LETTERS TO LEIGH
                                                        By
                                                 David Strand
                                               Copyright  2000 
                                              All Rights Reserved

STAGING:

Stage set consists of a stool center stage. A small table next to the stool,
stage left. And a small low bench set down stage right. The sealed box with
the notes, yearbook and misc. items inside is preset up center. The actor or
director has the freedom to block the play as desired. However, there are
breaks which are more effective if the actor moves down toward the audience.

The last two scenes or letters should be blocked as written.

CHANGES: Changes may be made regarding hair and eye color, religion, and
geographic locations to suit different cultures and races. Dates can
also be modified. No changes to the story line nor the characters names
are allowed.

Some hand props are required:
1. Telephone.
2. Snapshot photographs
3. Large box with miscellaneous items inside
4. Framed picture of a young women.
5. A large envelope containing notes and letters. A total of fourteen. See
text for description.
6. High School yearbook.
7. Note pad and a pen.



LETTERS TO LEIGH

(David enters carrying a note pad and pen.. The phone is ringing and he
answers it. As he talks on the phone he sits on the stool, center.)

DAVID: Hello?
(Pause)
Oh, Hi Mom. How are you?
(pause)
That's nice, How's Dad?
(Pause)
Good......Yes, I got your package a couple of days ago.
(Pause)
(Looks for package. He picks up the box places it on the table and starts to
open it.)

Of course I opened it.

(He opens the package while listening and starts to examine the contents
during the following dialog..)

I know, it's been a while.

(Pause)

It hasn't been that long. I was just back there last year

(pause)

Last year, Mom, 1983. Remember?

(Pause)

What do I think? About what? ......Oh! The package.

(Hurriedly starts looking at the contents.)

(Under his breath)
Old stuff.

(To his Mother)
Good stuff Mom, I said good stuff. ..........Where did you find it?

(Pause)

Dad was cleaning out the basement and didn't know what to do with it so you
thought he should send it to me. (sarcastically) How nice.

(Pause)

Well, thanks Mom, it will be fun....(catches self)I had a real good time
looking at all of my old things.

(Removes a framed picture of a young women from the box)

I thought the picture of Sandy was an interesting touch.

(Pause)

She's still not married? (under his breath) doesn't surprise me.

(Short pause)
I mean, I'm surprised she isn't Mom.

(Pause)

Yes, she's a nice girl.

(Pause)

I don't think so Mom, (places picture back into the box) I haven't seen her
in years, and besides, I live here in California and she lives back there in
Minneapolis.

(Pause)

(He removes a large envelope, puzzled as to what it could contain. Opens it
and starts to remove the contents.)

You know how I feel.

(Pause)

I am not a hippie.
(Pause)

I am not a homosexual either. Just because I work in the theater ...........

(Pause)

I WAS married. TWICE!. You know that, and you know how I feel!

(Recognizing what he is removing from the large envelope, he slips it back
into the envelope as to not have to talk about it to anyone. Whatever it is,
it is private. He then cuts his telephone conversation short) .

Mom, can I call you back?

(Pause)

Okay, MAY I call you back?

(Pause)

Some one is at the front door.

(Pause)

I know you didn't hear the doorbell............Actually, I have to go to the
bathroom.

Okay?.

(Pause)

No Mom, really.

(Pause)

I promise. I.. will... call... you....back.

(Pause)

I love you too. Bye.

(He hangs up the phone, places the box on the stage floor and cautiously
looks at the envelope. He opens it and slowly removes a packet of letters
and notes. A couple of snap shots fall out. He picks them up, looks at them
and smiles. He places them on the table and opens the packet of letters. He
removes an old, folded note #1. Looking at the outside of the folded note he
reads.)

"To Leigh"
(He unfolds the note and begins to read aloud.)
"Hi. How are you. School is out next week and I was just wondering if maybe,
you would like to go on a picnic with me next Wednesday at Willow Lake. My
friend Denny is taking your friend Karen. I think it will be a lot of fun.
You don't have to go if you don't want to. To make it easier for you to
answer, all you have to do is circle yes or no on the back of this note and
pass the note back to me.
Signed: David
P.S. I sit two rows behind you."

(He pauses and then looks up at the audience. Turns the note over to check
her answer.)

