[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
ACT II:

SCENE ONE:

At the rise of the curtains, long queues of people in front of the ticket booths outside the concert hall can be seen. There are also people behind stands who are selling posters of " Eminem". Some people are buying some drink and fast food from the food stands..The announcements from the loud speakers mentioning that the concert is starting in five minutes can be heard.People seem to be restless and hurrying up as they are late for the concert.Joey and Alexander look very excited .They are also in one of the queues .

Joey: How many people are there in front of us?

Alexander: There are as many to make us late..

Joey:I'm afraid we will miss the begining of the show..What a pitty!(She sighs)

Alexander: God damn traffic! What a silly organization..Whenever there is a concert organized at this concert hall there is always a problem..(He sighs too.) If they gave me this job, I would show them how to do it! I would hold this concert in Atlantis Concert Hill in L.A. and these disgusting queues wouldn't-

Joey ( Giggling loudly holds Alexander by the arm): Enough!!! Stop it..I shouldn't start this conversation.When I ask you something ,you start writing a novel and it never ends Mr. Opposition( Alexander seems not to be listening to Joey. He seems to be looking at something far in the distance behind Joey) Why aren't you listening to me???

Alexander:Oh gosh! This is impossible.I wouldn't believe-

Joey:You wouldn't believe what??What are you looking at?( she turns her back looks behind herself where she can see a young man waving at them with a big smile on his face. He is approaching them with a young beautiful girl who is holding his hand. Looking puzzled Joey looks at Alexander for an answer with questining eyes.. )

Alexander(starts stammering ):He- he-he is Jo-joNATHAN!!

Joey:Jonathan!??!!? Look at this coincidence ..Has he come for the concert too??!??!Is that that Jonathan?I mean the one- your brother...But his face is familiar to me.Oww it is imposibble..( with startled eyes and looking at Alexander's face)

Alexander: I-I guess so..(He looks startled)What? Do you know him?

Joey: I-I-I don't know.But he reminds me of ...Who is that girl next to him??

Alexander: Tell me if you know...I don't care who she is-( Jonathan comes near them)

Jonathan: Hi Alex!! I wouldn't believe if someone told me I would see you here with a beautiful girl..( He turns to Joey and stares at her for a few seconds as if he is trying to remember something.) Hi I'm Jonathan..Well it is ridiculous I mean a funny feeling but you remind me of someone I know from old years..I must have seen you before...

Joey: I have that funny feeling too..I was telling Alexander the same thing.Do you think we might have met somewhere before? High School may be?

Jonathan:You mean St. Louis High?

Joey:Oww... You are him, the captain of the debating club, president of the seniour class, singing the male lead in the annual opera...Yes, you are him..Oww I should have known that..Alex has been talking about you all the time.I mean-(glancing at Alexander as if she understands him deeply)
Jonathan: Oh, yeah, how nice to see someone from highschool..Forgive me but I can't remember your name... Miss?

Joey:I'm Joey , well it is natural that you don't remember me, (she giggles) you were so popular then, surrounded by all the school girls.I was in grade nine when you were in seniour class..

Jonathan:Oh yeah, Joey..Sorry...The girls were spoiling me in those years and this is my girl, Eliza..(Looking at the girl..) Eliza, this is Alex you know, and this young lady is Joey


Joey: Nice to meet you


Jonathan: I hope this stupid (points at Alexander) has told you too much about me ,have you Alex??( looks at Alex again sarcastically)

Alexander (shyly ,awkwardly): Oh, Joey I-I didn't know you knew Jonathan from high school..You didn't mention him at all.

