Short Drama
I think of myself more as a playwright than a writer of fiction. These days I love writing short plays, and hope to publish some here on Medium. It would be interesting if other writers picked up this tradition. Here is an example.
Setting: A Square in a City. A man is selling food from a food stall. He is an Arab or a Balkan, thick black moustache, and has a very thick foreign accent. Young Man 1 looks like an Executive in a hurry.
Food Seller: Haava Misko, Haava Misko. Best Haava Misko.
Young Man 1 appears. He seems to be talking to himself. He is in fact talking to his loudly rumbling stomach.
Young Man 1: Stop rumbling. You’ll get something in a minute.
He looks at Food Seller and walks towards him.
Young Man 1: Ha! Hot Dog?
Food Seller: Dog? No see dog.
Young Man 1: No, you’re selling Hot Dogs?
Food Seller (beaming with comprehension) Ah hot dogs! No hot dogs. Misko, Haava Misko.
Young Man 1: Haava Misko? What is Haava Misko?
Food Seller: You asking what is haava misko? (puzzled look) haava misko is … haava misko … (speaking slowly) haaavaaa meeesko. Is haavaa meesko.
Young Man 1: Can I see? Take a look?
Food Seller (Indignant) Haava misko is for eat, not for see. You wanna buy I serve you.
Young Man 1: No, I mean what is it?
Food Seller : Is eat. Good eat.
Young Man 1: Ah, meat?
Food Seller: Meat? (condescending) Is no meat. Is haava misko. If meat, I say Meat, meat.
Young Man 1: Is it bean then?
Food Seller: If is bean, then I say bean! bean! But I no say bean, bean, I say haava misko.
Enter Young Man 2. He sees stall and rushes towards it with relief.
Young Man 2: You have haava misko today? (Opens purse)
Food Seller (beaming) Always have haava misko. Best haava misko. (Serves the food in a plastic bowl)
Young Man 2 to Young Man 1: This is the best haava misko in the city.
Young Man 2 walks away relishing his food.
Young Man 1 (To his rumbling stomach) All right, all right … a little patience. (To Food Seller) OK, I’ll have what d’you call it? Haava Misko? Yes.
Food Seller (Shaking his head sadly) No haava misko for you. All gone.
