gistfile1.txt

[It is often said that if only we can hear each other, then we will
fall in love. What separates us, always, isn't space, but vacuum. We
can be close, yet never be together. We stand facing each other, but
are incapable of seeing each other. So it is, we are doomed to eternal
loneliness. Yearning for a love, clearly seen, within grasp, but
separated by a glass wall.

The woman is trapped in a glass chamber, and the man, lost in his
wandering, chanced upon her, and finds her suffocating, slowly dying
from her own exhalation. Only a sheet of glass separates them,
extending from floor to ceiling. They cannot hear each other, but they
can feel the vibration of each others' movements.

The woman sits on the floor, her back against the glass wall, with a
book in her lap, not reading. The man sees her, hesistates, glances at
his watch, then decides to approach. He says hi.]

Man: Hi.

Woman: [Does not hear him].

M: [Louder] Well, HELLO.

W: [No movement].

M: [Kneels down. Knocks gently on the glass wall.] Hi.

W: [No movement].

M: Hmmm. [Weighs the circumstance. Looks at his watch. Thinks. Knocks again.] Hello.

W: [No movement].

M: What is your name? Why are you here by yourself?

W: [No movement].

M: Right. [Stands up, readys himself to leave. Pause.] Sigh. [Walks away.]

. . .

. . .

W: [Closes her book. Looks at the ceiling.]

. . .

. . .

M: [Dashes onto stage, jumping, stomping madly outside the glass chamber.]

W: [Senses the vibration. Startled, turns around and sees the man.]

M: Oh, hi. [smiles]

W: [Mouthes something.]

M: Ya, pleased to meet you too. What are you doing here all by yourself?

W: [Looks at the man.]

M: Me? Oh, nothing. Passing by. I'll be on my way.

W: [Blinks.]

M: Say, what are you reading?

W: [Blinks.]

M: [Points at the book.] Book. What are you [points at her], reading?

W: [Blinks. Holds up the book. Puzzled.]

M: Yes. What is it about?

W: [She says something.]

M: What is it? [Cups his ear against the glass wall.]

W: [She says something.]

M: I can't hear. [Flattens himself against wall.] Say again?

W: [She repeats, cupping her mouth by his ears.]

M: Hmmm.

W: [Looks at the man. Gestures something.]

M: Hmmm. [Fumbles his pockets.] Pen. Pen. Ah here [shows it to the
woman. Smiles. Fumbles again.]. Paper... paper... Damn, anything will
do...

W: [Rumages her bag. She finds paper, holds it against the wall.]

M: [Laughs.] Well...

W: [Frustrated. Crumbles the paper, and toss it away. She sits down
again, turning her back at the man.]

M: Hey, hey... what's wrong? [Pause.] You are upset?

W: [No response.]

M: That's fine. [Looks at his watch.] Gotta be on my way. [Steps
away.] Sigh. That's fine. [Looks at his watch again.] That's fine. [Walks
away.]

W: [Jumps up. Spins around, and pounds on the glass wall with both her fists.]

M: [Turns back to face her. He rushes back.] What's wrong?!

W: [Mouthes something.]

M: I can't hear!!!

W: [Frantic. Breaking down.]

M: What is it??

W: [Wails.]

M: Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Calm down. What is it? What's wrong?

W: [Flails her arms wildly.]

M: I don't understand. What is it?

W: [Tries to calm herself.]

M: There, there, that's good. Breath. Take it slowly.

W: [Takes deep breaths.]

M: That's right. Breath... Breath.

W: [She breathes. Then she chokes.]

M: [He pounds on the glass wall.] I'll get you out.

W: [She sits back down. Still choking.]

M: I'll get you out! [Slams his body against the glass wall.] I'll get you out...

W: [Curls into a ball. Her back heaving. Choking, and sobbing.]

M: I'll get you out. [Runs off stage.]

. . .

. . .

. . .

M: [Walks onto stage dragging a sledgehammer.] I'll get you out... [He
swings the sledgehammer through the glass wall. It shatters into a
million pieces, the fragments rains down on them both. He lets the
hammer slip by the side, then kneels beside the woman.] Are you ok?
[He holds her in his arms, and sweeps her hair back.]

W: [Comes to consciousness.] Who are you?

M: Just passing by.

W: Did you do this?

M: What?

W: [Sobs.] Did you shatter the glass chamber? You did this?

M: [Considers.] Yes.

W: Why?

M: You were choking.

W: [Cries.] I was waiting for him. Now've you shattered it, he will
never come back. I will never see him again. Now I have no place to
weep. How will I live? Where do I go?

M: Oh. [He lets her go.] I don't know... I didn't know...

[The man looks at his watch, dusts himself off, and walks off the
stage. The woman picks up her book, and walks off the other side.

The lone sledgehammer rests in the center of the stage, with a million
fragments of shattered sadness and hope.]