ORANGEBy Elle Meyers

SETTING: An American college campus set in present day. The stage will be split in half between the two major locations. Stage right will consist of LINDSEY and EMILY’s room, and stage left will transition between PARK’s office and ORANGE’s classroom.

SCENE ONE: A dorm room belonging to two college sophomore girls. The left side belonging to LINDSEY is neat and well-organized. Bed made, desk clean, clothes folded and put away, the wall on her side is decorated with calendars, a wooden cross, and some photographs of her family. The right side, belonging to EMILY looks like a rainbow exploded all over it. Bed unmade, clothes all over the floor, random pieces of junk cluttering her desk, shoes spilling out of the closet, and almost every inch of the wall covered with colorful decorations of every variety. Sorority letters, a watercolor map of the world, several cork boards covered in pictures, etc. In the wall connecting the two sides is a string of photographs of the two girls together, hanging above the window. Despite the stark differences in lives/ lifestyles visibly apparent in the room, there is an air of familiarity and comfort in the room. Their differences do not tear them apart but rather allow them to grow together. LINDSEY sits at her desk in her pajamas, bent over some homework.

EMILY

(Enters)

Hey.

LINDSEY

(Looking up from her homework)

Hey, I was just about to text you. Where have you been? Everything alright?

EMILYYeah, I was in my interview, remember?

LINDSEYThis whole time?

EMILYYeah, they were running late, I guess. And, I just underestimated how long the interview was gonna last.

LINDSEYWell, how do you think it went?

EMILYI don’t know… They asked a lot of weird questions that I wasn’t prepared for.

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LindseyEm, you applied for a job at a science fiction/ fantasy merch store. You didn’t think you’d get asked some odd questions?

EmilyYeah, I know, but, I don’t know- one of the ladies kept smiling at everything I said, but the other two stayed pretty emotionless.

LINDSEYWell, I’m sure you killed it.

EMILYThanks. I didn’t eat before my interview because I was too nervous, and now I’m starving. Wanna grab some late night food?

(Noticing LINDSEY isn’t exactly dressed.)

Just kidding.

LINDSEYI can change if you really want…

EMILYNah, you’re good. Besides, I probably shouldn’t eat a whole meal this late. I’ll just find something to snack on. What are you working on anyway?

LINDSEYCircuits.

EMILYGross.

LINDSEYTo each their own. I’m not the one with an eight-page paper due tomorrow on… what is it again?

EMILYAn analysis of the symbolic meaning of the typewriter sound effect in Atonement and how it contributes to the movie.

LINDSEYRight. That.

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EMILYAm I weird for actually looking forward to writing it?

LINDSEYYes.

EMILYWhatever. Anyway, how was your day?

LINDSEYIt was good. I got lunch with Matt.

EMILYOh yeah! How is he?

LINDSEYHe’s good. Busy with RA stuff.

EMILYYeah, I would imagine.

LINDSEYWhat about you? How was your day besides your interview?

EMILYUh… it was good… Let me think, what did I even do today? Uh, we had a quiz in French, but it was easy. Film Aesthetics was good... Oh, yeah, Dr. Orange cancelled my Fantasy Writing class.

LINDSEYAgain?

EMILYYeah.

LINDSEYHe cancels that class all the time. When was the last time you had a full week of that class?

EMILYYeah, I don’t know.

LINDSEY

(Noticing a change in EMILY’s tone)

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What? What’s wrong?

EMILYI don’t know. He’s just been acting really off all semester and I’m worried that there’s something wrong.

LINDSEYI doubt it. Didn’t you say he has a new baby? He’s probably just tired.

EMILYYeah, maybe. I don’t know… just something about his emails when he cancels class feels off.

LINDSEYWhat do you mean?

EMILYWell, like, last semester when I had him for Intro, he cancelled class sometimes, but it was always like, ‘Wife is sick, so I have to take my son to school,’ or ‘House flooded overnight, have to call a contractor,’ but the past few times, it’s always just been, ‘No class today. Turn your assignments in online,’ and nothing else. And he won’t elaborate the next time we see him either.

LINDSEYWell, maybe it’s something personal that he doesn’t want to share with you.

