You really think the friendship is over?
In the dark humor scene Cold Sunday, Leah tries to talk sense into Roger over how he ended his friendship with a dog named Buck.
LEAH: Had you kept your ego in check, maybe you’d still be friends.
ROGER: You are so frustrating to talk to, you know that?
LEAH: I’m being honest. It’s not like you weren’t lookin’ for a fight.
ROGER: Can’t you see things my way for once?
LEAH: There could have been a different outcome.
ROGER: Maybe if I ran.
LEAH: You wouldn’t have gotten very far.
ROGER: I could have cleared the fence before he got his hooks into me.
LEAH: No way.
ROGER: Yes.
LEAH: There is no way in hell you would have made it.
ROGER: I would have cleared that fence!
LEAH: Even if you were on a skateboard, you wouldn’t have made it, mate.
ROGER: Alright, here we are… I sensed the danger, alright? It was flight or fight mode, and I chose to fight. Had I chosen to take flight, I would have cleared that fence safe and sound.
Leah gives Roger a look.
ROGER: Don’t look at me that way. (stares back) Don’t do it.
LEAH: It really don’t matter, does it? ‘Cause you didn’t clear no fence, did you? You nearly had your skull bitten off.
ROGER: All these years, and this is where my loyalty got me.
LEAH: He looked out for you, he did. He could have taken your life. He had mercy on ya.
ROGER: Is there something wrong with you?
LEAH: These are things you should know.
ROGER: I do know. I was there. In fact, he did take hold of my head, but when I screamed, he went for my arm instead.
LEAH: Lucky you screamed.
ROGER: I screamed my head off.
LEAH: You could have slowly backed away. Calm and easy. Got back on your bike and out of there. (beat) How’s your wrist?
ROGER: It’s drying up.
LEAH: Stopped bleeding, ya think?
ROGER (examines his hand): Almost.
LEAH: Should we walk? Bus is taking forever.
ROGER: No. (pause.) I aim to go back there.
LEAH: Friendship’s over, mate.
ROGER: Says who?
LEAH: Says your arm.
ROGER: You really think the friendship is over?
LEAH: Could have killed you.
ROGER: Maybe we just need time.
LEAH: Time for what?
ROGER: Time to heal.
LEAH: It’s over.
ROGER: Maybe I did something to ’em that he held against me until now.
LEAH: Like, what?
ROGER: I have no idea.
LEAH: What could he have possibly held against ya?
ROGER: I missed last Sunday.
LEAH: What?
ROGER: Last Sunday I didn’t visit him…
LEAH: Why not?
ROGER: Got drunk.
LEAH: Did you?
ROGER: Couldn’t lift my head off the pillow the next day.
LEAH: Where’d you go?
ROGER: I didn’t go anywhere. Sun was out, so I spent the day drinking. Did some gardening and that… next thing I knew, my head hit the floor, and woke up on Sunday… I tried to get up. I did actually. Took a cold shower, made a pot of coffee, but then…fell back asleep.
LEAH: That’s it then.
ROGER: Yeah?
LEAH: He was pissed.
ROGER: Yeah?
LEAH: You f’ked with him.
ROGER: Not intentionally.
LEAH: Yeah, but you chose not to see him.
ROGER: I wasn’t well!
LEAH: He doesn’t seem to care, Roger!
ROGER: I didn’t bloody get to tell ’em yeah?!
LEAH: ‘Cause you gave him the finger, man!
ROGER: ‘Cause he barked in my face!
LEAH: ‘Cause you didn’t go the week before!
ROGER: ‘Cause I was BLOODY DRUNK OFF MY ROCKER!!!
LEAH: ‘Cause you’re stupid, man!
ROGER: … F’CK!
(long pause.)
I have to go back.
LEAH: Where?
ROGER: Back to Buck.
LEAH: What?
ROGER: My mind won’t rest.
LEAH: You go back there an’ he’ll finish you.
ROGER: I need to apologize to ’em.
LEAH: Next time he’ll go for your throat.
ROGER: He won’t.
Roger stands.
LEAH: He ain’t happy with ya! Get it through your thick skull!
ROGER: My mind won’t let this rest. If I feel this way now, I can’t imagine how I’ll feel days from now.
LEAH: You’re in no condition to go back there. You should go home and get yourself cleaned up.
ROGER: You don’t get it.
LEAH: Roger, you can’t go back there.
ROGER: Listen, Leah, we have this… f’cking hell, man, we have this bond; goes back years… This wasn’t like him. Maybe he’s just getting old, maybe he’s getting’ dementia or something. I can’t just abandon him…
- To read the full one-act ePlay, find purchase link below:
In the one-act eplay Cold Sunday, Leah meets her friend Roger to help him out after he was attacked by a beloved dog. 1 Woman, 1 Man. Drama. Dark Humor.
