"Kevin’s Outside"
Written by Paul Rust
LIGHTS UP.
JONATHAN, an 18 year-old male, grabs some clothes strewn about his bedroom and sets them on a table. The table is slightly downstage-left.
A moment passes.
His mother DIANE discreetly enters from stage-left, stopping eventually at stage-right. She watches Jonathan, often times bracing herself to speak, but then deciding not to.
Until finally…
Diane: You need help with anything, honey?
Jonathan: No, thank you.
Pause.
Jonathan continues to pace around his bedroom, picking clothes off the floor, folding them, and placing them in his duffel bag. His mother remains stationary.
Diane: Did you see that soap and shampoo I bought you?
Jonathan: Yes.
Pause.
Diane: Did you get it packed up?
Jonathan: It’s in my red bag.
Pause.
Diane: Where’s your red bag?
Jonathan: By the front door. Next to the clock.
Pause.
Diane: Are you sure you don’t need anything?
Jonathan: Yes.
Diane: Are you sure you’re sure?
Jonathan breaks from his packing and faces his mother for the first time.
Jonathan: Mom, I’m sure.
Diane: Okay. Good.
Jonathan resumes packing.
Pause.
Diane: Because if you do need anything, I still have time to get —
Jonathan: (interrupting, annoyed) Mom.
Diane: (laughing nervously) Okay, okay.
Pause.
Diane: When’s Kevin picking you up?
Jonathan: In a few minutes, so I have to keep packing.
Diane: Did you get some lunch?
Jonathan: (hesitantly) No.
Diane: (shocked) No?
Jonathan: I didn’t have time, mom. I had to pack all my books. Don’t worry. We’ll get something on the road.
Diane: On the road? Well, that’s just ridiculous. We’ve got plenty of food right here. Let me make you a ham sandwich.
Jonathan: No, you don’t have to.
Diane: With pear slices.
Jonathan: I don’t need it.
Diane: And some potato chips.
Jonathan: Mom. No. Don’t.
Diane: (nervously laughing) Okay, okay.
Pause.
Diane takes a seat in a chair, watching Jonathan pack.
Diane: You nervous?
Jonathan: About what?
Diane: (in a "you know what" tone) College.
Jonathan: Um… I don’t know.
Diane: Well, it’s a whole other planet, that’s for sure. (pause, waiting for Jonathan’s response) A lot of exciting opportunities though. (pause) You’d be crazy to pass any of them up. (pause) And there’s so many interesting people to meet. Like… girls? (giggles) You hoping to meet some girls at school, Jonathan?
Jonathan: I guess so.
Diane: (gently teasing) You guess so? You can’t not meet girls at college. Within the first day of school, you’ll already know a hundred girls. I promise you. (beat) I met your dad on the first day of school. Did you know that?
Jonathan: Yeah, you’ve mentioned it before.
Diane: (going right into the story) I was in the Rec Hall reading a book. It was… um… oh, what book was it? One of those… well, that’s not important. I was reading a book and your father was in there playing air hockey and he’s hitting the… the… the puck very hard. And he hits it so hard that it flies right off the table and into my arm. (lightly laughing) Right into my arm! He was so embarrassed. I know you can’t believe it, but your father was red-faced, Jonathan. Actually red-faced!
Jonathan politely chuckles.
Diane: And when he came over to apologize, I remember I acted very… very sassy. I lowered my book and I looked right at him and said, "Who taught you how to play air hockey? Ray Fredericks?"
Diane laughs out loud.
Jonathan: Who’s Ray Fredericks?
Diane: (still laughing) He was the nerd at my high school.
Jonathan: Did you and dad even go to the same high school?
Diane: (still laughing) No.
Jonathan breaks into laughter and shares it with his mother.
Diane: But it must have made enough sense because your father asked me out on a date that very same day.
Pause. Jonathan does not resume his packing.
Jonathan: How was your guys’ date last night? Was the movie good?
Diane: I thought it was okay. Your father hated it.
Jonathan: Well, that’s nothing new. When was the last time he liked a movie you guys saw?
Diane: He liked that "Air Up There" movie.
Jonathan: Huh?
Jonathan takes a seat in the empty chair beside his mother.
Diane: That one where Kevin Bacon taught the African fellow how to play basketball.
Jonathan: Oh, yeah.
Diane: He laughed all through that.
Pause.
Diane: So… did you hear us arguing last night?
Pause.
Jonathan: Yeah. (pause) I guess your guys’ date didn’t really solve anything, huh?
Diane: Oh, it did for awhile. The first part of the night was very nice, but then… things got bad.
Jonathan: What’d he do?
Diane: Oh, you know your dad, Jonathan. He just… he just doesn’t ever listen. I say things and he doesn’t listen. You know how he is.
Jonathan: I know.
Diane: I just want to be heard, that’s all. If I say something, I want somebody to hear me. And reply. The entire ride back home, we didn’t say one thing to each other. Not one thing. Because I knew if I said anything… anything at all… about the dinner or the movie or about what was going on in my life, he’d just be silent. And that’s… that’s just so hard, Jonathan.
Jonathan: I know.
Diane: I need a husband, not some stranger.
Jonathan: I know.
Jonathan puts his arm around his mother’s shoulder.
Jonathan: I know.
Diane: How on earth could I have married a man who doesn’t understand me in the least?
Pause.
Diane: I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like with you gone, Jonathan. The house will be so empty. So quiet. Lonely. (pause, sadly joking) Who will I have to talk to anymore?
Jonathan smiles, shrugs. He pulls his arm back, stands up, and resumes packing his clothes.
Jonathan: (slightly nervously) Well, you know, I’ll be back once in awhile. Holidays and stuff.
Diane: Yes, that’s true.
Jonathan: And you can always call me on the phone.
Diane: Yes.
Jonathan: And maybe you can start hanging out with Sharon again?
Diane: Yeah.
Jonathan: I’m sure you two could bury the hatchet.
Diane: Sure.
Jonathan: It’ll be fine. Trust me. You won’t even know I’m gone.
Jonathan is packing his clothes at a brisker, more frantic pace.
Diane: Jonathan? (pause, no response) Jonathan? (pause, no response) Jonathan?
Jonathan stops and stares down at his duffel bag. Diane looks on from her chair.
Jonathan: Huh?
Pause.
Diane: Would you be… opposed to staying home for another year? (silence, Jonathan keeps staring at his duffel bag) Or at least another six months? (silence) You could go to one of those nearby community colleges. I hear they’re actually pretty good. Peggy Kurtz said her sons just loved —
Jonathan: (interrupting) Fuck you.
Diane: What?
Jonathan: (still staring at duffel bag) Fuck you.
Diane: (standing up from chair, but not approaching, obviously hurt) Oh, Jonathan. Don’t say that. That’s not like you. (turns her body towards him) Come here. Come here and give me a hug. (outstretches her arms, Jonathan stays) Don’t be like that, Jonathan. Give me a hug.
Jonathan looks up from his duffel bag and turns to her. His body moves forward, but jerks back. They stare - Diane with her arms stretched out and Jonathan frozen stiff. A moment passes. A CAR HORN HONKS. Neither of them flinch. ANOTHER HONK. Neither of them flinch. ANOTHER HONK. Abruptly, Jonathan breaks his stance, grabs the rest of his clothes, and shoves them sloppily into his duffel bag. He exits stage-left without looking at her. Diane stares forward. She lowers her arms and sits back down in the chair.
A long pause.
Slowly, Jonathan re-enters stage-left - without looking at Diane. Methodically, he walks to the table, sets down the duffel bag, and begins taking out his clothes.
Beat. BLACKOUT.
"Kevin's Outside" IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED, TRANSMITTED, PRINTED OR PERFORMED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR
"Kevin's Outside" debuted October 18, 2002, performed by Paul Rust, Aprille Clarke.
Library]
