A promising life as a pianist is postponed as a young woman named Annie marries the handsome, charming and troubled Chris. Three kids later, she finds herself in a trailer park with little hope of the life she once dreamed of. Her ne’er-do-well trucker husband returns home from one of his many absences to wreaks havoc on the simple life she’s created for their children, leading to a violent conflict that soon spirals out of control…
Character Breakdown
ANNIE, 34, mother-of-three
CHRIS, 39, her truck-driving husband
GARTH, 15, their eldest child and baseball player
GEORGE, 10, the quiet middle son who loves to read
GENE, 9, fisherman, outgoing youngest son and mamma’s boy
TOBY, 35, local fix-it man and longtime friend of
ANNIE
ACT ONE, SCENE ONE
(Lights rise on an old trailer home. A living-dining-kitchen area is prominent, with doors or a hallway leading offstage to the bathroom and bedrooms and a door near center stage leading to the outdoors and Grand Lake O’er the Cherokees in Oklahoma. Windows look out over the lake and allow a strong, early afternoon sun inside through their spotless glass. The rest of the trailer is equally clean, scrubbed to an inch of its life, with old furniture, appliances that have seen better days and dated décor. An old, battered piano is covered with framed pictures of the boys and neat stacks of music and books. It too, is polished and as sparkling as the old piece can be. There is no television, but an old radio is perched on the kitchen counter.
Outside the trailer is a small, round propane tank and a small thrust area or dock.
THREE BOYS are immaculately groomed and clean in very old, worn, summer clothing. They are relaxing at home, GEORGE and GENE both engrossed in books while GARTH sits, looking out over the lake and tossing a baseball lightly in the air. After a moment, ANNIE enters with two grocery bags; she is dressed simply, obviously poor but still takes pride in her appearance. All three boys hop up to help her. GENE is nearly bursting with energy and anticipation.)
GENE:
Hi, Mom! We did all the chores you asked us to do while you were gone.
ANNIE:
Hi, boys! Yes, I see you cleaned up the dishes from breakfast. Thank you!
GENE:
So, can we go fishin’ now?
ANNIE:
(Laughs and ruffles her youngest son’s
hair.)
Whoa, whoa, slow down cowboy. Let me put these groceries away and catch my
breath first, okay?
GENE:
‘Kay.
GARTH:
(Rummages through a bag)
Hey, Mom, did you get the cookies?
ANNIE:
Yeah, yeah, I promised didn’t I?
(She looks in the other bag, grabs a package and tosses it to him.)
GARTH:
Aw… These aren’t OREOs, Mom. I asked for OREOs.
ANNIE:
Yeah, well, they are the 99-cent version of OREOs and the best I can do. I’m
sure they taste the same.
GARTH:
No, they don’t, Mom. These are nasty. They taste all greasy.
(Tosses them back)
I’m not eatin’ them.
ANNIE:
Then don’t eat ’em.
GARTH:
I’m not gonna eat ‘em. You eat ‘em.
ANNIE:
I just might do that.
GARTH:
I’m sick of fake stuff. Fake OREOs. Fake Coke. Fake freakin’ everythin’.
ANNIE:
Yeah, well, get in line, darlin’.
GARTH:
What?
ANNIE:
I said get in line, I’m sick of it, too.
GARTH:
Whattaya mean? You’re the one who buys it –
ANNIE:
Yeah, I’m the one who buys it. I’m the one who has to buy it. Buy this…this cheap crap because we don’t have any
money. You know how much I wanna go to the fancy grocery store? The one where
the other ladies buy their Starbucks coffee and wander around, gossiping
together and fillin’ up their carts with things like fresh fruit and big ol’
steaks? And you know what? They don’t once
stop to figure out how much they’re spendin’ while they shop. Not once. But me?
I know every dollar, every penny I spend at that shitty, smelly little store we
have to go to. And every time I go, I have to sit in the car and cry and try to
get myself all geared up to go in because that cheap-ass place is the best I
can do for my kids.
GARTH:
You’re a grownup, you can do anything you want, you don’t have to go there –
ANNIE:
Oh, yes, I do. Because it’s cheap. Look around. Look at the shithole we’re
living in, Garth. It used to be a fishin’ cabin. The only good thing about it is
that it’s right on the lake. The land’s worth more than this damn trailer we
got sittin’ on it. There isn’t a nice piece of furniture in here and you know
what? If I buy nice food, I can’t cook it ‘cause the damn stove’s broke. So I
buy canned crap and fake Coke to drink and we all just have to deal with it
until your dad gets home with a check.
GARTH:
I know, I’m just –
ANNIE:
(Is on a roll…)
You wanna know what I’m sick of? Cheap, dollar-store shampoo. My hair smells
like motor oil after I wash it. And I
am tired of cheap soap that leaves my skin smelling like that flowery
disinfectant they use to clean truck-stop toilets.
GARTH:
Mom, I –
ANNIE:
Dammit, Garth. I’m doin’ my best here. So, don’t come complainin’ to me about
some fucking OREOs. ‘Cause to get you those fake ones I have to push a filthy
cart through that horrible place while countin’ every damn penny and I swear to
God that I die a little bit every fucking time I do it!
(She tosses the package back.)
So just eat ’em. Okay? For me?
(She sits and puts her head in her hands.)
GARTH:
(Hugs her)
I’m sorry, Mom. … And …you know, I don’t think you smell bad, Mom.
ANNIE:
Thanks, sweetheart. (She sighs) It’s okay. You know what? You kids shouldn’t
have to worry about this kinda thing, I shouldn’ta said anything. Your job is
to have fun, go fishin’ and go to school, not worry about money or… well…It
just wasn’t right for me to lose my temper like that, I’m sorry.
GEORGE:
(Looks up from his book)
And you said the f-word, too, Mom.
ANNIE:
(Chuckles)
Yeah, I did. I should not have said the
f-word, either. I’m sorry, boys.
GARTH:
(Opens the package and shoves a handful of cookies in his mouth, ANNIE shakes
her head at his lack of manners.)
Mom, can I take Dad’s bike out for a bit?
ANNIE:
(Smiles)
I don’t know, CAN you?
GARTH:
(Rolls his eyes)
MAY I?
ANNIE:
Yes, just watch that you don’t run out of gas ‘cause the gauge don’t work and
you keep to the backroads. That old motorcycle ain’t exactly legal, you know.
GARTH:
Thanks, Mom!
(A quick hug and he’s out the door.)
ANNIE:
(Calls after him)
Hey! Be careful! I love you!
GARTH:
(Offstage)
Okay! I love you, too!
(ANNIE goes back to putting away her meager groceries. She then turns to her two youngest boys.)
ANNIE:
Okay, if we’re going to go out fishin’
after supper, you boys need to get your homework started.
GEORGE:
Mooo-ooom, but it’s Saturday!
GENE:
Yeah, we’ve got all weekend!
ANNIE:
And it will be Sunday night before ya
know it and you’ll be in full-on freakout mode ‘cause you didn’t get it done.
So, grab your stuff and y’all study a bit before supper.
(They comply, taking battered backpacks off of hooks near the main door.)
GENE:
What is for supper, Mom?
ANNIE:
Looks like sandwiches and a salad. But we have some chips, too, honey.
GENE:
Can we have some fried chicken instead? You never make fried chicken anymore.
ANNIE:
Sorry. No stove, no fried chicken. You’ll live. Now get to studyin’.
GEORGE:
How about we fire up the gril? Garth’s gettin’ a gallon or two of gas for the
bike and we could use some of that to get it goin’.
ANNIE:
Maybe. Tell you what, you catch some nice, big bass or perch and I’ll grill ‘em
for you tomorrow.
GENE:
What if I get a catfish?
ANNIE:
Ugh, no. No catfish.
GEORGE:
Yeah, Gene, catfish are bottom feeders – they eat poop!
ANNIE:
And they taste like they eat poop, too.
GENE:
Then maybe I like poop, ‘cause I think catfish are yummy.
