A pebble

This is a role-playing poem that takes on the issue of abortion. If that’s not something you want to read, please don’t.

A pebble

For a man, a woman and a small group of co-players – one to three, at the most.

The man plays a woman; the woman plays a man. They’re in a relationship. The woman in the relationship is pregnant. This is signified by a little, black pebble the player puts under his shirt. The playing area is a nearly-empty café.

The man and woman are discussing an abortion, trying to be rational about it. The players should follow the motivations and emotions that appear in them along the way.

As the man and woman talk, the other players – one by one – can tap the table, quietly, to indicate they want to speak. They will speak as a potential future of the child. Five years old, or an adult; successful, joyful, in pain, in horror.

The man and woman should pause while a child player speaks, but then go on as if nothing had happened – the characters are not aware of the presence of the future children in any way; only the players are.

After fifteen minutes, the man and woman rise and leave the restaurant. The other players remain for as long as they want or can.