The Zipper

The Cast:

Cool Boy - Center of his own world, sporting the 'latest' look.

The Cousin - Visiting Cool Boy for the holiday weekend, cute but not as hip.

The Entourage - Three giggling girls, giddy with their proximity to Cool Boy.

The Crush - Dark haired, confident, not under Cool Boy's spell.

The Friend - Entourage wannabe, looking for an opening.

The Scene:

Fundraising Carnival at the Middle School.  Rides, midway games, cotton candy.  Teens and tweens in packs clutching ride tickets and the ever present cell phones.

The Play:

Picture five giggling teenagers, each one with multi colored braces on their teeth, in line for the carnivals most daring ride - The Zipper.  The Entourage are hustling to be closest to Cool Boy and impress him with their bravery.  No nerves for them - they have ridden The Zipper, like, a thousand times.  Does he want to ride with them?

Cool Boy is furiously texting, ignoring the parade of sycophancy. He is so used to it, he doesn't even hear it. He is single minded in his mission.

Suddenly from across the way comes The Friend.  Glowing, clutching her cell phone full of texts from Cool Boy.  She is full of confidence, she may not be in line to ride with him but she has what he wants. Behind her trails The Crush, who is shouting to her friend, she is no longer sure she wants to go through with the plan.

They reach the line.  Cool Boy turns The Cousin around by his shoulders, his cheeks are already blushing pink but he is committed.  He flashes his best smile and says "Hi."  Catching her bottom lip in her teeth, The Crush looks at him through her eyelashes, "Hi," she says.  The Entourage giggle but are no longer so confident.  The whole group is now quiet - awkward.

"So, we'll see you later?" says The Friend.   "Sure." says Cool Boy.

The Friend and The Crush slip away, back into the crowd.  The line moves forward.  The Cousin is less red now but has a steady grin on his face.  The Entourage fall silent.

A mom and her two little girls, move forward in their line, clutching a Goldfish.  The world turns.