Ten Minutes to Curtain by Trisha Sugarek

This Play is the copyright of the Author and may not be performed, copied or sold without the Author's prior consent

THE BULLY BOYS

Across the stage, opposite AAMIR, three boys are grouped around a
computer.

TAGGERT is at the keyboard. STEVE and JIMMY are laughing and
STEVE is egging "TAG" on.

STEVE. Write another one, Tag.

TAGGART. The little faggot opened that one. Here's a new one. [As
HE types, HE reads the IM outloud to HIS buddies.] “We don't want
you Muslim slant-eyes in our country. Go home! If you don't,
you'll be sorry.”

TAGGART clicks to send. STEVE and TAGGART laugh uproariously

JIMMY laughs because HE wants to fit in. HE is not totally comfortable with
what HIS buddy is writing.

JIMMY. Hey, guys! This is boring. Let's go throw a football around.

TAGGART. Are you nuts? This is the best fun I've had all week.
[Laughs.] It is our duty, as US citizens to root out evil wherever we
find it! [HE starts to type again.] Let's see how he likes this one.
[HE reads aloud as he types.] “You better not be in school on
Monday. We'll be waiting for you. We got a little surprise for you
that you won't like.”

STEVE. [Laughs.] Oh yeah, that'll scare the crap outta the little
four-eyes.

AAMIR can't help it; HE opens the two new IM's. HE reads them to
HIMSELF. HE makes a disgusted noise and closes the window. While HE
shuts down the computer.

AAMIR. [Mutters.] What a bunch of sick-os. You'd think they had
better things to do.

DR. CHANDAK. [OFF.] Aamir, come on, we will be late for your chess
competition. Traffic will be bad. Hurry, now.

AAMIR. Coming, Dad.

AAMIR rushes from the room.

SCENE TWO. Sunday afternoon. AAMIR sits at HIS desk, text books
around HIS computer. HE is busy typing a report for school the next
day. A bell alerts that an IM is coming in.

AAMIR. [Sighing.] What now? [HE clicks on the IM window. HE reads the
message and then begins typing furiously. Speaking aloud.] “Who are
you?”

Across the room TAGGART sits at HIS computer and types back, reading
aloud as HE types.

TAGGART. “Your worse nightmare. [HE smiles evilly.] Ready for
school tomorrow, douche-bag?

AAMIR reads the IM and then begins to type.

AAMIR. [Typing.] “Who are you!?”

TAGGART. [Typing.] “You'll find out if you've got the cachones
to come to school tomorrow.”

AAMIR. [Typing.] “I'm not afraid of you. You're a coward, you
know that? Hiding behind a computer.”

TAGGART. [Typing.] We'll see who's the coward when you go running
away screaming like a little girl. See ya tomorrow, slant-eyes.

Simultaneously, both BOYS close the IM windows and close down THEIR
computers.

DR. CHANDAK. [OFF.] Aamir! Come down now, dinner is prepared.

AAMIR crosses to the door and yells back.

AAMIR.I'm not hungry, Dad. I'll eat later.

DR. CHANDAK. [OFF.] You will come now, son. Your mother worked ever
so hard to prepare a family feast. You will not disappoint her.

AAMIR. [Sighing as HE exits.] Be right down, Dad.

SCENE THREE. The next day at school. AAMIR is walking to HIS next
class. TAGGART, STEVE and JIMMY are walking towards AAMIR. As the
three BOYS pass AAMIR, TAGGART bumps into AAMIR hard.

AAMIR. [Always polite.] Oh, sorry. Guess I wasn't watching where I
was going.

HE tries to walk on. The three other BOYS surround AAMIR.

TAGGART. You talkin' to me, nigger?

STEVE giggles nervously at the “n' word and JIMMY gasps at how
far TAGGART is taking this.

TAGGART. [Shoving AAMIR again.] Answer me, boy!

AAMIR. You're him.the one that's been sending me instant
messages.

TAGGART. [Laughing, HE speaks to his BUDDIES.] The guy's a genius,
figured it out all by himself that it was us.

STEVE. [Not to be left out, HE punches AAMIR on the arm.] A real
genius. Pretty smart for a black boy.

