Metaphysical Bedroom Talk with a Dream Girl
Characters
Jared: A 20 year old junior college student who spends most of his time playing video games and watching zombie movies. He doesn’t have many friends, and tends to spend a lot of time fantasizing.
Dream: Jared’s “dream girl” whom has an active roll in his many action-packed fantasies, but has now somehow manifested herself into the physical realm.
Setting: Jared’s bedroom. It consists of a single bed, a dresser, a computer desk (with computer), a television and video game system set up on milk crates. The room is ridiculously messy, with posters from miscellaneous horror movies and video games.
The stage is dark and Jared is asleep in bed. He’s tossing and turning about and then suddenly sits up in his bed, panting, as if in distress. He looks up to see Dream sitting at the end of his bed, staring at him and looking very confused.
Jared (wiping brow): Man…that was a hell of a dream…. I’ve gotta remind myself not to eat so many nachos before bed…. He settles back down, glancing down to see Dream sitting at the foot of it, staring at him. He dismisses it at first, and lays down, closing his eyes. Suddenly, realizing what he just saw, he sits back up quickly and turns on the lamp next to his bed. What the…..who….who are you?!?
Dream (frowning): What do you mean, ‘who am I’? You seemed to know me the last time I saw you. She crosses her arms over her chest, eyeing him. And where are we?!? What happened to the zombies you were rescuing me from? And why do you not look as handsome?
Jared (gawking at her, mouth gaping): I…uh….holy shit! You’re the girl in my dreams! How the hell….where did you….holy shit!
Dream (looking irritated): What are you going on about? I’m the one that’s in….well…wherever this is! And what do you mean ‘girl from your dreams’?
Jared (still astonished): I mean…you…you’re the girl that’s always in my dreams… but how are you HERE? In my ROOM!? ON MY BED! He grins to himself slightly, not so much minding the prospect of this beautiful girl sitting upon his bed. (to the side) My dream girl in on my bed!
Dream (frowning again): Did you go crazy or something?? What are you talking about? What “dream girl”?? I need to get the hell out of here. You’re nuts! She gets up to leave, looking around for the door.
Jared (stumbling to his feet): Wait! Don’t go! He rushes to her and grabs her arm, pulling her back to the bed. I’m just as confused as you are. Maybe I’m still dreaming.
Dream (now highly irritated): No…you’re just a nutcase! She then kicks his knee. Jared cries out in pain and alarm.
Jared (wincing): Ow! Dammit! What was that for??
Dream (smirking and crossing arms over chest): Ha! Well I guess you know you’re not dreaming. But….for real….what do you mean by ‘dream girl’? I’m really confused…She casts her eyes downward, bearing a look of uncertainty.
Jared (sitting back down): Well….I always have these dreams where I’m doing some kind of death defying hero stunt…and there’s always a girl that I’m saving, or that’s my partner… and well….she’s…well….you……you’re her! He shakes his head in confusion, putting his head into his hands. But you can’t be real! This must be a dream!
Dream (hands on hips): Yeah well, I’m guessing your knee still hurts and that seems pretty real to me. I don’t understand what you’re talking about! Jared, I think you’ve gone nuts, I really do. She begins to pace. I mean, I’ve noticed that you’re a little quirky at times…and I mean, I know you get cold feet every time we’re about to…well…you know… and you always disappear! And you disappeared when you were supposed to be saving me from those zombies! But this time I ended up here…instead. I don’t understand! Where did the zombies go?!?
Jared (laughing): There are no zombies here….this is just my bedroom…in my parents house. Those zombies weren’t real.
Dream: Not real?!? What the hell are you talking about! They chased me till I fell down, and they were going to KILL me…until you showed up! I saw them! They were real! They’re gross, saggy gray skin…and all that oozy yellow stuff…and blood! Oh my god! She shudders at the memory.
Jared (smirking): Those are just zombies from the video game I was playing before I went to sleep. They couldn’t really get you…. I was dreaming…so none of it was real.
Dream (looking at him): But…if none of it was real….how am I here? I was in your dream too…or maybe it wasn’t your dream… maybe you’re dreaming now!
