You can’t run from life, you have to face it.
In the dramatic scene from one-act eplay Isolated Romance, Victor tries to figure out his inner fulfillment, love, and success.
SAMANTHA: Your words resonate with people. Apparently it matters to them, Vic…and sometimes if they recognize you, they may wish to reach out in some way. There are worse things than getting compliments in the street. Is that so wrong?
VICTOR: It’s not wrong. I get it, I understand that. But I don’t want to be made out to be someone I am not. I want to remain a regular guy, because that’s what I am. Nothing special. And if life can’t be lived that way, I’d rather move somewhere where no one would recognize me, live in the mountains in some remote cabin, and not be bothered.
SAMANTHA: You would miss me.
VICTOR: Yeah, I’d miss you.
SAMANTHA: So, you can’t do that. Because for one, I’m not moving to the mountains. I have no interest in being anywhere but where there is life.
VICTOR: There is life in the mountains.
SAMANTHA: And I wouldn’t care for it. Anyway, I’d give you three months before you come running back here. You are more attracted to the concept than its reality. Besides, it sounds all so pretentious. Look at what you’ve got, okay? There’s a downside to it, like there is to everything. You can’t run from life, you have to face it.
VICTOR: Maybe I’m crazy.
SAMANTHA: You’re definitely crazy.
VICTOR: Am I?
SAMANTHA: Of course.
VICTOR: …I need to find the balance between my private life and public life.
SAMANTHA: Accept the fact that your public life is no longer your private life. Your public life has shifted into a new reality, and you have to be accepting of those conditions in order to live a harmonious life. If you don’t, you’ll keep on fighting against yourself.
VICTOR: How do I accept this new reality?
SAMANTHA: Practice.
VICTOR: By going out?
SAMANTHA: You can’t live like a hermit, Vic. Yes, yes, by going out, by living, by not giving a f’ck so much, and simply living your life, taking things as they come.
VICTOR: What it is, is that I feel unworthy, undeserving of anyone’s attention. There are far better writers in the world that I’ll never come close to. In fact, I don’t even consider myself a writer. Did you know that? This was a mistake. I ended up writing because I was trapped, I was broke, I couldn’t create in other ways, and I had no other way to express myself. I find it hard to believe that I actually make a living writing!
SAMANTHA: It doesn’t matter. You have to accept who you are.
VICTOR: Who I am….And who am I, Samantha?
SAMANTHA: You are my friend. You are charming, polite…hardworking. A writer who simply needs to take pride in all the good things that make you, you.
VICTOR: Will you help me?
SAMANTHA: I am helping you.
Samantha kisses Victor.
VICTOR: Sam, I thought we already tried this and decided…
SAMANTHA: Decided, what?
Samantha kisses Victor again.
VICTOR: Decided that we may run the risk of ruining our friendship.
SAMANTHA: Aren’t we still friends?
VICTOR: Yes.
SAMANTHA: Is our friendship ruined?
VICTOR: No, but—
SAMANTHA: So we can run the risk again…
Samantha kisses Victor again.
VICTOR: This can’t be good for us.
SAMANTHA: You know, I find it enticing when you are this vulnerable.
VICTOR: Not sure how to take that.
SAMANTHA: I’m not saying that I want you to be unhappy, but there’s an innocence in your crying out.
VICTOR: Great… I’m like a science experiment.
SAMANTHA: You need to let go, Vic. Leave it all alone, stop wondering what we are to each other. Stop controlling your life, and stop thinking about everything. Live in the moment; that’s what artists do. Be impulsive, less self-conscious… just be for once.
VICTOR: Be.
SAMANTHA: Be…free from your thoughts.
Samantha kisses Victor.
Do you want me, Victor?
Victor kisses Samantha.
VICTOR: Can I ask you something?
SAMANTHA (softly): What?
VICTOR: A couple of years ago, before I became successful, did you want to be with me then?
SAMANTHA: What do you think?
VICTOR (clears throat): Why is it that we slept together after I blew up?
SAMANTHA: Why are you asking me this?
VICTOR: Why didn’t we years ago?
SAMANTHA: Vic, I don’t know. See, I don’t plan things like you. I don’t look at life that way. I was in a relationship then, we worked together….and over time, things happened between us. It wasn’t a planned thing. I mean, I’ve always had these feelings for you, but I never acted on them. I put our work together first, and I’ve been focused on my own road. Do you really think your rise to stardom created a desire in me to sleep with you?
VICTOR: …Did it?
SAMANTHA: You’re such a boy.
VICTOR: So what made you want to take things further?
SAMANTHA: We evolved.
VICTOR: Wasn’t there a single moment when you said to yourself, “Yeah, he’s good enough now”?
SAMANTHA: Vic, I really have no freaking idea. I can’t point out a specific moment that made me want this with you. It wasn’t your success. I did have feelings for you before all of this. I always cared about you; I knew that, but you were too blind to see it, so I never took it seriously back then. You were too tunnel-visioned, with writing, with the grind…and I wasn’t going to be the one who pursued you. So, I kept it to myself. It never bothered me either way; I was just happy to be in your life.
VICTOR: I’ve always liked you, Samantha; never thought I was good enough.
SAMANTHA: I’m here now.
VICTOR: What if it all goes away? What then?
SAMANTHA: What then…
VICTOR: Would you still care about me?
SAMANTHA: Not unless you did something that made me care less about you.
VICTOR: Like, what?
SAMANTHA: I don’t know…
VICTOR: Maybe I want all this to go away.
SAMANTHA: Do you want me to go away?
VICTOR: No. I always want you here. I just don’t know where I stand with things, within myself. You think I don’t see what’s going on around? People coming over, always asking me for sh’t. Bankrolling parties and their addictions. Freddy comes over every weekend, asking for handouts. It’s like he’s on a constant salary, picking up his check each Friday after a long-ass week of doing nothing. I’ve lost trust in everyone.
SAMANTHA: I never ask you for anything, Victor, except your companionship and whatever relationship I thought we were growing.
VICTOR: I don’t mean to…(sighs)
SAMANTHA: I should get going.
VICTOR: Wait…I’m not; I’m all over the place.
SAMANTHA: Get it together before you lose what you have.
VICTOR: What do I have?
SAMANTHA: Everything.
Samantha leaves.
Victor looks on.
- To read the full one-act ePlay, find purchase link below:
In this one-act ePlay, Victor is having a difficult time handling his newfound fame as a writer, which leads him into further turmoil with his best friend Samantha.
