Cannon-Final
- 1. Brittney Cannon Drama Writing Workshop Final Play 16 December 2016 A Brother’s Legacy WALTER Son of Maybelle and Tom, he is the oldest of his siblings. He is a quiet, strong young boy, who takes being the oldest child very seriously. TOM Married to Maybelle, brother of Joe, and father to Walter, Todd, and Helene. He is the patriarch of his family. He lives on his family’s land, and upholds the legacy of his family very seriously. Family is the most important thing to Tom. JOE Married to Anna Beth, Joe is Tom’s younger brother. He has no children, and left his family’s farm to pursue a law degree. He is a very successful and wealthy lawyer in Jackson, Mississippi. ANNA BETH Married to Joe, Anna Beth is a very well-bred young woman. Both beautiful and classy, she represents southern wealth and status. DONALD Donald is a psychiatrist and is completely in love with Anna Beth and the concept of being rich and establishing himself in the South as an honorable, wealthy man. MAYBELLE Maybelle is the picture of a southern woman. She is hospitable and kind while also being tough to the bone.
- 2. SCENE ONE We begin with dim lighting and a dull spotlight on a cluster of three people all circling a body to a safe distance. Most noticeably stands a proud and tall country man, TOM, of a humble appearance made shockingly regal through his countenance and posture. He is wearing a warm flannel over work jeans and beaten, cowboy style work boots. He has suspenders holding his pants in place. He has a rough appearance about his face, with either a face adorned with stubble that hasn’t been attended to in a few days or a ragged beard that is unkempt and untrimmed. His hair is cropped close and conservative, only parted in the haphazard way of brushing it over with his hands after a quick wash. His face is weather beaten, but at this moment it looks hard and stoic. In his hands is a wood plated over-under shotgun. It is open and he has it over his shoulder as is proper and safest. Standing just behind him is a comely woman, MAYBELLE. She is dressed similarly in her work jeans and boots, but she wears a plain fitted blouse. Her cheeks are rosy and her face is naturally beautiful in a mature way, without the aid of makeup or any exceptional means. Her hair is large and curly, but all she has done to restrain it is pin back the top portion. Her face is that of restrained horror as she peers around her husband in front of her. Directly across the body stands JOE, he has a youthful countenance about him, and his eyes are the widest and most horrified of the three. His hair is shaved on the sides and long on top, which he slicks to the side carefully. He is wearing a white button down and slacks, also secured with suspenders. His nice patent dress shoes are scuffed and generously dotted with mud. The body on the floor is laid out on his back, feet pointing toward TOM. He is dressed in dark pants and a dark overcoat, and his face it turned away from the audience. The setting is outside a traditional wood paneled house in a rural country town. The set features trees at the far sides of the stage to indicate that they are outside. MAYBELLE Honey, what have you done? TOM Maybelle, I protected family. That’s what we do when there’s a threat to one of our own. JOE You didn’t have to—how could you—I just—Don’t TOM I don’t want to hear it. Now before the body gets cold we’re just going to have to take care of business. JOE
- 3. Take care of business? TOM You go on and grab a shovel from the shed. Maybelle, check and see that the shot didn’t wake the children and come back with an old sheet. Something we’ve used on the animals and take care not to fiddle with it too much. (JOE doesn’t move and just continues to stare) Well, get to it, there’s a body here! (JOE takes off with a start, moving backwards keeping his eyes on the body at all times, skidding and tripping before briskly stalking off stage. MAYBELLE touches her husband delicately on his back with just her fingertips before exiting the opposite direction of JOE. TOM steps toward the body, closes his gun and sets it on the ground.) You’re in the real South now, and in the South, you get the harvest of the seed you sowed. Take that with you to the next life. (JOE runs back onto stage in a huff with mix-matched shovels.” JOE These are the only two that I could find. (MAYBELLE enters back as well, carrying a burlap sheet folded thickly across her arms. TOM takes it from her and sets it on the ground in a clumsy heap somewhat unfolded, just enough for the body to fit on it.) TOM May, you take his feet. Joe, grab an arm and help me get the body onto the sheet. (They wrestle with the body to get it onto the sheet, at all times facing away from the audience. Once the body is on the tarp. Each man takes a side and they lift it. MAYBELLE grabs the shotgun and two shovels and follows them as they move off stage. The light remains stationary and doesn’t follow them. Once they are completely gone, the light fades to black.) SCENE TWO TOM and JOE are walking side by side on the side of the road. TOM is dressed in courdoroy work pants and a white cloth shirt tucked into his pants, with the sleeves rolled up. JOE is dressed in nice shoes and dark slacks at this point coated to the knees with dust. He is carrying a small suitcase with a sportscoat tossed over his shoulder.
- 4. TOM Hotter today than it has been for a while. JOE (Pauses) You had to do it, didn’t you? TOM What’s that supposed to mean? JOE You know what it means. TOM No! No, I want to hear you say it. Go on, just say it. You got something to say, spit it out. JOE Just forget it. TOM Aw, just say it. Stand up to your big brother. Tell me! JOE You just had to forget your wallet. TOM Don’t you— JOE No, you asked me to say it. You wanted to save face, offer to pay for a cab ride home, no sure, stay with me, I don’t mind, but then you conveniently “forget” your wallet, because you knew I would cover for you, but I’m not going to, hell no I’m not. TOM I knew you would do this. You can never believe I’m just doing something nice for my brother. You have to analyze everything, this has that double meaning, every time. And now I have to hear about your big city paranoia after walking the four miles to pick your sorry self up in this heat. JOE
- 5. Then don’t forget your wallet when you call a cab in Mississippi. (Pauses) Could’ve at least “realized” after he dropped us off. TOM Aw, hell, Joe. You know I’m trying to do something nice here, but you never appreciate a favor. JOE Well, I just don’t see why you can’t just fess up. Admit that you don’t have the money. How did you manage to get yourself to the station without your wallet? How about that, huh? TOM To hell with this (Begins running ahead) JOE Really nice, Tom! Leave me with my bags! For a southern man, there’s sure no hospitality in you! (Pauses) Fine then! Go! Maybe I’ll come across a horse wandering by and ride that the rest of the way! (Another pause) So much for that heat! TOM (Slows down until he stops and turns. Shaking his head, he begins to run back.) You know what? I’m not some hot shot like my younger brother. I didn’t make it out to the big city—or any city at all, for that matter. You want to know why I forgot my wallet? Because there wasn’t a thing in it. TOM (Cont.) I can’t afford to take a cab back from the station. But I can always afford to not abandon my family’s land—no matter how badly it might be doing. JOE
- 6. Well, why’d you have to go and lie about it? If you had told me that, I wouldn’t have minded paying for the cab ride, but I’m not going to fund your lying problem. TOM You’re staying at this liar’s home, so watch your tongue. JOE (Slowly) Anna Beth is having an affair. TOM What? How do you know? JOE I walked in on them. In my house. In the bed I bought for her. For us. TOM I’m real sorry about that, Joe. I—I don’t really know what to say. JOE Well, now you know. That’s why I’m back here in Dead End, Mississippi. TOM The kids will be mighty pleased to see you. It’s been—golly, how many years has it been? JOE I couldn’t tell you. Last I saw, your youngest was missing half his teeth. TOM Did you know who it was? JOE Well, sure, little Benjamin— TOM No, not my kid—the man. Did you get a good look at him? JOE Some guy from the country club. I barely knew him. Played golf with him once, though. Lousy swing. TOM So what did you do? When you saw them, I mean.
