Creativity in Quarantine Vol. 1 Issue 1

CiQ images and text from our time in Creativity in Quarantine Vol. 1 Issue 1 September 25, 2020

2020

Welcome to the Winchester Council for the Arts first ever series of Zines! The seats and stage of Leeds Theater may be empty, but our hearts are full. The artwork, social media posts, written word, photographs, and everything in between collected in this and future issues of CiQ are just what we needed! The creativity that came to us from across the country ranges from quirky to cool, silly to absolutely serious. It is a collection of responses to a challenging year, encompassing the whole range of human emotion.

Seeing the zine come together has invoked Leed’s mission; it has energized us with beauty and emotional power, and inspired us to learn how to create in new ways. Winchester Council for the Arts is ready to shape a new normal in our community.

Without further ado, the Winchester Council for the Arts presents the first issue of Creativity in Quarantine.

The first one [cover] was taken at Mt Folly Farm after we had just planted some hemp. The second is on Water Works RD. Since quarantine Cassidy and I have been taking a lot more drives to get out of the house and still stay away from folks.

Christopher Benavides,

Before (starter)

After (bread) Christopher Benavides, Gentleman and Local Creative Winchester, KY

Where to Sit

by John Lawwill

I glance into the expanse Sprawling in all directions They appear— tables and faces Most are seated while few are seeking Everyone seated is smiling Are they happy?

Are they frantic?

Or do the smiling advertise themselves?

The few seekers are bewildered

I’ve tried to do it myself—the advertising—a subtle fragrance The allure of the aroma cannot compete with innumerable intangible billboards

The setting I select isn’t good enough “Oh, but it’s dirty here.”

“It’s very dark.”

“Are those someone else’s dishes?”

That’s always what I hear, “Come sit at our table,” they all say through strained smiles —but— With these inevitable invitations come invisible letters of condemnation.

After admission and concession I begin relocation.

Once again, seeing all the smiling Sitting at this table—the spirit is beguiling.

Instead of a simple meal and conversation, I witness games and thinly veiled deception I feel the unspoken tension of each Pulling at every fiber in reach

The longer I sit in range The more is siphoned away The longer I resist The more they persist As I reach my limit I brace for the impact of —confrontation—

As I attempt to lift each veil and reveal what is I’m met with denial and refusal The dissonance is not just cognitive It manifests in more than just that domain I find myself losing control My mind loosens, flares, My spirit lacks form.

The billboards bare their rust My choices assail— Play the game Or cast a dare— Dare to be more, do more, Dare to admit what is And cast away what is not Reclaim the focus of before Before each donned the veil

Leaving them at the table May be the easiest choice—but Not the best one Leaving them veiled Has its spoils The siphoning would reverse But at what cost— They wouldn’t be free

Do I sit where a beautifully difficult disaster Can meld into ecstasy Or do I sit where the victory would be bronze at best And remain unscathed Do I sink everything I have into this seemingly unwinnable situation Do I persist and risk it all In order to complete the dare

I glance into the expanse With eyes revitalized I ask myself once more, “Is this where I should sit?”

That word escapes my mouth —Sinew and will— Work together to bring me to my feet “This is not the seat for me.”

John Lawwill If you would like to reach John, please use the email john_lawwill@hotmail.com I am a Winchester native.

Hurry (01) Mixed Media 10�x10�

Photo print, ink, charcoal, on paper

No Time Like the Present Mixed Media 10�x10�

35mm photo print, watercolor, ink, charcoal, on paper Justin Crane Trimble, Lexington, KY

Strained Pears A 10 - Minute Play (based on a true story)

by Wiliam H McCann, Jr. Pear Doodles by Sarah Cornett

SYNOPSIS

Strained Pairs is a (2F 1M) 10-minute play based on a letter I read in an advice column early in 2020. A woman reader described how she fought her retired husband’s addiction to his cell phone by pretending to develop an ‘addiction’ of her own-- to a life-sized baby doll.

