When Lilacs Last (NY Fringe Version) Act One
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When Lilacs Last
WHEN LILACS LAST
by
Tony Devaney Morinelli
and
the original student cast of 2010
at
The Shipley School
Bryn Mawr, PA
36 Linwood Avenue
Ardmore, PA
19003
610.348.4669
tmorinelli@verizon.net
WHEN LILACS LAST
By Tony Devaney Morinelli
And the original student cast at The Shipley School
Bryn Mawr, PA
A Play in a Montage
Cast:
JACK O'Donnell
MARIE O'Donnell
JACKIE O'Donnell, their son
JIMMY Conlin
BRENDAN Conlin, his son
CHORUS of Men and Women. The Chorus parts in this script are set up for four men and four women but the lines may also be distributed according to need.
In the optimum casting, in addition to the adult chorus, there would be a chorus of teenagers.
__________________________________________________
Note on the text.
The text is written in dialect. What may look like misspellings are attempts to capture the working class Philadelphia speech. Thus, "himself" is rendered "hisself", "you" (plural) is "yous," "contradict" is said "counterdict."
Production Notes.
The set for this piece should be kept at an absolute minimum.
Furnishings should be no more than simple wood chairs and stools painted black.
There may also be a simple black wood table.
The curtain warmer might be a black and white projection of the Walt Whitman Bridge.
The only other projection is "Philadelphia, 1955."
Costuming as well should be simple. 1950 type clothing may be suggested by t-shirts, jeans, and "house coats" available anywhere.
Proper lighting is essential. All backgrounds should be kept at pale silver blues. Characters speaking lit accordingly.
The Chorus would be best placed below the action on the stage. They should face forward towards the audience, even though the character to whom they may be speaking is behind them.
Lighting Chart:
X X X ( over table and chairs)
X (DSR X (DC) X (DSL)
_____________________________________________________________________________
Apron ______________
Chorus ______________ Chorus
steps
Characters speaking lit accordingly. All monologues are delivered directly to the audience.
When Brendan calls for Jackie, Brendan stands facing out DSL. Jackie stands facing out DC.
The Chorus would be best placed below the action on the stage.
The Chorus is the Audience.
The chorus must face forward and always speaks directly to the audience even when assailing Jackie.
THE PLAY
The stage.
There is no curtain.
Before the play begins, we see :
The back wall shows a projection, black and white, of the Walt Whitman bridge.
On stage we see:
Stage right - a simple wooden table with a chair on each side, facing DS. Behind the table is a small stool or table that holds the only props needed: a six case of bottled beer and a stage revolver.
Just before the play begins the image of the bridge fades to
a projection that reads:
PHILADELPHIA 1955
We see BRENDAN in silhouette.
In the dark we hear the voices from the CHORUS.
1. Come, said my soul,
Such verses for my Body let us write,
2. (for we are one,)
3. That should I after return,
3. Or, long, long hence, in other spheres,
4. There to some group of mates the chants resuming,
1. (Tallying Earth's soil, trees, winds, tumultuous waves,)
2. Ever with pleas'd smile I may keep on,
3. Ever and ever yet the verses owning--
4. as, first, I here and now
Signing for Soul and Body, set to them my name,
Lights slowly up on BRENDAN.
BRENDAN: (first down stage on the apron, then descending toout on the floor just ahead of the chorus, before the audience.)
Where you are now
The place where you are now
leave it behind.
Leave it behind and come with me.
Come with me to where I live.
Come with me to a different time.
A different place.
This is Philadelphia.
South Philadelphia.
(half beat)
South Philadelphia,
1955.
(beat)
Philadelphia
(beat)
Penn's city of Brotherly love.
City of love
Brotherly love.
Philadelphia
(beat)
Love
(beat)
So, let me tell you this city
Let me tell you this story.
A city you may know
A story you may know
Let me tell you...
(beat)
It may even be yours....
I mean
Your city
Your story
Your story with different names.
Your story at a different time
But still,
The same story.
(beat)
Do you know this world?
Or even just a part of it?
Did you know this world?
Did you know it?
But choose to forget it?
Was this you street?
Was this your home?
And was this you?
Are these your words
This what you said?
Or have you forgotten?
Or have you denied?
Is that what you chose?
What you chose to do?
Chose to forget?
To forget the shame?
Do you chose to forget?
(beat)
So, you have forgotten it?
You have hidden it?
(beat)
Where?
(beat)
Because you see, ...
It's not hidden
It is not forgotten.
(beat)
It will not let itself be forgotten.
__________________________________________________
SCENE
(Lights up on the CHORUS LEADER)
CHORUS LEADER steps out - THE PRIEST
First time down this street?
First time on this block?
You're not from 'round here.
You don't know these homes?
These are my people
This is their world.
Christian homes.
Some Jews too.
God fearing homes.
An honest world
A hard working world
Good people.
Working people
Pass by the stoop.
Come sit on the stoop.
The white marble stoop.
(Lights now up on the CHORUS)
CHORUS : MEN and WOMEN
1. Passing by?
2.Passing by?
3.Come sit.
4. Sit on the stoop.
1. We ken talk.
2. Come sit and talk.
(Women step out of the mix and move down and left. Men remain behind.)
Women only
1. Our men
2. Our husbands
3. Our fathers
4. Our sons
1. Father to son
2. Brother to brother
3. father
1. husband
4. son.
1. Iron and steel
2. Steel and iron.
3. Father and son.
4. Man to man.
(beat)
MEN ONLY
1. Yous work onna docks?
2. Yous work onna ships?
3. Yous work onna bridge?
4. Yous work 'roun here?
(beat)
1. Soes we all. ( So do we all.)
(beat)
1. Most of us Whites
2. Some of us Collerds
3. Some of us Pollacks,
4. Some of us Jews.
1. Daygoes and Jews ( Daygo = Italian)
2.Coloreds and Mics ( Mics= Irish)
3. Unloaded the ships
4. Unloaded the stocks
2. Yeh, we stole from the hold
1.an extra percent.
2. a little percent
3. A fifth 'a whisky
4. Some Cuban cigars.
2.Then, there was the others
3. The others with skills
4. We shimmied the iron
1. And bolted the beams
2. Over the river
3. We mastered the steel
4. Over the water
1. We fashioned the bridge.
2. But under the bridge we work the docks.
3. Under the bridge we load the ships.
1. But we's up on top.
2. We had the steel.
3. Work hard on that bridge
4. Work hard onnem docks.
3. But, Men died on nat bridge.
2. Yeh, fell from nat bridge.
1. Saw 'em fall from 'at bridge.
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3. Saw em fell from 'na docks.
1. And what yous gonna name it?
2, What yous nammin' 'at bridge?
3. "Walt Whitman Bridge?"
ALL: (loudly) Walt Whitman?!!
( The PRIEST steps out of the crowd.)
PRIEST:
"Walt Whitman ?
"A bridge is a beautiful and graceful structure
A structure that thrusts heavenward.
Thrusts heavenward and then descends...
Descends again to security
Security on the opposite bank."
Security.
"A beautiful and graceful structure."
(break)
Beautiful and secure.
Secure like our homes.
Secure like our families.
Secure like our men.
(beat)
But, Whitman?
(beat)
CHORUS:
Walt Whitman?
PRIEST:
(beat)
A poet?
(beat)
This man a poet?
(beat)
Degenerate!
(beat)
Godless and selfish!
(beat)
This man's life and works are personally objectionable to us,
This, ….
This …
homo-erotic!
(beat)
Revolting works
revolting imagery
revolting language
That is not confined
but permeates...
permeates the fetid whole."
(In the next exchange, Men and Women stir into a mix and speak as one.)
CHORUS ( speaking together.)
(heavily )
NO!
(beat)
Not in our city!
(they stomp feet in unison.)
Not in our homes!
(they stomp again.)
NOT IN OUR CITY!
NOT IN OUR HOMES!
(Lights down on the CHORUS.)
1. And what yous gonna name it?
2, What yous nammin' 'at bridge?
3. "Walt Whitman Bridge?"
ALL: (loudly) Walt Whitman?!!
( The PRIEST steps out of the crowd.)
PRIEST:
"Walt Whitman ?
"A bridge is a beautiful and graceful structure
A structure that thrusts heavenward.
Thrusts heavenward and then descends...
Descends again to security
Security on the opposite bank."
Security.
"A beautiful and graceful structure."
(break)
Beautiful and secure.
Secure like our homes.
Secure like our families.
Secure like our men.
(beat)
But, Whitman?
(beat)
CHORUS:
Walt Whitman?
PRIEST:
(beat)
A poet?
(beat)
This man a poet?
(beat)
Degenerate!
(beat)
Godless and selfish!
(beat)
This man's life and works are personally objectionable to us,
This, ….
This …
homo-erotic!
(beat)
Revolting works
revolting imagery
revolting language
That is not confined
but permeates...
permeates the fetid whole."
(In the next exchange, Men and Women stir into a mix and speak as one.)
CHORUS ( speaking together.)
(heavily )
NO!
(beat)
Not in our city!
(they stomp feet in unison.)
Not in our homes!
(they stomp again.)
NOT IN OUR CITY!
NOT IN OUR HOMES!
(Lights down on the CHORUS.)
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SCENE
(Lights up full on BRENDAN DSL. Light gradually come up to half to reveal the central table - CS, the kitchen of the CONLIN'S.)
BRENDAN: (Down stage left.
Come with me now
And let me show you
Let me show you.
Show you....
(beat)
Show you where it began
Show you how it began....
(beat)
This is his house.
Jackie's house.
(Lights up full center stage. MARIE is at the table preparing dinner (pantomime) JACK, JACKIE's father enters the kitchen after his day on construction at the new bridge. JACK enters with his lunch box and newspaper. )
JACK: Yo, Marie.
(beat)
Marie,
'Ahm home.
(beat)
(He hesitates as he enters because of the door lock.)
God damn, lock.
Gotta fix 'at lock.
(beat)
Be sure you keep 'at door locked, Marie.
Keep it locked.
Make sure you keep it locked.
Hear what Ahm tellin ya?
All that crud out there.
All that crap....
All 'em scum....
Never know who's tryin' ta get in.
Ya never know.
MARIE: Yeh, Jack.
Yeh.
JACK: Ya know what Ahm sayin'?
MARIE: I do JACK,
I do,
I keep the door locked.
Don' worry none.
I keep the door locked.
JACK: Yeh, well...
Be sure ya do.
(beat)
MARIE:
How was yer lunch?
OK?
Was it OK?
Ya like your lunch?
JACK: Lunch?
(half beat)
Ya mean my sammich?
(half beat)
Hey, what was that you give me?
MARIE: Oh, somthin' new.
I give ya somthin' new.
JACK: Somethin' new?
MARIE: Yeh,
(half beat)
I made ya salami.
JACK: Salami?
JACK: Yeh. Well, don't get it no more.
(beat)
That greaseball stuff...
All that greaseball stuff.
That greaseball stuff gets me here ( he thumps his chest with his fist).
Right here. (again)
Ya know.
(beat)
MARIE: Sorry, Jack.
JACK: Jus' stick with the ham.
Jus' the ham,MARIE,
The ham an' the baloney.
(beat)
An you can leave out the cheese too
MARIE: No cheese?
JACK: No cheese,
Gives me gas.
MARIE: Sure, Jack.
OK,
Whatever you wan'
Jus' ham an' b'loney.
JACK: Yeh, jus' ham an' baloney.
(beat)
JACK: ( continuing with his newspaper.)
They was back again taday.
MARIE: Who was back again?
JACK: You know..
MARIE: Who?
