Snags Excerpt

D. R. Prescott's HOMEPAGE at:
http://www.inkspot.com/authors/donprescott

SNAGS (Excerpt)

An Original Play in Three Acts

by

D. R. Prescott

ACT ONE:
Scene One ...........................June, 1959
Scene Two ...........................July, 1960
Scene Three .........................June, 1961


ACT TWO:
Scene One ......................September, 1961
Scene Two .......................December, 1962
Scene Three .....................December, 1962
Scene Four .........................March, 1963


ACT THREE:
Scene One .........................August, 1963
Scene Two ........................January, 1964
Scene Three .....................December, 1965
Scene Four ......................December, 1965
Scene Five ......................November, 1966

Running Time:
About one hour-fifty minutes, including one fifteen minute intermission after Act Two.

CAST OF CHARACTERS


DAN, AGE 16, GOOD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT

MARK, AGE 17, GOOD STUDENT, SHORTER THAN DAN

JIMMY, AGE 17, THE NEIGHBORHOOD BULLY

CATHY, AGE 15, A BEAUTIFUL TEENAGER

RODNEY, AGE 17, A BIG FOOTBALL PLAYER

MARY, AGE 15, A PRETTY AND SPUNKY TEENAGER
 

SETTING: THREE SETS ARE ON STAGE SIMULTANEOUSLY. ONE MAJOR SET CHANGE OCCURS DURING THE THIRD ACT.


ACTS ONE AND TWO:

SET 1 - CENTER STAGE: A VACANT LOT WITH A WOODEN CRATE IN THE MIDDLE NEXT TO A VFW BUILDING WHERE BANNERS ARE HUNG ANNOUNCING EVENTS AND DATES CHANGED WITH EACH SCENE.

SET 2 - STAGE RIGHT: AN INTERIOR OF A GARAGE WITH A WORK BENCH, SCENE DEPENDENT APPARATUS ON BENCH, POSTER-SIZED CALENDAR CHANGED BY SCENE AND SEVERAL STOOLS.

SET 3 - STAGE LEFT: A LIVING ROOM WITH A COUCH, A COUPLE OF THROW PILLOWS ON THE COUCH, A PORTABLE PHONOGRAPH ON A TABLE, TELEPHONE ON AN END TABLE, CHAIR AND LIGHTS.


ACT THREE:

SET 2 - STAGE RIGHT: OFFICE SET (REPLACES SET 2, STAGE RIGHT, GARAGE SET) EQUIPPED WITH A DESK, AN OFFICE CHAIR, DESK ACCESSORIES, COAT RACK, TELEPHONE WITH TELEPHONE BOOK ON THE DESK, AND LARGE CALENDAR ON THE WALL.

SNAGS

S A M P L E
S C E N E

ACT THREE


Scene Two

SETTING: SET 2, STAGE RIGHT, LIVING ROOM SET, WITH CHRISTMAS TREE REMOVED, IS NORMAL EXCEPT FOR A NOTEBOOK AND SEVERAL OTHER BOOKS PILED AROUND A CHAIR AND TABLE.


AT RISE: MUSIC SLOWLY FADES. CATHY, OBVIOUSLY PREGNANT, IS SEATED ON THE COUCH WITH A BLANKET READING A MAGAZINE.

MARK

(MARK ENTERS and sits in the chair beside the table, picks up a pencil and notebook, writes for a moment then erasing furiously, shakes his head negatively)

(looking up from her magazine) What's wrong, Hon?

MARK

(Putting the pencil down and closing the notebook) We can't make it. I've got to do something. Soon.

CATHY

Can't make what?

MARK

Bills! Coming in faster than the money. Spent too much at Christmas. We’ll be okay. Just going to take a little time.

CATHY

(rubbing her stomach) He or she'll be worth it.

MARK

(smiling) Yep, I'll work it out. Don't worry about it. It's my problem.

CATHY

I know. You always do. I love you.

MARK

(gets up from the chair, goes to the couch and sits beside CATHY) I love you, too. (kisses CATHY) It's wonderful. (putting his hand on CATHY’S stomach) Little Bobby is going to be great! Don't you worry about it. Forget I said anything. I've got a plan.

CATHY

Little Bobby? Pretty sure of yourself, buster.

MARK

You bet! It's getting late.

CATHY

Yeah. Think me and the little one are going to get our beauty rest. (gives MARK a kiss and hug) 'Night. (gets up and starts to leave stage right and pauses) Everything's going to be fine. It'll work out. Love you. (yawns and EXITS stage right)

MARK

Love you too. (MARK smiles until CATHY is out of sight and then frowns as he looks at the notebook. He gets up from the couch and picks up the notebook and paces back and forth obviously worried. He sits in the chair and works on his budget. After a moment, he drops the notebook on the floor beside the chair and mutters) Shit! No other way. (MARK puts his hand to his cheek resting his elbow on the arm of the chair and stares for a minute. He looks at the telephone. Picks up a personal telephone directory and searches for a number, reaches for the phone and dials it and waits) Yeah, I want to call New York. Windsor, 9,8,8,2,8. (waiting for an answer he rubs his forehead) What? … Yea, let's try Windsor,9,5,4,5,7. (waits)


SETTING: SLOWLY FADE IN SET 2, STAGE RIGHT, OFFICE SET LEAVING SET 3, STAGE LEFT, LIVING ROOM SET ACTIVE.