(To audience) She circled yes. And there is more. She says:

(Reading from the back side of the note)
"I would like to go, but you will have to ask my parents. And they will most
likely want to meet to your parents, and it would also be a plus if you are
Lutheran. From Leigh June 8,1961."

(To Audience)She actually signed and dated it!
The Lutheran part was taken care of, but, I had to ask her parents? She
couldn't ask them? I was starting to understand why she didn't seem to go on
many dates!

However, I really wanted a date with her. She was the prettiest girl I had
ever seen, and on top of that she WAS the Crest toothpaste girl on TV!
Remember her? The little blonde
girl who runs into the house yelling 'Look Mom no cavities!' ......Yup,
that's her!

But, I had to ask her parents!

(Looking at the note)

All the guys I knew wanted to go out with her but no one ever did.

(To audience) I read this note over and over and over. And I still couldn't
believe that I had to ask her parents. This WAS very unusual. Most of the
time you just asked the girl, she asked her parents and that was that! And
this part about meeting MY parents. What the hell is that all about? I mean
I had some girls parents call mine just to see if I had a home or something,
but MEET them. This whole thing was beginning to sound like more trouble
than it was worth. Believe me, I didn't want to meet her parents. Or ask
them, Or any thing else. I knew that this was the time to break the date,
before I got it!

(Opens another note and reads #2)

"To Leigh, I would love to meet your parents. I bet they are very nice.
Also, I am Lutheran, but, I think my parents might be on an extended
vacation to somewhere. I think I can come over to your house tonight, if it
is okay with you.
P.S. Where do you live?"

(To audience) I must have really wanted to go out with her to even consider
putting myself through such an ordeal.

(Turns note over to read response)

(Reads to audience)

(To audience) She says that tonight would be fine but I should wait until
after seven o'clock and no later than eight.

(To audience) I still couldn't believe I was going through with this. I
mean, there were other girls I knew, like Sandy, who could go without any of
this...... But, she WAS the toothpaste girl, and I had been looking at her
in algebra class for the last 6 months! And...... somewhere, deep inside,
there was a little bit of a challenge.

(Looking again at the note)

(To audience) Well. I never did called Sandy. Although I probably should
have. So anyway, (crosses to down right and sit on bench) here I am sitting
on the curb around the corner from Leigh's house waiting for seven o'clock.
This is going to sound really dumb, but, I am wearing a suit and tie! I have
even polished my shoes! What's worse, I have a bouquet of flowers to give to
her mother! God! I really wanted to make a good impression!

(He looks around to see if anyone is watching him.)

(To himself) Boy, I hope none of the guys see me!

(To audience) As I sat there preparing myself for.... whatever, it occurred
to me that I couldn't recall seeing her on a date with anyone!  Now don't
get me wrong, I mean I'm not the type of person to panic or anything
but......virgin is virgin! That's great but I’m not too sure I want to be
the first to take her on a date! Forget it! So, I got cold feet and decided
it just wasn't worth it!

(Stands up and starts pacing)

I started walking home contemplating the whole situation when something odd
crossed my mine. (stops pacing) What about her? What if she if she really
wants to go and is waiting for me to show up?.... And I don't? .....Oh my
God! .....This was something new for me. Compassion? . Just then, sure as
hell, a car full of my buddies drive by and see me dressed for church and
start yelling "Hey Dave! Where ya goin, to a funeral? Who's the flowers for,
that little blonde babe? Forget it. Her Dad will kill you!"
Assholes! ...Screw them! (he gives them the finger as if he is watching them
drive away) Just wait. Just wait until they see me on a date with her.
....Besides, she's not a babe! She's a girl!..... Now I was committed. I had
to go through with it. It was no longer just a date with the toothpaste
girl. It was...................I don't know what the hell it was .. but I
had to go back. I turned around and started back.

(Starts pacing again)

It was a little past seven as I walked up onto that front porch (stops
pacing) and rang the door bell. Her mother opened the door and said:

"Oh Leigh, there is a young man here with some flowers for you"
Young man! Young man! Is she talking about me?.... Shit! I'm just a kid! And
besides I was bringing the flowers for her mother, not her!
Then I meet her Dad! He's this big Swede who looks like Charles Atlas! When
I shook hands with him I knew this guy could KILL me in one second if he
wanted to!