Joey: How could I know you were talking about this Jonathan..(she turns back to Jonathan) Alexander has been telling me about you all the time, Jonathan..I guess you both have come for the concert, right?? (points at the tickets in Jonathan's hands) ..Well, we didn't want to miss Alex's favourite singer and the second reason is (giggling) that I didn't want other girls to take Alex out of my hands..You know, nowadays you can't trust single girls around

Alexander(leans towards Joey and whispers into her ear): Stop it..Enough

Joey:You shouldn't leave Alex alone with other girls, you know-

Jonathan: Oh Alex, you seem to have changed a lot boy!.. You have become socialized!! What a change?!?! Our fainthearted Alex has become popular with girls..Wooww..So you have stopped your aloofness ha??

Alexander( looking at Jonathan furiously ) : What the hell are you talking about Jonathan??

Jonathan: Oh, boy...This is a big change ( very sarcastically)..This is not the portrait of our shy Alex..It's a wonder how you have gained this manlyhood.Ohh, you have become a harsh boy..Where is our timid , clumsy Alex??When you last left home you weren't like this lad!!?!? This young lady must be the builder of your confidence, she seems to have created a new character..

Alexander(his face is red with anger): Joey come on, I can't put up with this arrogance..Are you coming or not??I'm going...It was nice to meet you, Eliza..(he turns his back to them and walks towards the hall without waiting even for Joey..Joey says something to the couple but the music so loud that the audience cannot hear the rest of the conversation..She runs after Alex to the concert hall and Jonathan and Eliza goes to the concert hall from another gate. There is nobody on the stage outside the concert hall except the people behind the stands.)

The stage is dark and the light are off, the audience hears only the Eminem's voice

SCENE TWO:

It is 8 a.m.A large group of people are coming out off he concert hall..Some of them are still singing the songs of Eminem enthusiasticly. Some are holding the posters of Eminem screaming happily.Among them Alexander looks gloomy as if he is attending a funeral.The expression on Joey's face is not as sad as the one on Alex's. The flock of people disappear from the back doors of the stage, Alexander and Joey come forward to the audience.They stop and start talking.

Joey(Sarcastically) : Well, it was all right ha??It was worth coming..

Alexander(without looking at Joey) : I wish I hadn't come..

Joey:Come on, why are you saying like that?? I thought you liked Eminem.

Alexander:I like Eminem, but I hate Jonathan..I didn't get the joy of it even for a second..He destroyed my day .What am I saying, he has ruined all my life!! Can you imagine what it means to live with such a brother ??You can't even know what it means to live with a family of my own..Jonathan the prince in their eyes!!And the prince in your eyes too!!!Alexander the loser in their life!!!

Joey( trying to coex him) : Come on Alex, aren't you exaggerating a little bit haa??Jonathan had a really glorious record at high school..That's all.

Alexander: You seemed to be enjoying listening to his humiliation, didn't you??

Joey : How can you say such a thing?? I thought I was trying to show that I was on your side trying to embarrass him by the words I chose very carefully.

Alexander: Oh yeah..You embarrassed someone but not Jonathan but me!

Joey: Stop talking like an idiot...You're very good at starting a row..Anyway I'm late..I can't discuss with you any further.

Alexander( with questioning eyes): You're late for what ??

Joey: Well...I have a date.

Alexander(his mood suddenly changes, his voice becomes soft): Oh, a date ha??? I thought we would do something together tonight...

Joey: Oh, yeah..You taught we would have a row all night

Alexander: I-I-I actually had planned a surprise dinner.I-I-I had a table reserved for us at the Elegant, you know the restaurant..

Joey(shocked): WHAT??You had a table reserved for us??Are you joking??Have you won the lottery??

Alexander: Since you bought the tickets, I have been saving some of my allowance..

Joey: Oh Jesus Christ!! That's why I haven't seen you at the school cafeteria recently..I'm terribly sorry Alex but I wish I had known about this crazy arrangement of you.. But you know I'm so sorry, as we didn't fix what we would do this evening I couldn't say no to-

Alexander: You couln't say no to WHOMM??