- 7. JOE Nothing. I just grabbed my hat from the nightstand and left. She did a lot of crying, but I could barely hear anything. It all just kind of went, quiet, you know? TOM I don’t know, and I hope to God I never do. If I walked in on my wife in my bed, Lord, I’d raise some kind of hell. I’d kill him. JOE I’m sure you would. TOM So what exactly—I mean—How were they—Were they naked? JOE Jeez, Tom, quit it with the details. TOM Sorry, sorry. We’re coming up on the farm now. You can just barely see the house, but this here’s all our land. JOE Looks just the same as it did fifteen years ago. TOM I can just barely remember scrawny, fifteen year-old you being swallowed carrying bales of hay. You never were cut out for farm work, and then you were gone. JOE I held my own, you just never accepted that I wanted bigger things. TOM Still got the apples growing out behind where your room used to be. JOE Oh yeah? How are they doing? TOM Crispest apples I’ve ever tasted. Apples, oranges, lemons, cherries. JOE How are the crops? TOM
- 8. Corn’s not doing so hot, but I reckon the pumpkins will do fine. We’ll make some money for sure off those in the next couple months. We’ll do alright. I’m not too worried. The wife sure it, worries about it day and night, but I just say if the cow’s still giving us milk and the chickens ain’t greedy, we’ll get by. Just need enough for us to eat, anything we got to sell is just bonus. JOE You really did follow right in Pop’s footsteps. He’d be proud. TOM So what’s your plan now? JOE I haven’t figured it out yet. TOM Sell it. Sell the house, don’t tell your wife until the new folks come to move in. That’d be a nice surprise for her, I’ll bet. JOE I couldn’t leave Anna Beth out on the street. Her family is states away. TOM Doesn’t sound like she’ll be on the street to me. Sounds like she’s someone else’s problem now. Times like this sure make it nice that y’all never started a family. JOE Yeah. TOM I hope you’ll be able to handle our little devils running around your feet. JOE I’m sure I’ll survive. TOM You know, you’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like. Family is family. A piece of this farm will always be yours. JOE Thanks, Tom. TOM There’s Maybelle out on the porch. I’ll go ahead and tell her to brew up some ice cold sweet tea.
- 9. (TOM runs ahead and JOE is left alone walking with his suitcase.) JOE Well. I guess I’m back. END SCENE
- 10. SCENE THREE A posh penthouse apartment opens up, fifties style décor. Everything is very open and luxurious and bright. The front door is at one end of the apartment, leading into a large, open living room with an elegant statement painting. There is another door that leads to a bedroom with a grand, king sized bed freshly made and adorned with exceptionally nice bedding an opulent throw pillows inundate the headboard. Just past the bedroom is a bathroom with bright lights surrounding a large mirror and a vast porcelain sink beside a claw footed bathtub. ANNA BETH is a young, clearly high society southern woman. She is in the bathroom applying her makeup, already dressed in a brightly printed southern dress with her hair curled. DONALD enters through the front door and strides through the rooms with an ease and comfort as though it was his own apartment. DONALD Anna, dearest. ANNA BETH (Shocked, she caps her lipstick and stalks out to meet him on light dainty feet, charged with urgency.) What on earth are you doing here? Joe could be back any second! DONALD (Opens his arms up and gestures.) Baby, he’s not coming back. He left, and for a brief moment, let’s appreciate that we don’t have to hide. ANNA BETH But we don’t know! He could return at any moment and kick me out! What are we to do now? I’m too afraid to leave the house for fear that everyone already knows of our affair! Our plan is ruined! Ruined! Everything is ruined! DONALD Sweetheart, sweetheart, nothing is ruined. This is just an opportunity for us to get creative. ANNA BETH What do you mean, creative? (She folds into his arms and allows him to pat her hair while waiting expectantly for his answer.)
- 11. DONALD Well, first, we don’t know that he won’t actually kill himself now that he sees the most perfect, (Pauses to gaze at her.) gorgeous girl in the world is no longer in love with him. ANNA BETH For all he knows, I could just be a harlot, inviting everyone and anyone in my bed. He doesn’t know that you and I—what we have. DONALD Regardless, we can’t let chance decide our fate. We’ve got to take matters into our own hands. ANNA BETH What do you mean by that? (She pulls away from him embrace and steps back, not quite frightened, but not entirely comfortable either. Her posture is defensive and instinctual.) DONALD Where would good ole Joe run, Anna Bee? Hotel? Parents’ home? Is there anywhere he’s ever gone to get away before, like a beach property on the east coast? (After a brief pause.) ANNA BETH His family’s property. He’ll want to be around people right now, and people who aren’t a part of our social circle. It’s a ways away, outside of the city. That’s—That’s where he is. I’m sure of it, although he only has a brother out there now. A brother and his own family. DONALD Then that’s where I’ll go. ANNA BETH What?! DONALD We’re in too deep now, AB. We’ve got to go through with our plan, or we’ll lose everything. Don’t you still want to be together? Don’t you still have the same dreams for us that we did before?
