JEFFREY:
Ok, so here's the thing.
I started this.
Then I -
An alarm buzzes.
JEFFREY:
Yeah.
Oops.
Out of time.
JEFFREY shrugs.
JEFFREY:
Not the end of the world.
Right?
...
I'll just keep telling myself that...
End of Play.
The sound of sports talk radio.
It’s a bit loud.
A bit obnoxious.
Definitely more serious than it needs to be.
Lights up on the office of Coach TAYLOR, a basketball coach and PE teacher.
He is looking over past box scores for last year’s team.
As the radio hosts get louder, TAYLOR looks up from his box scores and turns the radio down.
TAYLOR goes back to the box scores.
The office door opens.
TAYLOR looks up and sees ROMAR, a squeamish 15 year old.
ROMAR seems scared to be here.
ROMAR: Coach.
TAYLOR: Yeah.
ROMAR: Can I… ?
TAYLOR: Yeah, of course. Um. Romar, right?
ROMAR: Yeah.
TAYLOR: Romar, good. Have a seat.
ROMAR takes a seat.
TAYLOR, without being too obvious, switches to his notes on ROMAR.
The sports talk radio hosts get even rowdier than they already were.
TAYLOR looks at the radio and turns it off.
TAYLOR: Sorry about that.
ROMAR: You listen to them a lot?
TAYLOR: The radio?
ROMAR: KNBR.
TAYLOR: Oh, KNBR? Yeah. Yeah, I do. Best way to hear about our local teams.
ROMAR: Yeah… totally…
TAYLOR: You listen?
ROMAR: No.
TAYLOR: Alright.
ROMAR: They always seem kinda… They’re too rowdy for me. They get loud.
TAYLOR: Oh well…
TAYLOR thinks about it.
TAYLOR: You’re probably right about that.
Beat.
TAYLOR: So what can I do for you, son?
Pause.
ROMAR: Umm…
Pause.
Pause.
TAYLOR: You can say what you need to, Romar. No need to be afraid.
ROMAR: Ok.
TAYLOR: What can I do for you?
ROMAR: Well… I wanted to…
ROMAR freezes again.
TAYLOR: Is it about the team list?
ROMAR nods his head.
ROMAR: Yeah.
TAYLOR: Right… I kind of figured.
ROMAR: You knew?
TAYLOR: Sure.
ROMAR: How did you know? Did someone –
TAYLOR: You’re the third guy to come through here today.
ROMAR: Oh.
TAYLOR: It’s only natural.
ROMAR: Right.
TAYLOR: Not everyone can make the team.
ROMAR: Uh huh.
TAYLOR: But everyone worked hard.
ROMAR: I did!
TAYLOR: I know, son.
Pause.
Beat.
TAYLOR glances at his papers for a quick moment.
TAYLOR: So what can I do for you?
ROMAR: Well –
TAYLOR: Did you want some feedback? A reason why?
ROMAN: Um –
TAYLOR: What you can do better next year?
ROMAN: No.
TAYLOR: No?
ROMAN: Well. I mean. I want to know how I can do better. Yes. But I’m not asking you how I can do better for next year.
Pause.
TAYLOR: What are you getting at, Romar?
ROMAR: I want you to reconsider.
TAYLOR: Reconsider?
ROMAR: I want you to reconsider putting me on the team.
TAYLOR: I’m not sure that I can do that –
ROMAR: But you have to –
TAYLOR: I’m sorry but –
ROMAR: I NEED YOU TO!
Pause.
Silence.
TAYLOR notices ROMAR’s breaths growing heavy.
TAYLOR: You need me to?
ROMAR: Yes.
TAYLOR: What do you mean, you need me to?
ROMAR: I mean… I really need to be on the team. I really, really need to be on the team. Please.
TAYLOR looks at his papers more.
TAYLOR: Why?
ROMAR: What?
TAYLOR: Why? Tell me why you need to be on the team? I don’t think you’re lying or anything but I think I need to know more than you’re giving me to actually consider this –
ROMAR: Because…
Pause.
ROMAR: Because… I’m good.
TAYLOR: Because you’re good?
ROMAR: Because I’m REALLY good.
TAYLOR: Is that so?
