What happens when you build a relation-ship that is destined to sink before it floats?
What happens when you surround yourself with mental moats?
This story is a story of a small boat
housing two people
that have no
future
hopes.
To You, is a mini poetic play. More importantly, it is a black queer love story.
Written and Directed by Mekael Daniel
Starring Eden Alemayehu and LaNiah Moon
TRANSCRIPT:
B-Main1
Q-Main2
(Q and B are on opposite sides of the stage. They look unsettled. Both are carrying string (or rope). Q starts making her way to center front stage, leaving a trail of string behind her, but stops a quarter of the way there)
B:
To You, Q,
You who caught my string.
You who is contained on this machine
Our relationship only lasted two gigabytes
By that, I mean our relationship is held on a screen
(Holds up phone)
The pictures and videos only barely capture your sheen,
Your smile…
(Looks at screen sentimentally)
I wish I could’ve been with you a while
Longer
On that,
I ponder,
These truths I seek
But no words can I speak
(Puts away phone)(starts walking to Q with string in hand. When they intersect, they walk in a semicircle around one another (Interlocking the string) and walk about talking distance away from one another)
To you who left me weak
B&Q:
You who caught my string.
You who helped me sing.
When I first saw her, I melted
B:
To say that her eyes contained the sky would be a lie
Her Beautiful, Beautiful darkness belied
Infinite universes
Which birthed these words
That asked her to do these verbs
With a certain nerd
And
(Turn to Q)
I guess that’s a roundabout way of saying, I’d like to chill sometime
And I’m not tryna pressure you
Just can’t stop thinkin bout you
You ain’t even really have to be my girlfriend
I just wanna know your name;
If
We can hook up,
We can hang out,
We can just… chill…
B:
Oh you’re a direct one.
Q:
I’m Q, rhymes with few
B:
Q-could be my boo?
Q:
Not with that rhyme. I know you spittin lines but I don’t even know your name, foine.
B:
I’m B, but, you can call me fine if you want.
Q:
I’ll let you know off top that my name rhymes with few cause few women impress me
B:
Then why are you still standing next to me?
Q:
Pshhh be quiet fool.
(Awkward Pause)
But I guess that’s true, I dig you
B:
You into me, I’m into you, so what it do?
Q:
What you mean “What it do”? what do you do?
B:
I’m a drifter
A trickster
Sentimental hipster
And a Skipper
With a lil bit of hopeless romantic on the side
Q:
Do you like have any hobbies or…
B:
I told you. I’m a part-time Skipper
Q:
Like skipping hopscotch?
B:
No, Its hard to describe…
Imagine this.
The metronome of metal on wood
The sound of
Wind in your ears
Wind in your hair
Wind in our sails
as
Lines rope around metal
Connecting two entities
An invisible line connecting you to me
As we rock rhythmically
Waves ever so gent-l-y (enjambment)
Dizzying me
Soft noises of sea foam fizzling
Q:
(Interrupting excitedly)
I’m assuming I’m on a boat?
B.
Yes. A sailboat. Wanna try out your sea legs sometime?
Q:
How can I say no?
—
(At marina)
Q:
These ropes and sticks are kind of beautiful lookin
B:
We call these ropes, lines
Q:
That’s oddly artsy
Lines, movement, motion
B:
Is it oddly artsy or is art just oddly packed full of sailing references?
Q:
… Both?
B:
Both?
Q:
(Looking around)
I mean, why not?
All these lines, and yet we both have such little time
B:
Little time?
Q:
This city aint mine
I gotta go home soon
So… Yeah, little time
B:
So what does that mean?
Q:
(Picking up string)
You caught my string.
It means,
sometimes I find life ties with others
Making my lifeline composed of intricately twined timelines
B:
There’s a lot of timelines in this universe,
We are all travelers, honey
Q:
(Bursts out)
Yeah, but I don’t come from money
Does that wanna make you call me honey?
(Hesitate, vaguely gestures towards strings)
If we keep up this dance
Our lines will form patterns
That you can’t un-weave
B:
Now that, I don’t believe.
So what if you don’t come from money
This is just little thing,
Just a little fling!
Don’t you want no expectations between us,
No future dreams?
Q:
Considering…. Considering…
B:
Here’s the thing
You leave soon, its either that or we end it
Q:
… I still wanna send it
B Laughs and embraces Q
B:
Did you just say ‘send it’?
Q is such a qtpie!
Q:
Can you be more cheesy?
