SUNSET. CHRISTIAN AND KRISTINA ARE AN EX-COUPLE WHO HAVE RECENTLY BEEN SEEING EACH OTHER AGAIN AS FRIENDS. THEY ARE DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY. NOTHING IS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY EXCEPT FOR THE ENDLESS PATCHES OF TREES AND THE VIEW OF THE SUNSET. THEIR ORIGIN AND DESTINATION ARE NOT IMPORTANT. CHRIS HAS JUST TOLD KRISTINA THAT HE IS BISEXUAL.
A SONG IS PLAYING ON THE RADIO, ALMOST INAUDIBLE IN THE BACKGROUND, JUST ENOUGH SO THAT THE AUDIENCE CAN STILL HEAR THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN CHRIS AND KRISTINA. NO WORDS ARE SUNG; JUST THE INSTRUMENTALS OF THE SONG ARE HEARD.
KRISTINA
So what’s it like?
CHRISTIAN
You ask me that as if it’s such a
simple concept, as if I could
easily relate being bisexual to
something else.
KRISTINA
You’re such a pompous asshole,
Chris. I’m just trying to wrap my
head around this "bi" thing. I have
guy friends who like guys, girl
friends who like girls. But you’re
my first friend who, to me, just
can’t decide which team to pitch
for.
(Christian is silent for a
brief period of time, trying
to figure out how to explain
his bisexuality to Kristina.)
CHRISTIAN
Remember that lake we used to go to
every summer?
KRISTINA
You’re avoiding the question.
CHRISTIAN
I’m not! Do you remember that lake?
KRISTINA
(annoyed)Yes, Chris. What about it?
CHRISTIAN
You’d point out to me that the
color of the water was never
consistent, that while it mostly
looks vast blue, a bit of
greenish-gray creeps in at sunrise
and sunset. Never consistent.
KRISTINA
Okay...
CHRISTIAN
That’s what it’s like. Never
consistent. Most days it’s vast
blue, the serene kind. Some days,
it’s green and gray. One thing does
stay consistent though: at the end
of the day, it’s still a body of
water. It’s still a lake.
KRISTINA
You’re always SO VAGUE, Chris. Just
once I wish you would be forward
about something.
(they stop speaking; Kristina
turns up the radio. The
silence in the car causes
Kristina and Christian to hear
the chorus of the song more
clearly:
When I reach my destination
The problems still there
I’ll remember the song being
played
I’ll recount moments, recall
my dreams
And know that nothing is
impossible
Life is more than it seems)
CHRISTIAN
(turns down the radio;
instrumental of the song is
heard in the background)
Okay, how about this. Sometimes
when a guy likes a girl and a guy,-
KRISTINA
Ha-ha, Chris. Try again.
CHRISTIAN
Let me finish. When a guy's attracted
to both guys and girls, it’s not because
to both guys and girls, it’s not because
he’s perverted. It’s not simply
because he’s looking for a chance
to "do it" with anything in sight.
KRISTINA
And it’s not because he’s
indecisive and is taking the easy
way out by claiming to be attracted
to guys and girls?
CHRISTIAN
(frustrated)
You just don’t get it, do you?!
This isn’t a choice, Kristina. I
didn’t just claim to like guys and
girls like I claim my tax returns.
KRISTINA
Well then help me understand!
(Again, they stop speaking.
Christian raises the volume on
the radio a bit to drown out
the tense silence. The silence
causes them to hear the a
verse of the song more
clearly:
On this aimless journey,
Past these bridges of yesterday
Unknown highways of tomorrow
I continue headstrong
I’ll get through this alive
No limits and no end,
Through this melody, I’ll survive
With pure love, life’s friend)
CHRISTIAN
(turns down the radio; instrumental
of the song is heard in the
background)
Have you ever been in love?
KRISTINA
What?
CHRISTIAN
Have you ever been in love? Not
puppy love, not lustful
hormone-raging teenage love...I
mean, in love? Have you ever felt
love for someone that was beyond
the physical?
KRISTINA
You know I did, Chris. I was in
love with you.
