CANDY SHOP BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)
MEREDITH sitting on the floor.
Next to her is a purse.
Candy wrappers – empty, full and semi-full – surround her.
As lights rise, MEREDITH sees the audience.
MEREDITH, desperately and awkwardly tries to use her body to hide the wrappers.
MEREDITH:
DON’T LOOK!
(She is doing a very bad job at hiding the wrappers)
I…
I didn’t…
This wasn’t me.
(Clears her throat)
All… me…
Just some of it.
Just some of it was me.
…
Most of it…
…
…
(Resigned to the truth)
All of it.
(Looking at the damage all around her)
This was all eaten by… me.
I ate all of this.
(Looking at the audience)
Don’t look at me like that.
I’m not proud of this. Trust me.
I’m…
I…
I don’t know how this happened.
It’s just.
I love candy.
Like, a lot.
Like, so much.
It’s just so good.
(Beat)
I knew I shouldn’t have bought all of this. I knew it was a bad idea.
I told myself, Meredith – I know that it’s only 2 dollars more for double the candy but you don’t need it. Do. Not. Buy. It.
…
…
I bought it.
It was such a steal.
And you can just set aside for next time. You don’t have to eat it all at once – I told myself.
…
(Presenting her collection of wrappers)
I ate it all at once.
(Spots one piece of uneaten candy)
Oh.
(Grabs the candy. Unwraps the candy. Eats the candy.)
MMMM!
OH MY GOD...
(She feels so good. The sounds she makes are… sexual)
So good…
It tastes so good…
I feel so good.
…
I hate that candy makes me feel so good.
(Beat)
I hope I don’t have diabetes.
I should get a blood test to check that.
I know I should.
But I’m scared too.
…
Diabetes sounds terrible.
(Spots another piece of uneaten candy.)
Another one?
(She picks it up.)
Um.
(Beat)
…
Umm.
…
…
(Silence)
…
…
…
No.
(Puts the piece of candy in her pocket.)
I’m going to save it.
(She stands up, smiling at the audience.)
See.
Self control.
(Exits with the one piece of candy she saved. Hundreds of wrappers are left behind.)
END OF PLAY.