A series of mini-dramas based on public conversations, as overheard and rewritten by local playwright/director Aurora Stewart de Peña.

Overheard at The Lakeview at 3 am…

Heather is in her late 40s. She wears no make-up, and hairs stray from her ponytail. She looks deep into her soy milk latte.

Elise is 35. She drinks a glass of house white.

Elise: You look tired.

Heather: I am tired. 

Elise: I remember, I remember what that was like in the first few months. You’re tired all the time. 

Heather dips a finger in the milk foam. She watches the bubbles pop, then wipes her finger on the napkin. 

Elise: You look good, though.

Heather: You just said I look tired.

Elise: Yeah, but you still look good. You always look good.

Heather smoothes her hair back into the semblance of a ponytail. For a second she does look good, then she frowns. Her face falls.

Elise touches Heather’s knuckles.

Elise: You’re beautiful, you’ve got that glow.

Heather looks at Elise. They look at each other.

Elise: Have you told Steve, yet?

Heather looks at her latte.

Elise: You haven’t, have you?

Heather: No.

Pause. 

Heather: And I’m not going to. I’m too old for this, Elise. I’m too old. 

Elise: I know you feel that way, but… 

Elise trails off.

Heather: Will you come with me? 

Elise: Of course.

Elise stares at her glass of wine. Her fingers tense around the base. 

Elise: Of course I’ll come with you. You don’t even have to ask.

____

Aurora Stewart de Peña is half of the theatre company Birdtown & Swanville (the other half is Nika Mistruzzi). You can follow her on Twitter at @Aurorahhh.

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