Act 1 Scene 1:
Enter three characters, Stella, James, and Susan. Stella and James are romantically involved, while Susan is best friends with them both, separately.
Stella: I still can’t believe you hurt me the way you did? Besides everything else, we are first and foremost, friends, and I expect that you would be true to me at all times and not be the one to make me cry, it really hurts when I think of how deeply you hurt me
James: Seriously, what have I done wrong dear, our friendship matters a lot to me as well, hence my putting myself in rather difficult situations sometimes, just to get you to hear and understand what is in fact, the truth. When we started the affair, I told you that I was not prepared for any emotional commitments, and you agreed to it... we even coined the term best friends with the best benefits... together
Stella: I know, that is not the issue here. You broke my heart and threw my emotions in my face, you led me on and then pulled the carpet off from under my feet! you lied to me.
James: Wow! That’s deep... do you recall how you always threw fits and became moody each time we talked about us and you said u loved me and I didn’t reply? Do you recall how many times you cried when I reminded you that you meant the whole world to me, as a friend and more, but nothing emotional? the conversations you had with Stella about us, and how I was making you cry by not opening up my heart to you?
Stella (cutting in) Yes I do.
James: Well, I chose to keep you happy by playing along with you and saying everything you wanted to hear , and each time, I pointed out that I just said them to prevent you from crying.
Stella (hmmmmm)
James: Yes Stel, it hurt each time I had to lie about it, but that was the only way to peace and that was all you wanted to hear, to you, saying those things were the truth, and all that mattered... was I then supposed to watch you cry day in day out? Even when we stopped, you seemed to suddenly hate me... it seemed the only way to keep being friends, was to keep giving you what you wanted to hear, even at the risk of me lying to you.
Stella: But you shouldn’t have lied still, I always appreciate the truth and I can handle the truth when it doesn’t hurt and when it is not thrown in my face... sometimes, we want to be lied to because it gives us something to hope for and look forward to while we try to make you into what we hope for...
James (now totally exasperated): are you for real?! I pushed and prodded until I had to lie to you for peace to reign; now you tell me you can handle the truth? I am guessing this is why men assume women speak from both sides of their mouths sometimes:
A week earlier, the following conversation Act 1 Scene 2 had taken place:
RESULT = the crying and wailing were averted, peace seemed to reign, James kept up the façade and everyone seemed happy
Yesterday, the following conversation Act 1, Scene 3 ensued:
RESULT = a sad painful end to the friendship
I am guessing the real question here is: who is really to blame for the present situation? Stella, James, or both?
A penny for your thoughts, please.
