Challenge: People don't all speak the same. They don't all have the same education
level or world view. Different strokes for different folks. Let two characters talk that are from wildly
different spectrums on the scales of intelligence, decorum, birth location, and
morality. Put them in a life or death
situation where they need to communicate and solve something together.
Have fun!
GREEN EYES
The
theater is dark.
Suddenly
someone breaks in through the doors from the lobby.
GRAHAM,
40s, and JUSTIN, 20s, enter.
Neither
acknowledges the audience. They are in a
theater space, but as far as they’re concerned, they are alone – for the
moment.
JUSTIN
Any
chance of some light, or are we going to have to feel our way in the dark? I don’t want to leave this door propped open
like a big neon sign: “Here! They ran in
here!”
GRAHAM
Just
leave it open a crack for a second while my eyes adjust. I know where the light controls are in this
theater.
GRAHAM runs up on stage, backstage, throws a switch
for some work light. Too much light.
JUSTIN
Speaking
of big neon signs.
GRAHAM makes an adjustment that either takes out
some of the lights, or brings all the lights down in intensity.
JUSTIN lets the door shut.
JUSTIN
Nice.
GRAHAM
Lock
the door.
JUSTIN
Done.
GRAHAM
OK. Quick breath.
JUSTIN
Winded
already, old man?
GRAHAM
Fuck
you.
JUSTIN
Did
that already.
GRAHAM
Yes.
You did.
JUSTIN
You
kept up just fine last night.
GRAHAM
Different
kind of adrenalin rush.
JUSTIN
Seriously,
you OK?
GRAHAM
Kiss
me.
JUSTIN kisses GRAHAM.
JUSTIN
Done.
GRAHAM
Really
kiss me.
JUSTIN does.
JUSTIN
Nobody’s
dying tonight.
GRAHAM
Did
I say anything about dying?
JUSTIN
You’re
kind of obsessed with my lips right now, like you’ve given up, and we have to
stay focused. Trust me, when I’m kissing
you for the last time, you’ll know it.
GRAHAM
Is
your life always like this?
JUSTIN
Why
do you think I’m into older dudes? Less
drama.
GRAHAM
Depends
on the older dude.
JUSTIN
You
keep the crazy between the sheets.
GRAHAM
We
didn’t always make it to the bed.
JUSTIN
Metaphysical
sheets.
GRAHAM
Metaphorical.
JUSTIN
Here
come the word police again.
GRAHAM
No,
actually, I like metaphysical sheets, I take it back.
JUSTIN
Focus,
please.
GRAHAM
Yes. Running.
Men with guns, focus.
JUSTIN
So
you know this theater space.
GRAHAM
Absolutely.
JUSTIN
Multiple
exits, ways to booby trap it.
GRAHAM
I’m
your guy.
JUSTIN
How
many other buildings around town do you know this well?
GRAHAM
Theaters?
JUSTIN
Yeah.
GRAHAM
Pretty
much all of them.
JUSTIN
Fantastic.
GRAHAM
It’s
not like I have keys or anything.
JUSTIN
Not
gonna be a problem.
GRAHAM
Do
you always bring your drama with you?
JUSTIN
We
got lucky the first view visits.
GRAHAM
What
exactly do these guys - ?
JUSTIN pulls out a gun and hands it to GRAHAM.
JUSTIN
Here.
GRAHAM doesn’t take it.
GRAHAM
What
the - ?
JUSTIN
I
need you to take this. Temporarily.
GRAHAM
You
brought that with you on the plane?
JUSTIN
No.
GRAHAM
You
have a connection for guns here. In my
city.
JUSTIN
It’s
not that hard to find.
GRAHAM
Is
there a secret handshake or something?
JUSTIN puts the gun in GRAHAM’s hand so he’s stuck
with it.
JUSTIN
I
need you to get comfortable with the gun.
GRAHAM
Comfortable
how, exactly?
JUSTIN
Lifting,
pointing, aiming, shooting.
GRAHAM
I
don’t think we have enough time for me to get comfortable with any one of those
things, much less all four.
JUSTIN
I’m
faster, I’m stronger, you’re gonna tell me what to do and I’m gonna run around
and set the traps. I don’t think they’re
gonna catch up to us yet, but I can’t be sure.
And if they do, and I’m otherwise occupied, I need to know you can defend
yourself.
GRAHAM
I
don’t think I could kill anyone.
JUSTIN
Your
feelings on that may change as the night wears on.
GRAHAM
Seriously,
Justin –
JUSTIN pulls out another gun.
JUSTIN
It’s
OK, if things go sideways, I’ll do the hardcore stuff.
GRAHAM
You
have TWO?!
JUSTIN
One
for each hand.
GRAHAM
I
grew up in the suburbs on the East Coast.
I never even saw a gun, much less touched one, held one, shot one.
JUSTIN
And
when I’m not visiting you, I live in Texas, so all that seems really weird to
me.
