Play 273: Everything Changes

CHARACTERS
ETHAN, early 20s
OLIVIA, early 20s

OLIVIA
How was work?

ETHAN
Fine.

(Beat.)

OLIVIA
Just fine?

ETHAN
Yeah.

(Pause.)

OLIVIA
Are you going to ask?

ETHAN
Ask what?

OLIVIA
Nevermind.

(Pause.)

OLIVIA
I had a bad day at work.

ETHAN
Oh?

OLIVIA
Yeah.

(Beat.)

I’m thinking of quitting my job.

ETHAN
Why?

OLIVIA
It’s not the same as it used to be.

ETHAN
So what? Everything changes.

OLIVIA
Change isn’t always for better.

ETHAN
How do you know it isn’t this time?

OLIVIA
I know.

(Pause.)

OLIVIA
I used to love my job. I’d go in every day excited, and I’d come home full of energy and feeling like I’d really done something. It was always a lot of work, but I didn’t mind because it doesn’t feel like work when it’s what you want to do. (Beat.) Now I just spent my time at work staring at the clock.

(Pause.)

It all seemed so promising originally. I was happy with it. Now…there’s nothing left in it for me. It’s empty.

(Beat.)

ETHAN
If you really feel that way, then maybe you’re right about quitting.

OLIVIA
Yeah.

(Beat.)

I know.

(Blackout.)