- 12. ANNA BETH Of course I do! I love you! But how are we supposed to—to go along with the plan when he’s out there? What do you expect to do once you’re there? Don’t you think he’ll recognize you? DONALD Don’t you worry about it, my love. I’ll take care of everything. Now why don’t you and I take advantage of having this entire place to ourselves, and you get back in that bedroom. ANNA BETH (Giggling) Oh, I don’t know. Is this really a good idea? We’ve been caught there once before. DONALD Who cares? We can be as comfortable in there as we want. He’s gone, and, if our plan works, this will all be ours soon anyway. (He kisses her neck and guides her to the bedroom as the scene fades to black.) END SCENE
- 13. SCENE FOUR The scene picks up seamlessly where SCENE 2 leaves off. The stage is set for the inside of the plantation house. It is very sparingly furnished with a table set for four, despite it being a five person household, even without JOE. There is no running water, but there is a pitcher on the counter next to a chopping block. There is a large ice chest, as much of the food is hunted by the family if not grown. There is a simple water color painting hanging on the wall, nothing professionally done, but a pastoral piece that could have been painted by MAYBELLE. The structure itself is three bedrooms total, the children’s room, the master bed, and the kitchen area. The kitchen area is composed of pantries and a fire place, over which all meals are cooked. Despite the heat, the fire is lit, and there is a pot over it. There is nothing at all luxurious about it, but it is homey and warm, and the sounds of the children running into the room open the scene. JOE Hey, little fellas! (He bends down to accept two young boys, TODD and WALTER, ages 10 and 14 respectively.) HELENE I’m not a fella! (The youngest of the brood, Helene, follows softly behind her brothers, only 8 years old. She comes up holding a small animal in her hand.) JOE Of course, you’re not, princess. What’cha got there? HELENE (Holding out the animal.) This is Peter. He’s my sugar glider. TODD It’s a girl, but she still calls it Peter. HELENE He’s not a girl! TODD Is too!
- 14. JOE Now, now, unless there are two of them, I don’t really see why it matters one way or another. MAYBELLE Helene, why don’t you go put peter back in his box? The sun’ll be goin’ down soon, and then it’s time for supper. Walter, make sure y’all wash up, now, please? WALTER Yes’m. MAYBELLE (Wiping her hands on her smock-like dress, she ambles up for a hug.) It’s nice to see you, Joe. I only wish it were under happier circumstances. JOE ‘Preciate it. (TOM enters the room from outside.) TOM I can already hear that hicktown accent coming back into your cityboy mouth. JOE Believe it or not, brother, Jackson is still Mississippi, and Mississippi is still the South. TOM I ain’t never been to Jackson, but I know it’s a whole other world than Cleburne, and it sure as hell isn’t the South. MAYBELLE Oh, let him alone, Tom. You two go wash up while I finish putting dinner together. (TOM and JOE walk out the front door and off the stage. The sound of a hand pumped water well can be heard while MAYBELLE takes the pot off the fire and begins serving up plates of food on the table. The men enter as she sets the sixth and final plate on the table.) JOE It sure smells good, Maybelle. You do miss home cooked meals out in the city. Anna Beth… (His countenance physically drops and there’s a healthy pause.)