This play is for reading only. If you have an interest in producing it, please contact the author for permission and terms by sending an email to ky.playwright@yahoo.com Thank you.

CHARACTERS WAITRESS (Mary Leigh): late 30’s MILDRED: late 50s to 80’s HERBERT: early 60s to 80’s Setting: A diner at dinner time Time: The present day AT RISE: A TABLE and CHAIRS to suggest a diner. MILDRED and HERBERT enter.

They follow the WAITRESS in, who shows them to a table. HERBERT is engaged only with his cell PHONE. Mildred carries a large BEACH BAG stuffed with a LIFESIZED BABY DOLL. WAITRESS: So glad you came in, Milly. Busy night. I’m afraid we don’t have any booths.

MILDRED: Seems fine. What do you think, Herb?

(No answer or acknowledgment from HERBERT, who is on his phone.)

MILRED: Herbert? What do you think?

HERBERT: Fine, dear. Whatever you’d like.

(He is on his phone.)

MILDRED: This will be fine. Thank you, Mary Leigh.

WAITRESS: Will this table be ok? May I get you something to drink?

(WAITRESS pulls out a chair for HERBERT. She leaves it several feet from the table, but he simply sits down. He doesn’t notice how far he is from the table nor does not pull his chair up.)

MILDRED: This’ll be fine. Water with lemon, please.

WAITRESS: Yes, ma’am. (pause) MILDRED: Anything else?

WAITRESS: Wouldn’t your husband like something to drink?

MILDRED: Herb? (beat) HERB? (pause) HERBERT? HERBERT: Hmmm?

WAITRESS: Would you like something to drink, sir?

HERBERT: Oh, I don’t drink. (He goes back to his phone.)

MILDRED: Bring him a sweet tea, please.

(WAITRESS exits) MILDRED: Herbert? (Pause) Herbert? Beat) HERB? HERBERT No reason to shout, dear. I’m right here.

(He looks back down at his phone.)

(WAITRESS re-enters with drink GLASSES.)

MILDRED: Herb? (beat) Oh, hell. (beat)

(Mildred pulls DOLL out of Beach Bag)

HERBERT: Hmm MILDRED: Herb, pull up to the table, dear. (Pause) Herbert!

HERBERT: Hmmm?

MILDRED: Pull up to the table, dear.

HERBERT: Yes, dear.

(He moves his chair TOWARDS the table, then goes back to his phone.)

WAITRESS: Would you like to order?

MILDRED: I need a high chair, please. (beat) And some strained pears, please.

WAITRESS: Yes, ma’am.

MILDRED: Oh, and menus, please.

WAITRESS: Of course.

(WAITRESS brings HIGH CHAIR and sets it on one side of the table.

MILDRED places her doll in the chair. She takes a sip from her water GLASS.)

(WAITRESS exits.)

(HERBERT is still focused only on his phone.)

MILDRED: Herbert.

HERBERT: Hmmm?

MILDRED: Join Herbie, Jr. and I at the table, please.

(HERBERT looks up realizes he is still some distance from the table and moves his chair to the table; he immediately refocuses attention on his phone.)

MILDRED (talking to the doll): What, dear? (beat) Oh, yes. (beat) Well, it will take the waitress . . . Mary Leigh, a few minutes to bring your strained pears. (She drinks from her glass.) (Pause)

Shhhh. (She gets the doll out of the high chair.) It’s okay. (She rocks, talking softly to the doll.)

(WAITRESS enters. She hands a MENU to MILDRED, who accepts it before placing it on the table. Then the Waitress hands a menu to HERBERT who ignores her; she places the menu on the table next to him.)

WAITRESS : Are you ready to order?

MILDRED: Oh, we’ll need a few minutes. (beat) Thank you.

WAITRESS: Yes, ma’am. (beat) I’ll check on your strained pears.

MILDRED: Thank you, Dearie. (pause) Herbie, shhhh. It’s okay. Your pears will be here in just a minute. It’ll be okay. Shhhh. (She is rocking the doll gently.) Shhhh.