That evening was the worst experience of my entire life! I couldn't get out
of there fast enough. And I never wanted to go back!

(Opens another note # 3 and reads)

"To Leigh, I sure enjoyed meeting your parents last night. I hope we can do
it again sometime. They were very friendly but they sure asked a lot of
questions. (a little embarrassed at getting caught)...As you now know, my
parents haven't left the country yet and said they would like to meet you
and your parents. (quietly surrendering)....I guess your Mom called my Mom
and we are all meeting at your house on Saturday.
(bright) P.S. Your Mom has nice teeth too."

(While placing the note onto the table)

You would have thought that meeting her parents, and asking them if Leigh
could go on a date with me would be enough. (shakes his head) But. it
wasn't.

(To audience) We all met on Saturday to discussed this matter of dating. You
would have thought I was asking to marry her! She sat on one side of the
room and I sat on the other. Our parents did all the talking and we just sat
there. I kept looking at her and she just sat there looking at nothing. Boy,
did she turn red when her Dad told everyone that this would be her first
un-chaperoned date with a boy in a car! ....I felt really bad for her. She
was really embarrassed. After all, she was going to be a Junior in the fall
and most girls I knew were already dating by this time. Her parents seemed
concerned that I was a year older. I guess it makes a difference when you
are that young. Anyway, it was decided that she could go. I think our
mothers made the decision. I was to pick her up at 11 on Wednesday morning
and bring her home by nine that night....nine o'clock...SHARP!

Well, I finally had a date with some one I didn't even know! This was worse
than a blind date! At least on a blind date if you don't like some one it's
no big deal because you didn't have any interest in the first place. But, I
had a lot of interest and had to go through hell to get this far!

Now after all of that I was ready for the FUN PART!

Once again reality hit me in the face. What if SHE didn't have fun or she
didn't like me? Oh my God I had never thought of that part! And if she
didn't have fun ...or she didn't like me......... then ......or........even
worse, what if I don't like HER?

(Contemplates the situation a second and then continues)

Wednesday finally arrives and I drive over to her house in my Dad's
convertible. It's a beautiful summer day. As I drive up the driveway, I can
see Leigh standing on the front porch with her mother. She is stunning! She
is wearing a pretty blue sun dress, that her mother bought just for today.
(a lovers sigh) It matches her eyes. (back to the story) Her hair is combed
and her teeth are brushed. I wouldn't have expected anything less! Anyway,
we get into the car, say goodbye, promise to be careful and be home on
time....... I can't tell you how happy I was that her Dad was at work!

(Starts to animate driving a car.)

What a day! It was about as good as it can get; riding in a convertible with
a pretty girl sitting next to me. Well, not exactly sitting next to me.
She's sitting waaaay... over.... there. Next to the door. ....If she got any
closer to it she would have fallen out! .......I was thinking,  if I had a
little button I could press that would open her door.. (shakes his head no)
..nah.......(gleefully) Anyway, the wind was blowing her hair up and around
her face.. She just quietly sat there (looks to the right to set the scene
for riding in the car) next to the door."

(He continues to look at her and animates driving)

(To audience) It sure was quiet. Me driving. She hugging the door. I didn't
even know her! I had seen her in school... and on TV. It sure was quiet.
Even the radio didn't work. I would look over at her and catch her looking
at me. She would quickly turn her head back as if she was watching something
else...... I knew she was very shy, but we couldn't spend the entire day not
talking. I had to say something. But, I had no idea what to say to her......

(Animating driving and acting out the scene)

Maybe, I should ask her about tooth paste! No, no, no. That would be dumb.

(After a little thought he turns to her with a big grin)

(To Leigh) "So, how did you get the name Leigh?"

(Imitates Leigh)

She slowly turned her head to look at me, smiled and politely answered:

(Imitating Leigh speaking rhythmically and quickly)
"My mother gave it to me when I was born. Even if she hadn't I would have
changed my name to Leigh anyway. I like my name. People remember it and if
they remember my name they remember me! .......How did you get the name
David?"

OH MY GOD! That was really dumb! Only ten minutes into a date and I'm
already striking out!
(Leigh continues to talk under about nothing.)
(To audience) At least she was talking and we were on our way to spend what
I hoped would be a wonderful day together. (bright) I was on the date of my
daydreams with the toothpaste girl!

