Sidewalk Café

Scene: 1 table with 2 chairs and menu downstage right. Setting mirrored downstage left.

Characters: Man, denoted as “M”

Young Boy, denoted as “B”

Older Boy, denoted as “OB”

Teenage Boy, denoted as “TB”

Young Man, denoted as “YM”

Old Man, denoted as “OM”

Woman, denoted as “W”

Young Girl, denoted as “G”

Older Girl, denoted as “OG”

Teenage Girl, denoted as “TG”

Young Woman, denoted as “YW”

Old Woman, denoted as “OW”

M enters R whistling. Sits down at table right. Looks at menu.

W enters L. Sees M and runs to his table.

M rises to meet W. Happy to see each other. Kisses/hugs.

W Sits down across from M. They chat silently.

Pause. B enters R behind café fence and couple. Walks across with Yo Yo. Sees couple, gags. Runs L off giggling.

G skips on stage L with jump rope. She slows as she passes couple. Stops center. Grins bashfully and then continues to skip offstage R.

Immediately following G’s disappearance, OG walks on R with Cats Cradle popping bubble gum. Totally ignores couple until almost offstage L. Sees couple, sighs, continues.

OB enters L with Yo Yo hanging out of his pocket walking dog immediately after OG disappears. Sees W, grins bashfully and waves (W does not see/ignores him). OB tries to get her attention– dog escapes– OB chases after it offstage R.

TG enters L with Cats Cradle around her neck yapping on cell phone. Sees couple, stops, mouth forms “Awwww.” Hears friend on phone, gets distracted, walks off R arguing.

TB enters R with headphones, nodding to a beat. Glances at couple, half-smiles, scoffs arrogantly and continues on until he exits L.

Immediately following, YW enters L with nose in a book. Cats Cradle obviously drooping out of her open purse, but YW oblivious. Blindly enters café gate, sits down at table left.

YM runs on from R anxiously, fixing his tie. He stops off by café, asks for coffee, taps fingers impatiently on counter. Glances over at couple, smiles weakly, almost pityingly.

Waits some more. Sighs. Looks over left at YW. Does a double take. Smiles, calmly walks over and begins talking, gesturing at book.

YW invites YM to join her. He sits down, points and comments on Cats Cradle. YW blushes and replies.

YM’s eyes go wide and he is excited. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out an old Yo Yo. YW laughs.

YW and YM stand up and walk off R.

Lighting dims. OW and OM walk on R slowly hobbling. OW is obviously sick. OW has Cats Cradle around her neck. OM is helping her along. OW points at couple and OM looks and smiles hastily. OM puts arm around OW’s shoulder as he tries to redirect her attention as he guides her offstage L.

Lighting dims further. There is a pause. Finally, OM enters L sadly walking along, staring at ground. Then, he looks up at couple. Smiles broadly at them and sighs. Reaches into his pocket and pulls out Yo Yo and Cats Cradle. Looks at items wistfully then looks up at couple. Sighs again. He deliberately walks over to them, places items on the table and walk off R.

M and W watch him curiously.

Fade to black.