Kilimanjaro

KILIMANJARO

By Gerald DiPego

Tanner Schiff and Faya Ramon are both 74 and have been friends for 17 years, part of a foursome. Tanner was married to Gwen and Faya to David. Gwen left Tanner five years ago. David died two years ago. Tanner and Faya are unmarried and continuing their close friendship, an unbreakable law of dinner once a week at his place or hers with long talks, and sometimes a movie on television before they part for another week.

 They are at Faya’s tonight, finishing dinner. Tanner has poured himself a rare third glass of wine, and, as they sit on the sofa, he keeps staring at her.

FAYA

What?

TANNER

What d’you mean, ‘what?’

FAYA

You’re staring at me.

TANNER

I have something to say.

FAYA

Obviously. 

TANNER

What if I….

(There is a long pause.)

FAYA

What if you what? Am I supposed to guess?

TANNER

That would help.

FAYA

Give me a hint. What if you…? Went to Istanbul…wore a cowboy hat…?

TANNER

Faya…what if I didn’t go home tonight?

FAYA

You mean…. You don’t mean…. Oh, god, Tanner…. Oh, no…. Can’t you just…can’t you just go to Istanbul? 

TANNER

What if I stayed here, all night?

FAYA

It’s the wine. You had an extra glass of….

TANNER

For courage, yes.

FAYA

Tanner…Tanner…let’s not go there. Now? Let’s not ruin this. After all these years? What we have is so… special and very important in my life. And now? Sex? Really? At this age? 

TANNER

Yes. Now. It can finally be our turn. You know I’ve always loved you, and you….

FAYA

After all these years you want to take me to bed? Why? Why now? Is it something like…climbing Mount Rushmore before you die? So you can say you’ve done it?

TANNER

Nobody climbs Mount Rushmore. You can’t climb Mount Rushmore.

FAYA

All right then – Kilimanjaro. What am I, an alp? You have to plant your flag?

TANNER

I’ve always wanted to plant my flag with you, but there was Gwen and after Gwen there was still David and now there’s no one between us. This isn’t some wild thought. You can’t say you never wanted us to be lovers because I saw…sometimes I’d see you look at me that way, and I looked at you, and we KNEW. And now two years have gone by....

FAYA

So, what is that, some ‘sell-by’ date? Now or never?

TANNER

Yes! Waiting more than two years goes against all human law.

FAYA

Waiting? I haven’t been waiting. You’ve actually been waiting?

TANNER

Yes! And imagining. And wanting and….

FAYA

Thinking about this…what…every day?!

TANNER

Mostly at night. And there’s nothing to stop us now.

FAYA

Age, Tanner and…the thought that we could lose what we have, and I need what we have. I treasure it. Please, PLEASE go to Istanbul.

TANNER

You know what I’ve been thinking of? 

FAYA

Stop thinking.

TANNER

We were all at the beach, oh, what, a dozen years ago? And…your bathing suit slipped down. I must have been…58 or so, but I felt…like a boy, a teenager getting a glimpse of….

FAYA

They don’t look like that anymore, Tanner. For god’s sake…and you’re not a boy!

TANNER

I am, that’s what I am with you. I’m this love-struck, aching boy. So, tell me now. Tell me once and for all. You need me in your life, but you don’t want me in your arms? In your bed? Faya, are you through with sex? Do you never have those feelings? Aren’t there times…?

(She closes her eyes. She sighs. He waits.)

FAYA

Yes…times. Now and then.

TANNER

Thank god. When?

FAYA

Mostly…when I…watch a film.

TANNER

A film? What film? You mean…any film?

FAYA

No, you idiot. A film…with…

TANNER

With what?

FAYA

With Javier Bardem.

TANNER

Oh, for god’s sake.

FAYA

It’s his eyes.

TANNER

He’s not real! I’m real and I love you and want you and…it’s time for us. Finally.

(She stares at him a while, her eyes moist now, taking him in, her Tanner.)

FAYA

When Gwen left you for that…ridiculous man, I wanted to hold you and rock you. I did hold you.

TANNER

Yes. I remember. I loved that. It was like CPR. You held on…. You did actually rock me. You saved me.

FAYA

Yes…and I DID want to take you to bed.

TANNER

So you wanted that.

FAYA

Oh, yes. I would weep for you. David heard me at night once or twice and he would ask me, and I would say, “I’m just so sad for Tanner.” Maybe he guessed about my feelings for you, but he never said anything about it, and I never DID anything about it, and now it’s way too….

TANNER

And when David was dying, I was hurting for both of you, and….

FAYA

You were great. You were with us to the end….

TANNER

Yes, but oh, how I wanted to take you away somewhere after all the gatherings and the memorials and the pain, take you far away and bring you peace and love you in every way. But….

FAYA

But we didn’t, and so we held on to what we had. What we’ve always had, and now here you are, shaking everything loose. We could get hurt, you know. We could be giving up something fine….

TANNER

And safe.

FAYA

Yes. Why chance it – at this age?

TANNER

Maybe that’s the point?

FAYA

What’s the point?

TANNER

Now or never – because never isn’t so far away anymore.

FAYA

What if it’s a disaster? Could we come back from a disaster?

TANNER

Don’t say “disaster." You’re jinxing it.

FAYA

Could we come back?

TANNER

I think we could. I think we should take the chance.

FAYA

Am I the only one who’s afraid?

(He stares a while. Then…)

TANNER

No.

FAYA

Well, thank you for that.

TANNER

You’re welcome. So…?

FAYA

So?

TANNER

Should I stay?

FAYA

You mean now?! Tonight?! God no. I need some time to…. I need some time to fit this into my brain, and…think of what to wear.

TANNER

Next week then. It’s a date.

FAYA

Is it? Really? I guess it is.

TANNER

A definite date.

FAYA

Tell me…would you have brought this up if you hadn’t had that extra glass of wine?

TANNER

I…don’t know. But I’m glad I had the wine. And now…let’s be brave. Without any wine.

(She stares a long while, eyes going deep.)

FAYA

So, we’re really doing this?

TANNER

Yes. Please. My place?

FAYA

No. Here.

(He kisses her forehead, then they lightly kiss on the mouth, and he stands.)   

TANNER

Maybe you’ll think about me in bed before you sleep tonight.

FAYA

Are you crazy? Who’s going to sleep tonight? I won’t get any sleep for a whole week.

TANNER

Maybe…it doesn’t have to be a whole week.

FAYA

Really?

TANNER

What’ll you be doing tomorrow evening?

FAYA

My granddaughter is coming over to teach me how to put a Zoom together, so…

TANNER

Tuesday I’m giving that talk at the Rotary.

TANNER/FAYA

Wednesday?

(They stare, sigh.)

FAYA

Dear lord.

TANNER

Wednesday evening here. I’ll…bring sushi.

FAYA

I’ll make a salad. Listen to us. So…normal.

(They share a soft smile, move to the door, one more long look. Then he leaves. She sighs again, worried, wondering and…in her eyes, there’s a nearly invisible glow.)

--------------------------------------

Wednesday evening has come. Faya’s doorbell rings. She moves to the door, taking a deep breath, then speaking through the door.

FAYA

Tanner?

TANNER

No. It’s… Javier Bardem.

(She opens the door. He’s standing there with a bottle of wine and a bag of Sushi choices. He’s nervous. So is she. She wears a kind of billowy caftan, covering her from neck to ankles. He’s in a suit with a colored shirt, open at the neck. They both take a deep breath. Soft music is playing on her sound system. She looks him up and down, sternly.)

FAYA

You’re not Bardem.

TANNER

No, he… couldn’t come. I’m the man with the sushi.

FAYA

Well, you might as well come in.

(He walks in and moves toward the sofa where plates and a salad are set out on the coffee table, also water and wine glasses. He places the bag and the wine on the table, studies her.)

TANNER

You look beautiful.

FAYA

No, I don’t. Do I? I didn’t know what to wear.

TANNER

Me neither. I did shower though…twice today.

FAYA

Thank you. I bathed.

TANNER

Oh.

FAYA

“Oh.” Meaning…what?

TANNER

Well…that’s nice. Bathing. It’s sensual. Maybe some…relaxing, scented bath salts, maybe some very…very smooth cream for your skin….

FAYA

I put the cream on the night stand, for us. In case….

