By George F. Walker
George F. Walker is one of Canada’s most prolific and popular playwrights. Since beginning his theatre career in the early 1970s, Walker has written more than 30 plays and has created screenplays for several award-winning Canadian television series. Part Kafka, part Lewis Carroll, Walker’s distinctive, gritty, fast-paced tragicomedies illuminate and satirize the selfishness, greed, and aggression of contemporary urban culture.
(In Part One, we meet Stacey alone and struggling in the big city with her kids, Raven a social worker who confronts Rudy, the corrupt cop who killed her brother, and Kyle, one of Raven’s clients who also happens to be Rudy’s son. Kyle meets Stacey on the street and offers to help her after Stacey’s kids are kidnapped by her parents. Read Part One here.)
JOEL AND RAVEN ARE GETTING DRESSED
RAVEN
I guess you’re liking this a lot
JOEL
What?
RAVEN
Getting me in your bed. Getting inside me like you always wanted
JOEL
It was good.
RAVEN
It was okay
JOEL
It was excellent, girl.
RAVEN
It’ll do me for now.
JOEL
Until you get with a woman. You still into that?
RAVEN
Yeah.
JOEL
So why are you here
RAVEN
I wanted to give you something.
JOEL
You what?
RAVEN
I need you to do a thing. So I gave you a thing for it in advance
JOEL
Yeah? And now you’re actually telling me that. That’s fucked up, Rave.
RAVEN
We’re friends. Friends are honest with each other.
JOEL
Not that honest. That kind of honest is not necessary.
RAVEN
Come on. You thought this was what? The beginning of something? If it was gonna begin, it would have
begun a long time ago.
JOEL
Unless you were just waiting for me to get my shit together. And now that I’m about to get my degree…
RAVEN
In two years.
JOEL
Two years is half way.
RAVEN
Half way leaves a long way to go. You’re still officially a fuck up until then. You’ve been outta that gang only a year.
JOEL
A gang I was never in, Not really. Not officially.
RAVEN
And now you’re out all together
JOEL
Right. I mean we sometimes catch up.
RAVEN
Catch up. What’s that like? You tell them how your economics course is going. They tell you who they killed recently.
JOEL
What’s that thing you want from me?
RAVEN
It’s like that thing I just said.
JOEL
What thing?
RAVEN
I want them to kill someone for me. What’s that look? You gotta get them to do it. I’m serious.
JOEL
The hell…
RAVEN
Hey. I just made a dream come true for you
JOEL
Come on…
RAVEN
You’ll ask them. I know you will.
JOEL
Yeah?
RAVEN
If you want me in your bed again. (off his look) It’s a cop I want dead The one who shot Lucas.
JOEL
That detective? So this is revenge
RAVEN
Justice
JOEL
Sounds more like revenge.
RAVEN
He’s a dangerous man.
JOEL
There are a lot of dangerous men out there.
RAVEN
Yeah and we’ll get to them all eventually.
He is just looking at her.
LIGHTS ON STACEY.
KYLE IS WATCHING HER CLOSELY
STACEY
You never gonna sleep? I said just once that I felt like killing myself, and you haven’t taken your eyes off me ever since. Some of those pills you have in your pockets must be uppers. Kyle. Your name is Kyle, right.
KYLE
Right.
STACEY
So where are we?
KYLE
In the park
STACEY
The same park?
KYLE
Yeah..
STACEY
Well whatever. You should fuck off. Killing myself is gonna be hard enough without having you around trying to save me.
KYLE
I just wanna know why you want to do it?
STACEY
I don’t wanna talk about why. It’d be all about my kids and how I’ve decided I have to do it soon and get it over with. So by the time they’re like 5 and 6 they’ve forgotten about me. I don’t want them to ever think about me from then on.
She walks away from him. Looks at us
STACEY (CONT’D)
I don’t wish I’d never had them or anything like that. I just wish I could have been better. Stronger. And mostly smarter. Smart enough to know their father would quit on us. And not have let him drag us to this city where I don’t know anyone. Not a single person I could ask for anything. Not even to look after the kids while I went out to beg for enough money to buy some milk and cereal at least. Bu mostly I wish I knew how damaged I am. That I should have gotten help.
