Characters:

Daniel- 25 years old, Marie’s fiancée

Marie- 24 years old, Daniel’s fiancée

Pierre- 38 years old, waiter with a French accent

Props:

Two dinner plates

3 cell phones

Bottle of wine

2 wine glasses

Setting: A fancy restaurant, lit dimly by candlelight. One table for two set out visible on stage.

At Rise: Marie & Daniel are seated at the table, on which are empty dinner plates. They are holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes.

(Pierre enters and moves towards the table.)

Daniel: (To Pierre, as he begins to pick up their empty plates) My fiancée would like to see your desert menu, please. (Glances at Marie and smiles. Marie giggles back).

Pierre: (Smiling knowingly) Of course, sir. One moment, sir. (Pierre exits with plates)

(Daniel & Marie smile and gaze into each other’s eyes)

Daniel: Are you enjoying yourself, dear?

Marie: (sighing) Oh, Daniel, its been such a wonderful evening.

Daniel: Every evening with you is wonderful, darling.

(Daniel brings her hands to his lips and kisses them. Marie giggles.)

Marie: Darling, have you decided where we should have our wedding?

Daniel: That’s entirely up to you, dear.

Marie: (pouting) Now, darling, that’s not what we decided. We decided that I would pick a color scheme, and you pick the location. Remember?

Daniel: Of course I remember, pookie. I just wondered if you had any suggestions.

(Daniel’s cell phone rings. He reaches into his pocket, pulls out his cell phone, and answers it.)

Daniel: Hello? (Beat) Oh, hey Joe. (Pause) Yup, I’m here with Marie. (Winks at Marie, who smiles back.)

(Marie’s cell phone rings. She reaches into her purse, pulls out the cell phone, and answers it.)

Marie: Hello? Oh, hey Jen! I haven’t talked to you in, like, forever!

Daniel: (Leaning back and slouching in his chair.) We’re at one of those upscale ones.

Kind that needs a reservation a few years in advance, ya know?

Marie: Oh, you should see this place that Danny brought me! It’s adorable!

Daniel: Uh-huh. Fucking expensive, that’s what it is. But whatever makes the chicks happy, you know.

Marie: The waiter’s kind of cute, too (giggles)

Daniel: Oh, hey man, what was the score on the game?

Marie: Oooh, Jennifer, what’s the status between you and Mark?

Daniel: No way! You’re kidding me!

Marie: (Gasping) He wouldn’t!

Daniel: I can’t believe he did that!

Marie: He did that?

Daniel: That’s crazy, man.

Marie: He’s crazy, girl.

Daniel: Do you think they’ll get rid of him?

Marie: You’ve got to get rid of him!

Daniel: The team would be so much happier without him.

Marie: You’d be so much happier without him.

Daniel: That jerk just lost me twenty bucks! What a waste of money.

Marie: What a jerk! He is waste of your time.

Daniel: The whole thing is a mess.

Marie: Don’t worry; we’ll get you out of this mess.

(Waiter enters with bottle of wine and two glasses)

Daniel: (Noticing waiter) Hey, I’ve got to go.

Marie: Ok, I’ll talk to you later.

Daniel: Thanks, buddy. (Beat) All right, see ya.

Marie: No problem. Bye-bye.

(Both hang up cell phones as waiter approaches. Waiter sets small desert plates and forks in front of them.)

Marie: Well, darling, if you really want my advice, I was thinking Paris would be nice.

Peter: Yes…I’ve heard it’s nice this time of year.

Marie: And you do have relatives in France, don’t you?

Peter: Yes, an aunt or a sister…something like that.

Marie: Yes, well…we should look into that.

Peter: Of course, darling. Whatever you think is best.

(Both reach for forks and begin to eat from plates)

Pierre: Would you like anything else, sir?

Daniel: (Setting down fork) Bring us a bottle of your finest. (Smiles at Marie and reaches out to hold her hand).

Pierre: Of course, sir. (Pierre’s cell phone rings) Pardon me, sir. One moment. (Pierre steps away, pulls out his cell phone, and answers it). Bonjour. Ah, Musette! Como se va?

(Curtain drops as he walks away talking on his cell phone, with Marie and Daniel oblivious to the interruption.)