EMILYYeah, maybe. But I mean he’s also just shown up to class a few times looking tired and pale and sick. But, not sick like coughing or sneezing, just like, exhausted and weak.

LINDSEYYeah, almost like having a new baby results in sleep deprivation, which results in tiredness.

EMILYI’m telling you that’s not it.

LINDSEYWell, what are you getting at? What do you think it is?

EMILYWell…

LINDSEYWell, what?

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EMILYDid you notice the moon last night?

LINDSEYNo. Yeah. Maybe. What about it? It was full right?

EMILYYeah.

LINDSEYSo?

EMILYSo, last night was a full moon, and he cancelled class today. And when he does come to class, he looks pale and gaunt.

LINDSEYEmily.

EMILYYes?

LINDSEYYou cannot be serious.

EMILYWhat?

LINDSEYPlease tell me that you are not trying to imply that your professor is a werewolf.

EMILYIt makes sense!

LINDSEYNo. It does not.

EMILYYes, it does!

LINDSEYNo, it doesn’t!

EMILY

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Why not?

LINDSEYBecause werewolves don’t exist!

EMILYOh, come on, where is your imagination?

LINDSEYEmily, I have plenty of imagination. But I know when something doesn’t exist.

EMILYHow could you possibly know? You believe that Jesus existed.

LINDSEYYeah, because there’s this thing called a Bible.

EMILYThere have been writings about werewolves in all different cultures around the world for thousands of years. How can you believe in the Bible but discount all those stories?

LINDSEYI think you’re taking this fantasy writing class a little too seriously.

EMILYWhatever. I have my theory, and I’m sticking to it.

LINDSEYGo ahead. But know that I think you’re crazy.

EMILYEh, you already thought I was crazy. Not much I could do there.

LINDSEYCan’t argue with you there.

(EMILY sticks her tongue out, and then both continue with their evening activities)

SCENE TWO: DR. PARK’s- the Dean of the Liberal Arts College- office. It is minimally decorated with white walls and two black bookshelves filled neatly with classic books that look like they’ve never been opened. On the wall behind him hangs his framed degrees next to the window. His desk is organized impeccably without any photographs or other forms of decoration. He is a

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man who believes in minimalism and who doesn’t believe in sentimentality; his office reflects this. He sits at his desk, signing documents. At the sound of a knock, he looks up.

PARKCome in!

Enter: DR. ORANGE, wearing a dress shirt, black slacks, and brightly colored Nike running shoes. The sleeves of his shirt are rolled up to the elbow, revealing colorful tattoos that cover his entire arm. Charismatic, energetic, and humorous, he embodies joie de vivre. He is well aware that he makes DR. PARK uncomfortable, and capitalizes on it, knowing that his tenure and his students’ adoration of him protects him from any disciplinary action DR. PARK might try to make. He walks jauntily into the office.

ORANGEDr. Park. You wanted to see me?

PARKAh, yes, Dr. Orange. Please, have a seat.

ORANGE

(Takes seat and pushes the chair back so that he has room to place his feet on DR. PARK’s desk. DR. PARK looks clearly displeased, but doesn’t say anything.)

What’s up?

PARKWell, I wanted to speak with you about your recent class cancellation.

ORANGEI emailed the administrative assistant, didn’t I? Telling him that I had cancelled class.

PARKYes, Johnson got it and then forwarded it to me.

ORANGEWas there something wrong with the email? You would think I’d know how to write one by now.

(Laughs boisterously)

PARKNo, there was nothing wrong with your email, but it is about the second part of your sentiment that I would like to discuss with you.

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ORANGE

(Pulls an apple out of his bag and tosses it up and down a few times while answering before eventually beginning to eat it, making PARK even angrier)

That I would know how to write one by now?

PARKYes, precisely. Dr. Orange, it is only October, and you have already cancelled class five times this semester.

ORANGEYeah, well, life happens.

PARKCertainly, but that doesn’t mean that you cannot give your students an education to the best of your ability.

ORANGEWell, trust me, I make up for my lack of face time with spectacular lessons. Quality over quantity, right?

(Winks)

Besides, like I said, sometimes life just happens. What can ya do?

PARKYou can do a lot, Dr. Orange, such as take your position at this institution seriously, and start putting your students first.