Joey:Aaa- David..You know today he is giving a party and-

Alexander: The one at Block C Dormitory??The one who caught rabbies-

Joey:He insisted on my coming and I couldn't refuse and the other girls are going too -you know..If we hadn't arranged to meet with the girls at 8.30 I could have cancelled but it will be difficult to explain it to David.

Alexander (with an expression of jealousy on his face and in his voice) David?? David haa??? Well, I didn't know you and David, that idiot were so close to each other...Okey..Okey you don't need to explain it to me. However it is not difficult to say no to Alexander!

Joey: Oh, Alex don't do that to me.Just be understanding-

Alexander: That's all right, I'm all right..I understand that..I mustn't say such things..I don't want to hear more ..Go!

Joey: But Alex, please

Alexander turns his back with clumsy movements with an outraged expression on his face , he goes away. Stupified by his reaction, Joey stares at him...The scene dims out, the stage is dark.

SCENE THREE:

At the rise of curtains some students are seated at the school cafeteria, the pop music is heard from the loud speakers ..They are eating , chatting cheerfully with each other at the tables Alexander is isolated at a table in one corner .He doesn't seem to be interested in what's going around him. He is wearing casual clothes ..There are couple of books on his table ,there is a bottle of coke in front of him. He seems to be reading something.
Joey appears on the stage , comes forward to the audience ,turning her back to the cafeteria.

Joey: I hadn't seen Alex for a few weeks.This was different from the previous rows we had had before.We would have a row now and then and we wouldn't talk to each other for a few hours or one or two days at most, but they hadn't lasted so long like the last one..After the last quarrel we had had with Alex because of David's party, Alex tried to escape from me for weeks .He would do anything to avoid seeing me. Even at the class he wouldn't greet me and find the only vacant seat where I couldn't sit next to him. I would go to his room many times but he wouldn't answer. I would call his name at the door or knock at the door harshly but it wouldn't work ..Even jokes wouldn't work.I was helpless.. This was the first time our relationship had broken up for that long..It was foolish of me still not to understand this was because of his secret , romance .I hadn't realized that he was jealous because of my closeness to David, whom I had no feelings for at all..David was just an ordinary friend for me, but Alex wouldn't understand that. I wish I hadn't been that blind but that day the cafeteria was too crowded for him to avoid me .The chair at his table was the only one where I could sit.He was too concentrated on the thing he was reading..

Joey turns her back to the audience and goes through the tables towards Alex's.

Joey: That's enough of you , how long will you be that capricious??Forever???

(Alexander doesn't look up.He looks as if he has heard nothing)

Joey: If you don't look up and listen to me, I'll scream in the middle of cafeteria now..Is that publicity all you want??

(Alex rises his head a little bit and stares at her scornfully.)

Joey: So it means that your brain still has a function.(she sits down angrily) I'm fed up with this nonsense.Give an end to this childish, capricious behaviour.

Alexander: Why don't you sit next to your dear friend David?? You see that I'm busy , reading this( he points at the article in his hand)

Joey: David , David stop this jealousy Alex! Is this the reason for your capricious stupidity? Is that why he didn't invite you to his birthday party but the other boys?

Alexander( he glances at her uneasily) : No , but-

Joey: Look, if it is David you are dealing with, he is just an ordinary friend, just somebody to whose party I could go with a group of friends-not alone.

Alexander: Well- I didn't mean to-

Joey: You didn't mean WHAT? He is such a friend who I can't share something special with! How dare can you compare yourself to him? You know how special you are to me...You know how different you are from others!