AT RISE: DAN IS WORKING AT THE DESK. THE LARGE CALENDAR ON THE WALL IS TURNED TO JANUARY, 1965.

DAN

(hand on his head, apparently weary, works on paperwork as the telephone rings. DAN looks at his watch and answers the telephone) Mason and Barnes.

MARK

(sitting back in the chair smiling) What the hell you working so late for?

DAN

Mark! What the hell are you calling so late about? How ya doing, buddy? (leaning back and putting his feet on his desk)

MARK

Got through the alligators. Now, I got rattlesnakes nippin' at me. But, otherwise, keeping one foot in front of the other. Just felt like talking to you.

DAN

Glad you called. I might have been here all night if you hadn't. How's your beautiful wife and little one doing?

MARK

She's fine. Getting like a ripe watermelon. Still beautiful.

DAN

Good grief, it must have been a month since I've talked to you. Christmas, right? School still going good?

MARK

Great. So far, I've got a 3.9 GPA. A lot better than I did in high school, huh?

DAN

You have more incentive now. I'm fighting to hold a 3.2 in two classes. Mason is working my ass off. What are you taking next semester?

MARK

I'm not.

DAN

What? Why not?

MARK

Got to go full time on my second job. Ed said I could do it anytime I want. That old fart's been a pretty good guy to work for. So, guess I will. Damn, having a family gets expensive real fast. Turn your head for a second, bills materialize out of nothing.

DAN

Got to be another way.

MARK

I don't want to but I need the money. Cathy needs things. Not to mention, paying the hospital and ole Doc Madison. Don't see how I can hold two full time jobs and go to school. Just aren't that many hours in a day. I'm running my ass ragged now.

DAN

Anything I can do?

MARK

(with an edge in his voice) Didn't call to tap you. I'll make it. Just felt like calling.

DAN

Okay! I know, dummy! Don't go getting anal. Remember, we're partners. Just thought if you need a few bucks to get through, I've managed to tuck away a couple of bucks last year. Ain't much. Just want you to know if you need it, it's yours. We’re partners, aren’t we? Hell, I haven't even had time to spend it.

MARK

Appreciate it, buddy. But, no, I'm squeaking by. When I go full time, I'll be fine. I just wanted to see how you're doing. That's all.

DAN

Hate to see you quit school. Sure there isn't another way?

MARK

Naw. Been over it a thousand times. Maybe in a year or two I can get back at it. Right now, too many things coming at me. (rubbing his forehead again) Hey, you coming home for next Christmas?

DAN

Gonna try. Mason really has me tied to this desk. The more I do, the more he wants. If I can get more than a couple days off, I will. You'd think that after all this time he'd ease up a bit. People here are intense, including him. Must like me though. Gave me a nice raise a couple of weeks ago. Making a hundred a week now. Not many around here get raises very often.

MARK

As many hours as you put in, you must be making all of a dollar an hour! Put in a few more and you'll qualify as slave labor. How in the hell do you squeeze in college?

DAN

In the margins. So goes life in the big city. Say, if I do get home, why don't we take off and tie one on? Akron?

MARK

(smiling) I'll drink to that! That is, as long as Cathy doesn't find out.

DAN

(grinning) As long as you don't talk in your sleep, we're in. Remember that redhead the last time? Jesus, I thought she'd split something. Didn't think the human body could bend that way!

MARK

Yeah. She was somethin'. Kinda ticked her off when we started laughing.

DAN

You're the one that started it!

MARK

Didn't think we'd ever get home that night.

DAN

Me, either. Glad one of us sobered up enough to drive.

MARK

It'd be great if we could remember which one.

DAN

(laughingly) Trust me. It wasn't you!

MARK

I'm still not sure. … Say, heard from Mary?

DAN

Yeah. Got the phone bills to prove it. She's plugging away at school. She's one determined gal. The good news is that when she gets to be a nurse, she can take care my broken down body after Mason gets done with it.

MARK

You ugly sucker, you better latch onto her before one of those college jocks snaps her up.

DAN

We're still on course. She’s a great gal.

MARK

You guys are probably smart. Sometimes, I …

DAN

Hey, sucker, don't go there. You got a great gal. Probably have kid just like you. Well, on second thought, that might be a drawback.

MARK

(laughing) Yeah, I know. Guess all the crap that goes with it just gets to me every once in a while.

DAN

Believe me, there are times when I would rather wake up beside a soft, warm body, then, the alarm clock rings wakes me in the mood. Then, it’s a cold shower and out the door onto my merry-go-round.

