"Saturday Morning"
Written by Paul Rust
DANIEL is pacing back and forth on stage right. A moment passes. SARAH enters from stage left and walks over to Daniel. Both are nervous.
DANIEL: Hey.
SARAH: Hey.
DANIEL: Guess who walked by in the parking lot earlier? (motions down stage)
SARAH: Who?
DANIEL: Dave.
SARAH: Oh. (silence) Whatd he have to say?
DANIEL: Theres a party at his place tonight. Parents are out of town.
SARAH: Oh.
DANIEL: He said we could come by if wed like to.
SARAH: Okay. Maybe.
Pause.
DANIEL: So uh whatd you find out in there? (motioning to stage left)
SARAH: (urgently) Im pregnant.
For a moment, Daniel is frozen only his hands are shaking. Abruptly, he gets down on one knee - in a motion thats all too rushed and awkward.
DANIEL: Will you marry me, Sarah? I promise Ill make you the happiest ---
SARAH: (interrupting) Daniel, dont be stupid.
DANIEL: (quickly standing back up) Right, right. That was stupid of me.
SARAH: Its just a bad idea.
DANIEL: No, youre right. It is. I dont know what I was thinking.
SARAH: My parents are going to be angry enough as it is. I dont need to tell them that Im engaged, too.
DANIEL: Youre right, Sarah. Youre exactly right.
SARAH: I mean, thatd drive them over the edge.
DANIEL: (suddenly annoyed) Youre right, Sarah. Okay? Youre right.
Pause.
SARAH: Look at it this way, Daniel. Its not like this is a complete shock. I originally got the test because we suspected I was, so at least we had time to figure things out.
DANIEL: Then we should carry out what we planned.
SARAH: Right. I think so.
DANIEL: I think so, too.
Pause.
SARAH: (walking stage left) Well tell my parents that Im pregnant tonight. And well tell your parents that Im pregnant tomorrow morning.
DANIEL: Well tell them that were not giving the kid up for adoption.
SARAH: Well tell them that after we graduate from high school, well commute everyday to a nearby community college, so we can still raise our child and be students at the same time.
DANIEL: I cant remember. Will we be living together?
SARAH: No.
DANIEL: But were still dating?
SARAH: Correct.
DANIEL: And are in love?
SARAH: Very much so.
DANIEL: Sounds like a plan.
SARAH: A great plan.
Pause.
DANIEL: (walking towards center stage) Its going to be tough, you know.
SARAH: (walking towards center stage) I know.
DANIEL: Juggling college and work and a baby I heard thats tough.
SARAH: I thought you meant my parents.
Daniel and Sarah meet center stage.
DANIEL: What?
SARAH: I thought you meant my parents. Telling my parents is going to be the toughest part.
DANIEL: Nah. That wont be too tough. Your parents seem pretty cool. Your dads always listening to Billy Joel and stuff.
SARAH: No, Daniel. My dadll be pissed.
DANIEL: No, he wont. Hell understand.
SARAH: (sternly) Daniel, he wont understand.
DANIEL: Hell understand, Sarah.
SARAH: Daniel when I was nine years old, my brother Jeff got a girl pregnant and my dad threw him out of the house for three months.
DANIEL: Oh.
SARAH: Yeah (mocking Daniel) "Oh."
Sarah walks downstage right. Daniel remains center stage.
DANIEL: Sarah
SARAH: Yeah?
DANIEL: Do you do you really
SARAH: Do I really want to have this kid?
DANIEL: Yeah.
SARAH: Of course, I do, Daniel. (pause) Do you?
DANIEL: Yeah, of course. Of course, I do. Of course, of course.
Pause.
SARAH: I mean, obviously itd be easier if we werent having a kid
DANIEL: Obviously.
SARAH: But thats not an option right now, so we have to make the best of it.
DANIEL: Yes. Make the best of it.
Pause.
SARAH: (matter-of-factly) Jesus Christ, I really dont want a kid right now.
