I Have a Heart
Characters:
- SIERRA – A surgeon who is performing an operation on Warner and was best friends with Augustus.
- CHELLO – Dr. Sierra’s assistant during the surgery.
WARNER – The dummy who has a surgery being conducted on it.
AUGUSTUS – Dr. Sierra’s friend who dies.
Setting:
A hospital’s operating theater.
Synopsis:
A woman’s friend dies and tries to cope with the mix of emotions she faces because of it while conducting a heart transplant.
(Dr. Chello and Dr. Sierra are in an operating theater. Chello has a frightened look on his face.)
DR. CHELLO
You have a new patient coming in soon. I sent in the records about him yesterday. You ready?
DR. SIERRA
Warner Way? Yes. We ran all of the tests we needed.
(pause)
You’ll do great.
DR. CHELLO
You mean the patient will be fine. What I think doesn’t matter.
(Dr. Sierra points to the anxiety pills on the counter. Her voice becomes softer.)
DR. SIERRA
You can’t use those pills now. I’m just trying to help you.
(Warner enters the room. He sleeps on a hospital bed.)
DR. SIERRA
Chello. Can you get the heart-in-a-box?
DR. CHELLO
I don’t know where it is-
DR. SIERRA
Yes you do! It’s in the cupboard on the side of the room next to the counter.
DR. CHELLO
What? I’m sorry, I don’t understand what’s happening. I’m worried.
DR. SIERRA
It’s in the drawer Augustus has a replica of at his house.
(Dr. Chello hands the heart-in-a-box to Dr. Sierra. Dr. Sierra ignores the buzzing that comes from outside.)
DR. CHELLO
Oh sorry about that. I think I’ll have to go out though for a second, I hear a buzzing outside.
DR. SIERRA
Okay.
(Dr. Chello comes in with a glum face several minutes later.)
DR. CHELLO
Dr. Sierra?!
DR. SIERRA
What?
DR. CHELLO
I’m afraid to say this but-
DR. SIERRA
Can it wait?
DR. CHELLO
Augustus-
DR. SIERRA
Continue.
DR. CHELLO
Your friend Aug is dead, doctor.
(Dr. Sierra tilts her head away from the patient for the first time. Though her eyes are watery, not a single teardrop traces her face.)
DR. SIERRA
Dr. Chello?
DR. CHELLO
Yes, doctor?
DR. SIERRA
Get me a tissue. Now.
(Dr. Chello heads straight towards the cupboard.)
DR. CHELLO
How many tissues do you need, doctor?
(By the time Dr. Chello looks back at Dr. Sierra, Dr. Sierra has grabbed Warner’s ‘heart’. She kisses the top of the dummy’s head.)
DR. SIERRA
“I have a heart,” . . . “that’s all I need.”
(Dr. Sierra leaves the room.)