Alexander: Do you really think like that? I-I-I mean are you serious? In what sense do you think I'm different!Being different has brought me trouble all the time.You are the only one who has brought meaning to my life. I find other people so shallow , empty-minded, I can't see depth in them. They look with empty eyes.They make me feel ackward..They push me. I can't get closer to them.I find their life meaningless, aimless. They don't seem to have targets in their lives. When I'm with them, the time doesn't pass. They kill me , it's like a torture to be with them.I don't get any pleasure, zest. Instead of wasting time with them I would prefer to be alone.I mean I would lock myself to my room, and listen to my music and think of Aristo or Sokrates and so.But being with you is different. When I'm with you I feel different ..Actually I'm surprised to see how I'm talking to you so openly as if I'm talking to myself in my mind.I don't feel ackward. You know I'm expressing myself so openly, I wonder what you really think about me.I value your thoughts ...I wonder if my being difference gives you something you approve.I wish you could tell me your real opinion of me.

(Joey listens to him seriously looking into his eyes as Alexander talks to her without looking at her eyes. He is busy with drawing doodles at the back of his book he is holding in his hands. There is a long silence.)


Joey: I'm usually good at expressing things, but this is something that I don't know how to say!Well you are different from anyone else that I know.You know the different people are not like other people, but being different is nothing to be worried about. Because other people are not such wonderful people. They are one hundred times one tousand.There are many
ordinary people like David but you are one times one, unique.They are common like weeds.But you are like a blue tulip.Something very rare.I'm thirsty, why don't you offer me something to drink?Anyway,you think I'm making up this because I'm trying to make you feel better.Oh, I could do that. I could put on an act and talk to you without being sincere, but I'm talking to you sincerely.You should get rid of this inferiority complex which your family has created in you; which keeps you from feeling comfortable with people. I see that this complex gives you a lot of pain in your life. It affects your relations so you look like an aloof man to the people around you. Since the day we quarelled about David's party, you have been alone all the time..You should open yourself to other people, friends at school.Stop this freakish feeling. Don't escape from the other people. Let them approach you, be friends with you.

Alexander: I don't need other people's company, I'm satisfied with your company..

Joey:But Alex this is the problem of yours , I also get great pleasure from your friendship but the thing is you should get in touch with other people around you. You shouldn't restrict your life to my company only. You should share things with other ones, try to enjoy being with them.. You should change yourself...Think about this, Alex.You should get a way of getting along with other people as well as me..I can't be with you all the time, you must learn sharing me with my friends. You should get used to that.This can be David, Joanne, Karen, Henry, Paul, and so...I don't want any jealousy like this anymore, okey?

(Alex rises unsteadily glancing at her eyes ,hesitating to say something , he bites his lips which are trembling and then he bravely smiles at her.)

Well, We've got to go.(giggling) We need to catch your favourite's lesson.

Alexander: I can't stand him now, I can't bear his arrogance anymore ,you go...I'll stay here and go on reading this. (he points at the book in his hand)

The lights are off and the stage is darkened.

SCENE FOUR:

It is the library scene..There are couple of students studying and searching for books on the shelves..Alexander is looking at a book.It is lunch time. Professor Jason Brings appears at the door. He approaches the Book Circulation corner and starts to talk to the librarian behind the desk. After talking the librarian for a couple of minutes, the professor noticies Alexander is there and he changes his direction and goes towards Alexander with a serious expression on his face.Alex doesn't seem to be aware of professor's coming to him.

Professor(with a half smile on his face): Oh, it is my honour to see the genius here!

Alexander(looks up with puzzled eyes): Oh Professor is that you?I- I-I - well ( pointing the book in his hands) I've been looking at a paragraph about Sokrates and Hermogeres...You know I've been searching for my term paper..

Professor(his face slightly softened): I thought you were fooling around,cutting classes...

Alexander:Well as you see I'm not fooling around.

Professor sits next to him..

Professor: You are risking your credit in my class because of your absence.I know you are extra ordinarily different from the other students..Perhaps you can do without regular attendence but I would be sorry if you lowered your grades.

Alexander: Thank you very much for your concern Professor..Well telling the truth you have surprised me by showing your interest in me.Professor what I actuallly think is you-

Professor:I know what you think about me. Your problem is your behaviour.. The fact is that you are a wise boy...You and Joey are special to me..I have been watching you since that day.