ANNIE:
(Grins and pulls a face)
Yuck!
GENE:
(Matches her)
Yum!
ANNIE:
Yuck!
GENE:
Yum!
ANNIE:
Yuck!
GENE:
Yum!
ANNIE:
(Laughs)
Enough! Study!
GENE:
(Under his breath)
Damn! I mean, darn!
ANNIE:
Of course you meant darn.
(She gives him a playful smack to the back of his head.)
Study. See, George is studying.
GENE:
No, he ain’t. I bet he’s got a comic hidden in his book.
ANNIE:
George?
GEORGE:
Um…
(ANNIE holds out her hand and GEORGE grudgingly puts a comic book in it.)
ANNIE:
“Sorry, Mom.”
GEORGE:
Sorry, Mom.
ANNIE:
Poor possum. You’ll get your comic back later. Study.
(ANNIE heads for the kitchen area and busies herself cleaning. In a moment, GARTH comes barreling through the door, disturbing the quiet. A tall man follows him, in work clothes and wearing an OU baseball cap.)
GARTH:
Hey, mom! Guess what? Toby’s here!
ANNIE:
I can see that. Toby? What on earth-?
TOBY:
Hi, Annie.
ANNIE:
Hi -?
TOBY:
I hear your boys are missin’ their mom’s fried chicken and peanut butter
cookies.
ANNIE:
(Is flustered)
Um … yeah, that’s what they tell me.
GARTH:
I ran into Toby, he was fishin’ down by Cave Holler, he said he’d come and fix
your stove, Mom!
ANNIE:
Oh, Garth, I wish you hadn’t said anything to him.
Toby, I’m so sorry. I just can’t afford to pay you. Chris is still out on a run and until he brings back a paycheck … well, I just can’t do anythin’. Garth dragged you here for nothin’.
TOBY:
Well, see, here’s the thing: my wife is up in Joplin at her sister’s place and
I haven’t had a home-cooked meal in a week. And, to be honest, the house is
gettin’ pretty messy without her around to pick up after me. So, how ‘bout I
see if I can’t fix that stove and then you cook us a good dinner.
(ANNIE tries to interrupt; he raises a hand to silence her.)
And then on Friday, you run over to my place, I’ll leave it unlocked. And you get ‘er cleaned up before my wife gets home. I’ll get a good meal and stay out of trouble with my wife. You get a stove that works for your kids. And we’ll call it even. It doesn’t have to go on the books at the appliance shop.
ANNIE:
I don’t know…
GEORGE:
C’mon, Mom, let him fix it.
ANNIE:
I would love for you to … I’m just
worried about … he wouldn’t like it … y’know …
TOBY:
I do. We’ll keep it a secret. I won’t say a word.
ANNIE:
Well…
TOBY:
Aw, now, I’m awful tired of McDonald’s nuggets and peanut butter sandwiches,
Annie. Please?
(The BOYS ad-lib their pleas, as well.)
ANNIE:
Oh, all right, all right. You win.
(The boys react with glee.)
Thank you, Toby.
TOBY:
My pleasure, ma’am.
ANNIE:
Now you get to fixin’ that stove and I’ll get to work on some cookie dough
while you’re at it.
GEORGE:
Yes!
GENE:
All right!
TOBY:
(Joins in, silly, smiling at ANNIE) Yay!
ANNIE:
Okay, boys, back to the homework – you, too, Garth.
(The others sit at the kitchen table again, GARTH begins to protest and she pulls out her “mom voice.”)
You three! Sit! Study!
(ANNIE turns to TOBY, who momentarily looks
frightened, too and she softens)
You – thank you, Toby.
TOBY:
No problem.
(He wanders to the stove and peeks down the backside of it.)
Now, Chris has this old gas stove rigged to run with Propane, right?
ANNIE:
Yup. It puts out a helluva flame, but I’ve gotten used to it. It just started
getting’ too hot in the oven, especially, and I got scared. I didn’t want to
blow up my boys.
TOBY:
(Chuckles)
That would be bad. I think I have an idea how to make it work. You got enough
propane?
ANNIE:
You’re not buying me propane. And yes, we have enough now that it’s warmed up
outside. We’re good.
TOBY:
All right, then. You get to work on those cookies and I’ll go to the truck and
get my tools.
(He ruffles GARTH’s hair as he exits and the lights fade to black.)
ACT ONE, SCENE TWO
(The lights rise on the interior of the trailer. The sun is setting and its rays cast a warm glow over the living spaces. The two younger boys are still at the table with their books, but GARTH is sitting next to ANNIE on the piano bench as she plays a classical tune on the piano,Für Elise by Ludwig van Beethoven. All is as before in the living space, however a plate heaped with cookies sits on the kitchen counter and pots are on the stove.)
ANNIE:
(Pauses in her playing and plinks out the
iconic beginning notes of the song for GARTH)
Okay, you try.
(GARTH tries to play along with her, an octave or two beneath her. He gets a few notes right.)
ANNIE:
Not bad. Try again.
(THEY play the beginning of the piece again and he nearly gets it right.)
ANNIE:
See? You can pick it up easily if you try.
GARTH:
It’s kinda cool. I’d rather go fishin’
though.
ANNIE:
(Laughs)
You and that dad of yours.
GARTH:
Mom, play that song you made up. I liked it.
ANNIE:
Oh, naw, it’s nothin’, I was just goofin’ around, honey.
GARTH:
C’mon, it was pretty.
ANNIE:
Oh, all right, but just for a few minutes. Gene? George? Put the books away –
get the table set for me, okay?
GENE:
Yep!
GEORGE:
Yes, ma’am!
(ANNIE begins playing a simple, yet haunting original piece, closing her eyes and playing it entirely from memory. GARTH continues to sit with her and the younger boys clear their books and set the table for her. They do not notice how the sad song affects ANNIE, however, GARTH watches her with an equally sad look on his face. As ANNIE nears the end of the short piece, TOBY enters, carrying a six-pack of real Coca-Cola. TOBY sets the soda on the table and listens, applauding when ANNIE finishes.)
TOBY:
Annie, that was beautiful. What was it?
ANNIE:
(Embarrassed)
It doesn’t have a title, really…
GEORGE:
Mom wrote it.
GENE:
Yeah, Mom did! She’s like Mosard.
GARTH:
Mozart, dipstick.
GENE:
Mozart!
ANNIE:
Oh, you all, it’s no big deal. I was just fiddlin’ around. Never even wrote it
down.
(ANNIE rises from the piano bench and crosses to the kitchen.)
ANNIE:
Anyway, dinner is ready, so let’s eat!
(She gestures to the massive plate of cookies.)
And we have tons of cookies for dinner. You can all eat ‘em until you make
yourselves sick.
GARTH:
(Sees the soda on the table)
Holy crap, is that real Coke?
TOBY:
(Grins while ANNIE swats at GARTH good-naturedly)
Yeah, I heard you like Coke. I’m partial to RC myself but, thought I’d bring a
six-pack for you boys.
ANNIE:
(Carrying plates of chicken and mashed potatoes to the table.)
Thanks for that, Toby. We just can’t afford it. And I swear that the real Coke
tastes so much better, I don’t know why.
GARTH:
(Cracks open a can and chugs)
Yeah, real Coke burns all the way down.
ANNIE:
And you can use it to take the paint off of cars too, so even if we win the
lottery tomorrow, don’t get used to it, young man. It’s good but it’s not good
for you.
GEORGE:
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
(He grabs a can to toss to GENE and pops one open for himself. All three boys
luxuriate for a moment in the treat.)
TOBY:
Wow, Annie, everything smells really good.
ANNIE:
Thanks, but you’re just hungry. Anything smells good when you’re hungry.
GEORGE:
Yeah, Mom it smells larapin good!
ANNIE:
(Laughs)
Well, let’s go ahead and eat before things get cold. Save room for those peanut
butter cookies y’all can’t seem to live without for dessert.
