Scene: TIM and SHARON have bought their first Christmas tree since moving in together a few months back. The tree, the ornaments and the season all come with a surprise of their own.
Tim: Well, Sharon? It looks good, huh?
Sharon: I think it may just be a tad bit crooked.
Tim: That's just how it it fits in the base. The tree was cut crooked at the bottom.
Sharon: Can you twist it? Or turn it so it leans back and not to the side.
Tim: (Grabs tree, lifts it and puts it down in one quick move) There! It's fine!
Sharon: Well! That dropped a few needles.
Tim: I thought the tree was kind of dry when I was putting it up. But I'll just pour some water in the base and it should be fine.
Sharon: How much water? And don't spill any on the carpet.
Tim: Are you getting tired?
Sharon: Well seeing that I woke up at 5 to get ready for work. The drive across town took 45 minutes both ways and we had to drive another 3 hours...round trip... to cut down this tree and drag it all the way back here...when there are trees for sale in front of the Safeway down the street...
Tim: I'm sorry! This is how I used to do it when I was... I mean, this was a tradition.
Sharon: No! Go ahead and say it! This is how you used to get the tree when you were married to old whats her name!
Tim: Well! And before that, too!
Sharon: I can hardly believe that.
Tim: Look there are a lot of things you don't know about me!
Sharon: Sure, Tim! You lived with your parents 'til you got married. After the divorce you moved back home. What did you do? Drag your 75 year old parents out to some tree farm... in the middle of I don't know where... to cut down some tree in 3 feet of snow and drag it back to their place... probably denting or scraping the paint off the roof of their car..and dragging needles through their house... all the way to their living room?
Tim: I didn't scrape any paint.
Sharon: How can you tell? It was dark when we pulled into the driveway! And I have no gas to get to work tomorrow. And I think I need an oil change. I'm past the 3,000 mile on my sticker.
Tim: How about we leave all this for tomorrow night? Let's just go to bed and get some sleep!
Sharon: I can't sleep right now. Not after we stopped at Starbucks!
Tim: I thought you wanted Starbucks!
Sharon: I wanted it, but I didn't need it.
Tim: Let's just go into the other room. I bet if we lie down, you will fall right to sleep.
Sharon: No! I want to get this done. I have all the lights and ornaments laid out. And your parents are coming over for dinner tomorrow night. I don't want them complaining that we have a bare tree sitting in the living room 4 days before Christmas.
Tim: Oh! They won't care!
Sharon: They won't? Your Mom called last weekend and asked if I wanted to go with her to the Dollar Store because they were having a sale on outside Christmas lights and that we would probably need about 5- 10 boxes.
Tim: She was joking. She knows this is a big house. Plus dad is a keen believer in outside illumination. He finds it s a great way to tell if the Christmas tree has scraped paint off his car... now I'm joking!
Sharon: It's not funny!
Tim: Honey! Let's just go to bed!
Sharon: I want to dress the tree!
Tim: Let the tree stay naked tonight and let's get into pajamas and curl up in bed.
Sharon: Now we'll start with the lights around the top and work our way down. I have unknotted the ones I want to use.
Tim: Fine! Do you want to start with the white ones or the colored strands.
Sharon: Oh no! I noticed that. We are going with one strand. We are not having a half and half tree in this house.
Tim: Half and half?
Sharon: I don't know if your tradition in the past was to just throw a tree together, but this year it will be thought out ahead!
Tim: Naturally!
Sharon: Do you want to do this?
Tim: (Grumbles) I did! Where is the tinsel?
Sharon: No tinsel! It looks gaudy and when it falls off, it gets caught in the vacuum cleaner.
Tim: No tinsel?
Sharon: And no paper ornaments!
Tim: What? The Panda? And the Choo Choo Train? And Mr. Penguin? I made those in school!
Sharon: They would be cute if you were 5 or 6!
Tim: I WAS 5 or 6 when I made them. Hey! Slow down! Time out, Sharon. What's the matter? You have been biting at me all day. And definitely since we left and came back from the tree farm. Is it something I said? Something I did? I'm sorry if we waited so long to get a tree...if you even wanted a tree at all.
Sharon: I did!
Tim: And I'm sorry that we went out in the cold on a day that you had a lot on your plate at work and your drive. It's just... Well! It's our first Christmas. And this is our first Christmas tree. I'm sorry that I have some silly tradition of cutting down my own live...
Sharon: I'm pregnant!
Tim: What? (Pause) Are you sure?
Sharon: I went to my doctor today on my lunch break. I had bought 3 of those pregnancy tests earlier this week. All the same result. Yes! I'm pregnant!
Tim: Well! That changed the timing on things!
Sharon: It did?
Tim: Sit down, Sharon! Look I know we have been living together now for only a few months and knew each other only a few months before that. But I have to say that you and I... Well! You are a lot different than any woman I have ever known. You are a neatnik. You balance your checkbook to the penny. You check receipts at the grocery store after they ring you up. You dress well...everyday. You have been kind and patient with me.. and well (He gets one one knee and reaches into his shirt pocket) you plan everything so well, you sometimes forget that others can plan things too... I was hoping to do this once my half and half lights were the only lights shining in the room...other than the fireplace ...and your eyes... but here goes... Will you marry me?
(She starts to cry. Hugs him. And nods her answer. Followed by a big kiss. They sit quietly on the sofa together.)
Sharon: I like half and half lights. (Tim smiles) And I like Mr. Penguin! (She cries again)
Tim: And he loves you!
(TIM turns off the floor lamp next to the sofa, leaving only the glow from the fireplace. SHARON snuggles close and then with a smile on her face, ring on her finger, she closes her eyes and quickly fall asleep.)