Learning to See

At an airport. Two officials standing mid-stage seemingly waiting for something. One stands holding a sheet of paper. The rest of the characters enter from the wings chatting and looking around. The official with the sheet walks up to the group of people. The people all look at him and stop their chatting.

Official: Welcome group 947. Please form a single file line and have your tickets ready for inspection…

People form a line and the chatting resumes, but people only mouth speaking (to continue throughout the rest of the play). The third and forth people in line begin speaking to one another.

Person #1 (third in line): What does he mean ticket? I don’t have one, how am I supposed to get in?

Official #2 (at mid-stage): Next in line please!

First person in line goes to consult the official. They begin silently conversing.

Person #2: I’m not sure. I don’t have one either. In life I never had a chance to get one, actually I didn’t even know I needed to. (Signals to officer to get him to walk over. He walks over and person #2 addresses him.) [To officer] Excuse me sir, but I don’t have a ticket. Where might I find one?

Official: Name please?

Person consulting with the official at mid-stage nods to say goodbye and walks across the stage, exiting through the wings opposite the ones he entered from.

#2: Christian Macarthur.

Official looks at sheet and pauses for a little, searching the list. Appears to have a moment of recognition and looks up to continue speaking to person #2.

Official: You already have a ticket. Its your faith…

Official at mid-stage waves for the next person in line to come forward. The second person in line moves forward to consult the other official at mid-stage. Converse silently.

#2: So since I’m Catholic I’m allowed in?

#1: Oh, so he gets in because he’s Catholic? I’m Jewish! What am I supposed to do? I’m Jacob Wienburg. Am I on your sheet too?

Official consults sheet again.

Official: Well your allowed too. Doesn’t matter what you are, but more how you are. Your ticket is faith…

#1: All right, but what exactly is it like…where we’re going now?

Second person meeting with official leaves the same way the first does.

Official: You’re at the front of the line now. Please proceed forwards.

Person #1 walks to mid-stage and consults with official. Walks towards other wings and waits. Official flags person #2 and he moves forward and does the same. He walks up to person #1. Both start looking around, bewildered.

#1: Well this just looks the same. Not what I expected at all. Are we just going through this again?

#2 turns to face #1, but #1 continues looking around.

#2: I have no idea. It’s certainly not what I was told it would be. How can it just be the same? It was supposed to be so much…more.

#1: What did you expect? What are you looking for?

#2 turns to face #1.

#2: Its supposed to be perfect. I, I just don’t know what to do now. All my life…I never…but I guess its all here. It’s always been here.

Both start looking around again. They smile.

#1: Lets go.

Both exit, following the other two who had already left.