Black Lies

Sample Pages

ACT I

SETTING: The lights rise on a simple kitchen/living area in a small apartment. Its furnishings are spare and masculine, the furniture old and run-down. Against the stage right wall is a tattered couch with an old wood coffee table. Just center stage of the couch is a closed doorway that leads to the "master" bedroom. Center stage stands the kitchen table. Three chairs surround it; the one stage right is a wheelchair. Stage left is the kitchen area with a sink counter and refrigerator. A clock on the wall displays the late hour. A hallway directly behind the table runs upstage and separates the living room from the kitchen area. It ends at the front door. In the short hallway, a second doorway leads to another bedroom. The lighting at the top of the Act has a bleakness that deepens the poverty of the room.

AT RISE: EDIE sits in the center chair at the table. Before her is a glass jar filled with coupons; at her feet, a trash can. She is sorting through the coupons, the male oriented and pharmaceutical items are being folded neatly in half and thrown away.

EDIE

Sanka. Ragu tomato sauce. Tylenol....

(EDIE folds this last coupon in half and throws it into the waste

basket.)

Got enough Tylenol to last me til I'm fifty. Swanson's frozen pot pies. Ketchup. Yogurt.... Vic's Vapor Rub. No back to rub Vic into. No sore fingers, no smelly sheets to wash out.... Woolite! For all my fine washables. Sugar. Playtex. Mrs. Wright's righteously white bread. Miller Lite. Steve's barbecue sauce, nasal spray, Q-Tips...

(undecided as to which pile)

EDIE (continued)

Q-Tips... Q-Tips.... Top Ramen, Epson Salts, Wizard rose bouquet air freshener. Shaving cream, smoker's toothpaste, Good News! Gillette disposable razors... I gotta dispose of the one's I got....

(faltering)

How long has it been now? Two days? Four walls. Fifty-three hours. Fifty-nine kitchen tiles. Millions of minutes. All busted. Silent.

(Pause. Listening.)

Silence. Walls. Ticks and creaks. Breathing. Exhaling. Leaving....

(EDIE moves hastily to the kitchen area for a glass of water to dispel the mood, the hysteria that is building within her. She drinks, pauses, sees the coupons still on the table, and crosses back to them again. She reads with renewed control now, but it does not last.)

Flour. Shampoo. V05... now, honey, you know you ain't all that. Lookit you, fronting like Diana Ross. Fried, dyed and laid to the side. You dancin days is through, girl. No more bodies rubbing together. No lights stroking your skin. No music to take you and hold you tight. That’s where! I knew I’d seen him before. He used to go to the clubs. The Shady Lady. Club Babylon. Called himself some dumb-ass name like 2Tay or something. What did he call the other guy? Paul? Didn't know that was Wilson's kid, he said. Hi-ho, Paul said. Like it was nothing. Like he was picking up a sack of potatoes. Hi-ho and it sank under his weight. Sho' is heavy, Paul said. Dead weight, 2Tay says. And Mr. Jenkins put his arm round me. "Easy, now...." And I wanted some crazy-ass papers to sign. I needed something to sign. “She sho' is through.”

(EDIE tries to correct her appearance a little.)

Talken all crazy, now, like a bag lady. All the way through. If only... if only I could talk to him again. If his ghost would come back, would moan in the other room...

(laughs)

that would make me feel better. Like before. Listening to Booker T. and the MGs. Him knocking on the bed stand to Roberta Flack.

(singing softly)

EDIE (continued)

"Tryin times... that's what this world is talking about.... You got confusion... all over the land...." Rappity-bap-bap.

(She knocks on the table three times with her knuckle in time with "Rappity-Bap-Bap. Simultaneously, someone knocks on the front door with the same rhythm. EDIE doesn't notice.)

"Mother against daughter, father against son...."

(Again, someone knocks on the door in time with

with rappity-bap-bap.)

Rappity-bap-bap....

(EDIE lays her head on the table.)

Two days. Fifty-nine hours. Gone.

