SHE LOVES ME. . .
THE STAGE, SLOPPING STEEPLY downward from backstage, is a vast field of wild flowers–-daisies: yellow and white. The entire auditorium is caught up with the sweet scent of spring. Lighting is at brightest intensity. Soft, ethereal music begins at curtain rise and continues throughout the play.
A YOUNG MAN in the blush of love enters from stage right. He picks a flower and begins removing pedals. He walks and speaks in a rhythm.
YOUNG MAN: She loves me, she loves me not; she loves me, she loves me not; she loves me, she loves me not. . .
He continues the song, which ends on "she loves me not," until all pedals are gone, and then exits stage left.
Enter from stage right a YOUNG WOMAN also in the blush of love, also picking a flower from the field, also walking and speaking in a rhythm.
YOUNG WOMAN: He loves me, he loves me not; he loves me, he loves me not; he loves me, he loves me not. . .
YOUNG WOMAN continues in song until pedals are all gone–-also ending on "he loves me not"--and exits stage left. YOUNG MAN enters from stage left, picks another flower, and begins chant.
YOUNG MAN: She loves me, she loves me not; she loves me, she loves me not; she loves me, she loves me not. . .
Even before YOUNG MAN exits stage right, YOUNG WOMAN enters from stage left, picks flower, and commences to sing.
YOUNG WOMAN: He loves me, he loves me not; he loves me, he loves me not; he loves me, he loves me not. . .
She is half-way through her song when YOUNG MAN, who had exited just as she began, enters from stage right, picks a flower, and continues the unconscious dance, the two voices now over-lapping until YOUNG WOMAN, concluding her song–-ending on "he loves me not"--exits stage right.
YOUNG MAN: She loves me, she loves me not; she loves me, she loves me not; she loves me, she loves me not. . .
Before YOUNG MAN concludes his song, YOUNG WOMAN enters from stage right.
The two young people are on the stage reciting their litanies, in unison, unaware of the other.
YOUNG MAN/YOUNG WOMAN: S/He loves me, s/he loves me not; s/he loves me, s/he loves me not; s/he loves me, s/he loves me not. . .
YOUNG MAN finishes his song before YOUNG WOMAN is through. However, before exiting stage, he notices her. Stops. Stares. Listens. Watches.
YOUNG WOMAN: He loves me, he loves me not; he loves me, he loves me not; he loves me, he loves me not. . .
At the last pedal and the last word, YOUNG WOMAN drops remains of flower and is about to exit stage when she notices YOUNG MAN. They make eye contact. They look away. They both exit, right and left.
They both return, right and left. Again, they make eye contact; again, they look away. YOUNG MAN picks flower. Begins reciting.
YOUNG MAN: She loves me, she loves me not; she loves me, she loves me not. . .
YOUNG WOMAN picks flower. Begins her recitation.
YOUNG WOMAN: He loves me, he loves me not; he loves me, he loves me not. . .
YOUNG MAN concludes his song with the last pedal.
YOUNG MAN: She loves me not.
YOUNG WOMAN concludes her song with the last pedal.
YOUNG WOMAN: He loves me not.
The two look at each other. They stare at each other. They look away. They look at each other. They smile shyly. They look away. They look at each other and look away. Then, in unison, they each pick a flower. In unison, they recite their songs, eyes fixed in a gaze upon each other.
YOUNG MAN/YOUNG WOMAN: S/He loves me, s/he loves me not; s/he loves me, s/he loves me not; s/he loves me, s/he loves me not. . .
They both come to the last pedal together; they drop the last pedal together; they say the last words together, the emphasis on the very last word.
YOUNG MAN/YOUNG WOMAN: S/He loves me not.
They look at each other; they stare at each other. There is a look of disappointment in each of their faces: they know fate. They look at each other and look away. They look at all the flowers: the living ones in the field; the dead ones, picked and killed, at their feet. They look at each other. They know fate. There is a look of determination in each of their faces. They look at each other. They look at the pedals at their feet. They stomp on the pedals at their feet. They look at each other. They look at each other, and they don’t look away. They look at each other. They love each other. They love each other, and they don’t look away; they love each other and nobody else. They touch each other. They love each other. They want each other. They will have each other. They exit together.
Curtain falls.