ORANGEHave my students complained about the amount that I cancel class?

PARKDr. Orange, have you ever known a student to complain about cancelled class?

ORANGEAre you implying that my students are lazy?

PARK

(Flustered.)

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Well, certainly not, I only meant to imply that you should be aware of the consequences of cancelling your class so frequently without having to hear about it from a student.

ORANGE

(Pauses a moment before taking his feet off the desk and planting them firmly on the floor, so that he can look directly into PARK’s eyes when he talks.)

Dr. Park, while I appreciate the concern for the well-being of my students, I can assure you that their education is not suffering from my cancelling class. My students are right on track with completing the works that I had assigned this semester on the syllabus. The days that I have cancelled class have been days that I had reserved for students to discuss each other’s pieces as they are so far. While I certainly believe that peer review is an important part of the writing process, they are still getting feedback from me via email at each of the assignment check points, so unless a student specifically approaches me complaining about class, I don’t really see a problem with my teaching habits.

PARKWell, Dr. Orange, while I’m glad that you seem confident in your teaching abilities, it is not only the number of times you have cancelled class that concerns me, but the… nature of your cancellations.

ORANGE

(Beat.)

The nature of my cancellations.

PARKYes.

ORANGE

(Unperturbed.)

Really?

PARKWell, in the past, while I may not have appreciated the amount that you cancelled class, I could at least understand the reasons as to why it happened. But, the reasons you have been emailing our administrative assistant have become more and more… vague and abstract.

ORANGEHave they now?

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PARKYes. For example, on September 20th, you wrote that you cancelled class because

(reading from printed email in front of him.)

“The neighbors were cooking with garlic, and the mere smell made me extremely sick,”

ORANGE

(Nodding and occasionally snickering as PARK reads his list of made-up excuses)

PARKThen, two weeks later, you said that you cancelled class because, “You didn’t shut the lid on your coffin tightly enough so you couldn’t sleep.” And then just this past week-

ORANGEYes, yes, I know, I remember what I put.

PARKWell, then, Dr. Orange, I think you will understand my concern that you are not taking your class seriously if these are the kinds of bizarre excuses you are telling the department as your reasoning for cancelling class. I know that you seem to think that your tenure and your students’ apparent adoration of you protects you from any kind of disciplinary action, but there is a line of people out the door who would kill to have your position at such a prestigious university, and believe me when I say that I will find a way to turn your blatant apathy for the way that this department is run into a reason for replacing you.

ORANGEAlright, alright!

(Appearing to take PARK’s threat seriously.)

Look, Dr. Park, I apologize if my emails made it seem like I don’t value my job here, because I do. I was simply trying to have a little bit of fun. But, if you insist, I will disclose with you the real reason for my absence.

(Outside the office, EMILY walks by on her way to ORANGE’s office hours. When she sees him in PARK’s office, she immediately moves back to stand silently near the door, eavesdropping on the rest of the conversation.)

ORANGEDr. Park, can I trust you to keep this information strictly confidential?

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PARK

(Taken aback by ORANGE’s sudden cooperation, but unwilling to not take full advantage of it.)

Well, certainly.

ORANGE

(Leans in conspiratorially.)

Well… Did you notice the moon last night?

PARKThe… moon?

ORANGEYes.

PARKI… it was full, wasn’t it?

ORANGEYes.

PARKDr. Orange, excuse me, but I don’t quite understand how the lunar phases can possibly affect your class attendance.

ORANGE

(Sighing and leaning back.)

You wouldn’t, would you?

PARKExcuse me?

ORANGELycanthropy, it’s a bitch. Such an isolation condition.

PARKDr. Orange, are you trying to tell me that you missed class because you were recovering from a lycanthropic full moon transformation?

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ORANGEQuiet down, man! You want the whole hall to hear you?

(He stands up and moves to look out into the hallway as if to check to make sure no one was listening. EMILY quickly sprints around the corner before heading back to her room to share the news with LINDSEY.)

PARK

(Furious at having been fooled.)

Dr. ORANGE! I have had it with your insubordination!

ORANGEAw, come on, man, where’s your sense of humor?

PARK

(Attempting to remain professional and reign in his anger.)

