Waiting for the G

The G train platform, Metropolitan stop.

Evening.

Esther, a Greenpoint hipster, paces agitatedly. She halts and looks long at "Meet Dave" poster, then suddenly begins to move feverishly about the platform. Halts extreme right and gazes into distance off where the train should be coming, shading her eyes with her hand. Comes and goes. Halts extreme left, as before. Vladimir, an old Polish man sitting on the bench, suddenly speaks.

VLADIMIR:

What's wrong with you?

ESTHER:

Nothing.

VLADIMIR:

It's coming.

ESTHER:

Are you sure?

VLADIMIR:

I don't know.

Silence.

ESTHER:

Does it always take this long?

VLADIMIR:

Not always.

ESTHER:

Let's go far away from here.

VLADIMIR:

We can't.

ESTHER:

Why not?

VLADIMIR:

We have to come back tomorrow.

ESTHER:

What for?

VLADIMIR:

To wait for the G.

ESTHER:

Ah! (Silence.) Will it come?

VLADIMIR:

No.

ESTHER:

And now it's too late.

VLADIMIR:

Yes, now it's night.

ESTHER:

Why don't we hang ourselves?

VLADIMIR:

With what?

ESTHER:

You haven't got a bit of rope?

VLADIMIR:

No.

ESTHER:

Then we can't.

Silence.

VLADIMIR:

Let's go.

ESTHER:

Wait, there's my ironic Nintendo controller belt.

VLADIMIR:

It's too short.

ESTHER:

You could hang onto my legs.

VLADIMIR:

And who'd hang onto mine?

ESTHER:

True.

Silence.

ESTHER:

You say we have to come back tomorrow?

VLADIMIR:

Yes.

ESTHER:

I can't go on like this.

VLADIMIR:

That's what you think.

ESTHER:

If we walked to the L? That might be better for us.

VLADIMIR:

We'll hang ourselves tomorrow. (Pause.) Unless the G comes.

ESTHER:

And if it comes?

VLADIMIR:

We'll be saved.

ESTHER:

Well? Shall we go walk to the L?

VLADIMIR:

Yes, let's go.

They do not move.