A Play byManuel Gonsalez
| CHARACTERS: |
FRIEAge, Expired. 9’ER the cell phone. Age Outdated.
|
| SETTING: |
San Francisco Mission Street shelter. Trains go by. You can hear them. You see trash on the streets. The alley smells like sewer. The cuts. You see a lot of bums on the streets. The city is crowded.
|
| TIME: |
7:00am on Monday the 24th. |
| AT RISE: |
9’ER is walking out of the door of the shelter. Walking towards his cousins apartment. Opens the doors. Goes up stairs. Takes a left. Goes to room 4. He knocks at the door.
Meanwhile…FRIE is working on a computer on a way to stop global warming pollution.
|
FRIE
What are you doing here again? Didn’t I tell you not to come back? I told you not to bother me anymore.
9’ER (He’s crying)
Yeah man. But I really, really need your help.
FRIE
What is it this time that you need? You’re botherin’ me again. This is the 4th time you did this. This is getting ridiculous. Always asking for things.
9’ER
(Still crying like a baby) I really need that extension cord. This is the last time I’m askin’ you for a favor. I’m beggin’ you. I ‘m on my knees. I’ll give you all my pennies.
FRIE
You gonna have to work for it. You gonna have to do me some errands.
9’ER (He wipes his tears)
Okay I’ll do anything.
FRIE
I need you to go get some groceries. There’s the list. Let me read it to you since you can’t read. Grease. Fattening Salt. Olive oil.
9’ER
Okay no problem.
(2 minutes later 9’er comes back)
FRIE (In a mad way & slaps him)
You forgot the grease! Go back and get the grease.
(2 minutes later 9’er comes back and knocks on the door. Frie opens it)
FRIE
Do you have the grease?
9’ER
Yes I do.
FRIE
I have another errand. I need you to go get my mail. It’s about three minutes from here.
(9’er hesitates for two seconds)
9’ER
Alright then!
(9’er comes back)
9’ER
Here it is.
FRIE
Stay here I’ll be back.
(He slams the door on Him)
9’ER
Wow. Can’t believe Frie slammed the door on my screen. Does he know I really needed his help badly? I beg him. I bribe him. I told him to trade it for something. Or trade it for anything… Man I feel so lonely. I feel like I have nobody in my life… Doesn’t he know my battery was stolen? Doesn’t he know My battery only lasts 15 minutes. Does he know I’m gonna die in four minutes. ?!
(Meanwhile …)
FRIE
Man, 9’er stink hella bad man. Almost passed out. Phewww…. Let me take a deep breath. Man let me get a glass of grease. Who does 9’er think he is always askin’ me for some money. Always askin’ me for some tools. I ‘m already getting’ tired of him man. He needs to get out of my life. He needs to get his own life. Can’t be taking care of him. I’m done with him. He isn’t my cousin or my friend. I’m just gonna treat him like another person that’s nobody to me. He’s always holdin’ me back when I’m doing my work. Always in my way. Always botherin’ me. I’m just so sick of it. But you know what. This is the last time I’m doing him a favor.
(FRIE looks for the extension cord. He has the cord in his hand. He walks towards the door and opens it. 9’ER is sitting down next to the door. He has his screen off. FRIE pokes on the camera on his back. His screen turns on. FRIE throws the extension cord in front of his screen)
FRIE
Here. Take it and don’t bring it back. Keep it. Don’t bother me again. This is the last favor I did for you. I did it from the kindness of my grease.
9’ER (Kissing his feet)
Thank you so much.
(FRIE steps back and slams the door is his screen. 9’ER walks down the stairs and to his shelter with the cord and recharges himself. Next day later 9’ER wakes up. Goes out the door. Takes a walk. He’s feelin good. He’s feeling confident. He eats little bolts.)
9’ER
I’m gonna do this for my cousin Frie. I’m gonna explore the differences of the community areas. If it’s dangerous? Safe? For my cousin to go there to these kind of places. So he can help out the community. Making it a safer environment.
(Next day later 9’ER comes back and knocks on Frie’s door.)
FRIE
What do you want? You know what. Just get out. Don’t come back. Just leave.
9’ER
No wait. I explored San Francisco on all different areas. All different communities. I wanted to help you out too.
FRIE
Why did you go explore San Francisco?
9’ER
I want to do it ‘cause I want to help out the community like you. So we can both be together and be friends. And cousins.
FRIE
You really want to help out the community? We’ll work together.
(9’ER smiles.)
THE END