JUSTIN quickly moves to stand behind GRAHAM and
guide his hands in the holding of the gun.
It’s efficient but strangely intimate at the same time.
JUSTIN (cont’d)
Use
your free hand to steady your gun arm.
GRAHAM
Because
of the recoil on the gun?
JUSTIN
Because
your hand is shaking.
GRAHAM
Is
it wrong that I’m a little turned on right now?
JUSTIN
I’d
be disappointed if you weren’t. I am.
GRAHAM
I
can feel that.
JUSTIN
OK,
back to work.
GRAHAM
So
what’s the plan, really?
JUSTIN
We
lead them on a chase across town, slowing them down just enough, preferably
trapping them long enough in one spot, that we can call in the police.
GRAHAM
You’re
going to call the police.
JUSTIN
Anonymous
tip.
GRAHAM
Right.
JUSTIN
They
pick ‘em up, they check their priors, they ship ‘em right back to Texas to face
the music.
GRAHAM
But
not directly to jail.
JUSTIN
Probably
not.
GRAHAM
So
what does that get you?
JUSTIN
A
head start.
GRAHAM
So
there is gonna be a “kissing me for the last time” moment in our immediate
future.
JUSTIN
Probably. Yeah.
After we get through this. And we
will get through this.
GRAHAM
What
exactly did you do to these guys?
JUSTIN
These
are old scores people are trying to settle.
GRAHAM
What
kind of old score?
JUSTIN
The
less you know.
GRAHAM
Bullshit. I’m in the middle of this now. Tell me what I’m running from, what you’re
running from.
JUSTIN
I
told you about my problems getting into the military, right?
GRAHAM
Yeah,
I find it hard to believe that no matter how many times you try, no branch of
the military will take you on.
JUSTIN
I’m
gonna keep trying, though.
GRAHAM
What
could possibly be in your history that would keep the military from enlisting
you? I mean, they’re desperate these
days. They’ll take –
GRAHAM stops himself.
JUSTIN
They’ll
take anyone.
GRAHAM
That
came out sounding worse than I –
JUSTIN
It’s
OK. It’s really frustrating for me. I think it’s ridiculous, too.
GRAHAM
And
it’s not the gay thing?
JUSTIN
I’ve
been trying to serve for years, since I turned 18. The gay thing’s a lot more recent. Well, doing something about it is anyway.
GRAHAM
You
can trust me, you know.
JUSTIN
I
know.
GRAHAM
We’ve
been –
JUSTIN
Yeah.
GRAHAM
For
a while now.
JUSTIN
Yeah.
GRAHAM
Nothing’s
going to turn me against you.
JUSTIN
People
say that.
GRAHAM
I’m
not people. We’ve seen each other naked
and done something about it.
JUSTIN
Part
of me keeps thinking I’ve told you already.
GRAHAM
You
don’t remember who you’ve told what, do you?
JUSTIN
I
don’t trust a lot of people, for obvious reasons.
GRAHAM
Obvious,
yet still unspoken.
JUSTIN
I
don’t want to drag people into the middle of this.
GRAHAM
Yet
here we are.
JUSTIN
Yeah,
well, for better or worse, I can’t stay away from you, now can I? And you don’t exactly say no.
GRAHAM
But
you still don’t trust me.
JUSTIN
If
I didn’t trust you, after the emails and the phone calls and buying the plane
ticket to come up here that first time, why would I let you be my –
JUSTIN stops, not finishing the sentence.
GRAHAM
Your
- ?
JUSTIN
First.
GRAHAM
Excuse
me?
JUSTIN
I
told you I was nervous because I didn’t have a lot of experience.
GRAHAM
I
thought that meant you had some.
JUSTIN
I
had none, which, to be fair, also counts as not having a lot of experience.
GRAHAM
At
all?
JUSTIN
Nope.
GRAHAM
Wow. Uh, I’m flattered.
JUSTIN
You
should be.
GRAHAM
You
didn’t seem particularly virginal.
JUSTIN
I’d
had experience putting my cock inside other human beings. Just not guys.
GRAHAM
Well,
we fixed that.
JUSTIN
That
and a whole lot of other things.
GRAHAM
For
a novice you certainly weren’t shy.
JUSTIN
Just
‘cause I was nervous doesn’t mean I’m not enthusiastic.
GRAHAM
I’ll
say.
JUSTIN grabs GRAHAM and kisses him.
JUSTIN
Focus.
GRAHAM
You
make that challenging.
JUSTIN
I
am not letting anything happen to you.
We
are getting out of this.
Then
I’m taking you home and we are gonna take turns plowing each other until our
eyes roll back in our heads and the neighbors call the cops because of the
noise.
Right
now I need you to practice aiming that gun.
Don’t shoot. Save the ammo. But get used to pointing that thing like you
mean it.
GRAHAM
You
have a really effective incentive program.
JUSTIN
While
you do that, tell me how to rig this place.
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