(One scene drama)
Setting: A quiet park, the sun setting in a blaze of orange and purple hues. Birds chirp lazily, and a gentle breeze rustles the leaves. Peter now married and a father walks with Janet’s sister, Lisa, along a winding path lined with trees.
Peter: (looking around, reminiscing) it’s funny, isn’t it? Five years can feel like five seconds and five lifetimes all at once.
Lisa: (smiling, but with a hint of sadness) Yeah, especially when you bump into the ghosts of your past.
Peter: (chuckling) Ghosts? More like specters of bad decisions. I mean, who knew a tall girl with silky hair could cause such chaos?
Lisa: (teasing) You mean Janet? She didn’t just cause chaos; she orchestrated it like a symphony, with Moses as the lead violinist and you as… well, the confused triangle.
Peter: (mock offense) Hey now! I was a solid triangle. Triangles are fundamental, you know.
Lisa: (laughing) Right, fundamental. Like the way you fundamentally failed to woo her.
Peter: (sighing dramatically) It wasn’t for lack of trying! I showered her with compliments, texts, and calls. I was practically a human confetti cannon.
Lisa: (grinning) A very loud confetti cannon. You know, it’s like you were trying to win a marathon by sprinting the first mile.
Peter: (nodding) Exactly! I was the marathon runner who forgot that pacing is key. Meanwhile, Moses played the slow, serene tortoise.
Lisa: (raising an eyebrow) A tortoise with a penchant for other girls, it seems.
Peter: (scoffing) Right? The irony! I was the one who was supposed to be the “best friend,” the “supportive guy,” and all that jazz. Meanwhile, he was off playing the mysterious card.
Lisa: (leaning in) And what a card it was! You know, I still remember the look on Janet’s face when Moses strolled in. It was like she saw a unicorn in a field of horses.
Peter: (chuckling) A unicorn that turned out to be a horse with a sparkly filter.
Lisa: (laughing) Exactly! And you were there, the dependable old horse, neighing your heart out while she chased after him.
Peter: (mocking a gallop) “Look at me! I’m dependable! I’m here for you!”
Lisa: (teasingly) And he was like, “Ooh, look at my shiny mane!”
Peter: (smirking) A shiny mane that ultimately became a tangled mess.
(They pause on a bench, the weight of their laughter fading into a comfortable silence.)
Lisa: (softly) But in all seriousness, Peter, how did it feel when you realized she chose Moses?
Peter: (sighing) Like being hit by a truck, honestly. A truck full of cliches. “Oh, the one that got away!” “If only I had done this differently!”
Lisa: (nodding) It’s like you were on a game show, and the prize was her, but you were stuck in the audience.
Peter: (smirking) “I’ll take ‘Things I Should Have Done’ for a thousand, Alex!( host of the television quiz show Jeopardy)”
Lisa: (laughing) You were the contestant who buzzed in too late, and all that was left was the consolation prize: my shoulder to cry on.
Peter: (with mock seriousness) A great consolation prize, I must say.
(They share a laugh, but the atmosphere shifts slightly.)
Lisa: (gently) Do you still care about her?
Peter: (pausing) It’s complicated. I moved on, but sometimes I wonder if I could have been more… unicorn-like.
Lisa: (smirking) You mean more sparkly?
Peter: (grinning) Exactly! Instead, I was the solid, dependable triangle.
(A silence settles between them, filled with unspoken memories.)
Lisa: (breaking the silence) You know, she’s not doing well.
Peter: (concerned) What do you mean?
Lisa: (hesitating) Moses isn’t the man she thought he was. He’s always out with other women, leaving her feeling… replaceable.
Peter: (frowning) That’s just cruel.
Lisa: (nodding) It is. She thought she could win him over with her charm, but it turns out, he was just using it as a warm-up act for his next performance.
Peter: (bitterly) Seems he played her like a fiddle.
Lisa: (softly) Exactly. And she lost herself in the process.
Peter: (sighing) I wish she had seen what I offered.
Lisa: (gently) You showed her, Peter. You were genuine. But sometimes, genuine is overshadowed by the allure of the exotic.
Peter: (sarcastically) Ah, yes! The classic “mysterious tortoise” versus the “dependable triangle” showdown.
Lisa: (laughing) Right! And the triangle lost, but the tortoise didn’t even finish the race.
Peter: (sighing) I just hope she finds her way back to herself.
Lisa: (nodding) It’s a long road, but she’s strong. Maybe she’ll learn that the solid triangle is worth more than the shiny tortoise.
Peter: (looking away) I wish I could help her.
Lisa: (firmly) You can’t save everyone, Peter. You have your own family now.
Peter: (sighing) I know, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that I could’ve done something differently.
Lisa: (gently) Sometimes people don’t realize what they have until it’s gone.
(They sit in silence for a moment, the weight of the conversation hanging in the air.)
Peter: (finally speaking) You know, I do miss those moments with her. Despite everything, I remember making her laugh.
Lisa: (smiling) You were good at that. You had this ability to lighten the mood, even when you were grappling with your own feelings.
Peter: (smirking) Well, someone had to keep the mood from getting too heavy.
Lisa: (teasingly) You were the jester in a court of chaos.
Peter: (laughing) A jester with a broken heart!
(They both burst into laughter, the weight of their conversation lightening.)
Lisa: (standing up) Come on, let’s head back.
Peter: (standing) Right, before we turn into statues of regret.
(As they walk, Peter glances back at the park, where memories swirl like autumn leaves.)
Peter: (softly) I hope she finds her way back.
Lisa: (smiling) She will, in her own time.
(They start walking away, leaving behind the echoes of their past, both lighter and yet heavier with the knowledge of what could have been.)
(The scene fades, the clamor of silence mixing with the sounds of a world moving on.)
– – – – – – –
Here’s an explanation of each phrase from the drama:
- Mock Offense: This refers to a playful or exaggerated expression of being offended. It’s not genuine anger but rather a humorous way to react to teasing or light-hearted banter.
- A Solid Triangle: This metaphor describes Peter as a stable and dependable person. Triangles are strong shapes; they imply reliability and supportiveness, unlike the more glamorous or exciting figures in relationships.
- A Human Confetti Cannon: This phrase suggests that Peter was overly enthusiastic and expressive, showering Janet with compliments and attention like confetti. It implies he was trying too hard to impress her.
- Off Playing the Mysterious Card: This describes Moses’s approach of being enigmatic and intriguing, which often attracts attention. He keeps people guessing, making him seem more desirable.
- A Unicorn in a Field of Horses: This metaphor illustrates how Janet stood out among other women. Unicorns are rare and special, so it implies that she was unique and captivating compared to others.
- A Sparkly Filter: This phrase suggests that Moses initially appeared charming and perfect, but it also implies that this charm was superficial, like an Instagram filter that enhances appearances without reflecting reality.
- Neighing Your Heart Out: This is a humorous way to describe Peter’s attempts to express his feelings for Janet. It plays on the idea of a horse neighing loudly, symbolizing his earnestness.
- Mocking a Gallop: This refers to Peter pretending to gallop like a horse, using humor to convey his eagerness and nervousness in trying to win Janet over.
- Shiny Mane: This metaphor refers to Moses’s attractive qualities that initially drew Janet in. It symbolizes superficial charm, suggesting that it looks good on the surface but may not have substance.
- On a Game Show: This phrase likens Peter’s experience to being a contestant on a game show, where he feels like he’s competing for Janet’s affection without the chance to participate actively.
- Stuck in the Audience: This implies that Peter felt powerless and sidelined in his own romantic story, watching others (like Moses) play the game instead of being part of it himself.
- “Things I Should Have Done” for a thousand, Alex!: This is a humorous reference to a game show format, implying that Peter is reflecting on his past choices and wishing he could have done things differently, like answering a trivia question.
– – – – – – –
The takeaway from the drama is the complexity of love and relationships, highlighting several key themes:
- The Nature of Attraction: The drama explores how attraction can often be influenced by superficial qualities, such as mystery and charm, rather than genuine connection. It illustrates the idea that what seems appealing on the surface may not always be fulfilling in the long run.
- The Consequences of Choices: Characters like Janet and Peter demonstrate how choices in love can lead to regret and heartache. The drama suggests that sometimes people only recognize the value of what they had after it’s gone.
- Friendship and Support: The bond between Peter and Lisa emphasizes the importance of friendship and support during difficult times. It shows that while romantic relationships can be complicated, strong friendships can provide comfort and perspective.
- Self-Reflection: The narrative encourages self-reflection about one’s own actions and choices in relationships. It highlights that understanding oneself and being true to one’s values is crucial for personal growth.
- The Illusion of Control: Peter’s experience illustrates the feeling of powerlessness when it comes to love, showing that despite our best efforts, we cannot control how others feel or the outcomes of our relationships.
Overall, the drama serves as a reminder to appreciate what we have, to value genuine connections, and to learn from past experiences.
BY ALEM HAILU G/KRISTOS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 5 JULY 2025
