Life Support

[ANGEL and COLLINS attend an AIDS Life Support group.

PAUL, the support leader, sits on the downstage railing above.

GORDON, one of the members of the group, is standing downstage left,

facing the audience. As the members enter, they introduce

themselves and form a semicircle. Note: The names of the support

group members should change every night and should honor

actual friends of the company who have died of AIDS.]



[STEVE]

Steve.



[GORDON]

Gordon.



[ALI]

Ali.



[PAM]

Pam.



[SUE]

Sue.



[ANGEL]

Hi, I'm Angel.



[COLLINS]

Tom. Collins.



[PAUL]

I'm Paul. Let's begin



[ALL]

There's only us

There's only this ...



[MARK blusters in noisily.]



[MARK]

Sorry ... Excuse me ... oops



[PAUL]

And you are?



[MARK]

Oh -- I'm not --

I'm just here to --

I don't have --

I'm here with --

Um -- Mark

Mark -- I'm Mark

Well -- this is quite an operation



[PAUL]

Sit down Mark

We'll continue the affirmation



[ALL]

Forget regret or life is yours to miss



[GORDON]

Excuse me Paul -- I'm having a problem with this

This credo -- My T-cells are low --

I regret that news, okay?



[PAUL]

Alright

But Gordon - How do you feel today?



[GORDON]

What do you mean?



[PAUL]

How do you feel today?



[GORDON]

Okay



[PAUL]

Is that all?



[GORDON]

Best I've felt all year



[PAUL]

Then why choose fear?



[GORDON]

I'm a New Yorker!

Fear's my life!

Look - I find some of what you teach suspect

Because I'm used to relying on intellect

But I try to open up to what I don't know



[GORDON AND ROGER (who sings from his loft)]

Because reason says I should have died

Three years ago



[ALL]

No other road

No other way

No day but today