One Act Play

Characters:

Quinn: Teenage girl of about 17 years of age, alone, and waiting the lab results of a medical exam.

Peter: Man in his late 50's with a terminal brain tumor, early for weekly doctor's appointment. 

Nurse: Works at the doctor's office, calls Peter in for his appointment.

Setting:

Quiet, but semi-crowded waiting room at a doctor's office in Boston, Massachusetts. 

Time:

The present. 

(Lights up on Quinn and Peter sitting side by side in the waiting room. The two are strangers, both waiting to be called in to see the doctor.)

Quinn: (Sneezes.)

Peter: Bless you.

Quinn: (Smiles.) Thank you. I always seem to get a cold this time of year-or maybe it's allergies. I don't really know. (Laughs nervously.)

Peter: (Smiles sympathetically.) I know what you mean. But sometimes colds and allergies can be the least of our worries. (Pause.) If you don't mind my asking, what are you waiting at this office for?

           (Quinn fiddles with her hands on her lap.)

Quinn: Um...well...

Peter: (Overlapping.) It's fine if you don't want to say. I don't mean to be intrusive.

Quinn: No it's alright! It's just that I'm not really sure exactly what I'm here for. My doctor's been noticing these like, really weird spots on like my arms and stuff and she wanted to do some tests to see if they're you know...uh cancerous. So I'm waiting to get called in to see the lab results. Yeah. 

             (She looks down at her lap again and picks at a hangnail on her thumb.)

Peter: Well that's quite a lot to take in, isn't it? 

Quinn: (Chuckles quietly.) Kind of. 

Peter:  If it counts for anything, I think you're pretty darn brave sitting here today. (Smiles warmly.)

            (Tears well in Quinn's eyes. She sniffles.)

Quinn: Thanks. (Whispering.) I'm really scared.

Peter: (Takes a deep breath in.) It's okay to be scared.

Quinn: I'm trying to prepare myself for the worst case scenario. Let's just say that I have cancer. If I keep telling myself that I do, it won't be as heavy when I find out. And if I don't, then good. I don't. But it's better to convince myself I do, that way it can only be either good news, or old news. No bad news, if that makes any sense.

Peter (Nods understandingly.) That's an interesting way to look at it. Realistic with an optimistic twist.

         (There's a small, but comfortable silence. Quinn smiles.) 

Quinn: I just figure if they're going to diagnose me with cancer I might as well start living with a realistic view on the world.

         (Peter chuckles. Nurse enters from left.)

Nurse: Peter Warren? 

         (Peter stands up slowly. Quinn stands up quickly after Peter rises.)

Quinn: Wait! Peter, is it?

Peter: (Nods and smiles.) Yes, indeed.

Quinn: I'm Quinn, by the way. (Pause.) Thank you. For you know, listening to me.

           (Peter smiles and follows the nurse down the hallway to hear the status of his tumor. Lights 

           fade on Quinn, still standing by her chair in the waiting room.)