- 15. JOE (Cont.) Well, she didn’t cook. TOM Those yuppie city ladies never cook. They never take the silver spoon out of their mouth long enough to learn how to use a wooden one. MAYBELLE KIDS! Supper is served! (The kids all file in eagerly. The two youngest have wooden stools in tow from their room. They squeeze in wherever they find the room to sit around the table.) MAYBELLE (Cont.) Now, who wants to say grace? HELENE I do! I do! MAYBELLE Did you wash your hands? HELENE Yes, Ma. MAYBELLE Did she? (She looks pointedly at WALTER.) WALTER She did, Ma. Let’s eat. MAYBELLE Alright, let’s bow our heads and close our eyes. (The heads at the table all bow down over clasped hands. JOE pauses for a moment, looking around, until he sees HELENE peeking at him through one opened eye, patiently waiting for him to oblige. He starts before clasping his hands and closing his eyes like the rest of the family.) HELENE Dear, God. Thank you for our food, and for our family, and for forgiving our sins. Thank you for Peter, and Uncle Joe coming to visit. In Jesus name we pray, amen.
- 16. ALL Amen. TOM Dig in! (Not soon after the first bite.) TODD Uncle Joe, how big is your house in the city? (WALTER kicks him under the table and gives him a dirty look.) Ow, what? JOE It’s quite alright. I don’t live in a house, actually. It’s an apartment. I work in the city, and when you live right in the city, it’s much easier to get an apartment. HELENE Why do you live in the city? JOE Well, that’s where my job is. I’m a lawyer, and there’s more work for lawyers in the city. MAYBELLE Your uncle is a very successful lawyer, and puts a lot of bad guys in jail. TOM And helps a lot of rich people stay rich. TODD I want to be a rich lawyer when I grow up, too. And then I can have a ‘partment in the city. WALTER You have to have good grades and go to law school to be a lawyer. JOE That’s true, so work hard, you hear? What about you, Walter? What do you want to be when you grow up? WALTER I want to take up the farm, and be a farmer, like my Dad and Grandpa. TOM
- 17. That’s right, he does. MAYBELLE Well, all this talk about business is making me itch for something sweeter. Would anyone care for some taffy? I think we have some from town left over. JOE I think I’m actually going to head to bed. I’ll just set up a cot in the shed. MAYBELLE Are you sure? JOE Yes, thank you so much for dinner. It was delicious. G’Night, all. (JOE exits through the front door.) WALTER How come Uncle Joe is staying with us when he’s got all that money? TOM Because he’s family, and family is always welcome under this roof, young man. WALTER I know—I just meant— TOM Hush up. It’s time for bed. Clean your plates, wash your faces, and your mother and I will be in to say goodnight in a few. (The children’s chairs scrape back, and they reluctantly do as their told, dragging their stools back off the stage where they came from.) MAYBELLE You don’t think we should tell them? At least Walter? TOM I think Joe would really rather they didn’t. MAYBELLE This is a good thing you’re doing for him, hun. TOM Yeah. END SCENE.
- 18. SCENE FIVE The kitchen is illuminated by natural light through the window dimly as the sun has freshly risen. MAYBELLE is fixing breakfast, and TOM can be heard waking the children in the other room before entering the stage. Not very long after, JOE comes in from the opposite door, having come from outside. His hair is wet and tousled, and he is in a fresh set of dress shirt and pants, complete with suspenders. His shoes are not quite as nice, but no where near work boots. TOM Someone’s up with the chickens. JOE Exactly that, actually. I had forgotten how close the coop was to the shed. TOM I bet that’s not something you’re used to. JOE Believe it or not, brother, I had some pretty early mornings back home. MAYBELLE That’s right, Tom. You’re not the only man in the state to have an early morning, so I don’t want to hear you complaining about it. TOM That’s all fine and dandy, but most don’t wake up early to lay some fences and work the land. There’s a difference between a hard day’s work and waking up, sitting in an office, then sitting at a bar. JOE Oh, is that what I do? TOM It’s what you do out there, but when you’re here you’re not getting a free ride, you hear? Now change out of that costume. You can borrow some of my clothes. JOE I would be happy to help, but I was actually hoping I could go to town and get some work done. TOM Work? There’s plenty of work to get done right here. Why do you need to get out to town to work?
