Lodestar Quarterly

Issue 6 • Summer 2003 • Featured Writer • Drama

Home Again

Troy Hill

Act II, Scene 7

Scene 7.

Todd and Janice are having tea in their space.

TODD
It's totally weird. She was just missing. I mean I figured it was just my mother being dramatic, but then when I talked to Al, he was freaking out. Now my mother says that Al left a message saying everything is okay but didn't say where they are. It's all very mysterious and intriguing.

JANICE
Do you ever actually just care about someone and feel concern for them without finding it interesting and intriguing?

TODD
Of course. You know I was worried about her, but now I know she's okay. So now it's interesting and intriguing.

JANICE
But you don't know what's going on with her. She may be in turmoil. She probably is. I'm sure of it. It's like you don't even care. It could be anything.

TODD
Exactly. Thus interesting and intriguing.

JANICE
Right. Well, now you have no more excuses for not working. The opening is scheduled for two weeks from tomorrow.

TODD
I thought you didn't believe in openings anyway. We're "showing where we are in this process."

JANICE
The grant people want to see something. They're not paying for us to flit about. We're supposed to be working artists.

TODD
We are.

JANICE
I am.

TODD
(Mockingly) I thought life and change were the piece.

JANICE
With a physical reaction -- expression. There hasn't been much transformation of the space physically on your end. Besides, it's supposed to be about growth not decay.

TODD
Why? Growth and decay are intertwined. You can't have one without the other. Besides, who cares about the grant people? I thought you didn't mix art and commerce.

JANICE
This is art not advertising. And if you want to live as an artist you'd better care about grant people.

TODD
It's going to be great. With everything that's going on, I really want to pour myself into the project for the next couple of weeks.

JANICE
That's music to my ears.

TODD
But I'm serious about the growth/decay thing. I think it should be both -- not just growth. I really need to work.

JANICE
I'm glad to hear it. You know we could go on from here. We don't have to stop after this project. I'm looking into a workshop in Germany and how to get money to go.

TODD
Well aren't you just little Miss commerce these days?

JANICE
I don't think of grants as commerce. You don't have to sell anything.

TODD
Just yourself. Look, I'm all for it. I think it's great. I would never have the organization to get all these grants.

JANICE
Is that why you like me -- for my grant money?

TODD
Well, partly. But I also find you interesting and intriguing.

Next Page:   Act II, Scene 8   (page 18 of 22 pages)

All Pages:   See the entire play on one page

Table of Contents:   Home Again

Troy Ernest Hill (misterhill@nyc.rr.com) is a playwright and actor in New York City, originally from Atlanta, Georgia. In the eighth grade he won the "Most Outstanding Student Award," and in the eleventh grade the Creative Writing Award. Since that time, it's been more or less a downward spiral. He is currently in the Off-Broadway smash Birdy's Bachelorette Party, and he is a white belt in karate.

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