FARMLAND A Full Length Play by JOHN MONTELEONE CONTACT: e-mail: writing@johnmonteleone.com PO Box 2723 Sag Harbor, NY 11963 IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING PRODUCTIONS STUDENT CLASS PROJECTS If this is for a student class project you may use this text or sections of it free of charge but I want to know that you're doing it for my resume and would love a video tape of the production, and/or quality rehearsals. PRODUCTIONS OF ANY KIND OR LEVEL You may read and use this text-based script for considering work but if you want to produce my work as a student, amateur or professional production you must purchase scripts from me online and pay royalties per performance. __________________________________ Copyright 1997 by John Monteleone All Rights Reserved Registered with WGAE Copyright 1988, 1989 and 1990 by John Monteleone All Rights are Hereby Reserved CHARACTERS: MAW PAW SAM FREDDY SUEANNE MAN (I.R.S. Agent) HOWARD (Banker) MAYA (An illusion) SHERIFF PLACE: A farm. Many acres. TIME: The present. SET: Purity and a feeling of "home" must be significant in the essence of the set at the beginning of the play. The theatre should be turned into a farm house that appears at first sight, to be set in the 1800's or earlier. The upstage wall is made of wood planks joined together. Above it, is a house peak, that also can be used to project photo's. Real wheat stalks should be used as a wheat field, merging from off stage right into a porch area. Behind the wheat stalks is a raised platform that actors can stand on, so they appear to be in the middle of a field. Stage right is a raised platform made of weathered wood, that serves as the porch and creates levels. On the porch, there is a green screen door with steps leading into the house area. Other steps lead up to it. Also on the porch, dead center, are two old rocking chairs. In the house area is a kitchen table and six chairs, upstage left. A refrigerator upstage center with an old stove next to it. A cupboard upstage left. Perhaps a coat rack on the upstage wall. A couch and an end table, down stage right of the kitchen area. Keep it minimal. Guns, candles and other items are hung on the upstage wall. Music plays during the pre show, intermission and end of the play, coupled with projections on the house peak of contemporary landscapes, beginning with the pure and ending with the polluted. ACT 1 Scene 1 As the play opens there is no electricity in the house. It has been turned off by the electric company. The mood is eery and solemn from the two or three candles which have been placed on the set by the family. The audience sits in the theatre looking at the bare set. Sam enters carrying the furry carcass of a deer he's just shot. The deer has no head or legs, (although it could) and is slung over his shoulders. He's a big burly man with a thick beard and overalls, White dirty long john shirt, heavy work boots and a coat. He crosses down in front of the set slowly, talking to himself bitterly, weighed down by the animal, and crosses from stage left to right, then turns up stage, climbs the steps onto the porch, crosses upstage to the screen door, opens it and enters the house area. He slams his boots on the stairs, and looks sadly into the house. He then enters the house area. SAM (bitter, to himself) Ya look around at all the silence and there's nothin'. Like a meadow. Sittin' there all alone. Like it's waitin' fer somethin' to come along and take it home with it. Nothin' nowhere. Peace. Then all of a sudden it hits yer. BANG! WHAM! (sound of a truck engine) ERRRRRRRRR! Some kind of obnoxious noise like that. Everythin' movin' in on yer territory. Angrily dumps the deer down center in full view. SUEANNE (off stage) YOU'RE A FILTHY SICKENING LIAR FREDDY! Sam grabs a candle, breaks it viscously and quietly while speaking. SAM So yer pull inside. Yer search fer shelter. Quick an' easy. That's what happens almost always. Like a big fat ol' turtle. The noise shrivels yer up inside like ya wanna curl up into a ball and go right back to the beginnin' 'fore it all came ta bein'. Like that. FREDDY (off, to sueanne) I PAID THE BILL SUEANNE. HONEST I DID. I PAID IT WITH MONEY. MONEY SUEANNE. MY MONEY. MY HARD EARNED DOLLAR BILLS. HONEST SWEETHEART. SUEANNE (off) THEN WHY'D THEY TURN IT OFF?! FREDDY (off) MUSTA BEEN SOME KINDA ERROR DARLIN'. SUEANNE (off) YOUR LIEIN'. FREDDY (off) NO HONEY. HONEST. I'M TELLIN' YER THE TRUTH. We hear the sounds of pillows hitting freddy off stage. SUEANNE (off) YOU STOP YOUR GODAMNED LIEING TO ME. SAM (rips a cupboard door off the hinges) Like a flower bein' stepped all over. Like that. Yeah. Like a ...a... pack of geese floatin' on the water mid-fall and two hairy fisherman come rollin' in on a skif with a loud gasoline engine and propel themselves right through the pack 'stead o' goin' 'round 'em and the geese take off down the lake like a sculpture of wings runnin' away from the disturbance. SUEANNE (off) THEN WHY'D THEY TURN THE ELECTRICITY OFF? HUH? FREDDY (off) GOT ME. I DON'T KNOW. They enter Sueanne chasing freddy with the pillow. Sam pays little attention. He continues to do destructive things to the house and to himself. SUEANNE THEN WHY'D THEY REVOKE OUR CAR INSURANCE AND TAKE THE PLATES AWAY? FREDDY HONEST SUEANNE I DON'T KNOW. MUST BE A LOT OF ERRORS GOIN' ON. SUEANNE YOUR LIEIN' AGAIN! FREDDY NO HONEY I WOULDN'T LIE TO YA'. SUEANNE WHAT DO YOU TAKE ME FOR YOU FAT OVERSTUFFED LIEIN' BASTARD? YOUR AN EVIL MAN FRED. AN EVIL MAN. RIGHT DOWN TO YOUR CORE. ROTTEN AND FULL OF LIES. AN EVIL LIAR. FREDDY (like a child pouting) I am not. Sueanne begins slapping him wildly, chasing him all over the house. SUEANNE DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE NOT A LIAR. YOUR A GODAMNED WORLD CLASS CHAMPION LIAR. THAT'S ALL YOU ARE. A FOOLS LOSER. FREDDY I'm a boxer. Not a liar. I lost a fight. SUEANNE YOU LOST "THE" FIGHT. YOU LOST THE FIGHT THAT COULD CHANGE ALL OUR LIVES. AND NOW WE GOT NOTHIN' BUT YOUR LIES AND NO MONEY AND NO HEAT AND NO... FREDDY (softly) I'm a fighter. SUEANNE OH YEAH? FREDDY YEAH. SUEANNE THEN PUT 'EM UP FATSO. They begin fighting. She very aggressive and he very offensive, careful not to hurt her. SAM (does something destructive) Like a peaceful lake sittin' there, not doin' nothin' to nobody and along comes some developer who wants to develop some oh so necessary product and plops a gigantic factory at the neck of the river leading into the lake and pours some toxic chemical into it like he has the right... FREDDY KNOCK IT OFF! They stop. SAM Makes ya wanna jus' curl up into a ball. FREDDY WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TALKIN' TO? SAM Nobody. SUEANNE NEVER MIND WHO HE'S TALKIN' TO. WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT? FREDDY I won't talk to you when your like this. SUEANNE OOOOOOOOOOOOOO.... Exits off left. FREDDY It ain't healthy to talk to yerself Sam. Paw taught us that. SAM Shut up Fred. SUEANNE (off) FREDDY GET IN HERE. FREDDY YOU HURT ME. SUEANNE NOW. FREDDY Ask nice. SUEANNE NO. FREDDY Then I ain't comin'. SUEANNE (nicely) FREDDY. FREDDY (like a little boy) Wut? SUEANNE COME IN HERE DARLING. FREDDY You're actin' again Sueanne. SUEANNE No I'm not honey. I want you. FREDDY Yeah? SUEANNE (off) Yes sweetheart. Real bad. FREDDY Yeah? SAM Almost everywhere there's someone tryin' to seduce you into gettin' yer ass kicked so they can go to the bank with yer wallet. FREDDY You better see a doctor Sam. SUEANNE (off) Freddy honey ... I'm naked. FREDDY QUIET SUEANNE SAM'S SITTIN' RIGHT HERE. SUEANNE I'm smooth darling, real smoooooothhhh. FREDDY SUEANNE WHERE'S YER MANNERS? Smooth, huh? SUEANNE Very. FREDDY (to Sam) You didn't hear any of that did ya? SAM No. FREDDY 'Cause it was directed at me. SAM Yer my brother. FREDDY So? Jus' don't go gettin' any ideas. SUEANNE I'm waiting. SAM She's waiting. FREDDY Comin' honeypie... (to Sam) Jus' don't go gettin' any (points to his groin) ideas... SAM O.k, I won't... Freddy exits smiling. SAM Everywhere you turn there's someone either attackin' yer or seducin' yer or steppin' all over yer territory... As Freddy enters offstage we hear some moaning followed by freddy's groan. He's been kicked in the groin and will continue to groan throughout the scene. SAM (smiling and mocking) ...Then some newscaster smiles at yer face with his bran' new caps and tells ya about some nice all American family that's moved in on the lake maybe a mile, mile 'n a half down the curve so they could live in peace with each other in the calm serenity of nature and they all die of some kind of horrible cancer but nobody can prove it come from that factory whose smoke stacks pour out thick black gook into the mountain air... SUEANNE GOTCHYA! Freddy groans loudly in agony offstage. SAM (kicks the dead deer hard) Caught me a beaut. SUEANNE (off) SON OF A BITCH YOURSELF. YOU DESERVED IT. FREDDY GOT ME RIGHT IN THE NUTS... OWWWWWWWWWWW! SAM Right between the eyes. BANG. WHAM. (laughs). FREDDY BITCH BITCH BITCH. Sueanne and freddy fight some more, making much noise. The sound of a jet airplane approaching low over the house is heard in the distance. It grows louder and louder. SUEANNE (off) I'LL CASTRATE YOU LEAVIN' ME IN THIS GODAMNED CANDLELIGHT LIKE SOME PRIMITIVE SETTLER. YOU PROMISED ME THINGS WHEN WE GOT MARRIED. YOU PROMISED ME A LIFE. Smashing sound offstage. The jet gets louder. FREDDY CUT IT OUT NOW OR I'LL GET MAD SUEANNE. Freddy pulls himself out of the room entering the stage left area. He pulls himself out helplessly and in agony, falls flat on his face stage left. SUEANNE BIG MR. BOXER. I'M GONNA MAKE MILLIONS HE SAYS. AND NOW LOOK AT YOU CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR LIKE A FETUS! ASSHOLE! The jet swarms the house so loudly that everyone has to stop. They all look up and follow the sound across the stage and off into the distance. SAM I swear to God one o' these days one's gonna take the house right along with it. Lift it right off the foundation. FREDDY (to Sueanne) I'll stop treatin' you like a gentleman if you don't cut out this here violence. SUEANNE I WANT A DIVORCE. SAM (thrilled, like a child, looking out over the audience) I shot it right between the eyes. I stalked it for an hour. Moved in on 'er real slow. Crept up on it like a city. Then, when it saw me, right when it recognized me for what I was, my threat, right then, in between the onset of terror an' 'er move to spring outta the way to escape, I pinned er' down PING! And she fell like a lamb. SUEANNE I WANT A DIVORCE. FREDDY ...YOU ... GOT..... IT... UGH... (moans in agony). SAM I wanted to eat it. I saw her it there in the woods nibblin' away at the grass an' my mouth started to water. So I shot 'er. We ain't got no more money to buy stuff, so I'm settin' us up that's all. Shootin' 'em and stuffin' 'em in the fridge right there. Sam opens the refrigerator and it is stuffed with dead animals, eyes and mouths open with almost comical expressions on their face. Their bodies are contorted and squeezed together in absurd positions. SAM Then we're safe. We're alright then. So long's we got us a roof and fridge, we're alive. So I stuffed 'em in there. We got duck, goose, pigs feet, cow, some fish outta the river. An' I'm gonna eat it too. Every last one of 'em, even if the river's contaminated. Even if it's unhealthy. At least we're alive. We're alive right now an' we gotta eat. Even if we know we'll die from it tomorrow. Right Freddy? Ain't that the way we're livin'? Freddy moans. SUEANNE Where's the phone? SAM Who knows, everybody 'round here's flipped his cork these days 'cause of the foreclosure. Nobody's got their natural good sense about 'em. Everything's up in the air while our feet're still on the ground. Go bitch to someone else willya. SUEANNE WHERE'S THE PHONE SAM? I NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE. SAM Everything'll be alright...I guess. (to deer) Don't worry about nothin'. O.K? (pause) It didn't hurt did it? The bullet went right into yer heart I think. That shoulda made it quick. Was it quick or did you suffer? I'm sufferin'. SUEANNE WHERE'S THE GODAMNED PHONE?! WHERE'S THE PHONE? SAM (to deer) Everyone here's sufferin'. At least you didn't suffer. I hope you didn't suffer. If you did, I'm sorry, but I had to shoot yer. You was there. You made me hungry and I needed you. I couldn't have yer any other way. So yer dead. But I didn't want it to hurt. I wanted to kill you but not hurt you. I hope it didn't hurt. I know it killed yer that's fer sure. But it didn't hurt you, did it? HEY I'M TALKIN' TO YOU BITCH? YOU DEAF? (kicks the dead deer) Gee, I'm sorry. I can't seem to help myself these days. I'm all...uh... SUEANNE WHERE'S THE GODAMNED.... (sees the deer) AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH. SAM Oh calm yerself woman can't yer see I'm talkin' to the deer. At least she's got herself some manners. SUEANNE WHAT? SAM Don't talk back or nothin', now does she? Ain't causin' me no pain, is she? This here deer cares and at least she shows me some consideration. More than you do. All's you think of is yerself woman. Me me me me me. That's the beginnin', middle and end of yer thinkin'. That's 'cause yer a Cosmopolitan. A Vogue. A Cosmopolitan Vogue someshit or other. Yer hip. In style. That's why ya always got yer face in a mirror mornin' noon 'n night breakfast lunch and dinner. So shut up when I'm talkin' to someone else. SUEANNE What? A train is heard approaching in the distance. SAM Why don't you learn yerself a lesson from this here dead piece of meat not to interrupt someone when they're talkin'. Yer so damn impolite woman - someone should shoot you, BANG WHAM! Maybe Freddy'll shoot yer. Or maybe ... someone else. SUEANNE (sees the deer) Oh my god! SAM I'm sorry I talked to yer that way Sueanne. I don't know what came over me. I'm... uh ... SUEANNE AHHHHHHHH!!!!! SAM You want me to move it? SUEANNE AHHHHHHHH!!!!! The train rushes by and they all have to stop talking for a moment, as they look in the direction that it moves across the stage. SAM I swear to God one o' these days one o' them damn things is gonna pass right through the livin' room and take us all on a one way trip into hell... SUEANNE YOUR ALL BEASTS. OH MY GOD, WHAT AM I DOIN' HERE? SAM Naw Sueanne. Naw. Jus' people. Livin' in good ol' mother nature. (very bitter) Survivin'. We're the morality here on earth. Like good' ol' take the land away and shit in yer face Howard, right? Nice folk that mean well. Are you mad at me fer tellin' the truth Sueanne? Like everybody else? Huh? Are you mad at me fer speakin' up? I really wanted to blast that purty little deer bitch away. It was an honest reaction. I didn't fake it like them politicians do behind all the garglin' about patriotism and all that. I just killed 'er. No need fer all that cosmopolitan imagery, like you, yer manners an' all. Just BANG! Shouldn't honesty make me feel better. (begins to cry) Come on now, I'm all... uh.. give me a hug. SUEANNE Don't touch me you filthy beast! SAM You don't have to call me names. That ain't nice. Don't take it so hard. It's nothin' new. We've been killin' critters fer years. It's here to be used now ain't it? That's why it's alive. To be eaten. Used and abused like us now ain't that right Sueanne? Come on now speak up yer got yerself a college education. Help me out and talk with some insight or somethin'. Don't jus' fret about it. She won't go to waste. Sueanne kneels down and pets the dead deer. SUEANNE Oh, you pretty thing. I'm so sorry they did this to you. SAM We'll use it fer stuff. Make a new coat fer you. Pretty deer skin coat. Turn eyes when yer walk into town. Or maybe just some venison soup, or steak or maybe bread it into cutlets. With some Chaini, or some Rose... Wouldn't that be a nice dinner? Huh? We could wear nice clothes, dress up the table with our finest silverwear and crystal glasses, an' cut into her dead, breaded