JACK: All a 'em ( all of them)
(semi beat)
all 'em people
all 'em people.
people shoutin' and screamin'
them people carryin' them signs.
MARIE:
What people?
JACK: You know - 'bout the bridge.
'bout what they's callin' na bridge. ( the bridge)
MARIE: Oh, Ya mean about what they's callin' na bridge? (the bridge)
JACK: Yeh, I mean about what they's callin' it
(beat).
(paging through his newspaper uncomfortably.)
Even had a priest with 'em
MARIE: A priest?:
JACK: Yeh,
Some priest.
Some priest from na church.
MARIE: A priest?
JACK: Yeh, you know. From na church.
MARIE:
But, JACK, You don’t never go ta church.
JACK:
Yeh, Well....
So what?
That don' mean nothin'
(beat)
MARIE:
But, you always tell me how you don' like 'em priests...
You're always sayin'
It ain't natural.
JACK:
Whadda you talkin', MARIE?
'At don' matter,
At’s not the point!
MARIE:
I donno know JACK,
It's what you always sayin'
JACK :
What you talkin'. MARIE?
What you talkin'?
(pause)
So's anyways.
'ere was 'is here priest.... (there was this here priest.)
'is here priest. (this here priest)
He led 'em all
Led the whole group.
Talkin' about the bridge
Talkin' about the bridge an'
what they's callin it.
The Walt Whitman Bridge!
They was blockin’ the whole road,
Backed up all the trucks.
Stopped up tha loadin’
(Jack speaks awkwardly in the following. He doesn't know how to express his thoughts.)
You know
(beat)
Whitman, 'at 'ere Walt Whitman.
(beat)
they says he's not right.
(beat)
You know...
(beat)
Not right
(beat)
You know
one a them that's ...
well.
....
you know.
one a them that's
(beat)
MARIE:
Whadda ya talkin, JACK?
JACK:
that's one a them queers!
MARIE: (stands stupefied.)
(semi beat.)
JACK: Yeh,
(semi)
You heard me.
(semi)
One a them queer.
MAIRE:
JACK !?
JACK:
(Jack, now with a certain vigor)
But ya know.
Ya know what?
They're right.
They're right, Marie.
They're right.!
(beat)
Ya know,
I don't go for that protestin' stuff
But they's right.
(beat)
Ya know,
They's right Marie.
Ya know
Ya know
look at it
I see ‘em fellas up ‘ere.
Fellas I know from na Vets.
Fellas I know from na Hall
Yeh,
I see em e'ry day' ( e'ry = every)
I sees 'em up 'ere
I sees 'em
Shimmyin’ on some girder
E'ry day climb'in on some beam
E'ry day 'em fellas take 'ere lives in ner hands.
e'ry day up 'em beams.
E'ry day.
E'ry day for what?
Fah what? ( For what?)
Fah some faggot poem writer?
Fah some fuckin' pervert?
Fah what?
Tell me!
For what?
You read the papers?
(beat)
No.
(beat)
You don't.
MARIE: I dun' know, Jack.
I dun know.
JACK: Up them beams, MARIE.
up them beams.
Yous can see ‘em from na docks
Like bugs crawlin up ‘ere.
Up on 'em beams
Straddlin' 'em girders
(beat)
(he rattles his evening paper.)
Damn it, MARIE
Damn it!
I seen 'em
(semi-beat)
I seen 'em
(beat)
Fall right inta da river..
(beat)]
Fall, I'm tellin' ya.
(semi beat)
Shit, MARIE
Fellas get killed.
Fellas get killed, God damn it!
Fellas get kiilled on 'at god-damn bridge.,
Fellas get killed.
They get killed.
They get killed for what?
(subdued)
For some freakin' poet pansey?
Some poet pansey!
What the hell?
(Jack opens his newspaper.)
(pause)
(Reading the paper)
Look at this crap!
What the hell's wrong with this country?
What the hell they doin'?
Look at this!
Jus' look at this!
(beat)
Look at this here picture....
What's this colored woman on a bus?
Coloreds on buses!
Who wants to read about coloreds on busses?
Oughtta know their place.
Always makin' trouble.
Oughtta know their place.
Damn cullerds.!
Ya know,
Ev'ry body's got a place.
A place.
Know what I mean?
(beat)
(He turns to the sports page.)
Cripes!
Look at this!
Look at this will ya?
Baseball!
Even baseball ain't sacred
It ain't sacred I tell ya.
Look what they're doin'.
What they doin' to our team.
Philly team
(beat)
Athalectics ( note: the Philadelphia pronunciation of Athletics is "ath-a-letics.")
Athaletics off to God knows Kansas
Philadelphia Athaletics.
(beat)
-Philadelphia!- not Kansas.
(beat)
Ya hear me, Marie?
MARIE: yeh, Jack.
Yeh, what?
JACK:
What?
I'll tell ya what...
Where the hell's fuckin' Kansas?
(semi-beat)
Kansas,
Philly A's in Kansas....
In Kansas.....
How can they be Philly "A's" in Kansas?
Ain't nothin' makes sense.
The whole country’s goin’ ta hell inna han’basket.
MARIE:
Kansas,
Yeh, JACK,
Kansas!
You know!
You know!
Dorothy!
You know!
Judy Garland!
Judy Garland and that little dog.
That little dog.
What was his name??
The little dog
and the midgets
and the witch!
(MARIE starts to sing off key.)
"Somewhere,
over the rainbow...."
JACK:
(JACK joins in the final notes and continues:)
"Over the rainbow...."
(beat)
Rainbows.
Yeh.
Rainbows.
Right.
Rainbows an' midgets. (yawns)
No wonder the kid's the way he is.
(beat)
MARIE:
Toto!
JACK:
(JACK pays no attention.)
That kid should be out workin'
MARIE:
That's his name!
JACK:
Should be out after school
makin’ a penny
a penny for hisself.
MARIE:
Toto!
(JACK ignores MARIE.)
JACK:
Ta hell inna han’basket.
(beat)
Why ain’t he home yet?
Why ain't he home yet MARIE?
MARIE : I don’t know.
What time is it?
JACK: After five.
SCENE
(Lights up full on BRENDAN DSL. Light gradually come up to half to reveal the central table - CS, the kitchen of the CONLIN'S.)
BRENDAN: (Down stage left.
Come with me now
And let me show you
Let me show you.
Show you....
(beat)
Show you where it began
Show you how it began....
(beat)
This is his house.
Jackie's house.
(Lights up full center stage. MARIE is at the table preparing dinner (pantomime) JACK, JACKIE's father enters the kitchen after his day on construction at the new bridge. JACK enters with his lunch box and newspaper. )
JACK: Yo, Marie.
(beat)
Marie,
'Ahm home.
(beat)
(He hesitates as he enters because of the door lock.)
God damn, lock.
Gotta fix 'at lock.
(beat)
Be sure you keep 'at door locked, Marie.
Keep it locked.
Make sure you keep it locked.
Hear what Ahm tellin ya?
All that crud out there.
All that crap....
All 'em scum....
Never know who's tryin' ta get in.
Ya never know.
MARIE: Yeh, Jack.
Yeh.
JACK: Ya know what Ahm sayin'?
MARIE: I do JACK,
I do,
I keep the door locked.
Don' worry none.
I keep the door locked.
JACK: Yeh, well...
Be sure ya do.
(beat)
MARIE:
How was yer lunch?
OK?
Was it OK?
Ya like your lunch?
JACK: Lunch?
(half beat)
Ya mean my sammich?
(half beat)
Hey, what was that you give me?
MARIE: Oh, somthin' new.
I give ya somthin' new.
JACK: Somethin' new?
MARIE: Yeh,
(half beat)
I made ya salami.
JACK: Salami?
JACK: Yeh. Well, don't get it no more.
(beat)
That greaseball stuff...
All that greaseball stuff.
That greaseball stuff gets me here ( he thumps his chest with his fist).
Right here. (again)
Ya know.
(beat)
MARIE: Sorry, Jack.
JACK: Jus' stick with the ham.
Jus' the ham,MARIE,
The ham an' the baloney.
(beat)
An you can leave out the cheese too
MARIE: No cheese?
JACK: No cheese,
Gives me gas.
MARIE: Sure, Jack.
OK,
Whatever you wan'
Jus' ham an' b'loney.
JACK: Yeh, jus' ham an' baloney.
(beat)
JACK: ( continuing with his newspaper.)
They was back again taday.
MARIE: Who was back again?
JACK: You know..
MARIE: Who?
JACK: All a 'em ( all of them)
(semi beat)
all 'em people
all 'em people.
people shoutin' and screamin'
them people carryin' them signs.
MARIE:
What people?
JACK: You know - 'bout the bridge.
'bout what they's callin' na bridge. ( the bridge)
MARIE: Oh, Ya mean about what they's callin' na bridge? (the bridge)
JACK: Yeh, I mean about what they's callin' it
(beat).
(paging through his newspaper uncomfortably.)
Even had a priest with 'em
MARIE: A priest?:
JACK: Yeh,
Some priest.
Some priest from na church.
MARIE: A priest?
JACK: Yeh, you know. From na church.
MARIE:
But, JACK, You don’t never go ta church.
JACK:
Yeh, Well....
So what?
That don' mean nothin'
(beat)
MARIE:
But, you always tell me how you don' like 'em priests...
You're always sayin'
It ain't natural.
JACK:
Whadda you talkin', MARIE?
'At don' matter,
At’s not the point!
MARIE:
I donno know JACK,
It's what you always sayin'
JACK :
What you talkin'. MARIE?
What you talkin'?
(pause)
So's anyways.
'ere was 'is here priest.... (there was this here priest.)
'is here priest. (this here priest)
He led 'em all
Led the whole group.
Talkin' about the bridge
Talkin' about the bridge an'
what they's callin it.
The Walt Whitman Bridge!
They was blockin’ the whole road,
Backed up all the trucks.
Stopped up tha loadin’
(Jack speaks awkwardly in the following. He doesn't know how to express his thoughts.)
You know
(beat)
Whitman, 'at 'ere Walt Whitman.
(beat)
they says he's not right.
(beat)
You know...
(beat)
Not right
(beat)
You know
one a them that's ...
well.
....
you know.
one a them that's
(beat)
MARIE:
Whadda ya talkin, JACK?
JACK:
that's one a them queers!
MARIE: (stands stupefied.)
(semi beat.)
JACK: Yeh,
(semi)
You heard me.
(semi)
One a them queer.
MAIRE:
JACK !?
JACK:
(Jack, now with a certain vigor)
But ya know.
Ya know what?
They're right.
They're right, Marie.
They're right.!
(beat)
Ya know,
I don't go for that protestin' stuff
But they's right.
(beat)
Ya know,
They's right Marie.
Ya know
Ya know
look at it
I see ‘em fellas up ‘ere.
Fellas I know from na Vets.
Fellas I know from na Hall
Yeh,
I see em e'ry day' ( e'ry = every)
I sees 'em up 'ere
I sees 'em
Shimmyin’ on some girder
E'ry day climb'in on some beam
E'ry day 'em fellas take 'ere lives in ner hands.
e'ry day up 'em beams.
E'ry day.
E'ry day for what?
Fah what? ( For what?)
Fah some faggot poem writer?
Fah some fuckin' pervert?
Fah what?
Tell me!
For what?
You read the papers?
(beat)
No.
(beat)
You don't.
MARIE: I dun' know, Jack.
I dun know.
JACK: Up them beams, MARIE.
up them beams.
Yous can see ‘em from na docks
Like bugs crawlin up ‘ere.
Up on 'em beams
Straddlin' 'em girders
(beat)
(he rattles his evening paper.)
Damn it, MARIE
Damn it!
I seen 'em
(semi-beat)
I seen 'em
(beat)
Fall right inta da river..
(beat)]
Fall, I'm tellin' ya.
(semi beat)
Shit, MARIE
Fellas get killed.
Fellas get killed, God damn it!
Fellas get kiilled on 'at god-damn bridge.,
Fellas get killed.
They get killed.
They get killed for what?
(subdued)
For some freakin' poet pansey?
Some poet pansey!
What the hell?
(Jack opens his newspaper.)
(pause)
(Reading the paper)
Look at this crap!
What the hell's wrong with this country?
What the hell they doin'?
Look at this!
Jus' look at this!
(beat)
Look at this here picture....
What's this colored woman on a bus?
Coloreds on buses!
Who wants to read about coloreds on busses?
Oughtta know their place.
Always makin' trouble.
Oughtta know their place.
Damn cullerds.!
Ya know,
Ev'ry body's got a place.
A place.
Know what I mean?
(beat)
(He turns to the sports page.)
Cripes!
Look at this!
Look at this will ya?
Baseball!
Even baseball ain't sacred
It ain't sacred I tell ya.
Look what they're doin'.
What they doin' to our team.
Philly team
(beat)
Athalectics ( note: the Philadelphia pronunciation of Athletics is "ath-a-letics.")
Athaletics off to God knows Kansas
Philadelphia Athaletics.
(beat)
-Philadelphia!- not Kansas.
(beat)
Ya hear me, Marie?
MARIE: yeh, Jack.
Yeh, what?
JACK:
What?
I'll tell ya what...
Where the hell's fuckin' Kansas?
(semi-beat)
Kansas,
Philly A's in Kansas....
In Kansas.....
How can they be Philly "A's" in Kansas?
Ain't nothin' makes sense.
The whole country’s goin’ ta hell inna han’basket.
MARIE:
Kansas,
Yeh, JACK,
Kansas!
You know!
You know!
Dorothy!
You know!
Judy Garland!
Judy Garland and that little dog.
That little dog.
What was his name??
The little dog
and the midgets
and the witch!
(MARIE starts to sing off key.)
"Somewhere,
over the rainbow...."
JACK:
(JACK joins in the final notes and continues:)
"Over the rainbow...."
(beat)
Rainbows.
Yeh.
Rainbows.
Right.
Rainbows an' midgets. (yawns)
No wonder the kid's the way he is.
(beat)
MARIE:
Toto!
JACK:
(JACK pays no attention.)
That kid should be out workin'
MARIE:
That's his name!
JACK:
Should be out after school
makin’ a penny
a penny for hisself.
MARIE:
Toto!
(JACK ignores MARIE.)
JACK:
Ta hell inna han’basket.
(beat)
Why ain’t he home yet?
Why ain't he home yet MARIE?
MARIE : I don’t know.
What time is it?
JACK: After five.
MARIE: After five
already?
(she looks at the kitchen clock.)
Yeh.
You're home.
So's, I guess it is.
JACK: ( He looks up at the kitchen clock.)
Yeh,
After five.
Where the hell is that kid?
MARIE: He’ll be home soon. .
JACK: Wastin' his time.
MARIE: Said somethin’ this mornin’ ‘bout stayin’ to work after school.
JACK: (suspicious) He done somethin’ wrong?
MARIE: No, Maybe he just was stayin’.
JACK: That kid better not got hisself in trouble.
MARIE: I’m sure JACKIE ain’t in no trouble.
Not like him.
JACK: It’s never like ‘em.
That’s what they all say.
Can’t trust these kids.
MARIE: You know as I think on it JACKIE said somethin’ about workin on the school paper
Or somethin’.
JACK: School paper.
He oughtta be out sellin papers.
Sellin papers on the corner like I did.
MARIE: Kids don’t sell newspapers no more, JACK.
(MARIE continues with the table) He should be home.
He should be home soon.
JACK: Can’t see why he has the time to be hangin; ‘round after school.
He got time, he oughtta be out gettin a' after school job somewhere.
MARIE He can’t be doing no job.
JACK: What’s wrong with a job.
Won’t kill him.
If he’s got that kinda time,
let him get a job.
A job.
MARIE: He'll get ' round to it.
He'll get roun'.
JACK: you spoil that kid MARIE.
You keep treatin' him like 'at an' you gonna turn him a sissy.
You hear what Ahm tellin' ya.
A sissy.
He should be out workin'
Out sellin’ newpapers.
Makin’ hisself a buck.
Doin' a job like a man.
MARIE: These kids ain’t like us JACK.
They got it too good to worry about makin’ somethin’.
(JACKIE enters.)
JACK: (As JACKIE passes, He swatshim on the back of his head with the newspaper.) Where the hell you been?
JACKIE: I told mom.
JACK: What!
JACKIE: I told mom.
JACK: what?!
JACKIE: Told Mom,
I'd be after school.
(The following exchange is simultaneous.)
MARIE: Oh, that's right he ......
JACKIE: (preempting her thought)"be after school"
JACK: What the hell you after school for?
JACK: You get yourself into trouble?
JACKIE: No, Pop.
I told mom I was going to work on the school magazine.
MARIE: I’m sorry.
I tol' your dad it was somethin’ but I couldn’t quite remember.
JACK: Don’t pick up for him MARIE. (To JACKIE)
You got time to fool with that stuff you got time to get a job,
do some work around here.
JACKIE: They wanted me to give them my stuff.
JACK: What stuff?
JACKIE: You know,
the stuff I write.
JACK: You should be helpin’ out at home.
JACKIE: Mr. Jacobs says he wants to print it in the school magazine.
JACK: You wanna print?
Go to work and print.
Help your mother out in the house.
MARIE: Gonna put you in print, huh?
JACKIE: Yeh, he wants to put it in the school magazine.
MARIE: All them words.
It’s the Irish in ya.
The gift a’ gab.
(she gives him a little kiss on the cheek)
and a bit a' the Blarney.
JACK: Well, I don’t want you stayin’ after school no more.
You get yourself home where you belong.
(with disdain)
Blarney!?
Just bullshit!
(JACKIE begins to walk away. JACK grabs him by the collar.)
Don't walk away when I'm talkin' ta you!
(semi beat)
Tomorrow, ya get home early and go lookin' for a part time job- ya got so much time ta kill.
Get yourself upstairs and wash yer han’s before dinner.
Go on.
(beat)
Ta hell inna han’basket, I tell ya,
Ta hell inna han’basket.
(Lights down)
(she looks at the kitchen clock.)
Yeh.
You're home.
So's, I guess it is.
JACK: ( He looks up at the kitchen clock.)
Yeh,
After five.
Where the hell is that kid?
MARIE: He’ll be home soon. .
JACK: Wastin' his time.
MARIE: Said somethin’ this mornin’ ‘bout stayin’ to work after school.
JACK: (suspicious) He done somethin’ wrong?
MARIE: No, Maybe he just was stayin’.
JACK: That kid better not got hisself in trouble.
MARIE: I’m sure JACKIE ain’t in no trouble.
Not like him.
JACK: It’s never like ‘em.
That’s what they all say.
Can’t trust these kids.
MARIE: You know as I think on it JACKIE said somethin’ about workin on the school paper
Or somethin’.
JACK: School paper.
He oughtta be out sellin papers.
Sellin papers on the corner like I did.
MARIE: Kids don’t sell newspapers no more, JACK.
(MARIE continues with the table) He should be home.
He should be home soon.
JACK: Can’t see why he has the time to be hangin; ‘round after school.
He got time, he oughtta be out gettin a' after school job somewhere.
MARIE He can’t be doing no job.
JACK: What’s wrong with a job.
Won’t kill him.
If he’s got that kinda time,
let him get a job.
A job.
MARIE: He'll get ' round to it.
He'll get roun'.
JACK: you spoil that kid MARIE.
You keep treatin' him like 'at an' you gonna turn him a sissy.
You hear what Ahm tellin' ya.
A sissy.
He should be out workin'
Out sellin’ newpapers.
Makin’ hisself a buck.
Doin' a job like a man.
MARIE: These kids ain’t like us JACK.
They got it too good to worry about makin’ somethin’.
(JACKIE enters.)
JACK: (As JACKIE passes, He swatshim on the back of his head with the newspaper.) Where the hell you been?
JACKIE: I told mom.
JACK: What!
JACKIE: I told mom.
JACK: what?!
JACKIE: Told Mom,
I'd be after school.
(The following exchange is simultaneous.)
MARIE: Oh, that's right he ......
JACKIE: (preempting her thought)"be after school"
JACK: What the hell you after school for?
JACK: You get yourself into trouble?
JACKIE: No, Pop.
I told mom I was going to work on the school magazine.
MARIE: I’m sorry.
I tol' your dad it was somethin’ but I couldn’t quite remember.
JACK: Don’t pick up for him MARIE. (To JACKIE)
You got time to fool with that stuff you got time to get a job,
do some work around here.
JACKIE: They wanted me to give them my stuff.
JACK: What stuff?
JACKIE: You know,
the stuff I write.
JACK: You should be helpin’ out at home.
JACKIE: Mr. Jacobs says he wants to print it in the school magazine.
JACK: You wanna print?
Go to work and print.
Help your mother out in the house.
MARIE: Gonna put you in print, huh?
JACKIE: Yeh, he wants to put it in the school magazine.
MARIE: All them words.
It’s the Irish in ya.
The gift a’ gab.
(she gives him a little kiss on the cheek)
and a bit a' the Blarney.
JACK: Well, I don’t want you stayin’ after school no more.
You get yourself home where you belong.
(with disdain)
Blarney!?
Just bullshit!
(JACKIE begins to walk away. JACK grabs him by the collar.)
Don't walk away when I'm talkin' ta you!
(semi beat)
Tomorrow, ya get home early and go lookin' for a part time job- ya got so much time ta kill.
Get yourself upstairs and wash yer han’s before dinner.
Go on.
(beat)
Ta hell inna han’basket, I tell ya,
Ta hell inna han’basket.
(Lights down)
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SCENE
( Lights up on BRENDAN who appears SL. Then, up center on JACKIE who is seated SR of the table.)
BRENDAN:
That was Jackie's dad.
That was Jackie's mom.
That’s how they saw things.
That was there world.
(beat)
Their world.
(beat)
But for Jackie.
For Jackie there was something else.
(beat)
Something that this street,
Something that these houses,
Something these bricks,
These doors,
These stoops,
Didn't see.
Something they didn't hear.
Something they didn't say.
(We see Jackie center stage. He is reading from his book.)
JACKIE: (reciting a passage from Walt Whitman's When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomed)
When lilacs last in the door-yard bloom'd
And the great star early droop'd in the western sky in the night
I mourn'd - and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring.
O ever-returning spring! trinity sure to me you bring;
Lilac blooming perennial, and drooping star in the west
and thought of him I love.
(JACKIE addresses the audience directly.)
(beat)
A poem.
(beat)
Words.
Pictures.
(beat)
Words.
(beat)
Words
Words are sounds.
Sounds
Sounds in your ears.
In your ears.
In your head
In your throat'
In your heart and hands and feet
And in your inside self.
(pause)
There,
Inside there.
(beat)
Somehow,
Somewhere
Inside the words...
Words. ...
You know about words?
Words
Words that...
have a feeling.
Words have a taste.
That have a smell.
(beat)
I can eat them.
I can feel them
Feel them in my mouth
On my tongue
In my throat
In my stomach.
In my deepest self...
(beat)
(JACKIE is very confused as he tries to explain.)