Kyle is there beside her.
STACEY (CONT’D)
Oh you’re back. Have any luck at the track
KYLE
What?
STACEY
Not any of my business, eh
KYLE
What’s wrong with you?
STACEY
You’ve asked me that one too many times, Jamie.
KYLE
Who the fuck is Jamie?
STACEY
Great. You’ve forgotten your own name
(MORE)
KYLE
Seriously. What’s your fucking problem?
STACEY
Seriously. Okay. Well for one thing, your oldest son is actually your brother. Do you wanna let that
sink in for awhile?
And Jamie is there now.
JAMIE
My son is what?
STACEY
Your father raped me.
JAMIE
Fuck you! I don’t have to listen to this shit.
And Jamie walks away
Kyle just looks at her. She returns to bench. Kyle joins her.
KYLE
Who’s Jamie?
STACEY
My husband. I told you about him when I was drugged, right.
KYLE
No you–
STACEY
Go to sleep, Kyle. I won’t be killing myself in this fucking park. I want my body to disappear. Not get taken away in a bag. Then have my parents called and letting them arrange for my funeral in that piss little country church I’ve hated the sight of all my life.
JOEL AND RAVEN
RAVEN
Tell them I can give them the cop’s address.
RAVEN (CONT’D)
They can take him out at home then get clear with everything they can lay their hands on. You know, the spoils of war. Are you thinking about it?
JOEL
No.
RAVEN
Sure you are.
RAVEN (CONT’D)
(to US)
He’s thinking it through for sure. Because he wants me again. And maybe again after that. And that’s okay because I love him. I’ve loved him since kindergarten. Even when he was gang banging I loved him. Not like he wanted. Not like he wants now. But getting with men again is enough incentive for him to ask Carlos and his dirtbag friends to put that monster down for me… He’s gonna say something now.
JOEL
I liked Lucas. He shouldn’t have died like that. I don’t have to ask no one. I’ll do that killing myself.
RAVEN
What?
JOEL
I was never in that dumbass gang. I was just their shooter. Still am on occasion. And I’ve got like a retainer. It’s a good gig. And there’d be no degree without it. What? You think I’m financing my education with my job at fucking Burger King? I love you. But you’ve really never been that connected to reality.
Joel starts to shake
BLACKOUT
SOUND OF A SCUFFLE. A GUN SHOT
JOEL and RUDY
Rudy is roughed up. Joel is nervous, but holding a gun.
RUDY
A thief woulda just run.
JOEL
This is about that kid you killed on the bus.
RUDY
Yeah? Okay so you’re not just an asshole. You’ve got a purpose.
JOEL
Yeah I’ve got a purpose.
RUDY
I’ve got a son. He needs me in his life.
JOEL
Maybe he needs you outta his life.
RUDY
You don’t know where my gun is, do you.
JOEL
You dropped it when we were fighting.
RUDY
You sure about that? Rudy has the gun in a hand behind his back. He swiftly shows it, points it at Joel, and fires. Joel falls.
RUDY (CONT’D)
And another young black man is killed by the reckless action of a racist cop. At least they can’t say I hunted this one down. Caught him hiding in my own house. Ah shit…my shoulder.
(to US)
He fucking shot me.
(smiles)
That’s gonna turn out well for me though.
(MORE)
STACEY AND KYLE
Kyle is watching her sleep
KYLE
I’ve gotta do better for her. She needs me to help get her kids back. It’s gonna take all my energy and concentration, but that will be good for me. I can’t keep doing the shit I do. So far the only thing that’s stopped me from going too far is how upset it would make my mum.
STACEY
(eyes open)
You’re talking to yourself.
KYLE
Oh…
STACEY
She’s dead right. Your mum?
KYLE
Yeah.
STACEY
How?
KYLE
Killed herself.
STACEY
How?
KYLE
Why? You think it might give you a suggestion? She cut her own throat. You think you’re up to that?
STACEY
Probably not.
KYLE
She did it that way to fuck up my dad. I was away at camp, so she knew there was no way I’d be finding her.
STACEY
You’re still worried about upsetting her.
STACEY (CONT’D)
You think she’s watching you from heaven or something?
KYLE
If she is she can see what she did to me. I was only 12, and she left me alone with my dad.
