A Play by Phillip S.
| CHARACTERS: |
Bennie, a beetle bug, age 2 years old Reggie, a rat, age 6 years old. Bennie’s father
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| SETTING: |
The bedroom of Bennie’s father, located in a hole in a human kitchen of the Bars and Bricks building for Youth
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| TIME: |
3:00 am, a humid Friday morning
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| AT RISE: |
After what seems like the longest walk, Bennie approaches his dad’s house and enters with suitcases |
BENNIE
Dad, Dad are you awake? (Reggie runs out of his room ready to attack, but realizes that it’s only Bennie) Whoa, Dad! Calm down, it’s only me.
REGGIE
Oh, it’s only you, son. I didn’t realize it was you.
BENNIE
Well, yeah, it’s me. Do you have time to talk?
REGGIE
Well… (looking off) Now is sort of a bad time. I mean, it’s 3 in the morning.
BENNIE
I guess I said that wrong: we have to talk.
REGGIE
Well, what’s on your mind son?
BENNIE
Dad, you know I’ve been asking you if I could move away and all…
REGGIE
Oh, son, I really don’t have time…
BENNIE
Well make time because my time is limited around here.
REGGIE
What do you mean, ‘your time is limited around here,’ and why are you carrying those suitcases? Son were you planning on leaving after I told you that you couldn’t?
BENNIE
Look Dad, I’m leaving whether you like it or not. I just came by to see if you would like to come with me.
REGGIE
How can you ask me to go somewhere with you when I told you that you can’t even go?
BENNIE
Like I said, I’m leaving. Are you coming or not…
(Bennie is interrupted by the creak of his father’s bedroom door, ad his girlfriend Connie the cockroach comes through.)
BENNIE
What the fu– ?
REGGIE
Ah, you watch your mouth!
BENNIE
Or what? (starts sniffling) I came over here to ask you to leave this place forever, so that we could rid ourselves of all of the bad memories from this place.
REGGIE
Son please listen to me.
BENNIE
Dad, when Ricky died I knew that you were stressed out. But this, this is just too much… you’re sleeping with my girl? And Connie, I thought that I made you happy? You said that you loved me…
(Connie starts to speak, but Reggie cuts her off)
REGGIE
Son, this is between you and me. Leave her out of this.
BENNIE
‘Leave her out of this’? What the heck do you mean, ‘leave…’ Man both of you can share a rat-trap for all I care, and that’s real pops.
REGGIE
Look son, when your brother died I didn’t know how to handle it. I mean me and penny were in the middle of a divorce, and Ricky died. I was lonely and stressed. This is all my fault. I should have been with the two of you that day…
BENNIE
What do you mean you should have been with the two of us?
REGGIE
Oh come on son, don’t make this harder than it already is. I’ve been knew that you two were together when he was killed. I acted like I didn’t know because I knew how close you two were. That’s why I tried to bring him up as little as possible.
BENNIE
What do you mean it’s your fault? Dad it’s nobody’s fault. If anything it was that stupid janitor’s fault for stepping on him. So don’t beat yourself up over that dad. And as far as you sleeping with my girlfriend goes. Damn… I’m outta here pops. I can’t even stand to sit here and talk to you anymore. You disgust me.
REGGIE
Son, please. I don’t wanna lose you like I lost your brother. You’re all I have. And let’s not forget about poor old Connie. She was all alone. Who was there to comfort her, Bennie? I know who –not you! You disappeared for a whole year. She was just as lonely as I was so, we sort of connected.
BENNIE
So as of now my sloppy seconds is all you have. Because I’m through with the both of you. Oh, and since I’m leaving tonight…
REGGIE
First of all, you better show me some R.E.S.P.E.C.T. ‘Sloppy seconds,’ boy don’t you know I will whip your little tail?
BENNIE
Dad I almost forgot to give you this ( hands him a picture)
REGGIE
What’s this? Who’s this…
BENNIE
That’s a picture of your three year-old grandson, li’l Ricky, my wife Jenny the jitterbug and me in the corner. I came over here to see if you wanted to sell this place and come live with us. It’s li’l Ricky’s birthday tomorrow. But I can see that you plan on starting a family of your own. And because of what you’ve done to me don’t ever –and I’m serious when I say this, don’t ever plan on seeing me or him again.
REGGIE
You named him after you brother. Please son, find some forgiveness in your heart and let me see him.
Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.., You have a wife who you’re cheating on with this dust mite Connie, a son that told me nothing about, and on top of that you tryna play me, in my house because I slept with a chick that don’t care? Whether I’m your bartender or daddy, I think you betta let me know something for real.
BENNIE
What? Look dude, don’t criticize me. If I would’ve neva ran away, I wouldn’t even have a family. Remember, you didn’t want to even let me leave. That’s why ah didn’t tell you nothing about them. And you messing with ma girl don’t have nothing to do with me and ma wife, so get out of here dude.
REGGIE
Well, if you would have told me that’s where you was tryna go, if you would’ve told me that, I would have let you leave. Heck if that’s the case,
Connie, kick rocks. I’m gonna see my grandson.
(Connie storms out, feeling disrespected)
BENNIE
You going where? What is you sniffing dude, you ain’t goin nowhere with me.
REGGIE
Son, please let me come with you. I’m begging you. We can find a way to get past this.
BENNIE
I have found a way to get past this, and even though it’s killing me inside… I’m sorry, but I can’t take you with me, dad.
REGGIE
But son, please….
BENNIE
Ah pops, don’t make this harder than it already is. I’m gone, so you just go’n have to find a way to live without me.
(Bennie slowly exits the house)
THE END
