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Why a RUSSIAN DOLL?byBrian Jeongwoo ChoSeoul International School+82 10 9136 7013
A typical teenager’s bedroom, bathed in sluggish yellow light. ROBBIE (18) walks to the bedroom door, tiptoeing around unwashed clothes littering the floor. He peers out briefly, then shuts the door, only to begin shimmying his pants off until they’re at his ankles, a pair of strikingly white underwear covering his posterior. He begins waddling his way back to bed -- on it are a box of tissues, lotion, and an open laptop. As Robbie approaches eagerly, a soft knock is heard on the door.ROBBIEW-WAIT!! I’M -- DON’T COME IN--Robbie makes a mad dash for his bed, hops on, and hurriedly covers himself with a blanket.MIA (O.S.)Hey--MIA (19) opens the door holding a hamper. Robbie looks up, his bottom half still naked.ROBBIEHEY! Hi, I was just -- uh -- I was just about to get the door. Sorry.MIAI’m just here to pick up laundry. It’s okay.ROBBIEOh. Cool, cool... (gesturing around) Uh -- yeah. Go ahead.Mia smiles, looks down to avoid eye contact. She walks around, picking up Robbie’s clothes. Robbie watches in silence.MIAOh also -- Bill wanted to know if you’re gonna eat dinner here or downstairs.ROBBIEUh -- here. Tell him I’m eating here tonight.MIAOkay.Back to silence. Mia continues pacing around.
2.MIAI like your toy. It looks cool.ROBBIEHuh?MIAThat.Mia points to a Russian Doll on Robbie’s bedside table -- crimson red and dark with an elegant flower pattern stitched across.ROBBIEOh, yeah my toy. It is cool. Thanks.MIAWhat is it?ROBBIE(exasperated breath)It’s a Russian Doll.MIAA Russian Doll?ROBBIEYeah.MIAOh. Cool.Back to silence again. Robbie anxiously waits for Mia to leave -- she’s picking up the last of the clothes remaining on the floor. Mia then turns and approaches Robbie on his bed.ROBBIE(uncomfortable)Uh--MIACan I have that jacket?2.
3.ROBBIEHm? Oh.Crushed under Robbie’s pantsless bottom is a stained jacket -- a difficult location to pull out given Robbie’s current circumstances.MIA(reaches for the jacket)Here, lemme just--ROBBIEWait NO!Mia stops, looks at Robbie confused.MIAUm--ROBBIESorry. Sorry -- I’m still using it.MIAYou are?ROBBIEYeah. It’s for later. I’m heading out with friends and um -- it’s still pretty cold outside.MIARight... I can get you a cleaner jacket if you want--ROBBIENo. I mean thank you but -- I’m fine with this one.MIASeriously it has stains on it.ROBBIEWell... I have a weird fashion sense or something. Go figure.MIA(pause)Okay sure.3.
4.Mia picks up her hamper and begins to leave. Robbie lets out a subdued sigh of relief. Mia then stops, turns around--MIAI watch porn too you know.ROBBIE...huh?MIASo like, don’t worry about it--ROBBIEI don’t -- I don’t know what--MIAYou don’t have to -- closed door? Tissues and lotion? And you’re treating your jacket which is conveniently under your -- presumably pantsless leg like it’s an explosive.Robbie, embarrassed, sits up right, blushing.ROBBIERight, right. Sorry.MIANo! Don’t be...ROBBIE...So... you watch porn too.MIAShocked?ROBBIEI mean... yeah?MIAGirls watch porn too you know.ROBBIEI know. I know -- it’s just... Didn’t expect it from...Mia raises one of her eyebrows, judgmental.4.
5.ROBBIE...you?MIAHuh.ROBBIE(awkward pause)Do you have a favorite genre? Or...MIAOh I just -- I just watch whatever’s on the recommendation feed.ROBBIEOh, nice.Awkward silence falls upon the two again, both uncertain of how to move on.MIA(breaking the silence)You ever hear about that kid -- Jackson Volkov?ROBBIEGerman?MIARussian -- I think. I heard he was a virgin till he was 24--ROBBIESounds like me in seven years.MIA(chortles)Anyways, he got desperate to lose his virginity because all his friends lost theirs like six years ago. But like he had this... something was wrong with his penis or something so he was really self conscious about it but like the girls he tried to sleep with made fun of it.ROBBIEWow. And?MIASo like I heard that he was driven mentally insane and he -- he raped his sister.5.
6.ROBBIE(pause)Woah... For real?MIAW-Wait no, no. Stepsister.ROBBIE...what -- what happened to the stepsister?Mia shifts around uncomfortably, rubs her neck.MIAI -- I think he killed her.ROBBIE(pause)Is there like -- a reason why you’re telling me this--MIAN-No, I just--ROBBIECuz I was getting the impression it was intentional--MIANo! I was just tryna break the ice--ROBBIEAnd a logical explanation as to why you’re like... so distant.MIADistant?ROBBIEYeah -- from me. Like... it’s been a while since you moved in and -- five months actually.MIAFive months already?ROBBIEYeah, and we’ve only had like one deep conversation. And that was over the wedding.MIA(sighs)It’s like -- well firstly it’s not because I’m afraid you’re gonna rape and kill me, okay?6.
