Thursday, November 27, 2025

November Playwrighting 26: Crash Sights #4

 (SECILY bends to pick up the ring as headlights swerve, brake sounds)

                                                    JEREMY

Secily!

(Scream and blackout)

                                                OLD SECILY

I can’t.

                                                OLD JEREMY

We got through it.

                                            OLD SECILY

You got through it. I…

                                            OLD JEREMY

I thought I would lose you, but I didn’t. We didn’t.

                                            OLD SECILY

I wanted to return to Italy, but this I could not.

                                            OLD JEREMY

I knew if you went, I’d never see you again. I had to see you through this if there was to be an us.

                                            OLD SECILY

Too hard, Darling, no.

                                            OLD JEREMY

Let’s continue.

(the scene shifts SECILY is in a wheelchair, and JEREMY ENTERS holding a breakfast tray)

                                            JEREMY

You’re up and in your chair. Going somewhere? You can’t go anywhere before you’ve had your breakfast!

                                            SECILY

No.

                                            JEREMY

No breakfast? That is the most important meal of the day.

                                            SECILY

No. Go.

                                            JEREMY

Go? Go where, Sweetheart?

                                            SECILY

(words slurred) Sweet…no, no, no. I go.

                                            JEREMY

(puts down tray) We’ve talked about this. You can’t just go. You have a while yet to heal. You can’t travel in this condition.

                                        SEICILY

I kn…kn…kn…know! I n…n…n…eed m..m..m..y m…m…m…other.

                                        JEREMY

She’ll be here in a couple of days. I made sure of it.

                                        SECILY

N..nooot here. H…h..h…ere not h…h…h…ome.

                                        JEREMY

It isn’t, but it could be. Secily, it was an accident. We’ll get past this. All of this will be a distant memory someday.

                                        JEREMY

No! Go home! Non capisci! Non capisci cosa voglio!

                                        JEREMY

See? Better that you speak in Italian. The doctor said that could help and your mother will be able to speak with you.

                                   SECILY

Non capisci!’

                                  JEREMY

The “no” I get. Say the other slowly and I’ll look it up.

                                SECILY

No capisci. Per capire.

(JEREMY has the Italian language dictionary off the side table)

                                JEREMY

Per “to” and cap..cap..capire. Oh. Secily. I am doing all I can to understand. When that car hit you, my world stopped. The woman I love could have died in front of me in that instant, but you didn’t. You didn’t. You are still here. We are still, I think, in love. You will heal and we’ll have everything. You and I...

                                SECILY 

No, no. no! J...j...j... Jeremy go!

                                JEREMY

No. I can’t. I won’t. I need you, and you need me.

                                SECILY

No.

                                JEREMY

This is what love is, Secily. Not all the other stuff. We have to hold on.

                                SECILY

No.

                                JEREMY

I’ll go for now, but know I am here and not going anywhere.

(Blackout on scene)

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