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Writer
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Toronto
Posts: 49
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The Slammer (scene 1)
It's only scene 1. I want to know if I should continue it or not. Thanks.
The Slammer
George Pantazis
Cast
Louie
Alex
Nick
The Secretary
Scene 1
The curtain rises and we see the Principal’s Office. In the center of the stage there are two wooden chairs and a bench. Behind the chairs there is a door with the words “PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE” in black bold. Beside the chairs, towards the left of the stage, is a reception with a desk and chair for the secretary. On the desk are a computer, paper, folders, pens, a coffee mug and a magazine, all relatively visible. On the wall above is a clock aimed at 1:15pm.
Already on the scene we see the Secretary reading her magazine and turning each page rapidly. Her hair is knotted up and she is wearing a pair of glasses with very thick black frames. She is wearing a white blouse and long black skirt. She looks to be in her late thirties early forties. On the bench we see Nick, seventeen years old, wearing the school’s khaki blue pants with the bottoms cut to make them look like flares and the school’s white dress shirt unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up as far as they can go and a pair of black church shoes on his feet. In the shirt’s chest pocket is a pack of cigarettes. His hair is gelled messy with a cigarette tucked in comfortably behind his left ear and he is biting his nails.
Coming in from the left of the stage is Alex. He is tall with neatly spiked hair. He is wearing the school’s white dress shirt tucked out of his dark blue jeans and black church shoes. He is carrying a bag around his back.
SECRETARY, staring up at Alex and then becoming aloof: Name please?
ALEX: Alex, Ms.
SECRETARY, annoyed: And who sent you in?
ALEX: Well, Ms.-uh-looking for a nametag-Secretary, one of your finest educators, Sir. Breckmen himself.
SECRETARY, looking down at her magazine and flipping the page: And why’d he send you here for?
ALEX, a little embarrassed looking down at his pants: Well, you see, I seemed to have misplaced my, um, proper school uniform pants—not that I don’t like the school uniform or anything—
SECRETARY, pointing with her index finger towards the chairs: Take a seat. The principal will be with you shortly.
ALEX: Thank you, ma’am.
Alex walks towards one of the chairs, puts down his bag and sits down. He notices Nick still biting on his nails.
ALEX, to Nick: You’re still here?
NICK, giving up on his nails: Man, I live here. Turning to the Secretary. Ain’t that right, Kathie?
SECRETARY, looking up from her magazine: For the last time, Nick, stop calling me by my first name. Takes a sip of her coffee. God, you kids these days have no respect.
NICK, still talking to the secretary: No really, Kathie. How’s your son? And what about the man of the house? How’s he treating you?
SECRETARY: I’m not going to say it again, Nick.
NICK, turning to Alex: What I say that was so mean?
ALEX, shrugs: I don’t know, Nick. What’d you do this time?
NICK, slouching in his chair: Oh hell, I dunno if I’m obligated to say.
ALEX, eyes widen in interest: You get in a fight or something?
NICK: No—nothing like that. Hey, did Mrs. Smith happen to give back any of the essays?
ALEX: I don’t think so. Why? D’you do it?
NICK: Hell no! Light pause. I just want to make sure Louie got a good mark.
ALEX: Why’s that?
NICK, blowing on his nails and rubbing them on his shirt: So I can copy off him.
ALEX: I don’t know about that. You’ll have to ask him.
NICK, getting up from the bench and grabbing his crotch: Yeah, well, I gotta go piss anyway. Turning to the Secretary. Hey Kathie, listen, I’m gonna go out for a stroll, hold my calls.
SECRETARY: You can’t leave the office yet, Nick. Not till after school.
NICK, leaning on her desk: C’mon, Kathie. You expect me to hold it for another Looks up at the clock another two and a half hours? You’re kidding me, right? I swear, I’ll take a leak in your coffee mug. Grins sinisterly, grabbing her mug and looking inside. Need a refill?
SECRETARY, angrily: Nick, return to your seat before I call Mr. Booth in to set you straight.
NICK, moving towards the front of the stage facing the audience: Never mind, Kathie. Unzipping his pants. I’ll just let it rip right here.