(As they all sit, she turns on the radio and some old school jazz begins to
play softly in the background.)
TOBY:
Jazz. You always did like jazz. I remember when you played jazz piano in some
band back in college, Annie. Boys, your mom was pretty dang cool back then. All
us boys wanted to go out with her, we all thought she was awful pretty.
(ANNIE grins and waves him off as she sits to eat.)
And so smart, she was always on the Dean’s list for her grades. Didn’t you win
top Greek freshman, too? For grades, volunteering, campus activities and stuff?
(ANNIE just smiles and eats.)
She was cool. I’m tellin’ ya.
ANNIE:
Keep talkin’, they won’t see it, Toby. I’m just an old yucky mom.
GENE:
Who yells a lot.
ANNIE:
Who does, in fact, yell a lot. Because my children are demons in disguise.
(They laugh.)
TOBY:
Nah, you’re still cool, Annie. As for me, boys, I was always a bit of a
dumbass. I only sometimes went to class. I definitely drank a bit too much
beer. And in music classes? Me? I wanted to go to football games for free so I
joined up with the pep band instead of bein’ all sophisticated and playing
jazz. So, don’t be like me. Be like your mom.
ANNIE:
But I bet you saw more football games than I did –
TOBY:
I saw more than 20 home games and went to another 10 or so away or post-season
games. And … (he grins at the boys) I was there when we won our bowl game, too,
in Pasadena. Had a bit too much beer, so I don’t remember all of it, mind ya.
But, I do remember I had a lot of fun at that game.
GEORGE:
How many games did you go to, Mom?
ANNIE:
Oh, just a couple with my sorority sisters. It was a lot of fun, but I didn’t
stay in college past my first year. So, I don’t have quite the stories to tell
that Toby here, does.
GENE:
Why did you only go a year? Mom, was Toby stupid or something and had to go a
long time?
ANNIE:
(Tries to hide a laugh while the rest of
the table chuckles.)
No, Gene, Toby isn’t stupid. I…uh…I’m the one who didn’t finish college. You’re
supposed to go four years and he did. I didn’t.
GENE:
How come?
ANNIE:
I met your father and he … well, he asked me to marry him and quit school. So I
did.
GENE:
Oh. Okay.
(He goes back to eating, satisfied.)
TOBY:
Did you ever think about going back, Annie?
ANNIE:
Oh, God no! I couldn’t keep up with the kids nowadays.
GEORGE:
Yeah, Mom’s old.
GARTH:
George!
GENE:
Well, she is. Daddy always says Mom’s so old that Jesus was right there on the
same page in her yearbook.
ANNIE:
(Looks uncomfortable)
He … um … he always manages to forget that he’s older than I am. Although, I
will give him credit, I think he’s aging better than I am.
(She puts on a bright smile.)
Good genes, I guess.
TOBY:
You know, Annie, if you want to go back to school, they have a lot of stuff
online now, you should look into it. You can be a mom and finish up school,
too.
ANNIE:
(Laughs)
Um, Toby, we don’t even have a television, much less our own computer. Naw,
it’s never gonna happen. I’m okay with that. I have my boys, I’m good.
TOBY:
Just think of it: studying until two a.m., reading shit you don’t understand,
writing papers that make no sense –
GEORGE:
Going to football games!
GARTH:
So cool. I’d love to go to a real football game.
TOBY:
I still go, I sit with some other alum
guys and their kids. You should come with me sometime. My treat.
GARTH:
Yeah! Cool! Can I … I mean, may I, Mom?
ANNIE:
Well, we’ll see…
GENE:
That means no.
ANNIE:
No, that means “we’ll see.” I can’t predict the future and I don’t know what
your dad would say, so … we’ll see.
(ANNIE looks uncomfortable.)
GARTH:
(Looks annoyed and defeated.)
He’ll say no. He always does.
GEORGE:
Yep.
GENE:
And then he’ll probably yell at you for askin’.
GEORGE:
Yep.
GENE:
Or give you a whoopin’.
ANNIE:
(Shoots them a glare)
Boys.
(They collectively look at her and she shakes her head. The table falls into a
short silence.)
TOBY:
Annie. It’s none of my business, but –
ANNIE:
(Brightly smiles)
I’m fine.
TOBY:
There’s a rumor going around the lake that things with Chris have gotten even
worse, that he’s –
ANNIE:
I’m fine,
Toby, just fine.
TOBY:
Okay, whatever you say.
(He makes one last effort)
But, I –
ANNIE:
I’m fine.
TOBY:
(Frustrated)
Ya know, I had no idea they’d changed the definition of that word. You better
call Webster’s tomorrow to let them know.
ANNIE:
(Smiles at her plate)
Thanks, Toby. But, really, everything is… fine.
TOBY:
You know, one of these times he’s out on a run … well, if you want to move out,
there’s a lotta folks around town that’ll help, you know that right?
ANNIE:
I appreciate that, but where would I go?
Chris’d follow us and it’d just be worse for everyone in the end. Especially my
boys. It’ll be the same no matter where we live – same shit, different day;
same trailer, different park. You know the drill. But, thanks. Again, we’re
fine.
TOBY:
Where is Chris anyway? I heard he was in Vinita this week, I figured he was
home.
ANNIE:
Vinita? No, he couldn’t be that close by, he was on some run, hauling I don’t
know what up to New York, I thought. I wish he’d get a phone to carry with him
in the truck, but he says he don’t wanna spend the money. I don’t hear from him
much when he’s out on a run. But, naw, I don’t think he’s in Vinita.
TOBY:
Well, when he gets back, be …
ANNIE:
Again, Toby, we’re fine. Things are good. Right, boys? Really good. Let’s see:
George and Gene both made the honor roll every quarter so far this year and
Garth is my baseball star. He’s on the varsity team as a freshman and he’s even
the starting catcher.
TOBY:
(Is impressed)
Catcher? That’s a tough position to play, man. Awesome! Up high!
(The two high five.)
GARTH:
I like it because no one else wants it, and
I can pretty much land a starting position right off. And besides, the ladies
like men who squat!
ANNIE:
What?!?! Ladies like what?
GARTH:
…What? That’s what one of the
cheerleaders told me!
(TOBY and ANNIE dissolve into laughter.)
TOBY:
That’s the right idea, you do whatever the girls tell you to. You remember that
and you’ll be very happy. Happy wife, happy life.
ANNIE:
That’s a good motto to live by, boys.
TOBY:
Boys, ya know, I’ve been thinkin’ that we should go up to one of those mud bank
coves up on the north side of the lake and see if we can’t figure out how to
noodle a catfish.
ANNIE:
Noodle? Catfish? Do I want to know or is this a testosterone thing?
TOBY:
Now sometimes women noodle, but see here, it’s hard work and you gotta be
strong. You go find a mud bank, and you find catfish holes in it underwater.
That there is where they sleep, boys. Reach in and get your arm in its mouth
and push out through the gills so you gotta good grip on it and then you pull
like hell. I hear they get really big ones like that- your arm goes in that
fish’s mouth all the way up to your shoulder sometimes.
ANNIE:
That sounds like a good way for a 100-pound catfish to drown one of my 60-pound
boys. I think Gene and George are out, but I bet Garth would like it. Chris,
too, when he gets back.
TOBY:
I think Garth would do jus’ fine at it.
But, I doubt Chris would want to go with me, Annie. He’s changed since we all
used to hang out and go fishin’ together.
ANNIE:
I know, I understand. It’s … he’s –
TOBY:
Fine? Yep, I know it’s fine.
ANNIE:
I’m sorry.
TOBY:
So, Garth, looks like it’s you and me, buddy. You up for some catfish
wrasslin’?
GARTH:
Yeah, maybe after baseball season? Mom’ll kill me if I get behind in my
homework even one night.
TOBY:
Sounds good.
CHRIS:
(Has quietly entered during the last few lines.)
What sounds good?
ANNIE:
(Half happy, half frightened)
Chris! You’re home!