Dr. Orange, I understand that you and I have never been the closest of colleagues, and if you do not want to share your personal information with me, that is perfectly understandable. However, if you are sick- seriously sick- and that is why you have been missing class, you have an obligation to myself, to your students, and to this university to inform us about the seriousness of your condition.

ORANGEYes, well, Dr. Park, lycanthropy is a very serious condition, but I have it under control for the most part.

PARK

(Exploding and standing up.)

Dr. Orange!

ORANGE

(Standing up.)

Listen, Dr. Park, message received. I need to stop cancelling class, unless I have cancer, in which case I will let you know. Good day.

13

(Exits swiftly as DR. PARK fumes quietly.)

SCENE THREE: ORANGE’s classroom. ORANGE’s classroom- like the professor himself- is untraditional in every sense of the word. Desks are arranged in no easily identified pattern, there are no cheesy posters adorning the wall, and his desk is a mish mash of pictures of his family and other assorted creative items. He has worked very hard- and succeeded- at creating a space where creativity is king. No question is too stupid, no idea is too outlandish, and everyone’s voice is heard. There is a reason ORANGE is a favorite amongst his students, and his classroom should reflect that. PARK will push back the desk and remove the decorations, while other actors bring in chairs/ desks. ORANGE sits behind the desk, on the phone.

ORANGEHello?… Yes, hi Dr. Clark… No, I can talk now… Oh, I see… Another round of chemo? But I thought you said-… But-… Okay, okay. And the insurance will cover it?... Okay… No, I understand, it’s just, I don’t know how much longer I can continue to do this and teach at the same time… Well that’s not really an option… I know, I know… Alright, yes, I’ll schedule an appointment. Thank you Dr. Clark.

(Hangs up and sighs, leaning his face into one hand in a rare moment of dejection.)

EMILY

(Peeks head in.)

Dr. Orange?

ORANGE

(He immediately perks to life. EMILY is his favorite student.)

Emily! Yes, come in.

EMILYHey Dr. Orange.

ORANGEYou are just the person I was looking for. I got this great new reggae CD the other day, and I’ve been dying to share it with someone.

EMILYDr. Orange, I told you- I don’t smoke enough weed to listen to reggae.

ORANGE

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And I told you that I haven’t smoked since my college days, and you don’t have to be a stoner to appreciate good reggae music.

EMILYYou say that now, but this is just where it starts. First I listen to reggae and the next thing I know I’m taking LSD and insisting that expanding the mind shouldn’t be illegal.

ORANGEThree semesters later, you are just as closed-minded as the day I met you. Where in the world did I go wrong?

EMILYWhatever, I’ll listen to your weird-ass stoner music, and then I will be able to tell you that I still hate it.

ORANGEStubborn as always I see. Well, anyways, how are you?

EMILYI’m doing well. [Emphasizing unnaturally] How are you doing?

ORANGEOh, as well as ever, I suppose. So, Emily, what brings you here? Did you want to talk about your most recent piece? I loved it by the way- that confession from the priest? I never saw it coming! Although, I would like to talk with you about the pacing of your piece. I think that there are some parts that need to be slowed down, expanded upon-

EMILYDr. Orange, I know.

ORANGEWell, if you knew what you needed to improve upon, then why did you come see me?

EMILYNo, Dr. Orange, I know.

ORANGEI’m afraid I’m not following.

EMILYI know… about your condition.

ORANGEYou- what?

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EMILYI heard you… talking to Dr -

ORANGERight. Of course you did. Well. I know that this is a lot to ask you, but I trust that you’ll be able to keep this to yourself? I really don’t want it getting out to the rest of the school and causing a lot of unnecessary concern and fuss.

EMILYYes, of course, your secret is safe with me.

ORANGE

(Visibly relieved.)

Thank you, Emily. It really means a lot.

EMILYDr. Orange… do you mind if I ask you a question?

ORANGEOf course not.

EMILYWell, I just- how long have you been like this?

ORANGE

(Mildly confused at the way EMILY is phrasing the questions, but answering them truthfully nonetheless.)

Well, I was diagnosed at the end of the summer.

EMILYDiagnosed? So, this is a recent development then?