flesh, smilin', an' chewin' makin' eyes at each other at how good she tastes. Raise our eyebrows up like this, take a sip of wine. Play footsies under the table an all. I could do that. Won't take a minute. All's we gotta do is chop its head off. That takes only a minute. Gotta watch the neck vein though or the blood jus' spill out all over. Then slip the knife into its belly and pull it down and with one swipe of yer hand yer reach inside, grab a hold of its heart and pull down so's all the organs come with it and dump right down there in the ground buried outta sight so we can pretend it never happened. Sorta like Howard's doin' to us. Nice a pat an' legal. After the messy stuff is done, then all's that's left is to cut off its legs, and its tail, rip off the skin and hang 'er up to rest in the cold room. Sorta like we'll be when he's all through with us. But don't fret Sueanne, it won't hurt 'cause she's dead. See wut I mean? Stone dead. I think - unless its fakin' it. SUEANNE Poor sweet thing. SAM (guilty) Wut do ya want me to do, drop it in the woods out there outta yer sight so some coyotes or wild boar eat it? Not after wut I went through ta kill 'er. SUEANNE Where's your mind Sammy in your ass or what? SAM No Sueanne no, it's in here right in here. Where it belongs. In my animal body. We could even eat it raw, but it won't taste as good. Need to cook it, burn its flesh or it just don't have that good, dead taste we all love so much. Know what I mean? (pats his chest) SUEANNE You and your brother have turned into beasts. Fighting with one another. You can't stop what's happening by killing everything Sam. Killing doesn't work! SAM Tell that to the deer. She's dead. It worked real good, Sueanne. Everybody's been killin' each other and everything all my life. It's around, in and on everything, Sueanne. Or didn't yer notice? We're not beasts. We're jus' uh.... jus' yer know. We're... uh... FREDDY Civilized folk. Freddy rises all at once holding his groin. FREDDY Commere Sueanne commere... Freddy tries to run after Sueanne but can only wobble and trip. He chases her around the room. Sam stands center and does not help. SUEANNE DON'T JUS' STAND THERE SAM, HE'S MAD. SAM Yep he's mad alright. Mad at you fer kickin' him in the nuts again. Yer oughta learn that's not the way to a man's heart Sueanne. FREDDY COME ... HERE ... SAM See what I mean? Maybe yer oughta read one of them inquirin' magazines, it'll tell ya how to love a man. Recipe's fer everything these days. Right on the supermarket stand. (sadly) So long's yer got the money to buy the food 'stead of havin' to kill it yerself and get called a beast fer doin' it. SUEANNE HE LAYS A FINGER ON ME I'LL SUE YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU OWN. SAM Threatenin' us ain't the best way to get help ya know. You gotta be a little more diplomatic. We have to help each other out Sueanne. It's the American way. SUEANNE STOP HIM SAM... PLEASE... SAM Wut's in it fer me? SUEANNE Freddy... honey... Freddy honey... now calm down, o.k.? FREDDY TRYIN' TO TAKE MY MANHOOD AWAY AND THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW. COMMERE. I'LL SHOW YOU WHO'S A LOSER WHO'S FAT. COMMERE BITCH. He chases her. She retreats. SUEANNE Look I'm ... I'm sorry o.k.? I'm sorry Freddy ... I lost my temper. I'm upset. FREDDY SO AM I. SAM Maybe yer oughta try food Sueanne. Food's worked fer centuries on the beast in us men. Maybe yer oughta try perfume or somethin' like that..... That's the kinda thing you gotta try.... this brutality approach is jus' not workin' out. Don't be stubborn now. SUEANNE I'm sorry.... FREDDY No yer not. Yer scared... yer jus'.... (moans) ... scared. Freddy hits the kitchen table and falls on top of it stomach first like a hunk of dead meat, face out toward the audience, his arm hanging helplessly off the table. SAM Come on now kiss and make up yer makin' to damned much noise. Come on now Freddy, cool down. She apologized... FREDDY My balls are busted... my balls feel like chop meat... ugh... an ...an... you ... you want me to apologize? SAM It was jus' a suggestion. I thought it might stop yer war. SUEANNE I gave up an acting career to be with this hunk of dead meat. I left New York City, Equity call backs, and agents lookin' up my dress to be here with that fatso. FREDDY IT AIN'T FAT. It's muscle. SUEANNE IT WAS MUSCLE, NOW IT'S FAT. FREDDY Maybe jus' fat muscle? SUEANNE Maybe jus' a fat head! SAM Killin' her won't solve the problem of yer smashed and bleedin' balls Freddy. Freddy pulls himself off the table clumsily and still in pain. The chase continues. FREDDY (to Sam) WUT IS IT SAM? YOU NEVER HEARD OF REVENGE? I WANT REVENGE. NOT PEACE. UGGHH... (he collapses) Jack Hammers are heard outside in the distance. SAM I swear to God the noise on the farm is jus' gettin' way outta hand. Yells out toward audience. SAM HEY! HEY! Jackhammers continue. SUEANNE I left my mother and father on Long Island. The sandy black beaches. Malls and more malls. Stores of every kind to come here and live with you 'cause you promised me adventure, romance, love and wealth. You promised me that heavyweight gold metal championshim money and now all I've got is bruises, a refrigerator full of unskinned animal flesh no electricity and a car without insurance, gas or plates. I WANT OUT FATSO! SAM Where's Maw Fred? She comin' back today or wut? Sam sits down on the couch again and cleans his shotgun. FREDDY She's over at Aunt Jessibell's makin' honey tarts and apple pie fer Thanksgivin'. SUEANNE You broke your vows to me even then. You lied to get me here and now you're lieing to keep me here. FREDDY You were on the street and had no money. Nothin', an' I came along and saved yer. SAM Should I pick her up or will Aunt Jessibell Drop 'er off? FREDDY Got me, better call 'er. SAM Good idea. Sam begins looking for the phone. SUEANNE Just come down from your over bloated macho ego trip fat head. I'd be a star by now if you hadn't come along with those big baby blues and a sack full of liein' dreams and promises. FREDDY You didn't have to come along Sueanne. You could o' stayed there on the cement and traffic. SUEANNE I NEEDED A VACATION NOT A HONEYMOON. FREDDY SO LEAVE NOW. GO ON. GET OFF YOUR ASS AND GO. Sam finds the phone. SUEANNE I'M STUCK UP HERE. I'VE GOT NO WAY TO LEAVE. YOU'VE TRAPPED ME IN HERE LIKE A WILD ANIMAL. The jackhammers stop. SUEANNE I WANT OUT! OUT! FREDDY YOU GOT IT. YOU GOT IT! SUEANNE I DON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE! Freddy stops. Complete silence. He looks at her for a long time. She at him in shock. Sam stops dead and looks at them. FREDDY (like a boy pouting) You never said it to me like that before. SUEANNE It just came out. FREDDY You mean it? SUEANNE I'm not sure. I'm all confused. FREDDY (on the verge of tears suppressing them) I love you Sueanne, no matter if you love me or not. SUEANNE Oh, now, don't cry... Commere you big lovable bear.. She hugs him, he bends down and hugs her. As he straightens up, she rises off her feet leaving her legs dangling. SAM (pause. Taps the phone) The phone's dead. Freddy you pay the bill? FREDDY I thought I did. SUEANNE The phone's dead. Freddy? The Phone Too? Let me outta here. She storms out stage left. FREDDY Now see wut you went and done. Right in my favorite part. Makin' up. He goes after her. FREDDY HONEY PIE, DOLL, NOW COME ON. SO WE'RE GOIN' THROUGH SOME HARD TIMES BUT THINGS'LL GET BETTER, I PROMISE. Sam alone on stage, screws the receiver off the phone and the mike dangles out of the phone handle. He taps the phone, listens and slowly hangs it up. Fade out. End of Act 1 Scene 1 Act 1 Scene 2 It's night. Pitch black. Silence. In the dark a pool of light comes up on PAW standing down stage right by some dead corn stalks that sit at his feet. He drinks from a flat whiskey bottle, sitting on a hay bundle and talks to himself. PAW Paw don't talk to himself. That's right. Paw never says nothin' to himself. Jus' works his butt off, while his family goes bonkers on 'im. Well well well. Look at that there now. I haven't looked in the mirror in twenny seven years. No more chin. No more ridges in m' face. How do ya like that. Didn't have the time, Elmer. Didn't have the time. Well well well. That's too darn bad now ain't it. Not to have the time or good sense to look in the mirror once in a way. Well, that's the ticket, an' nothin' more I can say about that, now can I. Nope. Jus' about torn up the word pile in me. No need to talk to m'self, or you, or no one else neither. Nope nope nope. Seems I can't stop m' mouth from blatherin'. Got nothin' to say really 'cept that I'm unhappy 'bout losin' m' land. But you don't wanna hear about that. Do ya, Elmer? Nope, Elmer. Don't wanna hear about that. No way. No how. Jus' want small talk an' Jay Leno--if we had us some 'lectricity. But we don't. Don't even got Jay, to soothe our worn out souls from a hard day of Americanizin'. Well well well. Nope nope nope. Don't got much then do we now. Can't even really call us American no more now that Jay's off the air in our house. An' Thanksgivin's comin' up on us. Well well well. What can I say 'bout that. Nope. Not much. No Leno, no cable, no wheat or corn, jus' a bunch of machinery that works but got no soul behind it. That's 'bout it, Elmer. So... What are ya gonna do now? I don't know, Elmer. I think I'll go mosey on over to the haybarn, an' think about talkin' to m'self. That's about it. Thanks fer listenin', Elmer. Ya welcome, Elmer. Take it slow now. Take it slow. Ok. Bye. Ok. Bye. He walks off. The next day. Morning. The light fills the stage. The dead deer is gone and now it's skin has been made into a round rug, the tail still present. The sound of metal clanging, like two pipes being smashed together for no apparent purpose but to make noise, is heard outside. A continuous clanging. Almost rhythmic. Maw enters carrying a full bag of garbage in a green hefty garbage bag slung over her shoulders. Maw is a seventy five year old women of pioneer stock. Long dress, black shoes, a shawl and round specks with a head of white hair rolled into a bun. She systematically dumps the garbage on the kitchen table and begins to sort the good food and useful items from the bad. MAW (entering) Mus' you bang pipes like that every day Sam? There's got to be better things to do then smash old plumbin' pipes again and again. Go milk the cow or fix the fence or somethin'. Didn't you ever watch Lassy or Little House on the Prairie or Bonanza? Why can't you act like a real ranch hand? You dress and look like one. SAM (off stage) I'M FRUSTRATED. Maw sniffs the air and it smells. MAW (emptying garbage on kitchen table) Fools o' Nature. One lot after 'nother. Yer make love and nine months later you got a soft skinned innocent thing layin' there in a crib lookin' at yer bewildered at its own existence and 'fore ya know it yer got a two hundred an' fifty pound bearded ape who's got nothin' better to do but bang pipes in the back yard on one o' the prettiest fall mornin's I've had the good luck an' pleasure of seein' in seven an' a half decades... SAM (off) I'M FRUSTRATED MAW. MAW (on) WHAT OVER? (complaining) Fer Pete's sake yer wipe their be-hinds 'till yer can't stand the stink an' clean them up day after day after day, night after night - an' we didn't have stuff like huggies and pampers and whatnot nosirreebob, none of them put em on, pull 'em off, roll 'em up an' throw 'em out in the green hefty garbage bags with the extra easy ties, no sir we had to clean an' wipe an' wash an' powder yer poo poo offa yer an' the diaper in a scrub tub. You think that was a square dance Sammy? Wipin' yer poo poo an yer pee pee offa everythin' day an' night? Do ya? SAMMY No mam an' thankya fer yer trouble but I had nothin' to do with it... MAW SHUT UP. You think I like to see you like this son? It tears my heart right outta me to see you all upside down boy. I don't know... I jus' don't know wut's goin' on in this house of ours no more... It's a void Sam. Yer know that don't yer? A big, black, endless, meaningless, void right here in the center of my guts, when I come home from the garbage dump sortin' the good food from the bad ('cause we're devastated here) to see a grown, good lookin', strappin' cowboy's butt bent over stickin' me in my face smashin' together two plumbin' pipes for no apparent reason. WHAT CAN MAKE A MAN SO FRUSTRATED THAT HE'D SMASH PIPES? WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN ANYWAY SAMUEL? SAM (off) I'M FRUSTRATED 'CAUSE I'M ALL OUTTA BULLETS AN' WE AIN'T GOT NO MORE MONEY TO RELOAD. I'M FRUSTRATED 'CAUSE I AIN'T HAD MY HANDS IN THE SOIL FER YEARS... I'M FRUS.... MAW OH FER PETE'S SAKES. Yer send 'em off ter school fer years an' years. Every damned mornin' makin' peanut butter an' jelly sandwiches, a nice red apple an' some money to buy themselves a container of milk, an' they grow up to become dumber than their teachers. SAM (off) I'M ANGRY MAW. THAT'S WHY. MAW (violently) STOP MAKING THAT NOISE RIGHT THIS MINUTE OR ELSE. The clanging stops. SAM (runs on) Yer got a dollar Maw? MAW NO. NOW GET. GO MILK A COW OR SOMETHIN'. Yer started out cryin' in yer crib wakin' me up all hours of the night to breast feed yer an yer still buggin' me fer somethin'. When are you boys gonna grow up an' leave the nest? Send me an' yer paw some money once in a while 'stead o' grubbin' an' grubbin' an' grubbin'? SAM Tomorrow? MAW Yer still keep me up with yer shotguns an yer yellin' an'screamin' an' now this thing with pipes an' noise. It's too metallic Sammy. Too, too metallic. I Come from the land boy yer know that. I can't go on like this Samuel. (pause) WUT SMELLS? SAM I'm sorry Maw. MAW I've had it rough yer know. I still got pioneer stock in m' thank the good lord or I'd be institutionalized with this family. SAM No one needs us no more. We're a statistic. MAW Yer a stupid boy Sam. Yer know that? SAM No mam ... MAW Yer one o' the stupidest men I've ever known an' I'm not proud to say that it all started with me an' yer paw. We're part of the crime. WUT SMELLS? SAM See the buckskin rug? I shot it and sewed it. MAW THAT'S WUT SMELLS. YER GOTTA DRY IT OUT SAM. OH GOD YER SO STUPID. SAM I'm sorry Maw. MAW YOU SHOOT EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING THAT WALKS. That's not polite Samuel. SAM I can't help it. MAW Dumb dumb dumb. SAM Come on Maw stop pickin' on me. I'm not dumb. I'm jus' confused. Like everybody else. I don't know what morality to believe anymore Maw. Yours or theirs. MAW Who's? SAM Theirs. MAW Get outta here and do some work around this house before it starts to decay. Go on! Wut do I look like, an image? Is that wut I've become 'round here, an image? Is that my destiny? Don't jus' stand there like a retarded mule when I'm philosophyin'. Answer me. SAM No, yer not jus' an image Maw? MAW Wut am I then? SAM More than an image. MAW I am? SAM Yessem. Much more. You're a statistic. MAW GET! Sam runs off pouting and angry. MAW Never seen anything like it in my life. Between the two of 'em there's over five hundred pounds of flesh and six an' a half ounces of smarts. A bulldozer is heard starting up and moving offstage. Then the sound of a building being destroyed by the bulldozer. MAW Dear Lord, wut now? She looks out the kitchen door. MAW DEAR LORD, GOD ALMIGHTY JESUS HIMSELF! HE'S.... SAMMY? SAMMMMMY? DON'T! The sound of a wood building being hit by a bulldozer is heard. A loud thud, bang and crunch. MAW SAM! OH MY... She runs to the phone and dials emergency, simultaneously calling freddy from his bedroom. The phone is half apart from act one scene one). MAW FREDDY, GET UP GET UP SAMMY'S TEARIN' DOWN THE GARAGE! (to phone) HELLO? HELL... WUT IN THE WORLD? She runs back to the door. More destruction sounds. MAW SAMMY I'LL DISOWN YOU I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL! NOW STOP THAT. SAMUEL, PUT DOWN THAT BULLDOZER. Freddy enters in his boxer shorts and white tee shirt, half asleep in