Love in the Mist

This morning an innocuous plastic canister appeared on rough ground in St Andrews Street South. Inside Julia Manheim's text reads Resist with Love in the Mist. Sow these seeds on barren ground, water them. Refill this container with seeds and leave it for someone else. 

Love in a Mist

Amy enters ahead of Ryan. She’s holding a small plastic container.

Amy: What's in it then?

Ryan: Seeds. 

Amy: That's not much of a proposal thing.

Ryan: Well it's, like, about the future, innit. They're only little dots now, but they will be flowers.

Amy: I don't get it. Why can't I have a diamond ring like other people? You're not even on one knee.

Ryan: I didn't want to do the same as other people. I wanted to be a bit, y'know, quirky. Bit...different.

Amy: This is certainly bloody quirky. How can I show this to the girls at work? 

Ryan: See, you plant them, and next year, about when we're...our... y'know, our wedding date, they'll all be lovely blue flowers.

Amy: Fuckin' hell, Ryan. I don't get you.

Ryan: No... (he lets out a wistful sigh).

They stare at each other for a while both occasionally looking at the little plastic pot.

Amy: Can't I have a ring as well?

Ryan: No. 

Amy: Just a cheap one?

Ryan: No.

There's a long pause

Amy: In the garden? Plant them in the garden?

He puts his arm around her - exeunt together.

Lynn Whitehead

​Julia Manheim's work has encompassed contemporary jewellery, public art projects, sculpture, installation and video. As grove resident artist in July this year, Julia walked through Bury St Edmunds and the discarded objects that she found took on a new life in a beautiful  installation.  See www.quay2c.com/index.php/m2/detail/julia_manheim1

Lynn Whitehead studied at Bretton Hall, and she has worked extensively as an actress/singer in regional theatres, on national and international tours, and at the Edinburgh Festival - with some forays into television and more into radio, which she loves. She has a wealth of experience writing for and running community theatre and singing classes  across all ages and abilities. She also works as a storyteller with RojoArt and has written her first solo show which is  about an 18th Century Midwife.