Play #15

CHI

__________________________

A short play

By Joseph Frost

Originally written as a part of

31 Plays in 31 Days

August 19, 2021

Contact:
710 Newland Dr
Jackson MS 39211
FrostJosephD@gmail.com
*member, Dramatists Guild
 Andrea and Paul complete yoga.

Andrea is leading.

ANDREA
And we’re done.

PAUL
No.

ANDREA
That’s all this week.

PAUL
Please...

ANDREA
Wipe your mat down, please.

PAUL
Andrea, that can’t be it. I need my chi.

ANDREA
Your chi?

PAUL
I lost it this week sometime.

ANDREA
That’s not how chi works.

PAUL
But it’s gone.

ANDREA
Come back next week, Paul.

PAUL
I won’t make it to next week chi-less.

ANDREA
Chi-less is not a concept. And not a word.
 2.

PAUL
If you send me out without a chi...

ANDREA
Look Paul, you’re fine. Nothing is going to happen.

PAUL
But my chi!

ANDREA
Is fine!

PAUL
It’s not fine.

ANDREA
You can’t lose your chi. It’s not possible.

PAUL
Tell my chi, Andrea.

ANDREA
Your chi is you. Your essence.

PAUL
My essence.

ANDREA
You can not be without yourself.

PAUL
My essence is gone...

ANDREA
That’s not the--

PAUL
No essence! Ahhhhh!

ANDREA
Hold on. You’re right here. Just breathe.

PAUL
I can’t breathe.
 3.

ANDREA
You can.

PAUL
No chi, no essence, no breath - DEATH!

ANDREA
You have chi! You have essence! Be calm! Calm...

PAUL
What am I gonna do?

ANDREA
...

PAUL
Answer me!

ANDREA
First thing is to remain calm. Trust me.

PAUL
Trust. As much as I can without chi.

ANDREA
Lay down right now.

PAUL
Ok.

ANDREA
Once you’re flat, stretch into an upward facing dog.

PAUL
This one makes my back start shaking.

ANDREA
Good.

PAUL
Shaking is good? I doubt that.

ANDREA
Shaking means... your chi’s... trying to get back in.
 4.

PAUL
It is? Really?

ANDREA
It takes a great effort for chi to return.

PAUL
I think I can feel it returning. My chi!

ANDREA
Welcome home, Chi!

PAUL
Is everything supposed to be going dark?

ANDREA
Darkness is the shadow of Chi.

PAUL
Ok.

ANDREA
*breathes*

PAUL
Your breathing in my face.

ANDREA
I’m inviting your chi back with my chi.

PAUL
Smells minty.

ANDREA
*breathes*

PAUL
Is that Crest? Smells like Crest. I use Sensodyne.

ANDREA
Crest helps you retain your chi, Paul.

PAUL
I always use Crest.
 5.

ANDREA
Then maybe, just maybe, once your chi has returned...

PAUL
I can keep it...

ANDREA
By brushing with Crest.

Something cracks in Paul’s back.

PAUL
Ah! I can feel it!

ANDREA
Your chi has returned, Paul. That’ll be forty dollars.

PAUL
Forty dollars?

ANDREA
Extra. Plus tax.

PAUL
*pays Andrea*

ANDREA
And don’t forget to wipe down your mat.

Andrea exits, counting Paul’s money.

Paul limps out.

End.