Alexander:Which day?

Professor: The day when I was lecturing on Platon and Aristo..The thing you said was beyond the other students ,I mean the sophomores. Don't think that I don't appreciate your difference but you know you were making the subject difficult for the new comers; and you kept interrupting me all the time despite my warnings...So don't missjudge me as a teacher without tolerance.I would be sorry if you had wrong assumptions about me because I value your supremacy, your dept of knowledge .You are really unprecedented..I mean you and Joey.Well the difference is(he puts his hands on Alexander's shoulder in a friendly manner and starts laughing)Alex if you don't mind I will say the difference between you. The truth is that, compared to you Joey is a little bit far from extraterrestreals, you seem to be closer to them. That's why I find both of you quite close to me.

Alexander(with startled eyes and trembling voice): It is really surprising to see you talking like this, professor. The way you look and your nature are completely different..I'm pleased to hear that you think in a different way.

Professor: You must be hungary now, it is my treat let's have lunch together and we can a have chat.

Alexander: Well who can say no to such an offer?

Both of them go out of the library like two intimate friends..
The scene is darkened.

SCENE FIVE:
A shopping mall in the center of Boston..Lots of people are shopping , pushing their trolleys which are full of food in paper bags. Joey appears among the shoppers , she has got a few items in her trolley. She starts looking at the shelves..Unexpectedly Jonathan shows up. He notices Joey and runs towards her excitedly.Joey is not aware of Jonathan’s existance.

Jonathan: Owww.. Look at this! I wouldn’t believe to see you here. What a beautiful -

Joey(she turns back to him): Oh , Jonathan..What a good surprise.

Jonathan: Coinsidence.

Joey: How are you doing? ( she points at Jonathan’s trolley which is full of things) Are you giving a party? (giggling) Or have you become the father of a big family?

Jonathan (laughs sympatheticly): Oh yeah a small one for a couple of friends this weekend.. Friends from the university. You know...-Oh you should come too Joey.

Joey :Oh, I would love to ..I have nothing to do this weekend...

Jonathan: Let me give you my phone number Joey.By the way, do you have anything to do now? After shopping I mean...If you don’t mind I think we could-

Joey: Oh, nothing special... But I need to study for my finals.

Jonathan : Have a drink at a cafe.

Joey: Oh, I would love to..How about these( she points at the trolleys)

Jonathan: Nevermind..We can put them in the boot of my car...How about that ?(looking into her eyes with a full smile on his face and Joey looks into his eyes .. She looks impressed They look at each other wordlessly, as if electrified by each other for a couple of seconds.)

Joey: I-well- Let’s go then.

Still looking at her, Jonathan follows Joey to the exit.


The scene is dark.

SCENE SIX:
Joey comes across the stage , facing the audience. A saddening music starts playing in the background...There is the scene of a cafe and a sign on which it reads: “Paul Café” is suspended. Jonathan is sitting at a table in a frozen mode like other couple of people..

Joey(with a sad expression on her face) : Not long after the party at Jonathan’s house, I had realized that I had found the prince of my heart.(she starts playing with her hands glamourously.) After meeting Jonathan at the shopping mall a new era had started in my life..My mind was mixed up, I was in a dilemma.. I wasn’t able to control my heart.My brain had lost the power to lead my life, my feelings and my heart... (She walks to the left of the stage and starts speaking again ) Deep in my heart a voice was telling me not to go further with my affair with Jonathan. But I had become the slave of my emotions...I couldn’t do without thinking of Jonathan. Without him the time wasn’t passing..Life had no meaning without being with him. I had caught the love of my dreams..Dreams that I had thought would never come true. At St. Louis , Jonathan was the hero, the star at school in every activity; he was so popular.He was never walking but just running all the time...He seemed always at the point of defeating the law of gravity. So it was hard to reach him for us, the ordinary girls at school... To be recognized by him was like a gift from god. And years later that gift, the unattainable present , the dream , the miracle had been offered to me..I was helpless, I was enslaved by this irresistable sense of love. But Alex, Alex ....I was so scared deep in my heart that I would hurt him. I was so frightened that I would wound him. He would certainly be deeply offended...While I was blinded with Jonathan’s love , there was no place for Alex in my heart...He was an indispensible friend, my best company. But I thought I had no feelings for him, a kind of feeling that I would call romance.But deep in my heart this conflict was killing me and that day , I should say the doom day came inevitably...Jonathan and I were sitting in the cafe where we had gone after meeting in the shopping mall..

