Mindy R. Roll is an emerging playwright who writes at the intersections of relationships, gender, spirituality, mystery, friendship, and religion. Having had her first production in the summer of 2020, she has been a member of the Dramatists Guild of America since January 2021.
The Code Box
When childhood friends ROSE and MEGAN meet up at the county fair for
MEGAN’s 40th birthday, they stumble upon a new attraction that promises to use
science to predict their futures. What happens when you know?
by
Mindy Roll
MEGAN Friend of ROSE F 40s–ish
WAYNE Machine worker at fair M Any
SYNOPSIS
Childhood friends ROSE and MEGAN meet up at the county fair to celebrate MEGAN’S 40th
birthday with a stroll down memory lane. When they come across a new genetic mapping
attraction, run by WAYNE, MEGAN is unsure how to receive troubling information about
herself. Is he telling the truth? Does it matter?
SETTING
For virtual setting: Bright colored balloons behind ROSE and MEGAN, against a similar–colored
wall. WAYNE should have a cardboard box in front of him, visible on screen.
For an in–person setting: An empty stage or props that suggest a carnival–like atmosphere.
WAYNE should be seated behind a cardboard box.
Old friends ROSE & MEGAN
arrive at a carnival–type county fair.
ROSE:
Happy birthday, Megan!
MEGAN:
ROSE & MEGAN hug each other.
ROSE:
Isn’t it wild being back at this place? Oh my gosh, we were here every summer weekend
growing up.
MEGAN:
And it looks exactly the same, too.
ROSE:
And smells the same!
MEGAN:
Yeah, cow dung mixed with cheap beer. The smell of our childhood!
ROSE:
(Affectionately) A funny place to spend your 40th birthday.
MEGAN:
You said anywhere.
ROSE:
True. I was thinking a bar, but this works, too. A stroll down memory lane. So where should we
go? Funnel cake stand? Corn dogs? Giant Dr Pepper?
MEGAN:
Let’s just walk.
The two join arms and begin to stroll. Soon,
carnival music begins as WAYNE’s stand comes
into view.
ROSE:
Oh my gosh, remember all these stands? I think we had our palms read every weekend.
(Laughing) Yes, that terrible woman! What did she predict?
ROSE:
She said we would both die in tragic accidents by the time we were 25.
MEGAN:
She hated us. The predictions got worse every weekend. And we kept going back! And paying
her!
ROSE:
How could we not? It was so ridiculous!
MEGAN:
Should we see if she’s still here? Show her how not dead we are at 40?
ROSE:
Yes! Wasn’t it right here?
Both pause, as they come upon WAYNE sitting by a
box.
ROSE:
What’s this?
MEGAN:
(Reading sign) A Genetic Predictor Cube?
ROSE:
“Take the guesswork out of the future. Your genes contain it all. See how you will fare in
success, love, death, and happiness.”
MEGAN:
Well, that’s a little different. (To WAYNE) Excuse me, what is this?
WAYNE:
It’s a machine. Tells you the future based on your blood.
ROSE:
What does that mean?
WAYNE:
You give it a drop of blood, it maps your genetic code, tells you what to expect for the future. All
for three dollars.
That seems absurd, even for a county fair. My blood?
WAYNE:
Just a drop. You prick your finger with one of those pointy things. Bandaids right next to it.
ROSE:
You’re saying that if we give you three dollars and a prick of blood, you will tell us the future?
WAYNE:
(Sizes them up) Well, it’s usually for a younger crowd. Teenagers. You’re kinda in the middle of
your future already, ain’t ya, ladies?
MEGAN:
I’m sorry, that just seems preposterous.
WAYNE:
It’s three dollars. Take it or leave it. This here (pats box) was developed by NASA.
ROSE:
By NASA? Then why isn’t it used by NASA? Why is it at a county fair?
WAYNE:
(Looks at them pointedly. Returns to his book) You’ll see.
MEGAN:
This was a lot more fun when it was the palm–reading woman.
WAYNE:
That was guessing. This is science. Actual science. Three dollars.
ROSE:
(To MEGAN) It’s your birthday. Wanna splurge? It’s on me.
MEGAN:
(Pauses) Sure. Why not?
MEGAN pricks finger, drops in blood.
WAYNE:
(Watching) Hey, you’re pretty good at that. Didn’t flinch.
MEGAN:
I’m a surgeon.
Oh yeah? We don’t get a lot of fancy people on this thing. Ok, give it a minute. I can see it
mapping all your genes.
MEGAN visibly rolls her eyes, groans.
ROSE:
Megan, it’s just for fun.
WAYNE:
All right, here we go. (Produces small card) You ready for your results?
ROSE:
(Manufacturing excitement for MEGAN) Ooooo, yeah, she’s ready! C’mon girl! Get your
future!
WAYNE:
Here you go….number one: Success. (Pauses) Oh! Very successful! You’ll be a professional,
well–respected in your field, rise to the top. Probably a doctor or a lawyer.
MEGAN:
(Dryly) I just told you I was a surgeon.
WAYNE:
(Waving the paper) It’s not me, it’s the machine. It’s in your genes, lady. One for one!
Item number 2: Love. (Pause) Well, this gets complicated. It says you marry not for love, but for
love–adjacent.
ROSE:
What’s that?
WAYNE:
Love–adjacent. You marry someone you think you could love. A good match on paper, an okay
marriage in reality. Likely the love never comes. But you stay married for life.
ROSE:
Well, that’s ridiculous!
WAYNE:
Oh?
ROSE:
She married the love of her life: Sam. I knew them in high school, I was at their wedding. They
are, like, perfect together. Still in love, over 20 years later.