ORANGEWell, I guess, genetically, I’ve always had it, but my symptoms started showing themselves a few months ago.

EMILYSo, does that mean your children will have it too?

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ORANGEWell, I certainly hope not, but you never know with these kinds of things. Like I said, there are a lot of factors.

EMILYRight, and then, if you aren’t born with it, you can still get it by being bitten, right?

ORANGEBitten?

EMILYYeah, bitten. Or is that only in the myths? Is it really just a genetic disorder?

ORANGEMyths- Emily, what on earth are you talking about?

EMILYYour- your lycanthropy. What are you-

ORANGEMy lycanthropy? You think I’m a werewolf?

EMILYWell- aren’t you?

ORANGEEmily, have you gone crazy? Is this a joke?

EMILYNo! I-

ORANGEHow could you possibly think I was a werewolf?

EMILYWell, because- because of the full moon, and- and that’s what you said! I heard you in your office with Dr. Park-

ORANGEWith Dr. Park? Emily, that was a joke!

EMILYA- a joke?

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ORANGEYes, it was just something stupid I made up to get Dr. Park off my back.

EMILYWell, if you’re not a werewolf then what’s wrong with you?

ORANGE

(Heavily.)

Emily, I have cancer.

EMILY

(After a beat. Shocked.)

Cancer?

ORANGEYes. Cancer.

EMILYYou- but- I- but- oh, wow. Oh, okay.

ORANGE

(Sighs, sits down, and gestures for EMILY to do the same.)

It’s stage two, which normally isn’t that scary, but, it’s in my prostate, which usually doesn’t bode well.

EMILYWho knows? Besides me?

ORANGEMy wife.

EMILYThat’s it?

ORANGEWell, and my doctors of course-

EMILY

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No one at the school knows?

ORANGENo, and like I said earlier, I intend to keep it way.

EMILYBut, Dr. Orange-

ORANGELook, Emily, I appreciate your concern, but this is a private matter, and I value my privacy. If my condition becomes more serious, I will alert Dr. Park, and the rest of the staff. But, for now, I need you to keep this between us, okay?

EMILYI- okay.

ORANGEThank you.

(The two sit in silence for a moment, ORANGE lost in thought about his condition, EMILY wishing she had something to say.)

EMILYOh, by the way, I uh-

ORANGEYes?

EMILYWell, I know it seems a bit insignificant now, but I got that job that I put you down as a reference for.

ORANGE

(Pleased.)

At Elliott’s?

EMILY

(Relieved and happy that he seems happy for her.)

Yeah.

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ORANGEThat’s fantastic! I loved working there when I was a student here; I knew you’d be a good fit.

EMILYYeah, they have a lot of Game of Thrones stuff there now, but they’ve still got a lot of the old Star Wars and Stark Trek stuff that we talked about.

ORANGEGood, good, I’m so glad to hear it.

EMILYYeah, well, thanks again for the reference.

ORANGEYes, of course, any time, Emily.

PARK

(Peeks his head in and knocks on the door. EMILY and ORANGE roll their eyes at each other.)

Knock knock!

ORANGE

(Mocking.)

You know, you don’t have to physically knock and express it verbally as well. Both are adequate methods of signaling your arrival. To do both is quite redundant.

PARKRight. Uh, hello Emily.

EMILYHello Dr. Park.

PARKI’m not interrupting something am I? Far be it from me to disrupt a professor mentoring his favorite pupil.

ORANGE

(Falsely offended.)

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Dr. Park! I resent your implication that I do not treat all my students equally.

PARKOh, come now Orange that’s not what I-

EMILYOh, it’s quite alright Dr. Park. I know that I’m Dr. Orange’s favorite, even if he’s too good of a professor to admit it.

ORANGEWell, it certainly doesn’t hurt that Emily was just telling me that she’s been hired at the same place I worked at when I was a student here!

PARKAh, congratulations, Emily! Where have you been hired? The Daily Breeze? Or at the editing house?

EMILYUh, no, I’ve been hired at Elliott’s.

PARKElliott’s? Is that some new indie publication house?

EMILYNo, it’s a, uh, fantasy/ science fiction merchandise store.

PARK

(Uncertainly.)

A merchandise store?

