A two-minute play about Hope during the CoronaVirus pandemic.
[Two Jewish women are sitting on towels at Hilton Head Island Beach, South Carolina. Enjoying a Shabbat sunset. SFX of seagulls, ocean, breath of dolphins.]
BETH
Should we feel guilty??? Being here at the Beach?
BARBARA
Kinda.
BETH
The world is sick and dying from coronavirus. We’re here eating lox and bagels.
(pause)
Isn’t the Ocean beautiful, Barbara?
BARBARA
Mesmerizing.
(happy gasp)
See that?
BETH
(thrilled)
Oh my God. Dolphins! And what a sunset, huh?
BARBARA
Dolphins diving for fish. So graceful. Love dolphins. Don’t you hate???? The entire world, closed.
BETH
(sadly)
It’s lonely in my house with despicable TV. Every day I wonder: Is it over? Then it’s Worse.
BARBARA
Look! Seagulls, stealing the dolphin’s fish! Love seagulls.
BETH
Voracious eaters! Poor fish.
BARBARA
Poor fish.
BETH
Hey! Let’s pretend everyone in the world is healed. Waves! Soothe us to sleep!
BARBARA
I haven’t slept in weeks. What if I get corona? If my husband dies, I refuse to live.
BETH
Dolphins. Seagulls. Humans…. Only the strong survive. Like us. And our Ocean is always here…
(gently)
Barbara, everything is going to be… all right.
BARBARA
(ruefully)
Beth, you are such an annoying Pollyanna!
(pause)
Shabbat Shalom, Girl Friend.
BETH
Shabbat Shalom, Barbara.
(SFX Dolphins breathing. Seagulls screaming. Ocean swooshing.)
Everything will be All Right.
END of play
Thank you Sharon, for your story! “Inside Our Time” digital series:
