Five Plays. Samuel D. Hunter

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СКАЧАТЬ without it. Meth is a drug that’s all about—

       (Max makes gestures to illustrate the idea of “the outside world.”)

       But pot’s all about—

       (Max makes gestures to illustrate the idea of “the inner life.”)

       Totally different.

      EDDIE: Look, just—don’t bring it to work, okay?

      MAX: I won’t, sorry. And I never come in to work stoned, I swear. (Pause) Does anyone—want some?

      ISABELLE: Yes.

      EDDIE: Guys, I don’t know if—

       (Isabelle takes the pipe and bag from Max and starts loading the pipe.)

       . . . okay.

      TROY: No wonder you’re both so damn slow on the floor.

      ISABELLE: What, you think this is any worse than wine?

      MAX: Eddie, you take the first hit.

      EDDIE: No, really I’m—I’m fine.

       (Isabelle takes a hit. She and Max pass the pipe back and forth.)

      MAX (To Eddie): I have an older brother too. Total dick. Owns some bullshit office supply company in Twin Falls.

      EDDIE: Oh.

      MAX: We got into a fistfight three Christmases ago. Broke his jaw in two places. I don’t spend much time around family nowadays. (Pause) Where’s he visiting from?

      EDDIE: Saint Paul. He’s a real estate agent.

      MAX: Dick. So is that why you—?

       (Max points to the “Familigia Week” sign.)

      EDDIE: I—guess. I just thought it would be nice for them. And all of you guys. (Pause) I don’t know.

      MAX: You’re a good guy, Eddie.

      TROY: All right, gimme that.

       (Troy takes the pipe and takes a hit.)

      MAX: Having a brother sucks. Two guys forced to live with one another just because they share some bullshit genetic material.

      EDDIE: Yeah.

       (Silence. Eddie continues to count cash.)

      MAX: Does he give you a hard time for being— . . .?

       (Max makes a vague gesture. Troy and Isabelle freeze. Eddie looks at him.)

      EDDIE: What?

      MAX: You know. (Pause) Shit. I’m sorry.

      EDDIE: What?

      MAX: I’m really bad at this. Please don’t be offended, I just assumed you were—. Are you?

       (Pause.)

      EDDIE: Well I don’t exactly . . . I don’t go around announcing it or whatever.

      MAX (To Troy): But I mean you knew, right?

      TROY: C’mon, we’ve known each other for twenty years. None of my business anyway.

      ISABELLE: Well I think it’s awesome.

      EDDIE: Thank—you. But we don’t—. We don’t need to keep talking about it.

       (Uncomfortable pause.)

      MAX: You know I’m bi.

      TROY: Oh, Jesus.

      EDDIE: You are?

      ISABELLE: Bullshit.

      MAX: No, really. I don’t fall in love with a gender. I fall in love with a person. I’m attracted to people.

       (Pause.)

      EDDIE (To Max): Have you ever— . . .?

      MAX: Oh, no. I mean not that I wouldn’t. I just—. It hasn’t come up. (Pause) Is your family okay with it?

      EDDIE: Oh, we don’t—. I mean we’re not really a family that—talks? I mean my brother’s fine, he doesn’t care, but my mom—. I told her years ago, and she—. I don’t think it sits very well with her.

      ISABELLE: Are you seeing anyone?

      EDDIE: No, I—. Not really. I was seeing this one guy in Boise a few years ago, but with the distance, it—. And there’s just not much of an opportunity around here, I guess.

      ISABELLE: I’m gonna work on that.

      EDDIE: Please don’t?

      MAX: You ever thought about moving away?

      EDDIE: Maybe, I don’t know. I guess that’d be easier, but—. I just sort of feel connected to this town. It’s weird, I feel like moving away would be like abandoning it or something, like I’d be—. (Pause) Never mind, I’m babbling.

      MAX: No, what?

       (Pause.)

      EDDIE: It’s like— . . . (Pause) My family has been here forever, my great-grandpa’s homestead is still standing outside of town. My dad used to take me and my brother out there, and he’d tell us how Great-Grandpa moved up here from Utah, built the house by himself, and it was like— . . . I used to know exactly who I was here, I recognized everything here. But lately, it— . . .

       (Pause.)

       I drive around Pocatello now, and I—. I get lost. So easily. Like I’ve never even been here before. (Pause) Okay now I really am babbling.

      TROY: Eddie, I think that is the most I’ve heard you say, ever.

       (Eddie chuckles a bit.)

      EDDIE: I’m being stupid.

      TROY: No, you’re not. You’re right, this town is shit nowadays. If we were smarter we’d all get the hell out of here.

       (Troy downs his glass of wine.)

       All right, am I done?

       (Eddie hands Troy a small stack of bills. He glances through it.)

       Ouch.

      EDDIE: Yeah, bad day.

      TROY: Fucking Famiglia Week. They were spending my money anyway.

       (Eddie hands identical stacks of bills to Max and Isabelle. Isabelle quickly finishes her wine СКАЧАТЬ