Editor's Note: This is the original script, as shared by the author.
TWO VERY DIFFERENT BACKYARDS, DIVIDED BY A 9 FOOT HIGH FENCE
On stage right, the CLARKS have a lush vegetable garden and an apple tree. Their side is whimsical and filled with colorful found-object art.
On stage left, the COOPERS have a large chicken coop and a goat tied to a post. Their side is all earth tones and filled with wood and metal objects put to practical use.
AND NEVER THE TWAIN SHALL MEET
“If we are ready to tear down the walls that confine us, break the cage that imprisons us, we will discover what our wings are for.”
From behind the screen door on stage right we see SARA CLARK’S face peeking out. On stage left we see PA COOPER sitting on a hand carved chair, plucking a wild turkey. His hunting rifle leans against the house beside him.
SARA
Mama, can I go out yet?
VIOLET CLARK comes up behind SARA and touches her hair lovingly.
VIOLET
Not yet, Sweet Pea. Our time starts in thirty seconds.
SARA
Why do we have to wait? I wanna go pick an apple now!
VIOLET
I know, Sara-girl, I’m hungry for my afternoon apple too. But we have to obey the time frames. I don’t want to risk you coming into contact with those awful Coopers.
SARA
One time I thought I heard a little boy talking on the other side of the fence during our time frame. Do they have a son?
VIOLET
Sara, you know better! If you ever hear one of those Coopers breaking the rules during our time frame, you must come tell me immediately.
SARA
I know, Mama.
PA COOPER carries the turkey carcass inside and the screen door slams behind him.
SARA
Has it been thirty seconds? Is it our turn?
VIOLET
It is! Let’s go get our apples!!
VIOLET and SARA burst out into their yard, laughing together as they each pick an apple.
Simultaneously, on the other side of the fence, BOBBY COOPER peeks out through his screen door. During the following dialogue he sneaks outside, carefully going through the door without making a sound.
SARA
We grow the best apples, Mama. I wish everyone in the world could taste how yummy these apples are.
VIOLET
It’s because we love our apple trees and care for them so well.
BOBBY tiptoes to the fence and carefully places his ear against it.
VIOLET
I’m going to go inside and boil some water. Will you pick me a handful of mint leaves so I can make us some fresh mint tea?
SARA
Sure!
SARA runs over to where the mint is growing along the fence as VIOLET disappears inside. She starts picking directly across from where BOBBY has his ear against the fence. BOBBY suddenly feels the urge to sneeze. He tries to fight it, but can’t.
BOBBY
Achoo!
SARA freezes and looks at the fence. After a moment’s hesitation, she timidly whispers—
SARA
Hello?
BOBBY
…Uh… Hi.
SARA
…Who’s there?
BOBBY
Uh…Bobby. What’s your name?
SARA
Sara. I’m not supposed to talk to any Coopers. Are you a Cooper?
VIOLET opens the kitchen window and pokes her head out.
VIOLET
Sara-girl!
SARA and BOBBY are both startled. Afraid of being caught.
VIOLET
Where’s the mint I asked for?
SARA
Sorry, mama! Coming!
SARA grabs a few more sprigs of mint and runs her handful of mint leaves to meet VIOLET at the screen door. BOBBY continues trying to listen through the fence, but eventually gives up and sits down with his back agains it. VIOLET accepts the mint from SARA.
VIOLET
What were you doing over there? Were you daydreaming again?
SARA
I’m sorry, Mama.
VIOLET
Oh, I’m just teasing, Sweet Pea. I always had my head in the clouds too when I was your age. You stay out here and play. I’ll call you when the tea is ready. Our time will be up before you know it!
VIOLET disappears into the house again. SARA turns around slowly and looks at the spot on the fence where she heard BOBBY’S voice. Looking over her shoulder to make sure VIOLET isn’t watching, SARA cautiously walks back over to see if he’s still there.
SARA
Psst. Bobby? Are you there?
BOBBY scrambles to his feet
BOBBY
Yeah, I’m here. How old are you?
SARA
I’m nine.
BOBBY
I’m 11. I didn’t know there were any kids over there.
SARA
Me neither.
BOBBY
I’ve always wondered what’s on your side of the fence.
SARA
Me too. On your side, I mean. We have a big garden full of veggies and mint and some other herbs. And we have an apple tree. That’s my favorite. Do you like apples?
BOBBY
I’ve never had an apple before. Or really any of those things. Ma told me we used to eat fruits and vegetables when I was a baby, but I don’t really remember what life was like before The Incident.
SARA
So what do you eat now?
BOBBY
We have our chickens for eggs and our goat for milk and cheese. And Pa goes huntin’ so we have wild turkey and venison a lot.
SARA
I’ve never eaten any of those things!
VIOLET opens the screen door and calls out to SARA
VIOLET
Sara, time’s up and tea’s ready. Come on in!
SARA quickly hops up and runs toward the door
SARA
Coming!
We hear MA COOPER’S voice from inside her house.
