Monthly Parking (A Short Play by Daniel X. O’Neil)

Scene: There is a small but growing fire on the top floor of a parking lot in the early morning  cold in the downtown area of a major city.  (Actual address: 191 North Clark Street). There are seven or so fire engines, alarms going off, and a steady stream of grey smoke pouring out of the building. A parking lot employee drops pylons in front of the entrance. He works with the urgency of a person responsible for a building that is currently on fire. A Range Rover pulls up in front of a fire engine. An extraordinarily well-dressed and well-coiffed middle aged man gets out of the vehicle, moves the pylon,  and starts to get back in his vehicle. Another middle aged man crosses the street, pointing to the smoke.

Alerter: There’s a fire in that building. (points at smoke)

Range Rover: What?

Alerter: There’s a fire in the building. It’s on fire. (points at smoke)

Range Rover:  (not  looking up, getting back in car) I have monthly parking here.

Alerter: (moves the pylon back in place) But the building is currently on fire. The fire department needs to do their work in there.

Range Rover: I’m putting my car in there and then I’ll leave. (moves the pylon back in place, pulls up to the gate, is unable to enter. Swears.)


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