CHRIS:
Obviously.
(ANNIE and the two youngest boys rush to hug and greet him, ad-lib. GARTH rises and scrutinizes his father, while TOBY stays seated and looks worried. After the hellos, ANNIE shoos the boys and CHRIS toward the table.)
ANNIE:
Sit, sit, Chris, we didn’t know you were comin’ home tonight. I’m glad I made a
ton of food.
CHRIS:
(Replies to ANNIE but speaks to TOBY, while she gets him a plate to fill.)
We can’t afford to waste a bunch of money on feedin’ all your boyfriends,
Annie.
(He turns the radio on the counter from jazz to old-school, cry-in-your-beer
country music.)
ANNIE:
(Nervously laughs it off)
I don’t think Toby is gonna eat all our
chicken. Besides, I made extra so we can have chicken ‘n’ dumplin’s tomorrow.
You eat all you want, we’ll still have enough for leftovers.
TOBY:
And, I’m not Annie’s boyfriend. Just for the record.
CHRIS:
(Shoveling in food)
Then what, exactly, are ya doin’ here? I don’t remember ever askin’ ya to check
in on my wife and boys.
(He glares at ANNIE but continues to
eat.)
GARTH:
I ran into him earlier today, fishin’. I invited him.
ANNIE:
No, no, it’s okay, Garth. I invited him for dinner, Chris. You remember that
stove’s been actin’ up since way before you left for this last haul. Garth ran
into him and he came over to fix it for us. I cooked him dinner to say thanks.
TOBY:
See, my wife’s out of town and –
CHRIS:
Don’ really care, man. I do think you
should git though, now that I’m home, don’ you?
ANNIE:
Chris, he was nice enough to f–
CHRIS:
Fuck you?
ANNIE:
(Laughs and tries to play it off as a joke)
Fix the stove. Be nice.
CHRIS:
I plan to be very nice to you later,
darlin’.
(He leans over and kisses her around a full mouth of food.)
Very nice. And I’m jus’ kiddin’ Toby.
TOBY:
Not really funny, Chris.
ANNIE:
Toby, it’s okay. He’s probably just tired. Finish up and I’ll fix you a little
care package for tomorrow night to take with ya.
CHRIS:
You will not. We ain’t got enough money to feed all your boyfriends. I told ya
that already.
ANNIE:
But you just got back from that long run to New York, you’ve gotta have a
check.
CHRIS:
(Pops open one of the Cokes and chugs) Spent it.
ANNIE:
Spent it?!? How? Why?
CHRIS:
None of your business, Annie. It was my money. I spent it.
(ANNIE is speechless, as are her boys.)
TOBY:
(Sighs and breaks a stunned silence.) Over at the casino in Quapaw or the one
in Miami?
CHRIS:
(Grins around a big mouthful of food) Both.
ANNIE:
But, but … you just got home.
CHRIS:
Naw, I’ve been back in Oklahoma a week,
been staying with a friend.
ANNIE:
A friend.
CHRIS:
Yeah.
ANNIE:
Which friend?
CHRIS:
A friend that you don’ know.
ANNIE:
Why don’t I know him?
CHRIS:
Never said it was a him, now did I?
ANNIE:
What -?
TOBY:
Chris, the boys are sitting right here-
CHRIS:
Hey, you can have a boyfriend, I git a girlfriend. That’s how it works, right
Garth?
GARTH:
Um, sure… whatever, Dad.
ANNIE:
So, wait – Chris … there’s no money?
CHRIS:
Nope.
(He stands and goes to the fridge, looks for something, closes the door.)
No money and you ain’t got no beer in
here. Maybe you can ask your boyfriend here for some money. Whores get paid for
their work, now don’ they?
(The room erupts in ad-lib chatter and the boys defending their mother. The adults’ conversation escalates as ANNIE signals to the boys to hush.)
TOBY:
Now, look here, Chris –
GARTH:
Dad, that’s not cool –
ANNIE:
Chris, not in front of the boys –
CHRIS:
Toby, why are you still here, man? Go home to your own wife. Leave mine alone.
TOBY:
Maybe if you took better care of your wife –
ANNIE:
Toby, just leave it –
CHRIS:
I don’t know what she’s been tellin’ ya,
but –
TOBY:
(Advances on CHRIS)
Not a God-damned thing, but I gotta tell you,
you ain’t hiding anything. The whole fucking lake knows.
CHRIS:
Knows what? What? There ain’t nothin’ going on here. Is there Annie?
ANNIE:
No. No. Of course not. Everything is fine, Toby.
TOBY:
There’s that word again.
CHRIS:
Out, man.
TOBY:
All right. But I’ll be droppin’ by to check on you later this week, Annie.
Garth, we’ll talk about that noodlin’ trip up the lake then – see if we can’t
catch us a big catfish.
(He heads for the door.)
You’re welcome to come along, of course, Chris.
CHRIS:
I think I can take my boys fishin’ just
fine without ya, Toby. And Annie don’ need no babysitter, either.
TOBY:
(Tries one more time.)
It could be fun, like when we used to go fishin’ years ago. I’ve been wantin’
to learn how to noodle for catfish –
GENE:
Mama says catfish tastes like poop!
ANNIE:
Yes, I do. And on that note…
(She rises and follows TOBY to the door.)
Thanks for everything, Toby.
TOBY:
(Looks worried, but leaves)
G’night, all.
(BOYS and ANNIE ad-lib their goodnights as TOBY exits out the door and ANNIE shuts and locks it behind him. She crosses to stand behind CHRIS and hugs him from behind.)
ANNIE:
It’s good to have you home, Chris.
CHRIS:
Sure it is. Sorry I interrupted your little party with your new boyfriend. Or
is it an old boyfriend, Annie? You guys went to college together, didn’t ya?
Been screwing him all this time behind my back?
ANNIE:
No.
CHRIS:
I bet you have been, don’t lie ta me, I can tell.
ANNIE:
No. I’m not like you, Chris. I would no more do that than –
CHRIS:
Than what?
ANNIE:
I don’t know.
(She sighs and shrugs before going back to her seat.)
Commit a crime. Kill someone. I’m just not the cheatin’ kind, ya know that.
GARTH:
I’m the one that asked Toby to come over, Dad.
CHRIS:
I don’t fucking care how he got here, Garth! My wife doesn’t need to be cookin’
meals for other men. And you boys shouldn’t be goin’ fisihin’ with him like
he’s your daddy. He ain’t.
I am.
(He glares at ANNIE)
Well, as far as I know, I’m your daddy.
ANNIE:
Chris … you know what? I’m not doing this with you. Let’s just have a nice
reunion dinner and maybe we can go for a boat ride afterwards, all of us?
GENE:
Yeah!
CHRIS:
Naw, I don’t think we’ll do that.
(He reaches for the last can of real Coke on the table, pops it open and
guzzles it.)
GARTH:
Hey! That was our last real Coke, Dad! You drank two, we just got one each!
CHRIS:
You don’t need it, I do, there ain’t no beer in the house.
GARTH:
It was ours, Dad. Toby brought it for
us.
CHRIS:
Don’t you talk back to me, young man. Jus ‘cause I’ve been gone don’t mean
you’s all grown up and in charge. I’m the man of this family and I’ll do what I
please.
GARTH:
But, Dad –
CHRIS:
I’m the one gettin’ out there and
workin’ hard all the time. I don’ see you boys doin’ anything but lazin’ around
readin’ books and catchin’ fish. Yer mamma don’t do a damn thing but lay ‘round
all damn day, pretending to be some fancy piana player. I’m the one makin’ the
money that’s keepin’ us all alive so don’t you –
GARTH:
What money? I don’t see any. Besides you just said you blew it all at the casino over in Quapaw.
(CHRIS stands and swiftly backhands GARTH, sending him flying. The younger BOYS remain still, frozen in their seats. After a moment, ANNIE shakes off her surprise and goes to help the injured teen.)