(To audience) How did the day go?

(He searches the letters, finds a particular one #4, unfolds it and begins
to read.)

Here it is. "Dear Leigh, I am really, really sorry about yesterday and I
don't think your parents can really ground you for the rest of your life! I
mean what if you ever wanted to get married or something like that? Or go to
college? I kinda told my parents what happened and my Mom is going to call
your Mom and see if we can all get together again to talk about it."

(To audience) Good old Mom, always to the rescue.

(continuing to read)

"When we have our meeting I Think we should just tell them the truth.
Everything just went wrong. We didn't purposely do any of them. They just
happened."

(Stops reading and sets the note aside and starts to explain to the audience
what happened. This scene should be acted off of the stool.)

(To audience) This day was going along just as planned right up until we
arrived at the lake. When we got there the couple we were to spend the day
with were having a fight. They were screaming and yelling at each other
about something. Then they both get into their car and speed off leaving us
in a cloud of dust..... We just stood there with the dirt swirling around us
watching their car.. disappear..... down the road ...with all of the food
and drinks inside..

There we were alone with nothing to eat. Nothing to drink. And nothing to
do. However, we now had something in common. We were abandoned, hungry, and
broke. I had two dollars and I think she had a dollar twenty five. I thought
about going to a movie... but I knew she wasn't allowed to go. We were
supposed to go to the lake for a picnic, attend the concert that evening and
be home by nine. That's it! I wasn't going to change anything..... I kept
thinking about how big her Dad was.

Well, neither of us wanted to go home, so not to waste the day we decided to
stay and make the best of it doing something. And we did. We went for a walk
along the lake shore, bought a coke that we shared, and we did find things
to talk about. Everything was going along beautifully, and I still feel that
it would have been a perfect day if she hadn't fallen into the lake.. Oh
God! That was the start! There we were on this small dock (acting out the
scene) and she was on her knees reaching out over the water trying to catch
as frog or a duck or something like that,.. (stops and contemplates to
himself)  I guess she was hungrier that I thought...(gets back up and looks
at where Leigh would be kneeling) . It was quite a sight, her bending over
like that , and I have to admit I did think about giving her a little push.
(animating with his foot) But then! Without any intervention from me...
over she went.. head first right into the water! New dress and all! I didn't
know what to do, so I jumped in to save her. From what I don't know. The
water was only two feet deep! ...I landed right on top of her! We thrashed
around until we untangled ourselves and then just sat there in the water
looking at each other. It was pretty funny, but I didn't want to make light
of a bad situation. Then, she looked at me with a devilish grin, said
"smile" and splashed water into my face. We both burst out laughing.
(animating a struggle) This led to one hell of a good water fight and
dunking contest (freezes pose)......She was pretty strong for such a little
girl!..(continues).....Exhausted, we waded to shore dripping water and mud
and collapsed on the ground still laughing. Her new dress was a mess. Wet
and muddy. The only thing we could think of was to wash it out in the lake
and hang it up to dry. I got the blanket out of the car and held it up while
she took off her soggy dress (pantomimes holding up a blanket) She kept
saying "don't peek, don't peek" Believe it of not I didn't. She then wrapped
herself in the blanket. I took her dress down to the lake and rinsed it out.
It didn't look very good. I handed her the dress, she takes it, goes over
and climbs this tree! (acts if he is watching her) And hangs the dress over
a branch to dry!. .Mind you, all of this while wrapped in a
blanket!.(looking up into the tree)...I was pretty impressed!....This time I
peeked....(a short pause) I still feel bad about losing her sandals. She
took them off after she sprained her ankle trying to run away from those
bees. I couldn't remember where I put them. But, I was still a little dizzy
from being hit in the head with the baseball.. (shaking his head in
disbelief) Boy, that girl could throw!

Some good things did happened that day. We met a couple vacationing from
Wisconsin, I don't remember their names but they were a lot of fun. They fed
us lunch, ....she actually brushed her teeth after . They even let Leigh
borrow some shorts and a top to wear while
her dress was drying.

