See Him?

                                                            See Him?
                                                            By Jacob Juntunen

Characters:
A: A woman.
B: A woman.

Setting:
They sit onstage.

(A has a beer. B just sits.)

                                                            A
See the way that guy gets the boat in the water? You can tell he’ll get it off the trailer quick. Some of these guys take forever getting their boats in the water. Sammy hated that.

(A takes a drink of the beer.)

                                                            B
You learned a lot about boats.

                                                            A
We were out here every day, even when Sammy only had the strength for one swim. But we had to wait for the fishermen to get their boats in the water. He’d just lie there where you’re sitting, ball in his mouth, waiting to fetch again. You want a swig of this?

                                                            B
It’s not even five.

                                                            A
So? The sun’s starting to set. Winter’s coming.

                                                            B
He still wanted to fetch at the end?

                                                            A
Right up to the last week. He was a retriever to the end. Okay, that guy’s gonna go park his truck, then he’ll take the boat on the lake. Then we should be able to see Sammy.

(A takes another drink)

                                                            B
Maybe you should take it easy on that beer.

                                                            A
I’m not so drunk that I’m hallucinating. We’ll just sit here in the grass, the sun will hit its golden hour, and the rays will be this nice diffuse red… And we’ll see him.

                                                            B
It was nice of your colleague to pay for his cremation.

                                                            A
(taking a swig) Yup.

                                                            B
I’m glad coming out here helps.

                                                            A
You don’t think we’re going to see him, do you?

                                                            B
Well, he’s not here anymore.

                                                            A
You’ll see. Oh, shit. Another boat. This was always a busy hour. Hey, Joe.

                                                            B
You know him?

                                                            A
I got to know a lot of these guys. It’s a pretty male space, but I’d be out here in my wading boots, and they’d ask how old Sammy was. All that grey on his muzzle, you know? Once they found out he had cancer in his back leg but still wanted to swim, they didn’t mind I was out here.

                                                            B
Maybe we should go?

                                                            A
Don’t worry. Joe knows what he’s doing; he’ll get the boat right in there. Then you’ll see Sammy swimming. He looks more like when he was a pup. That boxy little face and worried eyebrows. And he always makes this grunting sound while he swims, especially when he’s got a ball in his mouth.

                                                            B
No, I mean, maybe we should go before you get drunker? I thought you were just going to tell me about him, that maybe it would be good for you to get it off your chest, not—

                                                            A
Sure, I’ll tell you about him while we’re waiting for Joe to get his boat in—

                                                            B
We’re not going to see Sammy—

                                                            A
(overlapping) After his back leg was ruined by the cancer, he could only get in the water from this boat dock. He needed the sloping ground, you know? But I still had to help him get out. The water sucked at him and tried to pull him under, but I’d wear my waders, and go in after him, put my hand under his hips, and walk him out. Phew. Even at the end he was close to 90 pounds.

                                                            B
Come on, let’s go—

                                                            A
But he was still graceful in the water, like a seal pup. Golden retrievers have webs between their toes, and he used his tail like a rudder. After John gets his boat out on the lake, you’ll see him, see how he goes after that tennis ball with a little snap of the jaws—

                                                            B
Put that beer down and get up—

                                                            A
Hey, let go of me—

                                                            B
Come on, we’re getting out of here—

                                                            A
What the fuck’s wrong with you?

                                                            B
We’re not going to see him. He’s gone. He’s a box of ashes on your mantel. I’m sorry, but it’s true, and coming out here, getting drunk, talking about him like he’s still around—

                                                            A
I know he’s not around. Fuck you. I know that. I know exactly where his ashes are. I hate to say it, but it was exhausting doing this everyday. At the end I had to lift him every time he wanted to stand up. I had to lift him in and out of the car. I had to wade into the lake and hold his butt up and frogmarch him until he was lying down where we’re sitting now. You think I don’t know that’s over? My whole body knows that’s over: my cracking back, my aching shoulders, my wet feet.

                                                            B
Let’s just get in the car.

                                                            A
The sun sets, and I see him when I could throw the ball into the water for hours, and he’d still want more. When I was alone and he was my best friend. Before I had you. Before I had anybody. He never let me down. And you’ll see him. See how these last few months were worth it. Just sit down. John’s going to launch in just a second and you’ll see Sammy out there, swimming after that tennis ball.

(They sit)

                                                            A (Cont)
Want a swig of this?

                                                            B
No.

(A moment)

                                                            A
Catch one for me, John! Tell him good luck.

                                                            B
Good luck, John.

(A moment)

                                                            A
There Sammy is! Do you see him?

                                                            B
Um…

                                                            A
God. He’s gorgeous. Seeing him like this, how happy he is— Well, it just makes everything I did these last few months worth it. Look at him. Right there. See him?

                                                            B
Yeah. Sure I do. He’s right there.

                                                            A
Almost at the tennis ball.

                                                            B
He looks great. And it makes it all worth it. Right?

                                                            A
It sure does.

                                                            B
Then yeah. I see him. He looks great. Pass that beer.

(B takes a drink. Blackout.)

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