Drama scene from one-act eplay, “That’s Why I’m Here, Miss Tyler,” wherein Milo learns about the passing of his dearest friend.

TYLER: Jeff would give you coffee?

MILO: Every morning.

TYLER: For free?

MILO: Well, in exchange for things. Today, I brought pencils.

TYLER: Pencils.

MILO: Yesterday, I brought matches, but no one was here. The day before that, I had an apple, but no one was here that day, either.

TYLER: …Milo, is it?

MILO: Yes.

TYLER: My brother Jeff, he’s gone. He’s died unexpectedly.

MILO: Mr. Jeff?

TYLER: (nods)

MILO: …Why?

TYLER: He suffered a heart-attack.

MILO: Oh…I’m…really, sorry.

TYLER: You…(clears her throat) I’m going to try and take over the cafe. Umm, at least for now. Would you like a cup of coffee?

MILO: That’s alright. Do you mind if I sit?

TYLER: Go ahead.

MILO: Mr. Jeff. Heart-attack. He was young, wasn’t he?

TYLER: Much too young.

MILO: Much too young.

TYLER: If you change your mind, let me know, the coffee’s on.

MILO: Thank you.

Tyler goes into the cafe.

Milo begins to cry softly to himself, trying to not be obvious about it.

Milo gets up to leave.

As Milo shuffles away, Tyler comes out from the cafe.

TYLER: You like muffins?

Milo turns.

MILO: Pardon?

TYLER: I have banana muffins and blueberry muffins.

MILO: I’m alright, I’m…

TYLER: Sure, you don’t want coffee?

MILO: (hands Tyler his box of pencils.)

Tyler takes the pencils and smiles.

Tyler enters the cafe. Milo stands and observes her from outside.

Tyler comes out of the cafe holding a cup of coffee in a to go cup.

She hands the cup of coffee to Milo.

Milo observes it.

MILO: Hmm.

TYLER: What?

MILO: No, nothing.

TYLER: Something wrong?

MILO: Oh, no. It’s just that Jeff always gave me my coffee in a glass. Never in a to-go cup.

TYLER: In a glass?

MILO: I have my own chair. (pointing) That one right there. The wobbly one that doesn’t match with all the others. That’s my chair.

Tyler: (looking at the chair) Oh. I can get it for you.

MILO: That’s kind of you. Mr. Jeff was always too kind.

Tyler brings the chair over and places it before a small table.

MILO: That’s not my table.

TYLER: What?

MILO: My table. I sit (pointing) — the one that wobbles.

Tyler gives Milo a look and resets the chair in front of a different table.

TYLER: I think most of the tables and chairs in this place wobble.

MILO: Things fall apart. Mr. Jeff always said it was what kept people coming back. All these other places have been renovated. They have that polished look to them. But, Mr. Jeff kept everything original..authentic. Traditional. And people like that old, traditional feeling. It’s why I like coming here.

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In the one-act eplay, “That’s Why I’m Here, Miss Tyler,” two strangers come together over the loss of someone, by sharing thoughts about a cup of coffee.  1 Woman, 1 Man.  Drama.

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