ANNIE:
He was just being a normal teenager. They’re supposed to talk back, Chris. I
read it’s part of their development.
CHRIS:
Well, then he can “develop” somewhere else, if he ain’t gonna be respectful to
his daddy.
GARTH:
I really don’t see nothin’ to respect.
CHIRS:
That’s it-!
(CHRIS rises and advances on GARTH and ANNIE, who are still on the floor, but
GENE throws himself into the line of fire.)
GENE:
Daddy! Don’t!
CHRIS:
(Hesitates, obviously not used to resistance)
Well… You’ve all gotten pretty God-damned lippy while I’ve been away this time,
ain’t ya?
Annie, get the boys settled inta bed for the night. I think we need some adult time.
GARTH:
No. You know what, you’re not hitting her. We’re all sick of this, Dad. It’s
gonna stop. So …
(GARTH takes a deep breath)
…hit me instead.
(CHRIS hesitates)
Go ahead, hit me
again instead of her.
CHRIS:
(Walks away)
Annie. Manage yer children.
ANNIE:
C’mon boys, grab your homework and you can finish up in your room –
GEORGE:
But, I’m done with my homework –
ANNIE:
Then you can read a book, possum. Y’all have plenty of them in there.
(ANNIE physically begins to usher the two youngest boys into the hallway, toward their bedroom. She halts by the refrigerator with GARTH and wraps a bag of frozen peas in a towel for his face before hugging him and shooing the three away. GENE hesitates.)
GARTH:
C’mon, Gene. We’re just makin’ things worse for Mom. Sorry, Mom.
ANNIE:
You haven’t done nothin’ wrong. You’re my hero, Garth. You younger boys,
too. I love you.
GENE:
G’night.
(They all exchange hugs and good night wishes, ad-lib. CHRIS joins them with a Coke-can salute when a collective glance is thrown his way. The BOYS exit and ANNIE returns to the dining area, calmly clearing the table and putting dirty dishes in the sink.)
CHRIS:
(After a few uncomfortable moments)
I don’t like it, Annie. Toby over here sniffin’ around. Boys talkin’ back.
You’d think I don’t have any control over this house anymore.
ANNIE:
Of course, you do, Chris. You’re the man of the house. You know that. We know
that.
CHRIS:
(Comes to hover near her.)
Just how long you been foolin’ around
with Toby?
ANNIE:
I’m not. You know that. You’re just –
CHRIS:
What? I’m just what?
ANNIE:
Being silly, now have a cookie.
(ANNIE picks up the plate piled with cookies and holds it out to him. CHRIS looks at the cookies for a moment, deciding, then slams the plate out of her hand and onto the floor.)
ANNIE:
Oh, Chris, I made those for the boys,
they were askin’ for them –
(CHRIS interrupts her by slamming a fist into ANNIE’s face. She braces herself on the counter and recovers while CHRIS begins shoving items off it and aggressively knocking things to the floor with the cookies. She focuses on the cookies, heartbroken, as he lifts her onto the counter, brutally kissing her and tugging at her clothing.
He begins his sexual assault of her and she remains silent while he makes sounds of obvious pleasure, ad-lib. Neither of them notice GARTH standing in the shadows of the hallway, watching, as the lights fade to black.)
ACT ONE, SCENE THREE
(Lights rise on the trailer, it’s morning and the mess from the previous evening has been cleaned up. The room is once again spotless. Annie is asleep on the sofa, looking a bit worse for wear. The BOYS enter, noisily, GENE holding a nice-sized catfish aloft.)
GENE:
Mom! Mom! Look what I caught!
ANNIE:
(Groggy, but instantly on-alert for her boys.)
Gene! Oh, my goodness! That’s a big one!
GENE:
I know. Daddy had to help me git –
ANNIE:
Get –
GENE:
Get it in the boat, but I caught it
all by myself, otherways.
ANNIE:
That’s wonderful! Oh, no, wait … is that
a catfish? (Obviously teasing, she wrinkles up her nose.)
GENE:
Yep! And you’re gonna fry him up for me.
ANNIE:
I am?
GENE:
Yep! ‘Cause I caught him all by myself.
(CHRIS, GARTH and GEORGE enter carrying various bits of fishing equipment. CHRIS and GEORGE have huge smiles on their faces. GARTH is rather neutral.)
CHRIS:
He ain’t lyin’. He caught that fish all by himself. All I had to do was lend a
hand to git it in the boat. Caught him on live crawdad bait. Tell ya what,
boys, Mom doesn’t like catfish so why don’t we grill him up outside so’s she
don’t have to smell it?
ANNIE:
(Smiles warmly at CHRIS.)
Thanks, Chris. And in exchange for a catfish-free home, I will fry up some pickles to go along with him.
(The BOYS all react happily, even GARTH cracking a smile.)
CHRIS:
Sweet tea, too?
ANNIE:
Sweet tea, too.
(CHRIS shoos the BOYS outside to start the fire, ad-lib admonishing them to be careful. They exit. CHRIS reaches into his fishing gear and pulls out a somewhat ragged bouquet of wildflowers, making a grand gesture of handing them to ANNIE.)
ANNIE:
Thanks, Chris. They’re beautiful.
CHRIS:
Just like you.
ANNIE:
(Scoffs)
I might have been once, but not anymore.
CHRIS:
(Advances on ANNIE, who is distinctly uncomfortable in close quarters with
him.)
To me, you’re beautiful. I’m the luckiest man alive to have you, Annie, you
know that? I don’t know how I’d make it without you.
ANNIE:
Aw, you’d be fine, I’m sure.
(CHRIS shakes his head and reaches to the kitchen counter, turning on the radio and tuning in a country station to a slow, two-step. He offers ANNIE his hand and she takes it as he pulls her into his arms and slowly two-steps them around the room. Loving and affectionate, CHRIS caresses ANNIE and drops kisses on her shoulder. ANNIE is somewhat stiff and unresponsive. It goes on long enough for the audience to become distinctly uncomfortable watching.)
CHRIS:
Relax, darlin’. Dance with me, don’t just stand there.
ANNIE:
Chris, I –
CHRIS:
Is this about last night? I said I was sorry, Annie. I just git carried away.
Toby made me so jealous and darlin’ you are just so goddamned sexy.
(A few more kisses land on her shoulder.)
I promise darlin’. If you stay away from Toby and all those guys around the lake that are panting for ya, it’ll never happen again.
ANNIE:
Do you promise?
CHRIS:
Of course, I do. I love you, Annie.
ANNIE:
(Relaxes into his embrace, finally.)
I love you, Chris.
(The pair continue to slow dance, ANNIE fully participating now, before GENE and GEORGE interrupt. They kiss. The two boys enter and, seeing their parents happy and dancing together, join them, acting silly and ad-libbing smooching noises and jokes and two-stepping awkwardly beside them.
The lights fade on the scene with the four of them
laughing and dancing together while GARTH stands in the doorway watching and
obviously still unhappy.)
ACT TWO, SCENE ONE
(Lights rise on the trailer home and we hear GARTH plinking away a scale on the piano as ANNIE instructs him in a soft voice. There is a large laundry basket sitting on the kitchen counter, awaiting ANNIE’s attention. GEORGE enters from the bedroom hallway.)
GEORGE:
Dad? Dad?
Mama? Where’s Dad?
ANNIE:
(Sighs and shares a look with GARTH, as GEORGE heads to the kitchen counter and
rummages out a generic PopTart or package of cookies.)
Well, he went to Grandma’s to visit last night after dinner, so I’m betting he
spent the night there.
GARTH:
(Snorts)
You mean, got money offa Grandma and headed out to the casino at Quapaw?
ANNIE:
Garth!
GARTH:
Well, it’s true. Mom, it’s always like this when he gets back from a run. Money
then no money. We’re all happy, then we’re all sad. He’s nice then he hits you.
(He drops his voice so his younger brother doesn’t hear)
And after what I saw the other night, it looks like he … he rapes you, too.
ANNIE:
Garth! What on earth!!?
