Write Bites Collection
Less Able
CHARACTERS
WALT is in a wheelchair, but can use his arms to do wheelies.
CLARE uses a walker and her hands are stiff, but she often makes notes on a legal pad, maybe looks thru binoculars.
FAITH appears completely ablebodied. She paces, she moves WALT’s chair. But she has early MS or fibromyalgia or something like that.
SETTING
A table, a couple of chairs.
Or three Zoom boxes.
TIME
Today
LESS ABLE
WALT
I lost
FAITH
I lost
CLARE
I lost
WALT
I lost more.
Embarassed pause.
WALT
It’s hard being a Cubs fan.
Smiles or chuckles from the other two.
WALT
I built walls. Beautiful stone walls. No mortar. Not many cando that. Fitting the rocks like a jigsaw puzzle. Lining them up, straight and level. Driving backhoes to dig the foundation and pile the gravel. You can see my work all over town. I built walls.
CLARE
I never stopped moving. I took my children hiking. Every trail and waterfall, wildflowers in summer, leaves in autumn, snowshoes in winter. I taught them to ski, downhill and cross country, noses cold and dripping, cheeks bright red. I beat all my friends at tennis. I never stopped moving.
FAITH
I was a dancer.
WALT
I’ve adjusted. To working inside, at a desk. Telling other people how to do what I used to do. Playing a few wheelchair sports. Never liked sports, but it’s better than those endless exercises. Which I also do. I’ve adjusted.
CLARE
I’ve adjusted. The world is so full of a number of things. I drive my car to go birdwatching, enjoying nature from a distance. Watching them flying and nesting and searching for their next meal. I write about them. I’m learning German. I’ve adjusted.
FAITH
I was a dancer.
WALT
There’s no privacy. It all has to be massaged, catheterized, so much done for me and to me. I go somewhere else while it’s happening. I think about my work. I’m learning to whittle. To fit the wooden pieces together like the stones. I think about what I’ll make.
CLARE
There’s no freedom. Just getting ready to go out takes hours. Slowly slowly put on my clothes. Socks and shoes are the worst. If I forget something in another room, it takes more hours. I have to call a friend to help me drive. Slowly climb into the car. But then I can go places. I can think about the birds, the verbs, the words. I can live in my head.
FAITH
I was a dancer.
WALT
And then?
CLARE
And now?
FAITH
I’m stiff. I’m sore. I’m klutzy. No one knows why.
WALT
Ya gotta think positive.
CLARE
You need to find things to occupy your mind. There’s always something to learn.
FAITH
It’s hard to think.
WALT
Then make something.
CLARE
Learn to knit.
WALT
Basket weaving!
WALT and CLARE laugh.
FAITH
It’s hard to focus.
CLARE
I’m still the same person I was when I was young.
WALT
Are you? You must have learned a few things since then!
CLARE
Okay, yes, I learned one or two things! I certainly don’t mind losing the whistles and “hey baby” comments. When you’re old, you disappear. It can be restful.
WALT
I still hate the way people look through me.
CLARE
Or they talk loudly and clearly.
WALT
Hey, I’m crippled, not stupid!
WALT and CLARE. laugh.
FAITH
People are the worst. They think I’m as good as my good days. On my bad days, they think I should just adjust. Think positive.
CLARE
Is that what they think, or what you think?
FAITH
Do they really look through you, or do you just think they do?
WALT
They definitely do that loud and clear thing. DO YOU NEED HELP? HOW ARE YOU TODAY? Everyone looks around to see who’s yelling at you.
HEY, FUCK YOU LADY. AND YOUR HORSE.
WALT and CLARE laugh.
FAITH
Adjust. Think positive. Right.
WALT
You wanna be in my shoes? My wheels?
CLARE
It’s like that tale where everyone in the village hung their troubles on a clothesline, so that everyone could choose a new trouble from all those raggedy nasty problems hanging out for all to see. But of course, each person eventually took her own trouble back again.
FAITH
For me, it’s the endless tease. Yesterday morning, I felt like I used to. Nothing hurt. My brain worked. Every time that happens I believe that I’m cured, in some unconscious spot that I can’t reach, that isn’t available to adjusting or positive thinking. Today I got up and I couldn’t think, couldn’t focus, and everything ached. I couldn’t bear to talk with anyone at work. I couldn’t work. Up and down, up and down. This thing chases me up and down.
CLARE
Anyone want to trade troubles?
WALT
I can move faster than you.
CLARE
I don’t need anyone to help me dress.
FAITH
Sometimes I can still dance.
They all do some kind of disabled dance together.
END OF PLAY.
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I hope you enjoyed this work! Come back next issue for more short plays from talented writers!
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