a daze. FREDDY WUT' GOIN' ON NOW? MAW FREDDY STOP HIM HE'S TEARIN' DOWN THE GARAGE AGAIN. FREDDY WHO? MAW SAM. FREDDY (running off) SAM. SAM. MY MASERATI... Sueanne enters in her robe carrying a cosmopolitan magazine and ignores everything. Goes to the refrigerator and opens it to reveal the unskinned dead animals. She gasps, then gets milk and proceeds to make her coffee from the mister coffee machine. MAW OH DEAR LORD FORGIVE ME, I'VE BRED A MONKEY IN A MAN'S BODY. Sueanne sits. SUEANNE What's all the noise over this time? MAW Sammy's tearin' down the garage again. SUEANNE I thought it was a barn. MAW It was. SUEANNE With his hands? MAW Lord girl, can't you hear it? SUEANNE What? MAW The bulldozer. SUEANNE Is that what that noise was? MAW You deaf? SUEANNE Sounds like New York. Sueanne sips her coffee. MAW (runs to the door) OH DEAR GOD SAVE US FROM THE MANIACS OF THY EARTH THY MINDLESS DESTRUCTIVE CREATURES WHO ACT MORE FROM THY GROIN THAN FROM THY GOOD BRAINS YOU BESTOWED UPON 'EM. DEAR LORD GOD ABOVE CASTRATE THEM ALL. FORGIVE ME FER SWEARIN' BUT I'M JUS' SO PISSED OFF LORD. (she makes the sign of the cross) SUEANNE What good's that praying going to do? Shoot the Shithead. MAW The lord hears our prayers. And don't curse at the kitchen table. SUEANNE I'm sorry Mrs. Smith. MAW We don't question the Lord in this house young lady. There's a reason for all of his actions. Freddy tears in rubbing himself to get warm. FREDDY THAT NUMBSKULL'S JUS' TEARIN' THE GARAGE DOWN PIECE BY PIECE. MAW WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP THE ASS? FREDDY HE'S DRIVIN' WITH ONE HAND AND HOLDIN' HIS SHOTGUN IN THE OTHER. MAW DAMN BRIGHT FOR A MULE. WAIT. FREDDY HE'S OUT. FREDDY Yep. Right out back. MAW No. Outta buckshot. He jus' told me so a minute 'fore he started destroyin' the tool shed. FREDDY Ya' sure? MAW That's what he said. He's too stupid to lie. FREDDY In that case... Freddy grabs a kitchen chair and runs out again. MAW WHERE YOU GOIN' WITH THAT? FREDDY OUT. MAW FER WUT? FREDDY KILL HIM WITH. MAW NO. Freddy tears outside with the kitchen chair. SUEANNE Where's the corn flakes Mrs. Smith. MAW Top right. (pause) That Sammy, once upon a time, could plow and pick a field o' corn like no other. Like a bull in heat when it come to work. Why he'd be out there workin' when we all be eatin', sometimes sixteen hours a day o' hard labor. He's got m' fathers stock in 'im. Back in those days, they had to work like that, there weren't machines like today. Them darn things can take out a field of trees in less time than it took m' Paw to stuff his corn pipe. M' Lord, how things move. An' now this destructive streak he's got in 'im... Lord only knows where that'll lead to. Sueanne gets the corn flakes and makes herself breakfast. The noise stops. Freddy drags Sammy in by his two arms. Sammy pulls away and looks like a mule being dragged by his front legs. He makes mule sounds. FREDDY Come on. Now come on in an' get a lickin'. It's a good thing my Maserati wasn't in there. SAM You ain't got a Maserati. An' since when you want a fancy car like that? We used to ride horses Freddy. You ferget about horses? FREDDY Shut up. You were bad an' now you're gonna get in trouble. Wait 'til I tell Paw. SAM (sing song, making fun) YOU NEVER GOT THE MASERATI. YOU NEVER GOT THE MASERATI. FREDDY I ALMOST GOT IT. IF I'D WON I WOULDA GOT IT. I WOULDA GOT TEN. SAM YOU NEVER COULD AFFORD A MASERATI. FREDDY SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP, IF I'DA WON I WOULDA BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD ONE. SAM BUT YOU LOST THE CHAMPIONSHIP. YOU WAS KNOCKED OUT IN THE SECOND INNING. FREDDY ROUND SHITHEAD. MAW STOP THAT CURSIN' IN MY HOUSE! (she makes the sign of the cross). SAM ROUND. SO WUT. YOU FELL FLAT ON YER FACE LIKE YOU FELL OUTTA A FIFTY STORY BUILDING. BOOM. FREDDY LEAST I FOUGHT FER THE FAMILY ALL'S YOU GO AND DO IS BREAK THINGS APART. SAM IT AIN'T OURS NO MORE SO WUT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? FREDDY 'CAUSE YA GIVIN' UP ON US. Freddy drags him all the way inside and then lifts him up and with one large swing punches him in the mouth. Sam flies across the kitchen and lands face down on top of the deer rug unconscious. MAW SAMMY? (she smacks freddy) WUT ARE YOU DOIN' TO YER BROTHER? OH MY BABY. SAMMY DARLIN' WAKE UP. SINCE WHEN DO YOU BOYS HURT ONE 'NOTHER? WUT'S THIS FAMILY COMIN' TO? FREDDY I'm sorry Maw. I thought you wanted me to punch him out. Sammy comes to. MAW Are you alright dear? SAM Wut happened? FREDDY NOTHIN'. AND I WILL TOO OWN A MASERATI. I'LL WORK OUT AND GET ANOTHER FIGHT. I'LL GET ANOTHER SHOT AT IT AND WHEN I DO I'LL DRIVE RIGHT OVER YOUR FAT HEAD. (kicks sammy) SUEANNE Want a bowl of corn flakes, almost gone? FREDDY Naw. I want the Rice Crispies so I can hear the snap crackle pop. SUEANNE (to Freddy) Sit down and rest. Sueanne makes the rice crispies for freddy, she kisses him, and they are very loving towards one another. SAM Maw? MAW Yeah? SAM Are you mad at me Maw? MAW You alright? SAM Yeah, I think so. MAW FREDDY? FREDDY Yeah? MAW Pick yer brother up off the floor. FREDDY Oh do I have to Maw? MAW Don't rile me boy. Pick him up. Freddy picks his brother up. Sam suddenly breaks loose and swings at Freddy hitting him in the gut but freddy doesn't budge. Like a stone statue he stands center stage in his boxer shorts and looks mean eyes at Sam with a viscous sneer, not moving a muscle. They begin laughing, then Sam suddenly hits him again in the stomach. Freddy begins to steam and makes a gigantic move to swing, full body at sam, but as he twists to get a good swing Sam runs behind maw. She protects him and Freddy's swing forces him to spin out of control missing Sam. FREDDY Aww, that's not fair Maw. He hit me first. MAW You so much as lay a pinky on him and I'll put you over my knee. FREDDY Last time you done that I broke yer thigh bone Maw. MAW (very firm) Sit down and eat yer Rice Crispies boy. Like a puppy, freddy sits and turns his ear to the bowl smiling while listening to the rice crispies snap crackle and pop. Sammy follows maw clinging to her back. Both take baby steps toward the table stage right. They sit opposite freddy. Maw sits between the boys who then play "feet" kicking the other under the table. Paw enters. He is a man of seventy five and well weathered. He wears a cowboy hat, overalls and a red, brown plaid flannel shirt. His work boots are very old and he carries a piece of the weathered broken barn in one hand and in the other, a crushed piece of a wooden chair back. He is very angry and stops stage right and slams the wood into the stage making a thunderous boom. The family jerks up, facing out, stunned. MAW Hello paw. He slams the wood into the floor again. FREDDY Hi paw. He slams the wood into the floor again. Sammy bursts out: SAM It wasn't me. PAW (to Sam) YOU! Silence. SAM NO HONEST I DIDN'T DO IT. PAW THEN WHO DID? MAW Want some cocoa puffs Paw, almost gone? PAW Who destroyed the Garage? Silence. PAW Who destroyed the tool shed? MAW Now paw, calm down. It was an... accident. PAW Who destroyed the barn? MAW Well for heavens sake it wasn't me? IT WASN'T ME? PAW Got nothin' left, an' vandals come along on my property an' without concern fer no one they tear down the garage. Freddy sips the bowl of rice crispies making a long slurping sound. He sees Paw's anger and stops, putting the bowl down slowly and smiling. SUEANNE Can we please get this strait, is it a barn, a tool shed, or a garage? FREDDY (whispering) Shhhhhhhhhh Sueanne, Paw's pissed off. SUEANNE (whispering) Oh for Godsakes... FREDDY (whispering) Jus' eat yer corn flakes an' keep yer mouth shut. SUEANNE (whispering) I'm done already. FREDDY (whispering) Well have some more. PAW Everythin' I've built up, everythin' my daddy built up, everythin' everybody built up is gettin' torn down by vandals an' no one wants to admit to it. Jus' like the Buffalo. FREDDY That's 'cause their scared, huh Sammy? MAW (whispering) Hush your mouth an' eat yer Rice Crispies boy! FREDDY Aww shit. MAW DON'T CURSE AT THE DINNER TABLE. (makes the sign of the crross) FREDDY Darnit... PAW Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of years of blood sweat and tears went into that soil. Wut's this world comin' to anyway? SAMMY Shit Paw. Jus' a hunk of shit. MAW DON'T CURSE IN THE KITCHEN. (makes the sign of the cross) PAW Now I wanna know who tore down the garage? If it wasn't any one of you, then someone must've heard or seen somethin'. Now who tore down the shed? SAM Garage sir. PAW (to Sam) AH HA. YOU! SAM NO PAW HONEST NOT ME I SWEAR ON THE BIBLE IT WASN'T ME I WOULDN'T LIE TO YA PAW HONEST TA GOD. PAW (to Freddy) YOU. The fat boxer. The loser. YOU DONE IT DIDN'T YA? FREDDY IT WAS SAM DONE IT PAW. SAM SHUT UP IT WAS NOT. FREDDY SAM DID IT PAW. HE DID IT JUS' BEFORE WITH THE BULLDOZER AN' I STOPPED HIM WITH THE KITCHEN CHAIR AND THEN I PUNCHED HIM OUT BUT MAW WOULDN'T LET ME KILL HIM. PAW AND WHY NOT WOMAN? MAW HE'S MY CHILD. PAW IF A MAN DESTROYS A BARN! SAM GARAGE... PAW SHUT UP... TOOL SHED, HE SHOULD GET WUT'S COMIN' TO HIM.. MAW They used to plant seeds an' help 'em grow an' now they try an' kill one 'nother. PAW We had a farm. We had a beautiful farm, an' now we got nothin' but violence and cover-ups. Nobody knows nothin', even in the family. (pause) SAM? SAM Yessir? PAW Did you tear down the Garage? SAM Yes sir, I did. PAW You DID tear down the barn? SAM No sir, the Garage. PAW Why'd you tear it down, son? FREDDY 'Cause he's a killer paw. A cold blooded, murderin' killer.. Freddy violently opens the refrigerator door to reveal the unskinned animals stuffed in it. PAW SHUT UP. (pause, Freddy sits) Sam? SAM 'Cause...'cause we can't use it no more Paw, that's why. There is a very long pause. Paw moves down and sits at the kitchen table deep in serious thought, staring out strait ahead and pours himself some cocoa puffs. Sam moves to the couch seriously upset. PAW Wut time they comin'? MAW Today. PAW It's final then? FREDDY I tried. SAM You lost and now we're losin' the house. SUEANNE It's not Freddy's fault. You bought over your heads and now the banks going to foreclose unless you can pay off the loans you took. PAW Them boys come along here and made all kinds of promises. Now they got us tied up like mules. We were jus' fine up 'till then. SAM It wasn't no ones fault. It jus' happened. Sam exits. FREDDY I'm gettin' dressed.. There's a draft in here. He exits. SUEANNE I'll help. She exits. PAW Sons of bitches. MAW Paw? (makes the sign of the the cross three times in a row very fast) A long pause. The lights dim out on the interior set leaving paw and maw sitting at the kitchen table in blue lights, creating a silhouette of them. Low white light accentuates them in their pain. They stare out toward the audience, hopelessly, as lights come up on sam standing stage right in the middle of the wheat field. The wheat surrounds him. A yellow, amber light glows on him. It's a beautiful spring day full of hope, ten years before. Sam, Maw and Paw look strait out, never at each other so the separation of time and experience is clear to the audience. SAM HEY PAW I'M OVER HERE? CAN YA' SEE ME? PAW I remember the days when we were like a family. SAM I fed the cattle and the horses and the pigs and the chickens Paw, an' Freddy's takin' care of the plowin'. PAW (looking strait ahead) YA GET THE HAY STORED UP? SAM SURE DID PAW, WE FINISHED THAT IN TWO MINUTES FLAT. PAW (looking strait ahead) WUT ABOUT THE CHICKEN FEED, STORE UP THAT NEW DELIVERY? SAM YUP. ANYTHING ELSE 'FORE WE EAT DINNER? PAW (looking strait ahead) NO SON, YA DID WELL TODAY. We all did. Now it's time to set and rest up fer tomorrow. I'm proud of you boys. I'm real proud. It'll be a good crop. The soils moist an' fertilized it proper. Freddy comes running up behind sam. They look like two young farm boys smiling with health. There is a moment of silence and the sounds of birds can be heard when they aren't speaking. PAW (solemnly. Looking strait ahead) Look at em Maw. Jus' look at 'em. Like a spirit in the field. An' look at them acres and acres of land pure and stretchin' out beyond our vision into the sunset. Oh darlin', we've got us a life now don't we? MAW (solemnly. Looking strait ahead) Sure do. COME AN' GET IT. We hear the sound of a large and loud dinner bell ringing. Maw and Paw sit helplessly at the dinner table staring out into a vast empty hope. The dinner bell begins to turn into the sound of a train whistle and speeding train piercing through, as if it were going to hit the house. After a moment, the train fades out into the distance. In the silence that follows, we hear the birds chirping as the lights fade out slowly together on the field and the boys wavin' to Maw and Paw (out towards the audience), maw and paw inside sad and staring strait ahead. End of Act 1 Scene 2 Act 1 Scene 3 In the dark we hear the sounds of a man grunting and groaning followed by the sound of someone punching something. As the lights come up it is mid day. Freddy is down stage right, wearing white silk boxer shorts, professional type, and clean white boxing sneakers. His hands are wrapped in bloodied gauze and he moves around the deer carcass which is hung from the ceiling. He hits it violently and dances like Mohamed Ali. Sueanne watches wincing in disgust while glancing through a "people" magazine. Down stage right in front of the wheat field, is a large pile of dark brown dirt. Sam is kneeling behind it and digging carefully through it, savoring the feel of the dirt on his hands and finding miscellaneous items from the past. FREDDY UGH. AK! UGHK... SAM I think I see somethin' here. I think I see a body. No, no it's a bone. It was a body and now it's a bone. Somebody's bone. No, it's not human, it's... it's... Butch! IT'S BUTCH'S BONE! Holll..lly Dog. How do yer like that after all these years... An' his ball. Oh, now ain't that cute. FREDDY UG! AH! UK! MAKE 'EM BLEED! CRUSH THE RIBS! SOON IT'LL BE TENDER AS A BABY PIG WITH AN APPLE IN IT'S MOUTH. MMMMMMMMMM. MMM. I'LL GET THAT MASERATI YET AND BUILD US ALL A BIG BRAND NEW HOUSE. ONE O' THEM FANCY NEW ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS. YOU KNOW WITH THE SKYLIGHTS AND ALL... Freddy blocks imaginary punches. SAM How the hell are ya Butch? (barks) Ruff to you too. Yer lookin' well this evenin'. So, have yer dreams been shattered or wut? (loud, nervous, doofy laugh) I see yer plans all worked out fer the best and all yer hopes and promises and goals, all those kind of things jus' went right along as planned. Well, nice seein' ya again... bye. (he buries the bone with one quick movement) He was a good hound wasn't he Freddy? FREDDY (punching the deer carcass) BUY PAW A NEW TRUCK. A FORD. A NEW FORD EIGHT CYLINDER PICK UP WITH FOUR WHEEL DRIVE AN' A RAISED CHASSIS. WITH AIR CONDITIONING IN 'ER. A RED ONE. A BRIGHT RED FORD PICK UP BRAND NEW HOT OF THE BLOCK. SUEANNE Freddy honey, when we're rich, we'll have a maid won't we? FREDDY (stops) A wut? SUEANNE A maid. For the dirty work so I can pretend to be happy. You know, so I can keep myself beautiful for you. FREDDY A maid? Yer want a maid now? (punches meat) Shit. SAM Too bad fer him. Lived to a ripe ol' age of eighteen though. Was the Alpo. He had the best nose in these parts. FREDDY He's dead. We gotta live Sammy. Help me here. I'm practicin' for the match. Sammy wipes Freddy down, rubs his back, Freddy goes back to boxing. Sam resumes digging. FREDDY PUT MAW IN A MINK WITH HER HAIR ALL PRETTIED UP AND PAW IN A TUXEDO WITH TAILS WALKIN' DOWN A BLACK TARRED DRIVEWAY IN THE NIGHT WITH FANCY LIGHTS AND SHRUBS ALL AROUND THE EDGES. WALKIN' TOWARD THE NEW RED FORD WITH AIR CONDITIONING. SAM Look at this. A coin. Seventeen ... seventy... uh... six. Seventeen Seventy six. Now that makes me feel better knowin' the year of our birth is right here in the earth. An look at that a... a bullet! a genuine seventeen seventy six revolutionary silver