- 19. MAYBELLE Let him be, just because he’s out here doesn’t mean he can just abandon his work. Now set yourself down and have some breakfast. KIDS NOW, IT’S BREAKFAST TIME. (The kids enter the room and pick up plates, eating as they stand around their room, holding their plates in their hands.) JOE Thank you, Maybelle, I appreciate that. Actually, I wanted to go to town—to draw up—some papers for Anna Beth. TOM (Snorts.) Good. MAYBELLE (Sharply, to her husband.) Tom! (More softly towards her brother-in-law.) So you’re ready after all. (WALTER is very clearly listening to the adults’ conversation, but not quite comfortable jumping in.) JOE Yeah, I was up thinking about it last night. You know, Tom said it yesterday. I’m not going to leave the house I paid for with her living in it. She’ll get exactly what she is owed. Half of everything that is ours, and I want her out of the penthouse. WALTER I heard lawyers shouldn’t represent themselves. (The adults all stop and turn to him for a moment, but he meets their gaze and continues to chew.)
- 20. JOE Well, Walter, that’s normally the case, and when this goes into dispute, and we’re actually talking about who gets what in the divorce, I will get alternative representation. In the mean time, drawing up divorce papers is pretty straight forward. Then I’ll just pop them in the mail and send them to the house, assuming she’s there. TOM Son, since you’re so interested in the topic, why don’t you walk your uncle down to town? WALTER Yes, sir. JOE We’ll head out right after breakfast, so chow down. WALTER (Placing his plate abruptly on the table.) I’m done. JOE (Taking one last bite, before placing his plate on the table.) Alright. Enjoy your day of farm work, everyone. We will enjoy our time on the town. MAYBELLE Have fun, sugar. Joe, make sure you’re both back by sundown. TOM The two of you, don’t get used to it. Tomorrow is back to farm work. WALTER Yes, sir. JOE We’ll see. END SCENE.
- 21. SCENE SIX Here we open on a diner. It is a very lack luster, yet comfortable diner. It has vinyl seats and checkerboard tables. There are only a few tables in the establishment, and a bar, but most of these are filled. DONALD is seated at the bar in inconspicuous clothing, wearing a hat and overcoat, crouched over a plate of food and sipping from a coffee mug. WALTER walks in to the diner with the dinging of a bell and seats himself at the bar as well. WAITRESS (She is in about her mid thirties, and despite being rather soft around the edges, she is a handsome woman. She regards WALTER pleasantly.) Walter, what on earth are you doing here? WALTER My uncle is in town, and he gave me money for lunch while he works. WAITRESS Well, what can I get for you? WALTER I’d like a ham and cheese sandwich, French fries, and a chocolate shake, please. WAITRESS Sure, honey, it’ll be right out. (As she walks away, DONALD turns his attention to WALTER.) DONALD You’re sure hungry, there, boy. WALTER Yes, sir. DONALD Listen, I take it you don’t live in town. Have you heard of a man by the name of Joe Sanders? WALTER Yes, sir. He’s my uncle. DONALD How about that. What did you say your name was?
- 22. WALTER Walter, sir. Walter Sanders. DONALD Now, listen here, Walter. It is very important that you don’t tell your uncle that I asked for him. WALTER I beg your pardon? DONALD (Frustrated, DONALD pulls a card case from the inside of his coat. Opening the case, he pulls a single business card and hands it to WALTER.) Can you read to me what it says there, son? WALTER Doctor Donald McCarthy, MD. DONALD That’s right, I’m a doctor—and not just any doctor. I’m a psychiatrist. Do you know what that means? WALTER Yes, sir. You’re a head shrink. DONALD I’m your father’s head shrink. When he left, he worried a lot of people. I’m sure you heard what happened with his wife. He’s in a very delicate place, Walter. Can you promise me that you won’t tell him that I asked about him? WALTER Sure—uh, yes. Sir. DONALD Atta boy. Remember, you’re keeping this secret because it’s better for your uncle. It’s better that I talk to him myself. (WAITRESS walks to the front of the bar to pick up WALTER’s food, but WALTER interjects.) WALTER Can you put that in a box for me, please?
