🌹The Rose & Skull ☠️
Response 3A
Write a short dialogue for The Stronger OR Roman Fever, but place it in a different setting. Adapt the language and details to that new setting, and try to make an insight into setting, character, relationship, theme, or style. You can re-write a portion of the original dialogue (in which case you must rework it substantially) or write an entirely new one (which must in large part be in keeping with the original in terms of the general context of the characters and situation). The setting can be anywhere, as long as that setting helps you get at something insightful about the original text. Give your dialogue a title as well as character and setting indications (don’t include these in your word count).
*** I’ve included the stronger responses without commentary this week.
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Don’t Psychoanalyze Me!
[A Modern Day 10-year high school reunion]
Ms X: [the grad class’s former popular girl, today an unhappy stay-at-home mom]
Ms Y: [the grad class’s former nerd, today a licensed trauma therapist, sitting at her table observing all of the festivities of the high school reunion, feeling disconnected from everyone around her] Oh, there is Ms X, I wonder if she remembers me? I should avoid eye contact just to be safe. Well, we made eye contact… she is coming over… here it goes. Time for small talk about how her three kids and high school sweetheart husband do not satisfy her desire for belonging nor do they heal the suppressed trauma that she has been through. I really do not want to be her counsellor tonight. I think I’ll keep my therapist hat off.
Ms X: Hey you! Long time, no see! I heard you were a therapist, or something now? Please do not like psychoanalyze me or anything while we talk. [She laughs hoping for Amelia to join her]
Ms Y: [gently laughs but stops sooner than Millie would have liked, making the comment even more uncomfortable for the speaker] (109)
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The Beauty of Tulips
Mrs. X. [enters her home as the sun sets in the evening. Approaching the luxurious parlour, she hears unmistakable female laughter. As she enters, she stops abruptly, noticing her husband and Miss Y. sitting apart on the upholstered sofa.]
Mrs. Y. “Why, finally! I have been waiting for you for hours with only Bob to entertain me” [Miss Y. expresses with a sly smile.] “Look, dear! I have brought you tulips, plucked straight from my garden. Lovely, aren’t they?” [she asks, pointing to a lush bouquet. Mrs. X. glances at her husband and notices him gazing at Miss Y. ]
Bob. “Beautiful” [he adds.] (100 words)
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Lockdown Fever
Alida and Grace [sit on a bench in Stanley Park (Vancouver, B.C.) it’s 2021, the sun is out, it’s mid-day. The park is somewhat empty with a handful of people walking around with face masks.
Alida: The last time I experienced an afternoon similar to this was ages ago.
Grace: Lockdown was awful. Anyways, I’m sorry about Delphin.
Alida: Thanks...
Grace: Sorry, It's fresh; I shouldn’t mention it.
*Alida laughs sarcastically*
Grace: You alright?
Alida: When I lost my husband to COVID-19, I found something peculiar. You mentioned testing positive on Facebook concurrently as Delphin. Prior to Delphin testing positive, I noticed a recurrence of him arriving home late. One day, he wasn’t home; I examined his laptop, there was a message from you, “I can’t stop thinking about last night”. That's when I understood.
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The Loner and the Lonely
PERSONS: MRS GENQ., robot operator, widowed. MISS SPACE., time traveller, engaged.
[ Center of a space lounge club; floating table, two invisible chairs.]
[MRS GENQ enters gliding in on a hoverboard, wearing the classic white space suit]
[MISS SPACE sitting at the table, drinking a galaxy cosmo, watching a time travel review through her glasses.]
MRS. GENQ. Greetings Galatica, how empty for you to be here alone on the night of the great constellations.
[MISS SPACE. Furrows brow, then continues to watch time travel through her glasses.]
MISS SPACE. Well at least I'm not engaged to a cheating man.
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Through the Eyes of the Beholder
It’s Boxing Day, and Miss Z is enjoying a zen moment as she drinks her smoothie at the juice bar in her yoga studio after taking a challenging hot yoga class. Miss Y enters, sees her sitting alone, and abruptly starts up a conversation. The two women and their mutual friend, Mrs. X, all work in Vancouver’s vibrant film industry.
Miss Y: I ran into Mrs. X on Christmas Eve. She seemed to find comfort in seeing me alone. She didn’t stop talking long enough for me to tell her that I was on my way to an A List party at Ryan Reynold’s house.
Miss Z smiles as she rolls her eyes in her mind.
Miss Y: She is married to a psychopath. When I starred in that steamy romance, he became obsessed with me…loved everything that I loved.