AAMIR. I am not African-American, I am Indian.

TAGGART begins to hoot and holler and starts what HE believes to be a
Native-American dance. STEVE follows HIS lead. JIMMY stands off to the
side watching. AAMIR starts to walk off.

TAGGART. Hey! Where ya goin'? Did I say you could leave?

TAGGART blocks AAMIR's path.

AAMIR. I will be late for class.

TAGGART. Oh, boo-hoo, he's “going to be late for class.”

JIMMY. So are we, Tag. We can't be late again or we'll be benched
Friday night.

TAGGART. [Gets in JIMMY's face.] Did I ask you for your opinion?

JIMMY. No.

STEVE. But, he's right, Tag. Coach warned us.

TAGGART. Yeah, like Coach is gonna bench me, the starting
quarterback? Riiiight!


THE “D' WORD

The living room of Richard and Polly' home. Evening. RICHARD and
POLLY sit as far away as THEY can from each other. Their son, JOSH
enters. HE has an IPod and earplugs in HIS ears.

JOSH. Whas' up?

RICHARD. Sit down, son.

JOSH. I got homework.

POLLY. Sit down, Josh.

JOSH begrudgingly crosses and sits.

POLLY. Where's your sister?

JOSH. How should I know?

RICHARD. Hey! Watch that tone with your mother.

JOSH. [Under HIS breath but still audible.] Whatever…

POLLY. Josh, a little respect would be nice…

SARAH's entrance interrupts POLLY.

SARAH. Hi Daddy. You're home early. What's going on?

SARAH crosses and sits next to HER father. RICHARD gives HER a hug.

RICHARD. Hi Baby. Your mother and I thought it was time for a family
meeting.

JOSH. What'd I do now?

POLLY. Nothing. And please take the ear phones out and turn off your
IPod.

With a sigh, JOSH complies. SARAH looks at her parents for several
moments.

SARAH. What's wrong? Why are you two being so polite?

RICHARD. Kids, your mother and I want you to know that no matter what
happens, we love you. But sometimes…

SARAH starts to cry.

SARAH. No, no, no, I don't want to hear this.

POLLY. Sarah, honey, we need to talk to you both…

SARAH. NO! Daddy, please don't say it. Please, Josh and I
will do better; won't we Josh. Please don't leave.
JOSH. Sar', what the heck are you blubbering about?

RICHARD. Sarah, calm down. I have to leave… you yourself asked me
why your mother and I fight so much. I'll see you a bunch, I
promise.

JOSH. Yeah. Like you're ever home now.

Ignoring JOSH, he continues to SARAH.

RICHARD. Honey, don't cry. You'll hardly know I'm gone.

JOSH. So nothing new there.

POLLY. Josh, you're not helping.

JOSH. So what? Am I supposed to be happy you two are getting a
divorce?

SARAH. Divorce? Oh, no! Please, Daddy, don't. [SARAH sobs.]
Please!

POLLY. Sarah, honey, let Daddy and I tell you kids what's going to
happen. That way you won't be so scared.

JOSH. I'm not scared.

POLLY. Your father and I have not been happy for some time now…

JOSH. [Sarcastic.] What else is new.

RICHARD. Josh, we need you to be respectful and a contributor. So cut
the smart remarks.

POLLY. Anyway, as I was saying, your father and I think that a
separation is a good idea. We're making everyone unhappy with all
the arguments and harsh words.

SARAH. Please, please, can't you love each other? Can't you just
get along?

RICHARD. It's not that easy, Princess. Sometimes adults, like your
mother and I, still love each other but they're not in love
anymore.

JOSH. [JOSH shoots a knowing look at RICHARD.]Or…they're in love
with someone else now.

POLLY. That's enough, Josh.

SARAH. [To JOSH.] What's that suppose to mean? [To RICHARD.]
What's Josh talking about, Daddy?

RICHARD. Nothing, Baby. Josh doesn't know everything.

JOSH. [Rises and exits.] I am so outta here.

RICHARD. Josh! You come back here.

SARAH. [In a tiny voice.] What's going to happen now?