- 23. WAITRESS But what about your milkshake, doll? WALTER Just forget the milkshake. I just realized I’m running late. WAITRESS Suit yourself. (She packages the food up and hands the box to WALTER, who immediately stands from the table and heads for the door. DONALD calls after him.) DONALD Don’t forget what we talked about, son! (WALTER exits onto a coarsely paved road and sees JOE heading toward him.) JOE Why are you leaving? I thought I would join you, I just got done. WALTER I—I really think that we should just head back. JOE Alright, but only if you split that sandwich with me, kid. (WALTER opens the box and hands half of the sandwich to his uncle, who also reaches over and steals a few fries.) END SCENE
- 24. SCENE SEVEN The scene opens for the first time on the shed JOE has been sleeping in. It’s very clearly not a homely place, and the only signs of his having slept there is his open suitcase with clothes draping off it, and the cot, which has a thin bed pad with a blanket over it and a pillow. JOE is sitting on the bed, polishing his shoes. All around him are various odds and ends, like shovels, lawn mowers, and two by fours littering the background and edges of the set. From a door to the outside, WALTER enters. It’s clear that it’s night time, and JOE is getting ready for bed. WALTER Uncle Joe? JOE Walter, come in. WALTER Can I talk to you? JOE Sure you can. What’s on your mind? WALTER Is it okay if I ask why you and your wife are getting divorced? (JOE takes a deep inhale and leans back on his cot. He sizes his nephew up with his eyes.) JOE I guess that’d be alright. I caught her with another man. After seeing that, I just got myself a hotel room, stayed put for a couple nights, then called your dad. Told him I was coming out for a visit. WALTER What did you tell your wife? JOE Nothing. I just left. The first she’ll hear from me is when she receives the divorce papers. Then I guess I’ll have to go back to go over everything. Take the apartment back. WALTER Can I ask you something else? JOE I can’t imagine what could be more personal after that.
- 25. WALTER How did you tell your grandpa that you wanted to go to college? (JOE takes a deep breath, before clapping WALTER on the back.) JOE I didn’t. I just applied, and told him once I got in. I told him I was going to pay for it myself. WALTER And what did he say? JOE He didn’t say much. It took him a while to get used to the idea. I think your grandma had something to do with it. We didn’t talk much until I left, or while I was at college, but he was there at my graduation. Are you thinking applying? WALTER I don’t know. I love the farm, but I just feel like there’s more for me to learn out there than what I’m learning on the farm. JOE You could study farming in college. That is an option. WALTER I wouldn’t want to leave my dad alone to work the farm. JOE He’s got your brother and your sister, which is more than my dad had when I left. WALTER Do you think he would forgive me for going? JOE Walter, family is the most important thing in the world to your dad. There’s no way he would let anything come between the two of you. He might be mad for a while, that’s guaranteed, but you won’t be cut out. (There is a heavy lull in the conversation.) Listen Walt, don’t worry about it. Your dad wants you to be happy. WALTER Thanks, Uncle Joe.
- 26. (He stands and moves toward the door.) WALTER (Cont.) I’m sorry about your wife. Goodnight. (WALTER exits. JOE pauses for a moment and stares toward the door after him before laying back and putting himself to bed.) END SCENE
- 27. SCENE EIGHT The scene opens in the penthouse to ANNA BETH anxiously pacing in the front room. The phone rings and she darts toward it, picking it up delicately in her fingers and cradling it with both hands. ANNA BETH Yes, hello? (On the other line.) DONALD Darling, I’ve found him. ANNA BETH Oh, Donald. I’ve been so worried. DONALD You have nothing to be worried of, honey. ANNA BETH What’s all happened? I need to know what’s going on. DONALD I met his nephew. ANNA BETH You what? DONALD Now, hear me out— ANNA BETH Does he know who you are? How could you be so stupid! DONALD He thinks I’m his doctor! I showed him one of my business cards and told him that I was Joe’s doctor. Sweetie, it’s fine! It’ll all be fine. ANNA BETH You’d better be sure about this, Donald. DONALD I am, dear. I’m acting tonight. ANNA BETH Call me tomorrow, if you can.