MA [offstage]
Bobby!
VIOLET
What were you doing over by the fence?
MA [offstage]
Bobby!
SARA
I was… catching butterflies.
SARA and VIOLET disappear inside their house.
MA [offstage]
Bobby Cooper! Where are you?
BOBBY runs to stand beside his door, pretending as though he just walked out. He yells inside.
BOBBY
Out here, Ma!
MA appears in the doorway
MA
You better not’ve come out here before our time. You know that’s against the rules.
BOBBY
I just stepped out, Ma.
She is suspicious, but doesn’t press the issue. She hands him an empty egg basket.
MA
Go gather eggs, and next time frame I’ll have ya milk the goat.
BOBBY takes the basket and walks to the chicken coop to begin gathering eggs. After collecting a handful, he sneaks to the fence and whispers—
BOBBY
Sara… Sara…
PA COOPER bursts through the door
PA
Whatcha doin, Boy?
BOBBY startles.
BOBBY
Nothin.’ I thought I heard a Clark breakin’ the rules.
PA
They know better. Gimme those eggs. Ma’s gonna fry me one for an afternoon snack. You hungry?
BOBBY hands him the basket
BOBBY
Yeah, sure.
PA takes the basket of eggs inside. BOBBY is alone again.
BOBBY
I wish I could see Sara’s side of the fence.
BOBBY grabs a chair and a stool and stacks them together. He climbs onto the precarious structure, but is still too short to see over the top of the fence.
BOBBY
Maybe I can dig a hole…
BOBBY starts searching for a shovel, just as PA and MA come through the screen door. PA is eating his fried egg with a fork and MA carriers an egg on a plate with a fork for BOBBY.
MA
Here, Bobby. Pa said you were hungry too.
PA stops eating when he sees the chair/stool tower BOBBY has built.
PA
What do you think yer doin’? Are you messin’ with those Clarks?
BOBBY
I just wanted to take a peek. Don’t you ever wonder what’s on their side of the fence.
PA
Nope.
MA
Bobby, there’s nothin’ good on that side of the fence.
BOBBY
But I don’t understand why we can’t see or talk to each other. Why did we built the fence in the first place?
MA
We told you. Because of The Incident.
BOBBY
I know that. But what was The Incident. You’ve never told me what actually happened.
MA
You don’t wanna know.
BOBBY
Yes, I do.
PA
It might be time to tell him, Ma. He’s gettin’ too damn curious.
MA
Fine. You wanna tell him, you tell him. I’ve got work to do.
MA sets BOBBY’s plate on the table and disappears inside as PA sits down and takes another bite of his egg.
PA
Eat your egg. It’s gettin’ cold.
BOBBY pulls down the stool he had stacked and brings it over to sit beside PA with his own plate. In between bites of egg, PA tells the story.
PA
So, let’s see, it was 9 years ago, I guess. You were just a toddler, barely talkin’ yet. The whole world was goin’ through a hard time, and after awhile things got real rough. We were havin’ to live off the land and make do. Us Coopers were real good at huntin’ and raisin’ animals, so we got a couple chickens and the goat and I started huntin’ for meat. The Clarks were good friends and neighbors at that time and they were real good at gardening, so they planted a big one and we started sharin’ what we had with each other. Things were real good for awhile, but soon the sharin’ and workin’ together started to wear on us, I guess. The Clarks started keepin’ the best produce for themselves and they said the baby Violet was expectin’ needed just as many eggs as our growing boy. They were so selfish and stuck up. They wanted half the meat, but Tom was never willing to get his hands dirty and go out huntin’ with me. He was too good for that. They wouldn’t even watch when I had to gut a deer. But they’d eat it. Oh, they were more than willing to eat it. So, one day, I put my foot down. I said if they wanted any more meat or eggs or milk from us, Tom had to help me hunt once in awhile. He was draggin’ his feet and complaining the whole way, but he came out with me. And…well… it didn’t go well. Long story short, Tom Clark got himself into a stupid ass position in the woods and a stray bullet caught him in the chest. So, we built the fence and established the time frames and decided we would be better off on our own.
PA stands up to go inside.
PA
So, now ya know.
PA looks at his watch.
PA
Our time is up in 10 seconds. Don’t dawdle.
BOBBY moves slowly as the truth settles in. Returning the stool to where it belongs, gathering his plate and fork. SARA enters from her door, excited to try to make contact, she runs immediately to the fence.
SARA
Bobby! Are you out here? My mama is reading a book. She won’t check on me at all during this time frame. Bobby? Are you there?… I was hoping we’d have a second chance to talk.
BOBBY
I’m here.
SARA
Are you okay? You sound sad.
BOBBY
I just found out— My pa—
SARA
What is it? Is he okay?
BOBBY
Sara, do you know anything about The Incident?
SARA
No. Mama refuses to talk about it.
BOBBY
My pa just told me everything and I don’t know if you’ll want to be friends with me after you find out what happened.
SARA
Why? What happened?
