A Dialogue for Two (2nd draft)

Second draft! Not a whole lot new, but some changes have been made. For anyone who doesn't want to read it all over again, I've bolded the parts that are new/changed. Still no ending.

Here goes:
*******************************
Characters:

1 - A man who thinks he knows who he is. He asks questions with irony.

2 - A woman who knows who she is. She asks questions with sincerity.
********************

1. Hi.

2. (pause) Hi.

1. I'm 1. What's your name?

2. 2.

1. I thought you looked like a 2.

2. Really.

1. Yeah. (pause) Yeah. So. (pause)

2. Well, we do seem to be the only two here.

1. Yeah, it appears so.

2. (pause) What if we don't get along?

1. I hadn't thought about that. You seem nice.

2. You don't even know me. (pause) And I don't really know you either. You were sitting over there for a long time. What were you doing?

1. That's a great scarf, by the way.

2. Thanks.

1. Did you make it?

2. No. (pause) What were you doing over there?

1. Nothing.

2. It seems like you wouldn't have been there if you had been doing nothing. You'd have been elsewhere.

1. I don't really feel like talking about it.

2. Ok. (pause)

1. I was trying to draw you.

2. (pause) Can I see?

1. No. (pause) No, I don't think that's a good idea.

2. Why not?

1. What if you don't like it? Then we're stuck here together with you not liking my drawing, but maybe pretending to because you don't want to hurt my feelings, or maybe it's worse; maybe you don't care about hurting my feelings.

2. Do you think I'm really like that?

1. Well, I don't really know you.

2. I think I'm going to have to see it.

1. Why?

2. Because nothing happens if I don't.

1. What do you mean? Plenty happens.

2. Like what?

1. Like- like what? Like this! Look at the inherent drama of the situation. You want something, I'm not inclined to give it to you. It's conflict. It's drama. It's tension.

2. It's not dramatic tension. Am I naked? In your picture I haven't got any clothes on, have I?

1. (pause) Don't be preposterous.

2. You've rendered me nude so as to stimulate your desires. You want to make love to me in many different ways.

1. That's not true at all.

2. No, it's not. You want to make love like a 20 second clip from a pornographic film. You want an orgasm, and you want me to be completely satisfied in less than half a minute.

1. That's not fair. You don't know me.

2. No, I don't really, do I?

1. You're the kind of person who watches someone drop something on the street and doesn't return it to them.

2. You're the kind of person who hears about a band and then goes out and buys the EP to look like you heard of the band before anyone else. But what you don't realize is that you bought the re-issue.

1. You aren't naked.

2. Am I wearing the scarf? I lied. I did make it, by the way.

1. Why did you lie?

2. (pause) Because I'm a liar. It's a character trait. It's just something I do. Not all the time, but I do lie.

1. Do you smoke?

2. The two don't go hand in hand.

1. Just making conversation. (pause) You aren't wearing the scarf.

2. Ah.

1. I didn't mean it like that. You really aren't naked.

2. Mmm. I don't really feel like thinking about it.

1. But you're not.

2. Are my breasts exposed?

1. No.

2. (pause) Hm.

1. Your shoulder is exposed.

2. The left or the right?

1. The left. My left.

2. My right.

1. I suppose so. It's in how you look at it.

2. No it isn't. (pause) May I see the drawing now?

1. I'd prefer not.

2. Well, I don't really want to see it anymore. (pause) All the drama has fizzled out of this situation.

1. I'm sorry.

2. Why?

1. I must seem disappointing. And here you are stuck with me.

2. I suppose I could exit.

1. I like your glasses.

2. Thank you.

1. They go nicely with your hair.

2. (pause) What a peculiar thing to say.

1. I think that one without the other wouldn't work.

2. I couldn't let it down?

1. Not if you wanted to keep the same effect.

2. I wasn't aware I created an effect.

1. It's unmistakable!

2. Did it make you want to draw me?

1. (pause) Yes.

2. I don't think I really want to talk about this anymore.

1. You aren't naked.

2. Yes I am. And more than likely I've got a finger in my vagina.

1. Please.

2. Do I? You'd know.

1. I'm not going to discuss this.

2. Why don't you want to talk about my vagina? You want to put your fingers in it, but not talk about it?

1. You're an odd duck.

2. Spelled with an "f."

1. I don't get it. (pause) Do you come here often?

2. Only when I have to. (pause) Have we started over?

1. Just making conversation.

(pause)

2. Vagina.

1. Please don't.

2. Have you ever been to the Vagina Monologues?

1. Once.

2. You left during the "cunt" chanting part.

1. I left.

2. Why?

1. You aren't naked.

2. Then why won't you show it to me?

1. I will show it to you. It's just not very good. (pause) I will.

2. I don't really want to see it that much.

1. It's just your shoulder.

2. That's right. It's my shoulder.

1. I'm sorry.

2. If you were sorry you never would have done it in the first place.

1. That's not fair. How was I to know you'd react?

2. I have to react.

1. Why?

2. I don't have a choice.

1. You could have been flattered.

2. Liars don't get flattered. They recognize that most flattering is just lying. (pause) You play up the positive and sweep the negative under the rug.

