Play 107: A Year part I

CHARACTERS
RYAN, 35
NATHAN, 35

(They are in a living room in a small house, both sitting on a couch. Nathan is smoking a cigarette.)

(Nathan stares off, his cigarette remains hanging in his hand.)

(Ryan looks over at him.)

RYAN
Are you okay?

NATHAN
Yeah.

(Beat.)

Just thinking.

(He stands up and walks over to the window.)

(Ryan gets up and walks over to him.)

RYAN
You sure?

(Nathan takes a long drag from his cigarette, and slowly blows out a cloud of smoke.)

(Beat.)

RYAN
Are you thinking about her?

NATHAN
Yeah.

(He takes another drag from his cigarette.)

I can’t seem to stop.

(Beat.)

I’m just thinking about when you I first introduced you to her.

RYAN
I remember I liked her from the first moment.

NATHAN
It was hard not to.

(He smiles faintly.)

RYAN
Yeah, I remember I thought she was one of the smartest women I’d ever met.

NATHAN
Yeah.

RYAN
And funny too, in that dinner alone I can’t count how many times she made me crack up.

(Nathan laughs.)

NATHAN
Yeah, she liked you from the start too. I was so glad, I had been afraid you wouldn’t get along.

RYAN
Why?

NATHAN
I don’t know, I was just worried.

RYAN
You’ve always worried too much.

NATHAN
I know.

(Nathan takes a long drag from his cigarette.)

(Pause.)

RYAN
Do you want something to drink?

NATHAN
No, I’m fine.

(Pause.)

RYAN
You hungry? I could get you some—

NATHAN
No thanks, I’m not hungry.

(Beat.)

NATHAN
It’s been almost a year now.

RYAN
Really?

NATHAN
Yeah.

(Beat.)

It’ll be a year this Thursday.

RYAN
I can’t believe it’s been that long.

NATHAN
Me neither.

(He takes a long drag on his cigarette, and slowly exhales.)

I miss her.

(Blackout.)