SMILE BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)
DAMIEN, a large muscular man sits on the street holding a sign.
His sign reads “Let me know I can smile.”
After some time passes, SANDY enters.
SANDY notices DAMIEN and reads his sign.
SANDY: Excuse me, sir.
DAMIEN: Me?
SANDY: Yes. Of course you.
DAMIEN: Ok. Hi.
SANDY: Can I ask you a question?
DAMIEN: Sure.
SANDY: Is your sign correct?
DAMIEN: What do you mean is my sign correct?
SANDY: I don’t understand your sign.
DAMIEN: Does that mean my sign is wrong?
SANDY: Of course not…
DAMIEN takes a look at his sign.
DAMIEN: Yes. It is correct.
SANDY: Ok.
DAMIEN: “Let me know I can smile.”
SANDY: Right…
DAMIEN: I spend most of my days tired and unhappy and without reason or energy to smile…
SANDY: Ok…
DAMIEN: And I just desperately want someone to let me know that I can smile.
Pause.
SANDY lets this sink in.
SANDY looks DAMIEN in the eye.
SANDY: You can smile.
SANDY hugs DAMIEN.
The hug lasts a long time.
As SANDY lets go of the hug, DAMIEN’s eyes are teary.
DAMIEN: Thank you.
DAMIEN and SANDY share a smile.
SANDY: Goodbye.
SANDY exits.
Lights fade.
END OF PLAY.