CHARACTERS

SARI: 41-year-old suburban mom and wife

MAUDE: 38-year-old, world renowned Scientist

DEVA: 60-year-old mother, stuck inside her apartment

REALTOR: Can be played by a male or female actor. Can also be pre-recorded.

TIME: The present

SETTING: Sari and Maude’s Brooklyn childhood apartment

SARI is standing outside of her Brooklyn childhood apartment. She is holding three cans of paint and bags of supplies (paint brushes, trays, etc). They are awkwardly propped up on her arm. She puts down the paint, looking for her key in her designer handbag. It is filled with junk - receipts, a wallet stuffed with credit cards, kid snack bags, bandaids, and an assortment of old mints.

SARI

Where the hell is it? I know I brought it.

After some more searching, she finally finds the key and opens the door. This leads to another door, and another and another. The doors can be personified by sounds of opening and closing and opening and closing, etc. She grows increasingly frustrated as she tries to find her way out.

SARI

Mom! Help me! I’m trapped in here. Help! Help! Get me out of here!

SARI continues to open the doors and finally the last one opens, leading to the door of her childhood apartment. She walks in and puts down the paint and her bag. There are half-packed boxes all around the apartment. Her mother, DEVA, is sitting in the corner staring at a wall.

SARI

Why did you lock all of those doors? It took me forever to get in.

DEVA

(stands up; goes to SARI)

There’s nothing wrong with a little extra protection these days.

SARI

17 doors, though? That’s a bit excessive.

DEVA

It’s never enough. It still doesn’t keep them out.

SARI

Keep who out?

DEVA

Everyone. The leeches; the vampires; the hungry. Everyone who wants what’s left of me.

SARI

Mom, did you take your meds today? 2 purple and 3 yellow–

DEVA

No! And I’m perfectly fine without them. Especially now that you’re here.

(goes to hug SARI; it is awkward)

Give me a real hug. Come on, really put your arms around me. Like you love me.

SARI

(returns the hug with more feeling)

You know I love you.

DEVA

Do I?

(Beat)

Well, you’re here so that’s something. And Maude is on her way. We’ll all be together again. The way it should be.

SARI

Sure. I doubt she’s coming.

DEVA

Don’t add doubt to what’s not there. She said she was coming from work.

SARI

That never meant anything before.

DEVA

Life isn’t as final as you think, Sari. Moments change;people can change. You can change.

SARI

Me? There’s nothing wrong with me! She’s the one–

DEVA

It’s always other people causing us harm and not ourselves.

SARI

Yes, sometimes that’s exactly it. It’s not like I had an easy childhood. Not like I ever had a chance to be “normal.”

DEVA

Stop it! It’s a damn clutch you keep going back to. You have to move on; you have a beautiful life with your kids and your husband and all of those things you cling onto. So, why do you keep thinking about what was?

SARI

Because I’m the one who still comes back here; week after week to help you paint. She hasn’t been back in months. And you excuse it; like it doesn’t matter.

DEVA

That doesn’t mean she doesn’t love us. She just…has a lot going on with work.

SARI

I have 4 kids; you think I don’t have a lot going on! From soccer to the grocery store to cleaning to cooking, I’m run ragged all day long but I still manage to drive 3 hours every week to see you.

(Beat)

I’m tired, Mom. And I can’t keep making these paintings without help.

DEVA

She’ll be here. You just have to trust. Trust in what’s possible. And today is simple. All I need is a circle and a beam of light. Maybe some orange and a little pink. Oh, and some yellow. I do love yellow. It’s so warm and bright and comforting; like this apartment.

SARI

Mom, you can get real sunlight and fresh air and real colors if you go outside! Why don’t we go through those doors and go for a walk?

DEVA

Walk? Oh, no. You know I can’t do that. Please just paint. Circles of light; circles of light. Circles of happiness.

SARI takes a moment and eventually walks over to the wall. There is peeling paint, contact paper, and dusty pictures that adorn the walls. DEVA goes back to her chair and sits. SARI opens the paint and starts to add a fresh coat, covering the dated colors. She adds a circle for the sun and the accompanying colors. It is not pretty nor ugly. It just is. Hours later: The section of the wall she was working on is covered; fresh and new and bright. A similar chain of doors is opening. DEVA and SARI listen as MAUDE walks through the door. DEVA gets up and goes to give MAUDE a hug. There is a similar awkward exchange.

SARI

How did you get in so easily?

MAUDE

(holding up the key)

I used the key, Sari. Don’t you have one?