DANIEL: Me either.
Pause. Daniel begins walking downstage right by Sarah.
DANIEL: Have you have you have you ever thought about ?
SARAH: Yes.
DANIEL: Me, too.
Pause.
SARAH: More and more, its seeming like
DANIEL: a good idea.
SARAH: Exactly.
Pause.
DANIEL: Are you opposed to it? I mean, we never really talked about it. Are you opposed to it?
SARAH: I was.
DANIEL: Me, too.
SARAH: But more and more, I made exceptions.
DANIEL: I know what you mean.
SARAH: And eventually, I decided people should do whats best for the child.
DANIEL: (taking Sarahs hand) Yes, yes. Me, too. Me, too.
SARAH: And right now for us for the child I dont think itd be best to have it.
DANIEL: (smiling) Thats exactly how I feel.
SARAH: (smiling) Yeah?
DANIEL: Yeah. (pause) So do you want to do it?
SARAH: Yes. You?
DANIEL: Yes.
The following lines progressively quicken in pace.
DANIEL: So, where do we go? A clinic?
SARAH: Yeah.
DANIEL: Wheres the nearest clinic?
SARAH: About two hours away.
DANIEL: You wanna go tomorrow?
SARAH: Tomorrows Sunday. I think theyll be closed.
DANIEL: Are they closed on Saturdays?
SARAH: Yes. No. Maybe. Im not for sure. Probably.
DANIEL: So well go during the week.
SARAH: What about school?
DANIEL: Crap. Whens the next teacher in-service?
SARAH: In a couple weeks.
DANIEL: Well go then.
SARAH: Okay.
DANIEL: Fuck.
SARAH: What?
DANIEL: My dadll be at work.
SARAH: So?
DANIEL: I wont be able to use his car.
SARAH: Shit.
DANIEL: Wait.
SARAH: What?
DANIEL: We can use my grandmas car. She hardly ever drives it.
SARAH: Great.
DANIEL: Great. (breathing out) God, this is such a relief. I was so worried. Im in no shape to raise a kid right now.
SARAH: Me either.
DANIEL: I cant take of myself, let alone a little kid.
SARAH: I know.
DANIEL: Im so fucked up.
SARAH: I know.
DANIEL: (smiling) Just last week, I was writing drafts of suicide letters.
Daniel and Sarah chuckle.
SARAH: Really?
DANIEL: Yeah.
SARAH: (smiling) Last month, I cried myself to sleep for five nights.
Daniel and Sarahs chuckling subsides. They are still smiling, however.
DANIEL: This is the right decision.
SARAH: It is.
DANIEL: I love you.
SARAH: I love you, too.
Daniel and Sarah embrace. Abruptly, a WOMAN enters stage left (from where Sarah originally appeared).
WOMAN: Sarah? Sarah Davidson?
SARAH: (looking over her shoulder) Yes.
WOMAN: Can I speak to you for a moment?
SARAH: Uh, sure.
Daniel lets go of Sarah. She and Woman exit stage left. Daniel kicks at the pavement as he waits. Fifteen seconds pass. Sarah re-enters.
DANIEL: Whats up?
SARAH: They messed up.
DANIEL: What?
SARAH: They gave me the wrong results. (beat) Im not pregnant.
DANIEL: Youre not?
SARAH: Nope.
DANIEL: (joyously) Youre not?!
SARAH: (joyously) Nope!
Daniel and Sarah embrace center stage. And hold.
Gradually, however, their grips loosen and their hands slip into one anothers. Even this, however, loses its tension and their hands drop to their own sides.
Slowly, they lift their faces and look forward into the audience completely expressionless.
HOLD A BEAT, THEN BLACKOUT.
"Saturday Morning" IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED, TRANSMITTED, PRINTED OR PERFORMED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR
"Saturday Morning" debuted September 20, 2002, performed by Paul Rust, Emily Yoshida, Michael Tabor.