Words do something
Words feel something
Words make us....
Push us....
Words move....
(beat)
Words ....
Words do everything
You know that?
(beat)
Do you?
Do you feel that too?
Do you feel it inside you?
In your throat?
In your gut?
Do you feel it too??
Do you hear it in your head?
In your throat
In your gut?
(beat)
I don't know.....
(beat)
How they touch?
How they hold?
How they feel?
(beat)
How they kiss?
(beat)
Kiss?
(beat)
Warm.
Cool.
Indifferent.
Demanding.
They hate.
They can love.
I think.
(beat)
They hurt.
(beat)
I know they hurt.
(beat)
But
Words give life.
Give hope.
Give reason.
(double beat)
Words....
But I also think
I also think
Words can kill.
(beat, pause.)
Can't they?
----------------------------------------
SCENE
(Lights down on Jackie. BRENDAN remains lit.)
BRENDAN:
Jackie's world.
That was Jackie's world.
(beat)
And me?
Where did I live?
Not so different.
I'll show you my house.
This is my house.
Like Jackie's but different.
My house.
My house with me and my dad.
Just me and my dad.
Just us.
My mom left.
I don't really know my mom.
I remember her some ways.
But I don't know her.
It's just me
Me and my dad.
(beat)
My Dad.
My ol' man....
My father....
My.....
(beat)
I remember the scent.
that scent
That scent of Old Spice
and Sweat
and Beer.
Do you remember your father that way?
That scent as he came through the door?
The scent as he entered the room?
The scent of the shaving cream
The scent of the after shave.
The scent of the hair cream,
The hint of the beer.
The shine of his skin....
His cool tight skin....
The soft pink glow of the beer roughed skin.
(half beat)
(Brendan resets himself against memory and enters the scene.)
Here,
Come.
Come in with me.
And when you see
You may remember.
you may recall...
You may relive....
The scent may come to you
The touch may come to you
The sight may come to you....
Do you remember?
(beat)
Do you remember?
( Lights up on BRENDAN who appears SL. Then, up center on JACKIE who is seated SR of the table.)
BRENDAN:
That was Jackie's dad.
That was Jackie's mom.
That’s how they saw things.
That was there world.
(beat)
Their world.
(beat)
But for Jackie.
For Jackie there was something else.
(beat)
Something that this street,
Something that these houses,
Something these bricks,
These doors,
These stoops,
Didn't see.
Something they didn't hear.
Something they didn't say.
(We see Jackie center stage. He is reading from his book.)
JACKIE: (reciting a passage from Walt Whitman's When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomed)
When lilacs last in the door-yard bloom'd
And the great star early droop'd in the western sky in the night
I mourn'd - and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring.
O ever-returning spring! trinity sure to me you bring;
Lilac blooming perennial, and drooping star in the west
and thought of him I love.
(JACKIE addresses the audience directly.)
(beat)
A poem.
(beat)
Words.
Pictures.
(beat)
Words.
(beat)
Words
Words are sounds.
Sounds
Sounds in your ears.
In your ears.
In your head
In your throat'
In your heart and hands and feet
And in your inside self.
(pause)
There,
Inside there.
(beat)
Somehow,
Somewhere
Inside the words...
Words. ...
You know about words?
Words
Words that...
have a feeling.
Words have a taste.
That have a smell.
(beat)
I can eat them.
I can feel them
Feel them in my mouth
On my tongue
In my throat
In my stomach.
In my deepest self...
(beat)
(JACKIE is very confused as he tries to explain.)
Words do something
Words feel something
Words make us....
Push us....
Words move....
(beat)
Words ....
Words do everything
You know that?
(beat)
Do you?
Do you feel that too?
Do you feel it inside you?
In your throat?
In your gut?
Do you feel it too??
Do you hear it in your head?
In your throat
In your gut?
(beat)
I don't know.....
(beat)
How they touch?
How they hold?
How they feel?
(beat)
How they kiss?
(beat)
Kiss?
(beat)
Warm.
Cool.
Indifferent.
Demanding.
They hate.
They can love.
I think.
(beat)
They hurt.
(beat)
I know they hurt.
(beat)
But
Words give life.
Give hope.
Give reason.
(double beat)
Words....
But I also think
I also think
Words can kill.
(beat, pause.)
Can't they?
----------------------------------------
SCENE
(Lights down on Jackie. BRENDAN remains lit.)
BRENDAN:
Jackie's world.
That was Jackie's world.
(beat)
And me?
Where did I live?
Not so different.
I'll show you my house.
This is my house.
Like Jackie's but different.
My house.
My house with me and my dad.
Just me and my dad.
Just us.
My mom left.
I don't really know my mom.
I remember her some ways.
But I don't know her.
It's just me
Me and my dad.
(beat)
My Dad.
My ol' man....
My father....
My.....
(beat)
I remember the scent.
that scent
That scent of Old Spice
and Sweat
and Beer.
Do you remember your father that way?
That scent as he came through the door?
The scent as he entered the room?
The scent of the shaving cream
The scent of the after shave.
The scent of the hair cream,
The hint of the beer.
The shine of his skin....
His cool tight skin....
The soft pink glow of the beer roughed skin.
(half beat)
(Brendan resets himself against memory and enters the scene.)
Here,
Come.
Come in with me.
And when you see
You may remember.
you may recall...
You may relive....
The scent may come to you
The touch may come to you
The sight may come to you....
Do you remember?
(beat)
Do you remember?
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BRENDAN: (recomposing
himself. )
But Pop, if I don't pass this test, they won't let me play.
JIMMY: What the hell's wrong with these people?
Fuck ass teachers.
BRENDAN: Pop, he's the smartest kid in school. He can help me.
JIMMY: God dammit,
(beat)
Ok...
Geh 'head. (Go ahead)
Soes you can play.
BRENDAN: Yeh, Pop.
JIMMY: Yeh, yeh.
Ok- Them pansies
Them pansies, I suppose
Them pansies get that stuff.
But you just do your school stuff.
Un'erstan?
School stuff.
But don' let him get nowheres near you
Hear what Ahm sayin'?
(beat)
And don't sit nowheres near him.
You keep to ya'self.
Hear me?
BRENDAN: Yeh, Pop. I.... But I don't...
JIMMY: No, you don't.
But I do.
I do!
I know them fags.
Found out 'bout them ass fucks in Korea.
I know 'bout them
Sneakin' up on you.
Crawlin' up at night
At night when you're alone.
Alone in the dark.
(beat)
Worse than the god damn commies.
Worse than the commies.
I KNOW.
I KNOW
You watch it, ya hear me!
BRENDAN: Yeh, Pop, Sure.
Sure, I hear ya.
(beat)
I guess I’m not that hungry.
I’ll just go now and get it over with.
(BRENDAN approaches his father. He pauses. He kisses his father on the forehead)
JIMMY: What the fuck !
( He brushes BRENDAN away.)
(beat)
‘Member what I told ya!
SCENE:
CHORUS:
Nothing is ever really lost, or can be lost,
No birth, identity, form—no object of the world.
Nor life, nor force, nor any visible thing;
Appearance must not foil, nor shifted sphere confuse thy brain.
(lights down on all except Jimmy. He speaks to his beer bottle blankly.)
JIMMY:
That kid don' know.
He don know what's out there.
Don' know nothin' about the war.
Don't know nothin' about them....
(beat)
You know......
(beat)
He don' know how it got so lonely.
He don' know what happens
When ya get lonely.
At night
It was dark.
Fuck
He don' know.
So, I didn't like bein' alone...
Does you?
(beat)
Heh?
Does you?
(beat)
Just askin a fella to share a drink..
Just to share a drink.
(beat)
Won't be so cold....
(beat)
Won't be so alone....
(beat)
Gotta drink?
Gin?
Got some gin?
Army gin?
No?
Bourbon?
No, sure ain't no Bourbon...
Whiskey...
You ain't got no whiskey...
(half beat)
Some beer.
Plain ol' beer.
Even Fung Gou beer (fung goo = Korean)
Even Fung Gou beer.
That Korean shit.
"Fuck you" beer. ( He laughs at his own joke.)
"Fuck you" Korean beer.
Something.
Anything.
But one's not enough
And two 's too many
But then I could sleep....
(Jimmy reflects...)
Shared beer.
Shared Feng Goo beer.
And I wasn't alone.
(half beat)
(Calmly, pensive.)
I wasn't alone.....
And I wasn't cold..
Not cold no more....
(Pause)
(Jimmy rise from his chair and comes DSC. He resets himself and changes his tone.)
Yeh,
That's my kid
See that kid?
That kid's my boy.
My boy.
My boy
You see that?
That kid's gonna be a winner.
A winner I tell ya.
Goin' straight to them Eagles ( pronounced "Ihguls")
Straight to the top.
Run all over them Browns
Flatten them Steelers.
Tell'em all what's for..
That kid's championship.
That kid's gold....
Gold, I tell ya
Gonna make it.
Make it big time...
It's in his blood.
In his blood.
He got it from me...
From me, I tell ya...
But he ain't gonna get shot in the ass
Not like me
Not like me
I tell ya
he ain't gonna get shot in the ass....
Not like me.
(beat- a begins to remember)
No, not like me....
(long pause. A return to earlier thoughts. Now quietly.)
I wasn't alone.
(pause - He reanimates his previous self.)
Oh what the fuck!....
(pause)
I need a nap.
Fuck.
I need a nap.
(JIMMY goes back to his chair at the table.)
I need some quiet.
(beat)
Quiet.
(beat)
(His head falls into his hands.)
I need some sleep.
(pause)
I wasn't alone....
(He begins to sob. His head falls to the table.)
(lights down on Jimmy.)
But Pop, if I don't pass this test, they won't let me play.
JIMMY: What the hell's wrong with these people?
Fuck ass teachers.
BRENDAN: Pop, he's the smartest kid in school. He can help me.
JIMMY: God dammit,
(beat)
Ok...
Geh 'head. (Go ahead)
Soes you can play.
BRENDAN: Yeh, Pop.
JIMMY: Yeh, yeh.
Ok- Them pansies
Them pansies, I suppose
Them pansies get that stuff.
But you just do your school stuff.
Un'erstan?
School stuff.
But don' let him get nowheres near you
Hear what Ahm sayin'?
(beat)
And don't sit nowheres near him.
You keep to ya'self.
Hear me?
BRENDAN: Yeh, Pop. I.... But I don't...
JIMMY: No, you don't.
But I do.
I do!
I know them fags.
Found out 'bout them ass fucks in Korea.
I know 'bout them
Sneakin' up on you.
Crawlin' up at night
At night when you're alone.
Alone in the dark.
(beat)
Worse than the god damn commies.
Worse than the commies.
I KNOW.
I KNOW
You watch it, ya hear me!
BRENDAN: Yeh, Pop, Sure.
Sure, I hear ya.
(beat)
I guess I’m not that hungry.
I’ll just go now and get it over with.
(BRENDAN approaches his father. He pauses. He kisses his father on the forehead)
JIMMY: What the fuck !
( He brushes BRENDAN away.)
(beat)
‘Member what I told ya!
SCENE:
CHORUS:
Nothing is ever really lost, or can be lost,
No birth, identity, form—no object of the world.
Nor life, nor force, nor any visible thing;
Appearance must not foil, nor shifted sphere confuse thy brain.
(lights down on all except Jimmy. He speaks to his beer bottle blankly.)
JIMMY:
That kid don' know.
He don know what's out there.
Don' know nothin' about the war.
Don't know nothin' about them....
(beat)
You know......
(beat)
He don' know how it got so lonely.
