Good Morning, Jonah. A comedy, by Ben Gavarré

 

 

 

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Good Morning, Jonah

A comedy

by Ben Gavarré

 

This work has been published for free and open dissemination, although all intellectual property rights are reserved. The public use of this work requires the author's permission and in order to obtain the corresponding authorization contact bengavarre@gmail.com or gavarreunam@gmail.com (Reg. Prop. Int. Expte. 567187)

 

Characters:

• JONAH: 18 years old. Caught between childhood and adulthood. Masculine and confident in his preferences. A loner who lives in his own fantasy world. He feels he will be alone for the rest of his days.
• LUNA: 25 years old. Older sister. Pragmatic, nosy. She hides her insecurity very well. She is looking for a new opportunity in life, but doesn't know how to find it.
• GABRIEL: 18 years old. The new neighbor. A nervous, masculine, and sensitive guy. He doesn't know much about computers, but he knows a lot about poetry.
• MOM: (Not visibly on stage) Loving, but doesn't know her children's inner world, not from a lack of interest, but from a lack of awareness of the diversity that can exist even in her own small world. She communicates by shouting from offstage.
• PIPPO (THE STUFFED DOG): An element that is sometimes concrete and sometimes imaginary. He is Jonah's best friend and a stuffed dog as big as a human. In Jonah's dream world, he comes to life and becomes a Jester. (Played by an actor in a dog costume).

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1: My Room, My Kingdom?

INT. JONAH'S ROOM - DAY

(The room is in a state of chaos. Clothes are on the floor, books are piled up, and pizza boxes are scattered about. JONAH, in pajamas, is lying on his bed with half his body covered by the sheets. The sounds of a video game are heard. Suddenly, the stuffed dog, PIPPO, comes to life and sits on the pillow. Pippo imitates the game sounds with vocal noises.)

PIPPO (In a boxing announcer's voice. The sound of a boxing ring bell rings) And in the blue corner, with an undefeated record of 30 fights, the invincible Jonah! And in the other, his nemesis, the fearsome hand of fate! Let the sheets tremble!

(JONAH smiles, satisfied, moving his hand discreetly under the sheet. Suddenly, the door bursts open. It's his sister LUNA. In a panic, JONAH hides his cell phone under the pillow and covers his head with the sheets. Pippo, amused, turns back into a simple stuffed animal, though he keeps a comical expression.)

LUNA (Walks in unannounced, with a pile of clean clothes in her hands) Jonah, really. What's that smell... of... mystery? And last week's clothes are still on the floor. Could you help me fold this?

JONAH (With his voice muffled by the sheets) Luna! Knock! Don't you know what privacy is?

LUNA (Holds up the clothes) Privacy? In this cave? The air is so thick it feels like you just had a very... transcendental... yoga session.

(JONAH doesn't answer, but he is clearly annoyed. Luna, without asking any more questions, leaves the clothes on the bed and exits. JONAH emerges from the sheets, relieved. PIPPO, the stuffed animal, sits on the edge of the bed. His comical gaze remains.)

JONAH (Speaking to Pippo, stroking the dog's head. Pippo, as a stuffed animal, barks annoyingly and sticks out his tongue. A rhythmic drum sound is heard.) You see that, Pippo! The invasion of my space! No, Pippo, I told you not to lick me.

(Suddenly, JONAH feels a headache coming on, rubs his eyes, and looks at Pippo. He realizes it's just a stuffed animal. The illusion shatters.)

JONAH (Out loud, with frustration) What's wrong with me? I should have a real dog! You're just a toy... a stuffed puppy! A big stuffed dog! (A rhythmic drum sound is heard. Almost every time the drum or some other sound plays, JONAH and PIPPO react as if asking themselves, "where does that sound come from?")

(Pippo barks at him, annoyed. JONAH raises his hand as if to hit him.) And you shut up! (He looks at his pajamas) Look, my favorite pajamas are freshly washed and smell clean. (Baddum tss drum sound. JONAH makes a face like "how is that possible," as if he were being listened to...) He changes his pajamas and lies back in bed, again under the sheets. His cell phone can be seen under the sheets, as well as the discreet movements of his hand. Just in case someone comes in, he peeks his head out from under the sheet, but then covers himself again.