war bullet. An ... an Indian arrowhead ... an' a feather an' a piece of buffalo hide with an inscription on it. (reads) "NO BUFFALO, NO INDIAN". Wut's that supposed ta mean? Freddy that make you feel better? This here seventy seventy six coin an' bullet an' arrowhead an' feather an' hide, sorta takes me back to somethin' solid. An idea or somethin'. An old idea. Is that a different idea than the idea in this here room right now? FREDDY? FREDDY (to himself) LOOK OUT! Freddy blocks imaginary punches. FREDDY NOW! GIVE IT TO HIM HARD! Freddy goes wild. SUEANNE ENOUGH! FREDDY I'M WINNIN'. IT'S MY ONLY CHANCE TO WIN NOW. YOU WANNA SEE ME FALL FLAT ON MY FACE LIKE LAST TIME? SUEANNE IT'S GETTING TOO VIOLENT. I can't concentrate on the ads. FREDDY MY ASS I'M JUS' PRACTICIN'. You wait till the match to see violence. When that puny little banker gets here we'll see who'll end up on the ground beggin' fer mercy. We'll see who'll win... Freddy goes wild. SAM (digging) A hair lock. A blonde hair lock. Purty as a picture now ain't that so little brother? I bet she was a purty thing whoever this here hair locket belonged too. When she was alive I mean. I can imagine it? He stares into space imagining it. FREDDY TWO MILLION DOLLARS HERE I COME. YA HEAR THAT SUEANNE? WE'LL BUY THE ELECTRIC COMPANY AND THE TELEPHONE COMPANY AND THE SUPERMARKET ALL IN ONE WIPE OF MY PEN. WE'LL GET 'EM BACK HUH BROTHER? Freddy goes wild. A mid sized man in a grey pin stripped suit walks cautiously up to the stage right area. He wears glasses and carries a suede briefcase. He stands there for a long moment watching nervously. The others don't notice him. Freddy rests for a minute hanging onto the carcass. SUEANNE (dreaming) A maid... FREDDY (to himself disgustedly) Yeah yeah yeah... SAM Long purty legs, skin as soft as a lake mid fall, an' breasts like mother mountain herself, like hills rollin' through the prairie, the breeze liftin' each hair off her neck, like a flag wavin' itself in the air, goin' in a direction, her sparklin' eyes, glisten like the stars in the skies lookin' out and forever to a destiny, and her cheeks, like a smiling rainbow of rivers, ribboned through the land, on a journey of generations, her lips, tender an' soft an' kissin' smooth open up to blow a whisper of hope in yer ear, her neck, ready and waitin' to be touched by my hands, kissed by me, holdin' each other like the forests and the flowers and the mountains and the oceans and the sky gleamin' over the earth grabbin' each body of land everywhere an we could kiss, we could kiss so gentle, hear the touch of our skin, the lick of our lips and our breath as one, breathin' each other in an' out, in an' out, like a spring breeze an' singin', like a lovin' heart back to our beginnin' dreams. Oh I want you back, I want you back my darlin'... (he snaps out of this passion). Freddy resumes boxing. FREDDY BUY BACK GRANDADDY'S FARM AND EVERY PENNY'LL BE PAID BACK. NO HORSES ASS IS TAKIN' THE LAND OUT FROM UNDER US OR HE'LL END UP LIKE THIS HERE DEER. Howard knocks fearfully. SAM (Looking at the lock of hair) This is all we've left of you. This... is all we've left... We shoulda took better care. Huh? As the man enters, Sueanne rises and tries to get Freddy's attention. They ignore her. FREDDY KILL 'IM! Violently punches the meat. SAM Oh well... Freddy dances around the deer carcass and punches it up and down and all over making horrible grunting sounds, almost foaming at the mouth). Howard just stands there. He clears his throat to get their attention). HOWARD UM... EXCUSE ME... Freddy's back is to them punching wildly. FREDDY (to deer) I'LL TEAR 'IM APART LIMB BY LIMB. BUTCHER THE FUCKER. SUEANNE Freddy honey. SAM We shoulda ... uh ... FREDDY MAKE 'IM BLEED INSIDE OUT BEGGIN' FER MERCY... SUEANNE FREDDY, sweetheart? SAM Wut else we got in here (digs) FREDDY PUT 'IM UNDER AND BUY US A LIFE? SUCKER! SUEANNE Fred. Freddy stops and sees howard. FREDDY YOU! (punches deer not looking at it) SUEANNE EASY. HOWARD If it's a bad time... FREDDY Yeah it is. Why don't you go back ter yer little wall ta wall office and write some financial reports on us yer squirt. SAM A pair of specs. Well wut do you know, a statue of pioneer vision ... I think its grandaddy's. Or maybe Grannys. Yeah. I remember them. See this here little ornament daisy on the rims right here. I remember when she bounced me on her knee an' used to tell me fairy tails an' it used to glisten an' I'd look up at the stars and wonder. FREDDY What is it this time Howard? Yer want the land at a lower rate 'cause of that stupid loan we took three years ago, that it? SAM Like "The Three Little Pigs" and "Cinderella" an' "War and Remembrance". All kinds of fun lovin' violently oriented tales of woe. Get me ready fer my future filled with the joys of family. Good ol' Granny. Maybe there's some more of her in this here dirt. Pause. HOWARD Is your mother or father home? FREDDY You leave them alone yer hear? HOWARD I'm ... I'm only doing my job, now please..... FREDDY Some job, takin' a family's land away from 'em? Wut kinda job's that? HOWARD Maybe I should come back at another time.... FREDDY Yeah, maybe tomorrow, so I can use you fer this deer when its nothin' but mush and needs replacin'. Howard moves to the door quickly and Freddy blocks it. SUEANNE FREDDY NO. HOWARD You lay a finger on me and you, your mother and um, father will get arrested for assault. FREDDY A hundred years ago the whole town would'a been here an' helped us out if yer tried kickin' us off our land an' today it's all right with everyone. HOWARD Unfortunately, that's true ... now if you'll excuse me... FREDDY Oh, gettin' firm huh Howard? Isn't that masculine of yer. You an' the Sheriff teamin' up to wipe out these parts fer good? HOWARD Now look, I'm trying to make this as pleasant as possible for all of us. I don't like what's happening and I don't' like to be here especially when I'm threatened ... FREDDY Well we ain't pleasant. Not anymore. HOWARD May I please go? Or will you call your parents so we can settle the details... Pause. HOWARD (clearing his throat) Please.... SAM (rising up. to Freddy) This is somethin' This is really somethin'. Looks like a ... somethin' primitive ... I know ... money ... primitive money. FREDDY I DON'T CARE. SAMMY, HOWARD'S HERE. SAM (noticing him for the first time) You again! Howard clears his throat again. SAM Thirsty Howard? HOWARD Yes, a little... SAM (rises, anger growing) Wanna glass o' water fer yer nerves? HOWARD No thank you ... SUEANNE Let him pass ... Sam tears a kitchen cabinet door off its hinges revealing the closet full of old cups and glasses. SAM Help yerself, boy. HOWARD Violence won't get you anywhere Samuel. Freddy punches meat. howard turns to leave as maw and paw enter. Howard stops. SAM (declaring his name) SAM. HOWARD (nervously) Sam. SAM Not Samuel. My name's not Sam...uel. HOWARD I'm ... sorry. Hello Mr., Mrs. Smith. SAM That's better. If my name was Samuel, I'd be a banker like you and take away people lives with a piece o' paper an' a smile. Call me Sam. Remember that. HOWARD (trying to ignore him) I'll only be a moment Mr., Mrs. Smith. We need your signatures because ... SAM Maybe you oughta write it down in yer little black naughahyde fancy telephone address appointment book you got fer Christmas so yer don't ferget. HOWARD (ignoring him) Because your both on the deed. SAM You don't feel the land like we do. HOWARD (politely, turns to Sam) Oh yes I do. I have a yard. Genuine sod in fact. I had it put in only... SAM No yer don't. You don't feel nothin'. HOWARD What is your point? SAM The point is that I feel the soil under my feet gettin' swept away like a tornado. The point is that I feel my Grandaddy's sweat deep down in that soil out there. That farm's cryin' out fer us to help it back home 'cause it's lost to the stinkin' fumes of yer Bankers and builders. Yer happy little folks who think nothin' of rapin' Mother Nature. The point is, we feel our fathers tears right here under the house and in the walls and in the earth. An' yer don't give a damn an' that's the point. HOWARD Don't be silly it's my job Sam. You understand that, don't you? (pause to Mr. and Mrs. Smith) I earn my living by ... (takes out his wallet and pulls out a family picture of his two small children) You like children don't you Mr., Mrs. Smith...? Here... here are my two... See.. He shows them but they stare at Howards face... Howard grows uncomfortable. SAM Yer a butcher Howard. Yer butcher the land and yer butcher peoples lives that get in yer way and yer bury their dreams in yer imagery an' yer hope feedin' on their greed. Yer a snake. A butcherin' snake Howard. Yer children know that? HOWARD (ignoring sam) I'm glad we could have this opportunity to talk Mr., Mrs. Smith. Can we sit? SAM That's all the big time is today Howard a clean bloodless butcher shop with all the carcasses of all its victims hung up in their investments. HOWARD So how have you been since our last little chit chat, hmmm? Any Grand children yet? (giggles) SAM Jus' a whole lotta lives an' a whole lotta nature murdered by yer fancy dancy high rise state of the art butcher shops. HOWARD (turns sharply to Sam) Please, I'm trying to... um... Maw and Paw leave silently. SAM Killin's killin' Howard. Yer kind makes laws that say killin's wrong in this here morality huh? Well why ain't killin part of a life jus' as serious as killin' a whole one? HOWARD I'd like to discuss this with you at another time but... SAM Why's it alright fer a group of people to make yer weapons, sell 'em to other people who kill other people, an' go home in Mercedes? Huh? Why's that jus' dandy? HOWARD (nervous laugh) I really don't see... SAM Why's it o.k. fer a bank to finance a business that makes weapons that kills people? Killins' killin' and takins' takin' and helpin's helpin' now ain't that so? HOWARD Sam... SAM I bet yer love yer wife so long as she don't do nothin' against yer morality right? Yer wouldn't want yer kids to see wut yer doin' to us now would ya? But yer doin' it fer them now ain't that so? HOWARD (turns to Mr. and Mrs. Smith who have left) Mr... Where?... SAM That business suit and yer job make yer feel safe? HOWARD Your parents... I must speak with your.... SAM You go to work and put on that costume 'cause yer scared that if yer don't you'll starve now ain't that so? HOWARD I'll have to leave if you don't get your parents... SAM They ain't your parents are they? Our problem's not yours is it? We don't have responsibility to each other? Your jus' help good ol' maw America throw our lives away 'cause it's too scary to think that it could happen to the next fella... or you, and yers. HOWARD (frightened at the thought) What? SAM You don't understand any of that brother 'cause you can't feel the ground yer walk on. It's just dirt and stone to you, not yer soul. That's been lost to yer briefcase and yer office an' yer... HOWARD I've come to speak with your parents. We simply need their signatures and I'll be happily on my way. Now ... where are your parents? SAM They're avoidin' yer. Wouldn't you, avoid you, Howard? They stare at each other. Sam goes after his parents. Pause. Howard and Freddy stare at each other. Howard moves to the table and begins to take out papers from his briefcase. Freddy moves over to him. He stares viscously at him. FREDDY Don't think the threats over with jus' 'cause Sam's not in the room. HOWARD There's no threat Frederick. FREDDY FREDDY. Fred to you. (punches meat) HOWARD May I ask why you don't purchase a punching bag? FREDDY I got a punchin' bag but it don't have that meaty feel I need fer the rebound an' the attack. HOWARD I ... see. FREDDY I'm settin' myself up fer the fight. HOWARD Again? FREDDY Yeah wut about it? HOWARD Nothing. FREDDY I'm winnin' this time. You watch. HOWARD I hope so. FREDDY I'm gonna take that sucker and put him on his ass in the first round ... DING ... You hear me Howard? HOWARD Quite well. FREDDY I'll be a millionaire. HOWARD I wish we could wait that long. FREDDY You will. HOWARD We've already given you a six month extension and you haven't been able to pay one month on the loan. FREDDY I'll buy back this house fer Maw and Paw and nothin' you do is gonna stop me. HOWARD I hope so. I mean that. FREDDY You don't mean nothin', yer an act. HOWARD Whatever you say Fred. Pause. FREDDY It's easy to duck with "whatever you say", ain't it? (pause) I'm buyin' Paw a new Ford pick up, with air conditionin'. HOWARD Ford makes a good truck. FREDDY A great truck. Nothin' like it anywhere. Ford's number one. HOWARD Yes it is. We give out a lot of loans for Ford... Freddy punches meat. FREDDY Really, how nice ... DING. I won the first round. SUEANNE Sit down and rest. Freddy sits and stares at howard. Howard smells something and it becomes unbearable. It is Freddy. He takes out a white, silk handkerchief and covers his face. Freddy bends in closer. Maw and Paw enter but howard doesn't notice them). FREDDY You own a Chevrolet don't yer Howard. HOWARD No. FREDDY Wut then? HOWARD It's second hand. FREDDY A Cadilac huh? HOWARD I bought it second hand. FREDDY A fancy Cadilac huh? HOWARD Yes. FREDDY (almost attacking) I'LL BUY ME A NEW CADILAC HOWARD. A BRAN' NEW ONE AN' I'LL PASS YER ON THE FREEWAY WITH IT GOIN' BACKWARDS AN' WITH MY EYES CLOSED. Howard rises to leave and turns to the door but Maw and Paw have entered. Sam leads them into the kitchen. Maw and Paw stare at howard with a blank face. Maw holds Paws arm. HOWARD Well... why don't we sit down and... take a look at ...everything...o.k.? SAM We'll stand. Freddy punches meat. Sam tears off another kitchen cabinet door revealing stacks of old dishes. MAW SAM NOT MY CUPBOARD DOORS. PAW Leave it be Maw, it don't matter no more. It's not ours. Let him do wut he wants to it. MAW BUT THEY'RE MY MOTHERS.... PAW No more. It's no one's no more. HOWARD Has Cliff been here yet? FREDDY Who's Cliff? HOWARD The developer. FREDDY The one in the limo? He came up the driveway but fer some reason never came in to see us.. SUEANNE Because you shot at him... you can't do that any more Freddy, the law will catch up to you. FREDDY It already has. Jus' look at 'im there in his business suit writing down statistics... SUEANNE We got one warning from the Sheriff. Sam breaks the cupboard door over his knee and places the pieces neatly on the table next to Howard). PAW Sam? You stop this violence. SAM When they stop, Paw. Freddy punches meat. HOWARD With all due respect Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Sam, Fred, We can settle this in court if you'd prefer. I've had enough ... alright ..? Now I'm not going to sit here and be threatened. PAW We'll settle our matters ourselves. Sam goes back to the dirt. SAM I'll find the sweat and some blood from all my family that worked in the heat with the sun on their backs, an then maybe Howard here will realize wut he's doin' to us... Maybe then he'll see. HOWARD As we were discussing... PAW You fellas downtown been discussin', we ain't discussed nothin'. There's nothin' to discuss. Jus' give us more time an' we'll get things straightened out. That's all we got to say. HOWARD Mr. Smith, believe me, (monotone) and I say this to you sincerely, (more monotone) my heart goes out to you... But I cannot wait any longer. It's not me personally, it's the bank. You're dealing with a machine, so to speak, and my superiors have made it clear that foreclosure is the only way out unless you want to sell the land to Cliff. It's a good offer Mr. Smith. It will get you out of this financial... situation... and give you a chance at a new life. Freddy punches meat. HOWARD AS I WAS SAYING... FREDDY (punches meat) YEAH HOWY? SAM They were alive. They lived. right here where we are. An' they worked Howard. They worked their whole lives in the hot sun 'cause they had a dream that they were buildin' somethin' better fer their young. It kept 'em goin'. Gave 'em the drive. An' they looked