Destiny
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Lunch at the Restaurant Fournaise
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1875-1879
Select Your Character to Highlight Your Lines:
Cast of Characters
KOLTON ANGUS - Overconfident ringleader with a weakness for grand schemes. Always thinks he has the perfect plan, even when evidence suggests otherwise. Drinks with authority.
BENJI BERTRAM - The wavering accomplice. Goes along with schemes but gets nervous easily. Has his priorities and isn't afraid to voice them at inappropriate times.
JADE ROSALYNNE - The group's voice of reason, though she still participates in their questionable adventures. Quick to spot trouble and quicker to say "I told you so."
DESTINY PETRA - Enthusiastic social butterfly who appears at the worst possible moments. Loud, friendly, and completely oblivious to social cues.
Setting
A private riverside garden. Grape-laden trellises create intimate walls around a small table draped in white cloth. The table sits at the water's edge, scattered with fresh fruit, wine bottles, and nearly empty glasses. Late afternoon light filters through the vines. The sound of gentle water flow.
At Rise
KOLTON leans back in his chair, wine glass in hand. BENJI picks at grapes while JADE traces the rim of her glass, lost in thought. The remnants of a long lunch scatter the table. In the distance, the splash of oars grows closer as DESTINY paddles toward shore.
Scene
KOLTON
(several drinks deep, already mid conversation)
I'm telling you, there is no way anybody saw us. Act confident and nobody questions if you belong. Let's just enjoy the fact that we have nowhere to be and reap the rewards.
BENJI
Yeahyeah, we are in the clear.
JADE
And how do you know this? Any number of people could've seen us.
BENJI
(to KOLTON)
Yeah, how can you be certain nobody saw us?
KOLTON
Because there is no reason anybody would be paying attention to us. The entire plan worked because we confi –
JADE
Shhhhshshshshhh! Someone is rowing at us.
BENJI
Uhhh…what?
JADE
It's some woman in a big floppy hat. She is on a boat drifting towards us. She has been staring at me the whole time.
(awkward pause as recognition enters JADE's face)
So umm, we might need to bail.
KOLTON
(without looking)
We are fine, let's –
DESTINY (offstage)
OH HULLO!
JADE
Destiny found us.
KOLTON
Play it cool.
DESTINY
(her boat gently bumps against the shore nearby as she awkwardly tries to figure out how to exit her boat)
HEYOOOOO! I SAW YOU ALL EATING AND JUST HAD TO COME OVER. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR A ROW.
BENJI
(quietly, aside to the group)
Why is she yelling? Who is that?
KOLTON
(ignoring BENJI)
Great to see you Dest(iny?)! Sorry about the timing, we are actually about to take off. Tons to do! We'll have to catch up another time.
DESTINY
(struggling to get out, her boat floating back away from shore every time she attempts to move forward)
WHAT?!? LET ME GET OUT THIS BOAT SO I CAN HEAR YOU!
KOLTON && BENJI && JADE
(at once-ish, don't think just do)
KOLTON No need, we are leaving!
BENJI Sounds goo…wait…what?
JADE Please don't, I insist.
KOLTON
(quiet-ish to the table)
Is she getting ou…yup, she getting out that boat.
DESTINY
(still struggling)
YOU GOT CHEESE? I LIKE CHEESE WITH MY WINE. HOLD UP, I'M ON MY WAY.
JADE
(trying to ignore the awkwardness coming from the boat)
We gotta go for real. Destiny is making too noise, that mustache guy with the clipboard is gesturing at us.
BENJI
I ordered bread, just hold up.
KOLTON
We are drawing too much attention. We have to move.
(the group comprised of KOLTON, BENJI, and JADE get up from the table and try to quietly exit the garden. BENJI carries a box of leftovers and is snatching bread from a nearby vacant table). DESTINY continues to struggle to get out the boat, loudly talking to a group she imagines is still present. A man with a clipboard rocking a bitchin' mustache approaches the group as they slink along the exterior garden wall towards the exit.
MUSTACHE MAN
(make it spicy)
PAR-DON! I do not believe you all are members of this country club. I am –
EXCUSE ME! I am talking to you three! I can see you. You need to —
SECURITY! Remove these trespassers!
JADE
Yup, no way anybody saw us! The Confidence Crew strikes again!
(the group rushes out the door, laughing as they break free. MUSTACHE MAN retrieves a printed security photo of the group entering the garden that afternoon. He writers "DO NOT ADMIT" and adds the photo to a cork board in the back office)