Missed the Painting / by Jeffrey Lo

MISSED THE PAINTING BY JEFFREY LO
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SEAN, a museum employee, is behind the front desk going about his closing routine.

SEAN is very excited to be done for the day.

Suddenly JENNIFER runs in from outside in a panic.

 

JENNIFER: Excuse me! Excuse me! Excuse me!

SEAN: Yes!

JENNIFER: There’s an emergency!

SEAN: Oh god! What is it? Should I call 911?

JENNIFER: What? No!
SEAN: Oh.

JENNIFER: Not 911!

SEAN: Ok. What’s the matter?

JENNIFER: The Rothko!

SEAN: The Rothko!?

JENNIFER: The Rothko!

SEAN: Oh god! What happened to the Rothko!?

JENNIFER: Nothing

SEAN: Then what’s the emergency?

JENNIFER: Well here’s the thing.

 

Pause.

 

SEAN: Ok…

JENNIFER: I came into the museum.

SEAN: Ok.

JENNIFER: Enjoyed the museum.

SEAN: Ok.

JENNIFER: Left the museum.

SEAN: Yeah.

JENNIFER: Then as I left, I saw out on the window that you all have a new Rothko!

SEAN: Yes.

JENNIFER: And I didn’t see the Rothko. And I wanted to see the Rothko. Clarification. I NEEDED to see the Rothko. So I ran back in here because my god! What a tragic moment it would be if I came here and left here and didn’t get to see the Rothko. Am I right?

 

Silence.

Beat.

 

SEAN: I’m sorry miss the museum is closed.

JENNIFER: But the Rothk –

SEAN: Goodbye.

JENNIFER: But –

SEAN: SECURITY!

JENNIFER: GOODBYE!

 

JENNIFER runs away.

 

END OF PLAY.