Harris- can you get it?
Figure:
A lot of things happen to us each day. We get up go to school or work, we talk, we laugh…we play. But what is it that makes a life? Is it possible to pin point the moment when everything changes…the turning point of a life. Perhaps for you it was that glorious nostalgic day now fuzzy and out of focus lingering in your list of fondest feelings when you met your true love. Or was it perhaps the instant when your doctor said ‘I’m terribly sorry….you have second stage lung cancer….’?
No there is something deeper at work. A terrifying reality that is so simple and obvious that we simply overlook it at every turn. Its not the big moments and momentous instances but the minutia of life that brings us to the light of meaning. Perhaps the tiniest thing…a break in a train of thought leading to an infinite number of new ideas…a chance meeting making you late for a scheduled one and thus you lose your job etc…
For the purposes of our journey together we will see the possible permutations of one man’s life in a day…his name Beau Shoemaker.
One: Beau does not know were here…this is just another day to him
Two: Time goes on ever and ever, that wont change….
(lights up on a ticking clock)
And finally, Three: this man (lights up on poor man in long coat) is carrying a gun…
(Loud buzzer…its morning Beau jolts up and looks dazedly around the room…The phone next to his bed rings)
Beau:
(groggily) Hello? Hey Lisa….look Im sorry about last night, I dunno what was going through my head……yes I know it meant a lot to you….Look Lis I’m sorry I just haven’t been myself lately………..I know…….Yeah…..Today? Not much I have to take the bus up town to see Otto about my raise….yeah it is good news….then I was thinking Id go by the store and get some milk and eggs…ya know…….Yeah sorry….Christ I have to get going too…..Love you babe…Yeah I will….. (Hangs up …sighs begins dressing)
(lights up on bus stop…Beau is there waiting…enter Wanda a destitute woman maybe forty, the two stand Beau trys to avoid her)
Wanda:
You don’t have to be rude….dosent anybody say hello anymore? Society is in the crapper I tell ya…one big turd just waitin to get suck down the drain. I don’t even know what the whole things about I mean…its just one big waste…
Beau:
(startled…)
Sorry….Hi….You waiting for the bus?
Wanda:
(looking annoyed and a bit upset)
Of course im waitin for the friggin bus…this is a bus stop you moron…no manners no brains……(sighs dramatically) youth is wasted on the young….
Beau:
Look lady I didn’t do anything to you….I was just tryin to be nice…whatever
(Turns away….takes out a cigarette…no lighter…Turns back)
Lady….M’am..you got a light?
Wanda:
(Irked beyond words)
Mother of God….do I look like a walking convenience store….yeah I got a light …Fetch you ungrateful delinquent!
(throws the lighter a few feet …off stage)
Beau:
(embarrassed and mad…jams his hands into his pockets)
Screw this Im walking……(muttering) delinquent…what the hell was her problem….damnit all…..Im gonna be late
(Lights up on convenience store Beau enters…looking dejected and tired looks around trying to see where they keep the milk…The man in the coat enters….the store clerk is absorbed in reading the paper….A cell phone rings its Beau’s)
Beau:
(during the following conversation…the man in the coat gets increasingly anxious and looks around…the clerk is still oblivious…)
Hey…yeah I did….no….its bullshit something about cutbacks…yeah I know but anyway…My raise has to wait until at least next month prolly a lot longer….screw it………..Yeah sure…..I wouldn’t miss it for anything…I’ll be there cleaned up and smiling……you bet….Love you too…see ya in a bit.
(the man in the coat whips around suddenly, desperately gun in hand…as he does this another man enters a detective…he reacts quickly shouting and drawing his own weapon…the clerk drops the newspaper…a beat…..)
Cop:
Drop the gun….you don’t want to do this! C’mon lets just talk this out…just take it easy
Clerk:
Oh god! Don’t hurt me (hysterically) Oh god Oh god…
Cop:
Please sir, just put the gun on the floor and its all gonna be fine…
(the man in the coat sobs, then screams and shoots the clerk….the cop fires hitting the coat man and as he falls he fires again….as this happens Beau drops to the floor…the coat man’s shot hits the cop and he drops down dead…..a beat Beau gets to his knees and looks around…..he begins to cry and runs off stage Blackout)
(The lights com up on Beau asleep in bed)
(Loud buzzer…Beau hits the snooze button instinctually…a beat…another buzz and the phone next to his bed rings several times before he moves to answer)
(groggily and annoyed) Hello? Hey Lisa….look Im sorry about last night, I dunno what was going through my hea……yes I know it meant a lot to yo….Look Lis I’m sorry I just haven’t been myself lately………..I know…….Yeah…..Today? Not much I have to take the bus up town to see Otto about my raise (he glances at the clock) Shit! Im gonna be late…What!? No …..Lisa please…I know I know six o’clocl…(begins rifling through clothes and tring to get dressed) Right Im sorry ….Im sorry ok?.....Love you too…bye….
