I had fun with this one! The prompt was simply:
Include the line: “You don’t remember me, but I remember you.”
Did anyone else’s mind go straight to ‘Tears on my Pillow’ from Grease?!
Here are the lyrics of the song:
You don’t remember me, but I remember you
‘Twas not so long ago, you broke my heart in two
Tears on my pillow, pain in my heart
Caused by you, you
If we could start anew, I wouldn’t hesitate
I’d gladly take you back, and tempt the hand of fate
Tears on my pillow, pain in my heart, caused by you
Love is not a gadget, love is not a toy
When you find the one you love
She’ll fill your heart with joy
If we could start anew, I wouldn’t hesitate
I’d gladly take you back, and tempt the hand of fate
Tears on my pillow, pain in my heart, caused by you
You (oh oh oh)
You (oh oh oh), you (oh oh oh)
You (oh oh oh) you (oh oh oh)
And with all of this swirling around in my head, this is the play that I wrote:
1.
Grant, about 50, poses in front of the mirror. He wears an all black ensemble with black leather jacket, and his hair gelled up in a quiff. It’s clearly a Grease costume. He throws a ‘Greased Lightning’ move and a few hip thrusts. He’s pretty damn happy with himself.
2.
A cinema.
Molly, also 50ish, tries to navigate through the crowds with her glass of white wine and ticket. She finds her seat and settles in. As she waits, she takes some time checking through her phone and then turning it off.
A little time passes, and then Grant (now more normally dressed), and his partner, Evan (slightly younger) take their seats next to Molly.
She glances at Grant, and does a double take.
MOLLY: Hi, Grant! Grant Detton?
GRANT: Yes…?
MOLLY: This is unbelievable. After all this time.
He stares, trying to place her.
GRANT: I’m so sorry… I have a really bad memory.
MOLLY: You always did!
GRANT: Um…you’ll have to forgive me.
MOLLY: Are you apologising?
GRANT: Uh…?
MOLLY: Grant, you know I don’t accept little things like that.
GRANT: (to Evan) I really don’t know…
EVAN: (To Molly) I’m Evan.
MOLLY: Molly.
EVAN: Good, we’ve got a name. Molly who?
MOLLY: Molly Winkler.
EVAN: Like the Fonz?
MOLLY: What’s a fonz?
EVAN: Grant, this is Molly Winkler. And Molly Winkler is…?
Beat.
GRANT: She’s Molly Winkler.
MOLLY: Oh my lord above! And you still have that little shy smile. You know that always drove me crazy.
EVAN: (delighted) Oh, I think you have a history…!
MOLLY: I’m sure he’s told you little stories about me. Grant, I honestly can’t believe it’s you right next to me. And if I – (she closes her eyes and inhales deeply, right next to him) – yes, that smell takes me back. I can’t believe you still wear the same aftershave.
EVAN: Amazing.
MOLLY: (laughs) I just always found that scent so comforting. (to Evan) How do you know Grant?
EVAN: He’s my husband. We met at work.
Molly sits back, stung.
MOLLY: You’re married?
GRANT: Well…
EVAN: Yes.
MOLLY: Grant? Is this true?
GRANT: Err, yes. Evan is my husband. I think the movie’s about to start, don’t you think? Or the trailers.
MOLLY: Serendipity finally brings us back together – and I swear, Grant, I’ve spent years chasing you – and you give me one brief apology and then declare loudly and proudly that you’re married?! So I have no chance?
GRANT: I’m really sorry. I think my memory is just really poor these days…
EVAN: (to Grant) How do you not know her?
GRANT: I don’t know!
MOLLY: You broke my heart. Shattered it. No apology. Just left. I was a wreck for so long, Grant, so long. And yet… if you want me back, I’m yours.
GRANT: Oh, uh, uh…
MOLLY: I forgive everything. I don’t care. But I can’t stand people playing games. So tell me right now, right now. You tell me if I have a chance with you.
EVAN: Grant?
MOLLY: (standing up) Grant Detton, if you have a space in your heart for me, tell me and I’ll sit down with you. And if you choose him, then you make that choice and you live with it, because I’m walking out the door. This will be the last time you ever see me. (beat) Who do you choose?
Pause. Evan elbows Grant.
GRANT: I uh, I choose my husband.
Molly nods, accepting defeat. She takes her glass, skulls the whole wine, smashes the glass, and leaves.
Grant and Evan look at each other.
The intro music to ‘Grease’ begins. Grant settles back in his chair and starts eating popcorn.
Evan is a little rattled, though, looking back to the doors.
EVAN: Do you think she’s going to go commit suicide?
Grant looks at him and shrugs.
They settle in to watch the movie.
3.
Outside the cinema.
Molly is there, drinking an enormous slurpee.
She waits as the crowds spill out from the end of the movie.
Eventually Grant and Evan walk out, holding hands. Evan is singing ‘Hopelessly Devoted to You.’
Grant spots Molly and freezes.
MOLLY: (smiling) Grant Detton.
EVAN: Jesus Christ!
MOLLY: You don’t remember me, do you?
GRANT: What do you want?
EVAN: Have you been waiting out here the whole time?!
MOLLY: I realised – silly me – that you actually didn’t remember me. Not at all. Which meant that your choice was moot, wasn’t it? How can you choose if you don’t have all the facts?
EVAN: I’m calling the police.
GRANT: Evan, I’m sure she’s harmless.
MOLLY: What, I’m going to hit you with these scrawny arms? You know who I am, I can’t exactly hide.
GRANT: I don’t know who you are.
MOLLY: (sings) ‘You don’t remember me, but I remember you.’ Oh yes, I do, Mr. Detton.
EVAN: I’ve got 000 ready.
MOLLY: We were in love. Second form, third form…
GRANT: High School?
MOLLY: Yes!
GRANT: I didn’t have a girlfriend in high school…
MOLLY: We were never official, but … ohhhh… that first love is so pure, isn’t it? I saw you watching me, singing… The way you watched me.
GRANT: Did we… speak?
MOLLY: Yes, we ran lines together all the time!
EVAN: You were in the school play together!
MOLLY: Yes. That was our special time. We never had classes together, but during rehearsals, we could play and talk and just… we had that kiss, you remember?
GRANT: No…
MOLLY: We always did the musicals. Was it in Oklahoma? Jesus Christ Superstar?
Grant suddenly steps back, struck by the sudden memory. It almost knocks him off his feet.
GRANT: Oh… oh, no…
MOLLY: You remember!
GRANT: (To Evan) I need to go. I’m going to vomit.
MOLLY: Yes! You remember me!
Grant and Evan exit.
Lights out.
Samantha Hill 