SECRETARY, getting up from her chair: All right! All right! You have five minutes, Nick. Any more and I’ll send Mr. Wilson to get you.
NICK, to Alex: Who the hell is Mr. Wilson?
ALEX: He’s the new hall monitor.
NICK, as he’s exiting the stage to the left: Jesus Christ, how long have I been in this joint? We have a friggin’ hall monitor?
The Secretary gets up from her desk carrying a folder. Alex continues to sit, legs and hands crossed with an impatiently look on his face.
SECRETARY: I have to go make photocopies of these. If that devil-child isn’t sitting on this bench by the time I get back—Christ, you kids these days have no respect.
The Secretary exits from the right of the stage.
There is a pause and Alex is tapping his foot nervously on the ground. He checks his watch, looks up at the clock on the wall and tries to align his watch with the clock. Suddenly, Louie enters from the left of the stage taking his bag off and throwing it staggeringly across the stage.
LOUIE, angrily: I’ve had about enough of this damn school!
Louie is wearing his school uniform, black shoes, blue khaki pants and a white-buttoned shirt; his shirt is tucked in and buttoned. He sits down on the chair next to Alex, his elbows resting on his knees pulling his long hair back and sighing heavily.
ALEX: What happened?
LOUIE: Ah, it’s nothing.
ALEX: No really, what happened?
LOUIE: What are you in the slammer for?
ALEX, pointing at his blue jeans: Breckmen caught me wearing jeans in class. I hate the uniform.
LOUIE, angrily: Are you serious? Because of pants you’re in trouble? Untucks his shirt and tears his buttons loose and takes one shoe off and throws it towards the audience. Goddamn, I hate this place.
ALEX: So, what happened with you?
LOUIE, rubbing his eyes with his hands: Man, you don’t wanna know.
ALEX: That bad?
LOUIE: You know, man, girls are so stupid.
ALEX, miserably: Amen to that. So, what happened?
LOUIE: Mr. MacMillan caught me skipping.
ALEX, cocking an eyebrow: Skipping? But don’t you have spar?
LOUIE, enthusiastically: I do, I really do. Less enthusiastic. But you see...I have it last period, not third period.
ALEX: Wait a minute. Let me get this straight. You skipped class and then have a spar next? Why the hell didn’t you just go home? Who stays at school when they don’t go to class?
LOUIE: Well, I was gonna go to class. But you know—
ALEX: No, I don’t. Elaborate.
LOUIE: I was with Abby.
ALEX, rolling his eyes and slouching: Oh, Jesus. Abigail again?
LOUIE: Shaddap, will you?
ALEX: So what happened?
LOUIE: Nothing, she told me to stick around with her till her next class. So, I figured, I can either go to class and learn absolutely nothing or—I can be with my babie, sweetie, darling.
ALEX: That’s what you call her?
LOUIE: What?
ALEX: Baby, sweetie, darling? Shaking his head. Pf, you’re a joke, man.
LOUIE, loudly: What? What would you call your girlfriend?
ALEX: I dunno—baby cakes, sweet cheeks. Anything but babie, sweetie, darling. There’s no substance in that. Broaden your horizons, man.
LOUIE, crossing his arms: Well, she likes it.
ALEX: That girl, man, I hate to break it to you—but she’s all sorts of wrong for you.
LOUIE, annoyed: Can I just finish my goddamn story?
ALEX: So you were skipping.
LOUIE: Yeah, and we were outside. Right in the back of the school, right? Where no one can see us. And then you know who comes out the back doors?
ALEX, shaking his head with his hand on his forehead: This is the worst story I’ve ever heard.
LOUIE: That sonuvabitch, MacMillan! I swear to God, man!
ALEX: So what? Did he catch you guys doing anything? Making out?
LOUIE, embarrassed: Not exactly.
ALEX, excitingly: You guys were doing something else! On school property! Holding his hand out for a high-five. Louie, you stud—
LOUIE, interrupting: No man, we were holding hands.
ALEX: That’s it?
LOUIE: That’s it.
ALEX, shaking his head with his hand on his forehead: This is the worst story I’ve ever heard.