Jared (shaking head): No…I don’t think so. If my dreams were as lame as my real life…well… let’s just say I wouldn’t have much of a reason to wake up. He looks down, his face growing rather sad. Dream notices his expression and moves to sit next to him.
Dream: Why not? I mean….it’s so quiet….and there’s no zombies…….Right? She quickly looks around, looking slightly afraid. Jared laughs and shakes his head.
Jared: Nope…no zombies. Just parents…and boring classes…and traffic….nothing to get excited about. It just….lacks….life. Heh…funny. ‘Life lacks life’.
Dream (shaking her head): I dunno….this is all really weird. Now I’m thinking about all this stuff…and I realize that I can’t remember anything except times I was with you…and I keep wondering things like “who am I?” I never really thought stuff like that before…am I really just a dream?
Jared (shrugging): Well… I guess so. I mean…that’s the only way I know you. But you’re sitting here now…so I guess you’re real….I don’t know if you’re still a dream. They say that dreams are a product of the subconscious and its interpretation of reality.
Dream (raising eyebrows): Who are “they”?
Jared (shrugging again): I dunno….they never said….
Dream: They WHO?
Jared: I don’t know! That’s just how people say it. “They say…blahblahblah”. That’s just the way it’s put.
Dream: That doesn’t make sense….
Jared: Neither does your sitting here.
Dream: Well….that is true. She sits quietly for a minute, looking as though she’s thinking. So….you don’t know how I got here, but you know I’m from your dreams. And you said that ‘they’, whomever THEY are, say that dreams are a product of the subconscious…. But what’s that got to do with me?
Jared: A 20 year old junior college student who spends most of his time playing video games and watching zombie movies. He doesn’t have many friends, and tends to spend a lot of time fantasizing.
Dream: Jared’s “dream girl” whom has an active roll in his many action-packed fantasies, but has now somehow manifested herself into the physical realm.
Setting: Jared’s bedroom. It consists of a single bed, a dresser, a computer desk (with computer), a television and video game system set up on milk crates. The room is ridiculously messy, with posters from miscellaneous horror movies and video games.
The stage is dark and Jared is asleep in bed. He’s tossing and turning about and then suddenly sits up in his bed, panting, as if in distress. He looks up to see Dream sitting at the end of his bed, staring at him and looking very confused.
Jared (wiping brow): Man…that was a hell of a dream…. I’ve gotta remind myself not to eat so many nachos before bed…. He settles back down, glancing down to see Dream sitting at the foot of it, staring at him. He dismisses it at first, and lays down, closing his eyes. Suddenly, realizing what he just saw, he sits back up quickly and turns on the lamp next to his bed. What the…..who….who are you?!?
Dream (frowning): What do you mean, ‘who am I’? You seemed to know me the last time I saw you. She crosses her arms over her chest, eyeing him. And where are we?!? What happened to the zombies you were rescuing me from? And why do you not look as handsome?
Jared (gawking at her, mouth gaping): I…uh….holy shit! You’re the girl in my dreams! How the hell….where did you….holy shit!
Dream (looking irritated): What are you going on about? I’m the one that’s in….well…wherever this is! And what do you mean ‘girl from your dreams’?
Jared (still astonished): I mean…you…you’re the girl that’s always in my dreams… but how are you HERE? In my ROOM!? ON MY BED! He grins to himself slightly, not so much minding the prospect of this beautiful girl sitting upon his bed. (to the side) My dream girl in on my bed!
Dream (frowning again): Did you go crazy or something?? What are you talking about? What “dream girl”?? I need to get the hell out of here. You’re nuts! She gets up to leave, looking around for the door.
Jared (stumbling to his feet): Wait! Don’t go! He rushes to her and grabs her arm, pulling her back to the bed. I’m just as confused as you are. Maybe I’m still dreaming.
Dream (now highly irritated): No…you’re just a nutcase! She then kicks his knee. Jared cries out in pain and alarm.
Jared (wincing): Ow! Dammit! What was that for??
Dream (smirking and crossing arms over chest): Ha! Well I guess you know you’re not dreaming. But….for real….what do you mean by ‘dream girl’? I’m really confused…She casts her eyes downward, bearing a look of uncertainty.
