. Its like another world Im stepping into. GEORGE And you think the lucid dreaming is because of me? ANN I guess. Beat. GEORGE Should we stop sleeping in the same bed? Or...what? Beat. MAN 2 and LINDSAY enter, LINDSAY carrying a pack of cards. They sit at a nearby picnic table. SHE starts dealing. ANN sees this; GEORGE does not. ANN starts screaming uncontrollably.

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GEORGE (contd) Scared because of ANN Ann! Ann! Whats wrong!?! What is it!?! ANN Theyre from my dream! This is a dream! GEORGE Ann, theres no one there! ANN What?!? GEORGE Theres no one there! ANN The people playing cards at the table! GEORGE Ann. ANN looks at GEORGE. Theres no one there. LINDSAY and MAN 2 leave. When ANN looks again, theyre gone. ANN Whats wrong with me? Beat. GEORGE You need to start sleeping again. This is scaring me. ANN Jesus Christ... Beat. GEORGE Im going to stop sleeping over. Just, cold turkey. Ill come over after work, but when its time to sleep, Im going back to my apartment. Beat. ANN I dont think its just staying over. When were not together, the dreams still feel real. A silence.

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ANN (contd) I think that...youre making this happen. Like, us being together. Beat. GEORGE You want to take a break? ANN I dont...want to take a break. Beat. I think I might need to, though. For now. Silence. GEORGE But what if it isnt a break? ANN George, as soon as I figure things out, we can start this up again. Im just so confused right now. Youre over-complicating things. At least for now, I need you out of my life. GEORGE But I need you in my life! ANN George, why do you even care about me? Beat. Im a terrible girlfriend. Beat. I make everything uncomfortable. I just talk about things no one wants to hear. GEORGE You make me look at life in a Everyone else takes things at everything romantic. Youre a be your balance. We work with ANN Theres nothing original about me, George! Therere thousands of people exactly like me in New York! Why do you even care about me? GEORGE Because youre my first! Beat. Okay? Beat. ANN You mean... different way, Ann! face value, but you make bit paranoid, but I can each other.

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GEORGE Ive never slept with someone before. ANN Ever? GEORGE Its not like I was celibate or anything. It just never happened. ANN I dont believe that. You didnt make a big deal out of it. GEORGE I was self-conscious. Its weird when a guys a virgin. ANN But you could get any girl. That doesnt make sense. GEORGE I think I just get less awkward when Im around you. It feels like I cant mess up when Im talking to you. And that I can just say things without worrying. ANN Still, even really awkward people usually have their first time before their 20s. GEORGE I dunno. Maybe its not an awkwardness thing, but I have weird standards. Ive been waiting for someone that I really care about. Or at least someone I could potentially care about. And it just never happened until I met you. Ive wanted to date a few girls, but they were always the people just out of my reach. And then I met you. And for some reason you liked me too. A silence. ANN George, youre making this so hard. GEORGE We can figure this out. ANN Not right now. Beat. We really do need some time off. A silence.

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ANN (contd) Ill call you when my life makes sense again. A silence. ANN exits. GEORGE watches her leave. Fade to black. The recording stops. Scene 24 "Free Thought Just Cant Be" by Phantom Power is playing softly. ANN is putting on her uniform in one of the diner booths. SHE takes a second to concentrate, clasping her hands together and resting her forehead on them. ROBERT enters. ANN sees him. SHE takes out her phone and checks the time, then puts it back. ROBERT sits down. ANN I dont want to talk to you right now. ROBERT Whats wrong? ANN People will see me talking to no one. ROBERT Fine, Ill just sit here. ANN No, get out. Youre distracting. ROBERT I walked all the way here and you just want me to leave? ANN Yes! Youre going to embarrass me! ROBERT Im just sitting here! Its not like Im taking up a seat. ANN I dont want to think about you right now. Let me do my job. ROBERT You dont even like your job. ANN Well its a bit better /than you.