She ends her speech and turning her back to the audience, she goes towards Jonathan’s table.She sits oppossite him and they start talking and holding each others hand warmly.The sound of music and the muttering people can be heard easily. Alex comes into the cafe, looks around for a table and then his eyes catch Jonathan and Joey. He looks petrified for a few seconds, his mouth wide open looks at them motionlessly.(In the background the music is at vibrato point..)He approaches their table as if he is walking in his sleep. He stares at their holding hands speechlessly like a mummy. He stands behind Joey facing Jonathan. A few seconds later Jonathan becomes aware of Alexander’s existance...

Jonathan(looks up at Alex with a puzzled expression) : Oh Alex-

Joey: Alex- What Alex? Where? (she turns back and her eyes get widened) ALEX!! You- we-(she pulls her hand back quickly with the dominating sense of guilt..Not being able to understand what’s happening he looks startled too. ) Alex- I-I-I ..Why don’t you sit down?

Suddenly Alexander turns his back and rushes out of the cafe. Joey looks terrorized..The lights are off and the scene is dark.

SCENE SEVEN:

The audience faces the dormitory, fourth floor room number 405, the room that belongs to Alexander. The walls are covered with the posters of Pink Floyd and Eminem ... There are two windows which over look the school yard.There are no curtains but black stores pulled down completely..As it is day time the room is dimly lighted because of the black stores..A knock is heard and Joey comes in , she looks around the empty room and then she finds the envelope on which her name is written. She streches her arm and takes the envelope and opens it quickly and starts reading… The audience hears Alexander’s echoing voice from the loud speakers. While reading, tears start coming down her cheeks, she looks desperate and throws herself onto the bed. She goes on reading the letter.

Dear Joey,
I didn’t want to go before saying goodbye to you , I couldn’t do it…I couldn’t do it for the sake of our unique friendship!!Actually I shouldn’t call it friendship. It meant something more to me..Something I would call LOVE…I wish you could call it love too…But you didn’t…You never did! I know that I had lost my love forever when I saw your looks at Jonathan… I wish your eyes looked at me like that rather than Jonathan…But they never did… And they never will..Owww, Joey, Joey I’m trying to leave you behind me but I’m more faithful and in love then I intended to be!!! I cross the street, I run into the movies or a bar, I buy a drink, I speak to the nearest stranger- anything that can make me leave you behind!! But then you touch my shoulder and I turn around and look into your eyes…I’m going away to far distance…I will go much further where you will never find me..Where I will never see you… I wish you a happy long life with Jonathan… The one you prefered! The one you have always been in love with! I’m going away with a broken heart.
I know time is the longest distance between two places… Between two hearts…I’m going to the other world Joey…
Don’t be angry with me… I’m already dead in this world with my unanswered love, without you..I’m already bleeding deep in my heart… It has been raining since I saw you with Jonathan and I’m drowning in the flood…I’m not a fighter Joey you know, you know better than me..I’ve always been a loser!! I’ve always been defeated… The stars have never shone, the sun has never risen What I'd give to run my fingers through your hair, to hold you near… I think this is my fate..The unwanted man in this world..I have no other choice Joey… Goodbye Joey…
(While Joey holds the letter in her trembling hands, she starts sobbing uncontrollably. The scene is darkened..)
----The End---