6 June 2015

PROMPT: What is a place you've never wanted to go?  A country, a bar, a specific person's house?  Write a scene that occurs in that place. 

Katie Pearl, writer/director/performer
Peter, late 40’s, sits on a hard bench.  Charles, late 20’s, stands at the edge of the stage looking out over the audience.
CHARLES
What they get ya for?
PETER
I prevented a teenage girl from doing something stupid.
CHARLES
And so they clapped you in irons.
PETER
Let no good deed go unpunished.
Silence.
PETER
What are you in here for?
CHARLES
No one prevented me from doing something stupid.
Silence.
PETER
Sorry to hear that.
Silence.
CHARLES
The young lady your daughter?
Peter nods.
CHARLES
What was your daughter trying to do?
PETER
She was trying to go out on a date with a thirty-five year old man.
CHARLES
And how old is she?
PETER
Sixteen.
CHARLES
Couldn’t you just lock her in her room?
PETER
She’s my daughter, but not my real daughter.
CHARLES
What does that mean?
PETER
We’re foster parents.  The state has rules.
CHARLES
I was in foster care.
PETER
Then you understand.
CHARLES
Yup... Wish I’d had foster parents that tried to keep me from doing stupid stuff.
PETER
First rule we teach the girls when they come into our home.  Don’t do stupid shit.  Enough stupid shit happens randomly in life.  No need to add more.
CHARLES
Shit?  You say stupid shit?
PETER
Depends on how well we know the case worker.  The second thing we teach the young ladies is how to give us the bird.
CHARLES
What?!
PETER
(laughing)
Mostly it just breaks the tension in those first few days.  Also helps the ladies know what we think is important and what we don’t.
Silence.
CHARLES
Wish you’d been my foster parents.
PETER
We only take... took teenage girls.  I believe this will end our foster parenting.
CHARLES
What happened?
PETER
The young lady I prevented from dating one of her former teachers, the next day in a fit of anger, accused me of rape.
CHARLES
Shit.
PETER
Yup.
CHARLES
That’s serious, man.
PETER
Yup.  All my other daughters came forward and told the police and the court that it wasn’t true, but the police have to do their job.
CHARLES
You’re awful philosophical.
PETER
My wife and I were aware that it was a possibility.
CHARLES
You got a good wife.
PETER
The best.
CHARLES
What’s gonna happen?
PETER
Bail, then...
CHARLES
It’s her word against yours, right?
PETER
Yes, sir.
CHARLES
Then you’ll be alright.
PETER
I think so.  I know the police have to take it seriously.
(beat)
I worry about the young lady.  She’s... she’s a mess.
CHARLES
How long was she in your home?
PETER
‘Bout a month.
Silence.
PETER
How ‘bout you?
CHARLES
I was in the car when my buddy sold pot to an undercover officer.
PETER
Oops.
CHARLES
Yea, oops.
(shakes his head)
I got no excuse.  I knew what was going on.  We been friends a long time and he’s always sold weed to... whoever.
PETER
Stupid stuff.
CHARLES
Stupid shit.
PETER
Yup.
End of play.