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: