Play #01

311

__________________________

A short play

By Joseph Frost

Originally written as a part of

31 Plays in 31 Days

August 2, 2022

Contact:
710 Newland Dr
Jackson MS 39211
FrostJosephD@gmail.com
*member, Dramatists Guild
 An urban apartment building stoop. A set of
concrete stairs, a door, and a window.

EALLIE leans out the window. She is seated in

a chair, with a small radio sitting on the sill.
She drinks a cup of milk. She wears a
housedress.

AUBURN sits on the stairs, in work pants and

boots. He wears a white undershirt, and has a
work shirt slung over his shoulder. He is eating
a sandwich.

It is early morning.

EALLIE
I didn’t see nothing last night.

AUBURN
Heard it tho.

EALLIE
How could I not hear it? Makin’ all that racket.

AUBURN
No worries. Those cans’ll bend back out. Round as ever.

EALLIE
Lousy kids.

AUBURN
You didn’t see nothing.

EALLIE
I know who.

AUBURN
You didn’t see who.

EALLIE
But I know who.

AUBURN
You make the call?
 2.

EALLIE
Course not. I didn’t see nothing.
(beat)
Doesn’t mean they didn’t do it.

AUBURN
Who, the kids?

EALLIE
Lousy kids.

AUBURN
They’re just kids.

EALLIE
You ever do that?

AUBURN
Do what?

EALLIE
Kick down trash cans for no good reason?
(silence)
You one of them lousy kids.

AUBURN
I never said I wasn’t, Miss Eallie.

EALLIE
It wasn’t you, was it?

AUBURN
What.

EALLIE
Last night. My trash cans.

AUBURN
Now, Miss Eallie, you know me.

EALLIE
I thought I did. Now I know you one of them lousy kids.
 3.

AUBURN
Ain’t no kid no more. I’m a lousy man.

EALLIE
You a lousy OLD man, Auburn. That’s what you are.

AUBURN
I’m gonna take care of your trash cans. Ain’t no worries.

EALLIE
So get on it.

AUBURN
Now?

EALLIE
Now. When?

AUBURN
I fix them now, they’ll be flat again before I get back from work. Trash ain’t until
Thursday. I’ll get em Wednesday night so you can put out your trash.

EALLIE
I put my trash out Wednesday afternoon.

AUBURN
You don’t need to put your trash out Wednesday afternoon.

EALLIE
I don’t need to but I do. I don’t go out at night no more.

AUBURN
Why’s that?

EALLIE
Them lousy kids, that’s why. I ought to make the call.

AUBURN
Go ahead then. Call. See what happens.

EALLIE
I ought to.

AUBURN
Not telling you not to.
 4.

EALLIE
I will.

AUBURN
All right then.

Eallie takes a drink.

Auburn takes a bite.

EALLIE
Bus ain’t here yet.

AUBURN
Don’t I know it.

EALLIE
It’s late.

AUBURN
Been late before.

EALLIE
You get a coffee on your way to work?

AUBURN
A what?

EALLIE
A coffee. My husband always had to have a coffee before he could work one minute.

AUBURN
There’ll be a pot in the office.

EALLIE
That so.

AUBURN
Usually is. Sometimes I make it when I get in.

EALLIE
That’s nice. Then it’s fresh.

AUBURN
Guess so.
 5.

EALLIE
I like a fresh coffee.

AUBURN
Yeah.

EALLIE
You want a fresh coffee? I could make some right now.

AUBURN
Thank you Miss Eallie. But the bus is coming any minute. I don’t want to leave you
with a whole pot of coffee.

EALLIE
Well, tomorrow. Tomorrow I’ll make it first thing so you can have some before work.

AUBURN
I don’t work tomorrow.

EALLIE
I’ll keep an eye out for you. Fresh coffee, Auburn. Nothing like it.

AUBURN
Yes ma’am.

A moment.

EALLIE
Might rain.

AUBURN
This afternoon.
(beat)
So keep your window shut.

EALLIE
I like to hear the rain.

AUBURN
But it’ll rain in and get your floor all wet.

EALLIE
I got towels.

AUBURN
You got towels. Yes ma’am.
 6.

EALLIE
Sometimes you got a problem, you just fix it.

AUBURN
Fix it. Yes ma’am.

EALLIE
I mean it.

AUBURN
I know you do.
(beat)
I know you do.
(beat)
You hear that?

EALLIE
Hear what?

Auburn starts to get up.

AUBURN
Bus is coming. Around the corner.

EALLIE
I don’t hear nothing.

AUBURN
You gonna be here when I get back?

EALLIE
Where else would I be?

AUBURN
You got a lot of options Miss Eallie. You got your whole day.

EALLIE
I’m right where I wanna be.

AUBURN
With your radio?

EALLIE
That’s right.

Auburn goes to the bottom of the stairs.

 7.

AUBURN
You ain’t gonna make that call. On them boys.

EALLIE
I didn’t see nothing.

AUBURN
I know.

EALLIE
So I got nothing to say.

AUBURN
I’ll get your trash cans fixed up right after work.

EALLIE
Thank you, Auburn. I might have a cup of coffee ready for you. Fresh.

AUBURN
Yes, ma’am.

Auburn walks to the stop as we hear a bus get

closer.

Eallie turns on her radio, old jazz music plays.

Eallie waves at the bus as it passes by.

Lights down.

End.