TULIPS BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)
San Francisco, Union Square.
KHARY, a handsome guy in a sharp suit, sits on a bench eating a yogurt.
He smiles at the strangers passing by.
The strangers feel compelled to smile back.
KHARY eats a scoop of his yogurt.
Then another stranger – MONIQUE – passes KHARY.
He smiles at her.
She smiles back.
Then, MONIQUE quickly reveals a large bouqet of tulips.
KHARY looks at them.
MONIQUE:
I’ve been meaning to give these to you for weeks.
These are for you.
I did that backwards.
KHARY:
Do I know you.
MONIQUE:
No.
But I know you.
Well.
Is that backwards?
No.
That’s weird. That’s a weird way to say that.
KHARY:
A little.
MONIQUE:
Let me clarify.
You are here. Every day. At this time.
Lunch. Right?
KHARY:
Yes.
MONIQUE:
I figured.
KHARY:
Ok.
MONIQUE:
So anyway. These are for you.
PAUSE.
MONIQUE:
Wait.
Did I give you the reason?
KHARY:
Not yet. No.
MONIQUE:
Out of order again!
KHARY tries to be soothing and understanding.
KHARY:
It’s ok…
MONIQUE:
…
Thank you.
KHARY:
So…?
MONIQUE:
So!
You are here every day for your lunch.
Funny thing.
So am I.
I am here for my lunch every day as well.
Except, of course, on days I’m sick.
I imagine that’d be the same for you.
Anyway.
You are here everyday and I watch you.
Not in a weird way.
Even thought that sounds weird.
Well I guess it’s a little weird.
But I’m not weird.
Anyway.
I’m here everyday and I notice that you smile at strangers.
Every single stranger.
You smile at.
And they smile too.
No matter what.
If yous mile at them, they smile too.
And that’s quite unusual, in my opinion.
Most people I smile at look away or chase after me or…
Anyway.
I noticed this.
Day after day.
And I decided that I wanted to know what this was about.
So…
I walked past you.
Slowly.
To make sure you saw me.
Pause.
KHARY:
And what did I do?
MONIQUE:
You smiled…
Of course you smiled.
Pause.
KHARY:
And you?
MONIQUE:
I smiled.
Of course I smiled.
…
And so there it was, I got it.
I understood it.
You smiled.
I smiled.
And I understood it.
And it’s been days of me just feeling that.
Feeling our smiles interconnected.
Combined.
And so…
After much deliberation.
Much building of courage.
Here.
MONIQUE presents the tulips again.
MONIQUE:
A bouquet of tulips.
For you.
For nothing else but to do for you what you do for others.
With just a smile.
Pause.
KHARY:
These are for me?
MONIQUE:
These are for you.
KHARY:
Tulips.
MONIQUE:
Tulips…
That is all
KHARY:
Well…
Thank you.
MONIQUE:
Thank you.
MONIQUE smiles at KHARY.
He smiles back.
MONIQUE walks away.
KHARY sits with his tulips and his yogurt.
KHARY smiles.
Just for himself, he smiles.
END OF PLAY.