Between Two Worlds

BETTY

This is Air Force Control. Tiger 1006, Tiger 1006, are you there, can you read me? Please give mission status. Over.

TOM

Air Force Control, this is Sergeant Cortez, Squadron D-David-22 from Devon. Mission successful. Target destroyed. Repeat: Target destroyed. Also, four Nazi aircraft destroyed, and... I...I, think...maybe I...

             (Takes a breath, pulls himself together.) 

Over.

 BETTY

             (Concerned by his behavior)

Are you all right? 

             (Quickly remembering protocol.)

Over.

TOM

Yes, thank you. 

             (Forced bravado.)

I’m A-okay.  

BETTY

Current position Sergeant Cortez? Over.

TOM

Over the Channel, approaching Devon. Over.

BETTY

Then you should proceed to... 

             (Searches through charts & maps)

One moment please... sorry...I...yes. Proceed to Pembrokeshire Airbase. Please await landing instructions. Over.

TOM

Thank you. What’s your name?

BETTY

Excuse me?!

TOM

Your name.  What’s your name?

BETTY

             (Answers before thinking of etiquette)

Betty – oh! Elizabeth. Christie. Over.

TOM

Hello Betty O’Elizabeth-Christieover.

             (Waits for laugh. There is none.)

I’m Tom. Over.

BETTY

Sergeant Cortez, please proceed to Pembrokeshire Airbase.  Over.

TOM

Call me Tom. 

             (Pause.)  

Betty? Are you still there? Over.

BETTY

Please proceed to Pembrokeshire Airbase. Over.

TOM

Yes, I suppose I should, Betty. Only problem is I don’t think my plane will make it. Over.

BETTY

What? What’s wrong, Sergeant?

TOM

Well... my instrument panel is kaput, my gunner was blown to bits, there’s a huge gaping hole in the bottom of the plane...

             (Looks out his window at the gas tanks)

I seem to be loosing gas – or petrol as you say over here - and my left engine is...yes, it’s now completely gone. Over.

BETTY

Bail out, Sergeant! I think that’s...procedure. That’s what you should do. 

TOM

Yeah, I forgot to mention, we seem to be out of parachutes at the moment. And, folks, that’s all she wrote. Over.

BETTY

Hold on. Let me go for help. 

TOM

Betty! Betty, don’t go! Please don’t go. No one can help me. I’m S.O.L.

             (Pause.)

I’m in the soup now, but I can still see a little, and I know I’m far enough out over the Channel so by the time I completely run out of gas and my other engine finally gives out, at least I won’t take anyone with me when I go down.

BETTY

You really are extraordinary.

TOM

Just average.

BETTY

No. Extraordinary.

              (Pause.)

TOM

Hello? Are you still there? Over.

BETTY

Yes, Tom.

TOM

You’re not crying, are you? 

BETTY

(She is.)  No. 

TOM

Sounds a bit like you are.

BETTY

Well, how could I not? Oh, we can’t let this happen! We can’t simply accept this! 

TOM

I know you think I’m really brave and all that, but to tell the truth, I’m a little...

BETTY

Of course you are. Tom, I’m with you. Do you hear me?  I’ll be right here with you the whole time. And we’ll just take it one step at a time. No need to think about what’s coming ahead. Let’s just stay here. Right now. With each other. Talking.

TOM

Good. Tell me about where you’re from, Betty O’Elizabeth-Christieover.  

BETTY

That wasn’t funny the first time, flyboy.

TOM

Put it in your mess kit. It’ll grow on ya.

             (Pause.)

Talk to me.

BETTY

Well...there’s not much to tell, really. I’m from Cornwall, near the coast. Near Tintagel. Your typical small village. Lots of sheep. Stone walls. And everyone knows everyone else’s business.

TOM

             (To himself.)

Sounds very romantic.

BETTY

             (Overlapping him.) 

Sounds romantic, but it’s not really.  Well, unless you mean the ruin of that 13th century castle surrounded by legends of King Arthur and Camelot. It’s supposed to be magic. Then, yes. I suppose it is sort of romantic, in a windswept sort of way.

TOM

Do you have a garden? Doesn’t everyone in England have one?

BETTY

Yes. I have a specialty rose that I’m known for. Before the war started, I won the top prize at the annual flower show two years in a row. It’s quite competitive!

TOM

Ah, yes, I’ve heard of it...the War of the Roses.  

BETTY

That’s very funny! Do you have a garden?