SARI

Yes, but…it wasn’t easy for me. Not like that.

MAUDE

Guess I just have the magic touch.

SARI

Aren’t you lucky?

DEVA

Girls, please don’t do this.  Take a look at the painting. Sari just finished it.

MAUDE

(looking at the painting)

It’s…um…not what I expected.

SARI

You hate it.

MAUDE

No, it’s just—I guess I wouldn’t have done it quite like that with that blobby-orange look. And the pink is a bit much.

SARI

We all see things differently,  I guess that’s how I saw the sun.

MAUDE

That’s supposed to be the sun? Really? I thought it was like a ball, or something.

SARI

You’re such an asshole.

DEVA

Stop it, girls! It’s fine. I don’t need anything fancy. Ball or sun or orange. It’s really just about the colors; the depth; the layers. They really hate the colors, especially the pink.

MAUDE

Who hates pink?

DEVA

The people who are trying come through the doors.

SARI

She didn’t take her pills today. I’ll go get them; so you can be clear.

DEVA

I am clear! Stop trying to pop me up with garbage so I’ll shut up and turn into nothing. Don’t you see what’s happening here? The neighborhood is changing. There are no more kids with roller skates and bikes and chalk; like how you used to play. It’s all high rises and electric cars and phones strapped to their faces. How can you breathe when you’re staring at that thing all day long? How can you exist? I mean, really exist when you don’t talk; don’t look at each other. It’s not natural.

MAUDE

Technology is a good thing, Mom. I wouldn’t have my job without it.

SARI

And I would have no idea where the kids are half the time without my schedule on the Cloud.

DEVA

Clouds used to be so different. Fluffy and white. Let’s add that to the picture. Beautiful clouds.

(beat)

You know, there’s no one left on this block. Except me. I have to hold on. Without this place, I’m…nothing.

MAUDE

You’re not nothing. It’s just…the world is changing.  We can help you…adjust. Help you leave.

SARI

We’re here for you. We can all walk out the doors; together–

DEVA

What happens to people like me who can’t keep up? People who are too tired to chase the future? People who know a life before buttons and robots?

SARI

Oh, Mom. We can find you a nice place for you; closer to me. like in a retirement home.

DEVA

Toss me away with the loonies. You’d like that.

SARI

It’s not like that. They’re really nice places; clean and bright and pink; they’re like senior communities…with people your age. You can even make friends.

DEVA

I don’t need any friends.

MAUDE

You can just sleep on my couch. I’m never there and I live closer to the city so you can take walks, go to the store whenever you need to. And not be stuck in the suburbs.

SARI

I’m not stuck; I choose to live there.

MAUDE

And what a choice that is.

DEVA

Stop it! I just want to live in this apartment, on this block. I have my chair and my walls and my colors. You just have to come back and see me and paint. That’s all I need. I have everything.

There is rustling outside of the doors. Someone is trying to get in. Key after key is heard but they ultimately can’t get in.

DEVA

They’re early.

SARI

What was that?

MAUDE

(confused)

I heard that, too.

DEVA

Damn leeches. They come around everyday but usually not this early. Why are they here so early? I thought I’d have some time with the two of you before–

SARI

Mom, this is really scary! You can’t live like this; with people trying to break in.

DEVA

It’s been happening for years. But I outsmarted them. I keep adding more and more doors to lock them out. But now they seem to have the keys to most of the doors but not all of them; not to the one that matters. I just need a few more; a steel one, maybe…to really keep them out.

MAUDE

You can’t live like this. All locked up and scared of the world.

DEVA

That’s the thing, I’m not scared. I’m a fighter. I’m fighting for my right to live; to stay where you were raised. To stay where you girls created and laughed and loved; where I saw your father leave–

MAUDE

Oh, Mom. You can’t go back to the past.

DEVA

And yet that’s where you both live. Blaming me for who I couldn’t be; blaming me for your childhood.

SARI

Because things were hard, Mom! Can’t you see what we had to go through–what we still go through.

DEVA

This place was a steal when we moved in. All the families were here already; you girls settled in so nicely.  This apartment. This place. This is where I became myself; where I stopped trying so hard. Where I stopped fighting for him to come back; or for my family to love here. Here is where I could feel at peace.

There is another rustling outside of the doors. Someone is trying to get in. Key after key but they ultimately don’t. 

DEVA

(Beat)

They’re getting closer! Girls, come on! I need you to help me to make a barrier.