1. (pause) That's not lying in the stricted sense.

2. Enjoy your EP, do you?

1. Pardon?

2. You're not interested in me at all. You're just arguing because there's nothing else to do.

1. What do you want to do?

2. I don't want to do anything. I don't want anything from you.

1. Then what are we doing here? (pause) I've stopped enjoying this. (pause) Here. Please take the drawing.

2. No thank you. Just set it down or something.

1. You're the kind of person who drops a quarter when they're counting their change and thinks "Oh well."

2. And I suppose you're the kind of person who thinks something like that is symbolic.

1. You don't know me.

2. I think I do. You're the kind of person whose password is always "password" because you give the crooks too much credit. You think you're safe because you think you're clever.

1. I don't think I'm safe.

2. Do you think you're clever?

1. Do you think I'm not?

2. (pause) Do you think you're dangerous?

1. Do you?

2. Vagina.

1. I'd appreciate it if you'd stop.

2. I do now.

1. You're the kind of person who wears sweaters with pockets over the breasts. Then you keep money in them so you can watch people watch you feel yourself up as you look for the proper change.

2. (pause) So?

1. You think because you say words that I don't you're more of a person than I am. You think you're more fully realized, and more complete. You think you've come to terms with something that I haven't. Well fuck you.

2. You've never spoken to me like that before.

1. Why did I come talk to you?

2. (pause) You probably had to. Look at us. 1 & 2. We didn't have a lot of choice.

1. No. (pause) No I suppose we didn't.

(pause)

2. Can I draw you?

1. What?

2. Never mind.

1. Oh. (pause) Ok. (pause) This is terrible.

2. Look, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do. We should just exit. I can't take this. I'm sorry. I'm sorry to be this way. I don't know how we're supposed to relate.

1. Tension.

2. Do you think so? Do you think we're here just to be awful to each other? That's horrible!

1. I don't know. Why would I know?

2. Can I have the drawing?

1. (pause) Really?

2. (pause) Yeah. I'd kind of like to have it.

1. (pause) Ok.

2. Thanks.

1. Are you going to look at it?

2. No, I don't think so.

1. (pause) Then give it back.

2. No. I want to keep it.

1. You aren't even naked in it!

2. I'd forgotten about that. I feel strange.

1. Are you sick?

2. No, I shouldn't be.

1. Can I please have the drawing back?

2. Why? Didn't you do it of me to give to me?

1. Where did you get that idea?

2. (pause) I guess I assumed. (pause) You did it so you could keep it?

1. Yeah. Yes.

2. Then why did you come talk to me? You could have just drawn me. I could have been perfect.

1. (pause) I wanted to touch your shoulder.

2. You could have asked.

1. Would you have said yes?

2. No.

1. See?

2. I don't know you! You're "1!"

1. And you're "2!" We've got to fit together somehow!

(pause)

2. My grandfather always said "together is just 'to get her'."

1. So?

2. Don't be like that. It's how I learned to spell "together." I still sound it out when I write it.

1. I sound out "around."

2. See? There you go!

1. But it's not supposed to work like that!

2. You're unbelievable! (pause) Do you want to touch my shoulder?

1. No.

2. Come on.

1. It's not the same. The mystique is gone.

2. (pause) My shoulder had mystique?

1. Yes. And then you made a big deal of it.

2. No I didn't! I didn't! I made a big deal of my va- of my cunt!

1. You don't ever call it that, do you?

2. No. Not really. I do sometimes. It depends on the situation!

1. It doesn't matter. It's faded.

2. FUCK! You're really aggravating, you know that?

1. It's not pure anymore!

2. Well what is? (pause) Please?

1. Why? It'd be out of pity, or worse.

2. Please. (pause) PLEASE. (pause) Please. (pause) I've been cruel to you. I'm sorry.

1. If you were sorry you'd never have done it in the first place.

2. That's not fair.

1. I know, but I said it anyway. You can't be sorry until afterwards when you see what a mess you've made of things.

2. Give me another chance. I've made a mess of things. I've reacted wrongly.

1. That's silly. You've reacted in the only way you know. You had no choice.

2. I could have chosen to react differently.

1. No you couldn't have.

2. I could think about it before I say anything.

1. For how long? First impressions are usually right, and it's hard to just forget those things.

2. They say that the best friendships start off poorly. Please? I'm making an effort here. (pause) What if you met me and I was having a really horrible day? You'd think that I was angry or sad all the time.

1. Friendships?

2. (pause) Oh my god.

1. I wanted to touch your shoulder. What did you think?

2. I knew.

1. You knew what?

2. I knew you wanted to touch my shoulder. (pause) We've been here before. We must have been. A thousand times. 1 and 2. I knew you wanted to, so I wore this shirt. I'm so sorry.

1. Why? I wanted to.

2. Maybe that's reason enough to be sorry.

1. You're probably right.