Characters: Ben: 40-year-old convict about to be released from prison
Frank: 36-year-old convict
Luther: 19-year-old convict
Setting: A prison cell with plenty of pictures showing on the wall.
At Rise: A man in a cell looks at pictures/photos that he has displayed. He takes them down one by one, ripping them up throughout the scene. The man is Ben. He has a small trash can. Ben is in the process of looking at and then trashing the photo in his hand.
Frank enters.
FRANK
What ya doing, Big Guy?
BEN
(Tossing scraps in the trashcan)
You see it.
FRANK
I guess you don’t feel much like talking. Hell, I’m sorry bud. I know it’s rough.
BEN
Rough? Completely unexpected.
FRANK
Damn the Parole Board. Them people are heartless. Shoulda been called the Re-Sentencing Board, that’s what they do. Every flop is a form of double jeopardy in my opinion.
BEN
They screwed me.
FRANK
I’m sorry. I always told you don’t get your hopes up.
BEN
I didn’t. (Beat.) I’m getting out.
FRANK
At least you’ve got an out-date. (Beat.) Whoa! What? Holy crap! That’s great, dude. When?
BEN
They’re doing the paperwork now. I should be out in a day or so.
FRANK
Fan—freaking—tastic! I told you, didn’t I? I told you to never give up hope. And I was right. Come on, partner, this is the part where you smile.
BEN
(Shredding a picture, not smiling)
I don’t need this crap.
FRANK
Damn right you don’t. You can finally get rid of your extended family — I tell you, it was weird watching you put up all those faces of magazine strangers.
BEN
Strangers.
FRANK
Damn straight it was strange! You’d pull any Tom, Dick, and Harry out of magazines and post em up. Smiles and All-American shit-grins — but they were a fake family. Now get a real family to go see.
BEN
My real family? Oh, you mean the family that lives an hour away and can’t find the time to come see me. The same family that can drive all the way to Bum Fritz Egypt to go shopping but can’t send their own flesh and blood twenty dollars a month—
(LUTHER rushes in.)
LUTHER
Holy crap, Batman! You guys’d never believe what I heard happened.
BEN
You’re always hearing something. People like you are the reason there’s a tip line for the cops on all the phones in this joint.
LUTHER
This news is gonna pop your mind.
FRANK
(Making a time-out gesture)
Luther. Time the hell out. How many times have I told your young ass to slow your roll?
BEN
Obviously not enough.
LUTHER
Suck it, Ben. I just came to tell y’all what you don’t know.
BEN
That’s the problem. You don’t show any respect.
(BEN stands and reaches for LUTHER.)
LUTHER
What is your problem! Stop! Don’t touch me!
BEN
Come on, big boy, show me what you’re working with!
LUTHER
Frank, your boy better not touch me there!
FRANK
Ben, overlook him. And quit with the games.
BEN
(To LUTHER)
Ask your momma if I’m a boy. You’re the one who wants a man in your life—
FRANK
Drop it! Luther, get on with it. Ben, he’s not worth it.
BEN
I know he’s not. If he didn’t start it, I wouldn’t need to finish it (Blows a kiss at LUTHER).
LUTHER
Frank, I came to tell you about what I heard since you are a known and respected OG on the yard, and aren’t some yap-ass punk hiding behind—
(BEN makes a move and is stopped by FRANK)
FRANK
Ben, you’re my dog and that’ll never change. Be cool. Luther, what’d I tell you? Enough! And get out!
LUTHER
You know Maryland?
BEN
Yeah, we know him—
LUTHER
Shut the hell up. I was asking Frank if he knew him.
BEN
Of course he knows Maryland.
LUTHER
Not no more he don’t, because—
FRANK
Maryland hung himself. He was upset because he got flopped. Dumbass couldn’t even tie a knot.
LUTHER
News travels fast. The bastards gave him another year’s hanging with you two and he couldn’t take it. (Beat) How’d you come out, Benny Boy? What, not smiling?
(Starts to leave, then turns back)
Those look like strong boot strings. There’s your ticket out. Frank, I’ll see ya!
(LUTHER exits.)
FRANK
Appreciate your not blooping out on the fish. He doesn’t realize he’s swimming with sharks. He’ll learn one day, but not at your expense, if you know what I mean, Vern.
BEN
(Tearing up another picture)
I spared him.
FRANK
I know you did.
BEN
I bet the world is full of nosy punks like him.
FRANK
Are you kidding me? Take a look around you. The world has to be full of convicts because the rats are all in here meddling in eveiyone else’s business.
BEN
He got off easy.
FRANK
People like him are always wondering about the next man because they’re scared to look at their own lives.
BEN
(Balling up a picture)
Not him—
FRANK
Who? Oh——! see. Would you believe Maryland almost didn’t have the guts to go through with it? Who halfway hangs themself?
BEN
What ever happened to common sense? I can’t believe that the system would just toss me out like—trash. What am I supposed to do out there?
FRANK
Live! Take a walk without wondering if you’re outside the boundaries! Take a shower without people stalking you! Hell, I don’t know. Go to Wal-Mart.
BEN
What with, my looks? I won’t be able to get a job, and everywhere I go they’ll—
FRANK
Bullshit!
BEN
What? Who’s going to give me a chance? You don’t see—
FRANK
Wrong. I see that you would rather throw away your only opportunity for a chance —right along with those stupid photos of your pretend family.
