Act One: Springtime in Paris.

Scene 1

(A Paris youth hostel. There is a desk, sideways to the audience, with a chair on either side of it. We see Jeramy sitting on the left side, guitar in hand and his bare feet resting up on top of it. Jeramy is about 26 years of age and has the look of a billboard model to him with a three day stubble on his face and a mess of tangled hair on his head. He is what anybody would call a sexy guy and he is well aware of this fact himself. He is dressed in blue jeans and a billowy shirt with a large scarf draped around his neck in the French style. Jeramy is a native New Yorker but his speech changes according to who he speaking with, carrying a hint of a European accent to a full on “New Youwk” depending on who he is with and the language he is speaking. During this scene, while speaking to Antonella, Jeramy makes a change from a mild and relaxed French accent to a broader, more lyrical Italiano. Antonella is seated on the chair at right. She is about thirty, tall and slim and has a wild air about her as represented by an ever-present knowing smile and mischievous eyes. She is wearing a pair of slacks and a tee shirt without undergarments. She speaks English with a broad and dramatic Italian accent. Enter Trine from the right. She is a small, full bodied girl of about twenty with short, bobbed blond hair. Her style of dress is what one might call “simple western tourist”: Blue jeans, cotton top and sensible walking shoes. Not much jewelry or make-up. All in all, very practical. Her voice, like everything else about her, is small and gentle and her English, spoken with a German accent is not so good. Throughout the scene there is music: Accordion music to illustrate the scene, and then some dramatic solo guitar music when called for.)

Trine

He makes a nice picture doesn’t he? But he thinks he is so smart. Maybe he is. Look at him there with his big feet up on the desk, playing his guitar. But for how long can a picture such as this last? His name is Jeramy. I met him in Paris.

I was traveling in France with my boyfriend Horst, and things between us were not going so good. I don’t think either of us really believed anymore. And Horst was such a little boy. So, near the end of our vacation, we parted. Horst went back to work in Germany and I came here to Paris for the last few weeks before returning to university. Traveling alone and not to be with Horst was all new to me.  I think we were in love, but after some time we were not so sure. We played together very much but he seemed to not be interested in seeing me any more. So he made different plans from me and we parted. And this is how I came to be in Paris and how I came to meet Jeramy. But this is only the beginning of the story. The story of an Italian Romance.

This is Jeramy just a few days before we met. He does make a nice picture doesn’t he? I suppose he doesn’t understand that his life is about to change. And mine too. But as I said, we had not yet met, so I will let him tell his own story here…(Trine exits.)

Jeramy

I guess it all started for me right here at this desk. I don’t know what the managers were thinking, but for some reason they let me manage this youth hostel. And really, it was like giving me the keys to the kingdom. I mean, just look at the picture: I get to live in Paris, I get a job that pays a few francs and comes with room and board to boot. I get to work in my bare feet and play my guitar while I’m at work. And above all, this world of mine is just full of beautiful young girls, Les petit jeun filles,  who want nothing more than to have a good time while they are here in Paris. Can you beat that? And this is my house! Try it yourself sometime and then tell me I was not the king.

But as I said, the story really started right here at this desk, late one night, close to closing time. The rules of the house were that if you had to leave early the next morning, before the office was open, you could turn in your room key the night before. I guess this was all “Antonella” had in mind… 

Antonella

Really it was such an unexpected thing for me. I was tired and so close to going to sleep. I knew that the hostel had rules by which we could come to the desk and leave our keys but when I left our room, there was this music that I heard. It was so very beautiful…I suppose that what it was, was that this music was so beautiful, perhaps I simply could not resist but to stay here with it in this moment a little longer…

Jeramy

She was a poet. Published, awarded. She was an artist and a genius…

Antonella

(She stands up and walks to the edge of the stage at right,) Beatrice and I had been sightseeing all day, and we were so tired. Actually, Beatrice had already gone to bed but I stayed awake to come hear the music…(Antonella steps off stage,)

Jeramy

(The music changes to something sweet and lyrical,) I really don’t remember what I was thinking about at that moment. I was just here killing time, playing a little tune on the guitar when around that corner came…this woman!

Antonella

(Peeking back onto the stage.) I didn’t want to disturb him…

Jeramy

But when she came around the corner, (Re-enter Antonella, she is moving like a kitten.) she was so…

Antonella

I don’t know why I was so struck by this man…he is handsome in an innocent way…except for his big feet on the desk…

Jeramy

It was obvious that she liked me.

Antonella

But the music was so nice…

Jeramy

And she came in so sweetly…She really liked the music.

Antonella

It was so funny, this picture he was making. He was just sitting there with his big feet on the desk playing the guitar.