(Thinks about the situation)

But the day wasn't over yet! That evening, after retrieving her dress from
the tree,......(contemplates the retrieval.. something bad
happened...returns to story).... we sat on the grass to listen to the
concert when all of a sudden she starts screaming "Ants ,ants, ants". We had
sat on top of a nest of ants! Red ants! They were all over us, biting and
gnawing at our flesh. Some one kept yelling "jump in the lake, jump in the
lake!." So we did.......... This time in the lake wasn't very funny. We just
stood up in the water and looked at each other. Then she starts
crying!....... " I lost my glasses" .......It took a while, and thank God we
found them because she had to drive home. By this time my eye was swollen
shut!...... Her elbow struck me right in the eye when she fell out of that
tree getting that damn dress. That's how it got torn!.......Was that it? Oh
no! Oh no! To top it off we had a flat tire on the way home!

(This scene is played and acted as if Leigh is really on stage up right.
David addresses both the audience and Leigh by crossing back and forth
between where Leigh is Standing and down center to the audience. He has to
turn away from the audience ,slightly up right, to face Leigh)

We finally get home.... Late!.......It's a quarter to ten!......We quietly
limped up onto her dark, front porch. Dirty, bruised and still damp. She
doesn't look anything like she did when we left that morning. She is
barefoot, wearing the torn, wrinkled, not so new looking dress. Her hair
isn't as neat either, (explaining) we had to cut some of it off to remove
all the bubble gum.......................At least she still had all of her
teeth!

(Turns as if he is looking at her)

We stood there looking at each other saying not a word.
Then the front porch light comes on and her Mother opens the screen door,
takes one look at her only daughter and softly but sternly says:
"Leigh, get in here!"

(Imitates Leigh take her mark)

"Yes Mom, just a minute."

(Crosses to down center. To audience))

I am absolutely sure I will never see this girl again...(looks at Leigh.
Looks back at audience)... except maybe on TV. So I better take a long look.

(He turn up stage and looks at her)

(To audience) I think I better say something.

(He crosses back to his mark and takes a long look at Leigh. They both just
stand there looking at each other.)

(To Leigh) "Leigh, Sorry about the dress"....she looked down at it, looked
back and shrugged her shoulders ..".and getting you home late.......and
losing your sandals" she looked at her bare feet, wiggling her toes. "I
guess I we had a pretty lousy date."

(Still looking at Leigh)

She looked straight into my eyes and with that beautiful toothpaste smile
said:

(Taking Leigh's mark and imitating her)

"Gosh! I thought we had a wonderful time! (Pause) It could have been worse,
(pause) it could be raining!"

(Still looking at Leigh)

"We both smiled and stood there looking at each other."

(Contemplating the surprising situation he crosses down center to the
audience)

(To audience) I Just thought of something. This is great! She has absolutely
nothing to compare our date to! .......Just then, her Dad calls from inside
the house:
(Looking up stage)

"Young lady, tell that boy to go home and get your little butt in here now!"

(Contemplating the last line, to audience) Her...little. .butt. Hmmmmm....
I'm sure that her Dad thought of her little butt much differently than I
did.
Any way,

(he crosses back to his mark to face Leigh)

She continued to look at me as if she heard nothing. And with another smile,
shyly asked:

"Well, are you going to kiss me?"

(Still looking at Leigh)

Am I going to kiss her?! Am I going to kiss her!... right here on her front
porch.....with her Dad inside!? .........I barely brought her home alive! If
he catches me kissing her, he WILL kill me!

(Passionately and hopelessly falling in love)

But I look at her, (to audience) with one eye, (back to Leigh) in the soft
glow of the porch light. She is beautiful. In all of my 17 years I have
never seen anything like it...... I risk death ......and I kiss her.

(Long pause. He breaks the scene with the next line)

(To audience while crossing back to the stool and sits and picks up the same
note #4 he was reading )

WOW! I had kissed girls before but they were nothing like that! Her lips
were so soft and her breath so fresh. Now, that was the FUN PART!.. I knew
right then that there had to be a second date! And a third and forth.
(Looking for his place in the note he was reading #4 he brokenly reads.)

(To self) Let's see, where was I....... Grounded for the rest of your
life...

(To audience) "There goes the second date"

(To self) My Mom called your Mom......(finds where he left off) Oh
yes!...."When we have our meeting I Think we should just tell them the
truth. Everything just went wrong. We didn't purposely do any of them. They
just happened. .....However, I think it might be a good idea not to tell
them that you took off your dress."

