1. The Girl and the Cab Driver
Darkness. Music. You have the impression of the stage opening up, as if it were expanding. You begin to see a GIRL, sitting on a bench, smoking a cigarette. As the stage grows around her, it becomes clear she is under a scrubby tree by the side of a street. She looks 18, like an amateur, in a short black leather skirt and shoes, but she also has an odd self-confidence. A CAB DRIVER walks past, taking no notice. She makes no reaction. Then ten seconds later, he passes again, going back in the other direction. This time, the music stops and she speaks as he passes her.
Girl What? What did you say?
Cab Driver I didnāt say anything.
Girl I thought you said something.
Cab Driver No.
Girl What made me think you just spoke?
She puts out her cigarette.
Girl Do you want to come home with me?
Cab Driver Do I want to go home with you? Go home? Why would I go home with you?
She is impassive, not responding.
Cab Driver Where is your home?
Girl Quite near.
Cab Driver Where?
Girl South.
Cab Driver Iām not going south.
Girl We can take a taxi.
Cab Driver Take a taxi? I drive a fucking taxi.
Girl Is it yours?
Cab Driver Itās mine.
Girl I mean, does it belong to you?
He turns to go.
Girl So?
Cab Driver I havenāt got any money. I just spent the lot on sushi.
Girl So?
The CAB DRIVER looks at her a moment.
Cab Driver Right, Iāve heard about you. Youāre new. Arenāt you?
Girl New-ish.
Cab Driver How long?
Girl A week.
Cab Driver You enjoying it?
Girl Once or twice.
He looks at her, tempted.
Cab Driver How far is this place of yours?
Girl Itās ten minutes by cab.
Cab Driver Oh look, forget it. Ten minutes? No. Forget it. I have to work. Iāve made nothing tonight. And Iām not doing it in the car. Itās the first rule of driving. I never do it in the car.
Girl Give me a kiss.
Cab Driver Here?
She takes his hand and leads him quickly to a darker place across the street.
Girl Now give me a kiss.
She kisses him. Itās magical, suspended for a moment. They stay in each otherās arms. It is dark in the street and deserted.
Girl The kiss is the best bit. I like the kiss best.
Cab Driver Itās still too far.
He looks at her. They start to walk towards the river. As they go down by the riverside, it is very beautiful, the reflection of the water thrown high against the wall.
Girl What do you think? Do you think youāll always want to drive a cab?
Cab Driver Shall we just stick to what weāre doing?
She throws a glance at him.
Girl What I want ā¦ what I really need is someone long-term. I need someone ambitious.
Cab Driver Long-term Iād make you jealous.
Girl Oh yeah?
Cab Driver Sure.
Girl Why?
Cab Driver Iām irresistible. Women canāt resist me.
Girl Watch out. Itās dark down here. One foot wrong and youāre in the river.
Cab Driver Iād love to be in the river.
She smiles. He tries to push her up against the wall.
Girl Letās do it on the bench. Thereās one over there.
Cab Driver Letās do it here.
Girl Watch out, or weāll both be in the water ā¦
Cab Driver Great ā¦
Girl Weāll both be in the water.
Music engulfs them. The lights go out. A projected slide reads: THREE MINUTES.
****
Light returns. The GIRL is lying on the ground. The CAB DRIVER is kneeling beside her, his hands on his knees.
Girl It would have been better on the bench.
Cab Driver On the bench. Off the bench. Up the fucking wall. Whatās the difference? Up you get.
Girl Hey, where you going?
Cab Driver Back to work.
Suddenly he reaches down with unexpected tenderness and pulls her up. He smiles.
Cab Driver I told you. Iāve done no business tonight.
He begins to leave.
Girl Whatās your name?
Cab Driver Oh no, Iām not telling you my name.
Girl My nameās Irene.
Cab Driver Irene, well!
Girl Whatās yours?
They both smile. He turns to go.
Girl Hey listen ā¦
Cab Driver What?
Girl Come on.
Cab Driver What? What are you asking?
Girl Come on. I didnāt want any money. Really. I didnāt. But, please: give me some money.
He looks at her a moment.
Cab Driver It went on the sushi. Iām not an idiot. Irene.
He goes.
Girl Iāll be here tomorrow.
2. The Cab Driver and the Au Pair
At once the sound of Elvis Presley. A slow ballad is being amplified very loudly and resonantly inside a neon-lit dance hall. Suddenly a door opens. Warm colored light falls across a darkened space, and onto the CAB DRIVER and the AU PAIR as they come in on a wave of good humor into a darkened storeroom, next to a dance hall. She is young, with a foreign accent and wearing a dress which is subtly too small for her.
Cab Driver Show me. Go on. Show me again.
Au Pair You wonāt get it.
Cab Driver I will get it. You wait. I will get it.
Move by move, she demonstrates an intricate jive maneuver. She does it beautifully. He copies, learning.
Au Pair I do that.
Cab Driver Uh-huh.
Au Pair I do that. Then I do that.
He gets it. They laugh together at the neatness of it.
Cab Driver Itās great.
Au Pair By the way, what are we doing in h...