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2: The Unexpected Visit

INT. JONAH'S ROOM - DAY

(JONAH is sitting at his desk, with his back to the audience, his laptop open. The screen shows images of a couple of boys Jonah's age about to kiss. It's a bit provocative, but the scene would only be a problem if his mom or sister arrived... JONAH seems absorbed. PIPPO, the stuffed animal, is sitting on the desk with a look of perplexity.)

PIPPO (Like a dog tilting its head in confusion at what it sees) I don't get it... why do you do that? Is it like when I roll around on the rug to relieve an itch? Do you smell something I don't?

(JONAH laughs, a little embarrassed. Suddenly, there's a knock on the door. JONAH, in a panic, tries to slam his laptop shut, but he can't. It's completely stuck. The knock is loud.)

GABRIEL (Starts talking from outside and walks into the room with a mix of insecurity and curiosity) Hello? I'm Gabriel, your new neighbor. Your mom said you could help me unfreeze... my lap...

(JONAH freezes. A drum cymbal marks the moment. JONAH takes PIPPO to a corner of his bed. Pippo falls off the bed with a dull drum sound. JONAH tries again to close his laptop or unfreeze the image of the two boys about to kiss, but he has no luck. The image is still there. He tries to take the laptop to the bed but can't because it's connected to a power outlet and a myriad of cables for the microphone, mouse, and speakers prevent him. Dazed, JONAH gets under the sheets where he immediately grabs his cell phone, as if to somehow justify being in bed. The door opens. GABRIEL enters, with a laptop in his hand and a nervous smile.)

GABRIEL (To the empty room) Hello? Jonah?

(JONAH, under the sheets, compulsively plays a video game. The cell phone light isn't enough to see his face, which is presumably red with embarrassment. The stuffed animal PIPPO sits on the bed, lifts the sheets a little, and looks at him with a feigned innocent expression. JONAH swats at him, and Pippo retreats, crestfallen.)

GABRIEL (Walks to the bed and sits on the edge) Jonah... Jonah... Is that you under the sheets? What a question, ha, ha... Who else could it be... Ha, ha... (JONAH stutters when he's nervous or emotional) A-a-are you... all right?

(JONAH doesn't answer. Gabriel, getting no response, stands up and starts walking around the room, growing more nervous and excited.)

GABRIEL I came to see if you could help me... uh... unfreeze... my... my lap... My laptop... Can you? If not... I-I-I can come back another time. (Gabriel discovers the image of the two boys kissing on the screen. He's amazed, but with a pleasant feeling of revelation about what JONAH really likes. More confident, he now speaks with a lot of empathy toward his neighbor. His voice is now warm, secure, and friendly.) I was writing a poem... you know... it's a happy coincidence or a pleasant surprise from Fate, if that exists... It's... a-a-about the idea of two people who meet in a mirror, you know... with a strong connection... Just... suddenly... Poof!... Listen... It goes something like this... (Gabriel sits down at the desk and starts reading from his notebook.)

"This one you see

in the mysterious mirror..."

...and there, I stayed... I didn't know how to go on... Do you like it?... Well, it's only two verses..., but I like it because it reflects what's happening to me now and maybe... Hey... don't worry if you can't unlock my computer... Maybe you can help me, and lend me yours later? That apparently... it is also blocked with a beautiful image, by the way.

(JONAH lifts a corner of the sheet and looks at Gabriel. There is a mixture of relief and amazement.)

GABRIEL ...You are just as I had imagined you.

JONAH Yeah... Me too... You too... you... you too.

GABRIEL (Nervous but feeling great at the same time...) "Me too"? Ha, ha. I'm really happy about that too. Ha, ha.

(They both laugh because they are both clearly nervous about the presence of the Other. Gabriel leaves his laptop on the desk and offers a hand to JONAH to get him out of the sheets. JONAH, a little hesitant, takes his hand and lets go with a jump, as if he'd been burned. JONAH, again, feels embarrassed. Gabriel withdraws his hand but offers it to JONAH again... who is surprised and happy.) (A drum and happy trumpet sound.)

