Sanity

The scene is a dimly lit living room. Two candles on the dinner table are the only source of light; their soft glow creates an intimate atmosphere enhanced by the soothing music playing in the background. The table is set for two but only one person is seated. A young lady (Daisy) clearly agitated and nervous, she keeps consulting her wrist watch and taps a tattoo on the table's surface.

The sound of an approaching care is heard and she instantly brightens, relief clearly showing on her face. She raises quickly, fusses with the china making a few last minute adjustments the hurries to open the door just as the knock sounds. A clearly weary man steps in, with a bag in one hand and his coat in the other, his wife quickly relives him of then and hurries to put them away.

(Mark steps into the dimly lit room and squints)

Mark: it's dark in here, (finds the light switch on the adjacent wall and flicks it, fluorescent light fill the room ruining the romantic set up his wife had taken pains to create) The power is back on. (He calls after his wife; he seats himself at the table and proceeds to blow out the candles)

Daisy: what? I can't hear you back here.

Mark: (louder) I said the power is back on.

Daisy: (puzzled) huh?

Mark: Never mind.

(Daisy walks in a minute later and notices the glaring light and doused candles)

Daisy: (shrieks) Mark!

Mark: (freezes, startled by his wife's outrage) what?

Daisy: You ruined it! I spend my entire afternoon fixing a candle lit dinner and you ruin it!

Mark: (confused) There wasn't a power black out? I thought the reason you were using them (indicates the candles) was because the electricity hadn't come back on, or maybe it had and you just didn't know it.

Daisy: Great, just great! Next time I want to set a candlelit dinner for the two of us, I'll make sure I kill the main switch. (Storms out of the room)

Mark remains seated, unsure whether to follow and apologies or wait until she comes back. A minute later she walks back into the living room. She has a scarf in one hand and her handbag in the other; ignoring Mark she turns to the hallway mirror to add a final touch to her hair, Mark eyes her warily unsure what to expect)

Daisy: (calmly) I am going out. Don't wait up.

Mark: (of all the things he had expected this clearly wasn't it) whoa! Hold a minute; (leaves the table and blocks daisy's path to the door) Daisy wait. I am sorry I didn't think…

Daisy: its okay darling, I'll get over it.

Mark: Seriously Daisy I – wait, "Darling?" You stopped calling me that ages ago.

Daisy: (turning away from the hallway mirror to look at him) that's because you got embarrassed every time I did.

Mark: Is that why you are calling me that now?

Daisy: No honey, I am doing it because I want to.

Mark: Honey?

Daisy: Do you prefer sugar?

Mark: What!

Daisy: cupcake, then?

Mark: (scandalized) Daisy!

Daisy: (sweetly) yes baby?

Mark: (palms his face in frustration then peers at her inquiringly) you are not going to drop the pet names, are you?

Daisy: (pretends to think about it) mmh, No.

Mark: Okay, (heaves a tortured sigh), stick with honey then, at least I can bear that one.

Daisy: (smiling victoriously) Thanks honey! (Picks the car keys form the key tray and starts to head for the door)

Mark: (mystified) Eh…Daisy? I said I was sorry.

Daisy: And I said its okay.

Mark: Then why are you still angry?

Daisy: (shrugs) I am not angry?

Mark: okay… (Obviously not convinced but unwilling to risk angering her more, tries a different approach) why you are still leaving?

Daisy: (sighs dramatically) Mark, honey, why do people go out? To get roaring drunk, dance on tables and stagger home at three am.

Mark: (shocked) Daisy! (Grabs her by the shoulders and shakes her) what's gotten into you today, you are always so reasonable.

Daisy: (disentangles herself from his grip) I finally figured out being reasonable is boring. I should have done this a long time ago, this is fun.

Mark: Fun! Have you lost your mind? (Makes a show of feeling her forehead to check for a fever) are you sure you aren't feeling sick, because I don't find anything the least amusing about this absurd conversation

Daisy: stop that! I am perfectly healthy.(pushes away his hand) think about it will you? this is the first time in almost a month we've had a conversation that last more and a minute, plus I get to call you honey, like I said, fun.

Mark: But Daisy, we talk every day.

Daisy: sure, I talk; you nod and pretend to listen

Mark: (protests heatedly) that's not true!

Daisy: Really? is that why you don't know what day today is?

Mark: I know what day today is, it's July third.

Daisy: and?

Mark: (hesitantly unsure what else to add) it's a Friday?

Daisy: And?

Mark: (gestures frantically in frustration) obviously I am missing something, why don't you just tell me?

