a short play by Mark Harvey Levine
Donna sits at her desk. Doug crouches next to her.
DONNA
(staring at her computer) I can’t.
DOUG
(crouching nearby) What’s wrong?
DONNA
What’s the point of… doing anything… if the world’s going to hell?
DOUG
It’s gonna be okay…
DONNA
What if isn’t? What if we run out of food?
DOUG
We’ve got all kinds of things to eat.
DONNA
…or toilet paper?
DOUG
Just go in the backyard! That’s what I do.
DONNA
It’s easy for you. You’re enjoying this.
DOUG
Darn straight. I get to be with you all day!
DONNA
You have no worries.
DOUG
Why worry?
DONNA
This is a worrisome time.
DOUG
Pet me. It’ll help.
DONNA
Ha! It’ll help you.
DOUG
No, you too. Try it. (she pets him) Doesn’t that feel nice?
DONNA
It does, actually.
DOUG
Does it make everything better… just a little?
DONNA
It does.
DOUG
That’s all you have to do. Just pet me. And we have all we need… It’s going to be okay.
She keeps petting.
END OF PLAY
Mark Harvey Levine has had over 1,750 productions of his plays everywhere from Bangalore to Bucharest and from Lima to London. His plays have won over 45 awards and have been published in over two dozen anthologies by Smith & Kraus, Applause, Routledge and Vintage. You can contact Mark at markle96@hotmail.com.
