Thursday, April 22, 2021

Background Music for Rescuing Your Spouse

      (A car. EVA is driving and MARK is in the passenger seat. They both look out of breath.)

EVA:  Are you okay?

MARK:  I'm fine.

EVA:  You look all right.

MARK:  They gave me a few knocks, but that's it. I don't think they expected you to come flying through the ceiling like that.

EVA:  Never keep someone you've kidnapped in a building with a glass ceiling. What a bunch of amateurs.

MARK:  Took you a little longer this time, huh?

EVA:  What?

MARK:  I was there all night.

EVA:  You weren't there all night. It's only four am.

MARK:  Right. That's...an entire night.

EVA:  It's not like the sun's up.

MARK:  If it weren't for Daylight Savings Time, it would be.

EVA:  I was deactivating a bomb at City Hall. I knew you'd be fine. It's not like this is the first time you've been abducted.

MARK:  I know, it's getting a little annoying.

EVA:  I told you, we need to move out of the city.

MARK:  You think the terrorists won't find me in the country?

EVA:  We can build one of those farmhouses that's actually a fortress. It'll be fun. You love little projects like that.

MARK:  Can I put on some music? I just don't feel like talking. I had to keep a conversation going with the Lead Thug to humanize myself to him so he wouldn't hit me as hard.

EVA:  Yeah, I had Taylor on, but you can change it if you want.

     (A beat.)

MARK:  What do you mean, you had Taylor on?

EVA:  Taylor Swift.

MARK:  No, I know Taylor Swift, what I mean is, what do you mean you had it on?

EVA:  I had it on when I was coming to get you.

MARK:  You mean, coming to rescue me?

EVA:  Yeah.

MARK:  You were listening to Taylor Swift while you were on the way to rescue your husband, who could have been dead when you got there?

EVA:  I knew you wouldn't be dead. Then they wouldn't have any leverage.

MARK:  Why would you be listening to Taylor Swift?

EVA:  Who else would I listen to?

MARK:  Nobody!  You're coming to rescue your husband.

EVA:  I know! I needed music to get me energized.

MARK:  The threat of becoming a widow wasn't energizing enough?

EVA:  Well, and, you know, it's so nice out--

MARK:  Eva!

EVA:  I put the windows down. I had to drive by the beach to get to you--

MARK:  You were coming to save your husband from imminent death!

EVA:  And I needed to get in the zone.

MARK:  Which song were you listening to?

EVA:  Uh...I don't remember.

MARK:  Please tell me it was something somber?

EVA:  Kind of?

MARK:  Which--

EVA:  Shake It Off.

MARK:  You were listening to Shake It Off as I was getting roughed up by henchmen?

EVA:  Well, I had no control over that.

MARK:  You were on a leisurely drive near the shore as I was getting pummeled!

EVA:  Please, you have two bruises.

MARK:  And a scrape!

EVA:  You got that from falling in the shower.

MARK:  Well, this exacerbated the injury.

EVA:  It's just music. Why would I silently drive to save you? That sounds crazy.

MARK:  Crazier than singing along to Shake It Off on your way?

EVA:  You can't help but sing along once it's on. It's very catchy.

MARK:  That is--

EVA:  Do you mean to tell me, if I put Shake It Off on right now, you won't sing along?

MARK:  It should never have been on in the first place.

EVA:  Not playing music wouldn't have gotten me to you any faster.

MARK:  Wait--Why were you by the beach? You don't have to drive by the beach to get to the bad part of town. That's the long way.

EVA:  Uh--

MARK:  Did you purposefully take the long way?

EVA:  Okay, so what happened was--

MARK:  Oh my god!

EVA:  --I only had three songs left on my playlist--

MARK:  Are you kidding?

EVA:  --And I wanted to finish it before I came to get you.

MARK:  Came to get me? You were yanking me from the jaws of death!

EVA:  Please, Mark, it was two goons and a semi-super villain. I probably could have walked right in the front door and had a snack first.

MARK:  You were not taking this seriously enough.

EVA:  I took the first five times very seriously, but at this point, it's just rote.

MARK:  It's not rote for me!

EVA:  Then take a few self-defense classes. I told you it would do wonders for your self-esteem.

MARK:  Will it help prevent me from getting kidnapped?

EVA:  No, you're very weak, and you have the tiniest arms--

MARK:  YOU WERE TAKING YOUR TIME!

EVA:  I was decompressing. You have no idea how stressful this all was.

MARK:  I think I have some idea.

EVA:  I'm sorry. I promise, next time, I will take you being kidnapped with the utmost gravity.

MARK:  Thank you.

     (A beat.)

So you think there's going to be a--

EVA:  Oh, definitely. Probably this weekend. Hopefully not Saturday, because I have plans.

MARK:  I'll do my best.

EVA:  I know you will, babe. You always do.

     (She smiles at him.)

MARK:  You want to put on some music, don't you?

EVA:  Yes, please.

     End of Play

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