STACEY
Your dad’s no good?
KYLE
Maybe you can meet him sometime and decide for yourself. You hungry? I’ve got enough cash left to buy us another good breakfast. One good meal a day is all you need to keep going.
STACEY
Going where?
KYLE
I’ve got a friend with a garden shed. He lives in the suburbs
STACEY
The suburbs. So we’re kinda moving up.
KYLE
It’s only temporary. We’re gonna be on the move until I’m sure my dad’s stopped looking for me.
STACEY
Then what?
KYLE
We can settle down.
STACEY
Settle down. Jesus, man. Whatya think’s going on between us here.
KYLE
Well we found each other. That’s how great love stories begin.
STACEY
Jesus… Great love stories. We just met.
(MORE)
KYLE
Well we had to meet sometime.
STACEY
What’s wrong with you.
KYLE
Nothing all these pills can’t fix. Look if you’re not gonna sleep, let’s go have an early breakfast.
STACEY
And talk, right. You’re gonna wanna talk.
KYLE
I have to. You know, so I don’t think. I get upset if I think too much
STACEY
About what?
KYLE
Oh. Nothing you have to worry about. I’d never hurt you.
STACEY
You sure about that?
KYLE
Pretty sure. I mean yeah.
STACEY
Okay.
KYLE
No. Really.
STACEY
I said okay!
She turns to us
STACEY (CONT’D)
So what is it with this guy. He wants to help me. Save me. Or if he gets “upset”’ maybe just murder me. I guess I should tell him if does it that way he should do it while I’m asleep. And then get rid of my body so there’s no kind of funeral to put my children through. I think he’d understand that.
STACEY (CONT’D)
Follow my wishes about that. I mean basically he seems like a nice person. Just a nice person with some very serious problems. Like a lot of people out here.
KYLE
Where’s Pigpen.
STACEY
Inside my jacket.
KYLE
She loves it in there.
STACEY
It’s where she feels the safest.
KYLE
Why’d you call her that? Pigpen.
STACEY
She likes to roll around in mud. Will you take care of her when I’m gone.
KYLE
You’re not going anywhere.
STACEY
Please answer my question.
KYLE
No. I’ll take care of her, but I’m not answering your question.
STACEY
Kyle. Do you think what you just said make any sense?
KYLE
I think I got my point across.
Rudy is drunk and alone
RUDY
Daddy’s home! You hear me?! I’m home, and guess what? I killed another Black man. Yeah. But I might be completely fucked this time!! And it’s just not fair!! You hear me?! Not fucking fair!
Lights on Stacey.
STACEY
We didn’t have any soap.
Kyle is returning with some take out
STACEY (CONT’D)
Just remembering. I was alone with the kids. Assistance had covered the rent but everything else they gave went for food. And shoes. Not new. But we got some decent ones from the Sally Ann.
KYLE
But you didn’t have any soap
STACEY
No
KYLE
Not any kind of soap
STACEY
No. Not for washing ourselves or doing dishes. Or for clothes. And we couldn’t get any until the next cheque
KYLE
So what’d you do?
STACEY
Just rinsed things out.
KYLE
Everything? What about the kids?
STACEY
They got rinsed too. But then they started to look like their clothes…
KYLE
Still dirty.
STACEY
And kind of smudgy. Like all I was doing with the rinsing was moving the dirt around. But they didn’t complain. They never complained about anything.
KYLE
You can cry if you want.
STACEY
Yeah. That’s what I’m doing.
KYLE
I’m just saying it doesn’t bother me.
STACEY
Well even if it did–
KYLE
So the rinsing thing. How long did that go on?
STACEY
Until I saw other mothers in the park looking at them. Their faces, their dirty clothes. And then looking at me like I was shit. Not just a shitty mother. Pure shit. And that was just too goddamn much. I mean I couldn’t tell them it was only because we didn’t have any soap. Because who in this fucking country doesn’t have any soap.
KYLE
But what could you do, right
STACEY
I could do what I did. I stole some. Went into a store, used my children as diversions and walked out with two bars of Ivory.
KYLE
That’s all?
STACEY
It covered our needs. Dove soap is multi purpose.
KYLE
You said Ivory.