LOUIE: So he comes up to me and asks me why I’m not in class.
ALEX: And you buckled?
LOUIE: You know me, man, I panic in panicky situations.
ALEX: That must really be a turn-on for Abigail, eh?
LOUIE: So I made up some sleazy story about my brother picking me up and taking me to the, uh, what I say again? Oh, yeah, hairdressers—or was it dentist? Whatever, the bottom line is—I gotta show up with short hair on Monday.
ALEX: So he sent you to the office. That stinks.
LOUIE: Yeah, and you want to know what Abigail said I should’ve told him?
ALEX: What?
LOUIE: She’s like, “Why didn’t you tell him you were with me?” Like that would really be any more convincing. You think MacMillan would believe that?
ALEX: Not till school freezes over.
LOUIE: That’s what I said.
Pause.
ALEX: So that’s why she’s stupid?
LOUIE: No. It’s other stuff.
ALEX: Lay it on me.
LOUIE: I really shouldn’t.
ALEX: Sure, you should.
LOUIE: It’s just that—I’ve liked this girl forever. Since grade kindergarten for the love of God. And now things are finally picking up.
ALEX: I hear ya, so what’s the problem?
LOUIE, embarrassed: I don’t have a car.
ALEX, sympathetic: Oh, Louie, sorry to hear that. No car is the lady-repellant. No one wants to go out with a guy who doesn’t have a car. Does she know?
LOUIE: Yeah, she does. And she said it doesn’t bother her.
ALEX: It bothers her.
LOUIE: You think?
ALEX: You think she wants to go on her first date by subway? Girls don’t like that kind of stuff. Especially now. This is our last year, man. Last year. They expect cars, they expect diamond rings. And not just any car. We’re talking fancy, fast, and expensive.
LOUIE: Expensive being the key.
ALEX: Yep.
LOUIE: Will a Civic do? I can afford a Civic.
Alex shakes his head.
LOUIE: Cavalier?
Alex shakes his head.
LOUIE: I could borrow my mom’s van.
Alex shakes his head.
LOUIE, miserably: Well this just sucks.
ALEX, noticing Louie’s angst: Maybe it doesn’t bother her. I’m probably wrong. Yeah, that’s it, I’m wrong. You guys’ve gone on a date, haven’t you?
Louie shakes his head.
ALEX: Really? Haven’t you two been at it for months now?
LOUIE, slouched with hands covering face: Oh themou. She’s gonna dump me.
ALEX, patting Louie on the shoulder: No, Louie. It’s okay. She can’t dump you. You guys aren’t even going out.
LOUIE, sarcastically: Thanks, Alex. You’re a true friend. Always know how to turn a bad situation worse.
ALEX: Don’t blame me.
There’s a pause. Louie is resting his elbows on his knees with his head down.
ALEX: You know what?
LOUIE, not looking up: What?
ALEX: Have you even asked her out?
LOUIE, looking up: Well, not exactly.
ALEX: What do you mean?
LOUIE: I’ve asked her out for lunch a couple of times.
ALEX, sarcastically: So you guys had your first date in the school’s cafeteria? You are one cheap SO—
LOUIE, interrupting: Shaddap, will you? What’s your point?
ALEX: I’m serious, though. No joke. You should ask her out on a real date.
LOUIE: And what if she says no?
ALEX, mumbling away from Louie: Oh, she’ll definitely say no.
LOUIE: What was that?
ALEX: I said, uh, she’ll definitely not say no.
LOUIE: How do you know?
ALEX: You spend so much time with her in school. Why would she say no?
LOUIE, getting up from his chair: You’re right. I should ask her out.
Louie grabs his shoe, puts it on and then starts towards the left of the stage.
ALEX: Where you going?
LOUIE: I’m gonna go find Abigail and ask her out for a dinner and movie.
ALEX: Sure beats the school’s fries. You’re just gonna leave?
LOUIE: No one saw me come in.
ALEX: Right. Light pause. Just make sure MacMillan doesn’t catch you again.
LOUIE: Are you kidding me? I’ll be back before you know it.
(Blackout)
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