RICHARD. Well, I'm going to move out and…

SARAH. NO! Daddy, please…

POLLY. Sarah, just hear us out.

RICHARD. I'm going to move out. I've got an apartment in town.
Just fifteen minutes away. You can come there whenever you want.
I've got a bedroom for you and Josh and..
.
SARAH. [Crying.] How can this be happening? Susan said to me the
other day how I was lucky that my parents were so solid. She hates
that her Mom and Dad are split up. How can I face her or my other
friends? [ SARAH rises. SHE turns to HER mother.] You did this!
You're driving him away! [SARAH rushes out of the room.] I HATE
YOU!

RICHARD. Sarah!

POLLY. [Sarcastic.] Well! That went well.

RICHARD. And I suppose that's my fault too.

POLLY. If the shoe fits…

RICHARD. Geez, Pol, give it a rest.

POLLY. How's Mary?

RICHARD. I'm not having this discussion with you again. Leave Mary
out of it.


PAN OF POTATOES

VIOLET. A hotel on Park Avenue. I'm winning!

LILLAS. Don't count your chickens, Vi, “til they're hatched.

LAVERNE. [Grumbling.] Darn old hens, anyway! Why do they have to be
molting right when we haven't any food in the
house? And what is “molting' anyway?

LILLAS throws the dice.

LILLAS. Damn! Jail, do not collect two hundred dollars.

LAVERNE. Swear word. I'm telllin' Mama.

LILLAS. No, you're not.

LAVERNE. Okay. What's molting, anyway.

VIOLET. They shed their feathers.

THEY continue to play; meanwhile, IVAH is sneaking HER hand back and
into the pan. SHE sneaks bites of the potatoes.

LAVERNE. Ugh! Then they're naked? Don't they get cold?

IVAH. Don't you know anything? Yes! They're naked and they're
so ugly your eye balls fall out.

LAVERNE. Really?

LILLAS. She's kidding you, squirt. They lose their old feathers and
as soon as one is gone they start to grow a new one. But, it takes so
much energy to do all that, they don't lay eggs.

THEY continue to play and IVAH continues to sneak bites of the
potatoes.

VIOLET. LaVerne, pay attention! You landed on Boardwalk.
You wanna buy a hotel or something?

LAVERNE. Lillas? What should I do? I don't have much money.

LILLAS. Go for it!

IVAH. [Talking with HER mouth full.] Yeah, buy a bootel

VIOLET. Ivah, what are you eating?

IVAH. [Swallowing quickly.] Nothing.

VIOLET. You are! What is it? I want some.

LILLAS looks from IVAH's guilty face to the pan on the stove.

LILLAS. Ivah! You've been eating our supper?

LILLAS gets up and crosses to the stove.

LILLAS. You have! You've eaten almost all of the potatoes.

IVAH. Well, so what. I'm hungry!

VIOLET. But Mama said that's all we have.

IVAH. Oh, Fiddleydee! She'll get some credit and bring back supper
fixin's.

VIOLET. What a selfish pig!

IVAH. Oh, shut up!

LAVERNE. You said, “shut up'. Ivah, I'm telling.

IVAH. You shut up!

LILLAS. What are we going to tell Mama?

IVAH. NOTHING! You know our code, “one for all and all for one'.
You can't snitch me out.

An hour later. MAMA enters. SHE takes HER coat and hat off. HER hands
are empty. The GIRLS all sit at the table, silent.

MAMA. Hello, girls. Sorry I was so long. That old skinflint, Levine,
refused me credit. Told me my bill was too high and to “bring him
some money, then the store was mine'. Old badger. [Silence.] Well,
never mind. It's bacon and spuds for us. Thank goodness we have
that. Put your game away now and set the table. [Silence. NO ONE
moves. MAMA looks at THEM.]What's happened? Who did what?

LILLAS. There's no bacon and spuds, Mama.

MAMA crosses to the stove.

