Don’t Mess With A New Jorker!

CHARACTERS

Zoe, a woman in her mid-fifties

Oliver, a young man, late twenties

SETTING

Metro North train traveling from New Jersey to Manhattan.  Zoe comes and sits near Oliver, a stranger in a two seater.

ZOE:  Is anyone sitting here?

OLIVER: Nope, it’s all yours.

ZOE:  Thanks.

OLIVER: No problem.

Zoe sits down.

ZOE:  You going into NYC for fun or work?

OLIVER:  Ah, work unfortunately.  You?

ZOE:  Going see an old friend from high school.  I grew up in Manhattan. Living in Jersey now the last 25 years.

OLIVER:  Oh, so you’re not a native Jersey girl?

ZOE:  Nope. I’m a New Jorker.  Half my life in New York, half my life in New Jersey.

Oliver laughs.

OLIVER:  That’s pretty cool.  Do you you prefer one of the other?

ZOE:  It’s a more complicated answer than one of the other.  When my kids were little, Jersey was great. But when they hit the teen years, it would have been better for both of them if we lived in Manhattan as my daughter went to school there and my son felt like a prisoner in the suburbs until he finally got his license at 17.  And let me tell you it’s no fun living with a miserable teenager! I love our Jersey home and the quietness of the suburbs, but I miss the theater, restaurants and central park and New York sacrcasm. Then again, the city is so overcrowded now, it’s not the same as when I was growing up. I can’t walk through Times Square without getting a panic attack!  Crazy. Feels more like people are little sperm, swimming as fast as they can upstream to get to be the chosen one – the one that gets the egg – if you know what I mean.

OLIVER: Now that’s an interesting analogy.  I will never be able to look at people hurrying on the New York streets in the same way.  

ZOE: Well, us New Jorkers, have a unique way at looking at the world, what can I say.  Where are you from?

OLIVER: Originally from New Hampshire, now living in New Jersey and commuting to New York for work.

ZOE:  So that makes you a New HampJorker!

Oliver laughs.

OLIVER: I guess it does.

Train pulls into NY Penn Station.

ZOE: Well, it’s been a pleasure sir.  Pleased to have met my first New HampJorker ever!

OLIVER:  And I, to have met my first New Jorker.

ZOE:  Now remember, there’s a lot of sperm out there, so keep moving fast!

OLIVER:  I will. And you enjoy your old high school friend.

Zoe and Oliver leave their seats and squish and swim with the other sperm as they wait to get out of the train onto the crowded station.

All of my plays are based on my interactions with people, places, and ideas that I experience.  Not word for word, but as a wrtier I get to play with the experience and present it in the way that it touched me, moved me, inspired me to share.  Most of them relate to my theme of moving from “sucky to soulful” as well as positive ways in which we can show up in the world as people, as parents, and as spirits having a human experience.

Ali Skylar (242 Posts)

Ali Skylar’s mission is to use inspirational words, positive affirmations, mindfulness exercises and positive songs to help you learn how to change your life and have a true spiritual awakening! Ali uses her Shiftitudes -uniquely crafted self-affirmation acronyms - blog, books and courses to help keep you committed to your spiritual journey! Also, her Quotitudes – inspirational sayings, encouraging words and inspirational quotes about life - gently aid in helping you to achieve a positive mental attitude essential for personal growth and presence of mind. Chat with Ali on Google+ | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube