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