Okay, baby. It’s okay. Shhh. You’ll bother your daddy, baby. He’s working, you know. (Pause) What? Oh, no. He loves you, Herbie. He’s providing for us. (beat) Of course, you know he loves us both.

(HERBERT looks up from his phone for a moment. It is not possible to realize why he is looking up, whether he is upset or thinking about something.

After a moment, his eyes go back to his phone.)

(WAITRESS enters with STRAINED PEARS)

WAITRESS: Your pears, ma’am. (HERBERT looks up and gives the waitress a dirty look before returning his eyes to his phone.) Are you ready to order?

MILDRED: Yes. I’ll have the meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans.

WAITRESS: Anything else, ma’am?

MILDRED: Yes. A bottle of milk, for the baby.

WAITRESS: What would you like, sir?

HERBERT: Gotten to me, have you?

WAITRESS: Yes, sir.

HERBERT: Ok. Good. The little mama’s taken care of, I guess. (beat) Let’s see. Cod. Lemon. And some tartar sauce. Oh. Green beans. Corn. And a couple of hush puppies.

WAITRESS : Any dessert?

HERBERT: Not just yet. Thanks.

WAITRESS (to Mildred): I’ll bring your baby’s bottle in just a moment. (WAITRESS exits)

(HERBERT waits until the WAITRESS is out of sight before pouncing.)

HERBERT: What do you think you’re doing? That doll isn’t real, you know.

MILDRED: Of course it’s real. Just like your cell phone HERBERT: What’s my phone got to do with anything?

(Enter WAITRESS)

MILDRED: Keep your voice down, Herb. You’ll disturb the other diners.

HERBERT: What do I care about that? You’re wasting money on a doll that ain’t real.

WAITRESS: (As she hands over a DOLL-SIZED BABY BOTTLE.): Milly, here’s your Adorable Baby, baby’s bottle.

HERBERT: See? See, what’d I tell you.

What’d that cost?

MILDRED: Why nothing . . . that tiny bottle came with the doll.

WAITRESS: Men don’t understand anything about dolls, do they?

MILDRED: This one certainly doesn’t.

He thinks I think this baby is alive.

Thank you, Dearie. (pause) Herbie, shhhh. It’s okay. Here’s your bottle. It’ll be okay. Shhhh. (She is rocking the doll gently.)

Shhhh. Okay, baby. It’s okay. Shhh. You’ll bother your daddy, baby. He’s working, you know.

(Pause) What? Oh, no. He loves you, Herbie. I mean what the heck, he’s providing for us. Of course, he loves us both.

WAITRESS: Your food should be right out.

MILDRED: Thank you, Mare.

(WAITRESS exits)

HERBERT: Well, don’t you?

MILDRED: Don’t I what?

HERBERT: Think that doll is real?

MILDRED: Of course, it is. (beat) But Herbie Junior is not alive. (Pause) Still, I know that that cell phone of yours is all that you pay attention to any more.

HERBERT: It’s how I conduct my business; it’s how I make a living.

MILDRED: Well, we’re eating dinner in this nice little diner. Put the phone away.

HERBERT: I need it to make a living. I need it to support us.

MILDRED: If you really think that, Herbert Hoskins, then you have dementia of some sort. You’ve been retired for more than four years.

HERBERT: It’s been hard for me to give up work. I need to be involved. . . some place.

MILDRED: Ok. (beat) How about if we go to the Senior Center tomorrow and see what’s going on there?

HERBERT: What, play Bingo? Nah.

MILDRED: How about poker, then?

HERBERT: For what? Matchsticks?

MILDRED: More likely poker chips—nobody has matches any more.

HERBERT: Chump change.

MILDRED: You always told me that what you liked about poker was the chance to see your friends.

HERBERT: Yes. So?

MILDRED: Well, John and Marc both play poker there; their wives play Bingo.

HERBERT: Oh. Well, that’s different. (beat) I might like that.

(WAITRESS enters with FOOD.)

WAITRESS: Here’re your orders.

MILDRED: Thank you, Mare.

HERBERT: You seem awfully chummy.