B:
Can you be more dreamy?
Q:
Gurl, stop!
But this is fun, I guess…
B:
And what’s wrong with a little fun?
Q:
Whats wrong with a lil fun?
To romance art thou numb?
What if I fall for you?
B:
Isn’t it true that you’re only here for a few?
I don’t think love after three weeks is love so true
Q:
Infatuation maybe
B:
Yes! But aren’t these moments fun?
Q:
I guess on the ocean is a wonderful way to meet
Under the summer sun
Exhausting our infatuation in the heat
The golden hour begins
B:
See, I love this.
This vibe is so mellow
Swinging on the ocean
while the sun hangs low
and becomes an orange moon
Q:
Your eyes reflect her light
and illuminate the gloom
that was here before me and you
between these two entities,
the flowers of companionship bloom
B:
How cute
It’s getting late, we should head back, but I’ll see you later?
B:
Yes! Tomorrow, maybe?
Q:
Tomorrow it is.
B:
A little kiss, maybe?
Q:
Yes, and thank you for asking
Lights fade out before they kiss. A stunted silence follows. A light focuses on B, staring pensively at their phone
B:
These minutes eventually turn to hours, into days
Lost in your gaze
This glittery haze
Together we sway,
My tongue yearning for your sweet
And, entangled, we say not a peep
Our hearts beat, tongues bend and twist
Without you there’s this abyss
This nighttime loneliness
And lately
I keep telling myself it’s a temporary phase
That these feelings change
But if I’m being honest
I’m trying not to fall for you
In the middle of the night resist calling you
Stalling our inevitable blues
Nighttime loneliness
This inevitable abyss
The loneliness of nights without you
A second light focuses on Q
B&Q:
The loneliness of nights without you
B turns to tie random sections of the string together
A second light focuses on Q as she talks
Q:
My loneliness when resisting calling you
Why do I resist calling you?
You’ve taught me the ocean blue
Your incredible hues
How to sing the blues
To sing of moons, mountains, and you
So why do I resist calling you?
Or is it resisting falling for you?
Our lifelines are already tangled too
And, these last few days with you are a hallowed few
But, I gotta think of myself, boo.
You don’t want me to love you
So why should I?
See,
Lately I been hearing symphonies,
Having epiphanies,
that love is from within me
So I don’t need your love, B
I don’t need you to call me
Don’t want you to fall for me
B, Finished with the string, watches Q finish her speech solemnly. Q goes and starts attempting to untie the strings
B:
These last few days area hallowed few,
I truly want to spend them with you
But I’d rather not fall for you, see
Its stressful wondering if I should call you
And when you leave, we’ll only have screens to communicate
Long distance won’t work for me
Our tangled lives will rush by
But, I still I want to see you again, please.
Q: Still by the strings
See, recently I’ve been meditating on us, trying to contemplate
I’ve said what I said, but I’ll try to elaborate
I have to put myself first, or else I lay prostrate
To these demons out here tryna tell me my place
Tryna take up and restrict my space
So I’m standing strong
With all my facets
And If you don’t want me to be with you now
I don’t want to see you in the future.
I still care about you
And I’ll still remember your hues
Remember those ocean sunsets with you…
B:
Going to strings
My future is uncertain
my hearts been hurtin
when I think of losing you
and ill be honest that I freeze when making decisions such as these
I like you, that’s for sure
But long distance still holds no allure
So I’ll make peace before
We go our ways
Before the concept of us gets lost in the haze
Q:
Before we start to loathe these absent-of-you days
B:
So, is this goodbye?
Our final sigh
It feels wrong, but what feels right?
Q:
Tonight is our final night
Our final flight
Being with you has been a dreamy delight
But those saccharine dreams are over
This lil moment in life has been a four leaf clover
But clovers wilt and die
Go into the ground and turn to soil
Over you have I toiled
With you I’ve been spoiled
I’ve been learning
Experiencing your treatment
How you kiss my feet
You’ve raised my standards
Oh my god you’re so sweet
So I’ll say goodbye now,
Plant the seed of this lesson in ground
Watch as my future blessings compound
Due to this moment in history, profound
B:
And I’ll watch you leave
And remember how sunlight weaves through your hair
Please turn your eyes to me,
I just want one more time to see your face so fair
Before we both get up out of here,
Before I watch the shore sway rhythmically away
Before the light fades
And cold creeps
I want to lay with you, to sway with you
Q:
Ok, just for this one moment, I’ll stay with you