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Still more progress on "OLD SOLDIERS" - be still my beating heart!

Can't believe I'm writing this but still more progress today.

"So what's happening with "the" play, Eleanor?"

Well...I'm now up to scene 4 or as I number it, Scene IV and even sharing this reality is quite unnerving. I'm always afraid that my writing "roll" will come to an abrupt end.

"Did you amend the time line that concerned you the other day?"

Managed to make some necessary changes to dialogue that fixed this problem.

"So where are you now?"

I"m at the point where Joe is re-visiting the park before the ceremonies take place. Following close behind in the true sense of the word, are his pub pals who have decided to tag along.

"What is it about this play that has such a hold on you?"

The original short story was based on an interview I did with a veteran for a newspaper column. Thinking about his experiences as I wrote the article, the story formed in my mind. Joe McKenna could be any old soldier who has lived a long - maybe too long - life. He feels embittered by his current existence and wants to make a symbolic gesture of his feelings.

More updates to follow - hopefully she wrote.

"NEIGHBORS" - a potential radio play...maybe.

Toying - actually more than toying - with the idea of entering the next BBC Radio International Playwriting Competition. A while back when I first started playwriting, wrote what was then a short play entitled, "Neighbors." Over the years, I've tinkered with it modifying the story line and defining the characters. It's always been a personal favorite and at one point actually expanded it with the idea of turning it into a full play. In any case, I got as far as writing it as a 60-minute play, which just may - note word may - suit my purpose. It requires sound effects, which will be a challenge.

In the way of a tease, here is a sample of the beginning. Feedback always welcomed - and appreciated. It's presently written for stage.



NEIGHBORS


CAST OF CHARACTERS:




TAYLOR, JEFFREY, 45


PORTMAN, ROBBIE, 47


JENKINS, 50, another neighbor
PATTY, 40-ish. attractive bartender working for PORTMAN


MARTINI, 60, land surveyor and personal friend of PORTMAN






THE TIME
The present, mid-summer


SETTING:
Back garden(s) of two neighbors. A picket fence seperates their properties


AT RISE:
Morning. Hot summer's day.

                                                                                               SOUND FX: LAWN MOWER

ROBBIE (ROB) PORTMAN lazes in a hammock reading a book while holding a glass of liquid in the other hand. Dressed in cut-off jeans and a grungy tee shirt, his hair is long and unkempt and he sports a heavy beard

JEFFREY TAYLOR, his next-door neighbor, is the antithesis of Portman, and a perfectionist.


TAYLOR

Phew-ee! Must be a hundred degrees in the shade today. I’d be indoors right now if my tomatoes didn’t need pampering. That’s the real secret of growing big veggies, y’know. Give ‘em extra ‘TLC’… Hello? Hope I'm not disturbing you or anything

PORTMAN

Must be them damn chipmunks making a racket again. It’s gettin' so’s a person can't read in peace anymore. I’ll just take off my shoe here and aim it at that noise near the fence

TAYLOR

You’d do that, wouldn’t you? How long you been there?

PORTMAN

What time was sunrise, today?

TAYLOR

You are so pathetic… I see you’ve got another one of your liquid breakfasts

PORTMAN

For your information it’s pure orange juice.
                                                                               &nbs