image: lost-toronto.blogspot.com

A series of mini-dramas based on public conversations, as overheard and rewritten by local playwright/director Aurora Stewart de Peña.

Overheard in the middle of the intersection at Bathurst and Dundas.

Darren, 22, carrying a skateboard, throws open the glass door of the McDonald’s and runs into the middle of the intersection. Cars stop, they honk.

Ty and Justin, 16, in t-shirts and jeans, are quick behind.

Darren turns to face them, he holds his skateboard like a shield. Ty and Justin clench their fists at their sides.

Following everybody is Mari, 28, in a McDonald’s uniform. She stands on the corner.

Ty: (To Darren) You better fucking apologize to my friend!

Justin glares at Darren, Darren glares at Justin.

You better fucking apologize!

Cars honk.

Darren says nothing.

Ty and Justin pounce on Darren, they are above him, punching him in the face.

Justin rips the skateboard from his hands, tossing it away, it begins rolling toward the sidewalk.

Miguel, in a green Hyundai, gets out of his car.

Miguel: What the fuck is going on here?

Mari: (Shrieking from the sidewalk) Stop it!

Ty is punching Darren, over and over again. His face is covered in blood.

I’ve already called the police!

Justin stands up and gets out of Ty’s way.  He watches.

Ty punches. 

Darren starts to laugh.

His laugh grows loud, bubbling, hysterical.

Ty stops punching.

Darren’s laugh is manic, now.

Everybody backs away.

He props his hands up behind him, hoisting himself up to sitting.

His face is covered in blood.

He’s still laughing.

Ty: (To Darren) Are you okay, bro?

Miguel: (From beside his car) Stay away from him.

Darren stands up, he wipes the blood from his brow like a runner would wipe sweat.

Justin retrieves his skateboard, he approaches Darren slowly.

Justin: Uh, sorry, man.

Justin gives Darren the skateboard, Darren takes it, looks at it.

Miguel: (Not moving) Come on, I’ll take you into the hospital.

Darren waves Miguel’s voice away with his hand.

He puts the skateboard on the ground, and steps up on to it.

Miguel, Mari, Ty and Justin watch.

Ty: Are you sure you’re okay, bro?

Darren pushes off with one foot, and again, and begins to glide away.

He turns back to his audience, lifts a hand in good-bye, and skates off down the street.

Miguel gets into his car, Mari goes back into the McDonald’s, Ty and Justin cross the street and sit down on a bench.

They stay there for a long time, not really saying a lot.

____

Aurora Stewart de Peña is half of the theatre company Birdtown & Swanville (the other half is Nika Mistruzzi). You can follow her on Twitter at @Aurorahhh.

For more, follow us on Twitter at @torontostandard, and subscribe to our newsletter.