(It takes her a moment to find her voice.)
You -? I – Oh, possum, no, it – it might have looked like that, but we… we were just playin’, acting silly. Grownups do that sometimes. You’ll understand when you’re all grownup.
GARTH:
(Is far from convinced.)
Playing.
ANNIE:
Well, yeah. Sure. Um, George? Why don’t you head back in and wake up your
brother?
(GEORGE heads back into the bedrooms.)
Not that I’m gonna discuss my sex life with you, Garth, but … since you, um, misinterpreted what you saw the other night, I guess I have to.
GARTH:
I’m waitin’.
ANNIE:
(Pauses.)
Like cowboys and Indians.
GARTH:
What??!
ANNIE:
Play-actin’. That’s what we were doing. Play-actin’. Like cowboys and Indians.
Nurse and doctor. Naughty student and teacher. Married couples do that
sometimes.
GARTH:
Bullshit.
(Waves off ANNIE’s protest.)
Mom, I’m fifteen. Dad’s never here so I’m basically the man of the house. I can
handle the truth. Tell me.
ANNIE:
I can’t.
GARTH:
You can.
ANNIE:
You’re my child, not my friend, possum. There are things I will not discuss
with you.
GARTH:
I see things, you know. I know it’s gotta be awful for you. It’s the same thing
over and over, Mom. I see it, so does George and Gene. Right now, you’re in the
good part of it, Dad’s nice to you and everyone’s happy. He’ll be back to the
part where he hates us all again pretty soon. That’s when he yells at us and hits
you. And … the other stuff. Then he apologizes and we’re back to the happy part
again.
(There is a substantial pause. ANNIE is a bit
stunned and dazed at her son’s words.)
ANNIE:
Well. Then I guess you know everything.
GARTH:
Mom, talk to me. I can take it, honest. I really can. Are you okay?
ANNIE:
Of course I’m okay. You’re just a kid, I don’t want you to worry –
GARTH:
(Interrupts)
Mom, how about next time he leaves, we
leave, too?
ANNIE:
I can’t.
GARTH:
Why not?
ANNIE:
I just can’t.
GARTH:
Mom?
ANNIE:
‘Cause I love him.
GARTH:
But he hurts you, Mom.
ANNIE:
Garth, you don’t understand, Daddy doesn’t mean to hurt me. It just happens.
GARTH:
Not to be a smartass, Mom, but rape does not just happen. I’m just a kid and I know that. What I saw the other night
is not normal. He’s got ya brainwashed or something. We read about about that
in my English class –
ANNIE:
(Forces a laugh.)
I am not brainwashed. But, I do appreciate how much you worry about
me, possum. Now, speakin’ of that class, how about you worry about getting that
English grade of yours back up to an A and I’ll worry about my relationship
with your father – my private
relationship with your father.
GARTH:
I swear, Mom, if he hurts you again, I’m gonna kick his ass. I’ve been working
out for baseball. I can take him.
ANNIE:
Not when he’s drunk you can’t, Garth. No, I don’t want you to get involved.
Just … you just be a kid, okay? That’s your job. I’ll worry about everything
else. You be a kid.
(She gives him a hug.)
And watch your language while you’re at it, young man.
CHRIS:
(Yells from offstage.)
Annie! Annie!
GARTH:
And speak of the devil.
CHRIS:
(Yells offstage again. He sounds angry.)
Annie! Annie!
ANNIE:
(Quickly stands and shoves GARTH to the hallway.)
Go to your room, Garth.
GARTH:
Mom –
ANNIE:
Go!
(GARTH complies, reluctantly. CHRIS bursts drunkenly through the door of the trailer as ANNIE straightens some piano books and attempts to act normally. CHRIS crosses to ANNIE and pulls her to him, roughly kissing her. She kisses him back, but he quickly ends it, shoving her back toward the kitchen counter. He is obviously under the influence of something, full of malice and frenetic energy that alters the formerly quiet atmosphere and changes ANNIE’s demeanor.)
CHRIS:
Don’t kiss me you fuckin’ whore. I know where that mouth’s been.
ANNIE:
What?! Chris, calm down, I don’t know what you’re talking about.
CHRIS:
I know. I know. You think I don’t
know, but I do. I know.
ANNIE:
Know what. I can’t fix whatever is wrong, honey, if you don’t –
CHRIS:
(Gives ANNIE a shove.)
Don’t call me, honey. What do I have to do? Tie ya to the fuckin’ bed every
time I leave the house? Is that the only way you’ll keep your legs together?
(The BOYS peek out of the bedroom hallway.)
Git back in your room. This ain’t none of your business.
ANNIE:
It’s okay, boys. Daddy’s just confused, give us a few minutes to talk.
(The two youngest leave, GARTH hovers just outside of CHRIS’ field of vision. CHRIS reaches for the laundry basket and shoves it into ANNIE’s hands angrily.)
CHRIS:
Git ‘em.
ANNIE:
Get what, Chris?
CHRIS:
You’ve been fuckin’ Toby and probably fuckin’ half the guys ‘round the lake. I
want the proof. Find ‘em.
ANNIE:
Chris, calm down. I have no idea what you want. You have to tell me what you
need. Let’s sit down and talk about what you want…
CHRIS:
I want your goddamn panties, the ones you wore when you fucked ‘em!
ANNIE:
What?! Chris, this is –
CHRIS:
Do it, now!
(ANNIE confusedly begins to rummage through the laundry basket, pulling out several pairs of her own underthings, before handing them quietly to CHRIS.)
CHRIS:
I’m not doin’ it, I ain’t gonna put my nose in some other guys’ skeet – you
fuckin’ do it. Smell ‘em, find the ones you had on when you fucked Toby. Do it!
ANNIE:
Chris, I really haven’t –
(CHRIS interrupts her by wadding up the underwear and grabbing the back of her head – shoving her face cruelly into the worn pair of panties.)
CHRIS:
Is it that one?
ANNIE:
Chris, I haven’t –
CHRIS:
No? What about this one? Which one is it? Which one’s got his cum in it? Where
is it?
(CHRIS repeats his earlier action of shoving her face into a pair of dirty underthings again and again, ad-libbing for her to smell and find the soiled pair. ANNIE complies, simply allowing tears to run down her face before he tires of the game and shoves her away, downstage. CHRIS then turns upstage and, tossing the laundry on the floor, makes a great show of urinating on the pile of clothing.)
CHRIS:
I’m goin’ inta Tiff City for some beer. Do the laundry, darlin’.
(CHRIS grins at her then saunters to her purse and takes out her wallet before exiting the trailer. GARTH enters from the bedroom hallway and helps his mother to her feet, then silently helps ANNIE start a load of laundry in the old washer in the kitchen as the lights fade to black.)
ACT TWO, SCENE TWO
(Lights rise on ANNIE downstage, sitting on the edge of the stage or “a dock on the lake.” She is smoking a joint. There’s a pile of magazines and a couple of medicine bottles on the dock beside her. She’s amusedly flipping through a 1970s Playboy and smoking the joint awkwardly, obviously a novice. She is content. After a few moments, TOBY enters and watches her, laughing as she checks out a centerfold and nearly drops the magazine into the “lake” before he calls out to her and joins her.)
TOBY:
Annie?
ANNIE:
Hey!
(Focuses.)
Hey, Toby, what’s up?
TOBY:
Garth said you were down here. I heard about your uncle, I’m sorry for your
loss.
ANNIE:
Thanks. He was in his 70s and lived a good life. It’s sad but … but…
(She loses track of her thoughts.)
TOBY:
You’re stoned.
ANNIE:
Nuh-uh. Am not.
(She grins at him.)
I was helping my aunt figure out what to put Uncle Carl in for the funeral. We
were looking for a pair of nice loafers and guess what we found in one of his
shoe boxes?
TOBY:
Uh, let me guess, weed?
ANNIE:
Oh yeah. We found Uncle Carl’s stash.
(She slides a Playboy across the dock to him.)
