Zoned / by Jeffrey Lo

Feb 9 2018 - Zoned.jpg

ZONED BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

KEN and JANNY at a cute coffee shop.

They are eating almond croissants and sipping on pumpkin spike lattes.

KEN just finished telling a story.

JANNY is in the middle of laughing at KEN’s story.

JANNY: That can’t be true.

KEN: Totally true?

JANNY: Seriously.

KEN: Yep.

JANNY: Oh my god. The craziest things happen to you!

KEN: I know! I don’t know what to do about it!

JANNY: Hahaha! Oh man, Ken… What would I do without your stories? My day’s would probably be so boring with you…

A brief moment of silence.

Beat.

JANNY smiles at KEN.

KEN builds his confidence.

JANNY takes a sip of her latte.

KEN takes a bite of his croissant.

KEN (Before he’s done swallowing): Can I ask you a question?

JANNY (Laughing at KEN talking with his mouth full): What? Swallow your bite, silly!

KEN puts up a finger – one second.

KEN swallows his bite.

KEN: Sorry. Can I ask you a question?

JANNY: Of course. You can ask me anything.

KEN: Anything?

JANNY: Of course! You should know that by now.

KEN: Right. Of course.

Silence.

JANNY: So what’s up?

KEN clears his throat.

JANNY: Is everything ok?

KEN: Of course!

JANNY: Are you made at me about something.

KEN: No! Of course not! What would I be mad at you for?

JANNY: I don’t know, I just want to make sure.

KEN: No. No. It’s nothing like that.

JANNY: Ok… well, what is it?

Another silence.

But this time KEN builds the courage.

KEN: Well… I was wondering…

JANNY: Yes?

KEN: Am I in the friend zone?

JANNY: The –

KEN: Friend zone.

JANNY: Friend zone.

KEN: Yeah.

JANNY: Of course not, Kenny.

KEN: Oh.

JANNY: Why would you think that?

KEN: I don’t know I just –

JANNY: That’s silly.

KEN: Right.

JANNY: Seriously.

KEN: You promise?

JANNY: Ken. I promise you are not in the friend zone.

Yet another silence.

KEN processes what just happened.

She didn’t hesitate.

She reassured him.

Surely this must mean a good thing, right?

Did a good thing just happen?

Yes.

A good thing just happened.

Then –

KEN: So then can I ask you another question?

JANNY: Ken, I told you, you can ask me anything –

KEN: Right. Right. I can ask you anything.

JANNY: So…

KEN: Can I take you out on a date?

Pause.

KEN: Maybe to a movie? A Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson movie?

Pause.

KEN: Or lunch.

Pause.

KEN: Or a coffee… like the one we’re having.

Pause.

KEN: Or we can just, I don’t know, sit on a bench.

Pause.

KEN: Whatever you want to do. Whatever works for you. Whatever is best for you, I would like to do… on our date.

Silence.

Silence.

JANNY holds KEN’s hand

Pause.

JANNY: But I don’t want to ruin our friendship.

Blackout.

END OF PLAY.