at the sky and the land and themselves jus' like we do. They had feelin's Howard. See (raises some dirt) There's some dried up tears in here. The dirts cryin' 'cause it's gettin' beat up. An' they came outta this earth jus' like all of us here. An now, right now it's an unhappy meadow. That's all it is. A tearful prairie. Jus' cryin it's heart out. Each soul buried here is cryin' too 'cause all it ever was is gettin' ruined. It's an unhappy little town we live in 'cause nobody's together no more. Everybody's alone in a dream. Was it all jus' our imaginations that thought this here land was home? Howard doesn't react. Pause. They look at each other. Then sam digs furiously and freddy punches the meat. SAM They've forgot 'bout us so they can see their future. It's a different picture than before. That's all that todays about roun' here, tomorrow. FREDDY I'M GONNA WIN 'CAUSE WE'RE DOIN' NOTHIN' BUT LOOSIN'. IT'S THAT SIMPLE. I KNOW WUT LOOSIN' FEELS LIKE AND I DON'T LIKE IT. NOBODY CARES IF WE CARE. THERE'S NO PAYOFF FER THAT AN YOU KNOW IT. ONE DAY WE'LL ALL BE IN THAT DIRT, DEAD AS BUTCH AND GRANNY AND GRAMPS AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT'S EVER SEEN THE SUNRISE AN' YOU'RE GONNA TELL ME THAT THERE HISTORY YER DIGGIN' UP MATTERS WORTH A DAMN? He boxes. Sammy digs. Sam pulls out of the dirt pile a full set of work clothes laden with dirt and dried blood stains. SAM Our children Freddy. (pause) An' theirs an' theirs. The family. Are we doin' the right thing today, fer them? (Freddy's head hangs. To Howard) Howard? Howard giggles but catches himself. FREDDY (a burst of anger) I'M GOIN' FORWARD AND WIN BACK THIS HOUSE AND GET ALL I CAN SO WHEN I'M BONE AND HAIR AND DUST I CAN SAY... I CAN SAY... Pause. SAM Wut? Long pause as the two brothers stare at each other. SAM He's takin' our souls away. We're as good as buried... Pause. Sam stands with the dirty clothes hanging from his hands and then puts them over his shoulders like a huge scarf while freddy boxes weakly for a moment. HOWARD Mr. Smith, all I need is your signature on this little piece of paper and... Freddy stops boxing, tired. Then Freddy walks behind Sammy resting a hand on his shoulder. Paw just looks at howard. There is a long awkward silence that grows into an intensity full of mistrust, suspicion and the sense that an explosion of some kind might happen any moment. Extreme tension. They all look at howard, center stage, who grows increasingly nervous. HOWARD How can I explain this too you.. If you don't ... if you're not able to pay the bills on the loans you took... PAW Is that how you treat yer brother, son? He makes a mistake so yer kill him? HOWARD No. Certainly not. SAM That's wut yer doin'. HOWARD No.... You don't understand... you see, I work for... FREDDY YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S HERE. NOT THE BANK. YOU. YOU. PAW (slow) That embargo to the Europeans cut down the price of crops. That ain't my fault. I planted the seeds and plowed the land jus' like we all did fer hundreds of years... we brought the same crop to market as we always did but we couldn't get a price fer it. That our fault son? HOWARD Times have been rough, I realize that... PAW ...You an' yer buddies come here and told us that buyin' would make our lives easier. Gotta go with the times yer said, and yer talked at us and talked at us and showed us purty pictures in yer ads and wut not and we bought yer words. It all looked to good to be a lie. A year later the President uses our grain to bargain with an' we're out. That our fault? HOWARD Like I ... was trying to explain ... FREDDY That our fault Howard? PAW Now you come along every week to see if we got the money and I keep tellin' yer boys the same thing. We're outta work. We don't have enough money to start it up. The loans keep on growin' and the price on 'em goes up and up and we got nothin' to make 'er go. Give us a hand not a kick in the butt. We fed you and yours boy and now yer kickin' us in the head with not a care. How can you do that? HOWARD I'm not .... I'm sympathetic but that... Freddy punches meat. Sammy grabs a dish from the cupboard. FREDDY HOWS THAT? HOWARD I want to help you but I can't. Perhaps if you could sit down and look at some of these figures... PAW I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT YER FIGURES! I WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO ME. YOU BOYS LIED TO US. YOU LIED TO US AND NOW YER KICKIN' US OFF OUR LAND. WELL WE WON'T GO. YER HEAR ME? HOWARD NOW LOOK. With Howards "look", Freddy grabs him by the back of his collar and drags him stage right, plopping him dead center of the mound of dirt so that his feet are planted in it. Howard, terrified, is facing outtoward the audience. Sam throws the dish offstage and one loud crash is heard. Howard struggles to free himself but Freddy is too strong. The struggle continues throughout the speech. SUEANNE NO FREDDY... MAW PUT THAT BOY DOWN... FREDDY NOW YOU "LOOK"! AN' "LOOK" HARD. HOWARD I'LL..I'LL SUE YOU. I'LL TAKE LEGAL ACTION. NOW ...NOW PLEASE... FREDDY This is legal action. The kind that you don't wanna know. The kind you don't count on when yer figurin' out yer little deceits back at the office. It's called the primal law. NOW YOU LOOK AN... Maw and Paw back off, Maw behind paw. And Sueanne moves away in fear. Sam stands by the mound of dirt ready to pounce on howard if Freddy needs his help. FREDDY ... LOOK REAL HARD AT WHAT'S THERE. HOWARD THIS WON'T GET YOU ANYWHERE. I WANT TO LEAVE. FREDDY NOW I AIN'T KIDDIN' BOY, SHUT UP AND LISTEN OR I'LL BASH YER HEAD IN! STAY PUT! As Freddy begins talking, Sam takes two handfuls of dirt and smears some dirt on Howard's hair, cheeks, forehand, chin, all over his white shirt and suit (the dirt sticks to him) and by the end of the monologue, Howard looks as though he'd just worked all day in the field. Freddy pays no attention. FREDDY SEE THERE. Acres and Acres. Been in the family fer hundreds of years. We earned it with our hands and the sun on our backs. It's fed us and we've fed it. When I kneel on the dirt I feel like I'm a part of something. We all do. Every one of us. It ain't been easy. It's by right ours and no ones takin' it from us jus' cause we made a mistake. Where's yer ethics? There's no patriotism when yer own country's killin' yer. NOW YOU LOOK. At that land and at us and then you rethink this thing your doin' to us. Yer send over yer friend Cliff an' he wants to make this into a condominium. A great big complex with a swimmin' pool. Sam puts dirt in Howard's pockets and wallet. FREDDY He even offers us an apartment fer free and everyone's smilin' at us like that's wut we want. But yer blind and yer deaf to us. So take yer GODAMNED briefcase and yer talk somewhere else. Yer bank'll get yer money. But it ain't gonna lose itself if it don't. It'll survive and that's all that counts. We wont. An' we're more important than yer profits. (short pause) Jus' look at us. Is this what we've become? Look at you ... Jus' look ... PAW (softly) Let him go. MAW (softly) Put him down now Freddy. Yer made yer point. HOWARD I'm sorry. Please? Freddy puts him down slowly. Howard grabs his briefcase, hugging it, and runs out of the living room area, and off stage. Lights dim on the family in the kitchen leaving them in a blue silhouette. The family remains in a tableau of hopelessness and fear, each facing a different direction away from the others but out toward the audience. They speak gently, purely and honestly. SAM It goes on ferever. Never seems to stop. Ferever an' ever way on out till yer can't see it end. MAW By the tail end of the farm, there's a building goin' up. The men that's building' it was farmers once. An' along the pass where the dirt road sways through the woods, there's fancy homes goin' up. PAW It's like a lost love that's fergot about yer. Fergot about yer touch. Fergot about yer kiss. Fergot about yer love. A hammer is heard in the distance, dull, but there. It continues to the end of the scene, like a heartbeat. FREDDY An' while the hammers bang away at the long ago silence of nature comin' to her death, a man stands tall in the fields. He's lookin' at yer and you can't see him 'cause the noise is too loud and yer afraid that yer might hit yer hand with the hammer if yer take time to look. SUEANNE Or someone elses hammer might hit you. MAW The wind pushes the wheat in one direction. Driftin' over the top an' catchin' the head of the stalk. SAM There's a sound of the wind touchin' the wheat. PAW Like they're havin' a conversation of sorts. FREDDY But everyone's runnin' ahead of themselves so fast they can't hear it no more. MAW They're insensitive to it 'cause they think they're on the right track. SAM They see the field as a place fer makin' money. FREDDY They see the fields like a bank. SAM They can't hear the words of nature no more. PAW There's no reference fer it. MAW Their thoughts bounce off the brick and back yard landscapes. FREDDY They see something there that wasn't there. SAM So they've fergotten about wut is. They begin to silently weep, dropping their heads down in sadness. The hammer continues but begins to fade. They stay there for a long moment in tableau, Maw looking out at the audience, Paw, head down, Freddy, Sam and Sueanne in positions of fear and worry. The lights fade out slowly). End of Act 1 Act 2 As the lights come up we hear the sounds of a jackhammer. It's very loud and blaring. Sam is standing in the middle of the wheat filed wearing a yellow construction workers hard hat and overalls with his work boots very muddy. He tears at the ground viscously, his head down so we can't see his face, and his upper body shaking up and down violently. A concrete brick wall, jagged edged about three or four feet high, sits in front of the field). SAM (stops the jackhammer. to himself) I GOT ME A JOB AND I'M BRINGIN' IN THE MONEY! I'LL BUILD US A SKY SCRAPER AND RENT IT OUT SO WE CAN MAKE MILLIONS. IT'LL STAND AS TALL AS THEM CLOUDS. THEN WE'LL BUY MAW A NEW HOUSE AND A NEW LIFE AN' NEW THINGS THAT'LL JUS' PUT THEIR BROKEN HEARTS BACK TOGETHER ... As dim lights remain on sam in a tableau of despair and alienation, looking over toward the family, the lights come up on the interior set which is completely bare of any furnishings except two chairs and the kitchen table. Down stage right is the dead deer carcass hanging in mid air as in act one, only now it is worn and beaten and crushed. The dripping blood is dried up and in the form of roads on a map extending all over the carcass. Maw and paw sit on the porch in two rocking chairs holding onto each other, petrified. They stare out in terror. Standing center is a fat Sheriff dressed in a grey shirt, tie, blue pants and white Sheriffs hat and sunglasses. He has a large black holster and a bright freshly polished badge on his chest. Next to him is the banker, Howard, dressed in a fresh new suit and holding his briefcase. Off stage, Sueanne and Freddy fight. FREDDY (off) I'LL JUS' HAVE TA FIND A JOB THAT'S ALL SWEETHEART DARLIN' LOVE... SO I LOST ANOTHER FIGHT, SO WUT? WE GONNA LET THAT DESTROY OUR HAPPY LITTLE LOVE BOAT MARRIAGE? HUH DARLIN'? She enters with her luggage and throws it down. Freddy follows like a lost puppy. He is weary. His boxer shorts, ripped, almost to shreds. He is badly beaten up. One arm in a sling, and a big black and blue eye. His legs are all bruised and he has smudge marks all over him. He limps wearily after her). SUEANNE I'M GOING BACK TO NEW YORK CITY AND SCREW WHOEVER I HAVE TO TO GET ME IN MOTION PICTURES. I'LL PLAY HOOKERS, I'LL PLAY MURDERESSES, I'LL DO TRASHY MOVIES AND SOAP OPERAS AND LAUGH AT PLAYS WITH DECENT LANGUAGE IN EM' UNLESS THEY PAY A LOT OF MONEY. DO YOU HEAR ME YOU FAT OVER BLOATED STUFFED LOSIN' FARMER? FREDDY You're jus' upset little flower. Now come-on an' give me a kiss, I need it. SUEANNE I WON'T KISS YOU ANYMORE. YOU HEAR ME. I WON'T TOUCH THAT FLABBY BEATEN HUNK OF FLESH EVER AGAIN. YOU'LL BE LUCKY IF YOU CAN COME AND SEE ME SCREWING BURT REYNOLDS IN A MOVIE OR RIDIN' WITH MAGNUM P.I. INTO THE NIGHT. FREDDY Now come-on darlin' you know you can't go nowhere so stop playin' around. Now Come-on, Paw's upset and you're makin' an awful fuss in front of the authorities, now ain't that so Mr. Rogers? SHERIFF Well...It's time we get on with it. This is never a pleasant thing but it's a necessary one. Just an unfortunate bureaucratic thing... You know... FREDDY Howard, would you mind waiting fer Sammy to arrive before Maw and Paw sign the house an' the land over to you. HOWARD How long? FREDDY He should be here any minute. It'd be a nice gesture, you know, so the whole family can be evicted together. Right Sheriff? SHERIFF It's the only ... civilized ... thing ... to do Howard. HOWARD I'll wait fifteen more minutes, but then.... Howard coughs. FREDDY O.k., well, we certainly appreciate yer hospitality sir. I wanna wish you an' yours a happy Thanksgivin' from all of us at the Smiths here on Cedar Crest Nut Lane. We'd of sent you a card an' all, but... you understand. HOWARD (to Sheriff) Fifteen minutes, and then (makes a slashing gesture across his neck). SUEANNE I WANT TO GO BACK TO NEW YORK FRED... Begins to shake and cry having a nervous breakdown. SUEANNE I want to go back to New York even if I have to sit in the middle of the street again. I don't care if people step on me there at least I'll have a chance to be someone. I can't take this life no more Freddy... there's too many other opportunities just waiting for you and me out there. I was an artist. I'm a talented actress and I deserve to be on Broadway and on that big silver screen... making a mill' per flick oh please take me back.... please.... please... SHERIFF She gonna be alright there? FREDDY Oh sure sir, don't you worry none, I'll protect her. SUEANNE I'll audition I'll audition. FREDDY Sueanne Honey yer at a foreclosure dear. Not an audition. SUEANNE (rises as Juliet) OH DEAREST ROMEO WHERE ART THOU ROMEO... FREDDY (to the Sheriff and Howard) She's jus' a teensy weensy bit upset an' she um... you know play acts. To relieve tension. SUEANNE Could it be thy poison on thy lips that once embarked on such a ... uh... LINE? LINE GODAMNIT! WHERE'S THE GODAMNED STAGE MANAGER?! I WANT TO TALK TO MY GODAMNED AGENT! FREDDY Sueanne yer embarrassin' everyone, now lay down on the floor, the insane part is more appropriate. SUEANNE (Romeo and Juliet) Oh dearest Romeo Where art thou (gets lost) Frankenstein? No... Bathing is such sweet sorrow... Tis true tis true, (a 1940's gangster movie) and you know it sucker! (the coach in the movie Rocky) I ain't Rocky Balboa's side kick here, (sings from the musical Annie) oh, the sun'll come out tooooooommmmmoroow... Sueanne leans against the far wall gazing out into the field. FREDDY I'LL TAKE CARE OF HER ... Sammy'll be here any second. HOWARD I really don't think I... FREDDY Now lookit Howard, we've had our differences I know but jus' look at Maw and Paw there. Now please, fer them... Sammy's comin'. HOWARD Where is he? FREDDY Buildin' a skyscraper in the corn field. HOWARD Building a (giggles) WHAT? FREDDY Survivin' he's tryin' to.... survive... HOWARD What did you say he was doing? FREDDY He'll be here soon. Freddy stays with sueanne rocking her back and forth. A man enters in a long black coat that touches the tops of his black shoes. His collar is up like sherlock holmes and he wears full rimmed sunglasses and a dark black hat. His eyeglasses have a flashing red light in the center of the rim. He moves rigidly, almost machine-like). SHERIFF Can I ... um ... help you sir? MAN I.R.S. COLLECTION LIEUTENANT. SPECIAL DIVISION. THIS THE SMITH HOUSE ON CEDAR CREST NUT LANE? SHERIFF Yes. MAN WHERE'S DA MONEY? SHERIFF WUT? MAN I'M HERE TO COLLECT TWO YEARS IN BACK TAXES. SHERIFF WUT? MAN I.R.S. AGENT 123ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP. SHERIFF LMNO WUT? MAN P. SHERIFF Mr. and Mrs. Smith, there's a man here