Day 260: The Weeping Woman

The Weeping Woman
by
Matt Zurbo

 

Look, it’s the weeping lady.
(Two kids watching a gothic woman with sad face and a tear.)

Why is she weeping?
Nobody knows!
(Two kids flowing woman.)

Maybe someone she knew passed away…
(Woman in cemetery, watched by kids hiding behind tombstones.)

Maybe her pet ran off?
(Woman watching cat up a tree. Kids hiding, watching her.)

I wish someone would help!
(Woman walking down main street, sad, tear on face. People close to her avoiding eye contact. Everyone else happy. Kids following.)

It could be that she’s lonely.
I’m going to say hello…
(Woman alone on a bench, one kid walking towards her, the other holding first kid back.)

Maybe she likes being sad?
That’s crazy.
(Woman, mournful eyes and smile, tear in eye, gently holding finger out for butterfly to land on. Top of kid’s heads just visible, trying to watch.)

Maybe she loves life so much it makes her blue?
That’s nuts!
(Kids arguing as lady walks off.)

Well, what if she’s a haunted ghost!
(Woman, head down, Frankenstein’s monster holding out a flower for her.)

Maybe she saw something awful, but can’t tell anyone?
Why not?
Who knows!
(Woman, wide, tear-rimmed eyes, looking at crow on her shoulder. Kids looking over her other shoulder.)

She could be weeping because of all the secrets she has too keep.

Or a horrible past.

Maybe, one day, she’ll just keep crying, until we’re all underwater?
(Woman sitting in little half full rowboat, tears falling. Boat is in middle of flooded street. Two kids up a pole.)

Or she’s trapped in a voodoo curse!
(Woman looking at dancing voodoo man.)

Maybe she’s 2,000 years old?
Or evil!
Or a fallen angel!
(Woman, at night, with angel wings, but on a rocky ledge, surrounded by bats.)

Or a mermaid that grew legs…
(Woman standing in water, sad, surrounded by mermaids and mermen.)

It could be she’s crying for no reason at all. Maybe the Weeping Woman is just THE WEEPING WOMAN?  
It’s no crime.
(Kids looking around corner at woman as she walks away. People she is passing look horrified.)

I have to help! I’m going to give her a hug.
Don’t do it!
(One kid marching towards her. The other looks horrified.)

Okay, me, too!
(Kids both hugging the legs of weeping woman who is looking down at them.)

(Woman, kneeling to be same height, mournful smile and tear in eye as she gently brushes the cheek of one kid, while other watches.)

(Woman walking towards reader, tear in eye. Kids watching her go. One is wiping away own tear.)

Gah! I forgot to ask her why she’s crying!
It’s good to have a bit of mystery in the neighbourhood…
(One kid slapping own face, other kid has own mournful smile and tear in eye.)

The End