He don' know what happens
When ya get lonely.
At night
It was dark.
Fuck
He don' know.
So, I didn't like bein' alone...
Does you?
(beat)
Heh?
Does you?
(beat)
Just askin a fella to share a drink..
Just to share a drink.
(beat)
Won't be so cold....
(beat)
Won't be so alone....
(beat)
Gotta drink?
Gin?
Got some gin?
Army gin?
No?
Bourbon?
No, sure ain't no Bourbon...
Whiskey...
You ain't got no whiskey...
(half beat)
Some beer.
Plain ol' beer.
Even Fung Gou beer (fung goo = Korean)
Even Fung Gou beer.
That Korean shit.
"Fuck you" beer. ( He laughs at his own joke.)
"Fuck you" Korean beer.
Something.
Anything.
But one's not enough
And two 's too many
But then I could sleep....
(Jimmy reflects...)
Shared beer.
Shared Feng Goo beer.
And I wasn't alone.
(half beat)
(Calmly, pensive.)
I wasn't alone.....
And I wasn't cold..
Not cold no more....
(Pause)
(Jimmy rise from his chair and comes DSC. He resets himself and changes his tone.)
Yeh,
That's my kid
See that kid?
That kid's my boy.
My boy.
My boy
You see that?
That kid's gonna be a winner.
A winner I tell ya.
Goin' straight to them Eagles ( pronounced "Ihguls")
Straight to the top.
Run all over them Browns
Flatten them Steelers.
Tell'em all what's for..
That kid's championship.
That kid's gold....
Gold, I tell ya
Gonna make it.
Make it big time...
It's in his blood.
In his blood.
He got it from me...
From me, I tell ya...
But he ain't gonna get shot in the ass
Not like me
Not like me
I tell ya
he ain't gonna get shot in the ass....
Not like me.
(beat- a begins to remember)
No, not like me....
(long pause. A return to earlier thoughts. Now quietly.)
I wasn't alone.
(pause - He reanimates his previous self.)
Oh what the fuck!....
(pause)
I need a nap.
Fuck.
I need a nap.
(JIMMY goes back to his chair at the table.)
I need some quiet.
(beat)
Quiet.
(beat)
(His head falls into his hands.)
I need some sleep.
(pause)
I wasn't alone....
(He begins to sob. His head falls to the table.)
(lights down on Jimmy.)
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SCENE
(Lights up on BRENDAN SL)
BRENDAN: So, Yes,
Yes,
I knew JACKIE.
Knew him from class...
Knew him because he was really smart.
The smartest kid in school.
(beat)
But when I really met Jackie.
I went to him for help.
Help with poetry.
(beat)
Poetry.
(beat)
I said I went for help
I said I went for poems
Yes,
That's why I said I went.
That's what I said.
(beat)
I didn't understand poems.
Poems.
(beat)
But poems ...
Not the only reason.
There was something else.
Something in Jackie that,...
I don't know....
(half beat)
Something.....'
Something different.
Something in Jackie that I felt.
Something in Jackie that I needed...
Something that ,,,,,
I don't know....
My hands,.....
My arms....
My self...
(half beat)
Something I didn’t have in my mind.
Something I didn’t have words for.
But something I knew.
Something.....
Something that connected.
Something that was Jackie.
Something that was me.
__________________________________________________
SCENE
(Lights half up on Brendan, stage left.)
(lights on CHORUS)
CHORUS:
O boy of the West!
To you many things to absorb, I teach, to help you become pupil* of mine.
Yet, if blood like mine circle not in your veins;
If you be not silently selected by lovers, and do not silently select lovers,
Of what use is it that you seek to become pupil of mine?
(*Note: Whitman writes: "Eleve of mine." But the French would be meaningless to the audience and so the plays translates "eleve" to "pupil". )
SCENE
( Brendan enters the moment. He calls to Jackie from the street.)
STAGING NOTE: BRENDAN comes down stage left to the apron. He calls out to JACKIE while facing the audience. JACKIE, in return, comes down stage right to the apron and speaks outward. When JACKIE invites BRENDAN inside, the two meet center stage as lights come up on them.)
BRENDAN:
JACKIE!
Hey, JACKIE!
You home?
Hey, JACKIE!
JACKIE: ( Stage right)
Hey, Yo.
BRENDAN?
(beat)
You callin' me?
BRENDAN:
Yeh,
Yo, JACKIE.
You got a minute?
JACKIE: Me?
(beat)
Yeh
BRENDAN: Can you come out?
JACKIE: What?
BRENDAN: Yeh,
I need to talk to you.
JACKIE: Yeh, sure.
Just a minute.
(Jackie goes toward Brendan)
(The two meet CS.)
JACKIE: Hey!
BRENDAN: Hey.
JACKIE: Come on in.
( The two move the table. In effect, the table becomes Jackie's bed . BRENDAN and JACKIE sit on the edge.)
BRENDAN: Listen,
Jackie.
I was just wondering.
(beat)
We have this test coming up.
(beat)
This essay test.
JACKIE:
Yeh.
BRENDAN: Well.
(beat)
Well,
I can use some help.
JACKIE: Help?
Help ,with what?
BRENDAN: Help with the poem.
You know,
that poem
that poem we got in school.
JACKIE: The poem?
BRENDAN:
You know.
For English. you know.
The poem
The poem about the flowers.
JACKIE: You mean..."When Lilacs Last ..."?"
BRENDAN: Yeh, is that it?
JACKIE: "When lilacs last in the dooryard bloomed..."
BRENDAN: Yeh,
That's it....
" When Lilacs... "
That's it
"Lilacs"
That's the one.
JACKIE: Yeh.
And you want me to help you?
BRENDAN: Well, I know you're good at this stuff.
JACKIE: What stuff?
BRENDAN: You know.....
JACKIE: No, I don't know.
BRENDAN: You know,.....
(beat)]
Poems an' stuff
JACKIE: I try.
BRENDAN: No man, you're good.
JACKIE: ( a silent nod)
BRENDAN: I mean,
you know,
like this poem
this poem we have to do.
You know about flowers
Flowers
and poems
and things.
(beat)
You know about things,
You know that kinda stuff.
JACKIE: (questioning)
I know what kinda stuff?
BRENDAN: You know.
(beat)
Like....
I don't hold it against you.
It's ok.
I don't mind
JACKIE: You don't mind what?
BRENDAN: ( continuing without hearing.)
I don't mind what the guys say.
JACKIE: What they say?
BRENDAN: You know....
JACKIE: What they say?
(pause)
BRENDAN: (awkwardly) I mean....
Well....
(beat)....
Look...
i gotta pass this thing,
Pass if I'm gonna play.
Simple as that.
An' I
Well,
Well, I just don't.......
I just don’t get that stuff.
JACKIE:(resigned)
What's not to get?
BRENDAN:
Come on...
You know,,,,,
All that "meaning" and stuff.
You get it...
You know...
JACKIE:
I get it???
I get it and you don't??
BRENDAN: I mean, sometimes I think I do ....
but, not really.
JACKIE: So, you want me to help you?
BRENDAN: Yeh,
JACKIE: Me, help you??
BRENDAN: Will you?
JACKIE: Me?
BRENDAN: Yea,
Really.
JACKIE: Really?
BRENDAN: Yeh,
(beat)
Really.
JACKIE:
So. What's the point?
What do you want me to do?
BRENDAN:
Shit man....
Give me the answers..
Give me the answers soes I can play....
(beat)
JACKIE:
The answers?
(beat)
It's a poem BRENDAN,
there are no answers....
BRENDAN:
Come on man...
Don' gimme that shit...
What's it talkin' about?
( the setting changes,)
JACKIE: Did you even read it yet?
BRENDAN: What?
JACKIE: The poem.
Did you read it?
BRENDAN: Yeh, I read some but....
JACKIE: Well,
Thats where we need to start.
(beat)
BRENDAN: Read it?
JACKIE: Yeh,
Just read it
BRENDAN: Me?
JACKIE: Yeh, ...just read it.
BRENDAN: I’m not such a good reader.
JACKIE: I’m sure you are.
(beat)
Here, just read.
(JACKIE passes BRENDAN a book. It is not the text book from school.)
BRENDAN: This isn't the right book.
JACKIE: Yes it is.
BRENDAN: No, I'm talkin' about our poem book.
Our poem book from English class.
JACKIE: It's the same thing.
My book has the same thing.
Here.
Look.
It's right here.
BRENDAN: Where?
JACKIE: Here.
The same thing.
(half beat)
The same thing.
(beat)
Just read it.
BRENDAN: (he takes the book.)
Oh, yeh.
Same thing.
(reading)
When lilacs last in the door-yard bloom’d,
And the great star early droop’d in the western sky in the night,
I mourn’d—and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring.
O ever-returning spring! trinity sure to me you bring;
Lilac blooming per - en - ni - al, (Brendan stumbles over the word "perennial" )
and drooping star in the west,
And thought of him I love.
(beat)
I'm not sure I get it.
JACKIE: Well, you know what it's about, right?
BRENDAN: well, kind of.
I think so.
Jacobs said it was about Lincoln.
JACKIE: Lincoln.
Right.
About Lincoln's death.
His assassination.
BRENDAN: Yeh,
OK.
So?
JACKIE: So, the poem is all about Lincoln.
BRENDAN: Yeh, but I don't see how.
JACKIE: OK, Look. Just take it piece by piece.
BRENDAN: Whad'da ya mean?
JACKIE: Piece by piece.
Verse by verse.
BRENDAN: I don't know....
JACKIE: Look.
When was Lincoln shot?
BRENDAN: I don't know.
JACKIE: April.
He was shot in April.
BRENDAN: So...
JACKIE: And he was the star ...
The star in the Western sky.
BRENDAN: Star in the Western sky.
JACKIE: Yeh, 'cause he was president.
The star.
BRENDAN: Yeh. I never thought of that.
(half beat)
But what does that have to do with lilacs.
JACKIE: Because, lilacs come out in April.
The end of April.
(Lights up on BRENDAN SL)
BRENDAN: So, Yes,
Yes,
I knew JACKIE.
Knew him from class...
Knew him because he was really smart.
The smartest kid in school.
(beat)
But when I really met Jackie.
I went to him for help.
Help with poetry.
(beat)
Poetry.
(beat)
I said I went for help
I said I went for poems
Yes,
That's why I said I went.
That's what I said.
(beat)
I didn't understand poems.
Poems.
(beat)
But poems ...
Not the only reason.
There was something else.
Something in Jackie that,...
I don't know....
(half beat)
Something.....'
Something different.
Something in Jackie that I felt.
Something in Jackie that I needed...
Something that ,,,,,
I don't know....
My hands,.....
My arms....
My self...
(half beat)
Something I didn’t have in my mind.
Something I didn’t have words for.
But something I knew.
Something.....
Something that connected.
Something that was Jackie.
Something that was me.
__________________________________________________
SCENE
(Lights half up on Brendan, stage left.)
(lights on CHORUS)
CHORUS:
O boy of the West!
To you many things to absorb, I teach, to help you become pupil* of mine.
Yet, if blood like mine circle not in your veins;
If you be not silently selected by lovers, and do not silently select lovers,
Of what use is it that you seek to become pupil of mine?
(*Note: Whitman writes: "Eleve of mine." But the French would be meaningless to the audience and so the plays translates "eleve" to "pupil". )
SCENE
( Brendan enters the moment. He calls to Jackie from the street.)
STAGING NOTE: BRENDAN comes down stage left to the apron. He calls out to JACKIE while facing the audience. JACKIE, in return, comes down stage right to the apron and speaks outward. When JACKIE invites BRENDAN inside, the two meet center stage as lights come up on them.)
BRENDAN:
JACKIE!
Hey, JACKIE!
You home?
Hey, JACKIE!
JACKIE: ( Stage right)
Hey, Yo.
BRENDAN?
(beat)
You callin' me?
BRENDAN:
Yeh,
Yo, JACKIE.
You got a minute?
JACKIE: Me?
(beat)
Yeh
BRENDAN: Can you come out?
JACKIE: What?
BRENDAN: Yeh,
I need to talk to you.
JACKIE: Yeh, sure.
Just a minute.
(Jackie goes toward Brendan)
(The two meet CS.)
JACKIE: Hey!
BRENDAN: Hey.
JACKIE: Come on in.
( The two move the table. In effect, the table becomes Jackie's bed . BRENDAN and JACKIE sit on the edge.)
BRENDAN: Listen,
Jackie.
I was just wondering.
(beat)
We have this test coming up.
(beat)
This essay test.
JACKIE:
Yeh.
BRENDAN: Well.
(beat)
Well,
I can use some help.
JACKIE: Help?
Help ,with what?
BRENDAN: Help with the poem.
You know,
that poem
that poem we got in school.
JACKIE: The poem?
BRENDAN:
You know.
For English. you know.
The poem
The poem about the flowers.
JACKIE: You mean..."When Lilacs Last ..."?"
BRENDAN: Yeh, is that it?
JACKIE: "When lilacs last in the dooryard bloomed..."
BRENDAN: Yeh,
That's it....
" When Lilacs... "
That's it
"Lilacs"
That's the one.
JACKIE: Yeh.
And you want me to help you?
BRENDAN: Well, I know you're good at this stuff.
JACKIE: What stuff?
BRENDAN: You know.....
JACKIE: No, I don't know.
BRENDAN: You know,.....
(beat)]
Poems an' stuff
JACKIE: I try.
BRENDAN: No man, you're good.
JACKIE: ( a silent nod)
BRENDAN: I mean,
you know,
like this poem
this poem we have to do.
You know about flowers
Flowers
and poems
and things.
(beat)
You know about things,
You know that kinda stuff.
JACKIE: (questioning)
I know what kinda stuff?
BRENDAN: You know.
(beat)
Like....
I don't hold it against you.
It's ok.
I don't mind
JACKIE: You don't mind what?
BRENDAN: ( continuing without hearing.)
I don't mind what the guys say.
JACKIE: What they say?
BRENDAN: You know....
JACKIE: What they say?
(pause)
BRENDAN: (awkwardly) I mean....
Well....
(beat)....
Look...
i gotta pass this thing,
Pass if I'm gonna play.
Simple as that.
An' I
Well,
Well, I just don't.......
I just don’t get that stuff.
JACKIE:(resigned)
What's not to get?
BRENDAN:
Come on...
You know,,,,,
All that "meaning" and stuff.
You get it...
You know...
JACKIE:
I get it???
I get it and you don't??
BRENDAN: I mean, sometimes I think I do ....
but, not really.
JACKIE: So, you want me to help you?
BRENDAN: Yeh,
JACKIE: Me, help you??
BRENDAN: Will you?
JACKIE: Me?
BRENDAN: Yea,
Really.
JACKIE: Really?
BRENDAN: Yeh,
(beat)
Really.
JACKIE:
So. What's the point?
What do you want me to do?
BRENDAN:
Shit man....
Give me the answers..
Give me the answers soes I can play....
(beat)
JACKIE:
The answers?
(beat)
It's a poem BRENDAN,
there are no answers....
BRENDAN:
Come on man...
Don' gimme that shit...
What's it talkin' about?
( the setting changes,)
JACKIE: Did you even read it yet?
BRENDAN: What?
JACKIE: The poem.
Did you read it?
BRENDAN: Yeh, I read some but....
JACKIE: Well,
Thats where we need to start.
(beat)
BRENDAN: Read it?
JACKIE: Yeh,
Just read it
BRENDAN: Me?
JACKIE: Yeh, ...just read it.
BRENDAN: I’m not such a good reader.
JACKIE: I’m sure you are.
(beat)
Here, just read.
(JACKIE passes BRENDAN a book. It is not the text book from school.)
BRENDAN: This isn't the right book.
JACKIE: Yes it is.
BRENDAN: No, I'm talkin' about our poem book.
Our poem book from English class.
JACKIE: It's the same thing.
My book has the same thing.
Here.
Look.
It's right here.
BRENDAN: Where?
JACKIE: Here.
The same thing.
(half beat)
The same thing.
(beat)
Just read it.
BRENDAN: (he takes the book.)
Oh, yeh.
Same thing.
(reading)
When lilacs last in the door-yard bloom’d,
And the great star early droop’d in the western sky in the night,
I mourn’d—and yet shall mourn with ever-returning spring.
O ever-returning spring! trinity sure to me you bring;
Lilac blooming per - en - ni - al, (Brendan stumbles over the word "perennial" )
and drooping star in the west,
And thought of him I love.
(beat)
I'm not sure I get it.
JACKIE: Well, you know what it's about, right?
BRENDAN: well, kind of.
I think so.
Jacobs said it was about Lincoln.
JACKIE: Lincoln.
Right.
About Lincoln's death.
His assassination.
BRENDAN: Yeh,
OK.
So?
JACKIE: So, the poem is all about Lincoln.
BRENDAN: Yeh, but I don't see how.
JACKIE: OK, Look. Just take it piece by piece.
BRENDAN: Whad'da ya mean?
JACKIE: Piece by piece.
Verse by verse.
BRENDAN: I don't know....
JACKIE: Look.
When was Lincoln shot?
BRENDAN: I don't know.
JACKIE: April.
He was shot in April.
BRENDAN: So...
JACKIE: And he was the star ...
The star in the Western sky.
BRENDAN: Star in the Western sky.
JACKIE: Yeh, 'cause he was president.
The star.
BRENDAN: Yeh. I never thought of that.
(half beat)
But what does that have to do with lilacs.
JACKIE: Because, lilacs come out in April.
The end of April.
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BRENDAN: End of April.
Yeh,
(beat)
So, then, what's a lilac?
JACKIE:
A lilac?
BRENDAN:
Yeh
What's a lilac?
Is it like a rose?
JACKIE:
A rose?
No.
(beat)
A rose is a rose.
Something completely different.
(beat)
Lilacs,
Lilacs
They're like...
Like....
Well, Lilacs are like bunches.
Clusters.
Purple, sometimes white.
They have a strong scent,
and their leaves
Their leaves are heart-shaped.
BRENDAN: Oh, ...
Purple.
(beat)
JACKIE: sometimes white.
BRENDAN:
Clusters.
(beat)
JACKIE: long clusters.
BRENDAN:
Heart shaped.
(beat)
JACKIE: yeh, just like a heart.
BRENDAN:
I guess I've never seen one.
(beat)
I've never seen a lilac.
(beat)
Never smelled one either.
(beat)
Pretty, I guess?
JACKIE: yeh,
Very.
BRENDAN:
You mean like......
(beat)
You mean like he's saying....?
JACKIE: Like he's saying ,..
what?
(Longer uncomfortable pause.)
BRENDAN: I don't know. ...
That's my problem.
I don't know...
I don’t know what he’s saying.
(BRENDAN looks at JACKIE.)
(pause)
So, anyway....
What does "per - en - ni - al" mean?
JACKIE: It means it comes back into flower
back into flower every year,
every year at the same time.
And so, when we see them
they make us remember.
BRENDAN: They make us remember ?
(beat)
They make us remember every year.
(beat)
JACKIE: They make us remember.
BRENDAN:
Ok.
(beat)
But then. But then he says:
then he says this other thing.
(beat)
He says.
(beat)
He says:
"him I love."
(beat)
"him I love."
(beat)
See, now.
What's that crap?
(beat)
..he some kind of....?
(beat)
This some kind of,
You know,
Faggot stuff?
(Suddenly aware of what he has said. Hesitating)
You know what I mean...
JACKIE:
Yeh,
I know what you mean.
BRENDAN: No, no!
I mean like,
You know....
JACKIE:
Yeh,
I know.
(pause)
Well, it's nothing like that
Nothing like that at all.
He's talking about Lincoln.
He's talking about something more
Something more than...
(beat)
(with determination)
Something more!
BRENDAN: (intimidated)
Oh,
See, I didn’t get that, I….
JACKIE: Lincoln, BRENDAN,
(beat)
Lincoln.
(beat)
He loves Abraham Lincoln.
Yeh,
he loves him.
(beat)
Loves him for what he did.
BRENDAN: Yeh, for what he did.
(beat)
JACKIE: Yeh, you know,
it's like...
It's like you love your folks..
(beat)
Like a father..
Like you love your father.
BRENDAN: Oh, Yeh,
Like a father.
(beat)
So, It's not...
(beat)
It's not that other stuff.
(beat)
You know.
Like he was ....
you know.
JACKIE: Like he was a queer?
BRENDAN: Yeh, you know...
JACKIE: No, it's not that.
BRENDAN: Yeh, yeh.
Ok.
(hesitantly.) Not like he was queer.
(beat)
Now, I see.
JACKIE: Brendan?
Why did you think..?
Think it would be so easy for me?
BRENDAN: Well.
You know.
(beat)
For someone like you...
JACKIE:
Like me?
BRENDAN:
(beat)
You know....
(beat)
like you .
JACKIE:
Yeh,
BRENDAN:
(quickly)
Now, don't get me wrong...
You know...
I really....
JACKIE: No.
Never mind.
(beat)
Never mind.
(beat)
You need to pass.
Right?
(beat)
BRENDAN:
Yeh, I need to pass.
JACKIE:
You need to pass.
BRENDAN:
Yeh,
You know.
(beat)
I gotta.
(beat)
JACKIE:
That's OK.
BRENDAN: Yeh.
(beat)
Thanks.
JACKIE: Yeh,
Sure.
(beat)
(Jackie resolves inwardly and resets himself to the topic at hand.)
The poem.
It's not so tough.
Not so tough
Once you get the hang of it.
It's not so tough.
See...
Poems make a lot of sense.
BRENDAN: I suppose ....
But not for me.
Not for me.
(beat)
For a smart guy like you it’s easy.
JACKIE: Not really, you just have to take your time.
And, anyway, I’m not so smart.
BRENDAN: You got the best grades in class.
JACKIE: But that’s because it’s all I do. I don’t do much else.
After all, look at you.
You’re the star player on every team.
You’ve got every girl in the school chasing after you.
BRENDAN: Nah, not really.
I mean, I don't mind foolin' around with them
But,.... you know.....
JACKIE:
No, I don't.
(beat)
But I sure wouldn't mind knowing.
BRENDAN: (hesitantly)
Yeh, well.
May be I can introduce you to a few of them.
JACKIE:
OK, you're on.
BRENDAN: (quietly) Ya know..
I wish.
(quickly)
I wish I could be like you.
(quickly resetting himself.)
Anyway.
This poem.
(beat)
This poem see.
When I read this stuff I just read what it says.
I mean, ,
You know ---
I read what it says.
But you
You see things.
More things.
You see something else.
(beat)
Damn it!
I just don't get that.
I just don't get it when a teacher tells you
Tells you it has a meaning.
But you.
You, do.
(beat)
How do you do that?
How do you see that something else?
JACKIE: I do?
(beat)
I don't know.
I don't think I try.
It just happens.
BRENDAN: I wish I could do that.
I wish I could.
It just seems so hard.
JACKIE: I think you just have to give yourself a chance.
