A Great Friendship of the Bowling Pin and Bowling Ball (2010)
A Play by Caila
CHARACTERS:
Rollover, the Bowling Pin, nickname Pinny, Female, 4 years young
Rollon, the Bowling Ball, nickname Bally, Female, 5 years old
SETTING:
Bowling Alley named Sea Bowl, in lane 12. It is cold and clean. Pinny is lonely and standing by herself while the ther pins are talking about the TV show that’s on. Pinny is mostly white but getting dirtier by the day, two stripes that are fading, but she is still the same person she always has been, faithful. Bally is in the bowling machine, waiting to get thrown down the lane. She is a black, pound bowling ball with gold sparkles.
TIME:
Bowling Alley named Sea Bowl, in lane 12. It is cold and clean. Pinny is lonely and standing by herself while the ther pins are talking about the TV show that’s on. Pinny is mostly white but getting dirtier by the day, two stripes that are fading, but she is still the same person she always has been, faithful. Bally is in the bowling machine, waiting to get thrown down the lane. She is a black, pound bowling ball with gold sparkles.
AT RISE:
Someone picks up Bally and throws her down lane 12. She sees Pinny by herself and feels bad. So she decides to knock her in the gutter so they can talk.
(Boom, smash, crash, Bally hits Pinny in the gutter.)
BALLY
Hey, what’s wrong? Are you okay?
PINNY
Nothing much, I’ve just been thinking a lot. I have so much on my mind right now.
BALLY
What’s up? Wanna talk about it?
PINNY
Not really, I just don’t know how to tell you about what I want right now.
BALLY
What are you trying to say? We tell each other everything! We’ve been friends for so long.
PINNY
I know we have, but I’m just going through a lot right now…and it doesn’t help when I don’t have respect from you. I don’t know how to tell you what’s on my mind. Its not that I don’t want to tell you, believe me I do. I just don’t know how to say it or if you’ll help me.
BALLY
Of course I’ll help you with whatever it is. Just tell me how and I’ll do it, just you have to tell me.
PINNY
Well, you promise you won’t get mad about what I’m going to say?
BALLY
I promise. Just tell me, please.
PINNY
Okay. I don’t know how well you’re going to take thi-
BALLY
What do you mean “how well I’m going to take it?” What are you trying to tell me?
PINNY
It’s not that bad, really. I just need your help. I want you to knock me down in the gutter…
BALLY
Why? Why would you want that? What makes you think I would even do that?
(Pins crashing down in the next lane and are yelling about it.)
PINNY
Because if you cared you would try to help me. There’s only four more cycles left for me to be picked up by the machine and I have to get on one to change lanes, but I need your help first.
BALLY
Four cycles? Are you crazy? I think you’re going psycho. What happened in your pin? Are you sure you’re feeling okay today? Did you loose your stripes today? I’m not going to push you in the gutter.
PINNY
You promised m-
BALLY
Yeah, that was before I knew what it was and what it was about. Why do you even want to get on the cycles?
PINNY
Okay long story short. I want to get away, be in a nicer community of pins by switching lanes. I need to get away. I hate how I’m treated here by the other pins.
BALLY
So, what…now you’re going to leave me like this? I thought we had something, I mean, we told each other everything and you even promised not to tell anyone my garbage. Why would you ever tell anyone my personal life? How would you feel if I-
PINNY
Wait, wait, hold up. What are you talking about, “spreading your garbage?” And no! Of course I wouldn’t leave you unless something was really wrong, that’s why I want you to come with me.
BALLY
I would love to go with you but I can’t. And don’t play dumb with me, I know you’re not stupid, I heard you talking to the other pins about me and how they were trying to get to know my garbage. So what did you tell them? Huh? Huh? What do you got to say for yourself? You’ve been caught, give it up. (Bally is very angry and on the verge of crying.)
PINNY
I never told them, anyone, anything. I would never do that to you, you are my best friend and my life. I mean they asked me about your garbage, but I said our friendship is worth more than trying to destroy it by spreading your garbage. You are way more important to me and I would never try to sabotage you like that. Ever. I’m sorry.
