CONSEQUENCES

By Shannan Turner, Playwriting Summer Camp

Characters:

ADRIANNA MA: 36, PASSIONATE ABOUT THE EARTH AND WANTS TO PREVENT     GLOBAL WARMING FOR EVERYONE, CONSIDERATE AND SELFLESS.

 

CARLSON BUTCHERSON: 41, A SUCCESFUL BUSINESSMAN CARES LITTLE ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF BUSINESSES ON THE EARTH, COCKY AND OBNOXIOUS.

 

 

Carlson’s gloomy and dark office. Both characters sit across from one another at Carlson’s desk. Behind Carlson is a huge window, where you can only see grey smoke clouds around the area.

 

ADRIANNA:     Please..Please Butcherson, you can’t do this to us! You have no idea about what you’re doing, you’re destroying the Earth!

 

CARLSON:     (scoffs) “Destroying the Earth”? Don’t be so absurd, Adrianna. I’m just running my countless successful businesses. The economic world isn’t exactly something a petty treehugger like yourself would understand.

 

ADRIANNA:   (growing slightly annoyed)  Excuse me? I know exactly what your so called “successful” businesses are doing. What you’re doing is affecting us all in the long term. It might seem all sunshine and rainbows right now but, but it won’t be in years to come-

 

CARLSON:   Do I look as if I care about the years to come? As long as my life is happy and I’m doing well with my own life, you and your little hippies can stay out of my way.

 

ADRIANNA:   Happy? You call yourself happy? Look out of that big window of yours. Take a damn good look. Is this what this place looked like when you were a child? No, and the future generations of children won’t ever get to live the same lives we did.

 

CARLSON:   I don’t care about the children. They’re not my own are they? Children and their low-class pests of families have been dying since the beginning of time. It’s not my fault they can’t earn a decent source of income-

 

ADRIANNA:  (aloud, almost shouting) Because rich assholes like you don’t ever think about others! You always look down on those who don’t stand with your opinions, because you know, you know what you’re doing is wrong!

 

CARLSON:  (raises his eyebrows, knowing exactly what he’s doing)  Hit a nerve there, did I? I mean, it’s expected of you to get so passionate over the subject of the poor. You think spreading awareness of something the people aren’t interested in will make the world a better place? (Beat) What you’re doing won’t work, Adrianna-

 

ADRIANNA:  (calmer now)  I don’t care how many times you tell me what I’m doing won’t work, I’ll still fight for what is right. You only tell me to give up because you know that I’m the one that’s making a difference. You, you are the one in the wrong!

 

Carlson, feeling as though he lost his power, arises from his seat, showing his overpowering dominance that divides himself and Adrianna as a form of intimidating her and regaining his power. Adrianna isn’t intimidated by him however.

 

CARLSON:  (sighs and frowns) Like I said, May. Treehuggers like you wouldn’t understand the economic life. Maybe if you worked for me sometime you’d understand. Shame, I was starting to grow fond of you.

 

ADRIANNA:  Fond of me? Fond of me! Save the sweet talk, Butcherson. You’re not going to change my mind by rubbing me up.

 

CARLSON:  (smirks, using a sly tone)  But there is no sweet talk, I wasn’t trying to change you in the first place, May. I’m only trying to make amends with you. You were so supportive and caring when I was just beginning my journey in this company..

 

ADRIANNA:   Make amends with me? (Beat) I didn’t realise what this company would do to you. You stood by my opinions, you wanted to help make this world better too! Now look at you..They squeezed all of the consideration out of you. You’re sour now.

 

CARLSON:  (hesitates for a moment) I don’t have time for this. Unlike you, I have a meeting shortly, discussing confidential matters that doesn’t involve you or your little “fear of climate change” in any shape or form. What you’re standing and fighting for is pointless, May. It’s just a hoax made by scientists to give you the heebie-jeebies, nothing about it is real (Beat). Now if you could kindly take your belongings and leave now, I would ever so dearly appreciate that (Beat). The door’s always open if you ever change your mind, Adrianna, I wouldn’t mind getting our special bond back-

 

Carlson sits down again and there’s a pause. They both stare at another for a brief moment, then Adrianna arises.

 

ADRIANNA:  What we had will never happen again. Like you said, us “treehuggers” don’t understand business men, men like you. I won’t stop fighting for what’s right for our people and our planet. Just know that you’ll be one of those men going down in  history books.  Me and you? (Beat) From now on, consider myself an enemy than an old friend.

 

CARLSON: Well..Keep your friends close but you’re enemies closer as they say eh? (chuckles and smiles grimly) I’m afraid you’ll be seeing much more of me after this, May. You’ve gotten yourself into a little dilemma, because now you’ll regret ever opening that big gob of yours to me, trying to convince me to support you and your hippies’ awareness raising.

 

ADRIANNA:  (uneasy, lack of confidence) No..No you’re.. You’re wrong, Carlson. What I’m doing is right. You’re the one in the wrong. And..And you’ll see that eventually, you will!

 

Adrianna leaves the office, closing the door behind her. Carlson sits there silently for a short period and lets out a quiet encouraging remark to himself.

 

CARLSON:   Poor girl doesn’t realise what she’s gotten herself into. What’s coming up for her will smack her right in the face and she’ll be left more hopeless than she did leaving my office. You’re the one with the power, Carlson, you truly are. Nothing can stop you from doing this.

 

Carlson turns to face the window, the lights dim out and the scene ends.

 

                                                         [END OF SCENE.]