THE STORY: HOPE, by Terrence McNally, takes place in the same setting, but this time the central figures are a young brother and sister who have come to the park before dawn to honor the memory of a close friend who has committed suicide after becoming ill with AIDS. They meet a nun in civilian clothes (who is really not a nun at all, but who nevertheless admonishes the boy for his salty language); a man listening to Mahler on his headphones; and a chatty lady who has come to feed the pigeons. Although they meet by chance, and have little in common, somehow they manage to infuse each other with a sense of hope as the sun, at last, comes up over the quiet city.
Included in the collection
Faith, Hope and Charity.