84. As SHE says the last line, LINDSAY and SARA come in the door, talking to each other. THEY dont hear ANN talking, but she quickly stops as the door opens. LINDSAY Remember when we were little and Id hang out at your house every day? SARA Yeah. LINDSAY I hardly remember what my own house looked like. Yours is crystal clear in my mind. Wed hang out in the basement and listen to Beatles records for hours. I miss those days. It felt like everyone was on the same page. Everyone listened to the same music and there was a definitive way to be cool. SARA Yeah, its different now. Not necessarily worse. Just different. There used to be the global community and your friends. It seemed so amazing back then that people in Japan liked The Beatles too. Like we were bridging some amazing gap between our countries. Now were too connected. Theres too much to keep track of. I dont feel the need to travel anymore because I can find everything online. Theres no more reason to buy paintings anymore. Just Google what you want and make it your background. LINDSAY Theres still nothing like seeing a painting in real life. SARA Wait a few more years and theyll replace it. ANN silently waits as THEY take a booth and open their menus. ANN looks at ROBERT angrily. ROBERT shrugs his shoulders. An angry beat. ANN checks to see if THEY are looking, then slowly starts signing something to ROBERT. After a few seconds of ROBERT watching. ROBERT I, I dont speak sign language. This somehow makes ANN LINDSAY notices, looks goes back to HER menu. the eyes, then gets up out HER pad and pen. angrier. SHE sighs loudly. at ANN for a second, then ANN looks ROBERT dead in and faces the women, taking

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ANN Are you ready to order? SARA Uh, yes. Well both have pancakes. LINDSAY Actually, could you make mine oatmeal? ANN Sure. SHE writes. ANN (contd) Anything to drink? SARA Ill have some orange juice. LINDSAY And milk for me. SHE writes again, then takes their menus. SHE exits. ROBERT Could I get some pancakes too? That sounds good! SHE re-enters and sits back down. SHE takes out her notepad and puts it on the table. SHE scribbles on it, then turns it around. ROBERT (contd) Reading "No." Beat Well thats fair. Youd end up having to eat them anyway. ANN turns it back around and flips to the next page. SHE scribbles again and turns it around. ROBERT (contd) Reading "I dont want you in my real life." HE looks up. All of this is real. Its not suddenly fake if your mind is making me up. As long as you can experience something as actual, then its real. SHE scribbles again. ROBERT reads it, then looks up. ROBERT (contd) Why do you want me to go so badly? Im your boyfriend; you should want me here.

86. SHE scribbles again. ROBERT reads it, then looks up. ROBERT (contd) You broke up with George yesterday. ANN Whispering in disbelief That really happened? LINDSAY looks at ANN for a second. A beat. ROBERT Ann, Im the only person in your life anymore. You want me to leave? ANN shakes her head. ROBERT (contd) Im not trying to be controlling, but Jesus! You should at least be happy to see me! Im visiting you at work. Ive never done that before. Ive never even been around while youre awake. Beat You know, its kind of nice out here. Things that are completely unexpected happen. Its like...how can I explain...Its like inside your head, you can do anything, but its the same recycled material over and over. Nothing new happens. The old stuff just happens in different ways. The world is exciting. Beat. They say theres nothing new under the sun. Thats true on some level, but when you open yourself up, you can get all sorts of new ideas. When youre browsing Reddit or seeing what all your old friends are doing on Facebook; thats when you get cynical and think that theres no reason to leave your room. You get into a downward spiral because you forget how getting out and doing things could even be fun. And yes, you can still enjoy yourself reading books, but theres a point when thats not enough. Humans are social creatures. Were not supposed to live on our own. We can pretend that Skyping and sharing links is enough human interaction, but its not. Because theres nothing quite like that moment where you look straight into someones eyes and you realize that they could be anyone. And you could be part of that. Beat. Im gonna go. You should meet new people and Im not really helping. Ill see you. ROBERT gets up to leave. ANN stands up with HIM. ANN Wait dont go! LINDSAY and SARA notice. ROBERT doesnt respond. HE exits.