TOM

Heck no! Where I’m from, Brooklyn, having a garden means having a tomato plant in a bucket out on your fire escape.  But I wish I could grow roses. I can see why they’re your favorites. And I like the name Rose. Sounds nice: “Hello, Rose! Nice to meet you.” I’ve always thought I’d like to name my first daughter Rose.

BETTY

Do you have a girl back home?

TOM

Nope. You’re my O.A.O. My one and only. I knew you were the moment I heard your voice. It’s true. I could feel it. Does that sound strange?

BETTY

No.

TOM

Do you have a fella? Oh, of course you do! A girl like you-

BETTY

No! No, I don’t have a “fella”...no.

TOM

Then it’s especially nice to meet you.

             (Pause.)

This was my first mission with the squadron. Not very lucky, am I? But we’re not talking about that. Tell me something else. I like the sound of your voice. It’s nice having you here with me.  

BETTY

Oh, I wish I could find help...I’m not very good at this. 

TOM

Am I making you nervous?

BETTY

No! You’re the only person who actually make me feel calm. This job makes me nervous. It’s my first day. 

TOM

Really?

BETTY

Yes!

TOM

Well, I think you’re doing just fine. You’re sure helping me out.

BETTY

I sometimes work as a nurse at a field hospital, I’m better at that. But I transferred over here recently, to do double duty, because they were short staffed. War effort and all, you know. Carry on.

TOM

You’re a regular G.I. Jane. You should be proud of yourself.

BETTY

Thank you. I wish I could do more.

TOM

You’re doing plenty. So, tell me a secret.

BETTY

I don’t have any.

TOM

Oh, come on! 

BETTY

I don’t believe in them.

TOM

Believe me, they exist. Everyone’s got ‘em.

BETTY

Do they? I’ve never had much use for them. So troublesome. I find it easier to simply tell the truth. I don’t like to hide things. Makes me too nervous.

TOM

You’re some kind o’ girl. I don’t know what to make of you.

BETTY

You tell me a secret.

TOM

Well, hmmmm. Let me think...

BETTY

See? You don’t have any either!

TOM

Oh, I’ve got ‘em. Just trying to find one that’s suitable for a lady’s ears.

BETTY

No, tell me one of the horrible ones! Shock me.

TOM

Let’s save that for later. I want you to like me now. 

             (Pause.)

You know, it’s funny how peaceful it is right now. I can see the sun just coming up on the horizon. 

BETTY

I like the sunrise. It’s my favorite time of day. 

TOM

Me, too!

BETTY

I sometimes get up early, in any weather, just so I can sit outside and watch the dawn. It’s the one time of day that always feels like magic... like a fairytale... life is suspended and you can feel happy because all your troubles are still sleeping, and the day is about to start, and anything seems possible. My father used to wake me up early and we’d sit together.

TOM

He doesn’t anymore?

BETTY

No. There’s no one waiting for me at home.

TOM

Well, I’m here now. We can watch the sunrise together. Are you near a window?

BETTY

No.

TOM

Well then, I’ll have to be your eyes and describe it to you the best I can. Let’s see, the sky is full of colors. Just beautiful. It’s strange how much orange and purple there is all mixed together and colliding. The clouds look so soft and comfortable. It would be nice to lie down inside one of them and take a nap. Big fan of naps.

BETTY

Sounds beautiful. 

             (Pause.)

Tom? 

             (Pause.)

Close your eyes. It’ll be like taking a nap.

             (Pause.)

TOM

Roger that. 

             (Pause.)

Hey...you’ve been swell, kid. 

BETTY

I’m here with you, Tom. 

TOM

I know you are. Thanks. Hey, can you do me a favor?

BETTY

Of course.

TOM

Can you get in touch with my parents? Find them. Tell them I love them.

BETTY

I will. 

TOM

Keep talking. It’s not so bad if I can hear your voice.

BETTY

Why don’t we both take a nap in those clouds? We’ll close our eyes together. Drift off into sleep. I imagine us on a picnic, lying in the sun. You’re holding my hand. I’m reading to you. Gosh, there are so many great books I want to read with you. Oh! And I’m going to make you the best pudding in the world. My grandmother’s recipe. You’ll love it. I hope you will, anyway. If not, I can make you whatever you want. An American — what do you call it — dessert!

TOM

I love you.

(Silence. LIGHTS out on TOM.)

BETTY

I love you, too.

             (Pause.)

Tom? Tom!

             (Pause. No response.)

Tiger 1006, this is Air Force Control, please respond. Over.  

             (Pause.)  

Tiger 1006, can you read me? Tom? 

(BLACK OUT.)

copyright 2015 by Eileen Connolly. All rights reserved.