(They bounce into each other and hug.)
{aside} Do I want to leave and go to a different lane? Or do I want to stay here and get pushed around? But if I move to another lane, there is a fifty-fifty chance that I may or may not get my friendship back with Bally.
BALLY (starts to cry a little)
Okay I think I can believe you. Thank you for not spreading my garbage like that. You are a true friend.
(They hug and bump again.)
Why do you need to go to the next lane?
PINNY
I want to go because its nicer, has white striped pins and no one really bowls in that lane. So that means I have a chance not to get more dents. You know I get really scared ‘cause the balls come really fast at me.
BALLY
What if I talk to the other bowling balls and tell them to not roll all over you? Would that be better for you? I just don’t want to lose you.
PINNY
I don’t want to lose you either. And no! I don’t want you to do anything. No offense but it’s the last thing I need along with the other pins mocking me. I’m really stressed by the pins trying to get me to give them your garbage.
BALLY
What do you mean mocking you? How are they mocking you?
(They look over and notice the other pins eavesdropping on their conversation. They move away from them by going down in the gutter.)
PINNY
They mock me because I hang out with you and you’re not a bowling pin like us. It hurts me and I hate when they talk about you like that.
BALLY
Well I’m glad you care so much. You’re a real great friend to me but I forgot I have something to tell you.
PINNY
Of course, you can tell me anything.
BALLY
Well, I’ve been thinking about something…
(Boom, smash, crash.)
PINNY
Okay, well can you hurry and just say it. There’s only three more cycles left.
BALLY
Okay, okay, don’t rush me. This is going to take a second…(long pause)
PINNY
Just spit it out already! Go! Go! Go!
BALLY
Okay here it goes. (Says it really fast and Pinny can’t understand her.) I really want to go away to the vending machine to be free.
PINNY
Wait, slow down. What are you saying? Say it slowly.
BALLY
Okay then. I really want to go to the vending machine and be bought so I can be free. Because I don’t want to be stuck here, I feel too attached and I need to let go, to be free from people grabbing and throwing me on the cold floor.
PINNY
How can you be such a hypocrite? You were telling me not to go to the other lane, but you come out with this and tell me you’re to go to the vending machine. I thought you don’t want to leave me.
BALLY
No, I want to go, not that I am, just yet, but it is my dream.
PINNY
Why do you want to go? Why is it so important?
BALLY
I want to start a new life and get away. I want to stop hurting you, and the other pins, by rolling all over you the way I do. And I’m sorry.
PINNY
You know what, this is too much for me. I need to be happy and to do that I need to get out of this lane. If you don’t push me down I will go crazy and throw myself in the wood chipper.
BALLY
Okay, I get what you’re saying and I really care for you and I don’t want you to hurt yourself. So I’ll just push you if that’s what you really want.
PINNY
It is what I really want and I’ll feel more comfortable that way and less scared. But maybe we can still be friends.
BALLY
I don’t think that could happen. I mean, you’re going in a different lane and I’m going to the vending machine. There won’t be any time.
PINNY
If this is what you want then I’m happy for you and all that matters to me is that you’re happy.
(Boom, crash, smash.)
BALLY
I hate to say goodbye after such a great friendship. This really hurts, we’ve had such a great life together.
PINNY
I know what you mean. This is really hard to let go of you like this. I just never thought it would end like this. And by the way, after you push me, just know it will be the best dent I’ve ever had and I appreciate you more than anything.
(Boom, smash, crash.)
BALLY
Well I guess this is it. (Tears fall from both of them.) I never thought this would end but I wish you the best of luck.
PINNY
You too, I hope you get what you want and maybe I’ll see you on the flip side.
(They hug and bump into each other. Bally knocks down Pinny…boom, smash, crash…and rolls away. Pinny gets picked up. They are happy now but still sad that they had to leave each other. But it was for the best for both of them.)
THE END
