What if I were different?

What if I had a different family

and was raised differently,

not taken to church …?

But I was taken to church, and

I had the family that I had,

and they raised me to believe that the feeling I feel is from God,

but what if this—?

and what if that—?

but no—what didn’t happen didn’t happen

because God made it that way.

(WIFE re-enters.)

WIFE

…

PASTOR

(To WIFE.)

I have a powerful urge to communicate

but I find the distance between us

insurmountable.

WIFE

I think back to me

and my younger self

on an airplane flight from California to Florida.

I think back to the handwritten note

handed to me by the stewardess.

I think back to me

looking out

and down the aisle,

and seeing a handsome man waving at me.

And I think back to me

in that moment

hearing a voice that sounded like God

saying that’s the man

you’ll spend the rest of your life with.

But sometimes,

sometimes it’s really hard

to really know

which voice is God

and which one is your own wishful self.

PASTOR

Be patient with me,

and stay a little longer.

WIFE

My bags are packed.

PASTOR

They can stay packed.

WIFE

We’re losing the church

PASTOR

Which means you’re all I have.

WIFE

We might not be together forever.

PASTOR

Then shouldn’t we spend together what time we know we have.

WIFE

…

PASTOR

Don’t worry about trying to figure it out now.

It will make more sense later.

WIFE

…

(Lights out.)

(End of play.)

ALSO BY LUCAS HNATH

RED SPEEDO

Ray’s swum his way to the eve of the Olympic trials. If he makes the team, he’ll get a deal with Speedo. If he gets a deal with Speedo, he’ll never need a real job. So when someone’s stash of performance-enhancing drugs is found in the locker room fridge, Ray has to crush the rumors or risk losing everything. A sharp and stylish play about swimming, survival of the fittest, and the American dream of a level playing field—or of leveling the field yourself.

A PUBLIC READING OF AN UNPRODUCED SCREENPLAY ABOUT THE DEATH OF WALT DISNEY

It’s about Walt’s last days on earth. It’s about a city he’s going to build that’s going to change the world. And it’s about his brother. It’s about everyone who loves him, and how sad they’re going to be when he’s gone. Can Walt control the future from the grave? Why does his daughter hate him so much? Were thousands of lemmings harmed in the making of a famous Disney nature film? Stay tuned…