EMILYYeah, they sell like, Star Wars t-shirts and stuff.

PARKWell, I’m sure that sounds like a lot of fun, but Emily your college years will be over before you expect. You should focus on finding jobs that will help further your career. I mean, I know that a lot of people frown upon “résumé-builders” but there’s nothing wrong with having experience.

ORANGE

(Noticing that EMILY is clearly embarrassed at having been called out by PARK.)

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Oh, come on now Park! She’s young! She should be having fun and exploring her options. Save the “career-building” stuff for when you’re old and boring.

(Winks at EMILY.)

PARKWell, that sounds all fine and dandy, but having a career is important, and the job market is competitive, especially if you intend on going into a creative field. And I would expect better from you, Dr. Orange. As her mentor, you should be encouraging her to invest in her future, not pandering her time at some riff raff merchandise store!

ORANGEAs her mentor who cares about her, I am treating Emily like the intelligent and mature adult that she is, allowing her to make her own decisions and not trying to pigeon-hole her into whatever I deign to be best for her.

PARKHow can you say that you care about her if you are standing idly by while she makes destructive decisions?

EMILYHey! I’m right here! And I am not making destructive decisions. I’m doing what makes me happy, and Dr. Orange is supporting me in those decisions, just like he encourages the pursuit of happiness for all of his students. That’s more than I can say for you.

PARK

(Looking back and forth between the two.)

Well. I see that trying to sway you from a different mindset than that of your precious role model is a futile task, so I shall leave you to it then. Emily, I wish you the best of luck.

EMILYThanks.

PARK

(Exits.)

ORANGEWhat an ass, am I right? Can’t believe I work for that guy.

EMILY

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(Dispassionately.)

Yeah, what a jerk.

ORANGEEmily. Everything alright?

EMILYYeah. I mean, he kinda has a point, though, doesn’t he? I mean, I’m already taking a risk majoring in something creative. I should probably help my chances of doing something with my life by working on my résumé now, shouldn’t I?

ORANGEHey, don’t let his boring, type-A way of seeing the world cloud you. We are not born into this world to go to school our whole lives, study one thing, then have one career, pay bills, and then die. Yes, your college years are short, and you should make the most of them, and if for you that means preparing for your career, then that’s fine. But if you’d enjoy your college experience more by taking a bunch of fun classes just because you felt like it and working at a merch shop because it sounded awesome, then you should do that. Life is long. You have the rest of it to figure all the serious stuff out. Don’t get caught up in trying to grow up so fast. Alright?

EMILYYeah, you’re right.

ORANGEOf course I’m right- that’s what they pay me for.

(EMILY smiles and the two sit in companionable silence for a moment.)

EMILY

(Starts to stand up.)

Well, I should probably-

ORANGEYes, yes, of course, you have work to get to. Your revisions on that script are still due-

EMILYFriday, right got it.

ORANGEAlright, well, good luck, and I will see you soon.

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EMILYYeah. Yeah, you too.

ORANGEOh, and Emily?

EMILYYes?

ORANGEWhat we talked about earlier- thank you again. It really means a lot.

EMILYOf course.

SCENE FOUR: LINDSEY and EMILY’s room. LINDSEY is wearing a tight white dress, examining herself in the mirror. Enter: EMILY.

LINDSEYHey! So I know that you wanted to do something weird for Halloween, but I just bought this dress, and I know you have that black one and we could be salt and pepper! I know it’s kinda cliché but- whoa. Hey, what’s wrong?

EMILYUh, well, I talked to Dr. Orange.

LINDSEYYeah? Well, what did he say?

EMILYHe, he-

(She sits heavily in her chair.)

He has cancer. It’s only stage two, but it’s in his prostate, which has a survival rate of like zero. And nobody knows except his wife.

LINDSEYI’m so sorry, Em. I know he’s your favorite professor.

EMILY

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I don’t know what I’m going to do without him. I know that sounds stupid cause he’s just my professor, but after my dad last year, he was the one who encouraged me to pour into my writing and I just don’t know how to be a writer without him, you know?

LINDSEYHey, you will be an incredible writer no matter what. And besides, give the guy a chance. You’re acting like he’s already dying.

EMILYLindsey, come on.

