VOICE
Thousands of pieces of space rock reach the earth every year. The few survivors. Most burn up before they become a miracle. They fail to change lives. Many go unnoticed, but roughly – 17 a day.
You’re so small and the Earth is giant, what are the odds of a meteorite hitting you?
The radio starts making crackling noises again. Black out.
VOICE (from the radio)
“On the afternoon on November 30, 1954, locals in Sylacauga, Alabama, reported a bright streak in the sky. Anne Hodges was struck by a meteorite while taking a nap. Hodges never intended to be famous, but she found herself thrust into the national spotlight when her afternoon nap was interrupted by a rock from out of this world. Meteorite hit woman November 30,1954 and ruined the rest of her life.”
Lights on. The Woman as Anne looks very disturbed.
THE WOMAN AS ANNE
(as if talking to a reporter) We all have a story.
So I was taking a nap on the sofa. It was a couple of days after Thanksgiving and I was waiting for my husband to come back from work. Because that’s what we do. Waiting. Well, it struck me. Not directly of course. It almost struck me. It shot like a bullet through my ceiling bounced of the radio and hit me on my hip leaving a huge bruise. To remember. To remember that he was a huge dick. Ok, ok, you can edit that out. I didn’t know he was a huge dick back then. I was only 31. Please can you stop taking pictures? Thank you! It really makes me nervous.
I couldn’t sleep after that. For days. I was admitted at the hospital. Very nice people.
(snaps)
Can you stop taking fucking pictures!WTF! Reporters everywhere, picture, pictures, pictures… Cannot leave the house without someone sticking a fucking camera in my face.
I am terrified! I am scared I will die.
(she calms down)
My life was perfectly fine. I didn’t want fame or anything extraordinary really. I enjoyed our quiet life, preparing breakfast, driving to the supermarket, meetings with my book club once a week. We didn’t talk much about books to be honest. Reading fashion magazines, exchanging recipes, drinking tea and Prozac, eating cookies. I have to say, I make the best chocolate chip cookies.
(giggles)
No, there is a secret in the recipe. I cannot tell you so don’t bother asking. But if you add a little bit of(she whispers something to an imaginary someone)See, a little trick. But that’s all I am giving away! Then I would go back home, cook dinner and wait. Because that’s what we do, we wait. For the husband to come back home or for a miracle to strike, whichever comes first.
See, he is a huge dick, I didn’t know that back then because I didn’t know there is more to life. And my life was fine.
Then a meteorite shot like a bullet through my ceiling bounced of the radio and hit me on my hip leaving a huge bruise. To remember.
(beat)
Well I didn’t get it at first. It was happening all so quickly. People everywhere asking me questions. Cameras, interviews. Why is this happening to me? I didn’t ask for it. And then they took it away. I couldn’t even have it. Often I wasn’t sure all this was real. Did this really happen? Am I going crazy? What was real? I needed this little piece of rock to keep me sane, to remind me. Instead I was left with bruise to remember. Then the fear at night, will I die? I felt safe in the hospital. They seemed to have the right drugs for that. I didn’t want to leave, but I did. I had to go back to my life with a huge hole in it. It didn’t seem so perfect all of a sudden. It had a huge tear right above me. So God could see me better.
(beat)
He said we need to sell it. That we will be rich. And I believed him. He is a man, he knows what’s best. He was looking for buyers while I was waiting home. Missing him when I was scared. After awhile, I was just sitting home scared, and then just sitting. But then I was just missing the rock.
Give it back to me! It is mine! God sent it to me.
God sent me a sign – Dear Anne, you are special.
Dear Anne, I see you.
I was special! But then this bitch claimed it.
(mocking her voice)
“Oh, it is my property therefor it’s mine.”
No, no, no
is mine. It and bruised
Everybody wanted my rock. The whole world wanted my little moment of importance. I was invisible for so long and now they wanted to take away the little something that chose me. Traveling the entire Cosmos and from this whole planet, it chose me! I matter! God likes me.
Anne suddenly looks older and tired as if many years have passed.
I won, I did. I finally got my rock. And nobody wanted it anymore. As if just being around me, made it less valuable. Hello? World? I got it, now what? Nothing. I kept it on my doorstep. It picked me after all.
(beat)
He didn’t find buyers. Nobody wanted my rock anymore. And just like that I was getting less and less important for him. Each time he would come home felt like he was leaving. His eyes angry at first, became indifferent and blind. We didn’t argue anymore. We lived in a screaming, painful silence. The world outside didn’t want my rock. The world inside didn’t want Anne anymore. The world inside didn’t see Anne anymore. The world inside was slowly leaving Anne.
lady! I am the one, it struck my fucking life my fat ass.
(distancing herself from herself, telling a story about Anne)
Anne was frightened. Anne was yet again scared and weak. Even the huge bruise on her hip disappeared. Who would remember Ann?
“Hey God? Hellooo? You busy? Ok, good you don’t see me now. I thought I meant something. After all you picked me!”
Anne looked at her special rock “You will see me now”, and gave it away.
You are so silly, Anne. Nobody will see you. He left already. The rock was all you had.
(to the imaginary reporter)
He was a huge dick. Go away now. Leave me alone. I am important. Do you know who am I? I am the first person struck by a meteorite. It meant something. God chose me. Go away. I am very, very important. You need to call before coming here. I am a very, very busy woman.
The Woman stares for a long time at the direction she “saw” Anne first.
Miracle.