(To audience) At this meeting things were a little different. Picture this.
There we were only two days later sitting side by side, holding hands,
facing our parents. She has a new haircut, a lot shorter than before, her
ankle is bandaged and she has these little red bumps all over her just like
I did. Poison ivy. I had a black eye and a broken finger..... I don't know
how that happened!........As I look back to that day I seem to remember a
slight smile from our parents when we told our story. Of course we excluded
the part when she took off her dress. Her mother said: "Oh you poor thing
having to spend the entire day in a wet dress" We did everything we could to
keep from laughing. Our Dads looked at each other and kind of smiled with
their eyes. I think they knew better.
We had to wait outside on the porch while they determined our fate. It was
pretty funny sitting out there waiting for the verdict! We just sat there
poking each other and laughing. We saw them look out of the window once
which made us laugh even harder! After all of that, we were forgiven, but we
were both grounded for two weeks. However, it was a strange grounding. We
were restricted from going anywhere or having anyone over with the exception
that WE could visit with EACH OTHER on her front porch. I think that our
parents felt that we would be safer there until we got to know each other
better. So we spent the next two weeks on her front porch! That porch became
our favorite place.

(Starts to look over the notes and reads some to himself and goes to the
next one during the following.)

I think our parents liked us together.

(While looking at the notes and letters)
Over the next year we did everything together. We played, studied, danced,
spent holidays together, brushed our teeth after eating and all of those
great things. We were like a brother and sister, except we liked each other!
We never went steady, we even went out with other people. Well, I think I
went out with more girls than Leigh went out with boys. You have to consider
the procedure to go through to get a date with her. But, after every date we
would call each other and compare notes. Of course at all of the important
events we were a couple. We were the very best of friends. If things got
rough we would just use our motto "it could be raining" It always worked.
(finds a particular note #5) For example: ( reads note)
"Dear Leigh, I'm so sorry to hear about Fred. I know he was very dear to
you. But, I warned you that you shouldn't sleep with him."

(To audience) Fred was her pet parakeet. She rolled over on him one night
and squashed him.
(Continuing to read)
"It could be worse. I could be raining"


(To Audience) She actually took that to heart because that was our way of
comforting each other.

(Looking through the letters again. Looks at a some and by passes. Starts to
read another, smiles, stops looks at audience.)

Your not going to hear this one.

(Finds another letter #6)

Just to show you how much things had changed with her parents listen to
this.
(Reading letter)

"Dear Leigh, It was sure fun going to the Vikings football game with you and
your parents"

(To audience) A little regional background here. Attending a football game
in Minnesota during December requires careful preparation so you don't
freeze to death. One of the most common survival skills was to keep warm by
dressing in as much clothing as possible and then slipping into a sleeping
bag once you got to your seat.

(Looks at letter to resume reading but stops)

(To Audience) And then, just maybe, you wouldn't get too cold.

(Continuing to read the letter)

"I didn't know I was suppose to bring a sleeping bag. So it was great that
your parents let me share yours. Everybody was complaining about the snow
and it being so cold. I wasn't cold, were you?"

(To audience) Now think about this. If you put two teenagers into the same
sleeping bag, no matter if they have a lot of cloths on or not, they will
not be cold! Her parents sat on either side of us. I thought it was to
chaperone but now I think it was really to keep warm with the heat we were
generating.

(Removes the yearbook from the box and flips through it.)

We sure had allot of fun together......But our favorite moments were sitting
on her front porch, talking, sometimes kissing...(to audience) I really
liked that part...But most of all enjoying being with each other.

(Finds a particular page in the yearbook and reads.)

"Dear Dave, This last year sure has been fun. Best of luck to you this
summer and next year in California. I think I am going to miss you. Gosh, I
wish I didn't still have one more year to go. Love and Luck, Leigh."

(Removes a letter knowing what is inside #7 and reads)

"November 3,1962.My dear Leigh, I've been here in California now for five
months and have not been able to get into a film school or any school. . I
have done a little work here and there but it's not very fulfilling. Most of
all, I miss you. I think about you every day and wish we were together. I am
happy to hear that you got a date to the Winter Festival . He must be a very
determined guy to go through the procedure of getting a date with you. I
don't think I am going to make it here so I might return home and attend the
University of Minnesota. I don't know when but I guess there's no hurry. I
miss you so much. I guess it could be raining. With Love"

(Picks up a picture post card #8 and reads.)

