I AM WAITING

“A Play in One Act.” By Paul M Alleyne

?No. Pau 4-101-093 ?????????????? 537 Evergreen Street

By Paul M Alleyne???????????????????? Inglewood, CA. 90302

????????????????????????????????????? 310-912-0654 ???????? ??????????????? ????????????????????? ???? [email protected]???????????????????????????????? ????

?Cast of Characters

JAMES WATERS:???????? A Black male in his early 70s

MARYANNE WATERS:????? A Black female in her mid-40s

TOMAS RUIZ:?????????? A Hispanic male in his early 60s

JONNY DAVIS:????????? A black male in his mid-60s

?

?

????????????????????? Scene

One location indoor – Livingroom.

????????????????????? Time

Present day.

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

????????????????????????????

???????????????????????????? ACT 1

???????????????????????????? SCENE 1

SETTING:???????????????????? We are in the Livingroom of James Waters home. It is sparse of furniture but nicely decorated. The room has a door on the left wall that leads into the room.

???????????????????????????? An average-sized deep sofa, striped, two comfortable armchairs positioned around a large round table that sits under an overhanging lit lamp. The table and chairs sit in front of a large bay window covered by curtains to match the room décor. The furniture sits on an Asian style carpet that covers most of the wooden floor. On the table is a vase of wilted flowers, a pack of cigarettes, a lighter and an ashtray. The effect is unmistakably relaxing.

?

AT RISE:???????????????????? JAMES WATERS walks into the room through the side door. He is wearing a red silk robe that matches the room’s décor. It is open revealing white pajamas. The robe’s sash hangs at its side. JAMES WATERS pauses momentarily as if trying to decide where to sit. He walks quietly over to the table, bends over, and smells the wilted flowers in a vase, smiles, shakes his head, pulls out, and sits in one of the armchairs. He removes a cigarette from the pack, picks up the lighter, lights the cigarette and puts the lighter back on the table. He reaches, pulls back the curtains, and momentarily looks through the window while continuing to enjoy his cigarette quietly. He takes out his cellphone and places it on the table next to the lighter and pack of cigarettes.

JAMES

(Calls out)

MaryAnne! Where are you? I need my coffee and a piece of that good apple pie you made last night, while I wait.

The door swings open and MARYANNE walks into the room quickly.

MARYANNE

(nonchalantly)

So, what are you waiting for today, a package from FedEx?

Jesus?

???????????????????????? JAMES

?????????????? (laughingly)

It is not FedEx and it ain’t Jesus for sure. He is not coming. I have to go see him, but not today.

???????????????????????????? JAMES

?????????????????? (continuing with emphasis)

It is whom I am waiting for, not what I’m waiting for. It’s the same person from yesterday.

???????????????????????????? MARYANNE

?????????????????? (mockingly)

So, whom might that be? Jonny, Tomas, whom?

???????????????????????? JAMES

I am waiting for Tomas. Jonny is out of town. He went to see his sick sister. He thinks she has the Covid. But he is sort of melodramatic. I am sure she just has the flu. Besides, she is a COVID denier whatever that means. ?

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

And when is Tomas coming by? Should I make him some coffee too? Oh damn! I almost forgot. We are out of coffee. I was supposed to get some last night from the store.

???????????????????????? JAMES

????????? ???? (feigning annoyance)

So, you are telling me that I can’t get my coffee? I should fire you!

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

????????? ???? (laughter)

Fire me!? You gonna fire me? Your only daughter. What you need to do is give me a raise for putting up with you, old man.

JAMES does not respond to Maryanne. He silently gets up, stares her down, fidgets with his robe, pulls it around him, secures the sash, and ties it loosely. He puts his hand in his right-side pocket and retrieves his wallet, opens it, takes out his debit card, and hands it to Maryanne.

???????????????????????? JAMES

?????????????? (smiling with a bit of sarcasm)

Please get me a large coffee from across the street, and a couple croissants. They bake them fresh, not like Starbucks. You may want to get two coffees, in case Tomas shows up, and get whatever you want for yourself. Just don’t spend too much.

JAMES AND MARYANNE get a laugh out of this. MARYANNE takes the card from him and starts to leave. She stops, turns, and looks back at James.

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

Why don’t you call Tomas to see where he is, and if he is coming.

???????????????????????? JAMES

You know. This is a good idea. The best advice you have given me today. The problem is that Tomas doesn’t have a Cell. He has a regular phone that doesn’t even take messages, he doesn’t have a car but rides a bike. He said that he was keeping his carbon footprint as small as possible. Do you know he is a member of those Greenpeace people? I told him that while he is riding his bike, a truck with a much bigger carbon footprint than his is gonna come by and knock him on his ass, and he won’t have any more footprints left, carbon or otherwise.

MARYANNE is having a deep belly laugh.

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

Dad, you are a comedian, a satirist at that. Let me get out of here. I’ll be right back.

???????????????????????? JAMES

????????? ???? (sitting down)

Take your time. Don’t slip on the wet pavement. Tell Elsie, I sent you. I may get a free pastry.

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

Ok. I’ll tell her. Be back.

MARYANNE leaves through the side door.

JAMES gets up, picks up his smartphone, and says to himself.

???????????????????????? JAMES

????????? ???? (out loud)

She might be a while, so let me see what’s happening on Twitter today. Maybe nothing of importance, but who knows?

JAMES circles the room as he works his smartphone. The door opens and in walks MARYANNE.

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

You are right. Elsie lit up when I told her you said hello. Dad, you know you are an old dog. She is younger than me.

JAMES sits down in the chair.

???????????????????????? JAMES

Darling, I am an old man. I just flirt. That’s it!

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

?????????????? (chuckles)

She must think that you are a hot mess. She gave me a bag of pastries for FREE! And the coffee too.

JAMES takes the bag from Maryanne, opens it, and almost sticks his head in the bag. He inhales deeply and seems to be in a rapture of sorts.

???????????????????????? JAMES

Well, I didn’t lose my charm. I’m charming, even when I am not in her presence. (laughing)

JAMES sits down.

??????????????????? ???? MARYANNE

?????????????? (nonplussed)

Did you call Tomas?

???????????????????????? JAMES

I tried his house phone. The phone just rings and rings and rings. No one picked up. Maybe he went riding or maybe he is laying up in a hospital bed somewhere after being run over by a mac truck.

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

Dad, that is not a nice thing to say. He is probably on his way over. You won’t be waiting much longer. So, what you gonna talk about when he gets here?

???????????????????????? JAMES

What we always talk about. The news of the day. Trump and his big lie, Biden and his COVID-19 plans and the military disaster in Afghanistan, or hurricane Ida. We have a full agenda. The plate is full of stuff to discuss.

????????????????????????

MARYANNE

You “discuss,” or just complain about shit?

???????????????????????? JAMES

?????????????? (grinning)

A little of both. It gets my blood pressure going. Tomas loves it. You should see him. He gets really animated and I love watching him. It is like winding up a Coco clock.

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

Dad, that’s awful. I think you just love to push buttons.

???????????????????????? JAMES

There may be some truth to that statement. He had better get here soon. If not, I will eat all the pastry and save his coffee for later, unless you go to the store.

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

Well, I have work to do. I will go later today.

???????????????????????? JAMES

What work? You been working from home all year. Or are you just pretending to work? Do lawyers work from home too?

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

Dad, yes, we do, except when I have to meet a client or go to Court.

???????????????????????? JAMES

Well. Don’t bring any criminals to my home. They might steal my stuff. And yours too.

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

I am a Civil Rights lawyer, not a Criminal lawyer.

???????????????????????? JAMES

Same difference. They are all in the same box. Play the same games and get caught up in the same bullcrap. And you, my brilliant daughter have to come along and clean it all up. You should be wearing galoshes. But you should know that I am glad you took my advice and went to law school. I was worried for a minute or two, but you made it happen. Now if I could only get you to leave that knucklehead boyfriend of yours. He is sneaky, and your Dad doesn’t like sneaky!

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

But Dad, he is a good man. He is reliable and kind.

???????????????????????? JAMES

Sure, he is. That’s how it starts out, but it never ends well. I sure miss your mother. You know, I was in love with her from day one. We met in High School, and I never looked at another woman since, until Elsie of course, (laughing). Yes. Dorothy was the woman that I loved. I had blinders on all the time we were married.

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

Yes, Dad. You told me that story so many times. I know it better than you do.

???????????????????????? JAMES

????????? ???? (emotional)

You know. You are a lot like her. Come here and give your old Dad a big hug.

JAMES gets up from the chair.

MARYANNE steps over to JAMES. and they hug tightly for what seems like an eternity.

MARYANNE breaks away from his embrace.

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

Okay. Enough of the hugs and kisses, I have to go now.

???????????????????????? JAMES

I see that my sarcasm is rubbing off on you.

???????????????????????? MARYANNE

It sure is. I’m out. I hope Tomas shows up.

JAMES, a bit restless, his cup of coffee in his right hand, and goes over to the window. He pulls the curtains aside and peers through the window. His activity is interrupted by a sharp rapping on the door. He suddenly turned. He seems to lose his balance and almost falls. The coffee cup crashes to the floor spilling coffee all over his robe and on the floor. He seems stunned. He cusses under his breath and is frozen for a minute. What to do. The rapping continues. It seems louder now. It brings him out of his temporary paralysis. He hurriedly goes to the door and opens it wide. JAMES brightens when he sees, not only Tomas, but Jonny as well.

???????????????????????? JAMES

?????????????? (laughing loudly)

Well, damnnn! Two for the price of one? I only have one cup of coffee, (correction. I had two cups of coffee, lost one).

?????????????? (pointing to his robe and the floor)

?I just spilled your coffee, TOMAS, and I didn’t expect JONNY today. He stepped aside and motioned them to sit on the sofa.

TOMAS and JONNY come in.

???????????????????????? JAMES

?????????????? (continuing)

Come on in fellas. Don’t be shy. Sit over on the sofa. I have been waiting all day. We have a full agenda today.

?????????????? (BLACKOUT)???? (END OF PLAY)

?

?

?

????

?

???????????????????????? ?

?

?

????????????????????????????

?

????????????????????????????

?

???????????????????????