Challenge: Write for an audience of
one. It can be someone you know. It can be someone in power. It CAN'T be
yourself. Try to connect to ONE PERSON with ONE MESSAGE that you need them to
know.
Bonus- send it to that person
Bonus- name that person in the play
if you know them
Bonus- post it and tag them on
twitter
(Author’s
note: If I applied this challenge to the script I’ve been working on, they’d
probably file a restraining order :) In
any case, yet again, another new scene from the characters that keep on talking
to me since the Treat Yourself challenge back on 11/13. Thanks, Aaron.)
TV
BOYFRIEND
The diner.
KEN and his friend JAMIE, trans woman, 40s.
KEN has the ESPN magazine with Jake on the cover.
JAMIE
All
right. Out with it.
KEN
Well,
you know how since last fall I’ve seemed a little – happier?
JAMIE
You’re
getting laid regularly.
KEN gives JAMIE a
look.
JAMIE (cont’d)
Oh
please. You’re not that hard to read.
I
just figured since you weren’t saying anything it had to be a Republican
senator. Or better yet, his son.
KEN
Well,
he is younger.
JAMIE
Good
for you, sweetie.
The
next generation should be benefiting from our experience.
I’m
assuming since you scheduled this little confab specially, you are about to
reveal his identity.
KEN
Yes. In fact he’ll be coming to pick me up in just
a bit. You can meet. Here’s a big hint.
KEN puts the magazine with Jake on the cover in
front of Jamie.
JAMIE
Ooo,
someone sporty. Good for you.
JAMIE opens the magazine and begins leafing through
it.
JAMIE (cont’d)
Well,
at least this will assure your regular attendance at the gym for as long as it
lasts – just to keep up.
OK,
so where is he? What page am I looking
for?
KEN reaches out and closes the magazine.
JAMIE (cont’d)
So,
he’s not sporty?
Why
did you give me the magazine if you didn’t want me to look at it?
Is
he a journalist?
KEN
He’s
on the cover.
JAMIE scans the headlines, still not quite getting
it.
JAMIE
So
it’s the soccer player helping build an orphanage in Central America?
KEN
Jamie. Right in front of you.
KEN points to the cover image of Jake.
KEN (cont’d)
Cover
boy. Coming out story.
JAMIE laughs.
Then sees that KEN is serious.
JAMIE
Oh
honey. We’ve talked about this.
The
line between fantasy and reality.
It
gets fuzzy for you writer types, I know.
JAMIE places her hands on the magazine.
JAMIE (cont’d)
But
there’s your very rich inner life of fiction.
JAMIE gestures back and forth between herself and
KEN.
JAMIE (cont’d)
And
then there’s re-al-i-ty.
JAMIE refers to the magazine again.
JAMIE (cont’d)
The
Goddess is rarely this kind to people of our advanced years.
KEN
I
know. Yet all the same –
KEN pushes the magazine toward JAMIE.
JAMIE
I
see we’re going to need some type of intervention here.
JAKE appears, beaming.
JAKE
Hey,
Ken doll!
KEN
We
need to discuss the nickname thing.
JAKE
Absolutely. Just so you realize you’re going to lose that
little battle.
JAKE leans down and gives KEN a quick kiss.
JAKE (cont’d)
Hey. That’s new.
I’ve never done that in public before.
KEN
Welcome
to the other side of the closet door, buddy.
JAKE
Let’s
try that again.
JAKE kisses KEN again.
JAKE (cont’d)
Well,
whattaya know. The world didn’t end.
JAKE takes KEN’s hand in his.
JAKE (cont’d)
Wow. This is –
JAKE can’t find the words.
KEN
It’s
new for me, too. With you. Baby steps.
JAKE thinks that’s a cue to remove his hand from
Ken’s.
JAKE
Oh,
do you not want me to – ?
KEN holds fast to Jake’s hand.
KEN
Not
a chance, buster.
You
go as fast or as slow as you want but you never have to apologize for wanting
to hold my hand in public.
Not
to me anyway.
JAKE brings Ken’s hand to his lips and kisses it.
Then JAKE turns to a slack-mouthed JAMIE.
JAKE
I’m
sorry. I’m being incredibly rude. Forgive me.
I’ve been out of the closet for less than 12 hours. It takes some getting used to.
JAMIE
OK. Cute.
There’s a camera somewhere.
You’re going to post a jokey little video to his Instagram account. Ha, ha.
Stop making fun of the old lady.
JAKE
C’mon
now. You’re younger than my man, here,
obviously, and I’d hardly consider him old.
JAMIE and JAKE speak this next bit at the same
time.
JAMIE and JAKE
(cont’d)
You’re
only as old as *who* you feel.
JAMIE and JAKE look at
each other.
JAKE
(cont’d)
So you’re who he got it from.
JAMIE
(to KEN)
Stealing my best material, I see?