87. SARA Are you okay? Beat. ANN Yeah. I just...havent been getting much sleep. Im starting to see things. SARA You wanna sit down? ANN Yeah, sure. ANN sits down with LINDSAY and SARA at their table. LINDSAY Why havent you been getting sleep? ANN Ive been doing this lucid dreaming thing, but I cant stop. I think I have an addiction to it or something. I cant stop myself from doing it. And none of it really registers as sleep. LINDSAY How long has this been going on for? ANN I dunno, a couple months? Ive lost track of time. Everything feels like a blur. I broke up with my boyfriend, George, yesterday and I hardly remember doing it. SARA Was it for a good reason? ANN No. Maybe. I did it so I could sort things out. But I dont really have anybody to help me through this anymore. I just feel lost now. SARA You dont know anybody you could stay with for a while? ANN No, I dont really have any friends here. I have trouble meeting people. Beat. Actually, Its not so much that I have trouble meeting people. I mean, I do, but I feel like thats not my real problem. Its like theres something wrong with me.

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LINDSAY Theres something wrong with everyone, sweetie. ANN No, its not like its one thing. Its, like, all-encompassing. Im never the person people think I am. Im like a chameleon when I meet someone. If I pump myself up for it, people think Im one of them. And I blend in for a while. Sometimes an hour, sometimes a few months. But the disguise breaks down. Eventually, people realize that Im not the kind of person they saw in me. They figure out that Im not cool. Theres nothing special about me. At least as far as theyre concerned. I say one stupid thing and all of a sudden, Im not the fun friend anymore. Because Im not the fun friend. Im the person pretending to be fun and pretending to be their friend. LINDSAY Im sure your friends are just as worried about saying something stupid. ANN Except they never do. They seem so put together. Sometimes I just want to yell at the top of my lungs. Just let everything out because I dont even know what Im saying anymore. SARA Do it. ANN What? SARA Yell. ANN Why? I havent said anything stupid yet. SARA I want to hear it. ANN Faint smile Ill say something stupid soon and Ill scream for you. Beat. LINDSAY What happens when your friends find out youre a phony?

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ANN I stop talking to them. Every day I see them less and less. You know. They dont really stay in contact. If I stop trying so hard, they just disappear from my life. As much as I romanticize the idea of someone caring for me enough to help me out of my sulking, nobodys ever done it. I used to confine myself to my house for days, sometimes weeks. Nobody but my mom has ever gotten me out of a funk. SARA You have to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. ANN Every time? Whatever happened to "We all need somebody to lean on?" Ive pulled myself up by my bootstraps for my whole life. Do you know what its like to lose your life in everyone you put your trust into? SARA Your whole life? ANN Nothing matters but the people I trust. Every friend Ive ever made is my best friend. Because no one keeps. SARA Why, though? Maybe youre just not giving them a chance. ANN When did you meet her? LINDSAY Were cousins, actually. ANN Well that makes things simpler. Its like you guys were handed to each other. SARA We werent handed to each other as friends. Weve gotten into a lot of fights. ANN But even thats something, right? Fights dont happen unless you really care for each other. Id do anything for a fight right now. When people dont like me, its because theyre disinterested,not angry. Im the girl people can ignore, because Im the leech. I try to put myself into other peoples lives.

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SARA It sounds like youre your own problem. ANN I know Im my own problem! Im trying to fix myself! SARA Your problem is fixing yourself. Just try to be yourself for once. ANN I have tried to be myself. For the first 17 years of my life I was myself. Or maybe 15. I dont know exactly when I started trying to fit in. But the thing is Ive spent so much time trying to find who I should become, that pretending to be someone else has become my life. Thats who I am now. And if I dont actually change, Im going to be stuck like this forever. And theres no plain self left. If Im by myself, I feel like an empty shell. I need other people to live. LINDSAY So what was wrong with your boyfriend? ANN Theres nothing wrong with him. LINDSAY Then why did you leave him? ANN I couldnt sleep right with him. I still cant, but thats a different problem. LINDSAY Get back with him! ANN I cant! SARA So why is it? Beat. ANN Ill turn into him. Im not sure hes who I want to be. LINDSAY Youre not actually transforming into him.

