SCENE ONE.
[A park, in Paris, in the springtime.
A YOUNG MAN walks slowly through the park.
A NARRATOR stands under a tree.]
NARRATOR
It was April in Paris, and a young man was walking through the park. The young man was very happy. Earlier in the day it had rained, but now the sun was out and the air was warm. Everyone was outside enjoying the weather. The young man was thinking about springtime, and girls, and about his studies at the art school. He was very happy indeed.
[The Young Man walks past a BEAR, which sits on a park bench. The Bear is weeping.]
NARRATOR
But then the young man saw a bear. The bear was sitting on a park bench, crying as if its heart would break. The young man could not bear to see a creature in so much pain, so he spoke to the bear.
YOUNG MAN
Bear! Bear! Why are you crying? It is a beautiful day.
BEAR
I know,
NARRATOR
The bear said,
BEAR
I know. But I feel as though my heart must break.
NARRATOR
The young man could not believe it.
YOUNG MAN
What has happened,
NARRATOR
He asked,
YOUNG MAN
To bring you such sorrow on the first warm day of spring?
NARRATOR
The bear invited the young man to sit down, and told him his sad story.
[The Young Man sits down on the park bench.]
SCENE TWO.
[A café. A light rain falls outside.
The bear sits alone, drinking coffee.
A GIRL sits at a nearby table, crying.
Note: Neither character in this scene will speak. The Bear and Narrator give their narration offstage. It is advisable to play the narration from tape, to avoid the necessity of buying two bear suits.]
BEAR
I went to the café this morning,
NARRATOR
The bear said,
BEAR
As I often do. It was raining outside, but the coffee was good and I was happy. I saw a girl in the café. She was very beautiful, but she was sitting alone. She was crying, as I was when you found me here.
[The Bear gets up from his table and sits with the Girl.]
BEAR
I could not bear to see such a beautiful girl in pain, so I went to her.
[The Bear and the Girl converse silently.]
BEAR
“What is the matter,” I asked. “Why are you crying here in the café?” The girl could not speak at first, so great was her sorrow. Finally, she told me that she was waiting for a young man. She loved the young man, and she thought that he loved her. “So why do you weep?” I asked, and the girl began to cry again. She had been waiting in the café for hours, and the young man had not come. “I am sure the young man will come,” I said. “He is probably just running late.” “No,” the girl said, “I know something has happened. He will never come. He has fallen in love with another girl. He is tall, and handsome, and wears a flower in his lapel. Any girl might fall in love with him.”
[The Bear stands.]
BEAR
“Did you say he wears a flower?” I asked. “Yes,” the girl said, “Always a white flower in his lapel.”
The Bear looks to the sky in despair.
SCENE THREE.
[The park.
The Bear and Young Man are still sitting on the bench.]
BEAR
When I heard that, I left the café to weep. I have been here, in the park, since then.
NARRATOR
The young man was troubled.
YOUNG MAN
That is a sad story,
NARRATOR
The young man said,
YOUNG MAN
But do not despair. Her young man may still return.
NARRATOR
But the bear knew better.
BEAR
No,
NARRATOR
He said.
BEAR
I know that he will not.
YOUNG MAN
But how can you be sure?
[The Bear cries out in anguish.]
NARRATOR
The bear cried out in anguish.
BEAR
I know that he will never return. Very early in the morning, I saw the same young man, buying a flower for his lapel. I killed him and ate him, on my way to the café.
[The Young Man stands.]
YOUNG MAN
This is a hard life, to be sure,
NARRATOR
The young man said. He walked away, deep in thought.
[The Young Man walks away.]
THE END