KEN
I never take full credit.
JAKE
He said it was a friend. Just didn’t say who.
JAMIE
Uh huh.
KEN tries changing the subject.
KEN
Your
man. I like that.
JAKE
I’m
gonna be trying out all sorts of labels til I find a few I like. Brace yourself.
JAMIE
You’re
serious.
KEN
I
swear on my dearly departed grandma’s grave.
JAMIE
Well. This *is* a development.
JAKE
Pleased
to meet you, Jamie. I’m Jake Gilmore.
JAMIE
Yes. I gathered that.
JAKE
Ken
talks about you a lot. I’m glad we can
finally meet.
JAMIE
Yes,
about that –
KEN
Jamie.
JAMIE
No,
sweetie. No worries. Jakey here and I are just getting to know one
another. That was the whole point of
this meet and greet, right? I mean, now
that he’s finally allowed you both to emerge from the shadows of his very
spacious and well-appointed closet.
JAKE
I’m
sensing you’re not a fan of the half-pipe.
JAMIE
Oh,
I like me a snow bunny, don’t get me wrong.
But if you don’t mind my asking, where the hell were you a year ago when
we needed you?
JAKE
Excuse
me?
JAMIE
Pick
an injustice. Any injustice,
really. Doesn’t have to be a year
ago. I just use that as a marker since
that’s when you started ritually sodomizing my best friend here, all the while
not abandoning a lick of your straight white male privilege to reach out and
help any of your queer brothers and sisters with a little of the light your
visibility might shine on their own living conditions.
KEN
Jamie. Seriously.
Claws in.
JAKE
No,
that’s OK, babe. I should hear
this. She’s not saying anything I
haven’t berated myself with over the years.
JAMIE
Yet
it didn’t seem to prick your conscience into action, now did it?
JAKE
No. It didn’t.
I’ve been a coward. You’ll get no
argument from me on that score.
KEN
But
he’s out.
JAMIE
Now.
KEN
Yes,
the world only spins forward. Now, and
hereafter, is all we have any control over.
JAMIE
Were
you not getting enough attention anymore?
Life after the Olympics a bit of a let down for you? Figured you’d slap on a shiny new label and
polish up your brand?
KEN
What
is wrong with you?
JAMIE
You’ll
forgive me. “It takes some getting used
to.” After all, I haven’t been lurking
in the darkness playing with his penis for a year, so all this is brand new for
me.
KEN
Could
you at least look at it as something about which to be happy for my sake,
maybe?
JAMIE
Oh
sweetheart. You were his training
wheels.
He’s
a big boy now. Out and proud.
He’ll
be able to mount any ten-speed ride he wants from here on out.
Don’t
get too attached, he’ll be leaving the tricycle behind any day now.
JAKE
Hey.
JAMIE
Strike
a nerve?
JAKE
I
love this man.
JAMIE
Me,
too, sugar. The difference is I was here
before you came along, and I’ll be here long after you’re gone.
JAKE
I’m
not going anywhere.
JAMIE
You’re
adorable. Clueless. But adorable.
I can see why he’d want to ride around on you as long as he could.
KEN has been squeezing Jake’s hand a little too
hard.
JAKE
Ow! Dude.
KEN
Sorry,
didn’t realize I was –
JAKE
That’s
quite a grip you have there. I think I
need to talk to your trainer about dialing back on the free weight work.
KEN
Wait,
why aren’t you squeezing my hand so hard it hurts?
JAKE
I’ve
kinda earned what Jamie here is dishing out.
JAMIE
You
need to understand, this isn’t penance.
I am not your absolution.
KEN
(to JAMIE)
How
much more convincing do you need?
JAKE
I
am now a little worried about all future hand jobs.
JASPER appears.
JASPER
Brah!
Bro hug from JASPER to JAKE.
JAMIE
Oh
my god, they travel in packs.
JASPER
(to KEN)
Get
over here, dude.
KEN’s still getting used to the bro hugs, but he
submits good-naturedly.
KEN
Japser,
my friend Jamie.
Jamie,
this is Jake’s best friend and teammate Jasper.
JASPER
Pleased
to meet you.
JAMIE
And
you.
OK,
boys, if you’ll excuse me, I think I should retreat until I regain my wits, and
my manners.
KEN
Sounds
like a plan.
JAMIE
All
this testosterone is just a bit much for me.
I thought I’d transitioned away from all this.
Kenny,
I love you, but this isn’t done, sweetheart.
Jake,
you treat him right.
JAKE
Yes,
ma’am.
JAMIE
You
think you’ve seen me angry. There is
another level.
Jasper,
you have a nice day.
JAMIE leaves.
JASPER
Whoa. Dude.
She’s
hot.
JAKE gives KEN a look.
KEN
Jasper,
we should have a little talk.
But
after that, I say have at it. You may be
just the ambassador we need.
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