A box full of 1970s Playboys, a big bag of weed and – wait for it –
TOBY:
Oh, God, do I want to know?
ANNIE:
(Pulls a pill bottle out of a bag and tosses it to him.)
More than one full bottle of Viagra, and several empty ones.
TOBY:
(Whistles.)
That’s a helluva stash for a 70-something year old dude.
ANNIE:
(Takes another hit off the joint and hands it to TOBY.)
Yep. I say “good for Uncle Carl.”
TOBY:
Yeah, good for him.
(They are silent for a moment, as they both flip through the Playboys and pass the joint a time or two, ad-libbing and grinning about pictures in the magazines.)
So, Garth says it’s pretty bad at home right now.
ANNIE:
I don’t want to talk about it.
TOBY:
And he said that Chris has pretty much decided you and I are having an affair.
Is that true?
ANNIE:
(Laughs.)
Toooo-by! Of course it’s not true! You’d know it if we were having sex! You silly.
TOBY:
Okay, maybe not the best time to have
this discussion with you. Have ya ever smoked weed before?
ANNIE:
Nope. First time.
TOBY:
I can tell.
I’m worried about you, Annie. All of your friends
are. What can I do?
ANNIE:
Nothin’, there’s nothin’ to do. I can handle everything myself, Toby. It’s
fine.
(ANNIE pauses, takes a hit and thinks for a moment.)
You know, sometimes…sometimes, well, afterwards, I…
TOBY:
After…?
ANNIE:
After. I pretend I’m dead. I pretend I can feel the silk pillow under my head.
My eyes are sewed shut. My hands feel cold. Sometimes I swear I can even smell
the inside of the coffin.
TOBY:
(Under his breath)
Shit.
ANNIE:
You know what it smells like, Toby?
(TOBY shakes his head.)
Freedom. The inside of my coffin smells just like
freedom.
TOBY:
(Nearly speechless.)
Holy shit, Annie.
I don’t know what to say.
ANNIE:
S’okay. You don’t have to say anything.
(After a moment’s contemplation, ANNIE suddenly leans in to TOBY and plants a rather sloppy kiss on him. After another startled moment, TOBY pulls away. She grins.)
Sorry ‘bout that. If he’s gonna accuse me of doin’ ya, I figured I might… well…
TOBY:
Yeah… Well.
Y’know, I think we’d best just forget that happened.
ANNIE:
(Grins at him again.)
Okay.
(They look at each other for an uncomfortable moment before they both burst into laughter. They then sit in silence for another moment or two, finishing the joint. The quiet is disturbed by a shrill yell from GENE, who runs onstage and to the “dock.”)
GENE:
Mom! Mom, you gotta come quick!
ANNIE:
(Tries to shake off the effects of the joint she just smoked.)
What’s wrong, Gene? Slow down, tell me what’s wrong?
GENE:
It’s Daddy. He was asking where you were. Garth didn’t want to tell him and
told me ‘n’ George to keep quiet. Said you needed some time alone so’s we
didn’t say nothin’. But, Daddy’s so mad, he got his gun out. Mom, ya gotta come
now or I think he could get mad enough ta shoot Garth!
ANNIE:
Oh, shit.
TOBY:
Fuck!
Both of you, stay here, I’ll go.
(He tosses his phone to ANNIE.)
Call the police, Annie.
ANNIE:
I can’t call the cops, Toby. Stop, everyone just stop.
Toby, go home. I can handle Chris when he gets like
this, it’ll be fine. It’s not the first time he’s gotten drunk and waved that
stupid gun around. If you come in, it will only be worse. You’ll get yourself
and the rest of us shot.
C’mon, Gene. Everything will be fine. Toby, can you take care of Uncle Ned’s
stash for me?
TOBY:
Annie –
ANNIE:
Trust me, Toby. I’ve been dealing with this since you were still chasing
cheerleaders at the OU football games.
(They hold each other’s gaze for a moment before TOBY nods and ANNIE and GENE exit, lights crossfading as they circle around and into the trailer home. They enter and see GEORGE and GARTH standing in the center of the room, CHRIS pacing back and forth behind them with his handgun. ANNIE, still fighting the effects of the joint she smoked, smiles and greets him.)
ANNIE:
Chris, what’s goin’ on? Gene said you needed me.
CHRIS:
(Motions to GENE with the gun, indicating he get in line beside his brothers.)
Yep, got a decision I need ya to make, darlin’. Ya know, I saw you down at the
dock with Toby.
ANNIE:
We were just talking.
CHRIS:
Looked like you were smoking a joint, too, am I right?
ANNIE:
Of course not. Don’t be silly.
Look, Chris, this isn’t good. Put the gun away and let the kids go outside and go fishin’. It’s me you’re mad at. Not them.
CHRIS:
Oh, I’m purty mad at them, too. Garth here was talking back, telling me that he
wants you to run away and take my boys from me. Is that it? You an’ Toby planning
to run away from me and take my kids?
Sorry, darlin’, but you can’t ever leave, who would let a woman who sleeps around and smokes weed, in broad daylight with another woman’s husband, ever have custody of her kids? No one. You want the kids? You ain’t goin’ nowhere. ‘Specially not with your boyfriend, Toby.
ANNIE:
Toby isn’t my boyfriend, for the last time.
CHRIS:
The last time? The last time?
Is that right?
(CHRIS points the gun at GARTH’s head, spins the
cylinder.)
Are you sure about that? Come clean about it, you’ve been fuckin’ Toby for
years. Admit it!
ANNIE:
(Still attempts to remain calm.)
No, I haven’t. You know that, Chris.
CHRIS:
Your choice.
(CHRIS aims and moves to pull the trigger. ANNIE screams.)
ANNIE:
Chris, no!!
(Click. Nothing. Slowly, enjoying the grand show he’s putting on, CHRIS moves the gun to the next child.)
ANNIE:
Stop! Don’t, Chris, stop it.
(CHRIS spins the cylinder, pulls the trigger. Click.)
ANNIE:
Stop it, just stop it!
(Still at a slow and grandiose pace, CHRIS moves the gun to the last child, he spins the cylinder, pulls the trigger. Click.
CHRIS moves the gun to back to the first child in line, he spins the cylinder. ANNIE can no longer take it.)
ANNIE:
I cheated on you, I fucked him, okay? I did it, I did it!
CHRIS:
Are you confessin’?
GARTH:
Mom, don’t –
ANNIE:
Yeah, of course I am. I’m confessin’. I did it. I did — him. Toby and I, we
have sex all the time.
CHRIS:
Well, all right then. That’s what I fuckin’ thought. I’ll deal with Toby later,
but you… C’mere…
ANNIE:
(Talks to the boys, but never takes her eyes off of CHRIS and his gun.)
Boys, why don’t you go on down to the boat dock. Take your fishin’ gear and stay until dinnertime, okay? Maybe catch me a nice bass to cook up for dinner. I’ll fry him.
GARTH:
No, I’m stayin’.
GEORGE:
C’mon, Garth. Do what Mom says. Grab
your gear.
GARTH:
No. He’s not gonna hurt Mom.
(GARTH turns to speak to CHRIS)
You’re not going to hurt her this time. I won’t let you.
ANNIE:
Garth, get your gear. Get goin’.
GARTH:
This is bullshit –
GENE:
(Grabs GARTH’s hand and tugs him toward the door)
Man, come on. Garth? You know it’ll just
make it worse for Mom if you stay.
ANNIE:
(Smiles brightly, trying to hide her fear)
Catch me a big one, boys!
(The BOYS exit and the trailer is deathly quiet. CHRIS walks over to her and backhands her, knocking her to the floor.)
CHRIS:
Get the fuck up.
(ANNIE complies and he backhands her again, knocking her to the floor. CHRIS waves the gun absently as he talks.)
CHRIS:
I said, get the fuck up, bitch.
(ANNIE complies again and he backhands her, knocking her to the floor a third time. Now, she is dazed and having trouble focusing.)