BOBBY
Sara, is your pa dead?
SARA
Yes, Papa died before I was born.
BOBBY
My pa told me that there was a hunting accident and your pa walked where he shouldn’t have and my pa accidentally shot him.
SARA is silent
BOBBY
Sara, are you still there?
SARA
I’m here
BOBBY
Are you okay?
SARA
So, that’s The Incident. That’s why we have the fence and the time frames and why we can’t talk to each other?
BOBBY
Yeah. Are you mad?
SARA
Yes! I’m super mad. I’m mad that my dad walked where he wasn’t supposed to in the woods. I’m mad that your dad shot him. I’m mad that our parents couldn’t forgive each other and talk about their problems. I’m mad that they built this stupid fence. And I’m mad that it took me my whole life to meet my next door neighbor! Aren’t you mad?!
BOBBY
I was afraid you were going to be mad at me.
SARA
Why? You didn’t do anything wrong. Ugh, I wish we could fix our parents and tear down this fence.
BOBBY
Maybe we can.
SARA
How?
BOBBY
If one of us got to the other side somehow they’d have to tear it down to get to us, right?
SARA
I guess they would! Can you climb over it?
BOBBY
No, I already tried. But there’s soil all along the edge. What if we dig under it like a dog does? Just a hole that’s big enough for me to shimmy through. My dad wouldn’t be able to fit through the hole and he’d have to break down the fence to get me back.
SARA
Let’s do it! I’ll dig from my side and you dig from yours.
Both children start digging as fast as they can with shovels first and then fingers. When their fingers meet they start giggling uncontrollably.
SARA
We did it!
BOBBY
The hole just needs to be a little bit bigger and then I can squeeze through.
When it’s big enough, BOBBY shimmies his body through the hole and SARA helps to pull him through by the arms. VIOLET enters just as BOBBY emerges from the hole.
VIOLET
Sara, time’s —
She stops dead in her tracks. Shocked to see that SARA is not alone.
SARA
Hi, Mama. This is Bobby.
VIOLET
Bobby Cooper? Little Bobby Cooper? The last time I saw you…
BOBBY
Hi, Mrs. Clark
VIOLET
Sara, what is he doing in our yard? How did he get here?
MA and PA enter their yard arguing
MA
I thought he was with you!
PA
Well, I thought he was with you!
MA
Y’all were talkin’ outside. Didn’t ya make him come in at the end of our time frame?
BOBBY [calling over the fence]
Ma, Pa, I’m over here.
MA and PA look at each other in disbelief.
MA
Did he just say—
PA
Yep. What in the Sam Hill are you doin’ over there, Boy.
BOBBY
I was talking to Sara.
MA
Sara? Who’s Sara?
BOBBY
Sara Clark
MA is momentarily caught up in memories of brighter days and deep bonds.
MA
They had a girl!
PA [to Ma]
And we have a rebellious boy. What are we s’posed to do now?
BOBBY gathers his courage.
BOBBY
Come and get me.
PA [to Bobby]
What did you say?
BOBBY
I said, come and get me.
PA
Violet, are you there? Did you have a hand in this?
VIOLET
No. I found him here when I came to collect Sara.
PA looks at the hole the children dug.
PA
Do you expect me to crawl through this hole?
SARA
No, we expect you to tear down the fence!
SARA grabs BOBBY’s hand and holds it. VIOLET looks at her daughter standing with BOBBY in youthful solidarity and her heart softens.
VIOLET
Maybe it’s time, Coopers.
MA purposefully walks away, finds a crowbar, and hands it to her husband.
MA
Do it.
PA begins prying boards off of the fence one by one as BOBBY and SARA grin at each other in anticipation. After the first board is gone, PA and VIOLET make eye contact for the first time in 9 years. PA stops working as he says—
PA
I’m so so sorry, Vi.
VIOLET
I forgive you. I know it was an accident.
PA pulls a second board off of the fence.
VIOLET
I’m sorry that I couldn’t forgive you sooner. I’m sorry that I made you feel so judged and rejected.
MA
We forgive you.
PA pulls a third board off of the fence.
MA
I’m sorry that we got resentful and stopped being generous with what we had.
VIOLET
We all got caught up in that. Everything was so much better when we all just lived with open hands.
PA pulls a fourth board off of the fence. The hole is wide enough for MA to slip through.
MA
We have so much extra most days, we dump out extra milk and throw away eggs.
VIOLET
We have so much waste on our side too! If you were still around, we could can vegetables and freeze applesauce like we used to, but Sara and I can only do so much on our own.
Pa pulls a fifth board off of the fence.
SARA
Mama, can we tear down the whole fence? Every board?
BOBBY
Please, Ma and Pa.
SARA
Bobby and I don’t want to live this way anymore.
PA pulls a sixth board off of the fence and slips through to the other side.
PA
Neither do we.
SARA and BOBBY run to PA and hug him. PA looks at MA and VIOLET.
PA
Neither do we.
[END]
