A Scarf of Seaweed

By Zuzanna Wasiluk

Two friends meet at a bakery in the late winter—and significant changes in their attitudes toward each other ensue.

Scene One

(The scene is a bakery in a buzzing New York neighborhood. The women who own the bakery wear gowns shaped like cream puff pastries with hemlines that reach their ankles. The waitresses are miserable women wearing white dresses tucked behind toast-colored jackets, the silhouette of a cannoli.) 

(SHERIFF and AMY enter the establishment.)

WAITRESS

Can the next person paying with cash come to the register? 

(SHERIFF and AMY walk over to the register.)

SHERIFF

A custard pie to go.

WAITRESS

(The WAITRESS rubs her puffy eyes and whimpers solemnly.)

Five-fifty.

(The WAITRESS rests her elbow on a tin can with tips written across it. SHERIFF hands her five dollars and fifty cents. AMY holds the door for SHERIFF. SHERIFF and AMY exit.)

Scene Two

(SHERIFF and AMY walk away from the bakery. SHERIFF takes the custard pie out of the bag and tears into it without offering a bite to AMY who stares at the sidewalk.) 

SHERIFF

Amy, I’m only saying this because it could help you a great deal but I’m open to helping you practice your vowel sounds.

(AMY looks up at SHERIFF.)

AMY

Are you sure we have enough time to do so before we arrive? I’m only saying this because it could help you a great deal—

SHERIFF

I thought I would help someone who can’t orally distinguish between Kate and kite.

(AMY practices her vowel sounds.)

Kids raise themselves poorly, but I have a sincere hope for him and you.

Scene Three

(The park sign comes into view as AMY and SHERIFF move closer to the park. The entrance has a red Valentine’s Day banner. It is the time of day after people have taken their dogs on their afternoon walk and before the time for dinner specials in restaurants.)

(AMY and SHERIFF follow the pathway.)

AMY

Let’s move closer to the lake. I don’t know what’s in there.

SHERIFF

Water. But move closer, I would love to follow you and kiss those raccoons over there. 

(SHERIFF and AMY look at the racoon rummaging through the city issued garbage can.)

AMY

Have you broken up with the girl from August? 

SHERIFF

I’m freezing; it’s so much warmer in August.

AMY

Summer solstice and all that.

SHERIFF

Has there been a winter solstice yet?

AMY

No.

SHERIFF

No? That’s such a huge raccoon, a toddler really, and it just came out like a poltergeist. 

AMY

I’m sure there’s a family around here for it.

SHERIFF

Should we run away from it? It’s growling.

AMY

You get a few grumbles and groans.

SHERIFF

(smoothing out his shirt.)

This shirt is disgusting; the iron kicked my power down for a moment, and I tried to fix everything at once. 

AMY

You don’t know how to iron?

SHERIFF

I should’ve ironed it. 

AMY

If you knew how to iron.

SHERIFF

This shirt would be smoother if I had a scarf to cover it.

(AMY takes out a long handkerchief and wraps it around her hair.)

AMY

If you had a scarf.

(SHERIFF dips his hand into the water.)

AMY

You need to lean in!

(AMY dips her hand into the water longer than SHERIFF. AMY pulls out a piece of seaweed.)

AMY

A scarf for you.

SHERIFF

She’s going to have a son. 

AMY

A son? Yours? Your own? It’s going to be your son? Well, are you pleased?

SHERIFF

Of course.

(AMY smiles and stares into the lake, AMY wraps a piece of seaweed around his neck.)

AMY

You need this scarf. 

SHERIFF

Thank you, is it fur? 

Scene Four

(It’s spring when SHERIFF receives AMY’s letter along with a gift. SHERIFF reads out the short letter in his empty living room.) 

SHERIFF

Dear Sheriff. A boy! You must be very happy, is there a name yet? The name Amy is becoming very masculine these days. I wish everyone great health, and happy Easter holidays. I hope it’s the baby’s first and best Easter, Aunt Amy can visit as the Easter bunny for Christmas.

(SHERIFF pauses to drink a glassful of wine, as new parents need to do. SHERIFF continues to read AMY’s letter out loud.)

SHERIFF

I wish I had more to inquire about the girl and the child from early August. Three Leos! In the spring we’ll meet for a custard pie. Something to look forward to: you’ll be warmer in the cold with a baby boy’s arms cuddling your shoulder than with any alternative warmth. A lovely revelation: the snow should be the color of pale lavender for children, not brown or yellow. Kids raise themselves poorly, but I have a sincere hope for him and you. If you still feel this cold in the winter, we’ll go to the lake, and I will fish a piece of seaweed out for you to wear as a scarf. 

Process

The original story idea came from a few sentences I wrote during a Friday Night Salon for Songwriting. The prompt encouraged imagery from heartbreak, heartbreak within a heartwarming image. The story became a play to encourage more dialogue than descriptions in the piece. The setting and the actions of the characters are described in a concise manner within the stage directions.