#PlaysOnATrain: Train of Thought by Kevin Johnston

Photograph by Chandrika Narayanan-Mohan

On Sunday 24th June 2018, Fishamble and Irish Rail partnered to create a day-long playwriting workshop between Dublin and Bray called #PlaysonaTrain, taking place on train carriages and in Bray itself. 9 playwrights were chosen from a social media competition, and by the end of the day these playwrights had each written a short play based on trains. ​​

Train of Thought by Kevin Johnston
 
The carriage of a train. It’s a warm, sunny, Summer’s day. ADAM and BEN, dressed for the weather, sit beside each other, a small rucksack on Adam’s lap, and an empty bottle of water in Ben’s hand.
 
BEN
Here, d’ya have any more water in your bag there? I’m all out.
 
ADAM
Sure, hang on.
 
Adam rummages through his bag.
 
ADAM
Oh shit, yeah.
 
He takes out a bottle of water and hands it to Ben, who takes a big gulp from it whilst Adam continues to rummage through the bag, taking out a small brown paper bag, which he presents to a confused Ben.
 
ADAM
Here, I nearly forgot I got you these.
 
Ben opens the bag to reveal a deck of cards. He takes them out and immediately starts shuffling them.
 
BEN
Aww, nice one!
 
ADAM
They’re fresh from Paris (He ironically pronounces it Par-ray). So don’t say I didn’t get you any nice presents.
 
BEN
Whilst shuffling the deck

Thanks man. Here, think of a card, any card.
 
ADAM
And I figured I owe you a new set after ruining your other one from my leaving do.
 
BEN
Ah right of course! Jeez that was some night wasn’t it?
 
ADAM
Yeah, couldn’t have thought of a better way to say goodbye though.

The train stops to allow passengers get on and off. Among the passengers who enter the train is a WOMAN of similar age to the boys.
 
BEN
[fingering through the cards in his hand]

Okay, and look at me.
 
ADAM
How do they measure up to the old set set from the party?
 
BEN
[Whilst shuffling the deck]

Haven’t broke them in properly yet, but they shuffle well – and that’s always a good sign.
 
ADAM
Well, they did a good job of making my money disappear – so there’s always that.
 
Ben glares at Adam, who smirks in reply.
 
BEN
[removes card from the deck]

Is this your card?
 
ADAM
No.
 
BEN
[performs a “snap change” trick, changing the card to the Queen of Diamonds]

You sure?
 
ADAM
Geez Ben you’re way better than when I last saw you.
 
BEN
Well a lot has changed since we last saw each other. Speaking of which, I don’t even remember you leaving that party.
 
ADAM
That’s because Kate took me back to hers. Well, Sarah’s place technically – because she was holding her up for the night.
 
BEN
And yiz didn’t, y’know... [Clicks tongue], did yiz?
 
ADAM
No, we cuddled Disney movies all night. We both figured that’d be a nice way to cap a year’s worth of will-we, wont-we sexy texting.
 
BEN
Yeah but in Sarah’s gaff though?
 
ADAM
Listen, when a woman as sexy as Kate asks you to do shit as freaky as that, you’d drop your pants right now and do it here on the train.
 
Ben looks uncomfortable, and silently reshuffles his deck for a while.
 
BEN
So now that you’re back, do you think yiz might get it on full time?
 
ADAM
Doubtful. I snuck out early the next morning because well, you know what Sarah’s ma is like. And then I left two days later. Haven’t talked since.
 
BEN
That’s a shame.
 
The train lurches forward. Ben drops the deck. The WOMAN comes over to help tidy his mess. She hands over a handful of cards to Ben, but her smile drops upon making eye contact with the boys. She drops the cards on Ben’s lap and quickly moves to another side of the carriage.
 
ADAM
What’s her problem?
 
BEN
Ah it’s probably the heat – sure isn’t it everyone’s problem at this rate?
 
Adam sighs. The train stops.
 
ADAM
Oh shit this is me. Talk t’ya man.
 
They hug.
 
BEN
Yeah, yeah, bye.
 
Adam gets off the train as Ben looks uneasily towards the Woman. He absent-mindedly shuffles the deck and bites his lip, deep in thought. After a while, he gets up and walks over to her.
 
BEN
Hey, I just wanted to- Kate?
 
The WOMAN, now KATE, looks up at Ben, but upon recognising him her expression drops and she sighs.
 
KATE
Hello, Ben.
 
BEN
So it is you, I love the new hair. I just wanted to say if I upset you back there, I’m sorry.
 
KATE
You didn’t upset me.
 
BEN
Are you sure, because you looked pretty steamed.
 
KATE
Yes, it’s just – I didn’t know he – no, never mind.
 
The train stops.
 
BEN
No seriously, what’s wrong? Is it something to do with Adam?
 
KATE
Just leave me alone, okay?.
 
She puts in her earphones and leaves the train. Ben looks on at her, concerned. He stands for a while in pensive silence as the train moves forward again. Eventually, he takes out his phone, and punches in a number.
 
BEN
Hi, Sarah?... It’s Ben... Yeah, yeah I’m not too bad... Listen, I was wondering if we could meet up for a chat soon?... Can we not do any sooner? I’m not sure if this can afford to wait... It’s about Adam’s leaving do last November... Yeah, tomorrow suits.
 
Lights fade down as Ben confirms details down the phone.
 
END. 

Kevin is from Clondalkin, Dublin and has a great interest in both English-language and Irish-language theatre, in particular writing, performing and directing. He also has an interest in prose writing. His most recent play, Delayed, was performed by Acting Out Theatre Group as part of their Christmas Short Play Festival in 2017. He really enjoyed the company and supportive atmosphere of the Plays on a Train workshop, and would highly recommend the experience to others.