Garden of Stones and Beliefs [Opening Scene for Play]

CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY

AMELIA

FATHER

ROBBIE

SCENE 1:

Exterior. Garden.

AMELIA squats at the front of the stage, in the middle of gardening plants in front of her.

Behind her, an aged man, her FATHER, enters with a measuring tape in his hands. He starts

to measure the air in the center of the stage where there is a mild spotlight on the floor (Note:

This spotlight grows in intensity as the scenes progress). The characters will address this

space/light throughout the play but it is not visible to the audience. Father extends measuring

tape: Extend, Retract. Extend. Retract. He sighs and walks around more. Extend. Retract.

Extend. Retract. He looks a little disgruntled. Amelia notices the noise and turns to see her

father. She sighs, puts her things aside and walks over to him.

FATHER (distracted) This is so strange. So strange.

AMELIA What are you doing Father?

FATHER Simply Measuring.

AMELIA And why are you doing that

FATHER Because I have something to measure

AMELIA But there is nothing to measure

FATHER Then it is the nothing that I am measuring

AMELIA Father

Father is lost in thought

AMELIA Father

FATHER Amelia, what shall we do?

AMELIA About what father?

FATHER About that.

AMELIA I thought you were already doing something about it

FATHER Such as what?

AMELIA Are you not measuring it?

FATHER I am

Father continues to measure the air. Extend. Release. Extend. Release

FATHER Ok

AMELIA Are you okay?

FATHER This is strange so so strange

AMELIA What are you doing? And what is that smell?

FATHER Why is it here Amelia? What do we do with it?

AMELIA About what father

FATHER That.

AMELIA It is a stupid rock. Pay it no mind.

FATHER My mind pays plenty. And it turns out so do my hands. I’ve bought 100

different measuring tapes for the occasion.

AMELIA Whatever for?

FATHER To measure it. I think it is growing.

AMELIA It has not changed.

FATHER It has grown Amelia, I have measured it.

AMELIA I know that.

FATHER Yes.

AMELIA Which tape have you used?

Father uses the measuring tape in his hands and measures the air again.

FATHER This one.

AMELIA Then what of the ninety-nine?

FATHER They could not measure it grow.

Amelia is frustrated, she sits at a chair on the left of the stage, letting father ramble.

FATHER It’s arrival is a sign. We must enquire how it came here. How long has it been

here, do you remember?

AMELIA I remember nothing.

FATHER It has always been here, hasn’t it? (suddenly confused)

AMELIA Perhaps

FATHER Or was it ever here at all?

AMELIA It is right there

FATHER Is it truly before our eyes now?

AMELIA My vision is impeccable. Which is why I ask, what is this awful smell?

FATHER Did it arrive yesterday?

AMELIA (sarcastically) I think so.

FATHER Or maybe it came with this house

AMELIA Yes I think you are right.

FATHER Questions, Many questions. This is peculiar. Most peculiar. (continues

measuring it.)

Amelia stands now, a little indignant.

AMELIA It is just a rock. All gardens have rocks. Not peculiar. No questions.

FATHER (still not meeting her eyes, fixated on the stone) How did it get in?

AMELIA The rock.

FATHER Has it claimed this space for itself?

AMELIA It’s a rock.

FATHER Are we invading it?

AMELIA The rock?

FATHER What does it want?

AMELIA I doubt a stone wants anything, really.

Father is upset at the daughter’s indifference. She laughs trying to loosen up on her father.

AMELIA: Your curiosity is not what concerns me, but rather the answer you seek. You

are certain that this stone must mean something. But, you are simply just

losing your mind.

FATHER No one has a mind they can find dear. Minds aren’t made that way.

AMELIA Yours most certainly is not.

FATHER: (turns to her) Do you not feel this haunting chill when you wonder about it?

Do you not feel it in your abdomen that this was not supposed to be here, not

meant for human eyes?

AMELIA It is here. In front of our human eyes. Only a fool cannot see such a big mass

of rock in the middle of the garden.

FATHER (ignoring) Something unwelcome has invited itself into our homes. A

harbinger? Or salvation?

AMELIA: (growingly annoyed, but trying to maintain composure) Perhaps it is a rock.

Perhaps we did not notice it before.

FATHER A person hardly misses something like this.