CHRISTIAN
And I was in love with you. But we
were in high school, Kristi. You
were my first girlfriend, I was
your first boyfriend. Our first
time was with each other. Things
change, Kristi.
KRISTINA
You’re damn right, Chris. You’re
damn right things change. Someone
did change. YOU! (Kristina's frustration
turns to anger; the music in the background
abruptly ceases) You’re SUCH A FUCKING
turns to anger; the music in the background
abruptly ceases) You’re SUCH A FUCKING
PERVERT! YOU JUST CAN’T WAIT TO
STICK YOUR DICK UP ANY HOLE, CAN
YOU CHRIS? YOU’RE DIFFERENT! YOU’VE
CHANGED! I LOVED YOU, DON’T YOU GET
THAT CHRIS? I LOVED YOU! AND HERE
YOU ARE THINKING YOU’RE BI AND
THROWING AWAY WHAT WE USED TO HAVE!
(she starts to cry)
THE LAKE CHRISTIAN MENTIONED EARLIER APPEARS UP AHEAD; HE PULLS TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD CLOSE TO THE LAKE AND LEANS OVER TO KISS KRISTINA. FOR A MOMENT, SHE RESPONDS TO HIS KISS AND THEN ABRUPTLY PULLS AWAY.
CHRISTIAN
CHRISTIAN
I know you loved me, Kristi. I
always knew that. But all that time
we were together, I was never
completely honest with you. I
wasn’t honest with myself. How
could I have wholeheartedly loved you
if I couldn't even love and be honest
with myself? It wouldn’t have been fair
to you.
if I couldn't even love and be honest
with myself? It wouldn’t have been fair
to you.
KRISTINA
(looks away from Christian,
gazing out at the lake from
the car window)
I don’t want to admit to myself
that you never loved me. That you
never loved me as completely as I
thought you did. I don’t want to
admit that. I won’t, Chris. I
can’t...
CHRISTIAN
(pauses for a moment)
If you really loved me, Kristi, was
it only because of something
physical? Or was it much more that
that?
KRISTINA
You know it was much more than
that. When we kissed, when we
talked, even when we made love, you
know it was much more than the
physical.
CHRISTIAN
So why is it so hard for you to
understand and accept this?
Being bi isn’t a perversion. Being
bi doesn’t mean I can’t decide,
Kristi. It means that I’m attracted
to both guys and girls, yeah, but
it’s not solely based on the
physical. It’s based on the fact
that I can wholeheartedly love that
person. And --
KRISTINA
It’s been four years, Chris. I
loved you. Maybe I still do...
CHRISTIAN
And...can you concretely explain
love? Can you put that into words?
KRISTINA
No.
CHRISTIAN
And neither can I. But we both know
what it means and what it feels
like to love someone. Love’s never
as simple as a guy liking a girl or
a girl liking a guy, or two guys or
two girls together. It’s so much
more than that. Love truly is love.
It’s both simple and complex. I did
love you Kristi, but being bi
doesn’t mean the love I had for you
is all of a sudden lowered. (looks at
Kristina with sincerity) I loved
Kristina with sincerity) I loved
you. Being bi doesn’t mean I can’t
decide, Kristi. This isn’t a
choice. (he pauses for a moment) Being
bi means I’m able to
wholeheartedly, romantically, and
purely love any person. Not a guy,
not a girl...any person. Without
limits, without end.
KRISTINA
(stares at Christian for a brief
moment, then gently kisses him)
CHRISTIAN
You wanna get out of this car?
KRISTINA
Sure.
THE CHORUS OF THE SONG GRADUALLY COMES BACK ON IN THE BACKGROUND.CHRISTIAN AND KRISTINA GET OUT OF THE CAR AND WALK TOWARDS THE EDGE OF THE LAKE. THEY HOLD HANDS.
CHRISTIAN
Take a look at that lake again.
Never consistent.