Jared (sitting back down): Well….I always have these dreams where I’m doing some kind of death defying hero stunt…and there’s always a girl that I’m saving, or that’s my partner… and well….she’s…well….you……you’re her! He shakes his head in confusion, putting his head into his hands. But you can’t be real! This must be a dream!
Dream (hands on hips): Yeah well, I’m guessing your knee still hurts and that seems pretty real to me. I don’t understand what you’re talking about! Jared, I think you’ve gone nuts, I really do. She begins to pace. I mean, I’ve noticed that you’re a little quirky at times…and I mean, I know you get cold feet every time we’re about to…well…you know… and you always disappear! And you disappeared when you were supposed to be saving me from those zombies! But this time I ended up here…instead. I don’t understand! Where did the zombies go?!?
Jared (laughing): There are no zombies here….this is just my bedroom…in my parents house. Those zombies weren’t real.
Dream: Not real?!? What the hell are you talking about! They chased me till I fell down, and they were going to KILL me…until you showed up! I saw them! They were real! They’re gross, saggy gray skin…and all that oozy yellow stuff…and blood! Oh my god! She shudders at the memory.
Jared (smirking): Those are just zombies from the video game I was playing before I went to sleep. They couldn’t really get you…. I was dreaming…so none of it was real.
Dream (looking at him): But…if none of it was real….how am I here? I was in your dream too…or maybe it wasn’t your dream… maybe you’re dreaming now!
Jared (shaking head): No…I don’t think so. If my dreams were as lame as my real life…well… let’s just say I wouldn’t have much of a reason to wake up. He looks down, his face growing rather sad. Dream notices his expression and moves to sit next to him.
Dream: Why not? I mean….it’s so quiet….and there’s no zombies…….Right? She quickly looks around, looking slightly afraid. Jared laughs and shakes his head.
Jared: Nope…no zombies. Just parents…and boring classes…and traffic….nothing to get excited about. It just….lacks….life. Heh…funny. ‘Life lacks life’.
Dream (shaking her head): I dunno….this is all really weird. Now I’m thinking about all this stuff…and I realize that I can’t remember anything except times I was with you…and I keep wondering things like “who am I?” I never really thought stuff like that before…am I really just a dream?
Jared (shrugging): Well… I guess so. I mean…that’s the only way I know you. But you’re sitting here now…so I guess you’re real….I don’t know if you’re still a dream. They say that dreams are a product of the subconscious and its interpretation of reality.
Dream (raising eyebrows): Who are “they”?
Jared (shrugging again): I dunno….they never said….
Dream: They WHO?
Jared: I don’t know! That’s just how people say it. “They say…blahblahblah”. That’s just the way it’s put.
Dream: That doesn’t make sense….
Jared: Neither does your sitting here.
Dream: Well….that is true. She sits quietly for a minute, looking as though she’s thinking. So….you don’t know how I got here, but you know I’m from your dreams. And you said that ‘they’, whomever THEY are, say that dreams are a product of the subconscious…. But what’s that got to do with me?
Jared (sighing): Well, in reality, I’m just a geek who plays video games too much. I have no social skills, people tend to think I’m weird, and my parents are thoroughly disappointed that I didn’t turn out like my jock of a brother. I’m just…a loser.
Dream (shaking her head): But that’s not true! You always know the right things to say to me….and you’re so smart! I’ve only ever seen you as strong and brave…how else could you save me from zombies?? And what about the time you rescued me from those kidnappers who were gonna cut me into little pieces if the President didn’t give up the formula for the toxin that they intended on using as a biological weapon!? AND… you also took out those gang members who had the drug trafficking ring! You’ve done all kinds of brave things!
Jared: But those weren’t real. They were just dreams.
Dream: They were too real! I remember them! I still have a scar from when I tried to fight off that Columbian drug lord! She holds out her arm, revealing a long, thin scar. See?? You can’t tell me that scar isn’t real! You sewed up that wound yourself!
Jared (shaking head again): Yeah but… that didn’t REALLY happen…I just dreamed it.
