Traveling In Love

Traveling in Love

Characters:

Dawn
Mike

Scene: An airport terminal, set is minimal perhaps just a bench and a trashcan.


DAWN.
We showed up an hour early and now our flight is delayed for thirty more minutes! What else can go wrong?

MIKE.
Honey, settle down. There is no use going insane over something we can’t change.

DAWN.
Did you remember the tickets?

MIKE.
Yes

DAWN.
Did you bring the adapter for my hair dryer?

MIKE.
Yes.

DAWN.
The traveler’s checks?

MIKE.
What? What traveler’s checks?

DAWN.
I specifically reminded you this morning when –

MIKE.
Yes, I brought them.

DAWN.
Michael, this is not the time to be playing games with me, this not a good time at all!

MIKE.
Oh is it that time? I thought it happened during the second week of the month.

DAWN.
Michael!

MIKE.
Dawn, honey, relax. Everything will be fine. We are totally prepared, toting our whole closet with us for a one week vacation, and two sets of clothes for carry-on just in case they lose our luggage.

DAWN.
Michael don’t mock me, you remember what happened last time we traveled?

MIKE.
Yes, we lost our luggage. Oh, but then they found it an hour later. I remember.

DAWN.
Well, you never know with these people.

MIKE.
These people? Who are these people?

DAWN.
These people have no regards for a person’s property. They don’t care if they lose anyone’s luggage. They still get paid the same.

MIKE.
Hey, one of my close friends works in the airline business. He is not one of these people. Just to let you know, they do care if they lose someone’s luggage. If they were to lose everyone’s luggage, they would have no customers. It is just a simple mistake.

DAWN.
Just a simple mistake? I am sorry but losing my evening dress would not be just a simple mistake.

MIKE.
(Pulls out a flask and takes a drink)


DAWN.
Michael, I don’t think you are seriously thinking about taking that flask on the plane. You won’t get past security, especially with whisky in it.

MIKE.
I don’t intend on having any whisky left by the time we go through security.

DAWN.
You’re getting drunk! (beat) How often to do you intend to drink on this vacation?

MIKE.
Well, I think that depends on two things

DAWN.
And what are these two things?

MIKE.
Well, number one, it depends on if the hotels provide us with those little free sample bottles of alcohol, and number two, how often you act like this.

DAWN.
Oh, don’t go blaming me for your drinking habits.

MIKE.
I’m sorry, but sometimes you get so wound up that the only time I can handle you is when I am totally wasted, like our five year anniversary, for example. (Takes another drink)

DAWN.
(Takes the flask and throws it away.) Now you know how much pressure I feel around family. The only reason I acted the way I did was because of them.

MIKE.
Who is blaming who now?

DAWN.
(Holding back) Michael now is not the time. Let’s talk about something else. We are going to enjoy this vacation, whether you like it or not.

MIKE.
(Retrieves the flask) I will enjoy it. (Takes a drink)

DAWN.
Good, because if you remember this is a very important vacation. Not only are we going to be enjoying ourselves, but I am also going to be very busy working with my firm’s client, and I don’t want you ruining it.

MIKE.
I won’t ruin anything, I plan on hanging around the bar and pool all day.

DAWN.
Well that’s no surprise! (Beat) Whatever you do, just don’t do anything foolish.

MIKE.
Foolish? What are you implying?

DAWN.
Well, I’m just saying that I won’t be around and there will certainly be a lot of attractive women there.

MIKE.
Why must you always doubt my faithfulness?

DAWN.
Well if you remember, three years ago at the hotel in New York, I came back from a meeting and found you talking to a very attractive woman at the bar. You were most definitely drunk.

MIKE.
Oh my god, we were talking about the Yankees for crying out loud. She was very knowledgeable on the subject, actually. If you want to know, we were discussing their trade for Roger Clemens.

DAWN.
Oh, and I am sure that it was so loud that you both had to be shoulder to shoulder while you were talking.

MIKE.
We were sitting on bar stools! Yes, we were next to each other, and yes it was loud, but I have no control over the distance of non-moveable, screwed to the floor, bar stools in New York drinking establishments.

DAWN.
Well you could have sat one away from her!

MIKE.
I was sitting there first and she sat next to me, I wasn’t going to be rude and move down a bar stool. Hell, she was married and I was married. We even talked about you. I had no intention to take her to our room or to go to hers, jesus.

DAWN.
(Intrigued) Oh, and what exactly did you tell her, did you tell her our whole life story?

MIKE.
It was merely a friendly conversation. I should be the one worrying about your faithfulness. I looked up this client of yours on Google; he is quite the ladies man.

DAWN.
You know I don’t mix business with my personal life.

MIKE.
Well you do always say you will do anything to seal a deal. What exactly is anything?

DAWN.
I am not going to participate in this conversation.

MIKE.
Good. I don’t want to talk to you anymore either.

(MIKE finishes off the flask and puts it back in his pocket.)

VOICE:
Flight 178 for Hawaii is now boarding.

(DAWN exits without carrying anything and MIKE carries the bags off stage)