Version 1

Version 1 Blinder Than I
by
Dan Roberts

-- Version 1 --

Cast of Characters
(All are in their early teens)

Ronnie
Sarah
Aaron
Adam
Allison
Meghan
Jeff

SETTING: A park bench.

AT RISE: RONNIE is sitting on the bench listening to a CD through headphones. She is wearing wrap-around sunglasses and a baseball cap.

(SARAH and AARON enter stage left.)

SARAH
(To RONNIE)
Hi.

(RONNIE does not hear her, because of the music, and she does not see that SARAH is speaking to her. SARAH waves her hand and tries again.)

Hello-o.

RONNIE
(Removing her headphones)
Oh. Were you talking to me? I'm sorry.

SARAH
I thought you were comatose or something. Are you new here?

RONNIE
Yes.

AARON
Ask her what her name is.

SARAH
You ask her.

RONNIE
My name's Ronnie. It's short for Veronica. I hate it.

AARON
You hate Ronnie or Veronica?

RONNIE
Both, actually.

(SARAH studies RONNIE closely, noticing that she tends to be avoiding eye contact.)

SARAH
What's the matter with you?

(AARON pulls SARAH to the side.)

AARON
(Whispering)
I think she's...blind.

[Discussion Point #1]

SARAH
What?

AARON
I think maybe she's blind.

SARAH
Yeah, right.
      (Crosses to RONNIE, leans in, and studies her closely.)

RONNIE
      (Not loudly)
Boo.
SARAH
      (Startled)
Cheez!

(AARON laughs, as SARAH crosses back.)

SARAH
That wasn't funny.
(Returning to RONNIE)
That wasn't funny. You think you're funny?!

RONNIE
No. I'm sorry.

SARAH
Why are you sitting here pretending your blind, anyway?

{Discussion Point #2]

RONNIE
(Standing)
I never said I was blind.

AARON
(Still grinning)
That's right. She didn't.

SARAH
Well. . . You didn't say you weren't..

RONNIE
Why didn't you tell me that you could see?

SARAH
Now why would I say a thing like that?

RONNIE
Never mind.

[Discussion point #3]

(ADAM and ALLISON enter stage left. ADAM carries a soccer ball.)

ADAM
Hey, they're waiting for us over at the field. You coming?

AARON
(Sarcastically)
I don't know. We're having an awful lot of fun here.

SARAH
No, we're not.

ALLISON
Who's she?

SARAH
Nobody. Let's go.

ALLISON
What's she doing here?

SARAH
Pretending she's blind.

ADAM
That's wierd.

ALLISON
(To RONNIE)
Why don't you go somewhere else?

ADAM
Yeah, and you can lose the glasses. They aren't that cool, you know.

RONNIE
I need them. The sunlight is bad for my eyes.

[Discussion Point #4]

SARAH
Oh, give it up. No one here is falling for that act.

AARON
Again.

SARAH
Shut up.

(JEFF and MEGHAN enter stage right.)

JEFF
Hey, we can't play without a ball.

MEGHAN
What's keeping you?

ADAM
Uh, meet Ronnie.
(Grins at SARAH)
You have to get closer. She's blind.

JEFF
Really?

SARAH
(Playing along)
Sure. You need to get real close.

[Discussion Point #5]

JEFF
(Crossing cautiously to RONNIE and leaning into her.)
She's really blind?

RONNIE
You don't have to...

SARAH
Kiss her!

AARON
Look out!

[Discussion Point #6]

(SARAH shoves JEFF, knocking him into RONNIE, who falls backword onto the bench with a cry of pain and surprise.)

JEFF
(Recovering quickly)
Hey! Cut that out!

ALLISON
(Laughing)
Aw, she's not blind. She's just pretending.

MEGHAN
That's dumb.

JEFF
Don't you all have anything better to do? I thought we were gonna play soccer.

MEGHAN
Yeah. You wanta come with us?

RONNIE
(After a moment)
Me?

MEGHAN
Yes, you.

[Discussion Point #7]

RONNIE
I would like to, but I really can't.

MEGHAN
Sure you can. Let's go.

(Grabs her arm and pulls her off of the bench a few steps to stage right.)

RONNIE
No!! Stop it!!

(She wrenches from her grip and stumbles, causing her glasses to fall off. AARON picks them up.)

You shouldn't grab me like that! I'll let you know if I need help! Where are my glasses?

[Discussion Point #8]

SARAH
(Suddenly serious)
She really is blind.

[Discussion Point #9]

AARON
(Handing the glasses to her, and speaking loudly)
Here they are.

RONNIE
I may be blind, but I'm not deaf.
(She puts the glasses on and sits.)

[Discussion Point #10]

ALLISON
(After a moment of awkward silence)
Well . . . We, uh, gotta be going.

(All agree, simultaneously mumbling various excuses, and exit stage right, except for AARON, who stops and turns to look at RONNIE.)

RONNIE
(Still a bit angry)
Aren't you leaving, too?

AARON
How did you know I was here?

RONNIE
Because I can see you.

AARON
Then you're not blind after all?

RONNIE
Not as blind as some people around here.

[Discussion Point #11]

(AARON is confused and a bit hurt.)

I'm sorry. It's not you. You're a nice guy.

AARON
(Sitting next to her.)
So you don't wanta play soccer with us?

RONNIE
I'd just be in the way.

AARON
Great. Then you could be goalie.
(RONNIE smiles.)
You could just stand there in the way until someone yells, "The ball's coming!" and then duck. I always duck.

RONNIE
(Laughing)
You're pretty funny.

AARON
(After a moment)
I'm sorry.

RONNIE
About what?

AARON
Your eyes.

[Discussion Point #12]

RONNIE
(Sighs)
You oughta get over to the field.

AARON
What did I say?

RONNIE
Nothing. Maybe I'll see you later, okay?

(AARON stands, looks at her uncomprehendingly, and then exits. RONNIE puts on her headsets and hits the play button.)

(End of Version #1)

To Discussion