Characters:

{Arthur, James, Possible Ensemble of various size, preferably three or more. If possible, have ensemble take sides – one for James, the other for Arthur, and throughout (besides the walking scene) have ensemble act as the physical interpretation of the internal, ideological struggle. Arthur and James can be either gender – male or female – though they were both written with from a male perspective. If the names are changed to correspond to gender, that is acceptable.}

{Setting: whatever the director feels like including, however, this piece is intended to be very bare. Arthur sits on stage, alone, pensive. Enter James.}

James: Hey Arthur.

Arthur: James.

James: You look down.

Arthur: Yep. You don’t seem too happy either.

James: The day’s really pissing me off.

Arthur: Misery loves company. (James sits)

James: What’s bugging you?

Arthur: Same thing that’s eating you.

Both: Nothing.

Arthur: Everything.

James: Everyone.

Arthur: Where does the time go?

James: What do you mean, Arthur?

Arthur: I mean, what happened to us?

James: Well, that’s a different question. The time never really went anywhere, it just kept going, if that’s your question. As for what happened to us. Well – we did.

Arthur: How could we ourselves have happened to us?

James: Another question entirely. I don’t know how, I just have a feeling that we did.

Arthur: James, you aren’t making sense.

James: Not much at all, I’m afraid.

Arthur: Just look at us – two hard working men in our mid-twenties, stuck in some random town in some random region of some random country.

James: An English speaking country.

Arthur: or French.

James: or German.

Arthur: or Cantonese.

James: or Phillippian

Arthur: Phillipino. Phillippian is in the Bible.

James: But at least we live in a country that fears God.

Arthur: A country that disbelieves in God.

James: A country that doesn’t know what to believe-

Arthur: – But certainly doesn’t trust God.

James: Or anyone who says they should.

Arthur: How did we get here?

James: That’s the explanation they all crave, isn’t it?