ROMAR: I am GREAT!
TAYLOR looks at ROMAR.
ROMAR is working so hard to keep it together.
TAYLOR looks at his papers one last time to remind him of ROMAR’s tryout performance.
TAYLOR puts the paper down.
TAYLOR: Romar…
ROMAR: Yes?
TAYLOR: You’re not great.
ROMAR: What?
TAYLOR: At basketball. You might be great at something else – hell, you probably are great at something else but – I’m looking at my notes here from your tryout and there is no mistaking it – you are not great at basketball. Do you think you’re great at basketball?
Pause.
ROMAR: No.
TAYLOR: You’re not even good at basketball.
ROMAR looks up at TAYLOR to feign surprise.
Beat.
ROMAR’s head drops back down.
ROMAR: I know…
Pause.
TAYLOR: Romar, tell me something.
ROMAR: Yeah?
TAYLOR: Do you love basketball?
ROMAR: Huh?
TAYLOR: Let me re-phrase that. Do you like basketball?
ROMAR: Why?
TAYLOR: Just answer the question.
ROMAR: … no.
TAYLOR: I didn’t think so.
ROMAR: What does that matter?
TAYLOR: You’re asking me to give you someone else’s spot on a basketball team and you’re asking me why it’s important that you like basketball?
Beat.
TAYLOR: Romar.
ROMAR: Yeah?
TAYLOR: You said you need to be on the basketball team.
ROMAR: Yeah…
TAYLOR: When you said that, I believed you.
ROMAR: So?
TAYLOR: So tell me. Why do you need to be on the basketball team.
Pause.
ROMAR(Mumbling): Because I don’t want to disappoint my mom.
TAYLOR: What was that?
ROMAR: Because I don’t want to disappoint my mom.
TAYLOR: Because you don’t want to disappoint your mom…
ROMAR: Because my mom played basketball when she was in college and she loves it. It was so important to her to teach me how to play basketball. It made her so happy… And she isn’t happy that often. So if I’m on the basketball team… and basketball is a regular thing that I do… maybe her being happy will be regular too.
TAYLOR lets this all sink in.
TAYLOR: I see.
ROMAR: Look, I know I’m bad at basketball. And I don’t really like doing things I know I’m bad at. But I like her being happy so… Here I am.
Beat.
Silence.
TAYLOR: Alright. I’ll tell you what, Romar. I’ll put you on the team.
ROMAR: What?
TAYLOR: I’ll put you on the team.
ROMAR: Really?
TAYLOR: On the condition that you know I’m probably never going to play you unless you get better.
ROMAR: Got it.
TAYLOR: Even if we’re winning by 40 points, you’re not going in.
ROMAR: Fine.
TAYLOR: Maybe 50. But not 40.
ROMAR laughs.
TAYLOR: But you’ll get a jersey with a number and everything to show your mom.
ROMAR: Ok.
TAYLOR: Good. Now get out of here.
ROMAR picks up his bag and starts to leave.
TAYLOR: Practice a free throw or something.
ROMAR stops.
ROMAR: Hey coach.
TAYLOR: Yeah?
ROMAR: What about the other kid whose spot I’m taking?
Pause.
TAYLOR: You’re not taking a spot. I keep one open… In case of special circumstances.
TAYLOR nods at ROMAR.
ROMAR exits.
The door closes behind him.
TAYLOR looks around at his office.
TAYLOR looks at his radio and turns it back on.
TAYLOR picks up his box scores and gets back to work.
Lights fade.
END OF PLAY.
CASSIDY sits on his phone.
For a long time.
Just twiddling his thumbs on his phone.
Suddenly -
Lighting strikes.
Right on CASSIDY.
CASSIDY drops dead.
End of Play.
HIRO:
i missed you
so I came to you
Then I needed to breath
so I dove into air
then i felt zen
so I opened my eyes
Then I felt close
so I ran away
Then I felt empty
so I found fulfillment
The I felt scared
so I hid
then I felt lonely
so I stayed put
Pause.
so I stayed lonely.
End of Play.
MILLENIAL WOMAN walking down the streets of New York City. She passes HOMELESS WOMAN.
HOMELESS WOMAN: Spare some change?
