Crossroads
One dance was all it took, gesture and then a look,
Beckoning me ‘cross the badly lit room.
Can’t quite recall the song, but we both sang along,
And when it ended, it ended too soon. –The Evangenitals, Sadie Hawkins
“I love it when a metaphor comes to life.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, we’re standing at a crossroads. Right? I mean, here we are, metaphorically speaking – oh, and literally speaking – standing in the spot where one must decide.”
“Is that a metaphor? Or is it a simile?”
“Get caught up in the details much? Or are you practicing avoidance?”
“I don’t need to practice avoidance. I’m already a pro.”
“Not one of your more appealing qualities.”
“No?”
“I thought you’d want to know.”
“And anyway, it matters. It’s our language. People should know how to use it.”
“We muddle through, we poor feeble masses.”
“Confusing similes for metaphors and ‘your’ for ‘you’re.’”
“I know the difference between ‘your’ and ‘you’re.’”
“I know you do. I remember when you learned it and how proud I was – ouch! don’t do that – what was I saying?”
“Lies. Absolute lies and utter rubbish.”
“Oh yes. I baked you a cake, remember? There was cake, and laughter and obscene balloon animals.”
“You sir, are a big fat liar.”
“I’m not fat.”
“Tell me you love me.”
“What?”
“Tell me you adore me.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because it’s true. Say it. Because I want you to. Because, like language, it matters.”
georgelondon
Was this written in one shot? Loving the flow.
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Cyn
Hi George,
Yes, most of my Elephant Words stuff, I’m sorry to say, is written in one shot then fiddled with and then posted straightaway. Thanks for the kind words. I look forward to reading your work!
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Nicolas Papaconstantinou
Isn’t that how everyone writes them? That’s how I write them!
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William Owen
Dialogues are great. They have a compression narratives inherently lack. They are the vacuum chambers of literature.
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Cyn
Thanks William!
A handful of my pieces are strictly dialogues, which I usually refer to as The Saga of the Couple With All Dialogue, No Action (although my recent Halloween piece stars the female of this couple and another girl).
I think of these as somewhat of a subtext exercise – looking for the ways in which characters reveal themselves without just coming right out and saying it.
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Rivka Jacobs
Another enjoyable dialog-story. Like an Existential play. Another fine story starring the Couple of All Dialog and No Action.
I enjoy these pieces very much. I read what you said to William, above, and I think you’d crafted an excellent exercise in how people reveal their true feelings and motivations without showing overtly what is really going on.
Is this not the essence of modern play-writing?
I like how the quoted song is “Sadie Hawkins” and how this applies to the couple. Regarding the idea of them being at a “crossroads,” the very last line is interesting. I keep waiting for each of their conversations to end in a break-up, but somehow, they carry on. At the end of this piece, she says, “Because it’s true. Say it. Because I want you to.” And then it ends, so we don’t get to see if he says it or not!
I eagerly await the next chapter in their relationship.
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Juli Crockett
So honored that my song lyrics had anything to do with that awesomeness. :-)
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