MEGAN:
(Shaken, quickly, defensive) That’s right!
ROSE:
(Angry) Love–adjacent – that’s just silly!
WAYNE:
I just read the printout, aight? It’s your genes.
ROSE:
(To MEGAN) Is this upsetting? Want to leave? This is clearly a crock!
WAYNE:
Hey!
MEGAN:
No, let’s keep going. Of course it’s a crock. (Pause) You did pay, though. Just for fun, right?
WAYNE:
Happiness or death?
MEGAN:
(Hesitates) Death.
WAYNE:
Easy. Cancer. Gets you in your 80s.
ROSE:
Well. (Pauses) That’s not bad. Like your grandmother.
MEGAN:
And my grandfather.
ROSE:
That’s a good long life. And you know, cancer treatment is getting better. Who knows in 40
years. Might be cured.
MEGAN:
That’s true.
WAYNE:
See, it’s all in your genes. Right there.
WAYNE:
Nah. More heart attacks and strokes.
MEGAN:
What about car accidents and things like that?
WAYNE:
You have to score high on recklessness or bad luck to trigger those.
MEGAN:
So I’m low on bad luck?
WAYNE:
(Shrugs) Depends on how you define luck.
MEGAN:
What does that mean?
WAYNE:
Is it bad luck to be in an accident or bad luck to be in a bad marriage? I don’t know.
MEGAN:
I’m not in a bad marriage.
WAYNE:
Lady, I just read the map.
ROSE:
Fine, what about the last one? Happiness?
WAYNE:
(Hesitates) Listen, I know I’m just paid to run the machine. But this one messes with people.
ROSE:
What does that mean?
WAYNE:
This one bothers people. They already know the first three – right? (Turns to MEGAN) You
already knew the first three – or suspected them.
MEGAN shrugs
ROSE:
That’s absurd. This is just a carnival attraction. Like the palm–reading woman.
WAYNE:
It’s been right so far, ain’t it?
MEGAN:
(Quietly) I want to know.
WAYNE:
Miss–
MEGAN:
I want to know.
WAYNE:
Don’t say I didn’t warn you. (Consults card) On happiness, you rate a – uh, a 2. “You are happy–
deficient now, and you will strive for unattainable happiness for the rest of your life.” Sorry.
ROSE:
What? That’s outrageous! You can’t tell people that. You can’t plant that in people’s minds.
WAYNE:
It’s her genes. She is wired to be unhappy. I just read the cards.
ROSE:
This is a bad attraction. You should be shut down.
WAYNE:
(Nicely) The truth hurts, don’t it?
ROSE:
What happened to the palm–reading woman? She was so much more fun.
WAYNE:
Science. People want science. This is science. Genes. DNA. NASA–
ROSE:
I know, I know, NASA developed this. Right. Listen, you need to be more careful. You could
really hurt people with this ridiculous machine.
ROSE:
She’s not (air quotes) happiness–deficient, nor is she (air quotes) love–adjacent. You can’t say
that to 40–year old women. That stuff is not in our genes.
WAYNE:
Listen–
ROSE:
Do you have any idea how fragile our lives are? How hard we work? Kids! Jobs! Family! We
can’t control everything!
WAYNE:
LADY!
ROSE:
What?
WAYNE:
You’re the one protesting here. Not her. It’s always the friend throwing a fit. I just read the cards.
ROSE turns to look at MEGAN
ROSE:
Are you ok?
MEGAN:
Let’s leave.
ROSE & MEGAN quickly exit stage.
WAYNE:
She’ll be back. One year’s time. Alone. (Pats machine) That’s what keeps us in business, eh,
buddy?
Stage goes dark, to be re–lit almost immediately.
WAYNE has one small clothing change (hat added,
book changed) to signify that some time has passed.
MEGAN enters alone.
MEGAN:
Hello, I’d like to do a reading.
success, love, death, and happiness. Only three dollars. Best money you’ll ever spend.
MEGAN:
I’m only interested in the last one.
WAYNE nods. MEGAN pricks finger.
WAYNE:
You’re good at that. Didn’t flinch.
MEGAN:
I’m a surgeon. Used to be. Used to be a surgeon.
WAYNE:
(Recognition dawns) Ah. I remember you.
MEGAN:
What does it say?
WAYNE:
(Uncomfortable) Miss, you know this machine–
MEGAN:
What does it say? What’s my happiness number?
WAYNE:
(Consults card, nods briefly) This is the one that messes with people. Makes ‘em make decisions.
MEGAN:
What’s my number?
WAYNE:
What do you feel like?
MEGAN:
What do you mean?
WAYNE:
What do you think your number is? What do you feel like?
Look, man, I got divorced, left my job, started taking very – unlike me – risks. Tried to re–do my
life. Because you said I was a two. I don’t care what I think my number is. I thought my number
was fine. But I can’t – I won’t – be a two. I’m not a two at anything. What’s my number?
WAYNE:
What do you want it to be?
MEGAN:
(Surprised) A ten, obviously. Everyone wants a ten, right?
WAYNE:
(Consults card) It’s a ten.
MEGAN:
(Pause) It is?
WAYNE:
Isn’t it? That’s what it says. A ten. Your genes are coded for “life–change happiness.” Happiness
that finally comes after major life–altering decisions. You’re a ten. Fully happy.
MEGAN starts laughing, slowly then more genuinely.
MEGAN:
You are a crock. Rose told me all year. I thought you actually could read my genes. You know,
the science is finally there. Almost. But you – you’re absolutely full of shit. A ten?
WAYNE grins as MEGAN starts walking away.
WAYNE:
One year. She’ll be back. (Picks up book) They always come back.
BLACKOUTABOUT THE AUTHOR
