(TRAFFIC PASSING, VOICES PASSING')


GK: I grew up in Canada, in the woods of Quebec. I knew her there. She lived about fifty feet from me. And so it was nice to be with her again in New York. Leaning up against a building on Greenwich Street. I was always in love with her, but I was a spruce and she was a pine. And now we were closer than ever, in a Christmas tree lot -- our branches intermingling.
(PEOPLE PASSING, TRAFFIC)


SS: It's rather warm in New York in December, don't you think.


GK: I guess. But I'm warm because you're next to me.


SS: It's nice, isn't it.


GK: It is. I always wondered what it'd be like to touch you and now I know.


SS: Too bad we had to die to make it happen, though.


GK: I don't know. To die for love -- . Some of those old very tall trees were-- they just struck me as brain-dead. Nothing to say. Just stand there and sway in the wind.


SS: Anyway, we got to see New York City.


GK: It's a lot to take in, isn't it?

(TRAFFIC, PEOPLE)


SS: I mean you assume you're going to stand in one place for your whole entire life and then suddenly there's this crazy journey and you see all these things-i


GK: And feel all these things. Like your needles. They're so soft. So sensuous.


SS: You think so?

(A BEAT, CARS, PEOPLE)


GK: You smell good too.


SS: Oh thanks. You do too.


GK: Thanks. -- I just never felt this close to another tree before.


SS: Neither did I.


GK: I wonder if we could -- you know--


SS: What?


GK: You know.


SS: You mean--


GK: Yes.


SS: Exchange cones?


GK: I mean, here we are, pressed right up against each other.


SS: I know.


GK: Are you okay? I'm not crushing you or anything am I?


SS: No, I like it.


GK: I always wanted to talk to you in the forest. But I didn't know what to say. And I'm a spruce and you're a pine. But now we're close and it doesn't matter anymore, spruce or pine-- we're all just Christmas trees.


SS: Well, I liked you, too. I used to admire your cones so much.


GK: You did?


SS: They're so big. And beautiful.


GK: Really--


SS: I always hoped maybe a squirrel could pick one up and bring it over.


GK: You did?


SS: But it's too late for that now-


GK: It's not too late--


(PEOPLE TALKING, OFF)

(FOOTSTEPS CRUNCH AWAY, UNDER)


SS: . I want to go to a nice home with kids. Kids who really appreciate a tree.


GK: You're going to go first. I can tell you will.


SS: No I won't.


GK: Yes you will. Look at me. I've got a giant bald spot. And I've got another one on the other side that he didn't see.


SS: You're very stately. And you've got really really big cones.


GK: No, look at you. You're perfect. You're symmetrical. I'm all old and misshapen-and there you are, full-bodied and shapely-


SS: I think you're being too hard on yourself


GK: Probably what's going to happen to me is that nobody'll buy me and they'll throw me away in a vacant lot and you'll get taken home and decorated beautifully and I'll never see you again.


SS: Stop it.


GK: I'm just being honest.


SS: Lean up against me.


GK: Oh that's nice. You feel so good. So good.

(A BEAT. FOOTSTEPS ON SNOW, ER HUMMING)

TR (ARABIC): Thirty-five dollars 35 dollars.


ER: For a tree?

TR (ARABIC): For you, thirty dollars. Very nice trees. All very lovely.


ER: Oh my gosh, that's so cheap. I thought it was going to be like 100 bucks or something.

FN (ARABIC): For you, it is thirty dollars. Very beautiful trees pick one you like.


GK: She seems nice.


SS: Yes.


GK: I hope she picks you.


SS: I hope she picks you.


GK: She's not going to pick me.


SS: I don't really want her to pick either of us.


ER: Wow, look at this one. It's so big. That would look great in my living room.


SS: See? She likes you. Go for it .


GK: No. I want to stay here with you.


SS: I love you. No matter what happens.


GK: I love you too.


ER: But look at this one. It has a really nice shape.


GK: See?


SS: No no. Don't think about it. Maybe she'll keep walking.

TR (ARABIC): you pick a nice tree for apartment, very pretty, bring you happiness and joy.


ER: I know, I just don't know which one to choose.


SS: You should go with her.


GK: No you should.


SS: I think you should go. We're dying anyway.


GK: I want to die with you.


SS: Go be happy. Get hung with lights.


GK: She should bring you home. You're younger. I'm just going to end up in the chipper.

FN (ARABIC): I can wrap one up for you. Which one you want?


SS: I wish I had gotten to know you better.


GK: Me too.


SS: All that time in the forest. I don't know what we thought was going to happen.


GK: We thought nothing was going to happen. That was the problem.


SS: When the man came with the chainsaw, I looked at you and I knew that you knew.


GK: I think I did know.


SS: And now here we are.


GK: And what can we do but smell each other (INHALE)


SS: Lean on each other and inhale. (INHALE)


ER: Okay I think I made up my mind.

TR (ARABIC): You have tree you enjoy tree. Which one you want?


ER: I want this one right here.

TR (ARABIC): A good choice. A beautiful tree.


ER: There you go.

TR (ARABIC): Thank you very much.


ER: (HOISTS TREE) Come on tree. Let's go home.

(FOOTSTEPS IN SNOW)


GK: Goodbye, darling. There'll never be another tree for me. I'll love you forever.