Fade in
Characters:
Joe
Late forties, liberal, writer, drinks like a fish of late. Enjoying his young girlfriend with whom he lives at the moment.
Brenda
Early twenties, uninterested in politics. A genius, lesbian, enjoys Mike for reasons she can't explain. Also, has been drinking a great deal with the only one who doesn't chastise her severely for doing so, Joe.
We see Joe watching television in a disheveled living room. Several empty bottles are on a large coffee table. Brenda is asleep next to Joe wrapped in a blanket. It is 9-11-2001 and a large commercial airliner has just crashed into one of the Twin Towers in New York.
Joe
Bren, wake up. You've gotta see this. Bren.
Brenda
Uh? What is it? I'm not up yet, ya horny old thing. Aren't you supposed to be slowing down. I'm getting the old man handbook out ... what the hell is happening?
Joe
I don't know. It just happened. A plane flew right into the damn building. Maybe on purpose, Hon, I don't know. I'm guessing terrorism. That can't be a mistake, right?
Brenda
Well, no, it can't be. That is on purpose. That's the damndest thing I've ever seen in my life. Wow. Turn it up.
The broadcast continues and the news is frantic and all over the place. The talk is of terrorism. The building is on fire. Reports are that people above the crash are stranded with no way out. As the story unfolds another plane crashes into the other tower.
Joe
Oh, my God! There's no doubt now. It's intentional. It's an attack.
Brenda
But, why? What's the point of it?
Joe
Fear. They want us to know that no one is safe. They want us to know they'll do anything ... they'll die for what they believe in. They're fanatics. Hell, I don't know. I wonder what else is in the works. How big is this? Damn, this isn't good.
Brenda
Don't we have an Air Force? Don't we have radar? How could these giant planes just fly into these buildings unnoticed? What in hell is the government doing? I'm not into this political crap. Don't we have any defense against this? You know more about it than I do.
Joe
Hell, I thought we did. I just want to hang out with you. I gave up participating in this crap a long time ago. I don't know what the hell ... holy shit! Wow! Are you watching this? I can't believe my eyes. The whole building just collapsed. It just collapsed, babe. WOW! like a pancake or something. Damn!
Brenda
Joe! It has to be full of people. How many people are in there. They're evacuated, right? But the ones above the plane ... they're goners. God, Joe, they're all dead ... just like that. What about the other building? That can't happen there, too can it? They've got to get those people out now.
Joe
I don't know. I don't know. I can't believe what I'm looking at. I'm in the dark just like you. I'm just watching same as you. We need a drink, yes? I don't know what else to do.
Brenda
This isn't what I planned to wake up to. What the hell is happening to the world, Joe. Damn, I'm glad you’re here. Yeah, pour me one too.
They sip their drinks and continue to watch. It isn't long before the other tower collapses. They say nothing. They continue to drink and watch. Hours and hours pass by. They will both always remember the day exactly the same way.
Fade out
The End
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Author Notes
Here's our little Potlatch challenge:
Write a non-fiction piece of any kind about the events of 9/11.
This can be your own experiences, your opinions or what you feel the significance of the event is globally or specifically to your country or another country. Anyway, lots of leeway. :))
I wrote a short one act play. This is a recollection of the events of that day as I recall them. I think quite a few of us just watched in disbelief unable to truly process what we witnessed. My memory is of me and my girl having very few answers and very few questions either. We just clung together grateful for each other's presence. A rather simple response in retrospect. I have the feeling though that it might not be that unusual. Maybe I'm wrong. :))
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