STACEY
Right…
KYLE
Hey. What are you doing. You’re fucking crying again.
STACEY
Oh it’s bothering you now, is it?
KYLE
I think you should stop thinking about the past so much. Just maybe let some of it go.
STACEY
Like you do.
KYLE
Yeah I used to feel like shit all the time.
STACEY
But now you’ve got your magic pills and everything is just fine.
KYLE
Yeah I gotta make sure I don’t take too many because–
STACEY
They could kill you. Okay let’s do this then. Take all your pills out. We’ll divide them, and then both of us can check out.
KYLE
We’re not gonna do that just because you remembered feeling like shit.
STACEY
I was shit!
KYLE
No you weren’t
STACEY
Yes I fucking was!
KYLE
Hey. Do you want me want me to find Pigpen and give her a bath? I could go grab her and…
STACEY
You try that and she’ll mess you up. Promise.
Lights on Raven and Rudy
RAVEN
Are you drunk?
RUDY
I’ve had a few, Maybe you haven’t heard. I had to kill another Black man.
RAVEN
And that’s upset you.
RUDY
Fucking right it has. You think taking a human life isn’t fucking upsetting?
RAVEN
What are you doing here, Rudy.
RUDY
I need your help. My son has a girlfriend all of a sudden.
RAVEN
And that’s a problem for you. Is she Black?
RUDY
Look don’t fuck around with me okay. He’s still not fit to be around people, and she doesn’t look too stable herself. I need you to intervene.
RAVEN
Fuck off.
RUDY
He listens to you. Come on. You owe me. You tried to have me killed, for chrissake.
RAVEN
(to herself)
Don’t saying anything.
RUDY
Well aren’t you going to deny it?
RAVEN
(to herself)
Don’t deny it.
RUDY
That was no robber. He was in there hiding. Waiting for me.
RAVEN
Waiting to kill you.
RUDY
He had a gun.
RAVEN
Really. But he’s the one who’s dead
RUDY
He hesitated. I’m not sure he really wanted to do it.
RAVEN
Okay. But you think I sent him? Rudy takes out Joel’s phone. Hands it to her.
RUDY
You’re all over his phone. Photos. Emails. Texts.
RAVEN
Anything with me asking him to kill you?
RUDY
There’s enough of a connection to make a case
RAVEN
So you’ll be doing that? Making a … case?
RUDY
Fuck no. I need your help with my son. I want you to break them up. They’re living in my house now. Get over there and do it anyway have to. Tell her he killed all his pets. All the neighbours’ pets You do that and we’re square.
RAVEN
You’re insane. Evil as shit.
RUDY
Hey who tried to have who killed?
RAVEN
Get away from me! Now! Get. Away!
RUDY
(to Us)
I had nothin’ more to say anyway.
But she’s rattled.
He leaves
RAVEN
(to Us)
Fucker. He’s gotta die!
RUDY
She’s pretty much unhinged.
RAVEN
Jesus. He’s gotta get fucking burned to death.
RUDY
She’s gonna be useful in a lotta ways.
RAVEN
Ah shit. I got Joel killed.
RUDY
They were close. I could tell from the photos on her phone. She sent him to put me out of action, and now I’ve got her.
RAVEN
Why didn’t he keep the phone. Probably copied everything.
RUDY
Anytime I need her. Like now with my idiot son and that pitiful girl of his. Then later with her gang connections.
RAVEN
Joel. Oh fuck…
RUDY
I’m gonna know stuff about all that filth.
RAVEN
Ohh Sweet Jesus Christ! He’s just gotta die.
RUDY
All in good time
STACEY WITH LEGS CROSSED
Sitting
In the sun
For a moment of rest
Before the things that happen
Too often to happy little girls
Who are noticed
And wanted
And trapped
And changed
Happened to me
And then kept happening
In worse and worse ways
I will help kill someone for his money
So I can leave this soulless place
To kill again
A man who I can still smell on me
And then
My own father
Who never listened to me
Or knew me
Look him in the face.
Never flinch
Tell him what his friend
Did to me.
Make him hear that.