MILDRED: I met Mary Leigh through AA

HERBERT: AA?

MILDRED: Alcoholics Anonymous.

HERBERT: I know what AA is; I’m a member, too. But I never saw her at any meetings.

MILDRED: Yeah. Well, she’s not a member. She’s a waitress. I was in here crying into my coffee—so to say—one night after a meeting when I told her all about you. She told me that you’ve replaced one addiction with another. Mare suggested the doll therapy.

HERBERT: She did, huh?

WAITRESS: I did.

HERBERT: I’m addicted to my phone, am I? Is that what you’re saying, Milly?

MILDRED: I am. I was slow to see it. But when Mary Leigh mentioned it was just became so obvious to me.

HERBERT: It was, huh? Enlighten me.

MILDRED: An addiction is something that has control over your life, Herbie.

HERBERT: A phone isn’t alcohol . . . or cocaine.

WAITRESS: You’re right. It’s not. (beat) It’s worse, because it doesn’t seem dangerous.

MILDRED: But it’s taken you away from me, interfered in our life because you are always on that thing instead of talking or relating to me. When was the last time we went to a concert, or saw a play or movie?

HERBERT: We’re at dinner right now.

MILDRED: Yes. But where did you sit down?

HERBERT: At the table?

MILDRED: Eventually. But you

started off a half-mile from the table.

HERBERT: Yeah. (pause) You exaggerate, Milly. But . . . (beat) I’ll make you a deal.

If Mare—it is Mare, right? (WAITRESS nods “Yes”) —will take your doll and I’ll turn off my phone while we eat dinner. Deal?

MILDRED: O . . .

WAITRESS: No.

HERBERT: No? (beat) Why not?

WAITRESS : Let me take your phone, too. (beat) I’ll put them both behind the counter; pick them up when you leave.

MILDRED: Oh, Herbie. What’s wrong now? shhhh. Everything’ll be okay. Shhhh.

(She is rocking the doll gently.) Shhhh. Okay, baby. It’s okay. Shhh. You’ll bother your daddy, baby. He’s working,

you know. (Pause) What? Oh, no. He loves you, Herbie. He took us out to dinner, didn’t he? Of course. (beat) Yes, he loves us both.

HERBERT: Are you really going to keep that up? Talking to a silly doll?

WAITRESS: I can put both the doll and the phone behind the counter, if you like.

MILDRED (to the doll): It’s okay, Herbie, Jr., it’s okay baby.

HERBERT: Oh for God’s sake! (beat) MILDRED: What?

HERBERT: I’ll go to the Senior Center! (HERBERT puts his phone in WAITRESS’ hand; she exits) MILDRED: We’ll go to the Senior Center. You’ll like the Senior Center, Dear.

HERBERT: No doubt. I can hardly wait. (WAITRESS re-enters) WAITRESS : Everything’s in the car. Now, you two lovebirds . . . kiss!

(HERBERT and MILDRED kiss as the LIGHTS slowly fade.)

CURTAIN

(End of Play)

William H. McCann, Jr. (he, him) is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America and is the arts columnist for the Winchester Sun. He lives in Winchester with Jeanine Lister, three cats, and Halligan the Wonder Dog.

Sarah Cornett Mooresville, NC

“Love my top goal from this day is to survive�

Sarah Cornett Mooresville, NC

Sarah Cornett

Zoom Doodle Richard Cornett Mooresville, NC

Sadie Hess Hess has been trying different mediums. Graphite and charcoal, marker, colored pencil.

Winchester, KY

www.andrewkozlowski.com @andrew.kozlowski (instagram)

Andrew Kozlowski Jacksonville, FL

Katelyn Thatcher Georgetown, KY

Thank you to everyone who shared their creativity with us.

Christopher Benavides John Lawwill Justin Crane Trimble William H. McCann, Jr. Sarah Cornett Richard Cornett Sadie Hess Andrew Kozlowski Katelyn Thatcher

Edited by Rebecca Campomanes Published by Leeds Center for the Arts