Dream: But I have a scar and I’m real! I’m sitting right in front of you. How could that have never happened if I know it happened cuz I was THERE! I mean…I was there dammit!
Jared: Well, you can’t be real either, I mean…sure, you’re sitting in front of me, talking to me, and you appear to be a completely real, physical being..but you can’t be. Perhaps you’re just my mind’s manifestation of perfection that I’ve somehow managed to conjur up into a physical entity, which doesn’t really seem feasible being that every other time I’ve encountered you has been in a dream state. Prior to now…you were completely an ethereal being… just an entity within my subconscious that appeared while I slept.
Dream: If I’m not real, then how am I here? And how do you know that I didn’t exist before? It’s more than obvious that I did exist in some for before now, being that you recall my presence. And…how do I know that I’m not the one dreaming? Your definition of reality and its components seem to be different from mine. You say that I’m just some manifestation of perfection produced by your subconscious mind; however I see myself as completely real, and I see you as real…but not in the form in which I’m talking to you now….
Jared: I know you’re not the one dreaming because there’s no way in hell that I’m actually some super-hero type guy. And what do you mean ‘my definition of reality’?? My definition is the same definition as just about any other regular person.
Dream: ‘Regular person’, ey? Well, what do you see as real?
Jared: Well…I guess I’d say what’s real is what I can either a) see and touch or b) conceive of as a logical concept.
Dream: Well…you can definitely see and touch me, as my kicking your knee earlier proved. And….if you can see me as a person, and hold a conversation with me, then do I not fulfill that requirement as well?
Jared (mulling): Yeah…well…I guess. But how did you get here? How can you be real if I don’t even have a clue as to how you came to be?
Dream: Sure…you don’t know how I got here…now…but how can I not be real being that I AM here?
Jared: I don’t know…I still haven’t figured that one out.
Dream: YOU think that I’m not real because prior to this instance, I only existed, to your knowledge, in your dreams, yet I have memories of every instance we’ve been together. If I am a product of your subconscious and previously an ethereal being, how did I come to be sitting on your bed, in this room, in the middle of the night? How can I not be real if I fulfill the requirements of what you say deems something to be real or not? And why wasn’t I real previously? Obviously I existed…but you couldn’t see me outside of a dream state. Are all things that are real, real only when they are realized in a state of being “awake”?
Jared: Yes….yes they would have to be. Things can’t be real if they don’t have some kind of evidence to their existence in reality. You do fulfill the requirements I listed…but your being here doesn’t make sense. There’s no plausible explanation….
Dream: I guess we don’t have an explanation…but we do have is the fact that I’m sitting here.
Jared: Yeah….I guess the only way to solve this is the see if you’re still here in the morning….
Dream (eyeing his suspiciously): And what is that supposed to mean?
Jared: Well, if I go to sleep, and then wake up, and you’re still here. If you are, then we’ll know that you’re real and we’ll figure things out from there. If you’re not…well…then I guess I’ll just know it was another dream. Or I’ve gone completely insane…
Dream (not looking convinced): Hm…. Are you sure about that?
Jared: I dunno…I think I am…but then again, maybe it’s you who’s right, and you’ll wake up and find out that you were dreaming. The only thing we can do is try. Dream thinks for a moment and then nods.
Dream: All right. We’ll try it…so I guess I should try sleeping too, huh?
Jared: Yeah…I guess you can just lay down here… He motions to the spot next to him.
Dream (firmly): Yes well…that’s fine…but no funny business. If I am real and you’re not who I’ve always known you as, then that means you’re a stranger, and I don’t mess around with strangers… Dream gets a confused look on her face, and then shakes it off. Anyway, good night. She lies down, her back facing him.
Jared: Night… He turns and shuts the light off, laying down beside her, closing his eyes.
END.
Dream (shaking her head): But that’s not true! You always know the right things to say to me….and you’re so smart! I’ve only ever seen you as strong and brave…how else could you save me from zombies?? And what about the time you rescued me from those kidnappers who were gonna cut me into little pieces if the President didn’t give up the formula for the toxin that they intended on using as a biological weapon!? AND… you also took out those gang members who had the drug trafficking ring! You’ve done all kinds of brave things!