Just scream and make him
And then do whatever I need
To get my children back
Whatever
Just do it
And then be with them again
And maybe happy again
At least about that
Totally about that
STACEY
(to Us)
Everything I’m about to do might seem too much, too drastic, too thoughtless. To people who never lived in a shiny empty city without actually living. With not enough money to go anywhere. Or even eat!! Or DO anything, talk to anyone. Besides a welfare officer. A social worker. And once, some man who stopped me from stepping in front of a speeding bus. Maybe accidentally. I’m not sure. Because I wasn’t really aware, not totally, of anything. Anything I was doing. Nice older man saved a life that a selfish ignorant man and then his son…Destroyed. Ask how someone could let their children be stolen. Fuck no. There are no explanations for that. None. Except I’m not who I was. Nowhere near who I was after I was trapped in that barn. Had my clothes ripped off. Not really. Not nearly. You don’t come back from that. Not in one whole piece. Give me points for surviving. But don’t think I’m not changed. And in this story, wherever I go, I won’t go silently. Not still lost and not still alone. I won’t leave this soulless city with nowhere to go or nothing to make right. I’ve got a purpose. I just remembered. An ugly reckoning to get to. So leave me now, leave this story right fucking now. Drift away to better thoughts. If you think it might become too much to hear about or think about or ever forget. That I should just quit. Because I’ve decided not to not give up.To fight back with all I’ve got. And I’m ready. Yeah give me the fucking axe. I won’t need to practice how to use it. The man who attacked me, who raped me is still alive and still unpunished. And that’s just not right.
KYLE AND RAVEN
STACEY IS APPROACHING
RAVEN
Hey. Good to see you.
STACEY
You too.
KYLE
You know each other?
STACEY
She brought me food.
KYLE
You took her food?
RAVEN
I do that sometimes.
KYLE
Why?
RAVEN
Because I’m a human being?
KYLE
No really
STACEY
I think she means what she just said.
RAVEN
You look better.
STACEY
I washed my hair.
RAVEN
Yeah but I meant-
STACEY
I had a bath too. I ate. I brushed my teeth.
RAVEN
All good. And how are your kids?
KYLE
Her parents stole them.
STACEY
My mother was worried about them. And my father wanted to punish me.
RAVEN
They got a court’s permission?
STACEY
My father thinks he has permission for anything he does.
KYLE
(to Stacey)
He gets it from God. Right?
STACEY
Yeah. He asked God. God said sure. Load em up and get the hell outta here.
KYLE
So that’s what they did.
STACEY
But I made up my mind just a day or two ago that we’re gonna get them back.
RAVEN
How?
STACEY
I’m going back to school. We figure it’ll look like a good first step to a normal life.
KYLE
She wants to be a veterinary technician.
RAVEN
Okay. And what do you want, Kyle?
KYLE
I wanna help her become a veterinary technician.
STACEY
It’s something you can study at community college.
RAVEN
And what about the money.
KYLE
We’ll get it from my father.
RAVEN
Your father thinks you’re dumb and dangerous. And that Stacey here isn’t going to last the winter.
STACEY
He meant we’ll steal it from him.
KYLE
He’s got money stashed all over the house.
RAVEN
What? The asshole doesn’t trust banks?
KYLE
The asshole has been on the take for years. It’s money from all that.
RAVEN
And you’re going to take it.
KYLE
As much as I can find.
RAVEN
Right. But here’s the thing. First you’re gonna have to kill him.
KYLE
I told you she’d have good ideas.
STACEY
(to Raven)
How? I mean you already tried that, right.
(off her look)
I heard him on his phone talking to one of his cop buddies about it. He says he plans to use you.
KYLE
To infiltrate some black gangs.
STACEY
So that’s where I got the idea. Why not get you to infiltrate them for us.
RAVEN
To get them to kill him for you. What a great idea.
STACEY
Yeah.
RAVEN
Maybe we can get them to burn him alive. No that might be hard to pull off without attracting attention. You know, I just want him dead. Let’s just get them to do it any way that’s convenient.
Raven walks away
RAVEN (CONT’D)
(to Us)
Those young people are beautiful in lot of ways. Damaged but beautiful. And the way they think. Obviously I like some of that too. Kyle is grunting
Lights on Kyle kneeling over Stacey. Shaking her.
STACEY
No stop! Stop! I can’t breathe. Stop. You’re killing me. Someone help!!!