BRENDAN: Yeh, maybe.
But I’m not the book type.
You know.
JACKIE: Maybe you just think that.
Maybe you just think that because of what they say
because that’s what people expect.
BRENDAN: What they expect?
JACKIE: Yeh, what they expect.
BRENDAN: What do you mean?
What do they expect?
JACKIE: What do they expect?:
Come on Brendan.
Think about it.
You’re supposed to be the jock,
the football star.
BRENDAN: Yeh,....
maybe.
(beat)
JACKIE: Jocks don't like poems.
Jocks like football.
Jock's like baseball.
You're a jock.
You're not supposed to like poems.
BRENDAN: But I don't.
JACKIE: But Brendan, how do you know if you never tried?
BRENDAN: tried what?
JACKIE: BRENDAN,...
tried reading a poem!
BRENDAN: I guess I don't.
(beat)
But you think I could?
JACKIE: Why not?
(beat)
BRENDAN: (replies with silence.)
Yeh,
(beat)
So, then, what's a lilac?
JACKIE:
A lilac?
BRENDAN:
Yeh
What's a lilac?
Is it like a rose?
JACKIE:
A rose?
No.
(beat)
A rose is a rose.
Something completely different.
(beat)
Lilacs,
Lilacs
They're like...
Like....
Well, Lilacs are like bunches.
Clusters.
Purple, sometimes white.
They have a strong scent,
and their leaves
Their leaves are heart-shaped.
BRENDAN: Oh, ...
Purple.
(beat)
JACKIE: sometimes white.
BRENDAN:
Clusters.
(beat)
JACKIE: long clusters.
BRENDAN:
Heart shaped.
(beat)
JACKIE: yeh, just like a heart.
BRENDAN:
I guess I've never seen one.
(beat)
I've never seen a lilac.
(beat)
Never smelled one either.
(beat)
Pretty, I guess?
JACKIE: yeh,
Very.
BRENDAN:
You mean like......
(beat)
You mean like he's saying....?
JACKIE: Like he's saying ,..
what?
(Longer uncomfortable pause.)
BRENDAN: I don't know. ...
That's my problem.
I don't know...
I don’t know what he’s saying.
(BRENDAN looks at JACKIE.)
(pause)
So, anyway....
What does "per - en - ni - al" mean?
JACKIE: It means it comes back into flower
back into flower every year,
every year at the same time.
And so, when we see them
they make us remember.
BRENDAN: They make us remember ?
(beat)
They make us remember every year.
(beat)
JACKIE: They make us remember.
BRENDAN:
Ok.
(beat)
But then. But then he says:
then he says this other thing.
(beat)
He says.
(beat)
He says:
"him I love."
(beat)
"him I love."
(beat)
See, now.
What's that crap?
(beat)
..he some kind of....?
(beat)
This some kind of,
You know,
Faggot stuff?
(Suddenly aware of what he has said. Hesitating)
You know what I mean...
JACKIE:
Yeh,
I know what you mean.
BRENDAN: No, no!
I mean like,
You know....
JACKIE:
Yeh,
I know.
(pause)
Well, it's nothing like that
Nothing like that at all.
He's talking about Lincoln.
He's talking about something more
Something more than...
(beat)
(with determination)
Something more!
BRENDAN: (intimidated)
Oh,
See, I didn’t get that, I….
JACKIE: Lincoln, BRENDAN,
(beat)
Lincoln.
(beat)
He loves Abraham Lincoln.
Yeh,
he loves him.
(beat)
Loves him for what he did.
BRENDAN: Yeh, for what he did.
(beat)
JACKIE: Yeh, you know,
it's like...
It's like you love your folks..
(beat)
Like a father..
Like you love your father.
BRENDAN: Oh, Yeh,
Like a father.
(beat)
So, It's not...
(beat)
It's not that other stuff.
(beat)
You know.
Like he was ....
you know.
JACKIE: Like he was a queer?
BRENDAN: Yeh, you know...
JACKIE: No, it's not that.
BRENDAN: Yeh, yeh.
Ok.
(hesitantly.) Not like he was queer.
(beat)
Now, I see.
JACKIE: Brendan?
Why did you think..?
Think it would be so easy for me?
BRENDAN: Well.
You know.
(beat)
For someone like you...
JACKIE:
Like me?
BRENDAN:
(beat)
You know....
(beat)
like you .
JACKIE:
Yeh,
BRENDAN:
(quickly)
Now, don't get me wrong...
You know...
I really....
JACKIE: No.
Never mind.
(beat)
Never mind.
(beat)
You need to pass.
Right?
(beat)
BRENDAN:
Yeh, I need to pass.
JACKIE:
You need to pass.
BRENDAN:
Yeh,
You know.
(beat)
I gotta.
(beat)
JACKIE:
That's OK.
BRENDAN: Yeh.
(beat)
Thanks.
JACKIE: Yeh,
Sure.
(beat)
(Jackie resolves inwardly and resets himself to the topic at hand.)
The poem.
It's not so tough.
Not so tough
Once you get the hang of it.
It's not so tough.
See...
Poems make a lot of sense.
BRENDAN: I suppose ....
But not for me.
Not for me.
(beat)
For a smart guy like you it’s easy.
JACKIE: Not really, you just have to take your time.
And, anyway, I’m not so smart.
BRENDAN: You got the best grades in class.
JACKIE: But that’s because it’s all I do. I don’t do much else.
After all, look at you.
You’re the star player on every team.
You’ve got every girl in the school chasing after you.
BRENDAN: Nah, not really.
I mean, I don't mind foolin' around with them
But,.... you know.....
JACKIE:
No, I don't.
(beat)
But I sure wouldn't mind knowing.
BRENDAN: (hesitantly)
Yeh, well.
May be I can introduce you to a few of them.
JACKIE:
OK, you're on.
BRENDAN: (quietly) Ya know..
I wish.
(quickly)
I wish I could be like you.
(quickly resetting himself.)
Anyway.
This poem.
(beat)
This poem see.
When I read this stuff I just read what it says.
I mean, ,
You know ---
I read what it says.
But you
You see things.
More things.
You see something else.
(beat)
Damn it!
I just don't get that.
I just don't get it when a teacher tells you
Tells you it has a meaning.
But you.
You, do.
(beat)
How do you do that?
How do you see that something else?
JACKIE: I do?
(beat)
I don't know.
I don't think I try.
It just happens.
BRENDAN: I wish I could do that.
I wish I could.
It just seems so hard.
JACKIE: I think you just have to give yourself a chance.
BRENDAN: Yeh, maybe.
But I’m not the book type.
You know.
JACKIE: Maybe you just think that.
Maybe you just think that because of what they say
because that’s what people expect.
BRENDAN: What they expect?
JACKIE: Yeh, what they expect.
BRENDAN: What do you mean?
What do they expect?
JACKIE: What do they expect?:
Come on Brendan.
Think about it.
You’re supposed to be the jock,
the football star.
BRENDAN: Yeh,....
maybe.
(beat)
JACKIE: Jocks don't like poems.
Jocks like football.
Jock's like baseball.
You're a jock.
You're not supposed to like poems.
BRENDAN: But I don't.
JACKIE: But Brendan, how do you know if you never tried?
BRENDAN: tried what?
JACKIE: BRENDAN,...
tried reading a poem!
BRENDAN: I guess I don't.
(beat)
But you think I could?
JACKIE: Why not?
(beat)
BRENDAN: (replies with silence.)
MARIE:
Yah know,
JACK’s a good man.
But, he gets mad if I don't keep the lock on the door.
The lock on the door.
He wants that door locked.
He's afraid for us.
Afraid of all them out there on the street.
I gotta tell ya too.
Jack's not one a them that drinks.
He don’t never drink.
Never!
Never see him down at Sharkey's
Never had to send down for him
Send for him to come home.
(beat)
Never at the tap room.
Not even a beer inna house.
Never a drinker
Never at all. (Marie moves down to sit on the stoop.)
An' when we los' the baby...(actually pronounced :"when we 'os sa baby" -"L" is either silent or pronounced as a "w" in Philadelphia dialect. In Philadelphia, the city is called Fih-a-def-ya.)
When we los' the baby....
He was good ta me...
(semi beat)
Good ta me..
(beat)
An' I'll tell ya more.
In all these years
In all these years
Jack never raised a han'
Never raised a han' ta me.
Never a han'.
(beat)
Yeh,
We have our squabbles.
Who don’t?
Who?
( she addresses an audience member directly.)
You never have a fight with your husban'?
(beat)
Sure.
Who don't?
(beat)
Ahm home all day.
JACK don' like th’idea of me workin'.
(beat)
Sometimes though,
JACK's got a temper.
Who ain't after all.
We all got our ways about us.
He jus' don' like nobody tellin' 'im what ta do
or,
ya know....
(beat)
Jackie?
Yeh, he’s stric(t) with Jackie. ( the "t" of strict in dialect is not normally pronounced.)
But that’s ‘cause he want him to be right
To grow up
To be strong
To be...
You know....
To be a man.
(beat)
One thing I gotta say.
One thing I keep on him about.
I don' like he keeps a gun in the house.
I jus never liked that sort a thing.
I know what he means.
he wants to protect us.
But, I don' know. You know, a gun.
ya never know..
It can jus' go off, I keep tellin' him.
Jus like that JACK, '
It can jus' go off.
____________________________________________________
(JACK moves to center stage as light comes up over the table. He picks up JACKIE'S book.)
JACK:
MARIE.
Yo,
MARIE!
MARIE:
What is it JACK.
JACK:
Get up here.
(MARIE moves center stage.)
MARIE:
What is it JACK?
JACK:
You heard me.
Get up here!
MARIE:
What you so excited 'bout?
JACK:
(he extends the book - "Leaves of Grass.")
You see this?
Look at this!
MARIE:
What?
JACK:
This book.
( half beat)
Found it.
Found it right here.
Right here in his room.
MARIE:
School.
JACK:
This ain't no school book.
You see what it says?
MARIE. (taking the book.)
Leaves of Grass.
(beat)
Funny name.
Grass don't have leaves.
JACK:
What the hell's wrong with you
- look at the name.
MARIE:
What name?
JACK:
This name.
The name onna book...
MARIE:
Walt Whit....
Oh - that's the bridge guy....
JACK:
Yeh, that's right, - the bridge guy!
You heard the priest what he said.
They had all them people down there.
You know what they was talkin' about?
MARIE:
JACK, you're not sayin...
JACK:
What the hell you think I'm sayin'?
(beat)
Here, look!!
Look at this!
Look at this!!
First page I open.
You see this?!
JACK:
(Jack reads from Hymn to Myself He stumbles somewhat over the words.)
I mind how once we lay such a transparent summer morning,
How you settled your head athwart my hips and gently turn'd over
upon me,
You listenin' to this MARIE..
You listenin'...?
MARIE: Oh JACK......
JACK: Filthy crap!
(He continues)
And parted the shirt from my bosom-bone, and plunged your tongue
to my bare-stript heart,
And reach'd till you felt my beard, and reach'd till you held my
feet.
What the fuck, MARIE?!
What the fuck??!!
(beat)
MARIE: He don' know JACK,
He don' know.
JACK: What kinna stuff is that?
What kinna stuff!!
MARIE: He's a kid, JACK.
He's a kid.
JACK:
Who writes that kinna stuff?
Some kinna pervert.
Some kinna ....
Shit....!
No won'er! (wonder)
(beat)
Know what?!
The fellas was right.
They was right, MARIE.
It's no won'er.,
No won'er the priest had 'em all down 'ere.
Like what he said...
There's somethin' wrong with sombody who writes this kinna stuff.