CHRIS:
Not so smart now, are ya? Always, always
thinkin’ you’re better than me. Little Miss Sorority, Little Miss Perfect, Poor
Lil Rich Girl, Little Miss Piana Prod- Pro –
ANNIE:
Prodigy. The word you’re looking for is prodigy. And I wasn’t a prodigy, just
average. I’ve never been anything special, Chris –
CHRIS:
Shut up. Don’t talk – in fact, why doncha play for me instead.
ANNIE:
Play? … Play for you?
CHRIS:
Yeah, your fancy-ass piana music. You play it for your boyfriend, don’t ya?
Play it for me.
ANNIE:
Chris…
CHRIS:
Fuckin’ play it for me!
(He flicks the gun in the direction of the piano.)
(ANNIE stiffly rises from her position on the floor and moves to the piano. She sits and begins playing her composition badly with shaking hands.
CHRIS grabs his bottle of cheap whiskey off the counter and then crosses to stand behind her and uses the gun to softly comb through her hair while taking large pulls off the bottle as she plays and the lights fade to black.)
ACT TWO, SCENE THREE
(Lights rise on the trailer. It is dawn. CHRIS is asleep on the sofa and the living area is not as neat and clean as it normally is seen. Instead, grocery bags, suitcases and backpacks are piled on the floor by the door, dirty dishes are in the sink, some clothes are lying on the floor. In the midst of the chaos, ANNIE and the BOYS are packing some books into a box on the dining table. Quietly, they gather the books, box and the items by the door and exit the trailer, looping around downstage. ANNIE hands the bag she is carrying to an overloaded GARTH as the younger boys exit the stage with their belongings.)
ANNIE:
Here, you take this, I need to still get my purse and jacket.
(She turns to go, GARTH stops her with a quiet “mom.”)
GARTH:
Mom. I’m very proud of you. Of us. This is right. Grandma will help us, I know
it.
ANNIE:
Well, let’s just see if we can get out of here before your father wakes up.
Once we’re gone, we’ll talk about “right.” But, last night, that was the last
straw. I’m done.
GARTH:
Good. Good for you, Mom.
ANNIE:
If he finds us, he’ll take you boys. And I can’t have you living with …with that.
Playing some crazy kind of fucking Russian roulette with his own sons.
(ANNIE shoos GARTH offstage.)
Go, get in the car, I’ll be there in a minute.
(ANNIE enters the trailer, intentionally slamming the door behind her,
awakening CHRIS.)
CHRIS:
(Still drunk, sleepy and a bit slow,
can’t focus well)
Annie! Where you at?
(Realizes it’s quiet.)
Where’re the kids?
ANNIE:
Calm yourself. They’re in the car, I’m
fixin’ to drop them off at my mom’s for the afternoon. We can have some time
alone then.
(CHRIS smiles in response to this idea through his drunken haze.)
And Mom said she’d help us out and buy them all a new pair of shoes for school. I swear they’re all outgrowing-
CHRIS:
Fine, fine. I don’t need the long version. Just git.
ANNIE:
‘Kay.
CHRIS:
Hey. Wait! … Grab us a bottle of Jack on
your way home.
ANNIE:
I ain’t got enough money for a bottle of
Jack.
(Rummages through purse)
I got two bucks, you want some Boone’s? Two-buck Chuck?
CHRIS:
Guess so. Boone’s. The blue stuff.
ANNIE:
Okay. You go get some more sleep and I’ll be home soon.
(CHRIS lies back down on the sofa and is nearly back asleep before ANNIE exits – she hesitates because she’s forgotten her jacket. When she spots it and picks it up off the floor she discovers CHRIS’ discarded gun beneath it. After a moment of contemplation, she reaches a shaking hand to the revolver, raises it and points it at CHRIS’ sleeping form. She thinks for another moment then determinedly pulls the trigger.
Click. Nothing.
She spins the cylinder, pulls the trigger.
Click.
Again, she spins the cylinder, pulls the trigger.
Click.
Again, she spins the cylinder, pulls the trigger.
Click.
Frustrated and near tears she pulls the trigger again and again and again, before her arm drops to her side and she gives up. Pocketing the gun, she puts on her jacket and makes for the door.)
CHRIS:
Stupid bitch.
ANNIE:
(Stops)
What?
CHRIS:
You need one of these, you stupid bitch.
(He doesn’t open his eyes but holds up a bullet.)
Can’t even kill me right, can ya? Get movin’, get the kids dropped off and get
back home. We’ll have us a little fun and you’ll forget all about wantin’ to
shoot me.
ANNIE:
Ya think so?
CHRIS:
(Grins and eyes her with undisguised
lust)
I know so. Now, git movin’ before I lose
my buzz and get pissed off.
(ANNIE nods and makes to exit.)
CHRIS:
Leave the gun.
(ANNIE pulls the gun out of her pocket and sets it down on the nearest piece of furniture.)
ANNIE:
You know what, Chris? I never meant for things to go so wrong. I never meant to
hurt anyone, much less my boys.
We went about things the wrong way. Exactly the wrong way. I knew that you and I were wrong together. Damn wrong and I own that. I’ve known since we met back in college. I admit it and I take responsibility for everything I’ve done. Everything I’ve fucked up. But, you, Chris, you have to take responsibility for your half of our relationship and its failure, dammit.
CHRIS:
(Just looks at her, bewildered and
blank)
Jesus Fuckin’ Christ, what the hell are you ramblin’ on about? Go get me some
fuckin’ Boone’s and shut the hell up. I don’t keep you around ‘cause I want to
hear ya talk.
ANNIE:
You know, Chris… I forgive you.
CHRIS:
Of course you do, darlin’. You always do.
(The two lock gazes. Something in ANNIE snaps and her gaze turns from sad and
forgiving to furious. CHRIS just grins at her.)
Doncha?
(ANNIE stays to watch CHRIS as he falls asleep and begins to snore loudly. She’s clearly deep in thought. But, decision made, she exits the trailer and off stage where we hear a car door open and firmly slam closed.)
ANNIE:
(offstage) Boys, I gotta go take care of somethin’. No matter what, you stay
right here in the car until someone comes to get you. Okay? Promise me? Good.
Garth, lock the doors. I’m countin’ on you, Garth. I need you to be the man of
the house for me. Got it?
(Re-entering the scene, ANNIE walks to the propane tank and turns a knob to
stop it’s flow. She then calmly enters the trailer and checks to see if CHRIS
is still alive before she quietly wiggles the stove out of its place, reaching
down behind it.
She then walks to the door and she pulls out a package of matches and lights one, staring at the flame as it burns out. Her hand shakes.
After a moment, GARTH enters, the two exchange a look as he takes the matchbook from her and strikes one with a shaking hand and determined expression.
Again, it’s allowed to burn out. GARTH takes a deep breath and moves to strike another one when ANNIE interrupts him.)
ANNIE:
No, possum. No.
(ANNIE takes the matches back decisively and quickly lights a match, calmly tossing it into a nearby trashcan, which ignites and begins to smoke. They take each others hand and exit. As the old trailer is quickly engulfed in orange light and smoke, ANNIE and GARTH loop around downstage, then stop for a moment to watch it smolder. CHRIS snorts awake into the conflagration, stumbling around in the smoke lost, drunk, and confused.)
CHRIS:
Annie! Annie!
(CHRIS finds his way to the door and attempts to leave, but the flaming trashcan is in the way. He becomes frantic, scrambling from window to window looking for a safe way out, continuing to cry out for ANNIE.)
CHRIS:
Annie!! Annie!!
C’mon, you gotta git me outta here.
(CHRIS kneels, coughing and beginning to succumb to the smoke. ANNIE purposefully walks to the propane tank and turns the knob once again. We hear a faint hiss before ANNIE and GARTH quickly and silently exit together to a BLACKOUT.
A moment, where we hear CHRIS continue to cough and cry, then the ground shakes with an explosion.)
CURTAIN.