7.ROBBIEThen... Jackson Volkov?MIAI just heard about it recently and -- it was a fun story you know?ROBBIEFun?MIAInteresting. Whatever. Like... a story doesn’t have to mean something every time. It doesn’t have to be layered with -- subtext, it can be told just cuz it’s interesting.Robbie purses his lips, stops to think.MIARight?ROBBIERight... Sorry for -- implying anything.Mia nods understandingly.ROBBIEA-And I promise I won’t... I’ll try not to rape and kill you--MIATry not to?!ROBBIEI won’t! I won’t...MIA(smiling)Okay. Me too.(pause)I do feel like you’re entitled to know -- why I’ve been distant. But only if you tell me why you’ve been distant as well. Deal?ROBBIEDeal.Mia moves to a chair near Robbie’s bed.MIAMind if I sit here?7.
8.ROBBIENo, no. Go ahead. As long as you can’t see me naked from there.MIA(smirks)Shame.(sits down)So... You know Sophie Iverson from my grade.ROBBIEYeah. She’s kinda hot.MIADon’t know how to feel about you calling my friend hot but...Robbie grins sheepishly.ROBBIESorry.MIANo -- well -- objectively hot. But she knows about the divorce and that I have a stepbrother. But instead of being there for me like a normal friend... she just kept insinuating that I have a...Mia pauses to think.MIA...a sexual relationship... with you.ROBBIEOh. Shit.MIAYeah.(pause)It’s not like she keeps it to herself. Most of my friends think of us that way too.Robbie doesn’t respond -- hangs his head.MIA(shrugging)Who knows, maybe she watches porn too to assume that. I mean -- not that I don’t...8.
9.ROBBIE(pause)My friends -- they joke about it too.MIAYeah?ROBBIEYeah. And like... I’ve grown so accustomed to it that I kinda just play along.MIALike how?ROBBIE(pause)When they ask how many times I’ve -- slept with you, I just give them a made up answer.MIA(scrunches her nose)Hm. Seniors.ROBBIEYeah. And -- And I sometimes worry that... you know. What if like I eventually -- after playing along so much -- I eventually don’t see you as a relative but as a... stepsister...MIA...I mean... you don’t have to add a negative connotation ti--ROBBIENo but you know what I mean. I’m worried I might be attracted to you... eventually.Mia pauses, thinking.MIAWell that’s okay. It’s not -- illegal or anything to be attracted to your stepsister.ROBBIE(pause)Do you think they stop to think about the fact that -- we went through a divorce?MIAOur friends?ROBBIEYeah.9.
10.MIAI doubt it... It’s like -- the stepsibling part is soo much more interesting than the divorce.ROBBIERight.MIAIt’s the same with porn -- maybe. They’re not gonna like focus on the divorce part.ROBBIERight. Then it’s not porn.MIAExactly. It’s no fun anymore.ROBBIE...what if like -- that’s the reason why they have sex in the first place.MIAWho?ROBBIEStepsiblings. In porn. Like -- we know first hand that divorce sucks for the child. And you know, maybe mutual attraction forms between people that... survived that struggle?MIA(smiles)I don’t think they make porn to make us think that much... But it’s a cool thought.Robbie smiles back shyly.ROBBIE(pause)Do you every think about -- are you glad that your mom remarried?MIA...she looks happy with Bill... And she was definitely not happy with my dad so... I guess it’s good to see her happy again.Robbie nods.MIADidn’t know this whole stepsibling thing would be this complicated though.ROBBIEYeah.10.
11.MIAHow ‘bout you.ROBBIE...same. I’m happy he’s happy. Didn’t expect the stepsibling thing to be a big deal.MIARight.(pause)Do you -- and you don’t have to answer this. Do you resent your mom for leaving?ROBBIE...it’s weird. Like I do hate her for leaving but -- but I still miss her you know.MIAMm. I understand... Is that -- is the doll from her?ROBBIEHm?MIAThe Russian Doll.Robbie glances at the Russian Doll.ROBBIEThat would be really poetic huh.MIAMhm.ROBBIE...it isn’t from her. I just bought it for fun... It’s a great place to store condoms though.Mia laughs. Robbie smiles in response.MIA(pause)Okay. Good talk.ROBBIEI concur.The two smile, linger in silence.11.
12.MIA(pause)I’m gonna turn around now so you can put your pants back on. I still need that jacket.Robbie snorts.ROBBIEYes ma’am.END OF PLAY12.