(The lights change subtly, become imbued with more color. Up the hall behind EDIE, the door opens and BOBBIE, a young black male, enters. EDIE doesn't hear him approach. HE enters the kitchen stealthily, stares at EDIE with her head on the table.)

BOBBIE

Didntcha hear me knockin on the door?

(EDIE jumps up. Backs away from him towards the kitchen.)

You gonna leave me out in the hall all night?

(EDIE grabs a knife from the counter.)

Chill, Edie what's up with the knife?

EDIE

How do you know my name?

BOBBIE

You don't recognize me? Check, the bitch is buggen. You don't know me?

EDIE

Why should I?

BOBBIE

Why should you? Man, I don't believe this. This can't be happenin. Girl, look at me. Look at me.

(Nothing registers for EDIE.)

Aw man, you know this is ill. It's Bobbie. Bobbie!

EDIE

Bobbie who?

BOBBIE

Bobbie who? Man, this is raw. You frontin me, right? Bobbie who. Girl, Bobbie your brother. Bobbie Wilson.

EDIE

Prove it.

BOBBIE

Man, I swear I'm gonna slap you in the head. Prove it. Is he asleep?

EDIE

Who?

BOBBIE

Pop. Is he sleepin? You all nappy-headed? You been sleepin at the table?

EDIE

I... I was going through the coupons.

BOBBIE

(indicating the knife)

You plannin on eaten steak?

(She still doesn't put it down.)

Yo, peep this. My sista thinks she's Jack the Rippa. You can chill with the blade, girl, this ain't no raid, its jes the spade-- Bobbie-- no fade-- Wilson. Come on. We useta tear the heads off your dolls and float em in the bathtub. Back when we lived on 105th street, back before Mom died and we moved inta this rat-hole. 'Member how we useta bust out in the livin room?

(He does a little dance)

Ooh, baby's fly, breakin it to Earth Wind and Fire.

(EDIE lowers her guard a little, reacting to his ridiculous

antics.)

BOBBIE (cont)

Member? The Funkadelics. Come on, shake out that nappy head. Member how we useta play hide and seek in that abandoned building? You useta love that. Before we moved up here. Dontcha remember?

EDIE

I remember. Crazy Bobbie.

BOBBIE

That's right. Craz-ay Bob-bay. Ain't you gonna ask me how I'm doin? Been three and a half years.

EDIE

Is that all?

BOBBIE

Word-up.

EDIE

You've changed.

BOBBIE

I have?

EDIE

Your eyes. They're different. Changes your whole face.

BOBBIE

Same old Bobbie.

EDIE

And you're taller now. You grown. You got out of... when did you get out?

BOBBIE

Fuck the pen. I don't wanna talk bout that shit. I been outta there almost a year and I ain't going back for nothin.

EDIE

So you're back.

BOBBIE

Bobbie's back.

EDIE

Why?

BOBBIE

What kinda question's that? You don't see me for four years and that's the first thing outta your mouth?

EDIE

Well, how long you staying?

BOBBIE

What's up with that? It's my home, too. I'm still family. He can tell me to my face if he don't want me here.

(EDIE hasn’t been listening.)

EDIE

Almost a year? Where've you been staying?

BOBBIE

Got me a crib back across town. Back where we useta live. Got myself a house up there.

EDIE

A house?

BOBBIE

A real big house. Three bedrooms.

EDIE

You're renting a house?

BOBBIE

Don't come free.

EDIE

How do you pay for that?

BOBBIE

Don't ask me no questions, won't tell you no lies.

EDIE

You ain't selling dope, are you?

BOBBIE

What I tell you?

EDIE

You can't come into this house selling crack. Daddy would never have let--

BOBBIE

Don't go trippin, girl. I ain't selling crack. I'm jes frontin ya. Got a legit biznez since I been out. Working as a doorman. That's right. And the tips be flowin in. Guy'll hand you five bucks jes so he don't look cheap. And for openin the door for him! Plus what I'm makin by the hour.

EDIE

Oh.