says you owe taxes? PAW YUP. SHERIFF That right? PAW Why not? SHERIFF How much? MAN THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX DOLLARS AND SEVENTEEN CENTS. THAT INCLUDES ALL PENALTIES AND INTEREST ACCRUED OVER THE TWO YEAR PERIOD PROCESSED ON A DAILY AVERAGE AND MULTIPLIED BY THE INTEREST AND PRINCIPAL ON THE BALANCE DUE. SHERIFF That's too bad. MAN I'M HERE TO DEMAND PAYMENT OR WE'LL LIEN ON YOUR BANK ACCOUNTS, SELL YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY AND DO WHATEVER WE HAVE TO TO UPHOLD THE AMERICAN DREAM... FREDDY Wut? MAN Sorry. Now can you pay today or do you need more time? FREDDY Sheriff, he legitimate? SHERIFF Let me see your badge please. Man takes out a huge silver badge and shows it to him. SHERIFF (to Freddy) I'm afraid so. FREDDY Well sir I'm sorry but this man here's come to foreclose on the house. It seems he beat you to it, sir. So, sir... Could you... MAN I can give you thirty days to comply. After that... Well, you know... FREDDY (to man who hasn't moved or responded to any of the above conversation) Sir, could you please leave. We're in the middle of other business. Maybe if you call on us in about two weeks.... The IRS Man twitches violently, jerking back and forth in a short circuited manner. Everyone except maw and paw jumps back and the sheriff pulls out his gun. MAN WILL NOT COMPLY, WILL NOT COMPLY, I.R.S. AGENT 123ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP AGENT 123ABC...BEEEEP BEEEEP.... FREDDY DON'T SHOOT SHERIFF! MAN ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP... FREDDY WUT? MAN P.... SHERIFF What's going on here?. This some kind of joke Fred? FREDDY I have nothin' to do with this.... HOWARD I THINK WE'D BETTER GET THIS OVER WITH. FREDDY NO! Not until Sammy's here. Maw wants him here. HOWARD Don't push me Freddy or I'll start the proceedings this very minute. O.k.? FREDDY Yessir, anything you say sir. SUEANNE THY LIPS THY LIPS TOUCH SUCH SWEET SORROW.... She floats into the living room and stands center. SUEANNE DIE.... She falls gracefully and dies on the floor. FREDDY SUEANNE NO..... MAN ABCDEFGHIJK.... FREDDY SHERIFF SHUT THIS MAN UP OR ASK HIM TO LEAVE AND PUT THAT GUN AWAY AND STOP THINKIN' MY WIFE'S A LUNATIC NUT CASE AN' A HALF! Freddy becomes suspicious of the man and moves over to him. Puts his hand in front of the man's face and the man does not respond. He touches him and then taps him. A loud, hollow clanking sound is heard). FREDDY HE'S A ROBOT. SHERIFF Who? What are you talkin' about? FREDDY This I.R.S. man is a robot. SHERIFF We'd better begin Howard. FREDDY NO LISTEN... He taps it again three times and clanking is heard. MAN BEEEEEEP... (robot short circuit monotone. low voice) ABC 12366666666666666ABC CANNOT PAY CANNOT PAY (higher voice) OH NO OH NO LIEN ON THEM LEVY LEVY LEVY (higher voice) LIEN ON THEM MONEY MONEY QUOTA QUOTAS QUARTER (high voice) NOT PAID NOT COMPLETE (very high voice) BAD BAD ERROR ERROR (about to explode high voice) GET THEM GET THEM.... SHERIFF (laughs) Never can tell wut them technology boys'll think up next. MAN BEEEEP BEEEEP ATTACK ATTACK KILL KILL KILL KILL... (high voice) YUK YUK ... (fast mechanical laugh). He freezes in a contorted pose of confusion. The Sheriff laughs. HOWARD CAN WE PLEASE START THE PROCEEDINGS.... NOW.... PLEASE... THIS IS RIDICULOUS.... MAN (mimicking howard exactly, he crosses upstage of Sheriff) Beeeeep... Can we please start the proceedings...now... please... this is ridiculous... BEEEEEEEP. FREDDY NOW YOU PROMISED ... HOWARD, WHERE'S YER MANNERS? HOWARD What in the world...? MAN What in the world...? MAW (to IRS man) We've lost our legs. Sir, can you help us? Can you begin to help us? Paw's almost gone. He's dying right here in my arms. MAN (mechanical laugh) HA HA YUK YUK... Sorry mam but there's nothing we can do... you're dealin' wit a machine, so to speak, I'm sorry mam, really... (monotone) beep beep yukety yuk. Sam enters. SAM (off) GODAMNED SON OF A BITCH, GOT THE FUCKIN' WALL UP AND A CROW CAME ALONG SAT ON IT AND SHAT ALL OVER MY BRAND NEW HARD HAT. He wipes his yellow hard hat off and puts it back on. It remains on his head for the rest of the play. SHERIFF HOWDY SHERIFF. (sees Howard) WUT ARE YOU DOIN' HERE HOWARD? I THOUGHT I TOL' YOU NEVER STEP YER TWO BIT NERDY LITTLE UGLY FEET ON MY PROPERTY AGAIN. Howard crosses away and behind the sheriff who protects him. SHERIFF Now hold on Samuel. You can't go on threatening people like that no more. SAM LOOK CLARK. YOU AN' I GO BACK TO KINDERGARTEN NOW DON'T WE? SHERIFF THAT DON'T MEAN A THING... SAM AN' WE USED TO SKINNY DIP IN THAT LAKE OUT BACK NOW DIDN'T WE? SHERIFF IT'S MY JOB TO PROTECT 'EM. SAM WUT ABOUT ELMA LUE CLARK? YOU FERGET ABOUT THAT HUH CLARK HUH CLARK HUH? SHERIFF I'M NOT LOSIN' MY JOB SAM. SAM AW BULSHIT CLARK BULSHIT CLARK BULSHIT. (TO MAN) WHO ARE YOU NOW ANYWAYS? MAN P. SAM (to Man) WHO? MAN 123ABC.....BEEEEEEP. SAM (to Man) KNOCK IT OFF I'VE HAD A HELL OF A DAY. Grabs a green garbage bag. Food and garbage falls out onto the floor, he picks it up and shoves it back into the bag. SAM Thank God we got a full bag of trash I'm starved. (looks at Paw) Hey Paw where the hell are ya? FREDDY SAM... SAM WUT NOW? FREDDY HOWARD'S GOING TO USE THE TABLE TO FORECLOSE ON US. SAM NO HE AIN'T, I'M EATIN'. NOW WUT DO WE GOT? He pulls out of the garbage bag a half eaten turkey leg. SAM HOWARD YOU'LL HAVE TO DO YOUR PAPERWORK ON THE FLOOR AND IF THE SHERIFF WASN'T HERE I'D STICK THAT PEN RIGHT UP YER... SHERIFF PLEASE SAM... SAM ASS. Sueanne rises off the floor. FREDDY SUEANNE? SUEANNE THY GHOST WALKS THE NIGHT IN SEARCH OF HIS LOST AND BEATEN BODY BUMPED BY A BARE BODKIN. FREDDY I don't think she's play actin'. HOWARD CAN WE PLEASE FORECLOSE? FREDDY NO! MAN CAN WE PLEASE FORECLOSE? FREDDY NO! HOWARD PLEASE SIR... FREDDY NO! MAN PLEASE SIR... FREDDY NO! HOWARD I'VE HAD ENOUGH SHERIFF? NOW. FREDDY NO SHERIFF. MAN I'VE HAD ENOUGH. SHERIFF? NOW...BEEP... FREDDY NO SHERIFF! With one abrupt and commanding wipe of his arm, howard pushes sam's food onto the floor, sits and opens his briefcase indifferently. Sam jumps up and the sheriff pulls out his gun in full firing stance). SAM HEY! SHERIFF NOW I MEAN IT DON'T MAKE ME USE IT SAM. SAM AW CLARK, HELL, YOU GONNA SHOOT ME NOW? WUT ABOUT SARAH BETH ADAMSON CLARK YOU FERGET ABOUT SARAH BETH? SHERIFF NO, I MARRIED HER. NOW GET AWAY FROM THE TABLE, HOWARD'S GOT WORK TO DO. GO ON, SIT QUIETLY OVER THERE. GO ON NOW BOY 'FORE I LOOSE M' PATIENCE. SUEANNE (cowboy stance, in a shoot out towards the audience, with a deep southern accent) Now there ain't room fer the both of us in this here town Mr., you better get a move on 'fore I blow a hole in yer head big enough ta bake a pertata in .... FREDDY Aw honey yer breakin' my heart. MAN (loud) BEEP! (new confused position). SUEANNE YER GOT ME YER GOT ... ME ... DIE ... She falls to the ground again. FREDDY Sueanne you don't stop acting dead, I'll stop believin' you're alive. SUEANNE (death scene) An' I leave the house to Jed, Med, an' tell Ed an' Ted that I'm dead Fred Ugh... (dies in Freddy's arms). FREDDY That wasn't bad Sueanne.... SUEANNE Really? FREDDY Jus' like T.V. SUEANNE I have a chance? FREDDY Oh Sammy, wut's goin' on here? SAM (to Howard) Yer gonna take the house away from us ain't yer Howard? HOWARD Not me Sam. The bank. I'm only doing my job. You understand that? SAM The foundation an' all? HOWARD I'm sorry. SAM The dirt an' the ground an' the composter too? HOWARD Yes Sam. I'm sorry. So is the Bank. Believe me. SAM Everything? The whole shitin' kabootle? The works? Huh? HOWARD Yes. There's no other way. SAM The cow stools too? HOWARD You could keep one if you like, you know, for a... a souvenir. SAM (threatening) That's mighty generous of yer Howard, real community minded about this war were in. HOWARD SHERIFF? The Sheriff grabs sam by the back of his pants and drags him into the living area away from Howard. Sam doesn't notice it. He looks mean eyes at howard and his legs remain stiff while being dragged backwards). SAM (while being dragged) There was a hope Howard. Once. Here. Right here where yer standin'. (stops) Freddy, you remember it? Like the times yer had a nightmare so frightenin' yer wonder how yer could of survived it. Where it come from inside of yer. But yer do survive an' yer o.k. Well I feel like I never woke up now. That's just how I feel? HOWARD (softly to Sheriff) Keep him away from me. Sheriff nods. Howard takes out paper and calculator and does office work on the table, center stage. SAM When I was a boy, I'd fill up with feelings. Always feelin' somethin'. The future was like a bright lit color, translucent but bright and cheery. With shadows of depth. It went on into the distance an' you could reach out fer it. Everything touched ya then. That feelin' of togetherness, just hugged every emotion inside of yer and sent out this song of love to the whole world. You remember that Freddy? That togetherness feelin'? FREDDY Yeah. Yeah Sammy I do. I remember the times I was in pain, a hurt of one kind or 'nother, an' ya could run home to Maw and Paw and they'd hug yer an' kiss yer and fix up the injury good as new either with a band aid or advice. I remember it in my dreams. Every time I was in trouble with myself, I'd see these two gigantic hands come down on me. Touchin' me. Big hands, soft an' gentle. I'd get this feelin' of bein' filled inside all warm and content. The hands takin' the sting away, washin' the hurt away. An' all at once I'd feel myself gettin' swooped up into the air like an' angel come down outta the heaven and hold me tight in 'er arms protectin' me. Then the hands would put me back where I was before and I'd feel alright again. I'd feel lovin' words comin' to me from above an' my whole body felt it, absorbed it completely. Now, them hands are gone. Nothin' seems like it'll be alright. Everything's got a sense of doom about it. SAM I...I...I have a hard time feelin' anything these days, like I'm losin' myself. You feel that way? FREDDY Yup. Like Sueanne. She's lost herself. Everything's backwards. She don't know where she is, in this room or in her dreams. SUEANNE RUFF RUFF! FREDDY Oh come on darlin'... you feel that bad, huh? Sueanne whimpers. Sam begins to become disoriented. He slams his feet into the ground, a full smack with his leg, as if his leg had fallen asleep. SAM I wanna feel that togetherness again. (slams foot) It felt right. But there's somethin' in the way (slams foot) Wut is it? (slams foot. Pause) Freddy? You seen my feet? I can't find my feet. I was standin' there in the wheat field, and I looked down at the ground an' my feet were gone. I saw the new cement I'd just built, an' my feet were stuck in the cement. I went to get my feet but my heart wasn't in it. I couldn't reach my feet with my heart no more. An' my feet couldn't walk back to me, they wanted to stay put right there in the cement that was jus' a few hours before, a wheat field. PAW Where? SAM (he's looking in the wrong direction away from his father) In the earth. PAW Speak up I can't hear ya? My sights goin' dark. SAM I SAID IN THE EARTH. PAW Earth? Who's that? SAM Here. Where my feet were. PAW It's no use, I'm gone. Whoever I was. SAM Yer PAW. PAW PAW WHO? SAM PAW, MY PAW. PAW (begins laughing at a joke) You talkin' about the foundation? I get it. (laughs) SAM (looking right at him) WHERE ARE YA? I HEAR YA BUT I CAN'T SEE YA. (Paw keeps on laughing) He's gone loony on us...PAW I'M TELLIN' YA I CAN'T FIND MY FEET AN YER LAUGHIN' AT ME. THAT AIN'T LIKE YOU. PAW I get it I get it. The chicken joke. SAM NOT THE CHICKEN JOKE. I AIN'T JOKIN'. PAW Then wut are yer doin'? Buildin' a house like I did when I was yer age? Believin' in beliefs? SAM TELLIN YA SOMETHIN' SERIOUS. PAW ABOUT WUT? SAM ME. PAW (laughs hysterically) You? SAM (slightly disoriented) I can't find my feet now that ain't funny! PAW Gettin' married instead of divorced? That wut yer talkin' about boy? Startin' a family? Becoming a step father or a step step father. SAM No I'm talkin' about me Paw. Sueanne moans. FREDDY Sueanne honey, wut's wrong wut's wrong? PAW (looking out at nothing in a daze as if in a trance, in another time) Poured the concrete so it'd last. Far down into the earth I did. Put up the beams and let 'er sit fer a while. Then the folks from all around come up and helped me put up the rest of 'er. I remember that much. SAM WAS THAT BEFORE OR AFTER THEY MASSACRED THE INDIANS OR CHAINED THE SLAVES PAW? PAW Wut? SAM Which myth we talkin' 'bout here? PAW No myth. Need by need. That's all. FREDDY Sueanne? Sueanne? You don't stop ignorin' me I'm gonna stop payin' attention to you. SAM I'm lost Paw. (looking right at Paw) Where are ya? PAW (looking at Sam) Here. SAM (looking right at Paw) WHERE? PAW (looking at Sam) HERE I SAID. I'M LOOKIN' RIGHT AT YER. YA BLIND? SAM (looking right at Paw) Oh, I thought that was you. I thought I'd seen you before. You remember before Paw? SUEANNE RUFF RUFF... PAW Nope. I can't even remember right now... It's all fuzzy... Wait... I'm rememberin' somethin'... SUEANNE RUFF RUFF... She crosses away from freddy on all fours. FREDDY (whistles to her as if calling a real dog) SUEANNE? You gotta stop this here barkin' an' runnin' away from me. How are we ever gonna start a family when you're in this condition honey bunch? (he crawls to her) Is that it sweetheart? You want a family? Is that why you're dyin' 'cause you want a family and I'm broke? Sam wanders aimlessly, lost, almost drunken. SAM (wandering) I remember it. It's all I can remember. Even when I start to look at the sun risin' over the new high-rise I remember it. That's all I see. Then the high-rise disappears and the corn fields there again. Then my feet are on me. I look back up at the cornfield and the high-rise is there and my feet disappear again. It's the damnedest thing. PAW There was a wind of people. They'd all gather roun' the table together and help each other out. That was survival then. We needed each other. That was the thing that kept us from eatin' each other up. We needed each other. It was an obvious need. Oh, I remember that. I remember it well. Wasn't all fer one person that much I remember. Wasn't set up like that. Get me some whiskey. SAM O.k. Sueanne rolls over on her back exposing her stomach. FREDDY Sueanne? PAW WHISKEY I SAID! SAM I'm lookin' fer it, hold yer horses. PAW THERE AIN'T NO MORE HORSES. FREDDY That's not funny. Wut kind of impression is that for the kids darlin'? Now come on, perk up. SAM I'd be obliged to get yer whiskey Paw, but there ain't no whiskey left. PAW Then get me a coffin. SUEANNE Ruff Ruff... SAM Stop talkin' like that. PAW How? SAM I'll find 'em. My feet gotta be here somewhere. FREDDY WHERE'D YA PUT MY FEET? PAW The soil was where we grew food for the future. It was all there was really. 