MAMA. Of course there is. I fried them up this morning before I left.
Plenty for everybody….[SHE looks into the pan. SHE
turns.]....Alright, what happened to supper? These potatoes didn't
just sprout feet and run away. [Silence. The GIRLS look at each other
and then glare at IVAH.] Oh, I see. “One for all and all for one'
is it? [The GIRLS all stare at MAMA in shock.] You thought I didn't
know about your code of honor? [Beat.] You think anything in this
house gets past your Mama? [Silence.] Well? I asked you girls a
question. Are you going to tell me who did this? [Silence.]Well!
That's fine. Humph! “One for all,' is it? Well, good then all of
you will be punished equally. Until the guilty party confesses to this
greed, none of you are allowed to call me “Mama'.


THE WALTZ

A dinner dance. CONNIE and JOHN are dancing and the night is perfect
for love.

CONNIE. It's a lovely party, don't you think?

JOHN. A little too stiff for my taste, if you'll forgive me for
saying so, Miss Guyer.

CONNIE. Oh, no, there's nothing to forgive. It's pretty snooty
for my taste too. But the music's very nice. I love to waltz,
don't you?

JOHN. Not until tonight. With you, Miss Guyer?... I adore the waltz.
Have you lived in Seattle your whole life?

CONNIE. Oh, no. I was raised in a little town outside of Olympia.

JOHN. Ah, our state capital. I have visited Olympia several times. My
firm sometimes has a case that reaches the Supreme Court. What's the
name of your “little town'?

CONNIE. You've never heard of it. Tumwater.

JOHN. [HE grins.] You're right, I never have. Is your family still
there?

CONNIE. Oh, yes.

JOHN. What's so funny about that?

CONNIE. When people ask about my “family', they have no idea what
they are getting in to.

JOHN. Intriguing. Give me details.

CONNIE. Well to start with…I have a lot of brothers and sisters.

JOHN. Really? I have two of each myself. Five kids. What a mob
growing up.

CONNIE. Five? A mere pittance. Nothing remarkable in five….

JOHN. All right, Miss Guyer….out do me if you can.

CONNIE. Thirteen!

JOHN stops dancing and stares at HER.

JOHN. What?!

CONNIE. Shall we continue? People are having to dance around us.

THEY begin to dance again.

JOHN. Oh, yes, of course. Did I hear you correctly? You did say
“thirteen'?

CONNIE. Six sisters and seven brothers.

JOHN. [In awe.] Thirteen.

CONNIE. [Laughing.] Your mouth is open, Mr. Gibbons.

JOHN. Forgive me. I am stunned. Are all of the girls as lovely as
you, Miss Guyer?

CONNIE. Oh, no, Mr. Gibbons, I am considered the ugly one….

JOHN. Then the other sisters must resemble Diana and Venus if they
are more beautiful than you, Miss Guyer.

CONNIE. [Blushing.] Please, you're embarrassing me.

JOHN. I apologize. It's just that your eyes are so lovely. Your
gown matches them perfectly. And may I tell you a secret?

CONNIE. Yes.

JOHN. I was terrified that I wouldn't get an introduction and some
other man would sweep you into a waltz and you would be lost to me
forever.

CONNIE. Mr. Gibbons, please, we've just met.

JOHN. I am sorry. Let me find a safer subject. Tell me, what does
your father do?

Very proud of HER father, CONNIE sees no difference between their
social positions.

CONNIE. He's a woodsman.

JOHN. Really? I'm not sure what that means.

CONNIE. He works in the forest. He's hired by people to cut trees
and harvest the best wood. But he is very good at conservation and
advises the owners of the trees about seeding and leaving stands of
trees to propagate new growth….

JOHN is grinning at HER enthusiasm. CONNIE looks up and sees his
grin.

CONNIE. Oh! I am sorry. I tend to go on and on about things…
.
The orchestra has begun a second waltz. JOHN and CONNIE continue to
dance, oblivious to everything.

JOHN. Don't be. I find you thoroughly charming. You love your
father very much. And your mother?

CONNIE. She's the best. I admire her so much. She's strong,
witty, beautiful and wise. There I go again….I promise, I don't
usually talk this much…you are just so easy to talk with, Mr.
Gibbons.

JOHN. Would you even consider calling me John? I know that we've
just met. It's probably too soon. I shouldn't have asked…

CONNIE. [SHE interrupts him.] I would love to call you John…and you
must call me ConnieJohn.