AMELIA Or perhaps it was left behind when the maintenance workers came to inspect

this rotten, rotten rotten stench in our walls. What is this smell?

FATHER: (averting her eyes, lost in a trance, he paces about) When we think about it

dear, time is no longer the same. Days have passed before we even know it.

AMELIA Time often feels that way father. Especially when you have lost your mind.

FATHER When we touch it, we don't know for certain if we have felt it. It is intangible,

yet here before us. (to himself) How strange. So so strange… Was it here then?

Did it come now? When was it where and for whom did it come? Who had it

come from? Why was it there then when it is here now? Where has it been?

And what is it?

AMELIA Enough! You will lose yourself in questions.

FATHER Questions are the only place to lose yourself. So tell me. Has it been here this

whole time, and we have never noticed it? Did it come here when your mother

died?

AMELIA: (sighs) Perhaps you have brought it in yourself to drive everyone else mad.

FATHER That would be possible too. What other reasons do you think it’s here for?

Amelia remains silent.

Father looks uncomfortable. He starts measuring the stone again. Just then ROBBIE dashes

into the scene and hugs Amelia.

ROBBIE: Amelia! What are you doing... Do you need help?

Amelia smiles. Robbie looks at Father again.

ROBBIE: Papa, stop bothering Gary.

FATHER: It is not something we can name son, it is a divine creature beyond us mortals.

ROBBIE: Gary is my friend, he said that’s his name.

FATHER: (extremely curious) Has it spoken to you?

Amelia blocks her father cutting him off.

AMELIA: Ignore him.

ROBBIE: (to Father ) Of course, he plays with me daily.

AMELIA (to Father) It’s his imaginary friend. Children his age have those. But I guess

sometimes people have it at other ages too…Can we cease this conversation

now?

The father is frustrated but calms himself. He exits the stage. Amelia tries to reassure Robbie

and pats his head reassuringly.

AMELIA: How was your day Robbie?

ROBBIE: In the morning I spoke to Gary. Later, we played hide and seek.

AMELIA: (hesitant) I see… So where did you hide this time?

ROBBIE: I was the seeker and Gary hid!

AMELIA Gary can’t be good at hiding, can he?

ROBBIE Gary is the best at hiding.

AMELIA Better than me?

ROBBIE Better than anyone.

AMELIA Did he not remain in the garden? Could you not find him there? (Amelia points

to the same spot where they were discussing the invisible rock.)

ROBBIE: No he wasn’t. (acts it out as he speaks) I closed my eyes and counted to 10.

But when I opened them, he was missing. I searched for him in the bushes, I

searched for him in the sky. But he was gone. It was a mystery!

AMELIA: How mysterious indeed. Then where did you find him?

ROBBIE: He just returned to the garden, right there. And I couldn’t even see or hear him.

He truly is the best at hide and seek! He is!

AMELIA: How saddening. I thought you said I was the best at hiding.

ROBBIE: Well, you still are very good… But Gary is unmatched Amelia! It’s as if for a

second he doesn't exist at all! Then all of a sudden he does.

AMELIA: How is that possible? Is he there or not? How can one exist but disappear?

ROBBIE: Magic. It’s magic.

AMELIA: You are right. Gary is magical, isn’t he?

ROBBIE: Mhm! And he keeps me company while you are busy.

AMELIA: (pause) Do you wish you could play with me more Robbie?

Robbie grows a little silent.

AMELIA: (clears her throat) How has school been?

ROBBIE: I enjoy spending time with you the most.

AMELIA: I thought you liked Gary more than me.

ROBBIE: (jokingly) Well, except for Gary.

They chuckle.

AMELIA: Should we play hide and seek then?

ROBBIE: Sure, Gary is tired, but we can play without him… Would your heart be ok?

AMELIA: Playing is the best cure for illness. Don’t you know that?

ROBBIE: (giggles in joy) Okay! I’ll hide now.

Robbie exits the stage. Amelia closes her eyes.

AMELIA: 10… 9… 8...

Amelia clutches her chest and struggles to breathe briefly. Spotlight on her.

AMELIA: 7…6…

Amelia struggles further momentarily and then takes a deep breath to calm herself. She is lost

in thought…

AMELIA: 5…4…3..2..1… I’m coming.

Amelia exits the stage. The only thing that remains is the spotlight on the floor where the rock is. It grows larger.

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