Jared: But those weren’t real. They were just dreams.
Dream: They were too real! I remember them! I still have a scar from when I tried to fight off that Columbian drug lord! She holds out her arm, revealing a long, thin scar. See?? You can’t tell me that scar isn’t real! You sewed up that wound yourself!
Jared (shaking head again): Yeah but… that didn’t REALLY happen…I just dreamed it.
Dream: But I have a scar and I’m real! I’m sitting right in front of you. How could that have never happened if I know it happened cuz I was THERE! I mean…I was there dammit!
Jared: Well, you can’t be real either, I mean…sure, you’re sitting in front of me, talking to me, and you appear to be a completely real, physical being..but you can’t be. Perhaps you’re just my mind’s manifestation of perfection that I’ve somehow managed to conjur up into a physical entity, which doesn’t really seem feasible being that every other time I’ve encountered you has been in a dream state. Prior to now…you were completely an ethereal being… just an entity within my subconscious that appeared while I slept.
Dream: If I’m not real, then how am I here? And how do you know that I didn’t exist before? It’s more than obvious that I did exist in some for before now, being that you recall my presence. And…how do I know that I’m not the one dreaming? Your definition of reality and its components seem to be different from mine. You say that I’m just some manifestation of perfection produced by your subconscious mind; however I see myself as completely real, and I see you as real…but not in the form in which I’m talking to you now….
Jared: I know you’re not the one dreaming because there’s no way in hell that I’m actually some super-hero type guy. And what do you mean ‘my definition of reality’?? My definition is the same definition as just about any other regular person.
Dream: ‘Regular person’, ey? Well, what do you see as real?
Jared: Well…I guess I’d say what’s real is what I can either a) see and touch or b) conceive of as a logical concept.
Dream: Well…you can definitely see and touch me, as my kicking your knee earlier proved. And….if you can see me as a person, and hold a conversation with me, then do I not fulfill that requirement as well?
Jared (mulling): Yeah…well…I guess. But how did you get here? How can you be real if I don’t even have a clue as to how you came to be?
Dream: Sure…you don’t know how I got here…now…but how can I not be real being that I AM here?
Jared: I don’t know…I still haven’t figured that one out.
Dream: YOU think that I’m not real because prior to this instance, I only existed, to your knowledge, in your dreams, yet I have memories of every instance we’ve been together. If I am a product of your subconscious and previously an ethereal being, how did I come to be sitting on your bed, in this room, in the middle of the night? How can I not be real if I fulfill the requirements of what you say deems something to be real or not? And why wasn’t I real previously? Obviously I existed…but you couldn’t see me outside of a dream state. Are all things that are real, real only when they are realized in a state of being “awake”?
Jared: Yes….yes they would have to be. Things can’t be real if they don’t have some kind of evidence to their existence in reality. You do fulfill the requirements I listed…but your being here doesn’t make sense. There’s no plausible explanation….
Dream: I guess we don’t have an explanation…but we do have is the fact that I’m sitting here.
Jared: Yeah….I guess the only way to solve this is the see if you’re still here in the morning….
Dream (eyeing his suspiciously): And what is that supposed to mean?
Jared: Well, if I go to sleep, and then wake up, and you’re still here. If you are, then we’ll know that you’re real and we’ll figure things out from there. If you’re not…well…then I guess I’ll just know it was another dream. Or I’ve gone completely insane…
Dream (not looking convinced): Hm…. Are you sure about that?
Jared: I dunno…I think I am…but then again, maybe it’s you who’s right, and you’ll wake up and find out that you were dreaming. The only thing we can do is try. Dream thinks for a moment and then nods.
Dream: All right. We’ll try it…so I guess I should try sleeping too, huh?
Jared: Yeah…I guess you can just lay down here… He motions to the spot next to him.
Dream (firmly): Yes well…that’s fine…but no funny business. If I am real and you’re not who I’ve always known you as, then that means you’re a stranger, and I don’t mess around with strangers… Dream gets a confused look on her face, and then shakes it off. Anyway, good night. She lies down, her back facing him.
Jared: Night… He turns and shuts the light off, laying down beside her, closing his eyes.
END.
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