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3: All Smooth Sailing, Just This Once

INT. JONAH'S ROOM - A FEW HOURS LATER...

(Jonah and Gabriel make the bed with a discreet smile of complicity. Then they clean and tidy the room. When the room is clean, JONAH changes his clothes into jeans and a t-shirt. Then, with both laptops on the desk, we see that both are working perfectly. GABRIEL is sitting on the bed with a notebook and a beautiful fountain pen. A drum and a saxophone play a happy tune. LUNA enters without knocking, as usual.)

LUNA (Surprised) Well, little brother! You cleaned! And... you must be Javier?

GABRIEL (Smiles, waves) Hi, I'm Gabriel.

LUNA (Smiles without much sympathy) Like... Like Samuel... ha, ha?

GABRIEL You can call me Samuel, it's all the same. Javier, Samuel, Gabriel, ha, ha, ha.

LUNA Oh, and you're a comedian too, how cool. Look, if you've managed to get my little brother out from under his sheets... If you've managed... to get him to not be... on his video games all the time...

GABRIEL (Smiles, uncomfortable with Luna) Oh... everything's fine with that... with the sheets... and video games. I...

LUNA Yeah, with all that... and the rest, ha, ha... Yeah. It's good that Jonah has new friends. Real friends... (Her voice becomes serious and insecure, to the boys' surprise. She's almost talking to herself.) I... you know... I also have friends... and... They offered me a job... abroad, you know... I'm going to accept it. And... of course, there's also the other thing... I mean... Something that was holding me back, but I feel like it's not anymore... I mean... Mom... You know... Mom... Maybe now you can take charge, Jonah... (To Gabriel) And if they help you, even better... I won't be in charge of your laundry anymore... And you, well, it's clear you're quite grown up now. Now you can help Mom. (When she sees the boys' full attention, she changes her attitude.) No, really. It will be a total change for me. For the better... I'm sure.

(JONAH looks at her with surprise and empathy. His sister, the rock, the strong one, isn't so strong. JONAH takes her hand.)

JONAH (Squeezes Luna's hand. His voice is soft and sincere.) You'll do great, Luna, I'm sure. I've always loved you and I'm really happy you're leaving. (At Luna's surprised face at what his words might mean) In a good way, sis. I've always thought you were incredible, even though you were always bothering me... And... you don't know how to enter without...

LUNA Yeah, without knocking. You won't have that problem anymore... or maybe you will... Mom doesn't knock much either... So you know... ha, ha... Yeah. You'll have to behave yourselves... Or not... You'll know what to do... And... Well... I'm happy you have new brothers, friends, ahem... Gabriel... Welcome to the family.

JONAH I can take care of my clothes and everything else... Help Mom like you've done until now... and I have help too, as you can see.

LUNA (Her eyes fill with tears. She leaves, and her voice is heard from the hallway, shouting to her mom.) Mom! Jonah's friend's name is Gabriel, can you believe it?... And his room is clean! It's a miracle! And he took off his pajamas! And he promised to help you... Hey, Mommmmyyy.

(Gabriel laughs. JONAH feels excited, but insecure. The PIPPO plush toy is sitting next to JONAH, in stuffed animal mode. Very serene.)

JONAH (Looks at Pippo and then Gabriel. He closes his laptop and sits on the bed next to Gabriel. Gabriel puts his notebook and pen aside, looks at him, and their hands touch. JONAH shudders. Gabriel withdraws his hand and Jonah's face is saddened.) I don't understand... don't you like me?

GABRIEL (Blushes, looks him in the eye) I like you... and a lot. It's just that... I don't know how to react. You're kind of... an enigma.

JONAH I... I am an enigma. How are you? Is there any reason for you to arrive here, so suddenly?

GABRIEL That sounds like the beginning of a poem... "I like the poetry that hides behind your silences"...

(Gabriel takes JONAH's hand again, and this time, Jonah holds it. Pippo looks at them, laughs, and slowly withdraws calmly, no longer necessary, or at least not for now. JONAH and GABRIEL look into each other's eyes. Gabriel is really calm and happy, just like Jonah. The problems will come; for now, they live in the present.)

THE END