A horse died at my feet after running through a window.
In drama scene from Spirit of the Horse, Turner tries to avoid telling his wife the traumatic experience he had seeing a horse die.
GALE: Your sandwich has been sitting on the kitchen countertop for over fifteen minutes.
TURNER: Why didn’t you tell me?
GALE: I did tell you.
TURNER: I don’t remember you telling me.
GALE: You responded; you said, “Uh-huh.”
TURNER: Uh-huh.
GALE: There you go again.
TURNER: What?
GALE: What’s wrong with you?
TURNER: I’m not hungry.
GALE: You haven’t eaten.
TURNER: I know.
GALE: I asked you if you wanted a sandwich. I put a gherkin on the side with chips.
TURNER: You did?
GALE: Yes, I did.
TURNER: Thank you.
GALE: Want me to bring it to you?
TURNER: Could you?
GALE: (sighs) Pain in my a**.
GALE exits the room and comes back with a plate.
Here. Sit up and eat. You coming down with a cold?
TURNER: I feel healthy.
GALE: You depressed?
TURNER: I’m fine.
GALE: Eat. It’s probably stale by now.
TURNER: I’ll try.
GALE: Please don’t waste food.
TURNER: Okay, okay.
GALE sits across from TURNER. She stares at him closely.
What are you doing?
GALE: I’m watching you.
TURNER: I see that… I can’t eat with you staring at me. It makes me very uncomfortable.
GALE: I’ve been staring at you my whole life. Will you take a bite?
TURNER bites his sandwich.
TURNER (mouthful): It’s good.
GALE: Yeah? I didn’t put too much mayo?
TURNER: It’s perfect.
GALE: Is there enough mustard?
TURNER: It’s good! It’s good!
GALE: No reason to get excited.
TURNER: I’m eating; what more do you want?
GALE: I want to know why you’ve been acting this way.
TURNER: What way?
GALE: Miserable
TURNER: I’m fine.
GALE: You’re not fine! I know you like a book, and right now we’re on the chapter that reads, “Something’s Wrong!”
TURNER: Here we go –
GALE: Moping around the apartment like our dog just died. Sure, he’s on his last leg, but he’s still with us, he’s here. We’re all here, together.
TURNER: We’re all here.
GALE: Will you tell me what’s going on with you, or do I have to force my way in?
TURNER: Force your way in… where?
GALE: Tell me!
TURNER: You want to know?
(GALE makes a face.)
Okay, alright, okay. I saw something. That’s it. That’s all you need to know.
GALE: You saw something.
TURNER: That’s right.
GALE: You saw something… and?
TURNER: And it brought me down, and I can’t seem to recover from it.
GALE: What did you see, Turner?
TURNER: You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.
GALE: I will believe you if you tell me now, and I won’t if you tell me any later.
TURNER: A horse died at my feet after running through a window.
- To read the full one-act ePlay, find purchase link below:
In the one act eplay Spirit of the Horse, Turner recounts a traumatic experience he had only a couple of days prior, where a horse died in his arms in the middle of downtown Manhattan. 1 Woman, 1 Man. Drama.