Miss Z smiles, but deep-down wishes Miss Y would stop boasting about her fame.
Miss Y: The poor dear accused me of having an affair with him. I guess she needed to create a world in her mind where everyone wants what she has to make herself feel strong. (98 words)
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Mirrors
[A small hair salon in London; chandelier lighting, a mosaic painting of a beautiful woman, and mirrors covering each wall]
[MRS. X. enters in a red dress with gigot sleeves and a matching hat]
[MISS Y. already getting a pompadour from the hairdresser is reading The Queen newspaper]
MRS. X. Millie! Fancy seeing you here! Getting a low coiffure, I, see? Oh, how classy of you, as usual. I am also getting one myself. [sits at the station beside MISS Y] You see, my husband adores the silhouette of a low coiffure, insisting that it’s my crown of glory.
[MISS Y. smirks and nods as if in agreement]
MRS. X. Yes, my husband’s still smitten over me, even after all these years. Because of these cunning women, however, we had a few misunderstandings, but we’re stronger than you can ever imagine! He still surprises me with flowers – tulips to be exact. [MISS Y gives the side-eye to MRS. X] They’re not my type, but his genuine gesture makes me fall in love with him all over again. Yes, [inhales deeply] we’re better than ever. (106 words)
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Divorcing is a Blessing
[MRS. X. enters while holding two packs of Family-Size Rainbow Sherbet.]
[MISS Y. is eating a Single-King Fat Free Vanilla Yogart while scrolling through her i-phone, searching for a Tinder match.]
MRS. X. Look who’s here! The woman who cheated with my ex-husband!
[MISS Y. looks up from the phone, nods, and resumes her scrolling.]
MRS. X. [Ironically] I would like to thank you, for helping me realize that I deserve better. Now I am with a new person, who respects my preferences about foods, dresses, and damn flowers! Last summer, we went to my favorite beach for vacation . . .
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[Mrs. X sees Miss Y in a shopping mall, shopping for Christmas presents. Mrs. X approaches Miss Y.]
Mrs. X “Merry Christmas! Here I thought you might be alone this year, but no, you are buying a men’s pair of slippers. A beau? Someone I know perhaps?”
Miss Y says nothing but lowers and slightly shields the pair of men’s slippers in her hand.
Mrs. X “Well, either way, you have great taste. Tulips are very in this year…”
Mrs. X picks up the same pair of slippers and walks to the cash register.
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The Tempest in Her Mind
1963, 10 am, outside two beautiful homes with a small hedge separating the two yards. Both yards have beautiful gardens with white picket fences. The house on the left belongs to Mrs X, her yard overly manicured and stuffed with loud coloured roses and Dahlias. The house on the right belonging to Miss Y, the garden effortless and beautiful, tulips beds of all kinds of colours spread around the yard. Miss Y is trimming the hedge between the two houses in silence, Mrs X is carrying a hose and watering her garden bed. Mrs X sees Miss Y and places her thumb over the end of the hose and lifts her hand. The stream of water flies up in a mist and only just misses Miss Y, catching her attention.
Mrs X: My dear! How are you? It was just Bob’s birthday! Do you know what he asked for? Tulips! But they don’t match the garden. Besides, you may steal them, you do love them! Mrs X makes a flourish with her hand to gesture to Miss Y’s copious amounts of tulips. She does so with her left arm, a silver bracelet, she found on Bob’s bedside table, dangles off her wrist and catches the light. Silver leaves intertwine and hold a very small pearl at the top.
Mrs X: Do you like it? (She holds up her wrist) Bob gave it to me. A bit plain for my taste. Miss Y thinks of the matching bracelet she lost gardening a few months before.
Miss Y: It’s beautiful.
Mrs X: Don’t get any ideas, you’d have to kill me with those trimmers before I let you take what’s mine. Mrs X laughed, but there is a deep venom behind her words.
Mrs X: I love your work! The last play you did…um…Shakespeare, with the storm.
Miss Y: Miranda, the Tempest.
Mrs X: Yes! How the men must love you, Miranda. Bob was so…moved by your performance! Miss Y looks down uncomfortably.
Mrs X: Oh! I’m drowning my roses. Ta-ta, Miranda! (Mrs. X retreats into her backyard, Miss. Y watches Mrs X leave then puts down her trimmers and hurries into her house, she begins packing)
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The Vampire Cafe
[Miss Y and Mrs. X are two vampires who are friends since high school, and they are meeting in a vampire cafe after a long time. Due to the pandemic, the cafes were closed and finally reopened when the situation got better]. [Mrs. X is talkative compared to Miss Y]
Mrs. X: Enters and [asks Miss Y] Why you look so sad?