'Fore the horse and plow that is. Jus' the ground solid with rock. We broke it with our hands and we tilled 'er an' fertilized her and planted her with our hearts. SAM (looking right at Freddy) Freddy? FREDDY (looking right at Sam) Who? SAM (looking at him) Freddy. FREDDY Oh me. (looks at Sam) Who's calling me? SAM Me. FREDDY When? SAM Here. My feet. Sam wanders aimlessly searching for his feet. FREDDY Oh Sueanne come on now wake up. Sueanne barks. PAW We were together. A whole team. Workin' the earth. FREDDY Now come on Sueanne honey now that's enough I can't take it anymore. You're scarin' me honey pie. I need some stability. I'm under stress. Sueanne barks. FREDDY Sueanne? Listen sweetheart. I'm onto a big thing. That's right. I know I look a little disheveled but I ain't. I'm together as a rock. I'm gonna open a business darlin'. A computer business. Big money in computers. Mega bucks babe. Mega mega bucks. We'll be sellin' everything from megahertz to megabytes. Dos, Basic, directories, sub directories, sub sub directories, an' software too. An' when that money starts rollin' in honey pie we'll go out to Harrows and Rickels and all them other fine stores and buy us all kinds of fine things. Then we'll have sex and you'll have some babies. An' we'll pay fer it too, an' then we'll even get us some good ol' Blue Cross an' Blue Shield. How does that sound? Sueanne whines like a hurt puppy. PAW (looking in the direction of his family) It had a good feelin' 'bout it. Yud look up at yer family all workin' the soil, wipe yer brow under the blazin' sun, an' the other folk takin' the crop to town, yer felt the love and the pride of makin' it work together. There was a natural feelin' to it. Unexplainable. FREDDY Wut's the matter? Wut's wrong? (she whines) O.k., forget Rickels. It don't have to be Rickels. It can be any store you're little heart desires. Home Depot. How about Home Depot--got lots of nice stuff. An' if you don't like livin' up here in the mountains, we'll go mail order. Live anywhere you like. We could go back to Long Island even. Get checks in the P.O. Box everyday. HOWARD SHERIFF? NOW PLEASE. MAN NOW PLEASE. HOWARD WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT THIS... THIS... MAN WILL YOU PLEASE SHUT THIS... THIS... SHERIFF (to the crowd. Happily) O.K. NOW LISTEN UP, IT'S TIME TO FORECLOSE, SO LET'S ALL GATHER ROUND... MAW (hearing the Sheriff she stands up, desperately and frightened begins to relive her past) Aunt Jessibell? Can you hear me, darlin? Now you go on and get that boy cleaned up. He's got the dirt all over him. PAW (desperate and frightened) Freddy? Get that cow to pasture he's found himself a spot far away from the pack and there's no tellin' wut might happen. Coyotes all 'round these parts. MAW (not actually to him. a memory from the past) SAMMY? SAM (not looking at her in the living room) Wut? MAW (frightened) Now yer know yer ain't gettin' no more pie. You went and ate almost the whole thing by yerself. Now that ain't polite. Don't give me those I'm sorry's young man. You go and apologize to yer family fer bein' a little pig... SAM MY FEET? (he continues searching) PAW (emptily and frightened) A boy... It's a boy... He'll grow up an' carry on ... the tradition. MAW COME AN' GET IT... COME AN' GET IT... SHERIFF (intensely) MR. SMITH, MRS. SMITH, IT'S TIME... PAW LOOK AT THAT BOYS, A BRAND NEW TRACTOR. WHY WE'LL GET MORE FOOD OUT OF THAT BEAUTY THAN GRANDADDY AND HIS AND HIS COMBINED. LOOK AT THAT. Sam collapses suddenly center stage. SAM (alarmed) MY LEGS? WHERE'D MY LEGS GO PAW? MAW? MAW I don't like that Paw. It's gruesome lookin'. Like a dragon or somethin'. SAM FREDDY? YOU SEEN 'EM? FREDDY FIND 'EM YERSELF! PAW Well I know she ain't as pretty as Elma our donkey, but we got to move along with the times. We got to move along. MAW Why Paw? SAM (looking at them) I CAN'T FIND 'EM. PAW 'Cause, that's the way things is. The country's growin' an' we got to keep up. Always been like that. MAW Growin'? PAW Yup, Growin'. MAW Growin' into wut Paw? PAW Wut's that Maw? MAW I SAID GROWIN' INTO WUT? PAW Oh. Somethin' else. Somethin' else, Maw. FREDDY Sueanne, I'll do just about anything fer ya love sweetdoll. Jus' name it. SUEANNE (deliriously on the floor) New York. FREDDY O.K. O.K. Sueanne begins reciting on the floor. SUEANNE The streets rise up into the night. (RISING) Clouds of buildings shadow the eyes seeking refuge from their lost hope, while eating vegetarian dinners and jogging around the block. How was that Freddy? FREDDY Oh jus' dandy darlin'. HOWARD SHERIFF, MUST I BEG? MAN SHERIFF, MUST I BEG? MUST I? I MUST ... BEEEEEEP. Man poses) HOWARD (under his breath) I'll talk to the big boys Sheriff. I'll have your job. SHERIFF O.K., NOW FOLKS WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT YOU IF YOU DESIRE. I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY BUT WE'VE GOT OTHER FORECLOSURES TO GET TO 'FORE DARK AN' YER HOLDIN' US UP. NOW THAT AIN'T POLITE. HOWARD (under his breath) I won't tell now. SHERIFF Thank ya. Sam moans on the floor. PAW We got to have faith in America. That's wut all the wars is fer, to make it better fer our young. In pain, sam groans, pulling himself forward with both hands and arms, his legs dragging behind almost paralyzed. SAM Oh, it's... better .... paw ... lots lots ... uh ... better... MAW Poor Thomspon boy crippled fer life from that war and the Jackson feller, he went and got his head blown off. Dear God... Sam moans. PAW Well, we gotta believe in the land, the government, the law. SAM (WHILE SEARCHING AND CRAWLING ON HIS BELLY, MOANING IN PAIN) SO SHERIFF. How's the pornography business? SHERIFF Fine, fine... SAM AND THE BLACK MARKET? SHERIFF Funny you should ask. SAM And the street Crack scene? SHERIFF Holdin' its own. SAM And Police corruption? SHERIFF There's no such thing. SAM Have you seen me? SHERIFF No. SAM Wut a relief. At least I know I'm not here. That's something. PAW THE LAND. THE LAND. Sam kneels center, holding his heart. SAM (shocked) NO! My Heart? NOT MY HEART. I CAN'T FEEL IT NO MORE. Freddy my heart? Freddy moans. SUEANNE Am I there yet? We there Freddy Honey? We in New York City, or at the Oscars? SAM Maw, my heart? Maw moans. FREDDY No Sueanne just at home. SAM Paw my heart? Paw moans. SUEANNE Home? SAM The farm, my heart? The family moans. FREDDY YES DARLIN' HOME, WUT'S LEFT OF IT. SAM My heart, my heart? Sam moans. SUEANNE And what about my Oscar? FREDDY No dear, you was just playin' a dog that's all. The Sheriff's here and Howard's waitin' to carry our lives off in his new genuine leather gold laced briefcase. Nobody even noticed yer role as the dog. But it's a start. Keep hopin' ... we all need a little hope ... makes ya feel good inside, like there's a chance in hell that ya might actually live ferever ... stead of rottin' in the earth fer all eternity ... just meltin' into nothin', yer arms turnin' to dust, yer legs turnin' to dust, yer face turning to dust an' fallin' off yer skull, everythin' jus' fallin away from yer innocence... hope gives ya that feelin' of survival we all need while we're dyin' in front of each others eyes ... keep it up honeypie, it's a start ... SAM OH NO! SUEANNE I'm ready for Hollywood. Now that I've done the dog role so good. Right Freddy? SAM Wut next? FREDDY You were wonderful honey pie. We gotta get you an agent cause your dog was the best I've ever had the good pleasure of seein'. Ruff ruff (tries to laugh but can't) SUEANNE TAKE ME TO HOLLYWOOD. TAKE ME THERE. NOW. FREDDY We can't honey pie. Not today. Maybe tomorrow. She falls backwards in his arms. Romantic pose. SUEANNE TOMORROW? FREDDY After things settle. SUEANNE (rises from his arms) Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow creeps into this petty pace from day to day to the last...... SAM MY EYES? NO! FREDDY (running to him) SAM! SUEANNE (falling) VOOOOOOWWWWEEEELLL of recorded time.... FREDDY (running to her) SUEANNE! SUEANNE That was ... Neil Simon wasn't it... I know it's a popular line ... PAW Faith in the Flag ... She'll protect us ... She'll guide us. Faith... SAM I CAN'T SEE! Have you seen my heart, or my legs or my eyes? I'm scared little brother. I'm shittin' scared. FREDDY Now take it easy... SUEANNE No it wasn't Simon, it was ... someone with an "S" ... SAM Ugh ... I can't feel. SUEANNE An "S" or a "P" or an "L" ... who the hell was it? FREDDY Sit down and rest Sam. It's that jackhammerin' you've been doin'. It's shakin' yer apart. SAM I can't feel nothin'. SUEANNE AND WE PETTY MEN PEEP ABOUT UNDER HIS HUGE ... GROIN... FREDDY Jus' sit down fer a minute Sam ... SUEANNE NOW I'VE HAD ENOUGH ... (to Sam politely) I''ll be right back. SUEANNE I'll make millions... FREDDY NOW YOU STOP THIS SHIT THIS MINUTE SUEANNE.... SUEANNE (swoons as if having sex) OOOOOOOOOOOOOO.... SAM I CAN'T FEEL NOTHIN' GODAMNIT! FREDDY COME AND HELP ME, SAMMY, SUEANNE! SAM WHA'D YOU JUS' SAY? I COULDN'T HEAR A THING. NOT MY EARS TOO? FREDDY (runs to Sam) I SAID COME AND HELP... SAM (reaching aimlessly into the air for someone) I CAN'T SEE. MY EYES. WHERE ARE THEY? I WANT MY EARS AND MY EYES BACK. SUEANNE (in complete swooning comfort on the floor) OOOOOOOOOOO ... FREDDY WUT'S HAPPENED GOD WUT'S HAPPENED HERE TO MY FAMILY? SUEANNE OOOOOOOOOOO ... HOWARD MR. SMITH YOU FIRST. Mr. Smith takes the pen slowly. HOWARD Right there by the big red ex. SUEANNE OOOOOOOOOOO ... MAN Right there by the big red ex. SUEANNE OOOOOOOOOOO ... HOWARD WILL YOU PLEASE STOP REPEATING AFTER ME? SUEANNE OOOOOOOOOOO ... MAN WILL YOU PLEASE STOP REPEATING AFTER ME? SUEANNE OOOOOOOOOOO ... MAW Growin' into wut Paw? SUEANNE OOOOOOOOOOO ... PAW Somethin' else I said, didn't you hear me the first time? SUEANNE OOOOOOOOOOO ... MAW Somethin' else? PAW SOMETHIN' ELSE SOMETHIN' ELSE NOW LEAVE ME BE. MAW I'm sorry ... SAM I WANT MY ... EARS ... AND MY ... EYES BACK ... MY EYES! Up stage left a red light appears in a pool accompanied by very non descript, mysterious music. "maya" appears, as if she just materialized there. (maya means "illusion"). She is young and beautiful and wears a red, tight sparkling dress and red high heeled shoes with a long white fur scarf that wraps sensually around her. Her waist long blonde hair sparkles. Her face is too white, her eye makeup too blue, her lips too red and large, overly drawn on her real mouth. Everything about her is plastic, flat in substance and over done sexually and seductively, even her manner. She is more mannequin than human and radiates a non-human aura. Her movements are slow, sensual and exaggerated. Only freddy, sueanne and sam see her. Maya will remain in this one spot throughout the play. The characters relate to her, she never to them. As she appears in the light, the stage darkens somewhat, creating a new, dreamlike mood. Sam, freddy and sueanne back away from her and there is a long pause as we watch her sensual, seductive movements swooning at them. SAM HOLY COW. FREDDY YUM. SUEANNE Oh my... MAYA Hello. SHERIFF Wut is it? SAM Jus' look fer yerself. SHERIFF At wut? SAM Her. Right there. SHERIFF Where? SAM Right in front of my eyes. SHERIFF But you jus' said you couldn't see? SAM (He looks right at the Sheriff) I can't see you. SHERIFF But you can see her? SAM (looks right at her drooling) It's the damnedest thing. FREDDY She's beautiful. SHERIFF Where? PAW That it? HOWARD Um... well, not yet ... Mrs. Smith has to sign ... SUEANNE It's me. Just like I've always wanted to be. She moves to maya gracefully, almost floating. SUEANNE Hello. MAYA Hello. My name's Maya. But you can call me May, for short. SUEANNE I look radiant. MAYA Yes. SHERIFF Who? FREDDY The Virgin Mary? The Sheriff looks at freddy and Sam incredulously. SUEANNE Where's my million dollar contract? FREDDY Are you the Virgin Mary? MAYA I'm whatever you want me to be. SUEANNE (indicating her scarf) May I? MAYA Of course. (she gives it to her). Sueanne puts the scarf around her and begins to swoon, puckering her lips, like Marilyn Monroe, only more superficially. SUEANNE MMMMMMMMM. OOOOOOOOOO. (giggles) FREDDY Sueanne? SUEANNE Freddy? FREDDY (looking right at her) Where'd you go? SUEANNE (looking right at him) I'm right here. Where are you? FREDDY I don't know. I thought I knew. SUEANNE I can't hear you? FREDDY Wut? They separate. MAW I wanna dieeeee..... PAW Me too... SAM Hello Mam. My name's Samuel T. Smith of the Smiths. How are you this evenin'? MAYA Oh, just fine. MAN P P P P P P P P P The robot freezes in a mechanical position with a smile on his face, out to the audience. MAYA And you? SAM Oh, Jus'...uh ... fine. Are you hitched, or wut? MAYA Do you want me to be, hitched? SAM NO! I mean...no mam... Not if you.. don't wanna be. HOWARD Now you Mrs. Smith. Right here. MAN Now you Mrs. Smith, right here. Maw slowly signs. SAM I don't wanna sound silly or nothin' mam, but have you seen me around here somewhere. I can't find any part of me. Even a trace? MAYA Come up and see me some time. SAM I will, I most certainly will. Won't you join us? We're just about to sit down to ... uh... Thanksgivin' dinner. HOWARD Well, that takes care of everything. Sheriff, please sign as a witness. (he does) MAN (with Maya's voice) Well now that takes care of everything. Sheriff, please sign as a witness. (sensuously) Beep beep. SAM (panics) SHIT. OH SHIT. I CAN'T FIND MY HEAD. ANYBODY SEEN ME ANYWHERE? I GOT TO BE HERE. I jus' got to be here. (sees Maya. controls himself) I'm sorry May, I was only kiddin' with yer. I'm really alright. FREDDY You're not the Virgin Mary. I know who you are. You can't fool me. You're my Maserati, right? MAYA Anything. SAM I'm in complete control. I have a job. FREDDY BRAN' NEW. SUEANNE (to imaginary camera) MMMMMMMMM. OOOOOOOOOO. Hello... Try this new hearty beef chunks chunky din din for your little poochy. He'll just gobble it all up and lick you for it. (sexy) Ruff. OOOOO ruff. FREDDY (to Maya) A red Maserati. A bright red one with a five speed transmission and air conditioning. IT'S LOADED RIGHT? As Maya delivers the following speech, sam and freddy move around her examining her. They strip her, beginning with her wig, revealing a bald head, then her clothes, revealing a naked body. A tight body suit can be used. By the end of the speech, maya is completely vacuous. They continue to relate to her as before. MAYA (no feeling) I love you all. Take me into you like a hot dish of creamy ice cream with hot chocolate and nuts melting down away from the hot cherry on top. Let me into your mind and your hearts and your groins. I'm yours forever, anytime you want to see me. Allow me to invade your desire, your love, your lust. Let me take you and transform you from one time to another. I'll make you happy. SAM I lied. I'm lost. (he continues to wander) May, will you save me? I can't find you. MAYA Then I'll find you. You whooo? Sam turns and sees her. SAM (looking at Maya) Oh there I am. Thank God. HOWARD Well, I must be off. I hope everything works out alright. It was a pleasure doing business with you... MAN (not moving) Well, I must be off... Howard pats his briefcase and exits. The IRS Man stays. HOWARD Bye bye. MAN (mechanically waves to the audience, smiling) Bye bye... SUEANNE (looking at maya across the room) How beautiful I am. SHERIFF Freddy? Sammy? Can I do somethin' fer ya? MAYA (smiling) Like the filth that spread its spume over the fields of the earth, I too, take hold of your thoughts, you feelings, your ideas. Like a blanket, I cover what was once a clear and serene picture and turn it over and inside out, yet make it look so very satisfying. SAM Mam, that was a pretty speech you jus' spoke, an' I'd be honored to my death if you'd join me at the county dance next Wednesday evening. SHERIFF There ain't no dance. Sam? Freddy? They took your house and land. What are you talkin' about? FREDDY (looking only at Maya) We lost it? SHERIFF Yes. I'm afraid so. SAM (looking only at Maya) It's gone? SHERIFF Weren't you here? SAM Sort of... MAYA I'll go with you anywhere you're willing to take me honey pie. SAM YOU WILL? MAYA Anytime. SAM Oh boy... SHERIFF If you boys and Sueanne want a ride to the medical center I'd be happy as a pig in shit to take you. SAM You're mine then? FREDDY NOW WAIT JUS' A MINUTE THERE BROTHER. (pushes his brother aside) SAM DON'T PUSH. (he pushes Freddy away) Sam and fFeddy begin to fist fight, their bodies roll all over the stage in one moving, moaning lump. MAYA (at their fighting over her) Oooooooooooooooooo... SUEANNE (imitates Maya) Oooooooooooooooooo... SHERIFF STOP IT FREDDY! SAMMY! Maw and Paw sit helplessly. SHERIFF STOP IT. I CAN'T ALLOW THIS VIOLENCE ANY MORE. YOU GOTTA COME TOGETHER. FREDDY WE ARE. SAM (like a child) YOU BLIND? WE'RE BEATIN' THE SHIT OUTTA EACH OTHER. THAT'S TOGETHER. THAT AIN'T BAD CONSIDERIN' I CAN'T FEEL NOTHIN' WHILE I'M DOIN' IT. FREDDY (like a child) ME NEITHER. WE'RE JUS' MAKIN' A BUSINESS DEAL. IT'S FUN. SO SHUT UP! They stop rolling on the floor. Sam pushes Freddy out of the way and bow to Maya. SAM YOU'RE MINE NOW 'CAUSE I WON... MAYA O.k. Freddy grabs sam by the shoulder from behind