(Is obviously upset finishes getting one shoe on and bolts off stage)
(lights up bus stop Beau runs on….Sam is walking away from beau listening to head phones and fiddling around in his pocket for his keys)
Beau:
(sees sam and calls to him)
Hey man!.....Sammy! yo!
Sam:
(he turns around and takes off the phones surprised)
Hey Beau….What the hell are you doin down here man don’t you have work?
Beau:
(out of breath)
Yeah yeah man I think I missed the bus…
Sam:
You sure did it just drove by…hey no big deal I’m headed down town myself Ill drive ya…
Beau:
Thanks man….hey can you take me by the quickstop after work?
Sam:
Why not what the hell else am I gonna do
(they walk off)
(Lights up on convenience store Beau enters with Sam…looking perturbed and tired looks around trying to see where they keep the milk…The man in the coat is in the store already….the store clerk is handing the cop his change for a pack of smokes….)
Sam:
Well man look its not that bad…yer still makin more than me and I work like twice the hours you do…
Beau:
Your right whatever…its just till I finish night school anyway….Man Im beat…Lisa is gonna be pissed if I don’t make that things at her parent’s place tonight….uhhg man this whole thing is such pure unadulterated crap…
Sam:
Well look at it this way you could be working in a hellhole like this. As it is ya got a great girl…a decent job I mean…your getting by things will look up eventually…ya just gotta keep telling yourself tha-……
(the man in the coat walks up to the clerk and pulls out a gun…yelling about the cash register..the clerk stares at him terrified….the man whips around to face a stunned sam and beau….the yells at them…as he does this the clerk pulls a gun…coat man tunrs back to face the gun, he drops to the floor the clerk fires hitting Beau…Sam drops to the floor and coat man shoots the cowering clerk and runs out…Blackout)
(The lights com up on Beau asleep in bed)
Loud buzzer…its morning Beau jolts up and looks dazedly around the room…The phone next to his bed rings)
Beau:
(groggily) Hello? Hey Lisa….look Im sorry about last night, I dunno what was going through my hea……yes I know it meant a lot to yo…(begins to sneeze…) Hang..Hang on a sec (loud sneeze….second loud sneeze)…..Thanks….what was I saying (annoyed at the lack of tisues begins looking around for a suitable make shift handkerchief) ….What?...Damn it Lisa I didn’t mean that and you know it…whatever….Look I have a lot to do today…I have to go see Otto…..You know what about I told you last night….(frustrated) yes Lisa I did tell you…..look …..no I am not trying to get rid of you I just have to get going soon….OK OK…..What? that’s tonight damn….Alright I’ll make it…six o’clock…fine…yes…I love you too babe…(hangs up forcefully)….Damn it…..
(rifles through the clothes on the ground puts on shirt and quickly walks off….a beat…Beau reenters mutterin…) you jackass kinda need yer wallet….(looks at clock) balls….
(lights up bus stop Beau walks on he has missed the bus….stands and stares off fuming)
Beau:
(cell phone rings….he looks at it)
Otto….(turns it off)
Whatever…I’ll get there when I get there…
(Jake enters riding a beat up old bike…)
Hey kid!
Jake:
(stops…and looks at Beau)
Beau:
(walks toward jake….)
kid you know what time it is….?
Jake:
Yeah (looks at watch)…..eight forty two…
Beau:
To hell with it Ill never make it in eighteen minutes….
(a beat….jake starts to ride away..Beau is hit by a thought)
He kid wait a minute! Ill give you twenty five bucks for your bike…
Jake:
(surprised an obviously interested)
I dunno I think you need it worse than that….
Beau:
C’mon kid Im serious….fine whatever make it thirty
Jake:
(beaming)
Sure man take it….
(Beau pays him….)
Beau:
(counting)
twenty nine…crap…that’s all I got….
Jake:
Hey I’m generous take it for twenty nine….see ya man (walks off happy)
Beau:
I cant believe I just did that….damn it…
(gets on and rides off)
(Lights up on convenience store Beau enters…he moves fast to get a gallon of milk and a carton of eggs)
Beau:
(to the clerk who is deeply engaged in the sports section…Motioning to the food stuffs)
All this…..and…hey man can I get a pack of Camel lights?
Clerk:
Hey man its your money whatever you want to pay for you can have….
Beau:
Son of a bitch!....(rifles through his pockets)
I don’t have any cash….
Clerk:
Well like I said you can have whatever you pay for…..
(goes back to sports page…)
Beau:
Lisa is gonna be so pissed…..
(sets the milk and eggs back on their respective shelves and walks out…he bumps into a man in a coat going the opposite direction)
Hey….excuse me…sorry man….
(walks off stage……lights dim as the coat man draws a gun on the clerk….Black out)