Thread: Love for Alfy

Setting: An airport terminal with two rows of chairs, back to back (Center Stage), and a desk beside a doorway leading to the plane (Stage Left). On the desk is a phone and a computer. Across from the desk is a payphone (Stage Right).

At Rise: ALFRED stands at the payphone, speaking his wife while KATHY stands behind the desk at the other end of the room. Other people are scattered around the terminal, waiting to board the plane. HECTOR sits under the payphone, seemingly asleep.

ALFRED
Hi Judy--No. The meeting didn’t go well. We’ve… well, suffice to say we’ve lost a lot of money--No! Of course we don’t have to cut back on the wedding. Everything will be just the way you--Yes, honey. I’ll be there. Don’t worry. I’m standing in the airport terminal right now. I’ll board soon, be there by morning and by this time tomorrow, we’ll be married--Okay--I love you too. Talk to you later.
(Hangs up the phone and goes to the desk)

KATHY
Can I help you, sir?

ALFRED
Yes,
(Pauses as he looks at her nametag)
Kathy. How soon will we be boarding? It’s very important that I get on this plane. I’m getting married tomorrow.

KATHY
We will begin boarding when the pilot and crew are ready and we have clearance from the tower. Please be patient, sir.

ALFRED
Yeah, sure. Just hurry it up, please.
(Goes and sits down in a chair near the desk, tapping his foot impatiently.)

(HECTOR opens his eyes, stands up, yawns and stretches and walks over to ALFRED, sitting down next to him.)

HECTOR
A penny for your thoughts, friend?

(ALFRED jumps, surprised by him)

ALFRED
Sorry, I don’t really like to talk to… strangers.

HECTOR
Don’t talk to strangers? Hah! Then how do you ever make new friends? I find that talking to strangers is a rather amusing way to pass the time. Never know what kind of person you’ll meet tomorrow.
(Pauses, smiles and extends his hand to shake.)
My name is Hector. My friends call me Homely Hector.

ALFRED
(Hesitantly shakes his hands, then retreats, wiping his hand off on the chair.)
I’m Alfred. My friends call me Alfred.

HECTOR
A pleasure to meet you, Alfred. Now, as I was originally saying, you look a bit… Oh, what’s the word? Disgruntled! Want to talk about it?

(ALFRED looks at KATHY who shakes her head and returns to her work on the computer. ALFRED looks back at HECTOR, who is still smiling at him.)

ALFRED
Well, I’m getting married tomorrow and--

HECTOR
I know that part, get to the new stuff. Something about you has changed since that phone call ended.

ALFRED
Wait, wait, wait… You know that?! How?

HECTOR
Don’t be so suspicious, my friend, I’m not spying on you. I simply overheard your conversation with your wife.

ALFRED
I thought you were asleep.

HECTOR
I always pretend to sleep. If I just sit there, people ask me to move. Takes a bit of practice, but I fooled you, didn’t I?

ALFRED
You sure did.

HECTOR
So, what’s changed?

ALFRED
I need to get on this plane to get to my wedding in time, but it seems like we aren’t going to be taking off any time soon.

(KATHY picks up the phone and her voice comes on over the PA system.)

KATHY
Attention, fliers. Due to reports of an incoming blizzard, all flights scheduled in the next 24 hours have been cancelled. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope you will continue to fly with us. Speak to any airport employee to reschedule your flight or retrieve your belongings. Thank you and have a nice day.
(Replaces the phone)

ALFRED
(Gets up and walks over to the desk angrily)
Kathy, what gives? I need to get to my wedding!

KATHY
I’m sorry, sir. No planes can take off with such a dangerous weather report in place.

ALFRED
Fine, I’ll go rent a car and get home that way.
(Begins to walk away)

HECTOR
Good luck. They’re closed. The car rental employees always go home this late at night. They’re not supposed to, but no one stops them.

ALFRED
You’ve got to be kidding me.

HECTOR
I wish I wasn’t, friend.

ALFRED
So what do I do now?

HECTOR
(Scratches his head and snaps his fingers.)
Take the bus!

ALFRED
Good idea! Now all I have to do is--
(Feels all of his pant pockets)
Oh no, where’s my wallet?! It’s got to be here, somewhere!
(Looks around on the floor and under chairs)
Great. No wallet means no money. No money means no bus ticket. No bus ticket means no wedding.
(Sits down next to HECTOR again, utterly defeated.)

HECTOR
Got anything you can do for money, real fast?

ALFRED
No.

HECTOR
Well, how about…
(Reaches into his jacket pocket and reveals a flute, extending it towards ALFRED)
This? Play it. People will give you money. I do it all the time. Guy’s got to eat, right?

ALFRED
Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve never even picked up a… uh…

HECTOR
(laughs)
Flute. Flute, Alfred.

ALFRED
Right, a flute… let alone played one.

HECTOR.
It’s easy. Just relax, and let the music flow through you.

(ALFRED hesitantly takes the flute and stands up, putting his mouth to it. After a few practice notes, he begins to play a soft ballad which escalades into a full piece of music. As he plays, the other patrons of the airport walk by and drop money in front of him. As he plays, HECTOR stands, smiles and walks away in silence. When he finally finishes, ALFRED looks around, then looks down at all the money, smiles and picks it up.)

ALFRED
Hector, I don’t know how to--Hector?
(Looks around for him and shrugs.)
Thanks, Homely Hector.
(Flute in one hand and money in the other, smiles at the audience, takes a deep breath and walks offstage. Curtain.)

"At Rise: ALFRED stands at the payphone, speaking his wife while KATHY"

At Rise: ALFRED stands at the payphone, speaking to his wife. KATHY...

Unimportant but the only thing that struck me.

Of course I don't know where you are going, but nobody plays a real flute just like that so Hector must be a bit unworldly. Why not make him really asleep but aware of the real world at the same time if that is the case? Give him a bit more other worldliness and take out the deception angle.

Mm... Good idea. I like that. Thanks.
I was sort of trying to keep him simple while unworldly, but I'll try it.

i liked it, i would love to read more as it realy intreasted me. what happenes in the rest of the script. again it was realy good and i would love to read more

Honestly, I wrote it as a short play. Anything after this, I meant to leave to the reader's imagination. But I could take a crack at continuing it.

i think you should as it has great potential