LINDSEYLook, I know that prostate cancer is usually a death sentence, but medical science is advancing every day! You never know!

EMILYI know, I just want to be realistic.

LINDSEYYou want to be realistic?

EMILYHa-ha. You know what I mean.

LINDSEYI know.

EMILYYeah, speaking of which, I can’t believe I was so convinced that he was a werewolf. God, I was so stupid.

LINDSEYHey, you’re not stupid. Sometimes, we just don’t want to see the truth. And, besides, how could you possibly have known that it was cancer?

EMILYI don’t know.

LINDSEYWell, I’ll be praying for him. And you.

EMILYThanks, Linds.

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LINDSEYAnything else I can do for you?

EMILYWill you help me start an online campaign for him to get a prostate transplant?

LINDSEYWhat?

EMILYWell, it’s something to do, right? I mean I know I said that prostate cancer is pretty much terminal or whatever, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try something.

LINDSEYUh, well, I admire your spirit, but I don’t think you can get a prostate transplant.

EMILYYou never know! I was watching that medical miracles show the other day, and some weirder shit has happened than a prostrate transplant.

LINDSEYOkay, well, didn’t you say no one knows besides you and his wife? How is he going to feel about you broadcasting his condition to the entire internet?

EMILYWell, I’m not going to say it’s him- obviously. I’ll put it under a pseudonym- like Dr. Lemon or something- and I’ll find a picture of some really hot professor to use instead. People always donate more to hot people.

LINDSEYWell, if anyone could figure out how to do it, it’d be you.

EMILYSo you’ll help?

LINDSEYWhy don’t we compromise and I’ll buy you some ice cream from 7-11 instead?

EMILYAlright, that sounds fair.

LINDSEYIs that all that’s bothering you?

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EMILYYeah, no. Just, Dr. Park came in towards the end of our conversation and was being such an asshole.

LINDSEYReally? He’s always been so nice to me every time I run into him.

EMILYYeah, it’s just I got that job at the merch store-

LINDSEYYou did? You didn’t tell me that! Congrats babe!

EMILYYeah, thanks. Anyway, Dr. Park was just saying that I shouldn’t waste my time with a fun job like that and I should focus on something that will help build my career.

LINDSEYWell, I mean, he has a point, but who cares? We’re young. We should be having fun. You can focus on your career later.

EMILYYeah, that’s what Dr. Orange said.

LINDSEYI think I like the sound of this Dr. Orange guy.

EMILYSo, you’ll help me with the campaign?

LINDSEYHow about we go get that ice cream?

(EXIT.)

SCENE FIVE: ORANGE’s classroom. It is empty and forlorn, the ghosts of unfinished conversations lingering in the air. The atmosphere is starkly different from the fleeting moment of hope and purpose that just occurred between EMILY and LINDSEY. The lights should take several moments to change, creating the mood for the upcoming scene, and giving EMILY time to change into her next costume. EMILY enters in a modest black dress, holding a single daffodil. She looks around for a moment, as if hoping that ORANGE will miraculously appear from behind his desk, ready to engage her in their usual banter. But, of course, he is not there, and EMILY wanders over to his desk, tears welling up at the photos of his family staring back at

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her. Before she can truly begin to cry PARK enters, also dressed in funeral attire. EMILY is instantly on her guard.

EMILYDr. Park.

PARKHello, Emily, I thought I would find you here.

EMILYWhy’s that?

PARKWell, I didn’t see you at his service earlier today, and I knew it was unlike you to not pay your respects to your favorite professor.

EMILYYou don’t know me.

PARKNot very well, no, but I know that you and Dr. Orange had a close rapport.

EMILYYou didn’t know him either.

PARKWell, that’s not true. I worked with Dr. Orange for several years.

EMILYYeah, but he hated you.

PARKWe did not see eye to eye on everything, this is true-

EMILYNo, he hated you. He said you were like a leech that sucked the life and the fun out of everything. He said you crushed every creative idea he ever had, and he said that people like you were the reason artists could not flourish in higher education.

PARKYou really are his protégée, aren’t you?

EMILYIs there a particular reason you came to talk to me, or did you just want to prove his point?

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PARKWell, I wanted to make sure if you were okay-

EMILYI’m not.

