ART IN HEAVEN

SYNOPSIS:
A derelict undergoes a near-death experience and then some. (Run time: 15 min.)

CHARACTERS:

ART HOLCOMBE -- a middle-aged, heavy-set street person with a positive disposition, several days growth of beard and a fondness for alcohol.

RAPHAEL -- an angel and official greeter to the Other Side. Wears shimmering, flowing garments, the brightness and high reflectivity of which make it difficult to make out much physical detail.

MARIEL -- an angel, female, dressed like RAPHAEL. A ladder-climbing enthusiast. Loves her job and is eager to impress the boss.

GEOFFREY-EL -- similar in appearance to RAPHAEL, but laid-back and detached. Accustomed to privilege and its perquisites. GEOFF (pronounced Joff) for short.

OLD MAN -- an aged man whose face is careworn, but radiates intensity and vitality. He carries a bottle in a brown paper bag and is dressed worse than ART.

SAMPLE DIALOGUE:

ART: Hey, don’t hurt me. I’m just a poor lost bum. Had some bad luck, but I’ll clean up my act. Promise. I’ll change. I’ll reform. I’ll do rehab. Just let me go home.

MARIEL (Cheerfully.): But you are home. And we’re here to decide where you’ll spend the rest of forever! Right, Chief?

RAPHAEL: Right you are, Mariel. Any old business to dispense with before we begin? Geoffrey-El?

GEOFFREY-EL (Annoyed.): Well, I would like to know why our team always has to do the losers. I mean, we never see any of the old money people. You know, something approaching a social equal?

RAPHAEL (Whispers.): Geoff-El, it’s not good form to question our business processes while we’re judging cases from humanity’s unclaimed baggage store. We’ll deal with this off line, all right?