Daisy: (shout) it's my birthday and our first anniversary, and you forgot all about it!

Mark: (stunned with the realization of just how badly he had put his foot in it) that was today! God! Daisy I am so sorry:-

Daisy: Save it! I don't want to hear any of your excuses. I reminded you last week, you even agreed to come home early today, but apparently it was just an empty promise. You kept me waiting half the evening and ruined the dinner I spent the whole afternoon setting up. Now move out of my way and let me go celebrate with the one person who remembers important things around here. Me!

(Mark quickly grabs the keys form her hand and she glares at him)

Mark: (placating) Daisy, please, don't leave like this! at least hear me out. I am so sorry! I know you said you don't want to hear any excuses but this week has been hell, and I forgot about it, I am so sorry. It will never happen again.

Daisy: (resigned) Okay.

Mark: (suspicious) okay? Just like that? Why do I have a feeling this isn't over yet?

Daisy: (quickly getting irritated) Okay, apology accepted. Now hand me the keys.

Mark: For heaven's sake, Daisy!

Daisy: (mocking) yes honey?

Mark: (takes a deep and exhales slowly, visibly controlling his growing frustration) what are my other unknown crimes? Aside from ruining dinner and forgetting our anniversary?

Daisy: (reminds him) and my birthday

Mark: (concedes though grudgingly) And your birthday, what else have I done wrong?

Daisy: what are you going to do about it?

Mark: (lost) do? About what? Christ! Following your convoluted conversation is starting to drive me crazy!

Daisy: (patronizingly) I said, what are going to do about the fact that you ruined dinner; forgot both my birthday and our anniversary and are right now preventing me from going out and actually celebrating?.

Mark: (angry) I said I am sorry. You accepted the apology, what more do you want me to do? Why are you being so complicated?

Daisy: (angry) newsflash honey, I am a woman! Complications are part of the genes. You said you are sorry I accepted, but do you realize you still haven't even wished me a happy birthday? Do I mean so little to you; you will not even try to make it up to me? The least I expected was for you to offer to take me out for dinner to make up for the one you ruined. Now out of my way.

Grabs, the keys back from his hand and slips past him before he can stop her

Mark: (Follows) Daisy I'm…

Daisy: (spins about fast and cuts him short) Say 'sorry' one more time and I'll give in to the temptation to break every piece of china in this house over your head!

Mark: (hastily holds his hands up in a gesture of surrender and backs away) okay! Okay! I won't say it.

Daisy: Good, now I'll be at Palatino's, I'll be back in an hour or two. I need time to myself. See you later honey. (Exits)

Mark: (stares at the closed door, shakes his head and walks back to the dinner table) Mark my man, you messed up big tonight, now you have to face an entire week of angry stares and the silent treatment. (Sighs) Unless I find a way to make it up to her and find it honey what am I going to do with you?

He seats brooding for almost half an hour, staring unseeingly at the set table before him, then he brightens and quickly leaves the room, returns a minute later with a box of matches and relights the candles, works quickly to recreate the romantic atmosphere his wife had achieved earlier in the evening as he fusses with the china he notices an envelope partly covered by what would have been Daisy's plate, curious he takes it out, relived to find it isn't sealed he quickly pulls out the paper inside and skims over the contents. Suddenly he seats abruptly, stunned by what he has just read.

Mark: hell! It can't be! (Reads the letter again seeking confirmation) it is! Daisy is expecting! ( Leaps to his feet) I am going to be a father! I am going to be a father! (ecstatic) I am going to be a father! Wait! (Suddenly worried) Daisy! She said she was going to get drunk! She can't drink, not with the baby! Why did I let her leave? Oh god, I have to go find her. (His earlier plan to make up to his wife forgotten he grabs the remaining set of keys and heads for the door eager to get to her) why didn't she tell me earlier? (At the door he halts his headlong rush and He looks at the letter still in his hand as the extent of just how bad he had messed up his wife's plans for the evening kicks in). Damn! No wonder she was livid, she meant it to be a part of the surprise and idiot that I am I ruined it. Now what do I do?

He paces pensively for a few minutes before making a decision, quick he returns the letter to its envelope and replaces the envelope in its previous hidden spot under the plate. Then he finishes adjusting the table to suit his earlier plan. And sighs

Mark: Now all I have to do is act surprised when she breaks the news. Let's hope for the sake of my sanity, I manage to pull that off.

With one last look and the entire set up he leaves the room switching off the fluorescent lights, the scene reverting to its earlier romantic atmosphere .Exits.

The end