and throws him back, Sammy falls on the floor. FREDDY YOU'RE MINE 'CAUSE I WON... MAYA O.K. SUEANNE (steps in front of them) MINE. ALL MINE. MAYA O.K. FREDDY (laughing) Ya know May, I haven't felt strong since I had to fight. The fightin' took all my strength away. The fightin' sucked it right out from under me. Freddy stops laughing and begins to confront his confusion. MAY O.K. SAM (confused begins wandering around never looking at his parents) When will the wind come back Maw, Paw? The air and the scent of the soil? The innocence? I can't smell nothin' no more, ya know. There's no taste to it. My whole body's numb. PAW I can't hear you Freddy. SAM Is that who I am? FREDDY Maw? PAW Wut? MAW Is that who we are? SAM Who? MAW Is that who we were? Pause. FREDDY (to himself out toward the audience) The last thing I remember was the match. In a place. A fightin' match. I was wearin' white and he was wearin' red, white and blue. An' he punched me in the heart. That's wut did it. That's when I fell over. It didn't even hurt like the ones to my jaw, or gut or the one below the belt. It was the one to my heart that killed me. An' wut hurt the most was that he didn't cry when he did it. He jus' had this great big smile of enjoyment and success smack across his face 'cause he knew he'd won. An' when I fell over, flat on my back, disheartened... he let out a laugh, an' started jumpin' up and down with his hands up in the air, bells went off blasting away and the crowd, the crowd roared, full of violent pleasure at my death. That's when everything went black. Freddy looks at Maya. SAM I can't find you. MAYA Here. SAM (sees her) Oh. FREDDY (desperately trying to hold onto his identity, but drawn almost magnetically towards her) May, I feel drawn to you because I can't understan' wut's happenin' aroun' me. I'm scared. I'm very scared. I've lost the fight and my family's dyin' ... I'm drawn to you 'cause you're there. You're there like a dinosaur an' you're suckin' me in. There's no place else to go but to you ... There's a part of me I know from before an' a part of me that knows that in order fer me to survive I... I gotta ... believe in you ... I gotta become involved with you ... Please stop drawin' me in like that... Maya smiles at him. MAW (looking out over the audience) Paw, look at that, a road, a long road, thick with cars, smoke spittin' in every direction ... my my ... FREDDY ...'cause you're everywhere (Freddy is in emotional pain and growing physically weak, we see him struggle to speak) ...You're so ... everywhere, that no one sees that wut you are is only ... a reflection of their losses ... their pains ... their fear of seein' the truth ... 'cause they're tired of bein' beat up fer facin' it. Truth, ain't a gentle thing. Lyin's a lot more comfortable. Only lyin' can't go on ferever... yer gotta come up an' face the truth sometime, or it comes up by itself into an explosion. An' when that happens, It hurts. I hurts deep, like this. It's the hardest match ya'll ever be in. You, against yerself... you against yer whole life of lies. It beats you like I beat that poor ol' deer. Like Howard's beat me. Killed us. If yer able to get through lyin' to yer dyin' day, then it comes up and kills someone else... yer children... yer babies who yer lied fer... So you, May, you make it easier ... I see it now... even if it's a lie ... you make it feel better now ... if I believe in you, now ain't that right? Stop that ... (screams in pain) ... STOP PULLIN' ME IN LIKE THAT! She has only been smiling. PAW (looking at the road) I remember when that was a forest, with a dirt trail runnin' through 'er. Stoppin' at the stream an' lookin' down at the fine stone bottom pure an' clean an' cold... you could drink it an' it cleansed you inside ... felt like youth ... FREDDY ... ease ... we're born into this struggle ... an' we got the ability to create somethin' to make the struggles easier, but we forget about the results of our ease... (in pain, tiring) ...we forget ... about ourselves ... while we're makin' it ... easy, or easier ... we lose our very selves in the struggle... we forget about the feelin's an' the needs of others... Pause. MAW It was there Paw, right there that you kissed me fer the first time... on the lips ... an' your mouth took my soul fer all eternity on that day, in that spot. PAW I think that road, when it was a trail, traveled in a circle ... went from one point to another point ... FREDDY (struggling) Have we fergotten wut courage is, May? ...maybe we never really knew ... Is it in killin' someone else ta obtain yer ideals? Is it there? Maya smiles at him. FREDDY ...or is it in givin' somethin' up fer someone else? In listenin' to someone else? Or jus' goin' along fer the ride... Where is the courage in this here land of ours? PAW ...Look at that highway ... MAW ...no more streams ... FREDDY (very angry) When are we gonna stop pretendin' that what we do in our lives don't affect no one else, huh May? Each thing we do ... does somethin' to someone else. Ya know that, May? Answer me. (she smiles) When we gonna stop pretendin' May? He looks at her as she smiles vacuously back at him. He grows weaker, more vulnerable. FREDDY ... May, I still got some images, pictures of feelin's, emories of another idea that stood right here in this room ... a family ... or an idea fer a family of some kind ... people workin' together in some way ... Can you help me? ...uh... but those pictures, they ain't valued no more, only the picture of people pretendin' to be workin' together... an' they pretend so well it's hardly noticeable, jus' fits right in to what ya learn to expect, it's ingrained in the fabric of this here township, you know wut I mean May ..? May, ain't the world jus' a fact of how we believe it should be? It's become so simple, that we ... believe it's the only way to live ... like Howard ... Right? Like me? Until I got beat up enough to have to look at wut's really there. YOU TOOK AWAY MY DREAMS... YOU'RE STILL TRYIN' WITH THAT GODAMNED SMILE O' YOURS ... YOU STOLE M' HEART FROM UNDER ME... PAW No more home Maw ... No more home ... MAW I know ... no one sees us no more ... all that we are, an' have been ... PAW No more streams ... MAW I love you ... PAW ...like the Spring ... FREDDY (exhausted) ...Ya get so tired ya jus' get ... pulled in... like yer drownin' in everybody's image of wut ya should be ... an' so ya become it from the purity that once was ... before ... 'til yer engulfed by it ... the impurity an' the destruction ... it pushes at ya like a mad beast an' ya think that's what you are... an' finally you are it ... you've become part of it or a victim... you understand wut I'm tryin to say May? Can you hear me? MAYA No silly. FREDDY (desperate to reach her) The need we have fer stayin' alive is so deep it drives us right past each thers beauty into ... uh ... indifference... 'cause indifference an' avoidance an' greed, with all it's decoration ... works ... see here how it's workin'? MAYA O.k. FREDDY (screams) MAYA, I'M TALKIN' TO YOU! I WANT YOU TO SAVE ME! MY FAMILY... MAYA ANSWER ME! G'ME THE ANSWERS! NOW! (more intensely, angry but very weary and tired) I can't keep fightin' like this. I can't go on like this. I want to get back to me, who I am, who I was, when I had a sight of everything ... once ... or I thought I did. A clear picture of me. (growing confused) Everything figured itself out then. It was like a goal. I thought we had a goal towards somethin'. That was the impression I got all along. Maybe they only made it seem that way 'cause it was too hard to admit to us kids, wut was ahead fer us ... (pause) ... there ...was... a... dream then May... wasn't there? I remember bein' told about this dream ... to believe in this land that held in its palm, a dream... to strive fer this dream ...May, Maya, wasn't there a dream? MAYA (pause, smiling) Only dreamers dreaming about dreams. FREDDY Wut was it they dreamed about May? Wut? MAYA Hope. SUEANNE (imitating her. seductively) Hope. FREDDY Hope? Hope fer wut? MAYA (pause, smiling) No death. No fear. Life without pain. Comfort. SUEANNE (seductively) Money. Sueanne throws a kiss into the audience and swoons. SAM MOVE FREDDY SHE'S MINE. SHE'S GOIN' TO THE DANCE WITH ME. ONCE I FIND MYSELF... FREDDY NO. SHE'S TALKIN' TO ME. SHE'S EXPLAININ' IT ALL TO ME. I gotta know... Wut... was I sayin'? Sammy? Wut was I tryin' to know? MAYA Rest. Dream. Forget. About them. Think. Of me. I'll give you a new direction. I'm your hope. I'm your dreams. Me... SUEANNE (seductively) Money.... Freddy's right hand jerks forward slightly then rises up toward her as if he were in a trance and maya had control of his arm. He struggles with his arm not to touch Maya. She smiles seductively. SUEANNE (does a sports car commercial) It's hot. It's Sleek. It's sheer ecstasy. The sexy design and the plush bucket seats with full reclining tilt allows for added comfort and pleasures. Speed like a greased machine rolling in and out of those curving twists... rrrrrrrrrRRRRRROOOAR. FREDDY I'm outta control. It's doin' it by itself. Help Sammy. Sam tries to push freddy away but Freddy stands there like a rock with his arm moving toward Maya. Maya smiles seductively at him. MAYA Touch me. I'm everything that isn't there. I'm everything that can't exist. Love me. Worship me. I am your dreams... FREDDY STOP MY ARM SAM. I DON'T WANNA DIE. SAM ME NEITHER. Sam grabs freddy's arm and hangs on it to stop it from touching maya. The arm continues to move up and toward her slowly. At the same time they both want her. This struggle must be obvious. FREDDY MIIIIIIINNNNEE!!! MAN BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP. SAM MIIIIIIINNNNEE!!! MAN YUK YUK YUK YUK. SUEANNE MIIIIIIINNNNEE!!! MAYA ECSTASY WILL TAKE THE PAIN AWAY. I'LL BLIND YOU HAPPILY. (throws a kiss at them) SUEANNE (seductively) Will blind you happily. FREDDY NO. Freddy shuts his eyes, as his hand is almost all the way up, strait out from him towards Maya. Maya simultaneously brings her arms out toward him, the intensity increases and Freddy begins to weaken, his body shaking, being pulled from his spot into her while Maya grows stronger and demonic. MAYA Now... Freddy's arms fly up to Maya, then his whole body, as if thrown, is sucked into her and she engulfs him. Huge, orgasmic moans, deep and guttural emerge from Freddy. Relief overcomes him and maya, with one huge movement, throws her arms out, Freddy flies backward and upstage in a daze. It is during the moment of Maya and Freddy's contact that Maw and Paw die, silently and unnoticeably. They sit in the rockers completely still, with their eyes closed and their hands crossed over their chests. FREDDY (smiling in pain) Oh my God. Maya looks at sam. Sam looks at Maya. She gently moves her arms out to him, seductively, gently, lovingly. Completely opposite of Freddy's seduction. Sammy moves to her slowly, like a child. She puts her arms around his shoulders by his neck and it appears that she is about to seductively and sensuously kiss him. As he touches her body softly, they hug. It's as if Sam melts into her and is lost in her. She lets him go slowly and moves upstage away from him. We won't notice her disappear into the darkness. Sammy stands stunned looking at his arms and hands, center stage. SAM My body. SHERIFF Sam yer folks ... SAM Wut? SHERIFF They're at peace. SAM Who? SHERIFF Your parents. SAM Oh. Pause. SUEANNE (cute) Purina... SAM (quietly) Wut's goin' on here? Wut the hell's happened? SUEANNE OOOOOOO, the imagery. Ahhhhh. The look of it. MMMMMMMM... SHERIFF (to Sam) Can I make the funeral arrangements? SUEANNE Compulsion, Delusion, Denial, Avoidance, a fragrance you won't ever forget. OOOOO the stench of it. SAM (to Sheriff) O.k. SUEANNE With a new self cleaning feature...easssssssyyy does it. (giggles). THE SOUND OF A TRAIN IS HEARD APPROACHING IN THE DISTANCE. SAM May will you marry me? He turns to where she was but she isn't there. He acts as if she were actually standing there. SUEANNE MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM...Delicious. The train engulfs the house in a high whistling blast of its horn then moves away into the distance. Freddy enters upstage far right, wearing his boxer shorts, sneakers and a business shirt, tie and glasses. He lights a cigarette and delivers his speeches like a hot shot, fast talking computer salesman. He addresses the audience directly. As the play ends, each character is in their own world, trying to find a new foundation for themselves, a new identity. They deliver these lines out to the audience, as if talking to themselves, not each other. FREDDY (crossing down stage right) Now listen here I'll sell ya this bran' new billion megabyte computer with fifty megahertz capability... fast... SAM (down stage left) Wait, I see something ... SUEANNE (center stage, she continues swooning into an imaginary camera) It was Dirk who came and impregnated her. He swindled her out of her virginity. Took it while she wasn't even looking. Lost it to that corrupt, self indulgent, opportunist Rod... OOOOOOO. (insecurely) That a take? SAM I see myself over ... (points in the opposite direction than where he is aimlessly looking) ...there... over there, by that bran' new house, May. One of those architectural designs. An' right by the entrance door I can see my feet. Standin' there by themselves on the cement. May, it's the strangest thing. I feel the earth beneath me solid as a rock now. I know wut I want, but inside, I hear this sound. Like glass shatterin'. Breakin' apart helplessly. But I can't get this smile off my face. FREDDY Get ya a modem that'll send ya letter cross the world in seconds flat. Talk to anyone through the screen. SUEANNE MMMMMMMMMMMM baby... oooooooooo... I love you Dirk. I love you so much... What you do to me... Just hold me tight forever. Take me away into the night. (insecurely) Was that good? SAM A townhouse condominium with a swimmin' pool. An' they even mow the lawn fer ya. May, I'll buy us a bran' new sports car and' one of them projection t.v. sets with the ten thousand watt per channel stereo system all wrapped up in one... Buildin's in now and I'm in the union. (taps his hard hat proudly). It'll be great. FREDDY Software... Hardware ... assorted devices to make yer life ... quick an' easy ... SAM I'll even act in control. Like everything's alright. Like I'm immortal and all this matters. I'll buy it all. SUEANNE Was I good? Oh thanks ... Are my lips o.k.? How's my hair look? I've been working out a lot. My waist line's almost predictable. There's so much possibility for me now isn't there? She winks at the imaginary camera man, swooning, then rolls her tongue around her lips. SAM An' they tol' me at the bank I could get a fixed rate mortgage at a percentage. That's divided over thirty years and divided up again daily so they keep the monthly payments low enough to hold ya. MAN BEEEEEEEP. The irs agent jerks up and freezes out toward the audience. His arms jut out wide so that his black coat looks like dracula's cape. His fingers clawed and his mouth open wide wearing large fangs. His mouth and tongue covered with blood. Pause. They all look out. Tableau. SAM (out into the audience) An' as yer walk into the house my hearts right by the checkbook. But most of all May, most of all, I found my eyes again. They're right over there (looking nowhere). I can't tell you what a relief that was. Findin' my eyes ... again ... I thought I'd never see 'em. That was frightenin'. Real frightenin'. But now it's alright again. 'Cause of you May. 'Cause of you! I feel like I'm home. Sam puts on a pair of dark sun glasses. FREDDY (winks, a gesture of assurance) Have I got a deal fer you. Pause. SUEANNE (phoney. sensuously) Buy me ...? (winks seductively) Pause. SAM (smiling and looking out into the distance at nothing) We're home May! We're home! The lights fade out very slowly on them all in their new positions. End of Play