SARI

Barrier? What are you talking about?

MAUDE

What do they want?

DEVA

They want everything.  My home, my life, my walls!

MAUDE

We have to get help; we can’t fight people off!

SARI

We can get real help. The police–

DEVA

(angry)

Just push this table together. We don’t have time. There’s just no more time.

SARI, DEVA, and MAUDE push a table to the door and then a dresser to make a makeshift barrier.

DEVA

I want you girls to know how much I tried. I know you think I didn’t; you think I gave up but I never did. Not for one day. And I’m still trying. Trying so hard for you to see; see that I love you.

SARI

Mom, we love you, too.

DEVA

Look at the two of you; off in the outside world. That’s something, it really is. No matter what you think of me or your life here. Just remember, you got out.

MAUDE

And you can get out, too. Let’s just walk through the doors.

The rustling of the keys are close and open. A REAL ESTATE AGENT walks in with a new family. They look ghost-like.

AGENT

Sorry about that key situation. The previous owner was a bit overzealous with security. Real paranoid type. Anyway, as you can see we are cleaning up the space so it’s a bit of a mess. If you knock down the wall over there you’ll really open up the space; add some art and of course a fresh coat of paint. The pink is ghastly! And of course, you’ll need new doors, new ceilings, new, new, new. The potential is all here if you can look beyond what is.

DEVA

(to the REAL ESTATE agent)

Get out of here! You don’t belong here. This is my apartment; this is my home. It’s not for your vampires. Get out! Get out!

SARI

Mom, who are you talking to?

DEVA

Them! They got in; they broke down the last door. Help me push them out.

MAUDE

It’s only us in here.

SARI

Just take your pills. Your mind can’t handle this world; you have to take care of yourself.

AGENT

You just have to peel off some of this contact paper and take down these pictures to reveal the beauty. It’s under there…somewhere. Anyone with a vision could reimagine the space. Make it their own, as the saying goes.

DEVA

You can’t take away my art and my memories. This is my life.

AGENT

Don’t worry about this junk. We will pack it away for you. So much mess. The previous owner was a real hoarder-type; a bit of a loony bit. Anywho, once that’s cleared out, you’ll really have a place to call home. This is the last affordable neighborhood in Brooklyn. You really are so lucky to have found it.

DEVA

(Goes in front of the AGENT’S face)

Get out of here! My daughter…just made a pretty sunset…and if you take that…I’ll have nothing.

AGENT

Let’s keep it moving, I have so much to show you in the backyard. Yes, backyard in Brooklyn! I know, it is so rare!

The AGENT opens up door after door after door until they are gone. DEVA goes to her chair, rocking and staring ahead. SARI opens a bottle of pills and takes two out. She grabs a bottle of water from her bag.

SARI

(Hands some pills to DEVA)

Here you go, Mom. It’s better this way.

DEVA

Making me numb won’t make anything better.

MAUDE

Please, Mom. You were hysterical before. They can help you get…calm. Find peace.

DEVA

(Looks at MAUDE and SARI and back at the pills. She takes them without the water)

The sun is wrong, Sari. There’s not enough light. I need more color. Blue and pink and green all over. Make it feel…like I remember it.

SARI

I made what you asked for…and I didn’t bring any blue. I’m sorry–

DEVA

There’s no time for sorry. Just help me. Help me to see; to give me what I need. Like green. Yes, green! I need a green sun to bask in. You and Maude have to do this…do this for me.

MAUDE

Doesn’t look like we have any of those colors. Nice job, Sari.

SARI

Shut up.  But I guess I can get some…run out to the store.

DEVA

That would be nice. I need more depth; it will help make it real.

MAUDE

I can sit with you, Mom.

DEVA

No, you go. Go with your sister. You need each other.

MAUDE

Are you sure? You seem–

DEVA

I'm fine; I’m perfectly fine. Let me rest, girls. Let the wave rush over me

SARI

Ok, Mom….we’ll be back soon.

MAUDE

Yes, very soon and with the colors you need.

DEVA

Soon. That’s nice. Very soon. Goodbye, girls.

MAUDE and SARI look at DEVA and eventually walk through door after door after door until they are gone.

DEVA

It’s really going to be a nice sunset.

DEVA continues to look ahead, as the wrestling of the keys opens door after door after door. Until the last door is open. Feet shuffle in, taking out boxes, moving things around, painting the walls.

DEVA

If I only had one more door. I just need one more door.

DEVA slinks further into her chair, staring at the picture of the sun.

THE END