TANNER

You did?! You really did that?!

FAYA

Yes.

TANNER

That’s a wonderful idea!

FAYA

Don’t lose control.

TANNER

Of COURSE I’m going to lose control. That’s why I’m here. Won’t you…lose control?

FAYA

I don’t know. It…depends.

TANNER

Oh, god – it depends on me, right? Is that fair? What if I fail? It’s been years!

FAYA

I believe it’s a shared responsibility, Tanner.

(He sits on the sofa, staring at his thoughts, worried.)

FAYA

What?

TANNER

I, uhh. I think I’d like some wine.

(He rather hurriedly opens the bottle. She sits beside him.)

TANNER

I brought white because…because of the sushi.

FAYA

Yes. White is fine. 

TANNER

Are you nervous, too?

FAYA

Not at all.

(He pauses in mid-pour, staring at her.)

FAYA

Of course, I’m nervous, Tanner! Of course. I’m jumping inside. I couldn’t decide on the music. Do you like the music?

(He fills the glasses, listening to the music.)

TANNER

Uhhh. Really? Classical? It’s a little heavy.

FAYA

You would prefer what…Grunge? Ska?

TANNER

Ska would be good.

FAYA

It would?

TANNER

For the…rhythm.

(He sways to an unknown rhythm. She turns to the music system on the side table.)

FAYA

ALEXA…play ska music.

‘ALEXA’ VOICE

Ska – for your pleasure.

FAYA

You think she knows what we’re going to do?

(Tanner is swaying a bit to the music as he begins distributing the sushi, still nervous.)

TANNER

We better start on this.

FAYA

Why are you hurrying?

TANNER

Well, we should eat the sushi.

FAYA

Before it gets cold? Before it spoils?

TANNER

Aren’t you hungry?

FAYA

No. I’ll pick. Here…

(She serves the salad, watching him eating, drinking rather quickly.)

FAYA

Slow down – will you please? Tanner – can we make this just one of our usual evenings together, all right? Just the same, except, at the end, you… don’t leave. Can we try that?

TANNER

Okay. Yes. All right. (DEEP BREATH) We’ll try that.

(They eat, drink, more slowly now.)

FAYA

Mm, very good sushi. Thanks for picking it up. Were they crowded?

TANNER

No. No, uhh, try the wine. It’s Italian.

FAYA

Oh, it’s fine. Mmm. Such a nice country, Italy. Great shoes. Oh, what was it you talked about at the Rotary yesterday?

TANNER

My newspaper days.

FAYA

I’m sure they enjoyed that.

TANNER

Yes, I think so, but then…I told them all about what we were going to do tonight and we had a question and answer.

FAYA

Hm. Learn anything?

TANNER

They all said I should remember to act…ordinary.

FAYA

How’s that going?

TANNER

It’s impossible. What do you think of the wine?

FAYA

The wine is perfect.

TANNER

Let’s…not use that word tonight.

FAYA

What word?

TANNER

“Perfect.” It raises expectations.

FAYA

All right. The wine is…adequate.

TANNER

Thank you. OH! God! This role is spicier than I thought. My lips are burning…

FAYA

They are?

TANNER

Yes!!

FAYA

Show me.

(He stops still, staring at her. She puts her face close to his. He leans in, kisses her lips with his own burning lips. When the kiss ends, they stare, deeply.)

TANNER

Are my lips still…hot?

FAYA

Actually…they’re perfect.

(She smiles a bit, stands. He stares at her, and then he slowly stands. They come close. He puts his hands on her shoulders, gently.)

TANNER

So…you’ll tell me what you like and…don’t like. All right?

FAYA

Yes…I’ll just…bark. Once for good. Twice for bad.

(They both smile. He softly kisses her neck. She likes that. She BARKS. He laughs, holds her more tightly. They are hugging, then staring deeply. She slowly moves, and he moves with her, walking toward the bedroom doorway. They reach the doorway. She moves in first, holding his hand.)

FAYA

Follow me.

TANNER

Anywhere. Everywhere.

(As she moves through the doorway, she says…)

FAYA

Kilimanjaro.

 (They enter the darkened bedroom, smiling, and we’re left outside with Alexa and the ska.)

END