MILLENIAL WOMAN: I’m so sorry, I going off a credit card.
HOMELESS WOMAN: I have square.
MILLENIAL WOMAN: Excuse me?
HOMELESS WOMAN: If you only have a credit card, I have square. You can pay me through square. There is a processing fee, though, so keep that in mind if you’re lying to me about the cash.
MILLENIAL WOMAN: Oh.
HOMELESS WOMAN takes out a phone with the Square attachment on it.
MILLENIAL WOMAN: SORRY!
HOMELESS WOMAN: Hm?
MILLENIAL WOMAN: When I say credit card, I mean I only have... do you take Apple Pay?
HOMELESS WOMAN: Oh... no...
MILLENIAL WOMAN: Sorry...
HOMELESS WOMAN: There are still a lot of businesses that haven’t adopted Apple Pay...
MILLENIAL WOMAN: I know, it’s a total drag.
MILLENIAL WOMAN starts to leave.
HOMELESS WOMAN: I do take Venmo.
MILLENIAL WOMAN: What?
HOMELESS WOMAN: Do you have Venmo?
MILLENIAL WOMAN: ....... yes.
HOMELESS WOMAN: I have Venmo too! Great!
MILLENIAL WOMAN: Great...
Pause.
MILLENIAL WOMAN sighs and takes out her phone.
MILLENIAL WOMAN: What’s your handle?
HOMELESS WOMAN: @StartUpVenture25
MILLENIAL WOMAN starts typing it into her phone to pay HOMELESS WOMAN.
Lights Fade.
Ebd of Play.
JOMAR asleep.
Blissfully asleep.
So happy and asleep.
Silence.
Snore.
Silence.
Snore.
Then -
JOMAR jumps up.
JOMAR: OH SHIT! I still have to finish the -
JOMAR collapses back into bed.
JOMAR is back asleep.
Lights fade.
End of Play.
DARIUS:
Look, I hear you.
And I understand you.
You’re trying to fire me.
Or, I mean, you ARE firing me.
But before you do that.
Before you fire me.
I want to remind you, that we are family.
FAMILY.
And I don’t mean to say that as some hokey, you owe me bullshit but, actually, you do owe me.
Cause I have had your back from the beginning.
And don’t act like I’m terrible at my job.
I am doing fine.
We just gotta stop bringing in these fools who keep fucking things up on staff.
Why are we hiring them?
Why are we hiring them and firing me?
Huh?
Tell me that.
How man you people do you owe favors to, to make you hire these fucknuggets?
AND THEN you FIRE me.
Me.
The guy you ACTUALLY owe a favor to?
Many favors.
FAMILY.
Hell. Even if I wasn’t family.
The shit I’ve done for you.
You -
You know what?
I’m done.
Fire me.
Hire them.
Good luck with that.
Ya need it.
MARCUS:
You ever wonder
why we’re still here?
like
we’ve been here for so long
well
some of us
some of us have been around for so damn long
and after a while
you can’t help but think to yourself
why the hell am I still here?
i wonder that
wonder that all the time
when things get tough
things get hard
i wonder that
yeah...
i wonder that
cause life
in life
some things are easy
and some things are hard
and sometimes i worry
that the things in my life that are easy...
i worry that I’ve gotten through all that
and all that’s left is the hard
the life that’s hard
and for the rest of my life to be hard...
i don’t know if I can handle that
so I can’t help but wonder to myself...
why are we still here?
why am I still here?
...
some things are easy
some things are hard
...
life.
End of Play.
Eugene:
Hey everybody.
Thanks for, um, coming.
I see some of you crying out there.
Sorry about that.
I guess I should kinda feel, I dunno, the same.
But, like, let’s be real here.
Like super real.
Dad was kind of an ass.
I mean, am I right?
Come on.
You know I’m right.
Don’t lie to yourself.
I mean, you don’t have to stop crying or anything.
A guy died.
That’s sad.
No matter how you put that, that’s sad. You know?
...
Actually. I guess...
Unless it was Hitler.
That wouldn’t be so sad.
Unless you were his mom.
That’d be sad.
Unless she knew he was a totally crazy man doing terrible things...
Maybe she’d be relieved, right?
...
...
Dad wasn’t Hitler, though.
