CHUCK TAYLORS BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)
On a garage floor are LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR and RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE.
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR is lying on its side.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE stands tall.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE probably talks with a British accent.
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR probably talks like a middle schooler.
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: What are you looking at?
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: Nothing.
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: Shut up. You’re looking at me.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: How do you know?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: I can see you looking at me.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: If you could see me looking at you then why are you asking?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: Why are you looking at me?
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: I’ve never seen you here before.
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: So?
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: I’m the tallest of the shoes here so I can see everything around and I’ve never seen you.
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: And I repeat… so?
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: Are you new?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: Do I look new?
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: … No.
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: I look old.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: I wasn’t going to –
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: I look old!
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: Ok, ok, you look old.
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: I’ve been here for a looooooong time.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: How long?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: Longer than you.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: What? No!
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: What? YES!
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: How have I not noticed you?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: I’ve been hidden.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: Hidden?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: I’ve been in the back. Unused. Unneeded.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: How did you make it out?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: I don’t know. I was behind the laundry hamper for quite some time so I probably got tipped over when he was doing laundry or something…
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: Wow…
Beat.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: Can I ask you a question?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: Sure.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: Promise not to be offended?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: That’s a stupid thing to promise. Just ask the question.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: If you were unused and unneeded… why didn’t he get rid of you?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: No clue… I was an early shoe. A former favorite shoe. Maybe sentimentality? Or maybe he just forgot about me. Hard to say.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: Wow…
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: Yeah.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: So you think he either kept you for the memory of you or he kept you because he lost his memory of you?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: Yep.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: And now that you’re out again… what do you plan to do?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: Wait.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: For what?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: For him to see me… So I can figure my fate.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: Your fate?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: If he kept me for memories… he’ll put me away nicely. Heck, he might even use me… if he just forgot about me… it’s the end for me.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: The end for you?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: The end.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: Well then why don’t you hide!?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: Why should I?
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: So you don’t get thrown away!
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: But if it’s meant to be my end, then let it be… If I have a different purpose then great. But either way… it is what it is…
Silence.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: Wow…
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: Yep.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: So we’ll just sit here?
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: Yep.
RIGHT ALDO DRESS SHOE: Ok…
LEFT CHUCK TAYLOR: Yep…
Lights fade.
END OF PLAY.