KYLE
Wake up!
STACEY
Get him to stop!
KYLE
Wake up!
STACEY
What?
KYLE
You’re okay. Just wake up
The next bit very quickly, manically
Ohhh. Yeah. Okay… yeah…
What was going on?
When
In your dream
In my dream. Yeah. I couldn’t breathe. He was trying to kill
me.
Who was
Ah. You? Yeah. It was you,
No. No way. I told you I’d never hurt you.
I guess I didn’t believe you. Or why would I Yeah
you were fighting
Fighting
Yeah you were fighting really hard
Fighting you
Not me
No it was you
Yeah but not really
It seemed real. You’re strong
It wasn’t me!
It seemed like you
Okay but you know what else it seemed like.
What
You wanted to live.
I couldn’t breathe
That means you wanted to
STACEY
What
KYLE
Live
STACEY
In my dream
KYLE
Or maybe just really. We have to think about that
STACEY
We?
KYLE
Yeah. Both of us. You’re gonna need me to help you think straight.
STACEY
You’re a junkie
KYLE
No I’m just heavily medicated. It’s okay I’ve got it under control
STACEY
Not in my dream you didn’t. And it seemed pretty fucking real.
KYLE
And what about you fighting back. That sounded real. So…
STACEY
So… what?
KYLE
Maybe you want to live. And also maybe, even if deep down I want to, I can’t kill you.
STACEY
Even if you want to?
KYLE
Yeah…
STACEY
Okay. You have to tell me exactly what’s wrong with you. Why all the drugs? What are they actually for.
KYLE
For my feelings…
STACEY
About wanting to kill me
KYLE
You or, you know
STACEY
Your father.
KYLE
Yeah or…
STACEY
Anyone.
KYLE
Yeah. I guess. Some of the drugs are prescribed. The others I just steal
STACEY
Why?
KYLE
To see if they work better than the ones that maybe don’t
KYLE (CONT’D)
I steal them. I mean I do some research first.
STACEY
(to Us))
And then we talked and talked and talked. It was our first real conversation. We learned stuff about each other. I learned that he has a condition which makes him struggle to obey all authority. Teachers. Parents. The cops. Even crossing guards. And sometimes it gets so bad he assaults people. But now Raven is there
STACEY (CONT’D)
He assaulted a crossing guard?
RAVEN
He just pushed him. But the guy was like eighty something, so he fell and broke his arm. That put him in Juvie. Juvie is a … And now Rudy
RUDY
A jail for under aged offenders. They should have kept him there a while longer.
KYLE
But they let me out after three months. And I started to get my shit together
RUDY
By taking random drugs.
KYLE
They’re working.
RUDY
Meaning what? You haven’t attacked any crossing guards lately?
RAVEN
(to Rudy)
I thought you’d be dead by now.
RUDY
I am. But it took awhile.
Vic is approaching
RAVEN
That gang you wanted to do it was put out of business. By another gang who my “partner” here worked for.
RUDY
He was following me. Some fucking partner
VIC
Things got messy, and I shot him. It was an accident.
RUDY
And he’s gonna stick to that story like shit sticks to–
(MORE)
VIC
A crooked cop. Not me. Him. I was just who they appointed to be the agent of his due justice. Joel is there now.
RUDY
Appointed by who? Appointed my ass!
JOEL
I don’t care who appointed him. I’m just glad the evil prick is dead.
STACEY
Who’s he?
RAVEN
My friend.
STACEY
Right. He got you killed
RAVEN
Yeah.
STACEY
And that was my fault.
RAVEN
No.
STACEY
Then why’s he in my head.
RAVEN
Because he’s in my head?
STACEY
Jesus. I need all you people to go away.
KYLE
Okay. But not me though. I’m here forever
STACEY
No. You have to go too. And not come back. You scare me. I know that for sure now.
(to US)
STACEY (CONT’D)
Okay he’s not sneaking out to the track and putting our last forty bucks on a sure winner who’s never won. A guy who kept talking about how it all could change if he left me and his children and got to Vegas with a big enough stake to do some damage. Damage. Right!. Idiot! But he might want to kill me without even asking so…
LIGHTS OUT ON STACEY