Play 150: The System is Down

CHARACTERS
BEN, 17
COMPUTER TECHNICIAN

(He is sitting in front of a desk in a hotel on which there is an opened laptop. He plugs a cable into it.)

(He smiles, and starts typing.)

(He suddenly pauses, and a confused expression comes over his face.)

BEN
(Muttering to himself.)
Internal System Error?

(He types for a few seconds.)

BEN
(Angrily.)
What the fuck?

(He types a bit more.)

BEN
God fucking damnit!

(He hits the desk with his fist.)

(He pulls back from the computer, and breaths out heavily, seething with annoyance.)

(He picks up a phone off the desk and hits a button.)

BEN
Hello?

(Beat.)

Well, I’m heaving problems with the internet.

(Beat.)

It says Internal Server Error.

(Beat.)

Okay, thanks.

(He gets up, and starts pacing around the room anxiously.)

(Pause.)

(There is a knock at the door.)

(Ben rushes to it and opens it.)

COMPUTER TECHNICIAN
Hi.

BEN
Hey.

COMPUTER TECHNICIAN
How are you doing?

BEN
(Hurriedly.)
I’m fine, how about you?

COMPUTER TECHNCIAN
I’m good.

(He enters, Ben closes the door.)

(The computer technician walks up to the desk. He examines the computer for a few seconds.)

BEN
So what’s wrong?

COMPUTER TECHNICIAN
Well, I’m pretty sure the server is down temporarily, this is the third case I’ve seen in the last bit.

(Ben’s expression sinks.)

BEN
Oh.

(Beat.)

Do you know when it will be back up?

COMPUTER TECHNICIAN
I can’t say for sure.

BEN
(Dispirited.)
Okay.

(Beat.)

Thanks.

(The computer technician leaves.)

(Ben closes his computer, and collapses onto his bed.)

BEN
(Muttering.)
God fucking damnit.

(Lights down.)

(Pause.)

(The lights come back on, Ben is sitting in front of a desk with the same laptop on it in a hotel room, but various aspects of the room are different—it is apparent it is in fact a different hotel room.)

(He types on his computer for a few seconds.)

(His expression is suddenly filled with anger.)

BEN
You’ve got to be kidding me…

(He hits a few keys.)

(Yelling angrily.)
Fuck!

(He types frantically for a few seconds.)

What the fuck is wrong with this?!

(He hits both fists on the desk.)

(Suddenly he looks down.)

BEN
Wait…

(He leans under the desk, noticing the other end of the cord that is plugged into his computer is hanging. He plugs it into the wall.)

(He types on his computer for a few seconds.)

(An ecstatic look comes over his face.)

BEN
(Enthusiastically.)
Yes!

(He types more, then sighs.)

(Muttering.)
Thank fucking god.

(He goes back to typing.)

(Blackout.)