PARKWell, then in that case if you wanted to talk-

EMILYI don’t.

PARKI thought that’s about how this would go. In any case, I know this is not really the place or the time, but I wanted to remind you that you will have to choose a new faculty advisor for your thesis.

EMILYI’m not going to continue with my thesis.

PARKYou’re-?

EMILYI was only going to do it because Dr. Orange told me he thought I should and that he would work with me on it. He’s not here anymore to try to convince me to do things like write a thesis or go to grad school or whatever so there’s no point in finishing it.

PARKEmily, I’m sure Dr. Orange would want-

EMILYOh, you’re sure, are you? Because you two were so close? Because you knew him so well you’re sure that that’s what he would want for me?

PARKI didn’t have to be his best friend to know that he would want his favorite student to continue to succeed.

EMILYYeah, well I don’t have to have a Ph.D. to know when someone doesn’t want to talk to me.

PARK

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Point taken. I’m sorry if I intruded on your grief, but please do consider what I said.

EMILY

(Makes a face at PARK as he exits. She walks back over to the desk and gently places the daffodil on it before sitting down at the chair pulled next to the desk.)

Finally got rid of that bag of bore. God, I don’t know how you used to work with him. At least you don’t have to put up with him anymore. Or do you? Do you still linger around, and you can still overhear everything that’s going on, even Dr. Park? Or do you only see the good bits? Like your wife playing with your son, or the new Star Wars movie. Or maybe you’re not still here, and you’re just gone. Like you never happened. Or maybe you’re in Heaven like my roommate believes in. Well, you were a heathen, so according to her you’re probably in purgatory or something. Speaking of you being a heathen, I brought back your weird reggae CD. I don’t really know what to do with it now, so I guess I’ll just leave it with your stuff and then your wife can decide what she wants to do with it when she cleans your stuff out. I hated it, by the way, just like I told you I would.

(She smiles at herself, but then begins to grow more serious, allowing the tears to fall freely toward the end of the speech.)

I was going to go to your service. I got all dressed up and everything, but then I got there, and I just couldn’t. Everyone was so quiet and so sad and so- so lifeless. And it just felt like the opposite of who you were. And I know it’s cliché and I know you hate clichés, but I just felt like for someone who was so alive, we shouldn’t have to act so dead in honoring your memory, or whatever it was we were supposed to be doing today. I mean, that’s not what you would want, right? Or maybe you would. You were never afraid of the attention. Maybe you want to know that people are sad that you’re gone. I think that’s part of the reason Park hated you so much. You always loved that we all loved you, and I think Park thinks you should have been more humble about it. But what does he know, right? Or maybe he does know. Maybe I’m the one who doesn’t know anything. Maybe Park is a nice guy and I just hate him because you did. Maybe I don’t even like writing; maybe I only did it because you told me to and I fucking worshipped you. Maybe I should just be some type A business major like my mom wants and end up in some boring administrative job and suck the fun out of everything just like Park because maybe that’s who I am. Maybe I don’t really have any kind of creativity or talent and you just goaded me on because you liked feeling like some sort of god damn hero making me feel better after my dad died. Well guess what? Now you’re dead too. You’re dead and I don’t remember who you were and I don’t know who I am and I hate you! I hate you for making me your protégée and I hate you for making me feel like I could do something with my life and I hate you for leaving me just like everyone else did!

(She buries her face in her hand and sobs. At some point near the end of this rant, LINDSEY had come to stand silently in the doorway. She moves to EMILY now, crouching in front of her.)

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LINDSEYEmily.

EMILYI don’t know anything anymore.

LINDSEY

(Places her hands on the sides of Emily’s face.)

Emily, listen to me. Dr. Orange was your favorite professor, and he cared about you. You know that. Don’t twist his memory into something that he wasn’t just because you’re angry. And don’t twist yourself into something that you’re not just because he’s gone. You are my best friend and my roommate, and you are the weirdest, most creative, most free-spirited person I know. And you are not that way because of your dad or because of Dr. Orange or because of anyone. You are that way because that is who you are. And you are going to make it through this, and you are going to be okay. Okay?

EMILY

(Nods furiously. The two embrace.)

BLACKOUT.

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