BOBBIE

And if he's lookin for a little smack, a little African-Black, the big C....

EDIE

Bobbie!

BOBBIE

I jes refers em. Get a commission for pointin em the right way. Don't have to carry

none-- no risk, and I'm livin large. Got my feet above the fray.

EDIE

Bobbie....

BOBBIE

Ain't nothin illegal about pointin em in the right direction. See, No Name's new in town, jes passin through, and he don't know what’s the score. So who's he go to? The Door Man. I got a couple of dealers in the biz. No Name slaps me with twenty for the tip, and the dealer slides me five cuz he's chargin this out-a-town fool twice as much as he's gettin in the hood. It'd be phat, baby. Life's great.

EDIE

So why are you here?

BOBBIE

Look, don't sweat it. I ain't stayin long. Jes what's up and I'm outta here. Hello and good-bye. Maybe I'm outta here tomorrow. I jes wanted to hear how everybody's gettin on.

(EDIE stares at him, stunned.)

Go on, I don't care what you say.

(Pause.)

So, he still hates me. So what? This still my house, too. I took care of him, too. You can tell him that.

EDIE

He's sleeping.

(Silence.)

BOBBIE

Well, how's he been doin?

EDIE

Okay.

BOBBIE

I heard he's worse.

EDIE

No. He's gettin better.

BOBBIE

Better?

EDIE

Every day. He's feeling stronger than he ever was.

BOBBIE

Stronger?

EDIE

Stronger than before you left.

BOBBIE

I ran inta Ray the other day an he said Pop was worse. Said he was practically one foot in the grave.

EDIE

He and Mr. Jenkins been going down to the park everyday. Dad'll bang on the ceiling with his broomstick for Mr. Jenkins to come down, just like old times. You should see his face light up when he hears Mr. Jenkin's footsteps on the stairs.

BOBBIE

Man, I knew Ray was buggen. Crazy crack head. Crazy dumb-ass....

(Bobbie reigns in a sudden, unexplained anger. Laughs.)

You know I caught him doin that bullet trick in the liquor store? Was standin in line for a pack a cigs when he walked in and flipped a bullet on the counter, sayin the next one's goin right through the clerk's eye if he don't hand over the scrilla and a bottle of J.D.

(laughs)

Crazy crack head.

(Beat)

You got anything to drink?

(BOBBIE crosses to the fridge.)

Colt 45.

(He pops the top and takes a deep drink.)

Mmm. The smell of Pop's perfume, right here. The ole man still slammin the brew.

EDIE

No, he quit drinking.

BOBBIE

But....

(holds up the can)

EDIE

It's mine. It's these new pills Dr. Curtis got him on. Robetusin and these new pills, every morning and night, for breakfast and bedtime. He's feeling stronger every day.

BOBBIE

Yeah, well, he's still a cripple, ain't he? These new pills didn't grow back his leg, did it?

EDIE

He's even getting himself in and out of the wheelchair by himself now. You remember when he stopped doing that?

BOBBIE

It can't last forever, Edie.

EDIE

I rub him down with Vic's at night, and he sleeps like a baby. I've even been throwing away the coupons, cuz he don't need half this stuff no more.

BOBBIE

He still stays in bed most the time?

EDIE

Not anymore. He gets out.

(then, thinking better of this.)

Not a lot. Not so much this week. He's been staying in bed more this week, but only cuz the weather's been bad.

BOBBIE

Well, don't tell him I'm here. I'll be quiet. I'm outta here tomorrow, anyway.

(Pause.)

So how you been? What's up with you?

EDIE

(unsure of how to answer this)

We're making endz.

BOBBIE

I know, but what's up with you?

EDIE

I been doing things....

BOBBIE

What?

(Pause.)

You useta get out and dance. You member that? When's the last time you been out dancin?

EDIE

I don't remember exactly.

BOBBIE

Betcha it's been five years.

EDIE

Not that long.

BOBBIE

Betcha it has. They got a whole new kind of music now.

EDIE

What?