- 28. DONALD Of course. If all goes well, I’ll see you tomorrow. ANNA BETH Good-bye. (She places the receiver down for only a moment before rapidly picking it back up and dialing.) Mother, I think I’ve made a mistake. (The audience can’t hear the other side, but can assume by the pauses what is being said.) There’s another man, and he and I were going to do something awful, just awful. We had planned to kill Joe. Donald, the man, he’s a psychiatrist, and he filled a prescription for depression medication under Joe’s name. This was all until Joe found us, and now Donald has gone after him to try to poison him and force him to take the pills so that it looks like a suicide, and I don’t know what to do. I just feel like everything is falling to pieces! (Pause.) For the money, Mother! I love him. I love Donald, but what if this all goes wrong? (Pause.) Alright, I’ll see you soon. I love you. (ANNA BETH hangs up the phone and surrenders herself to sitting on the couch and weeping.) END SCENE.
- 29. SCENE NINE The scene opens where Scene One opens, outside the house, clearly at night. DONALD enters from one side, clasping something in one hand and a knife in the other. He stalks to the middle of the stage and peeks in through the window. Seeing nothing he pauses for a breath before looking back over his shoulder. In the shadows on the opposite side of the stage, WALTER enters, spotting DONALD. He exits briefly and comes back with his father’s shotgun in his hand. He steps from the shadow and takes aim with the gun. DONALD catches sight of him and leaps back. DONALD Son, what are you doing? WALTER I’m not your son. What are you doing coming around my property at night with a knife. I thought you were a doctor. DONALD I am! I am! This is just for self defense! WALTER I don’t think you would need defending if you came around when the sun is up and knocked at the front door. DONALD It’s more complicated than that. (Without warning, WALTER shoots him point blank in the middle of the chest, and he falls back to the ground. WALTER, shocked at even his own actions, drops the gun and steps back. Out of the house shoots TOM, staring incredulously at his son.) TOM Walter, what have you done? WALTER This man was coming for Uncle Joe! He was asking about him in town the other day, saying he was his doctor! Then I was leaving the shed from talking to Uncle Joe, and I saw him sneaking around and looking in the windows! TOM Grab that there, what’s he dropped? (WALTER moves over toward the object DONALD had been holding in his other hand. He picks it up and hands it to his father.)
- 30. TOM (Cont.) This is a pill bottle. WALTER Sir? TOM Was he holding this in his hand? WALTER Yes, sir. TOM This has your uncle’s name on it. WALTER Was he—was he really a doctor? Daddy, did I kill a doctor? TOM Let me ask you something, Walt. WALTER Yes, sir. TOM Did your uncle seem like a depressed man to you? WALTER Sir? TOM Did he seem depressed? Not sad, but depressed like his head is messed up. WALTER No, sir. I think he was upset about his wife, but I don’t think he was depressed. TOM Tell me one thing. Why did you do it? Why didn’t you come wake me, or go back and wake Uncle Joe? WALTER I—I really thought he was up to no good. I thought he came for Uncle Joe, and Uncle Joe is family. You always said family is the most important thing. I didn’t really think, I just acted. I’m so sorry, Pa.
- 31. TOM Son, I think you might’a done a good thing. Family is the most important thing, and don’t you forget it. Now hand me that shotgun. WALTER Sir? TOM Go on, I’ll take care of this. (WALTER reaches down and grabs the gun, opening it and removing the second, unused bullet. He reaches over the body and hands the gun to his father.) You go on and get in bed. For the rest of your life, you have no idea this happened, you got that? As far as your mama and your uncle are concerned, I shot him. Now get. (Walking backwards for a moment in disbelief, WALTER takes off into the house. TOM stares a moment at the body in silence. He exits off stage for just a moment, before returning with his wife.) This is him. MAYBELLE Oh, good Lord, no. TOM Go wake my brother, will you? He needs to get out here. (MAYBELLE wordlessly exits and returns with JOE.) JOE What is it?—Is that…? TOM I shot him for trespassing on my property. JOE That’s him! That’s the man—the man with my wife. MAYBELLE Honey, what have you done?
- 32. TOM Maybelle, I protected family. END SCENE