BEN
The last thing I need is a PO or some cop smiling in my face all the time. To me that’s not a good opportunity. You have no idea—
FRANK
I don’t? You’re right. I never had my family send you money orders—
BEN
And I appreciate that.
FRANK
Or Christmas and birthday cards.
BEN
I’m grateful.
FRANK
You don’t think I know how hard it must have been on you all these years with no lifeline to the outside? Or how bard it’ll be out there having to pretend to like cops and other people of authority?
BEN
I’m not saying that. It’s just that—at least you have a family. What do I get? A halfway house, more rules, the worry of constantly being watched?
FRANK
That’s it? Oh, woe is me! I’m Ben and I don’t have a family. Oh, poor me. I’m just going to give up—
BEN
I call bullshit!
FRANK
You can’t call it, you just say it. I’m going to help you whether you like it or not—
BEN
You have helped me, don’t you get it? We’ve been locked up together 20 years and you’ve always supported me.
(LUTHER enters)
LUTHER
Really? So good ole Benny Boy made parole. Ain’t that something. Did you tell Frank? Oh, I bet you didn’t, did you? You wanted to try to sneak out of here like some kind of scared bitch.
BEN
I told him, I just didn’t tell your meddling ass.
LUTHER
That’s just like you. Here I am trying to look out for you because Frank likes your punk ass, and you can’t even show the common courtesy of telling me you made parole.
FRANK
He didn’t tell you because he knew you’d take it hard.
LUTHER
Take it hard? I don’t need these peoples’ charity. I refuse to kiss ass, unlike some people—
FRANK
Bye, Luther.
LUTHER
Bye yourself.
FRANK
Get out of my damn cell, Luther!
(LUTHER exits.)
BEN
That’s what I’m talking about. I’ve lived this life, worn my conviction like clothing, and now I’m supposed to—what?—take it off after 20 years? How can I live a life on the outside where everybody thinks every felon is the same?
FRANK
Look at Luther. Is he a convict? No, he’s an inmate, a petty thief who doesn’t know how to do anything else. You made a mistake, did your time, and paid for it. I’m the one here forever! I can’t leave..,look, this isn’t the life you want.
BEN
I’m still a piece of shit in society’s eyes.
FRANK
So what? You’re always going to be judged. And your façade of the hardened criminal will eventually crumble. Who gives a shit? Find a job, pick up the pieces, and survive. This is your rebirth!
BEN
For five years I prayed every night that those fences would fall. I fantasized about freedom and bad nightmares about razor-wire fences.
FRANK
Understandable. I do it all the time.
BEN
Is it? Then tell me why I don’t want to leave, tell me why this place is my home.
FRANK
Because it has been, but not any more, and now I’m kicking you out. Hit the road, Jack.
BEN
How can you joke about this crap?
FRANK
Because if I didn’t laugh I’d be crying right now. You only get one chance in life and this is yours. You will succeed because you have to. If not for you, for me. Hey, send me letters.
BEN
DO you really think I can? I mean, look at me. Who wants a 40-year-old, emotionally damaged screw-up who has never had shit and probably never will? What kind of life— oh, God, this is real—
FRANK
Let it out. You’ve carried this pain for 20 years.
BEN
I’m scared, Frank. I don’t have nothing. No one will take me— (starts sobbing)
FRANK
(Holding BEN close, soothing him)
It’s life, bro. You’ll find a way. I know you will—
(LUTHER enters, carrying a radio)
LUTHER
Look at this radio Maryland left me in his will—what the—don’t mind me. Are you serious, Benny Boy? Old Frankie here really is your prison daddy!
FRANK
Luther, don’t start any shit. Ben has a right to cry. He’s a man.
LUTHER
I’ll be damned if I cry on another man’s shoulder like some bitch.
BEN
(Advancing on LUTHER)
I’m the bitch? You’re the one who had to steal a dead man’s radio. He’s barely dead! And what else did you take? Come on, vulture—(pokes LUTHER)—preying on the weak. I know you’re a cowardly thief who didn’t have guts enough to face the man alive. But all you could take was some measly little old radio–(pokes harder) —and I’m the bitch? I bet there was someone there bigger than you taking his TV, wasn’t there?
LUTHER
Shut the hell up.
BEN
You shut up.
(BEN and LUTHER struggle and FRANK tries to separate the two. LUTHER gets the upper hand.)
LUTHER
I’ll beat your ass, old man. I ain’t no bitch! Frank’ll get his old ass beat, too—
(As LUTHER pushes BEN harder, FRANK pulls apen from his pocket and stabs LUTHER in the side. LUTHER falls.)
You stabbed me! You— (begins to whimper)
BEN
Frank, man, what did you do?
FRANK
What I had to do. I can’t let some young street punk ruin it for you.
BEN
It wasn’t your fight—you didn’t have to—
FRANK
I know. Now what do you do? Watch him bleed to death or run to the guards and get help? It’s your call.
(BEN hesitates, torn.)
BEN
I—I’ve got—to go—
(BEN runs off)
FRANK
Luther, you always were an idiot. But you aren’t alone. Maryland couldn’t tie a knot. But I could.
(Tears down the last of Ben ‘s pictures, wads them up and tosses them.)
Ben didn’t know his way out, so I’ve had to show him. And I couldn’t have done it without your help. For that, I’m not going to kill you.
(FRANK drops to his knees, his hands behind his back assuming the position, as he waits for the guards.)