"November 10,1962 Dear Leigh, received your letter today and am absolutely
thrilled. You bet I can make it back in time for the festival dance. You
must have known I would come if you already broke your date! I am so excited
to see you. And Leigh, ......I love you too.
PS I know this card has a picture of Boston on it but it was free. Maybe we
will go there some day.

(Opens a birthday card #9 and reads and sings)

"March 14, 1963. Happy Birthday to You"

(To audience) She was Eighteen.

(Opens next letter #10)

"April 7, 1963 Dear Leigh, Congratulations on you scholarship! I knew you
would get it. Thank God, I was afraid that you would not be able to attend
this fall. WOW! it's just like we planned!

(To audience) "Things don't always go as planned"

(Picks up a small brown paper bag. Opens it and removes a short note and
reads to himself and laughs.)

(To audience) "Can't read this one to you either. (He can entice the
audience to have him read it)

[If the audience responds as if they want to hear it, use the following: If
no demand, skip the optional letter]

[OPTIONAL LETTER
Okay. "Dear Leigh, I found this in my car. It's the one you lost last
weekend. I put it in a lunch bag so no one would suspect what it is. I know
it's yours because it looks like the right size. The only other person it
could possible belong to is my little sister but I don't think she wears one
yet. The little pink ribbons on it are cute."]

(Opens next letter #11 and reads sweetly and sincerely)

"May 12,1963 My Sweet Leigh, What a wonderful time we had at your senior prom
last night. You were ravishing in your blue formal. The most beautiful young
woman there. I was so proud and honored being with you. It's okay that we
couldn't do anything afterwards. I know you weren't feeling well and that it
took a lot out of you. Anyway, it was just as much fun sitting with you on
your porch"

(Opens another letter #12 and reads lovingly)

"July 11,1963 My dearest Leigh, I asked you parents for your hand in marriage
last night as we agreed upon. They said, under the circumstances, yes. I
love you so much I can no longer put it into words. Only, I love you."

(To audience) "No, she wasn't pregnant."

(Removes a sealed envelope #13 from packet opens it reads to self first and
then to audience)

"September 18,1963
 My Dearest Leigh, I spend every day and night with you.
Watching you get weaker and weaker. Your Mom says that you are awake and
would like to see me alone." (During the next line he crosses upstage right
and sits on bench facing down stage looking at some one as if they were
laying on a bed.)

(He crosses, reading from letter at first)

(Changes tenses) "I quietly enter your room and sit on the bed next to you
holding your small hand. (No longer reading from the letter and acts out the
rest of the letter) Your voice is so soft I can't hear what you are saying,
so I place my ear next to your lips. With a weak and tender voice you
whisper, 'Please don't forget me.'"
"My tears swell and fall upon your soft face, I assure you that I could
never forget a girl named Leigh. You flash that wonderful smile and say to
me 'It could be raining"

(To Leigh) Yes, it could be raining..

(He bends over again to listen to something else but does not reveal what it
is to the audience.)

(To Leigh) I promise I will

(He softly kisses his hand and places the kiss on her. Rises, still looking
at her and wiping away the tears crosses to center and sits on the stool. He
picks up a note #14 that is very wrinkled and smoothes it out. The next line
is optional.)

(To audience) I hate this part.

(He reads)
"September 19, 1963
 Dear Leigh, You died today. Too young. Too soon. I sit
here on your front porch all alone. I am angry. Our time together was too
short! IT'S NOT FAIR! (A long Pause. His mood changes from frustrated anger
to almost pleading, not-understanding sorrow)
Leigh......My heart is crying. My soul seems missing. You are missing.
I don't know what to do Leigh,.............. it's raining."

(He places the letters back into the envelope. Picks up the pictures looks
at them and places them into the envelope He takes out a pen and paper and
begins to read what he is writing.)

"(use current date) Dear Leigh, It's been almost forty years,.... the rain
has stopped,...... and I have finally fulfilled my promise to you. I read
the letters, telling the story, as you wished. I still remember how much
they meant to you. See, I told you, I could never forget a girl named
Leigh."

THE END