JOHN. You don't think me too bold? I wouldn't offend you for the
world.

CONNIE. Not at all. Mama always tells me that I'm too bold.

JOHN. Well! Shall we be bold together?

CONNIE. [Laughing up at him.] Yes, yes!

JOHN twirls her round.

CONNIE. Oh, stop, stop, I'm going to fall down….

JOHN. And I'm going to fall in love….

CONNIE. Oh, John, you mustn't. It's too soon.
JOHN. I know but I can't help it. You are so refreshingly honest,
Connie. So genuine. The young ladies I meet are lovely people, I'm
sure…. but…. well…they all seem to have this calculating gleam
in their eye…and their Mamas… [Laughing.] ...make me want to run
for the hills.

CONNIE. Oh dear. Why?

JOHN. I'm what's known as an “eligible bachelor'. Very
eligible, they tell me.

CONNIE. Oh, I see.

JOHN. No, you don't see. Please don't look like that. I don't
want to be up on the marriage block, as my fraternity brothers say. I
don't want a bunch of greedy mothers arranging a marriage between me
and one of their daughters.

CONNIE. What does your mother say about that?

JOHN. Oh, she knows me too well to try to arrange anything. She's
great! She's always let me make my own decisions. My Dad's a
doctor and she was hoping that I would follow in his footsteps, so to
speak. But, the first time I saw a court room there was no turning
back for me.

CONNIE. When was that?

JOHN. When I was twelve. My Dad was a expert witness in a trial and
he thought he'd take me along so I could see how cut-throat lawyers
can be. Boy, did it back fire on Dad. Talk about love at first sight.
[HE gives her a meaningful look.] Say, twice in one life time. I've
set a record.

HE just gazes into his eyes, lost in the waltz and in the moment.

JOHN. I want to see you again….soon. May I?

CONNIE. Yes…oh, yes.

JOHN. When?

CONNIE. I don't know… next weekend?

JOHN. Oh, don't torture me…next weekend? That's too long.

CONNIE. John, you do know that we are being very improper, don't
you? You should meet my parents. But, they live four hours away, and
oh, it's all so confusing.

JOHN. If you want me to meet your parents before we go out, I'll
drive down to your little town of Tumwater. Don't you know that's
the least I would do for you. I want to do so much more..
.
CONNIE. You may call me this coming week and we'll arrange….

Suddenly CONNIE stumbles….then stumbles again.

JOHN. Connie, are you all right? What's wrong?

CONNIE has lost all beat with the music and stops dancing. SHE has
felt something wrapped around her ankles. SHE looks down and sees that
her drawers have fallen down around her ankles. SHE looks up at JOHN
mortified. JOHN is looking down and sees the same thing. Tears fill
CONNIE's eyes. JOHN speaks quietly so only SHE can hear.

JOHN. Connie, step out of them.

CONNIE. Let me go, Mr. Gibbons.[Struggling to be let go so SHE can
run off the dance floor.] I am so sorry….Please! Just let me go.

JOHN. Connie, do as I say. Step out of them.

Not knowing what else to do, CONNIE steps out of the offending
underwear. In one quick motion JOHN bends down and scoops them up.
Without a pause, HE puts HER underpants in HIS jacket pocket and then
continues to waltz. HE slowly dances around until HE reaches the side
of the dance floor.

JOHN. There. We made it with no one the wiser. I believe we will find
the ladies room right over there.

JOHN indicates a direction and guides CONNIE to the door.
JOHN. I'll wait right here until you have made the necessary
repairs.

CONNIE. No, please, John, don't wait for me. I'm going home. [SHE
puts out her hand and JOHN gives HER the drawers.] It was a pleasure
to meet you.

JOHN. Connie, please, this doesn't change anything.

CONNIE. Oh, yes, it changes EVERYTHING!

JOHN. Changes what I see in your eyes? Changes what I feel? A little
scrap of cloth?

CONNIE. Yes…“a little scrap of cloth'. [Heartbroken.]
Goodbye….John.

[end of extract]

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