This was really good. The topic was an excellent choice and from the start I was tuned in and wanted to know what was happening from start to finish. This was written outside of the box and not your typical LBGT type of story. It had emotion, and a sense of personal connection. The character Kristina at first is open to the whole idea of chris being bi but then somehow doesn't seem as supportive. Once we learn that they once dated it seems to go down hill as far as Kristina being that "friend" who is willing to know more about Chris's thoughts. In the middle of the play she shifts moods by focusing more on the relationship they once had while chris is still trying to explain the concept of being bi. I can't think of any suggestions on what to improve. It's so good! I'm still in shock at the ending. I would have never expected for her feelings to spark back up knowing he likes boys and girls.
ReplyDeleteI thought this was a good topic choice as well since it seems that bisexuality is something that isn't really talked about a whole lot. I really like the dialogue between the characters, it was well written and allowed them to come alive in my mind. I thought it was interesting when Kristina told Chris that he was throwing what they had away. This makes it seem as if he had dated another girl he wouldn't be throwing what they had away, but since it was a boy he was. I like it because it shows how Kristina is uncomfortable with the fact that Chris is bi and she thinks it changes everything from the past when it really doesn't. I also really liked how you had the music change volumes throughout the dialogue, I think it would really add to the atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteThroughout your entire screenplay, you manage to tell so much about the characters through dialogue so well. I read through the entire thing without stopping because it was so good, and the dialogue felt real and honest. For example:
ReplyDeleteCHRISTIAN
You ask me that as if it’s such a
simple concept, as if I could
easily relate being bisexual to
something else.
You also manage to tell a lot about the characters through the lines they say. You manage to make their personalities and struggles come alive.
Like, when Kristina says: “But you’re my first friend who, to me, just can’t decide which team to pitch for.”
You can clearly see that anger and annoyance within the character.
I also like the flow of dialogue that you manage to evoke, again you make it realistic.
CHRISTIAN
Remember that lake we used to go to
every summer?
KRISTINA
You’re avoiding the question.
CHRISTIAN
I’m not! Do you remember that lake?
Your descriptions are also very vivid and beautiful, and I like how they don’t just serve as that. Your descriptions hold a purpose to describe the character’s life and feelings.
“You’d point out to me that the
color of the water was never
consistent, that while it mostly
looks vast blue, a bit of
greenish-gray creeps in at sunrise
and sunset. Never consistent.”
I do have to admit the following dialogue made me laugh because it seemed something I would say to a friend in a case like this. I like how it starts off as funny, but it grows serious because he is, in fcat, serious about what he’s about to say.
“Okay, how about this. Sometimes
when a guy likes a girl and a guy,-
KRISTINA
Ha-ha, Chris. Try again.”
I also like how the dialogue manages to tell us what the character is feeling without being overwritten.
“And it’s not because he’s
indecisive and is taking the easy
way out by claiming to be attracted
to guys and girls?”
In the example above, I feel like it’s something I can imagine someone saying, and throughout your story, I feel that. In doing so, you create a story that is very real with characters that are very real; furthermore, it allows the reader to enjoy the story.
The B in LGBT is not only often ignored, but misunderstood. I'm glad you broke down the common myths of bisexual indecisiveness and past loves being insignifianct. You dealt with both of your characters in a nonjudgemental way.
ReplyDeleteAlso,I didn't really understand the significance of the song in the script, but I suppose it's realistc they're listening to music.
I think you did a great job of putting real perspective behind what the thoughts and emotions are of someone who is bi-sexual. I enjoyed the thoughts of Christian of what he believes love is.
ReplyDeleteI think the discourse between the two characters would be more powerful if they the two literally didn't mention the words "bi-sexual," somewhat talking around the subject but still had a meaningful conversation about it.
I enjoyed this piece a lot. From the very start, you are able to convey the agitation between the two characters, which slowly builds to an excellent climax. You are able to explain a very complex subject in a short piece.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the story, it almost seemed like you were talking to the audience, or the general public. Everyone knows how complex love is, but most people only understand one aspect of it.
I was a bit confused by the end, because it seems a bit ambiguous. This is not a bad thing, though. It leaves the reader wanting more. Overall, it is a very well put together story that I can vividly imagine.