MARK

You're either going to be rich before you're twenty-five or dead if you keep up that pace.

DAN

Look who's talking!

MARK

Yeah. Tell me about it. Dan, … (pauses, rubbing his neck)

DAN

What?

MARK

Nothing. Forget it.

DAN

Hey, Sport! Something else is getting to you. You didn't track me down this time of night just to shoot the shit! What's really up?

MARK

I don't know. … Head's just screwed up again.

DAN

Now, that's really specific! What's eating you?

MARK

You know how I used to get? I just feel like everything is closing in. It's nothing. It'll pass.

DAN

Yeah, I know. Come on, get off it, man! You can’t do that! You’ve got the world by the tail. Sure, you're working your butt off. Sure, you got to take a step back from your plan. So what? You got one hellva woman. Kid on the way. And, we got a business to start in couple years.

MARK

Shit, I don't know. (shaking his head) … just sometimes, it just doesn't seem …

DAN

What am I going to have to do? Hard to kick your butt from here. Keep it up and I might fly in long enough to do the job.

MARK

Talking to you helps. Don't know why, you ugly sucker.

DAN

You'll pull it together. We're going to start that business like we planned. Think about it. Oglivie and Thompson Astronomical Equipment.

MARK

Yeah. I think about it a lot. Gotta be better than pumpin' gas and loading Coke cases. Do that is when I really think about it. Not much brain power required for those jobs.

DAN

Keep thinking. I'm going to send you some stuff I've put together. Just some ideas for the shop. Go over them and let me know what you think. I've picked up some ideas here.

MARK

(smiling) I'll bet you have. Incidentally, what's this Oglivie and Thompson stuff?

DAN

Didn't get that one by you, huh? Thompson and Oglivie, right?

MARK

Has a better ring to it, don’t you think? No you didn’t get that one by me.

DAN

You sucker! Remember, I’m bigger than you are. We'll work it out later.

MARK

(standing up) Well, old buddy, I'd better not keep you any longer. You got stuff to do. I got to get up early and get flogging my dogs, cats and anything else that is handy.

DAN

(sitting up to the desk) Yeah. Got a meeting in the morning myself. Guess I better get my butt to my room and catch a little sleep. I … (hesitates) just want you to remember something. If you need anything, I'm here. Right?

MARK

Right. That's one thing in this screwed up world I'm really sure of.

DAN

Hey, man. You got it. Keep a stiff upper. And, anything else you can think of.

MARK

(grinning and shaking his head) Yeah. You too.

DAN

Kiss Cathy for me.

MARK

Sure will.

CATHY

(CATHY ENTERS stage right in a bathrobe.)

DAN

Take care, buddy. See you at Christmas, if not before. I’m really going to try to get home more often.

CATHY

(standing across the room) Who's that?

MARK

(motioning for her to wait a minute) Great. Catch you later. (hanging up the telephone receiver)

DAN

Bye. (looks at the receiver a moment then hangs up) Damn! (yawns, begins straightening up the desk)


(SET 2, STAGE RIGHT, OFFICE SET FADES TO BLACKOUT.)

MARK

(walks over to Cathy and kisses her lightly) That's from Dan.

CATHY

He called?

MARK

No. I called him.

CATHY

Hope you didn't talk too long. Mom threw a fit over the last phone bill.

MARK

(Taking some dollar bills out of his pocket and handing them to CATHY) Here! (gruffly) Give it to her! I'm getting sick and tired…

CATHY

(not taking the money, rubs MARK'S arm) I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. She's just been touchy lately. Keep it. You need it for work. The bill won't come in for a few weeks anyhow. Hey, papa-to-be, come to bed with me?

MARK

(softening) Yeah. In a couple of minutes. (kisses CATHY) You go on up. I'll close up down here.

CATHY

(teasingly) Hurry up, good lookin'! (CATHY exits stage right)

MARK

(Picks up his books and makes sure the door is locked. Sits in the chair and picks up his notebook and opens it. Shakes his head negatively. Slams the notebook shut. Gets up and EXITS stage right)


SLOWLY FADE OUT SET 2, STAGE RIGHT, LIVING ROOM SET. AT BLACKOUT INSERT UNTRIMMED CHRISTMAS TREE INTO SET. WITH TIGHT SPOTLIGHT ON AN UNTRIMMED CHRISTMAS TREE WITH CHRISTMAS MUSIC (YOU’VE LOST THAT LOVING FEELING BY THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS) PLAYING LIGHTLY, SLOWLY FADE IN SET 3, STAGE LEFT, LIVING ROOM SET.

END OF SCENE TWO



The entire play is available in a PDF file:

ID: 1443746   (Rated: 13+) Snags  A full-length, three-act play. by D. R. Prescott

D. R. Prescott's HOMEPAGE at:
http://www.inkspot.com/authors/donprescott

© Copyright 2008 D. R. Prescott (UN: donprescott at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
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