Miss Y: I am all right. I am just enjoying the calmness of this evening.
Mrs. X: Have you tried the chocolate chip blood muffin? My family loves it, especially my husband.
Miss Y: Yes, it is good.
Mrs. X: I wanted to tell you something important. Jane is trying to steal my husband.
Miss Y: How?
Mrs. X: She gave him a blood shake with magic mushrooms [with spell in it].
Miss Y: It’s my recipe. I didn’t know that Jane was going to use it, to steal your husband.
[Miss Y told her not to worry and shared the recipe. Even though Mrs. X did not like what miss Y did (sharing recipe with Jane), she accepted the recipe and exits]
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Burning Pile
[A green room of a theatre; a rust toned velvet sofa, dark walls, and the amber hue of mirrored dressing room lights]
[MISS Y. sits casually on the sofa, cigarette lazily perched between her fingers, flipping through photos and portraits of actresses who have come and gone from the theatre]
[MRS. X. enters, her hair and clothes dripping wet from the storm outside, pushing the dressing room door open with an unusual amount of force for someone of such petite stature]
MRS. X. Oh! Dear Millie! [spoken sarcastically] I nearly forgot about your existence!
[MISS Y. raises an eyebrow, and ashes her smoking cigarette onto the floor below]
MRS. X. [brushes droplets of rain from her shoulders and shakes her hands dry while moving to lean against the dressing room countertops directly across from MISS Y] You mustn’t smoke like this! It’s not ladylike, wouldn’t you agree? But- yes. I admit, I did forget entirely of your existence. I was on my way home when I remembered I left my good coat here in this dressing room- Bob gave it to me last Christmas and I wouldn't dare forget about it! I do believe it was last Christmas in fact- you must remember! I embroidered those horrid tulips..
[MISS Y. rolls her eyes silently and takes a long draw from the cigarette, the smoke wafting over MRS. X.]
MRS. X. [coughs and waves the smoke away] You know dearest Millie, it’s been some time since last Christmas when we last spoke of this. [pause] But, have you ever considered just why [emphasized] you remain unmarried? And at this age?
[MISS Y coughs delicately on the smoke, and places the cigarette down into the velvet fabric leaving a burn mark, to which MRS. X’s eyes foil into a frown.]
MRS. X. [hurries over to the smouldering burn mark, and anxiously pats the arm of the sofa forbidding the burn to spread throughout the delicate fabric, just as she had once tried to do to her friendship last Christmas] Well.. Anyways dear Amèlia.. Give that some thought.
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The Catfish
Mrs. Slade [from the other side of the computer screen. Her camera is turned on, an urn is visible, sitting on the mantle behind her]. Listen to this. ‘Baby, I need to see you. Don’t worry about Grace finding out.
Mrs. Ansley. [sitting at home alone in front of her computer. The open tab on the screen reads Zoom meeting. Her camera is turned off, but her voice sounds shaky]. Stop. I-I know what it said.
Mrs. Slade. And do I even need to get into the winking-face emoji at the end?
Mrs. Ansley. How did you know about this anyways? I made sure to delete his messages.
Mrs. Slade. Isn't it obvious by now? I was catfishing, I can’t believe you actually fell for it. Now turn on your camera and face me, coward.
Mrs. Ansley. [her camera now turned on]. You catfished me?... Well, you certainly did a good job because I could not tell the difference when we met in-person.
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The Affair
Mrs. X: enters, dressed in winter clothes, wearing a hat and cloak, and carrying a nice bag. Ms. Y: reading an illustrated newspaper, and she later gets carried away looking at her cellphone.
Mrs. X: Hi Alison, how are you? What are you doing here? Oh right, I know what you are doing here? because you have no one on Christmas Eve. It must be sad on Christmas eve to spend it alone in a cat Cafe with no significant other. Let me take you back down to memory lane, remember those good old days you had with my husband, all those wonderful memories you both made If you just showed more affection in the relationship, maybe he would not have left you for me.
Ms. Y: (She is ignoring her and too busy on her cell phone)
Mrs. X: Are you even listening to what I have to say? Why are you being so rude? When you were having an affair with my husband, I was never rude to you, or jealous of you. I kept my cool and I still was kind toward you. Instead of you being on your cell phone we should talk like two grown women.
Ms. Y: Oh sorry, I was not listening, were you speaking to me?