So I guess it’s sad.
Oh God...
Am I crying...?
Oh God...
i guess it is...
i guess I am...
shit.
sad.
ugh.
i gotta go.
thanks for coming.
um
yeah
bye.
VICTOR at a reading and book signing of JUNIOR MOLINA – a Latin-American novelist.
There is a long line of people in front of VICTOR, a long line of people behind VICTOR.
VICTOR watches JUNIOR MOLINA interacting with each of his fans.
He seems nice.
He shakes their hands.
He doesn’t rush them.
He has conversations with them.
He takes a bite of his steak in between people.
Makes sense, it’s been along night and he probably hasn’t had dinner yet.
VICTOR flips through the book, murmuring to himself.
VICTOR watches JUNIOR MOLINA again.
VICTOR flips through the book some more.
VICTOR nods his head.
Beat.
VICTOR is now at the front of the line.
JUNIOR MOLINA: Hey buddy, what’s your name?
VICTOR: Victor.
JUNIOR MOLINA: Vicotr….
VICTOR: Just Victor.
JUNIOR MOLINA: One name only. Alright, I’m good with that.
JUNIOR MOLINA cracks the book open and starts to sign VICTOR’S book.
JUNIOR MOLINA: Thanks for coming tonight.
VICTOR: Yeah.
JUNIOR MOLINA: I appreciate the support.
VICTOR: Actually.
JUNIOR MOLINA: Actually…?
VICTOR: I have some questions for you.
JUNIOR MOLINA: Ok.
VICTOR: Can I ask them?
JUNIOR MOLINA: I mean, there’s a lot of people behind you in line but sure.
VICTOR: Great.
VICTOR takes out a notepad with a list of questions.
JUNIOR MOLINA: Whoa!
VICTOR: If this goes well it shouldn’t take too long.
JUNIOR MOLINA: What is that?
VICTOR: My list of questions.
JUNIOR MOLINA: Alright.
VICTOR: One – have you ever murdered anyone?
JUNIOR MOLINA: WHAT!?
VICTOR: This is the easy one so…
JUNIOR MOLINA: No. Of course I haven’t murdered anyone.
VICTOR: Good.
JUNIOR MOLINA: What is this about? Are you with some Tru –
VICTOR: Two – Have you ever drugged anyone?
JUNIOR MOLINA: Who are you?
VICTOR: Answer the question.
JUNIOR MOLINA: No!
VICTOR: Good.
JUNIOR MOLINA: Are we done yet?
VICTOR: No.
JUNIOR MOLINA: I think we actually are –
VICTOR: Three –
JUNIOR MOLINA: No.
VICTOR: No to the question?
JUNIOR MOLINA: You haven’t even asked the question. No to you even asking the question.
VICTOR: Have you ever raped anyone?
JUNIOR MOLINA: No! Jesus! I have not.
VICTOR: Great.
JUNIOR MOLINA: I am done here.
VICTOR: Just one more.
JUNIOR MOLINA: What are these questions for?
VICTOR: I like you’re writing.
JUNIOR MOLINA: So?
VICTOR: I want to be a fan.
JUNIOR MOLINA: Than be a fan.
VICTOR: But before I commit –
JUNIOR MOLINA: Commit?
VICTOR: To being a fan. I need to know –
JUNIOR MOLINA: Jesus.
VICTOR: Have you ever used your fame or power to take advantage of any women?
Pause.
JUNIOR MOLINA: What are you talking about?
VICTOR: Have you ever used your fame or power to take advantage of any women?
JUNIOR MOLINA: What have you heard?
VICTOR: Nothing.
JUNIOR MOLINA: Who sent you?
VICTOR drops the book down in front of JUNIOR MOLINA.
VICTOR: No one.
JUNIOR MOLINA: Why are you here?
VICTOR: I told you. Now I know. Thanks. Keep the book. I don’t want to read it.
VICTOR exits.
JUNIOR MOLINA looks around at the line.
JUNIOR MOLINA clears his throat.
JUNIOR MOLINA looks at the event organizer.
JUNIOR MOLINA: I’m gonna, um, use the rest room.
JUNIOR MOLINA clears his throat and exits.
END OF PLAY.