BY LUIS D.
CHARACTERS:
FAST the BLUE JAY, male, one year old
BRAVE the CARRIER PIDGEON, male, one year old, his best friend
SETTING: A park in San Francisco near Bernal Heights. It is very foggy in the morning. There is tall green grass, trees. The sounds of ferocious dog barks and high pitched bird sounds.
TIME: 12:00 noon. It is late autumn near to the beginning of winter.
AT RISE: FAST is on the ground, breathing hard, his feathers very ruffled.
FAST
WHOA! I almost became German Shepard lunch! That was way too close. This new dog has moved in and I have to learn to fly TODAY, I might not ever have the chance tomorrow! If only my parents would have never died and had taught me to fly right! I would have been able to be free, to soar in the blue sky, to maybe be as brave as Brave himself is! If only I had the courage to tell Brave I can’t really fly, but what if he gets mad at me for never telling him before? He might get so mad at me and leave me! He can’t leave: no one will protect me, and no one will teach me how to fly!
(BRAVE flies in to the highest branch of the tree.)
BRAVE
YES! I found a mate, her name is Margaret and she is such a beautiful dove! She lives in New York which is not much of a problem for me, I’ll fly there in a jiffy, after all I am a carrier pigeon. Oh snap, what about Fast? Maybe he can fly to New York with me? Yeah! I’ll go tell him, but I need to hurry. The first storm of winter is coming and if I get caught in it I won’t make it.
(BRAVE flies to the ground)
BRAVE
HEY! Fast! I have some really big news to tell you!
FAST
So, what is it?
BRAVE
Remember when I went to New York last summer? Remember I met this Dove over there and How she is just the most beautiful Dove I have ever layed eyes on?!
FAST
Yeah…I remember.
BRAVE
I got a message from her! She wants me to be her mate! Oh, I’m so excited!
FAST
WHAT?!
BRAVE
YEAH! Isn’t it great? I’m going to have to fly to New York before winter because it gets really harsh and…
FAST
Brave…
BRAVE
Maybe we’ll have chicks and we’ll name them all Brave Junior and…
FAST (louder)
BRAVE…
BRAVE
Need to pack some crickets, worms, grasshoppers, and…
FAST (loudest)
BRAVE !!!
BRAVE (surprised)
What ?!
FAST
I also have something to tell you.
BRAVE (anxious)
What?! What is it.
FAST
I…I…I can’t really fly!
BRAVE (confused)
What? But how, when , why? How come you never told me this?
FAST
I didn’t tell you because I was scared. I was scared that you would leave me or tell the other birds in the neighborhood. I’d be the laughing stock of the century.
BRAVE
I thought we were best friends, even more, like Brothers. I thought you could trust me. Why?! Why can’t you fly?
FAST (angry)
I never really learned because my parents go eaten by dogs! And now there’s a new, faster Dog that has moved in and I’m afraid that if I don’t learn I’ll get eaten like my parents. Can you stay here and teach me?
BRAVE
You kept this from me! I get the greatest news of my life and you come at me with this!!!
(BRAVE turns away from FAST, to himself)
Aghh! What should I do , what should I do?? I can’t leave my best friend here to die, but what about Margaret?
FAST (to himself)
My heart’s pounding fast, faster than when a dog chases me! I’m so scared that he will choose the Dove over me
(BRAVE turns to FAST)
BRAVE
Fast…
FAST (anxiously)
Yeah…?
BRAVE
You have been there for me when I need you, and I can’t stand leaving you here to die. But I really want Margaret the Dove.
FAST
Brave…there’s many beautiful Doves in the world, but a best friend only comes once in a lifetime!
(FAST turns to leave)
BRAVE (aside)
(sighs) It’s true, there are many other mates and only one best friend.
(to FAST) Fast, I’ll choose you over any mate any day. But it will take time to get over her one way or another.
FAST (happy tears)
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I promise I’ll never let you down! And when I fly, I will find you the prettiest mate ever, prettier than Margaret!
THE END