This faggot stuff.
Makes me sick
Sick to my stomach, I tell ya.
(beat)
MARIE: But JACK.....
JACK:Well, let me tell ya this.
It ain't gonna happen in my house.
Not in my house....
Why's he readin' this crap?
Some thin' not right with a kid who wants ta read this crap
Why he want to read this crap?
(beat)
Heh?
(beat)
Why?
Why?
Tell me, MARIE....
Ahm askin' ya!
MARIE: Whad da ya sayin' Jack?
JACK: You heard me.
There's somethin' wrong,
Ahm tellin' ya.
Somethin' not right!
(beat)
MARIE:
No, JACK, No.
JACK: Well, not in my house.
Not while's I got somthin' ta say about it.
No son a mine..
(beat)
Ya hear me?
No son a mine....
MARIE: Jack, what does he know 'bout them things?
He's justa kid....
JACK: No son a mine.!
Ahl beat it out a 'im
I tell ya
Ahl knock his brains out.
Knock his teeth down his throat!
He ain't gonna be no faggot!
MARIE: JACK,
He don' know.....
JACK:
You hear me -
NO FAGGOT!
(JACKIE suddenly enters.)
JACKIE:
Mom, Pop, what are you....
(Dead Pause. All are silent.)
JACK: (severely)
Go downstairs, MARIE.
MARIE:
Uh...
Yah know,
JACK’s a good man.
But, he gets mad if I don't keep the lock on the door.
The lock on the door.
He wants that door locked.
He's afraid for us.
Afraid of all them out there on the street.
I gotta tell ya too.
Jack's not one a them that drinks.
He don’t never drink.
Never!
Never see him down at Sharkey's
Never had to send down for him
Send for him to come home.
(beat)
Never at the tap room.
Not even a beer inna house.
Never a drinker
Never at all. (Marie moves down to sit on the stoop.)
An' when we los' the baby...(actually pronounced :"when we 'os sa baby" -"L" is either silent or pronounced as a "w" in Philadelphia dialect. In Philadelphia, the city is called Fih-a-def-ya.)
When we los' the baby....
He was good ta me...
(semi beat)
Good ta me..
(beat)
An' I'll tell ya more.
In all these years
In all these years
Jack never raised a han'
Never raised a han' ta me.
Never a han'.
(beat)
Yeh,
We have our squabbles.
Who don’t?
Who?
( she addresses an audience member directly.)
You never have a fight with your husban'?
(beat)
Sure.
Who don't?
(beat)
Ahm home all day.
JACK don' like th’idea of me workin'.
(beat)
Sometimes though,
JACK's got a temper.
Who ain't after all.
We all got our ways about us.
He jus' don' like nobody tellin' 'im what ta do
or,
ya know....
(beat)
Jackie?
Yeh, he’s stric(t) with Jackie. ( the "t" of strict in dialect is not normally pronounced.)
But that’s ‘cause he want him to be right
To grow up
To be strong
To be...
You know....
To be a man.
(beat)
One thing I gotta say.
One thing I keep on him about.
I don' like he keeps a gun in the house.
I jus never liked that sort a thing.
I know what he means.
he wants to protect us.
But, I don' know. You know, a gun.
ya never know..
It can jus' go off, I keep tellin' him.
Jus like that JACK, '
It can jus' go off.
____________________________________________________
(JACK moves to center stage as light comes up over the table. He picks up JACKIE'S book.)
JACK:
MARIE.
Yo,
MARIE!
MARIE:
What is it JACK.
JACK:
Get up here.
(MARIE moves center stage.)
MARIE:
What is it JACK?
JACK:
You heard me.
Get up here!
MARIE:
What you so excited 'bout?
JACK:
(he extends the book - "Leaves of Grass.")
You see this?
Look at this!
MARIE:
What?
JACK:
This book.
( half beat)
Found it.
Found it right here.
Right here in his room.
MARIE:
School.
JACK:
This ain't no school book.
You see what it says?
MARIE. (taking the book.)
Leaves of Grass.
(beat)
Funny name.
Grass don't have leaves.
JACK:
What the hell's wrong with you
- look at the name.
MARIE:
What name?
JACK:
This name.
The name onna book...
MARIE:
Walt Whit....
Oh - that's the bridge guy....
JACK:
Yeh, that's right, - the bridge guy!
You heard the priest what he said.
They had all them people down there.
You know what they was talkin' about?
MARIE:
JACK, you're not sayin...
JACK:
What the hell you think I'm sayin'?
(beat)
Here, look!!
Look at this!
Look at this!!
First page I open.
You see this?!
JACK:
(Jack reads from Hymn to Myself He stumbles somewhat over the words.)
I mind how once we lay such a transparent summer morning,
How you settled your head athwart my hips and gently turn'd over
upon me,
You listenin' to this MARIE..
You listenin'...?
MARIE: Oh JACK......
JACK: Filthy crap!
(He continues)
And parted the shirt from my bosom-bone, and plunged your tongue
to my bare-stript heart,
And reach'd till you felt my beard, and reach'd till you held my
feet.
What the fuck, MARIE?!
What the fuck??!!
(beat)
MARIE: He don' know JACK,
He don' know.
JACK: What kinna stuff is that?
What kinna stuff!!
MARIE: He's a kid, JACK.
He's a kid.
JACK:
Who writes that kinna stuff?
Some kinna pervert.
Some kinna ....
Shit....!
No won'er! (wonder)
(beat)
Know what?!
The fellas was right.
They was right, MARIE.
It's no won'er.,
No won'er the priest had 'em all down 'ere.
Like what he said...
There's somethin' wrong with sombody who writes this kinna stuff.
This faggot stuff.
Makes me sick
Sick to my stomach, I tell ya.
(beat)
MARIE: But JACK.....
JACK:Well, let me tell ya this.
It ain't gonna happen in my house.
Not in my house....
Why's he readin' this crap?
Some thin' not right with a kid who wants ta read this crap
Why he want to read this crap?
(beat)
Heh?
(beat)
Why?
Why?
Tell me, MARIE....
Ahm askin' ya!
MARIE: Whad da ya sayin' Jack?
JACK: You heard me.
There's somethin' wrong,
Ahm tellin' ya.
Somethin' not right!
(beat)
MARIE:
No, JACK, No.
JACK: Well, not in my house.
Not while's I got somthin' ta say about it.
No son a mine..
(beat)
Ya hear me?
No son a mine....
MARIE: Jack, what does he know 'bout them things?
He's justa kid....
JACK: No son a mine.!
Ahl beat it out a 'im
I tell ya
Ahl knock his brains out.
Knock his teeth down his throat!
He ain't gonna be no faggot!
MARIE: JACK,
He don' know.....
JACK:
You hear me -
NO FAGGOT!
(JACKIE suddenly enters.)
JACKIE:
Mom, Pop, what are you....
(Dead Pause. All are silent.)
JACK: (severely)
Go downstairs, MARIE.
MARIE:
Uh...
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JACK:
( he repeats with authority.)
Go downstairs!
JACKIE:
Pop...
(Beat)
(JACK strikes JACKIE loud and hard across the side of the face with the book. JACKIE covers his face as he breaks into tears.)
JACK:
Tell me what this is!
(JACK proffers the book,)
Tell me!
JACKIE:
It's a book Pa.
JACK:
I know it's a damn book, you think I'm stupid?
What the hell kin'na book is what I wanna know.
JACKIE: (sobbing)
A book of poems, Pa
A book of poems.
(MARIE is lit stage left. Her cries break between Jackie and Jack.)
MARIE:
O holy virgin Mary !
What am I supposed to do?
JACK:
Yeh, I know, That's what I'm talkin' about.
You think I don' know who this guy was? (he grabs him by the collar)
You think I don' know.
I heard the fellas talkin'
I know all about this guy.
Ya know what he was?
Ya know?
A goddamn pansy.
That's what.
You read this stuff
An ahl knock yer block off...
Ya hear me!
Ahl knock yer teeth down yer throat!
You read this stuff.
MARIE:
Don' let him hit the boy.
He's jus' a kid.
He don' know nothin' bout them things.
(JACK grabs JACKIE by the collar.)
JACK:
You some kinna faggot?
You some kinna faggot?
(beat)
Tell me!
Tell me!
You some kinna faggot?
You hear me?
Tell me!
Tell me ...
An' I'll kill you now.!( as he shakes Jackie.)
MARIE:(Lit stage left)
Oh Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Is there somethin' wrong the kid?
Is he one 'a them not right?
One them not right?
JACKIE:
No, Pa,
No.
They're just poems.
MARIE:
Oh, Saint Jude,
don' let it be.
Not my boy.
Not my JACKIE.
JACK:
I don' want you readin' none a this stuff. (Rattles him)
You hear me!?
( strikes him with the book)
Not in my house!
(He becomes far more intense.
YA hear me?!
God dammit!
(He strikes him again with the book.)
NOT IN MY HOUSE!
(JACK pulls away.
JACK Takes the book and heaves it across the room.)
(looking at the book. ...)
(Jack cries out:)
God damn faggots!
(JACK exits.)
(JACKIE rises from the floor. He is in tears. He stumbles around to find his book. His picks it up, holds it close to himself. He moves to the front steps. His head falls into his book.)
(Lights down)
(END OF ACT ONE)
( he repeats with authority.)
Go downstairs!
JACKIE:
Pop...
(Beat)
(JACK strikes JACKIE loud and hard across the side of the face with the book. JACKIE covers his face as he breaks into tears.)
JACK:
Tell me what this is!
(JACK proffers the book,)
Tell me!
JACKIE:
It's a book Pa.
JACK:
I know it's a damn book, you think I'm stupid?
What the hell kin'na book is what I wanna know.
JACKIE: (sobbing)
A book of poems, Pa
A book of poems.
(MARIE is lit stage left. Her cries break between Jackie and Jack.)
MARIE:
O holy virgin Mary !
What am I supposed to do?
JACK:
Yeh, I know, That's what I'm talkin' about.
You think I don' know who this guy was? (he grabs him by the collar)
You think I don' know.
I heard the fellas talkin'
I know all about this guy.
Ya know what he was?
Ya know?
A goddamn pansy.
That's what.
You read this stuff
An ahl knock yer block off...
Ya hear me!
Ahl knock yer teeth down yer throat!
You read this stuff.
MARIE:
Don' let him hit the boy.
He's jus' a kid.
He don' know nothin' bout them things.
(JACK grabs JACKIE by the collar.)
JACK:
You some kinna faggot?
You some kinna faggot?
(beat)
Tell me!
Tell me!
You some kinna faggot?
You hear me?
Tell me!
Tell me ...
An' I'll kill you now.!( as he shakes Jackie.)
MARIE:(Lit stage left)
Oh Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Is there somethin' wrong the kid?
Is he one 'a them not right?
One them not right?
JACKIE:
No, Pa,
No.
They're just poems.
MARIE:
Oh, Saint Jude,
don' let it be.
Not my boy.
Not my JACKIE.
JACK:
I don' want you readin' none a this stuff. (Rattles him)
You hear me!?
( strikes him with the book)
Not in my house!
(He becomes far more intense.
YA hear me?!
God dammit!
(He strikes him again with the book.)
NOT IN MY HOUSE!
(JACK pulls away.
JACK Takes the book and heaves it across the room.)
(looking at the book. ...)
(Jack cries out:)
God damn faggots!
(JACK exits.)
(JACKIE rises from the floor. He is in tears. He stumbles around to find his book. His picks it up, holds it close to himself. He moves to the front steps. His head falls into his book.)
(Lights down)
(END OF ACT ONE)