‘Annis 89xer The Allens i ' The Aliens BY ANNIE BAKER Original music & lyrics by Michael Chernus, Patch Darragh and Erin Gann CHARACTERS JASPER: 31 30, EVAN: I, NOTE At least a tind ofthis ply silence. Pass should beat last thtee seconds ong. Slences should lst from five 0 10 second Long pauses and long silences shomld of eoarse, be even longer ACT ONE SCENE ONE The deslte back pao of efi hep sn Vermont, A reyding bi A trae bin, A SPURASE USE THE FRONT ENTRANCE” Sg Taser and Kee siting in thes a fone plas table, tei fet upon place cis. KY basa bear ad fag har pulled inte a mesy ben. Jasper ls sorter haan secre wich qt re. Jasper ts soaking, KT ie dinking a tog ap of tom “A dong iene Eventualy KY start singing to bine a Ging) IWON'T WASTE AWaY WONDERING WHY LWON'T GO DOWN LIKE THAT IFT DIE ‘TIME MACHINES WERE MADE FOR ME BELIEVE IMPOSSIBILITIES ARE WHAT YOU PERCEIVE ‘TRIPLE DIMENSIONAL SUPERSTAR “TRIPLE DIMENSIONAL SUPERSTAR ‘TRIPLE DIMENSIONAL SUPERSTAR Jer sos. A pane a Ginging (MA MARTIAN MASTERPIECI FROM ANOTHER DIMENSION ‘TIME AND SPACE WEREN'T MEANT FOR ME NOTMNOT DOWN WITH THAT TRIPLE DIMENSIONAL SUPERSTAR ‘TRIPLE DIMENSIONAL SUPERSTAR TRIPLE DIMENSIONAL SUPERSTAR Jasper smokes. A lng sbece, KY drinks bist, Th: a: Remember Orion? Tasper nods us He started 2 wind for, Near Marshiield Jasper exhale ‘YASPER: What does that mean he started a wind farm? a: He started 3 wind fart, He lives om wind arr, JASPER: Wind farm lke the big /vhite— a: The big white spinny things, (pases) ‘With like the—on mp of mountain or something. JASPER: Aren't those owned by the gocemnment? KT don't now. He lives on one, JASPER: Yeah, butits not... just like a bunch of wheels bythe side of the rua KurYeh Pru JASPER: So how does he live on one? Kr He jase dows JASPER: Who cold you that? kar Eh, For sighs and sms out bi cigaret, KF asthe bir, worried “Anber fog sen. Ka: Hey. Uh. Do you wanna tall sbout i? Or would you rather just oh, AF sails off SASPER: Andeoa? Kj nad ‘ASPER: Not realy KF ned aguin. pose. ASPER: She's ers man. KJ nods aga. A poe, JASPER: Tessa. I mean, i realy fucking sad, A pus. YASPER: ThereS scaly something wrong with her. 0: Like— ‘JASPER: Like hordesline paranoia or something, Some kind of psy chological soe. KY neds, JASPER: So its actually kind ofa role. Te feels like a tlie Kut Coal JASPER: And ah... don’t know: She played games, you know? She vas into that shit. She was into Power, Ang like.part of me found it areetive butt was alka eal uh i: Thav's not good, man, ‘YASPER: And uh...you know, hershing was like. .that she didn have 4 personality anymore? ‘That she'd like “ost hee personality." Inthe shadow of ry But the bileious thing is tat she was the one ho like fucking glued herselfto my hip. I didn't need shat, man. Necessarily: But she made 8 that. While lke il attempting to fuck with my head the whole time andl make me fet Tike shit A pause KF nods again, a ss. Japer lights enster cigarette, Kak 'm sorry JASPER: Don't say you've sory: [ea good thing, ame) don't need to talk abont i (aus) actually fel bad for her Katcher Jasper cho smokes and rafies a lok at KY, After a while KP starts puinsng up atthe en and opening hir maa ltl, JASPER: What're yo dong: Ha (ri gudntingy Trying to snoeze. LIASPER: What is chat supposed to— Ie helps you sneeze, Looking a the sun helps you sneer. Josporwutcbes Ki eying to mesa Fira ebile. KYsemsueafi Poeelly ‘be gore back topping hata Along te Jasper suidenty kicks plastic cbr ove: ls ater ld nos, a: Who. AMERICAN ie8rmE JuLviAUEUSTIC|Abo fice second later, be ack dao 8 bs oie sop opens Eon pes his Deal ns esther, the steps ese i bis ina cnstare ate ef burton, EVAN: Hey, Um Jasper and KF regard hi ely EVAN: Hey: We're not allowed eo, uh, (pase) Dil you guys just kick hat chair ove Jasper and K7 donot respond. Evan sat, EVAN: Um. Sa, We're notallowedto tosicout here uh i ike a stafarea. You're supposed ra sia the tables out font. JASPER: Wo are you? EVAN: Un. Psa Evan JASPER: You new here? EVAN: Uh...yeah, J: We know Rains EVAN: ..Okay Pane a: Raha lets us sit out here EVAN: Urn. Olay: Uh Because Iwas told thar we should not, um, JASPER: Whar your hist name? EVAN: Shelmerdine Kar Sbelmerdine? ‘YASPER: .’Cause you look like this gtd Fnow. You Took lke you could be her younger brother, Bon doen hae ah ‘JASPER: Eni EVAN: Olay. Cool. Yeah Id ASPER: Her lastname i Pans, EVAN: Um...would it be okay with you guys to move out frome? apron. Ezanis IT and my, hon ren aclly apposed peop that under no Aeon Jasper (Erin Gann) smokes and K. (uihaet Chernus es onthe ground, while coffee shap employee Evan (Dane DeHasn) looks on, "Cause itty second day working here, snd I realy don’t want to get in, um, erouble ‘They bb lok ot bin ond do mat mec. Eon stands therefor awhile Like To conde Eo Finally Evan turns arson and walks bak inside, After awhile 4: Does it fel hot to you Like especially bt? Jasper dows respond. rls it supposed ta be this hot in June? JASPER: Ie July. Ka: Oh yeah? JASPER: July 2a. Pause x, Pane, a July 2nd, That makes sense, fe was like 12. That ki ase the other aight Teard lik... preparations or whatever. People were lke setting ff fireworks in their backyard, (pause) Fave you noticed that? Thar everybody always starts practicing like the week before the Fourth of July? Why do they need to pracuee? Dont they ase igh ie Jasper dasa’ answer. He touches the pack of cigoetes in bis packet. He “Drums bis fags tbe tbe Afra whe be gets up righ tbe pastiche shove and stack an KY bask in he sn Black, SCENE TWO The nextday. After, KJ oun by isla he sable, He as anabr og cup oft. He removes bis tea bg from his cup, pens it pours cut a tle it ofthe 8 ont the plastic table remoces ty pack from bit pokes ad rfl the 1 bg with che contees ofthe tiny packer. Sometere daring thi careful speration, Evan cansesou te back doin bis apr, blenguered,dengingAnnie Caner The Allens «ge garage Dog bend bom He ser KY, eres ta figure ut beter or nt sy anything, then lift up he Hl of he garbage hi aad dumps the garbage hg in. KG urns around, se bon, aves cheerfully, bem goes hak obs ta ba Bas, for lack ofa Bets response, ves vk. Thon be wipe bis Bands om dis apren and watches KY. After a obi EVAN: Don't you mind the smell bal het a (ot looking xp Can't smell a thing, my brothet Pout, EVAN: So Rahns doo’ actually work here anymore Norespoase KP zis be new toa bag together ad pti bak nhieu. “Then be ekesa small wonden stirrer out of bi packet and tate stirring. Bow lok atthe mes the table EVAN: What are you doing? Ka: Concocting. KT Bas te tea, then tases it, He oes. Ka Tastee Bose looks dao, ten sal forward, take the up, then takes sip. He neds and bands i back pause a You go to SF EVAN: Yes. I mean. Thave one more yea let Kar Is Mr Rafaello sill mand? EVAN nrsoiy glancing back tran the do) ‘Worle Ci tis past year. He col io: Date chat guy Ev doe’ ls bos te repo Ka: Hest he oon nad 4: Oh fuck. Someone needs to fucking kil hat guy "That gay rained my ie, Shit, Just thinking about his makes me wants lke— Oh msn’ That guy i such a hte! KJ sips bis tea and res to nln ds, Bs bors fora manent mt sre sabato, ben goer ack inside. The door bus obi bi KJ its by bm fra bile He drinks bse Then KY} takes ont bcel phone and dia Ks (air pea, nz is pe}s Where ae yo, (pou) Ah yes (pow) ‘You are on fie, ny fiend. 7 ists ole e hear Jasper’ ace, que atic, et ler and louder be approtces the pate fame a dstanue ealag ping hiraythrongh ny foncsibras bis ay ‘YASPERE..and then realized that he goes to California. And he drives _p the coast. And ek gor lie ive bucks to his name but hic then that ‘vas like 50 bucks. And he drives, right, he drives up the coast and he sees the ocean for the is mein his life, And then he drives to Big Sur. Which is where.thats where Hleney Miller lived sncbed KF. They se ech other and snap tei ll per Yeah. Um. Thad him for ‘So Miler’ gonna be a character. Ka: No shit, JASPER: Very minor But he mskes an appearance Jasper baal of bis hakpack and esdom. He bok atthe meson the tbl “IASPER: Shroom tea? a: Myfeiendnyfriend Jape sis down a tabs on i igarets Heights me Hesse nd up. “hey sit tere: ocncually KF sears singing Ging) ‘TWO FIXED POINTS IS A CONSTANT. ‘TWO FOCAL POINTS ARE THE SAME POINT ECCENTRICITY IS IDENTICAL “THE X-ANIS IS PERPENDICULAR ‘THE GRAPH DRAWN IS LATERAL ‘THE EQUATION ISLITERAL, WRITE THE EQUATION ININTERCEPT FORM. RATIOS SYMMETRY 15 CONSTANT ISSYMMETRY ‘THE TURNING POINTIS ALSO THE AXIS OF SYMMETRY EQUIDISTANT FROM THE FOCUS AN ELLIPSE ISTHE Locus ‘THE ECCENTRICITY OF THE ELLIPSE, Jasper emoksagitanely ad stares off ita the distance After able KJ eto of ie hasan onthe grocnd on bis ach ad lsat bis legs tm bis placate a: Back problems. JASPER: Oh yeah? WI slepe on it weird Ado pause Jasper smokes, Suen: IASPER: Did yo know that Andrea started dating thae guy? Vow di tide’ you? You don't have co ide it from me or anything Pm acta ally bappy sbour i. Pout. Vs, wha! ‘JASPER: She's dating thar guy. Sprocket She dating a guy named Sprocket. a: Thad n0 iden ‘JASPER: IVS cool if you dd san a: Thad No Fucking Ides, I swear to god, Pouce. at Who's Sprocket ‘JASPER: The tall guy? With the hair? Ac Nosh’ party Pens ASPER: He males his own pants? Kd: Oh god, LIASPER: He takes like that fucking Chinese kimono cloth und sews his own pants or something and everybody makes 2 ig fucking deal about Kaz Oh mit, Pas Ka Sprocket Jasper sats ons bis cigeene ‘JASPER: His real name is probably like Barnaly or something a: Ha Yes. JASPER: So yoo dda know. ar Tid noe mow. JASPER: She called me to tell me. Last night “in ease {saw them together” (bert pause) Tm tell you, it ended up being one of the best nights of my lifece {Las just daing nothing, focking staring out window, and then I get ‘his phone cal, and she has this ike haughty tone, and she’ ik tell ng me thet Hold on. Jasper sulenty leans orsard, reste is ello on bir kee and bs bis ed, 159. sth ssl fing on bis buck, ifs is ead xp a Bite and peers over. Are you okay? JASPER: Yeah I just had to ke, breathe a: Whos. JASPER: eel fantastic, hough. AJ is bead sil ate, continues peer over at Jasper, but after a Biae soil his neck gets tired aed he pus his head back fon. Tasper taker a deep breath and colle isp JASPER: Wow. That was lke 2 erazy heal rush slash hear attack. Okay So she calls me and delivers The Big News or whatever in the most ‘caruescenling feakish manner possible, and I eall her aennt, which, if you recall, was ike the big no-no word in oue relationship, and she says “you promised revert all me that again” and Isay ARE YOU ACTUALLY LISTENING TO YOURSELF and Ehang up. Ai then for ike five minutes I'm like Worst five minutes of life, Actually, No, Nat the werst ive minutes of my life Bad hough, a: What were the worst five minutes of your life? JASPER (ignoring bin): BUT THEN. remember something Your. Fucking. Mother. Tld me. Over dinner Ka: Sandy Jano?! IASPER: I remember something Sandy Jano told me. She suid elke three years ago. When Lerashed on your couch, Wd: Oh yeah ‘YASPER: I was ike talking to her about haw Twas always like getting Kicked ovr of places and like sleeping on oors or whatever and she ‘was like: this hy this in-between sae, shiseing unstable or whatever, you sceept fe KJ: Ohman, Was sbe aking shout her Gender stuf? “JASPER: No, No, She wa ike: the seat of ast having lost yomething islike the most enlightened sate in the world Kjisien ‘YASPER: And I ehought of chat lst night, and all of a seid I elelike incredible. L wos simuleaneousy ike being stabbed in the heart over and over again with this like devil nite bt I alo fel euphoric ‘And then Isar down and I wrote like 20 pages, Kata one night? YASPER: And they wer like..the book jus..tjustswitched in tovally Uitfeent direction. He leaves Zowa City! The whole thing was supposed to take place in Jowa City and he leaves! He's goin’ to California! Pause Kut Awesome. ‘KY ft bs legs off the chair and tries bring is kes dn tobi chest ‘vith some diffu _Fasper tying 1 bide bis dsappoinemeat at KP lak ofa respons, abe oe ‘auohercgertte ad lights. an comes us the backdoor wit final bag af trash, mo aprenon,cripled under the weight ofa buge LL. Bean backpack JASPER: Shelmerine! Boar nads, tring t lok dignified, and ras the bag ita the damper ‘ASPER; How ate you tay, Shelmenine? EVAN: Ur, Pn good Takin’ off LASPER: You done already? EVAN: Uin, Yeah. Eight to three ‘JASPER: ...You smoke? uLwnuaUsTs AMERICAN EVAN: Ui, ccasionally, Ton’ knoe JASPER: Wn one? EVAN ffir ylencing bined bi atthe dors Uh, sore Jasper offers him agave, Evan eerie and bolt ereen 0 slightly rombling finger. Farge ald outa ight After a bal cond ef enfin, serosa dea forward nboes lista the pba He sakes pasa, raking ny bits, el wearing bs backpack. Jasper mois. 17 iting om bis back Api abies 2: Will someone please pas the psilocybin tex? Jasper snore bina ‘Ka: Will someone please pass the psilocybin ea? Jasper takes KF up of tea and carly posit one-one the promnd. EVAN: What’ psilocybunt? LASPER: He's obsessed with incorporating shroomss into every food group. Ket Shroom Karaoke KY laughs. Noone so does EVAN: Wait. That ce has mushrooms Jasper rads EVAN: He give me some, He macle me drink some! JASPER: Flow snach? EVAN: Like a whole sp. JASPER: You're fine EVAN: Shc! JASPER: You're fine EVAN: Do I seem weird? JASPER: Do you fee weird? A pas bile can tiesto gouge if ef vind. EVAN: No. I don’ now JASPER: You're fine. Pause EVAN: My friend grew up in Medfield? Massachuseus? And he said there was this guy at his school who lke te a bunch of shrooms and then ted his own hands to a radiator, (pane) And then they mehed off Ku (il on iz Bak): Urhan myth, Evan thes bis cigarette onthe grouse and sae one with bir weaker, ith ame dfficule EVAN: Uh. [should probably head home. (pase) ‘Um, What ore your names? Ifyou dort mind me asking. ASPER:T'm Jasper They both oo oxen at KF. His ye are cle IASPER: And that’ K}. sychedelic mashrootns? EVAN: Cool Um. ‘Cool. Yea ‘Um, IF you guys like. ike my manager like comes in later and sees you guys and gets mad, don't tell him Isaw’ you. T mean, Td’ now about it JASPER: All righ, EVAN: Col JASPER: You just working here at The Green Sheep all summer, Shelmerdine? EVAN: Ub. Yeah Pret mach. I'm gone next wee Bu then T'm back, YASPER: Where you gui”? EVAN: Uh, Pima. working asa CIT? AAA| ASPER: A what? EVAN: Counselor-In-Tiining? I just ike a week-long: thing JASPER: Ata camp? EVAN: Uh, yeah, ‘asPER: Whar kind of eamp? "Toi tbe question Evan bas bon dreading EVAN: Uh.-.it' a, oh esa Jewish music eamp? Um JASPER: Jewish music camp? EVAN. Yeah, Ui, like teach litle kids how to play piano and guitar and staf ‘JASPER: Lite Jewish kids EVAN: .Yeah. Uin. My mom is Jewish Jasper think about tis the nods. ‘EVAN: [ went there wen Iwasa litle Kid ie You play guitar? EVAN: No, Not. kinds, Not that wel. Um. Mire piano va Jasper plays gitar, “spor rll bis ee. ‘EVAN: Oh yeah? JASPER: taught myself from ike, book once. a: We had bund! ‘SASPER: KI sinks we had a and Pim actully a novelise now. Pm writing a novel EVAN: Ob Cool Ka: We had «band! EVAN: What sas the name of che ban ‘YASPER: Oh fuck, Don't get him started Kj finaly ss wp a: We had any nares, Many phases, Many incarnations. ASPER: We could never agree on a name. We had like 50 diferent ‘and names, Kar The New Humans! JASPER: Yeah. He rally pushed for that one. ka: Ficronymons Blast JASPER: Oh god. a Pillowface Frog Men. Electric Hoolah, ‘The Limp Handshakes “Josep Yoreph. ‘JASPER: "Cause his great grandfather was named Josef and mine was named Joseph, or The JK/K] Experience JASPER: Because he’ Kevin Jano and Pn Jasper Kopateh Kak The JK/K] Experiment Jaaper bates bis bead. 2 Killer Jamball and the Jolly Kangaroo! Dharma Machine! Nefavinws Hookah! ‘ASPER: [wanted us to be called The Aliens. a: No. Boring JASPER: Alter the Bukowski poem. You like Bukowski? EVAN: Uni af don't nove him I don't know his sof. SASPER: You ever write poetry? vant: Um, No. I don know, Not relly. In my journal? Sometimes? No. LUASPER: Yo gotta read Bakowreki EVAN: Olay. ‘JASPER: He cuts aay ll dhe bullshit. EVAN: Cool ‘Ban nad and hep nodding Evan... Bukowski SASPER: What are you doin’ tomorrow night, Shelmerdine? EVAN: Ab— JASPER: You goin’ tothe fireworks? EVAN: Ub. don’ know Maybe. I might just stay home fe short pox) Sometimes the Fourth like, depresses me. “JASPER: Oh yea? EVAN: Yeah, Yoo know Tdon't nov: ts like all chese nies spread ‘out on the football fie? With the glowsticks? And they have that ‘crappy local marching band, 1 don’t know. Ie like antielimactic 1 trues? Like afterwards everyone seems litle diseppoineed. And 1 Ton’ know: it ike, kind of rancom, Like we explode stun the sky and we look at iin like» groupe (pause) ‘And like, [kind of hate Amerie, So¥ don’ feel this like urgent need to celebrate itor anything A pase, Japor nods sheng. EVAN: Not that there’ ike. .not ike fsa bad thing...or like Ess tails of “IASPER: KJ and Lare thinking of having asl shindig tomorrow night kur A hootenanny. aSPER: We ight read shit out loud. Sing afew songs Although drumming circles ae sretly forbidden. ‘6a: Drumming of any kind. EVAN: Oh. Coal JASPER: You could join ws. A pons EVAN: Um ‘Yech! Olay: Thanks Yeah, Awesome, JASPER; We'll see you then. Fight o'clockeish EVAN: Um,,.where? Sory- Wher isthe party? {ASPER: Here. EVAN: Ob. Um. ‘We're telly not suppose to. ‘You can’thave a party bakchere. Jasper stares at bi. EVAN: Ic like a loitering thing JASPER:T thought you guys were closed tomorrow, EVAN: Yeah, We are. Butt. We're not supposed to, Be here, Loiter here JASPER: Fine Don’ come. Isnt a big dea A pons hile Evan stands there ates. UASPER: No need fer, ile wan. EVAN: [just don't know iT ean doi ASPER: Irs cool EVAN: Yeah, Ur [Jasper bas gone co. Baan righ, resboulders bis backpack and arts to seal 1d (nereys Hla fan a band exp! EVAN: Uh. Thanks. ‘estates again, ther exits. Silence fora eile, KY iil ying on his Ick, He tars brmeming, Pinal nsPeR: as Yes Pre JASPER: Are you feaking out? Awenicanricetne JvLYAveUsTI9Ka Whe No! ‘YASPER: You have torell me if you stare fling weird again, an, Ka: No way. A pause 4: You know what Sandy Fano would say you're doing? ASPER: What? a Payetg, man. You're projecting, Tse rads beak ond seareoffint tbe distance, After awhile he reaches or biscgaretts Black SCENE THREE The next evening The Fourth of Fey, Twilgh. ‘The sky urns dav a the sone progres. There «guitar cae bing Inaonspcaouly inthe corer. Jasper is perched om to of tb recling bin, reading aloud from a wrinkled she of paper. KT isting in one of the asic chairs, wearing sunglases, lsening. He is rap. aspor i 5 the ii ofa rentone, {ASPER: —and her bedroom smelled faintly of stile pis and chose porcelain bowls of ried rose petals hismother used to put onthe back ofthe tite, before she died om his Ith bethday ‘Canulace walked over to the window, tok long white plastic rod been her fingers and wise ic Sunlight led the dusty kite om “What?” she said, grinning ac him, “I got nothing tobe ashamed of" $e nonce for che list cine that her front tcoth was chipped just 2 ltd. ‘The right one, Something about tht eooth sie hin, male his tach She acl the reddest air he'd ever soen, fe yas « dangerous red leold you to cop and it old you to go atthe same tine, She turned around and feced hit while he squinted in dhe sume light, She stared a im fora while, her eyes moving up and down his face, Then she slowly stated roling her Tshirt up, Her stomach wos round and sof, so paleie was mast ranlucent, witha chustr of tiny hairs below the bellsburton, He surprised hitaself in that mame by ‘wishing for Alison, for her skinny, childish houy, her watery beown ye, andthe way she would sleep with her head pressed so had again his chest chac he'd wake up with bruises in the morning. But here was Candace, right in font of him, ample and ready, with her flaming corel hair ard her inne sile. She pulled the T shi ‘pall the way over her head and revealed two large, pendulous white breasts, Her nipples were big and pink and undefined, like they'd been painted on with waeeteolos, “Do you like m2” she asked. "Do you like the way Look?” “Ido,” he ssid, do,” and he moved toward her /and-— Holy shit, man. Your novel i¢ turing me on sper pats down the paper and sigh ‘a: Lean its amar. Te great liserutre. I's just giving me a tiny bit of bone: Please. Continue espe goer bina ster lab, ten goes back othe pice of paper UIASPER: “Ido,” be sid," do,” and he moved towari her nd grasped ber hair wih his hand, palling her head buck so her mouth opened 2 lice, She fet ou = Ko: Oh wat. One thing Sorry Can Tsay one thing? “JASPER: Yas. as The ching about the 15th birthday? ‘cel ike. feel ike maybe i ke too sch ofa coincidence? That bis om died on his 15th birthday Te fel ke...’ suppened to be lite: whou o something, ‘YASPER: My mom died on my 15th birthday. SULMAUEUSTS AMERICANA Pose. a: She did? “IASPER: Yes. You knew that, a: Whoa. No. Usnew cha you were. new that you were 15, maa, 1 didn’ know ie was on your birthday. ASHER: Fe wns om my hire KarJesus (Ob toan, That’ horrible Wor Nevermind, A wird pause Ka: 'm sory didn’t know you back then, ASPER: You shoul he thankful you didn't know me back then, Kd (hating bir bead Jesus. On your bicthday. JASPER: wool kicked your os. Fleck sigh ned. eae iceman ps them nb lap, JASPER: Olay I'm gonna sip ahead, KusNo! LIASPER: Yes Jasper le shh the pages “YASPER: This next pares what Lwtote the oxher night, Aer Anda called. (a shor pases) By the way, she's left me fike five messages since then andi I haven't reearned any of ther (anotber store pas) Obey Jasper starts reading agin ‘ASPER: Le vas secing America for the fis ime, fn away he'd heen thinking abou this drive since he was «kd, this drive ars Americ, What did Arizona look lke? he used to wonder. Ush? Wyoming? OkLahoma? Iinois? He had imagined, sontehow, that each sate had Aitferene see of plants and annals slightly diferent color blue inthe slp: Butas he drove, asi tle Hodson Hoenet cranked and moaned ‘eros che long a highways, and he lashed by fart after fer, cone feld after cornfield, desolate tuk stop ater desoloe truck sep with ‘the red Hashing lights andthe toothless man behind the counter and the oocasional lonely wornan with einkled eyes despertely eying to catch bisattention, ashe erossed state line after ste line, he realized that most of America looked ike. most nf America ‘At Sis pin Bean quicly and nervously enters, oer the fnce or shrug th sbrub; waving bis aca. Parper dws passe or wen owe Bm Buon stands near the edge ofthe pai, listening JASPER: It was beautiful, sure, it move im, but it repeated itself You could find the ste thing thee that you could find here, And soas he approached California, his cream of California started ‘o fade He chought of what Miller hud tod hin about the jutting elif in Big Sur, che mystical fog, the amethyst waves. But whee if i was 2 lie? Or warse, some kind of delusion? What if Miller was actualy living in cornfield, sleping on a billoar, writing underneath the low of another drive-through movie theater? He not only started to doubt America, but he started to doubt himseit. He started cubring the gfe that Alison claimed he was bora wich, She had ise whispered that word ayer and half ago, that srange, sacred word, she had whispered it into his ear one morning, and it had sent thrill and terror down hie spine Genius She had breathed the word oot ikea sigh, cling his hie And immediacely he knew she was right, he'd known it since he was aboy, that word had lived in him befare he even knew hore to say icorspellit, bu after Alison had eomfionted him witht, made clivein the aie starced to feel «constant, pressing weight on his shoulders and his back ‘The loneliness oft ‘The loneliness oft coal kill hi. He wasnt sure if he believed in a God, butfchere was one, He was waiting up there in-te sky impatiendly, He was puting his finger 09 his watch and raising is eyebrows and saying: When's the mew ping gern be ins, som? When you gona stp fuking around? Jasper pss the sheaf of per down. Everyone very si DASPER: Anyuay. 1 don’t want to Bke hore you guys or anything. Hello, Sholmerdine. aps tobi fer wit am ancharctritc amount of ena. ku: WHAT THE FUCK? Jasper eves wt 10 eam kd: Whatthefuckwharthefuekoshatthefck. Oh my god joes a tle prayer jog aro the reylng bi Ku: Onmpodohmygodohmygodohimygod, (Ohmygoobmygodohimygodohmygod. EVAN: That ws really coo JASPER; Aw, come on, Shelmerdine. EVAN: Tha was really tally cook Pase EVAN: What5, uum, ehat the main charger’ name? ASPER: He doesn't have one. EVAN: Oh. Cool. Paws EVAN: And l..whac’ che tile? JASPER: Lite Tigers Everywhere. EVAN. Little Tigers Everywhere. Cool {IASPER: [trom a Bukowski prem. IPs che one that starts out "Sam the whorchouse mangas squeaky shoes Pans. EVAN: Yesh. I don't know, umn. I don't know. T mean, 'm gonna get him out from the libeary. Pause. Ec boul bis backpck off aud puts it down othe grand. Ie sunicece an nsportant entre, Maybe becuase it is the fre aime be is ssertng Biselfac here. Kur Yes! ‘Welcome tothe Fourth of July! LASPER; Lookit tha, Shelimerdine showed up. Gok) Are you surprised? a: Puck no, Feck a0. EVAN: Is anyone ese coming? KJ wn aspen suddenly lake slf-consions, JASPER: Uh. is being an asshole tonight and going out with-—no, ka: What Nosh doing? JASPER. Being an ashok, Par EVAN: Ui, Trough some sell Boa keels dm and saci bis backpack EVAN: Ui, He roms ume Tippersare EVAN: Brownies, Ui. My mom made like thre batches of brownies yesterday for some reason. Uh. ‘And this was the only thing 1 could steal. We don't really have a, tam, quoreabinet. Ura Hl aks a bol out of bs backpack EVAN: Peppermint Schnapps? Kat Ooh. Peppermint “Jasper matches the beth ont of Bean’ hand, ay from KY, “IASPER: Il take that Gasper soe the etl abi pocket a: Avy come on. Are you serious? LIASPER: Yes us Tt the Fourth of fucking July!T ean drink Peppermint Schnapps! JASPER: No you cant. En has noida eat’ going om. EVAN: Lim, Sorry. T though that you guys were gonna. yo guys were gona drink. a (to Fsper: Are you kdiing? Jasper duesn' respond, a: JESUS, 1 m...this is unbelievable You're treating me lke 2 chil “Jasper doesnt bude, KF sas cert the receing bin and ick it Wa: FUCK! (stort pause) "This isso fucking pointless. cool just march over wo the liquor store and uy whavever the ck I want Pm 30 fucking years od! ‘JASPER: Dot Pil just go home. a: You woulda’ fucking know JASPER: Ob yes | woald, my friend, Yes | would, A pans GASPER: Last ime KJ started drinking he went off is meds and sare ing doing shirto random people on the street. He malhs oer t0 Fc. Ko: Don'ts ie, you ashole Jasper makes a tle beak with bs fingers and zaps Evan with it 0 bis “are, Eva i stared “ASPER: Zip, Zio. Zbop. Zhe. at. Fackyou. Jasper gos back vor 1 ne of the plastics and sits dren. He takes ont bis eigareter and lighs me ‘ASPER: What EVAN: Un Evan rcbes mc bis black EVAN! This is kind of amb, But though Pd jst Through sparkier? ‘Bean taker out bof parblers ond puts thom on the grou EVANE mean, they're old They're ftom like evo years ago. ‘JASPER: SHPAHIKLARS! "Ben in sre bi 9 resgna to thi “JASPER: Tm sory. That sounded like Twas imitating 2 Jewish person or something *SHPAHKTAHS!” have no prblerns with Jews, though, Evans Lim, Okay ‘might he ike one-eighth Jewish or something ig Kj, standing near te resign, bake bi bead salen. “JASPER: Or was that justa San Jano theory. Mm. (te Bean) ‘Sandy Jano is KJ fantastic mother, with whom he stil ves. She’ litle, ah, how shall we sat, New-Agey? She into the New Age? And she lke became obsessed wih cracing their ancestry back and proving, they were Jewish or something Iedidn't really work, ehough, did ic KP? No sponse “UASPER: They're hike Lutherans I shonghe you got, Shelmerdine?Pause -nSPER:'m one-ssteenth Cherokee EVAN: No way JASPER: And KJ here has dreams that he’ black, Euan inure sberbor b's supposed rfid hit fy ov mot, He oka Kj, faci crcl asPER: Tell him. Kj doesnt resp. ‘JASPER: Tel hits about the dea. KY etnies 2 geno repent JASPER: Like two months ago KI had ths dram thac he was lik, thathe vas black. He comes to se and he tes me this. And Twas like ‘wai. How'd you know in the dream that you were black? Did yo ike lookin mirror or something? And he was like: no. Iwas just hanging ‘outwith a bunch of blac people and we were like all having 3 really ond time together and laughing and [fle realy, um, accepted KF. despite bimsall. rack a oie, \YASPER: —and they al relly liked me and then I realized that Fwas black, That T was one of heim i And Twas really apy. “SASPER: Arn] he was cally happy Pause KY and Jasper giggle EVAN: Ur, ‘Phat’ kind wei ‘Tow sonnd of s distant, puffed explsion. The sy is signicanly darker ex bis ps, EVAN geting ta be cos Oh wom A passe EVAN: [lke forgot it was the Fourth of July for a second Anotr pate. Jasper leks ax bis watch “JASPER: They won't happen fr a least another 10 mines Na one hoes that yy, a: Music! ASPER: Already? Ko Frogmen. KJ runs ever tthe corner and wabucles he guitar sce. He romaes an scouts guitar JASPER: Lemune eata brownie fs. Jasper gratia brie ou of smn’ Tappersare, suffi ite bir month ‘nd sales iwchinu matter of ends JASPER: Okay Kans bi te guitar ond sts dec meet whi inp chair JASPER (29 AT}: Do you want co give some kind of introdoction? Explanation? KJ sbakes bis bea. Jasper nads ned sare playing the pening cds to the Long, He underscores the falling monologuedialogue with the opening ord, He speaks in shat rhythmic way people speak ove guitar chord, airy, ic opens bon up a bale JASPER (10 Loan) Thisis avery old song: Actually our oldest song. Vintage Kevin Jan. So, When was this Shorey afer we met yj was a recent UVM dropout sand I never graduated from high school EVAN: Did you go t SHS, too? JASPER: Fuck no | grew'up in Alstead. You know where thacis? Evan shakes bis ad. JASPER: New Hampshire, [ea shiehole “There's nothing. There’ facking war memorial and 3 soda fountain and hati Trailer trash Lama living piece of trailer rash Anyway Mowing on dugyAueusTo AMERIEANTHEATRE KJ'sa college dropout, 'm a street urchin, and in Verrmone in his town, snd pro weeks later KJ writes this song. sand comes to me and says: you make up the musi. yt make up the chords (hier peas, © KD you want co sing this alone? KJ: Frogaiea sing mgether Jasper nods, plays the spencers a fw more times, and shen hey sng. ‘During the ng rhe sun sets completely sd by tbe end they are in be dark, icon by tbe sso aed perk nearly parking lt lamp. JASPER AND Ka (singing) FROM SAGAMORE TO OGDEN (COME THE SLIMY FROGMEN ‘THEY JIGGLE AND JANGLE THROUGH THE ANGLE FROM THE BRIDGE TO THE RIDGE AND UNDER THE FRIDGE ‘THE FROGMEN COME WITH BOTTLES OF RUM a: (Mmm sum) JASPER AND KS (ringing MACHO COMACHO THREW THE FIRST SHINDIG WHERE THE FAT LADY ATE ALL THE RING DINGS, ‘THE YOUNG ONES ATE LIKE RABBITS AND DREAMT OF LAKE PLACID. (THE FROGMEN ATE FROG STICKS FROG CAKE. AND FROG ACID) FROM UNDER A LANDING CAME BUTCH AND HIS BANDMATES ‘THEY PLAVED MULTIPLE SETS OF BENNY AND THE JETS AND WE ALL PLACED BETS YEAH WITH PURPLE CIGARETI AND THE PARTY WAS FINE TILL QUARTER PAST NINE FROM UP IN MAINE TO DOWN IN SPAIN ‘THE FROGMEN CREW BLEW THEIR BRAINS FROM FRICK TO FRACK, TELICK MY ASI FROM DUST’ TO DUST LEAT YOUR CRUST FROGMEN, FROGMEN NO MATTER WHERE THEY GO. “THEY LEAVE TIME FOR THE WILDLIF FROGMEN, FROGMEN ‘THEY MARCH TO AND FRO‘TOTHE DRUM AND. FIFE YEAH FROM SAGAMORE TO OGDEN— ‘The firework hogin. The miei poserfa, despite te fst tari comm ing fm a ditanse, KJ and Jasper rap ringing. They all sit ad stem, in silence The explason build oer the act emit he wy that rework dl, rising a some oor of clin, then fzaling ou, then rising aga, then ‘yorting up toa serie of hort and manic ursAosie Bator The Aliens Asso point, prot about 20 sends, KF gets up and ars acing ‘le dances in weir lke circles arvamd the patie Jasper and Evan wate bir, The fireworks enone YASPER: You got any trond at SHS, Shelinetdine? n sakes bs head peal EVAN: No, They watch K7 dances te fireworks, After abil 4a (ll donc): TNEED A SPARKLER! ‘Boon ets. spare nt of the x. Jape ight it ond bat to KY. They Pine and move back art rains dm lig. Kj dances withthe sparkler ‘syst i, Afra kee hil, quietly ‘JASPER: Don’t forge conse back from band camp, Shelmerdine EVAN: Ui, [enor technically band camp. The fireworks reach dvr nae Ks (efrring mw the sparkler es going outs going oui going out! The parler gues Darkness. Band of det One ACT TWO SCENE ONE The same set KY ir stcing by bins ta cup of te. Heit by Biel ehinking esis by bit fra lng tm. Thissbontd be at hate 20 seconds, Finally bays KasIFP then ©. "hers maresidece, More sting by bimsef Then Een enters from che side ‘With is backpack, diane EVAN: Hey! Ka: Hey! Pre Ka: Welcome back from band camp! EVAN: Thanls, Yeah Anoiber pas: thar gos atte to tong. Ke: Did you havea ood time! EVAN: Yeah. crualy Ie was prety cool. lke, Ton’ ow: Ie was cool. The kids were cate ‘or whatever, And Tlike-yedh, The other CPT were coo, ace) Tmeca ie, atu Ka: Pecelent EVAN: Yeah. I mean, whatever. [twas just like a weele But she wos pretty cook (paw) Nicole Ka: Nice EVAN: Yea She’ like a violist, Toa’ kao, She lives in Boston, So if wanted to visit he I'd have to ike drive three hous, So don't now Iryas cool, hough, (eanse) mean, it kind of humilisting tha ie taken me sis long, bu es kind of huciliaing Kat No. Thac¥ besuriful, man, (oan) Dia you finger her pussy? oun benches ie. Ka: Oh, Som. Ts tha inappropriate? EVAN: No. Um, Imean, Yeahs | di Yeah, Kd: Great EVAN: 17 slike kindof pathetic, though, right? I mean, that i’ hap ening for the fist time ike, now? at There are no rules, nan, EVAN: Yeah Inve, ‘When was your fits..whavever? Kiss, (Or— Kut Al lets see, My frst kiss Uw, like, van nes ‘a Teas with tis ike 16-year-old chek at an Allman Brothers show: And Iwas torally tweaked! out jos o like kis fer but chen she tre fo give mea blow job in.» Porto Pore ad my like lee haeless dick like didn't respond and I ws totally humiliated EVAN: Oh man, ‘4: And! chen Isdared this like younger gel when Twasin high school, she wa ikea freshman and Iwas. senior snd I thik [kind of fucked with her head. We had sexand like now looking hack Tm aot sure the she wan lke totally ready, you know? Then ffuckin’ chested on her ‘vith this girl ata Chess Charnpionship and we ike had mindblowing sex or whatever, me and che Chess gr, and then I made the mistake ‘of lke coming back home and like TELLING her or whatever to like ge ico my-chest and right alter wkd her she like eruenpled in this ee ie be makes a saga gesture end waits forthe wordt come) ‘esp on the wround and she lke ere nd erie tht she stayed with ne and then broke up with er anyway right before went off ta UVM, So yeah, EVAN: Wor at Bleaky man. ft was bleak; EVAN: When did you have your like fst serious gielfiend? Kar Ah, KY shragewnson forall EVAN: Ac UVM ar Wall. Sophomore year I fucked this gel in my ineseiplinary seminar bur then I crapped out a¢ the heginning af junior year A veird gous a: Yeoh, Ln nor relly interested in, ike... don't know: Sevious shit or whatever, Ansther er pate, EVAN: Um. Cool, Wall. should probably go inside, T's workin’ the three to 10, Ka: Avesome, EVAN: Maybe Il sce you guys tomorcow. Ka: Waarna heue a song? Bom lak a bi watch, Evans Un Sure, Yeah. [should go inside i ike, a /minate, but-— KF sort singing KS fangingh DRAWING ON THE STRENGTH OF THE COMMUNITY A PERIOD OF SPIRITUAL ACTIVITY ANGO AJAPANESE WORD ‘THAT LITFRALLY MEANS ‘A PEACEFUL DWELLING INCREASING IN VIGOR AND CLARITY UNFOLDING NEW’ SECTIONS OF OUR suemavoustieFrom elt, KJ (Michae\Cherrus) and Jasper (Erin Gane In The Aion at Rattlstik Playwrights Theater, NEIGHBORHOOD AMONG A SMALL BAND OF STUDENTS, COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT ‘FO REALIZATION RELAXATION TRANSLATING INTO STIMULATION PRACTICING ZAZEN IN OUR ZENDO_ UPON AN ALTAR INMY DOJO TAMA SENSEI TAM ASENSEL EVAN (edging tna tbe dor) Thats awesome, Kat Fes not over IN OUR CITY OF HARMONY ‘THIS INCREDIBLE NATION CIRCLED OVER THE WORLD AROUND US RETURNS HOME WITH U ‘THE FIRST TIME [ ASKED THE INCENSE SUSTAIN THE ONGOING DELUSION SOCIAL STATUS QUO INTUITIVE ENERGY FLOW TAMA SENSEI A pone EVAN: Cool a Thanks EVAN: Are you, ike, « Budidist? Ku You could say that You could say tha. Pose EVAN: Urn, Sce yo later, KI Ec sit into the coffe shop. Js by bm He sinks bard abou seeing, and then, upon reazing sale. Then be gos back thinking again smsting Blackow. SCENE TWO ‘The mest day. KJ is standing mest to the backdoor, eanng ep against the brik wal. He uuyayeusTig ANERIEANTH: 1s benoit 0 biol lok a Be ke bes iting to surprise Aer a ole, Evan semes ont through the bacdeor in bis white apron, ggg flgorbage bag He stares whe be 0s KY. EVAN: On, Wore KF giggles. EVAN: You scared me. Kind of They stand tere fir esecond, and hen Roan wells oer tothe garage bn, opens ie and tvs the garage bag. Thon bis leaning aeully aint the garkae bin, be its 0 sncomaforeaie, He cance up seaight, stuf bis Ino bis pockets ad stands there wile KJ gaze at bina, soa, evan [havea five minute break J lps bis bands weil EVAN: Where Jasper? Ka: Het sick Evan Ohman. That sucks ur Yosh EVAN Does he have like a cold? Or flke— Kar Yu. Ao passe. They ar bot a. os. Bon decides tary siting one ofthe plastica, He dec 1, KF stay by tbe dor. Silence fora chil. Kd (vith exoggerated esvitenent So are you gona go co college?! EVAN: Umm. Yeah, Next your? Yeah think so. Kg: Where? EVAN Uim. [don’t know. I mean, wherever I get in I guess? ‘know. I'm Kind of interested in Bates? Kur Never heard oft EVAN: Yea, I kind of sal. Ie in Maine Peso EVAN: You doupped out, sight? KY nats EVAN: Why? Un. If not rade tw ask. srT ha beacon don’ now. [wouldnt seal call ita breakin, A pause EVAN: Okay, Cool Ka: College s bullshit, shoogh. If you'e like..T mean, if you've like..if you're the seal thing, oF i you've got like..college is just like poinclss nd:Annie Saker The Allens 4: Jasper dilat go w college EVAN: Yeah. Pate. EVAN: Did you hav lke a wajor? ‘ka: Double Major. Mach and Philosophy. EVAN: Oh cool! Philosophy is cool I mean, T doo’: know anything. about, a: Beer heard of propositional caeulus? EVAN: No, Imean. I haven's—I'm taking pre-cale nest year. 4: Propositional calculus is differen rom regula clenls, sy tle Logie. Buen nad, cafe, a: vas gonna write my thesis on it You woulds loved i EVAN: What si. ike — Kat You know abot truth ables? En shakes his bee. a: No? Okay. Wel, KJ sratcbes bis beard shoaghefly It like: LP tnen Q, then, you know; Truth. Orie’ ike: IP then moe Q, Orch ike: Pand Q. Or Por. Buc whem it gets interesting is when you try igure out what can be 2 Pad Q in the fist place Agnus 4: So olay: Lets say P iss “Pov a wizard" And Q is: “The wizard is yellow.” Then, uh. You have to igure out if there even such thing a Aj trying to thnk, A long pause. Evan i starting ofl uncomfortable EVAN Ut 1:Or Let say you're feeling sad, right? You're feling ead. EVAN: Okay Ka: And you ike loaeat your owa sadness. Fron lke shove And that’s how you're able 10 say, ou knows “Ife! sad.” EVAN: Oly: Kd: Bur like: whar do you--wlhich of your senses like-—how do you de that? Paws. 4: Or like: oF oF J righe? Picare the letter J. Asin Jasper, EVAN: Okay: a: Arn then pcre another J, Sitting next ro Bam ands, a: And! say eo yous isthe same thing as. EVAN: Oley Kur Bur bow do you prove bat? passe, EVAN: Ur, (shore pas) Because they loo like each other Kat EXACTIN ‘That was my point ‘That was the gist of my thesis, Pee, EVAN: Urn I should prabably go backside, Evan arts bea bck inside, Kut Tove you, Shelnedine Evan rps nbs tracks, tified. lb ppd tae it back? A ong pance tobe KF grcer at bin. Final EVAN: Urn, Hove you too Ka: Juse kidding, Anotber pause. 4: Just Kidng! EVAN: Yeah, Ur, Me to, -Eoan beitats, hen goa ack basi he efi skp. KF dosn mos, Blache. SCENE THREE ‘Th someday. Evening. Kj bar nt bf, Hes hing ave t hairs deep, hers area couple of tiny liguorboces at bist, Ean ones twit bis hackpack om, Heeling ap theca EVAN: Ob shit. loan steals there Ioaking at KY for while, He approaches hin amd trie poking hi very igh. Nathing happens, tries poking bi harder. After «fe seconds, KF open ie eye but dies nt rue Ka: Was I snoring? EVAN: No, A pet EVAN: Is, Ur, Ts everything ley? 4: Do you like Jasper more chan me? evan: Un, No. No! Xa: Everytime I see you you want to know if Jaspers here EVAN: Tiha’s bacuse Jasper is usually /her. Ka: He’ sick! EVAN: now. I'm sore Pons ‘gs wanna ill mysel, EVAN: Oh shit, Eoan sits down near KY on plastic chair, takes out bese pone and dia EVAN (ita the phone: Mon. Pm gonna be late for dinnes G@ shore pause) ‘Unn..this guy T work ith is upset (short pau) Hr broke up with his iliend (oan) Please don’t ask me that. Please don't ask me that. Please dom ask ie that. (ashore pone) Please don't ask me that I don'e care, I don't ear, Oka: Boum bang 9p. KY sil gsc the cain, EVAN! J hate fe. 4: Whos. EVAN She lise—she does this thing? She does this thing where she ike asks what kd of like if wane cauliflower or earsots with dinner and then f like rellher arto she' ike well your father doesn't—and is just like whatever I say she lke contradits me and Pm just Hhke— Nevermind. ls stupid KJ nods understanding at Yeas This one dine ‘This one cine T couldn't sep saying this one word? Iwas like obsessed ‘sith this word. would just wall srowad whispering ito myselé vas ttle kid. Tas lke fre. would walk around all day saying: (Ge whispers fy Larder, Ladion Ladder EVAN: Ladder? Like whae you climb on? KF nts4 couldn't stop saying it I started ike whispering it vo myself ae night and T would be able to fal asleep. And ally one night my ‘Mom gor into ny bed with me and she was like: you can say i fora, Jong and as foud as you want and I'l hold your hand the whole time And was like oka. And just went Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Lacider. Ladder, Lalder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder Ladder. Ladder, Ladder. Ladder. Ladder, Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Laer. Ladder, Ladder. Ladder, Ladder, Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder Ladéer. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Laddee ladder Ladder. Ladder Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder, Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder Ladder. Ladder, Ladder. Ladder. Ladder, Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder, Ladder Ladder. Ladder, Ladder Ladder. Ladder Ladder. Ladder, Lacier Lar. Taker Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder. Ladder Ladder Ladder. Ladder. Ladder, Ladler. Ladéer. Ladder. Laer. Ladder. Laer. Ladder. Ladder (he bs begun ey ts pi) Ladder, Fuddet, Lider. Ladder, Ladle, Ladder, Ladder, Ladder Ladder. Fader Lalder Ladder. Talder. Laider. Ladder Ladder Ladder Laer. Ladder. Ladder Laide. Ladder, Ladder. Ladder. Laden Ladder Ladder. Ladder Ladder. Ladder. Ladder, Ladder. Ladder Ladder. Ladder. pow) ‘And then Tstopped. Pease. zon ie fozen pace. evan: Un Aang pause. at He died. ‘Bo leaks abi ancemprebendingly. Pouce. i Jasper die Passe EVAN: ..Nohe dda’t Kit He died a week ago. Pease. EVAN: No. KF ads EVAN: Come on. Stop it A pus EVAN: No he did't Siew van: Why ae you. (pus) You just said he was sick! xu Fm sory. ra really really sory Evan: Why are you saying that Kj shrug Sen, dr Kotha weird? ‘Thache died? jus hink i 0 weird ‘Bxa was oer the big recycling bin aries tok it ver: Ba isis arta do, The eing bin sry, very hey takes Eva lng time. Fer awhile ico e's ging tbh dt Te, a eit or, Te vf las el fing. Maye af roll owt oe he ground Evan vals inside KYisalore suayaveuste stop fucking with me. After lg time Ban walks out agin. He is blding mn oateal raisin woke. EVAN: Whar dd he die of Ku: He died EVAN: IPhut did he die of! (pase) Are you fucking with me? You can't.you have to tell me if you're Fucking with me! ‘Kr He die in his sleep I chink, le died in his room, He wae shoot- ing up. He ied EVAN: He was stat? as He wasn like..he'd only done i « couple of times before. He vas just.itwas an accident. EVAN: Were yout there? Kj sbates bis bead. EVAN: That loesn’ make any sease! Pas. Kut Is okay if you cane ery ean begias try. EVAN: Ob my god Thave to go home. Thave ra ga home. 4: Okay. EVAN: T have to go hoe. Pm sory. don'thnow why Thave this cookie have to go hone se pas is pie dn on the rable wu eres KF ir aloe. Event be sort singing softly od ley BYA BROOK ALITTLE STREAM INANOOK, IN ACRANNY WITH HIS KRAMMY HE SITSBYABROOK AND HE LOOOOKS INTHE WATER THAT FALLS DOWN THE ROCKS— KJ sce the fllen ry bn. He spe snging and alls over it. He trsecen right Ietakera very big tine, bu be usec, He stares att fi sil, then lays bis hand on op oft Blackout. SCENE FOUR The neve day uo is eanding outside by Bisel oa break. He ears bisohite apron “He looks around frei, thn els a pack of igaverte one of bis pack. “He trie tapping the pac of igareter net hsp tle wt? of ‘whet diver tap tin, Tho be snore. Tho be ate outa ciganet ‘Then be aes boo of mabe: from bis pocket. He igs he cigarette ith some dfculy. "Thiet bie ie in a if eas ver bought a pack ofgortes an sis sth firemen bi ife that Be a coer smoked a cigarette by Basel There i crea btscrsee jy im While be sabes, be genes around, ooking for KF After a tle bile, Even taber out bis cl pbone and dal, Heres, ther EVAN (neo she pone) Hey. I Bean How are you, Umi i Vim smoking a igure (paws) Tov calling because I want to know how your recital thing went and if they give you the fist part for Pachelbel or if you had t play the other par. {het you were good. Fither way Um. Gas) in also calling because my frend died? Um. Tknow that sounds really dramatic but um. My friend died. Tdon'c know: Um, He was lke a seni and like e novelist and he died of a drag overdose Hie was lke one of my best friends Youn. 7 like to come vst you in Boston Hes the only person | um. My grandparents died when [was a baby. (Okay: Sorry this message is ramble-y Bo bangs np. HH stb ont Biscigarete, ‘Ho waits jor KY, in vain A misane pas Blackout SCENE FIVE ‘The sts ompty. Afra fe seconds KJ enters, ith Jaspers gitar as om bis back I a Ti stare tse bi nse cows te Dae nly vem bi attavbod the plastic chit up wnt is pote. [pus bi guitar case ram nse one ofthe plastic chr. He ivwearing ‘hortsond mekersand stags. Hess here fr abil, in te seaigh, lin then be bends dram and unlace is se, He turns bis soe upside dow (A pebble fll on nt the grown and makes small mise RY des’ put bis shoe back Hie oakes a paperback bok ou of bis bag He lips ebrough i amd pens fo nage and starts reading it {Bon appears at the back doar, pecs out and ses KF. He ape the door and ‘oul ou Hes wearing bis wobite apron. KP tase reading, Bean doesn't Ts cha td He ths out bis pack of igaretes amd igs one, Hess auc etter a mong ky thie pon. Baan smokes while KY read Eventual EVAN: Hey Kar Hey. VANE I haven't seen you fora few days, a Yea (paws) might be moving. EVAN: Oh, Woss Un. Really? a: might bo. I'm thinking sbouc i EVAN: Where? ds T havea lis of places Tm tying to decide (estore pass) Wanna hear? EVAN: Yea. K7 senches sll, rinkled, gay pie of pape uo bir packet 1a: These ae ust some ideas. Olay. be ready) Astin Texas EVAN: Oh cool Te supposed tobe cool down there. Kur Ie high on the list Towa Ci, Olympia Washington “Taos. don't know i sid that gh Amherse Massachusets Orion’ wind farm, Seattle EVAN: What Orion's wind fren? Kot Oh, Uh. This guy? Jasper’ old weed desler? He lives on Hike a ‘wind firm in Marshfield. EVAN: What wind frm? tle ike... ke the white windmill things hy the side ofthe road, “The big th. lke the /spinny— EVAN: Oh yeah. a (ong boc the paper}: Bureka California, EVAN: How doos he ove there? 1d ignoring bi: Eurekr California, ‘Asheville, Question mark ‘Commune in Virginia where dhey make hammocks find out name. ‘Can't read my own handwriting. Resnick? Redding? “This one’sa stretch: Winnipeg? EVAN: Where’ chat? Kar Tein the Canedian province of Manitoba? [believe Pause. Kar Thar EVAN: Those ll sound cool. xu Yeah, Tm ehinkio® about it, 1 don’t know. Sandy Jano is against the idea Bat Boon sebon is igarctt om the ground. Ka Smoker EVAN: Yeah I guess, [ mean, hopefully: Not Poet EVAN: Um. Tn sorny Tum, Ran avay: Or whatever, On Wednesday, KF nods EVAN Is there gonns bea funeral? “Cause I'd really Hhke— ds Le was last week oan nods dng pes EVAN: He wnt so. um. cool A selPcoscows pause. EVAN: kind of fee like a completly different... [Bun sks bis ed early an co’ ic issentons 1] looks at bie fora tle bile Ko: Come here, Fr wath aver tobi. Ka: Knee! down Bean tentaticey kneels down. ika:T'm going to bless you. 'm going to remove your toxins. KT pus bis fingers together and tnches Esa’ cbc Ko (quiet: Zh00p, pase) Thats it ‘You can stand up again -Boan mendes again. EVAN: Ur. KP? I should /tell you— Ka: F'n sending his novel out. Iewas almost finshed so though they contd publish ies ike. You know. An unfinished thing EVAN: Oh, Cool Kor Yea I'm jst ike looking inthe like book jackers of my mom’ tbooks sind Tin like allright. Farrar Stroose and Geeroosh. Union Soqare, I send i to you. EVAN: Don't you like need an agent o something? [Ky shrugs and ifs up the bb in bis op, Is Bakes’ Tre Last Night ofthe Earth, 4d: Did Bakoki have an agent EVAN: Yeah I don’t know. AMERICANTHEATAE guLNAueUsTiC(a stort pou) Tim reading some of his. took out um. And ume, Lave ls a Dag From Ill jou like i? EVAN: Yeah. Yeah. He lke fe um, 1 grea, He sys “cunt al Ka Yeah! Lm reading Haun on Rye? EVAN: Yeah, Powe EVAN: Um, xr was Yes EVAN: Raha cume hack yesterday. Tess she was cn vacation? a: Uh bh, EVAN: And she sid you guys, un. shesaid that you can'-be back here. And she was really, um, mad, And I explained 19 her about un. about ‘what, um, happened while Twas gone— Kf ely sare putting ie oe bak EVAN: —bur she was really pised at me and she told the manager which was really stupid of her but she told him an he sid that wa that you guys, dhat um, you, ean'te here anymore Lean, nobody’ supposed to be buck here except for staf KF nate EVAN: And I got really mad andl [like argued with him and E was like: he not dong anvthing, bucum ey foul an those liquor hotles [ guess and apparently Jasper once um peed out here or something 0 they um, Header ou. KY nods, EVAN: He’ coming inck tomorow and he's gonna be cheek/ing all the a: Fe on EVAN: You can sare coming inside ify wane, Team make yon free es, ‘a Yeah don't now They alvays play shar Anj DiFranco sie inside, EVAN. Yeah, nat Uh EVAN: You can stay late as you want today! Imean. Nobody's gonna cheek. (pow) T should go probably go bac inside in «minate. ar Yeu, A pase rT have a preseat for you. KJ points othe gitar case. ut I don't knowhow te play, so. Jes his guitar. EVAN: I can't take that 4a 1 for you, His roommates dda’ wane EVAN: J on'tkoow a: Do youalrendy have one? EVAN; Urn, No, Tmesn, my mom has 2 really erappy one and I play ha sometimes, Ka Take it Tes pretty good. He sole it from some yuppie asshole in Burlingeoa, uum looks ait. He bods dow and wibuobles te cas, He takes ont the usar. He doe at, He bolt kar pie EVAN: Pas not very good. Eon plays ie baling cords ur Yeoh!) Yes. Bunn smiles tte. EVAN I feel weird taking it suuyaveusTc amemicanssess Pause EVAN: Olay. I mean. Thank yew, Ka: Thank Joseph Yoseph. Thank the Limp Handshakes, EVAN: Oy. at Thank The Aliens EVAN: Oy Kut Play something! -EVAN¢T should go back ins, a: Play sonvething fist! Evan: Un, Eoin thinks Kat Don' think! EVAN Un van betas, then mesily tarts playing theft fee corde of If Had a Hause? EVAN (anging fy: IL bad a borer, 1 bammer ia at No covers! En tps paying. EVAN: Oh, Ui, Sorry, do'tknow aun. don thave ny ike, originals, Ton write music Ka: Why noe ‘EVAN: Uin. I don't know don’ think im good enough, Td’: know Tm not ike « genies musically or anything. a: Haw do yn kaon? Boum shrug Ka: ma genius, Jasper was a genies EVAN: Yeah a: Maybe you're a genivs toa! Pac EVAN: Yeah, Pane. EVAN: Urn, I should probably go back inside, a Play The Hammer Song. Pee ie: Play Tho Hammer Song! EVAN: Really? Ka: Play i Bown took enous tard the back dor, then start playing “If Had a Haneaer” To fs verse is pinfd— Evan’ ie i thin and lighly et of tune, and be serams bltingly end bices a few of the chords. Thon be taken long, shaky breath and starts playing the seond verse, He gate a tl ie beter Hiss gris stronger and clearer By abe tebe bt the third verse (TF ad song”) Boum is kind of playing te sbi ont of “IFT Had Hamnsr? The sind vere ends A pase sa puss dso the guitar crimson fase. EVAN: Um. Yea, Ie hind of smpid song. I dn'veven know what means tac That wae awesome. EVANS I ind of faced ¢ up Ku You're gonna go far, man, EVAN: Come on Kut Tim not kidding You're gonna go fa. EVAN: Yeah? Kas Yeah, ‘Bean tries wot to smile, But the be des hey stand bere Black END OF PLAY