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ANN But thats what my life would turn into. I was turning into Georges opposite. And theres nothing wrong with that, but...If I stay with him long enough, is that who I am? Georges girlfriend? Im a fucking waitress. Theres no personality in that. Im a fucking waitress that has no life. George likes me, but he only likes me as the person I pretend to be. And I feel like I can keep up this mask for a while. But itll always be fake. And as soon as I accept that as my identity, Ill become fake. Beat. ANN (contd) I just want to know who I was. I want to go back to that. Silence. SARA Try and figure this out one step at a time. First you need to get some sleep. SARA takes a bottle of pills out of her bag. ANN I cant sleep right. SARA opens the bottle, takes out a few pills, and hands them over. ANN doesnt take them. SARA Try one of these. Youll be out like a light and its a deep sleep. ANN I dont want a pill. SARA They work perfectly. ANN No! Ill get addicted! SARA What are you talking about? You dont get addicted to sleeping pills. ANN I mean I wont be able to fall asleep without them if I start taking them.

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SARA Well its better than whats going on right now. ANN The whole thing scares me. I dont like taking pills. I always get panic attacks when I swallow them. Its like theres this lump that builds up in my throat and it never goes down. I dont want to have to take pills every night. Beat. SARA unscrews the cap of the bottle and puts all of the pills back but one. SHE puts her hand back with the one pill. SARA Look: take one pill. Maybe if you take one, youll feel awake tomorrow. Beat. ANN And you dont need it again if you just use it once? SARA Take the damn pill. ANN pauses a moment, then takes the pill out of SARAs hand. SARA (contd) Go home. ANN I just started my shift. LINDSAY Tell your boss its an emergency. You shouldnt be working this tired. ANN smiles. ANN Thank you. SHE walks into the kitchen. SARA Gnight. Fade to black.

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Scene 25 "Nyatiti" by Andrew Bird plays. The hole-in-the-wall shop. ROBERT is standing behind the counter. ANN enters in her pajamas. ROBERT sees HER enter and starts making some coffee. ANN Actually, I think Ill have tea. ROBERT stops making the coffee and makes ANN a cup of tea. ANN (contd) I know Im dreaming, but I feel calmer, somehow. A silence. ROBERT gives ANN the cup of tea as it is still brewing. ANN (contd) I think I know what Im supposed to do. For all this time Ive been attacking my dreams like a logical problem. Like another world I need to organize because I dont control my own life. But I just created problems for myself. And none of this matters. I want to be a part of life again. I can live without having my dream world; I need to be awake during my life. And if I forget about things making sense, maybe theyll just become dreams again. Im tired. And I think I can turn my brain off. ANN lies down on the ground and closes her eyes. SHE curls into the fetal position. ROBERT exits. The lights dim. END OF PLAY. Alternative Scene 25 "Nyatiti" by Andrew Bird plays. The hole-in-the-wall shop. ROBERT is standing behind the counter. ANN enters in her pajamas. ROBERT sees HER enter and starts making some coffee. ANNs MOM enters and sits. ROBERT serves ANN the coffee and exits. ANN pushes the coffee over to MOM. MOM You dont want it? ANN I should quit.

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MOM You should quit dream coffee? ANN Its a metaphor, mom. MOM Well Im glad youre trying. Id kill myself first SHE takes a sip. You know my mother used to mix coffee into my bottle? ANN Youve told me. MOM Well you cant expect new stories when Im a memory. Or accurate new stories, anyway. SHE takes another sip. ANN You want to sit on the bench? MOM Sure. THEY walk over to the bench and sit down, leaving the coffee at the shop. ANN Mom, I dont think Im ready for the world. MOM Nobodys ready, Ann. ANN But theres something that I missed when I was a kid. Something social and important. I dont quite know what it is and thats why Ive been so depressed. MOM You just bit off more than you could chew. Its New York. You shouldve at least stayed at college. ANN Maybe. But I cant fix that now. MOM You could go back to school. ANN Or maybe I just need my mom back in my life.

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MOM Beat. Thatd be nice, but isnt that oversimplifying it? ANN No, I dont think it is. When I lost Ethan and when I stopped talking to you were the two worst things that couldve happened to me. I lost connection with the world. MOM Didnt you have a boyfriend? ANN Yes. And I think I love him. But I cant let him be my anchor on reality. George breaking up with me will always haunt me. I need you. At least until I can get some real stability in my life. MOM You want me to come stay with you for a while? ANN Yes. Id like that. ANN puts HER head on MOMs lap. Fade to black. END OF PLAY.