Sure Thing by David Ives

"Sure Thing," created in 1988, is a 10-minute comedy by David Ives (one of his "All in the Timing" collection of one-act plays). The story  features an incredible phenomenon: events recur over and over again until the characters can finally get things not just right, but perfect.

"Sure Thing" takes place at a cafe table. A woman is reading a William Faulkner novel when she is approached by a man who hopes to sit next to her and get better acquainted. Whenever he says the wrong thing, whether he hails from the wrong college or admits to being a "mama's boy," a bell rings, and the characters start anew. As the scene continues, we discover that the bell ringing isn't just responding to the male character's mistakes. The female character also states things which are not conducive to a "meet cute" encounter. When asked if she is waiting for someone, she at first replies, "My husband". The bell rings. Her next answer reveals that she plans to meet her boyfriend to break up with him. Finally, after the final bell ring, she says that she is not waiting for anyone, and the conversation progresses from there.

Ives' comedy reveals how difficult it is to meet someone new, pique his/her interest, and say all the right things so that the first encounter can become the beginning of a long, romantic "happily ever after" relationship. Even with the magic of the time-warping bell, romantic start-ups are complicated. By the time we get to the end of the play, the bell ringing has forged a model "love at first sight" meeting.

> The script: click HERE!
> Video: click HERE!