Mrs. X: (Rolls her eyes and speaks in sarcasm) Yes, I was speaking to you, I am not talking to the cat. How does it feel to be left by Bob for me?
Ms. Y: (Shrugs her shoulders), I do not care about the affair I had with your husband. I do not mind drinking chocolate alone in a cat cafe on Christmas eve. I feel it is very peaceful, and I get to spend time for myself.
Mrs. X: Are you sure you are not in denial? Because usually on Christmas eve, not everyone spends it alone in a cat cafe with cats and being on your phone. (Smirks at Ms. Y)
Ms. Y: (Rolls her eyes and walks out of the cafe)
Mrs. X: Okay have a good Christmas eve, Bye!
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Vegan
[In an almost empty Tim Hortons at 1:00am. Guy walks in through the glass door. After a quick glance, he walked towards his buddy, the only other guests at Tim Hortons. Bud is sitting in a corner table next to the windows, overseeing the parking lot. A hot drink in papersleeve is on the table, with a large screen iPhone in his hands.]
Guy: Hey bud. I am so stoned! You should’ve joined us at the party. I was gonna introduce you guys, but Julianna said felt tired so I drove her home. I’m gonna grab a bite. [Guy walks up to the order counter. Bud takes a sip of his beverage and went back to his iPhone. Guy returns with a hot beverage in his hand.]
Guy: My boss is a donkey. I’m going to force him to give me a promotion. We are planning to get married next Summer. You know, I’m always jealous of you! Entrepreneur with a successful vegan food startup. [Server brings a vegan turkey BLT sandwich to Guy.]
Guy: Julianna turned me vegan. She once told me how her ex was really into healthy eating. They took this long road trip and practically lived on a camper. [Guy takes a bite of his sandwich and starts chewing.]
Guy: Didn’t you used to have a camper? Wait a sec… it all makes sense now! That’s why every time we tried to meet up, she came up with excuses.
[Bud put down his phone calmly and about to speak.]
Guy [shouting]: You must think I’m an idiot! Screw you! You can have my half-eaten sandwich. [Guy rushes out the glass door to the parking lot. Drives away in his Ford Mustang. Bud takes a sip of his beverage and went back to his iPhone.]
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The Other Woman
Mrs. Y. [sits alone at a dimly lit bar in Vancouver in 2021 with a martini in hand].
Mrs. X. [dressed in a trench coat and Chanel bag approaches Mrs. Y. sitting at the bar and pulls up a stool].
Mrs. X.: "You look as lonely as a ghost drinking that martini over here."
[Mrs. Y. looks at her and awkwardly smiles]
Mrs. X.: "It must be so difficult being single in this city. [pauses] I can't imagine since I have been married for eternity."
[Mrs. Y. does not reply]
Mrs. X.: "I can't envision not going home to my husband. Do you remember my husband? I know you used to work with him."
[Mrs. Y. looks down]
Mrs. X.: "I used to envy the way he looked at you, but now I see you are just lonely women at the bar."
[Mrs. Y. begins to giggle]
Mrs. X.: "Our marriage has aged like a fine wine since you have been out of the picture."
[Mrs. Y. begins to laugh hysterically]
Mrs. X.: "I don't know why you think this is funny because while you drink alone, I will lay in bed with my husband." [Mrs. X. storms out]
[Mrs. Y. smirks and takes a sip of her martini, unbothered]
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Rise And Shine
[Mrs. X, sister to Ms.Y, married, unemployed. Ms.Y, sister to Mrs.X, unmarried, employed.]
[Countryside porch; early morning sunrise, two white wicker chairs, small wicker coffee table between them.]
[Mrs. X sits in a wicker chair looking out at the rolling hills. She is wearing a yellow sundress with her hair and face groomed]
[Ms.Y exits the house and enters the porch still wearing her house coat and slippers, holding a cup of hot coffee in her hand.]
Mrs. X. Good morning!
Ms.Y. Good morning to you too. Already ready for the day?
[Mrs. X. Nods and continues enjoying the view]
Ms. Y. How is it that you always wake up looking so good? You don’t have anywhere to go!
[Mrs.X. Motions to reply]
Ms.Y. You have always been like this ever since we were little girls. It’s infuriating. Little Ms. Perfect is all dolled up! You’re built for marriage.
Mrs.X. Is it a fault of mine to want to be presentable?
Ms.Y. It is when the only one you’re trying to impress is your sister. And for the record, you don't. There's a difference between beauty and performance.
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