BOBBIE

(teasingly)

A new kind of music. It's called... Rap.

EDIE

Don't go dummin me. Like I don't even got a radio.

BOBBIE

Well you never get out. What am I supposed to think?

EDIE

I get out.

BOBBIE

You was gonna do somethin with your life.

EDIE

I been doing things.

BOBBIE

Hidin behind a locked door. I thought you was goin to school and shit.

EDIE

You a fine one to talk about being locked up. What've you done with your life?

BOBBIE

Damn, girl. I was jes sayin you coulda done somethin with all this time. Somethin wrong with that? If you weren't stuck with him.

EDIE

We get along fine. We're close, now.

BOBBIE

If he wasn't holdin you back you coulda--

EDIE

He never held me back!

BOBBIE

You coulda done anythin you wanted.

EDIE

What do you want, Bobbie?

BOBBIE

Why you do me like that? I jes came to find out--

EDIE

Shh. You wanna wake him?

BOBBIE

(Quieter)

What happened to you?

EDIE

Whattya mean? Nothing happened to me.

BOBBIE

That's what I'm talkin about. You wanted to do things. You useta go out dancin. You wanted to go to college. Didn't you want to go to college?

EDIE

I changed my mind.

BOBBIE

You filled out the forms an everything. I member that.

EDIE

I didn't send them in.

BOBBIE

You was gonna be a doctor. Or a lawyer. Or do hair-- everytime you opened ya mouth it was something.

EDIE

I decided to stay here.

BOBBIE

You wanted to do everything, girl.

EDIE

I could do more here.

(Beat)

BOBBIE

Fuck college. Ain't nothin but bullshit, anyway. With a little rollin dough you could do anythin you want now. The ole man's feelin better, you said that yourself.

EDIE

I'm happy here.

BOBBIE

It ain't gonna last forever, Edie. You gotta get--

EDIE

Why you keep saying that? It ain't gonna last forever?

BOBBIE

I'm jes tryin to prepare you. You gotta be prepared. One of these days he's gonna be--

EDIE

Don't say that! Don't you ever say that!

BOBBIE

But I know he's got you covered. He gonna leave somethin behind for ya.

EDIE

What're you talking about?

BOBBIE

I'm talkin bout gettin some practice. You gotta live a little now, Edie. I'm sayin he's got a little bank stashed away, and you and me we're entitled, Edie. We's all that's left.

EDIE

That's why you came back!

BOBBIE

You sayin I'm wrong? He ain't got a little bank tucked away?

EDIE

What you see is what you get.

BOBBIE

No! I been figurin on it. He's gettin Disability for that leg of his. He can pay the man and the bills and buy all the food from what Disability been givin him. He's got you and the apartment covered, girl. But he musta got somethin afta the accident. They always pay you a big check when it happens....

EDIE

That's crazy, Bobbie. You was always getting these crazy ideas.

BOBBIE

Listen, Edie. Bust this. We alive. We alive. You and me. We got two legs and two arms. We can go anywhere we wanta. We got a life, and we gotta go on livin, you and me.

(Intensely)

We gotta keep on livin. He got all that money up under that bed in those boxes, jes rotten away. The rats prolly ate half of it by now. And its ours. He means it for us. I can't wait forever for it. I gotta get mine now.

EDIE

This is all crazy, Bobbie.

BOBBIE

Get the boxes, Edie, then you'll see. He's kept them boxes in there. Sleepin on top of em like it was a money mattress.

EDIE

Don't you see how crazy you talking?

BOBBIE

We go in there and sneak em right out.

EDIE

He'll call the police if he catches you.

(Beat)

BOBBIE

Then you do it.

EDIE

He'll have a heart attack if he sees you standing over him.

BOBBIE

I'll wait right here and you bring em in.

EDIE

No.

BOBBIE

We'll go through em together, you and me. We split it up together.

EDIE

I ain't bringing you nothing.

BOBBIE

What if his wheelchair break?

EDIE

He'd tell me--

BOBBIE

(overlapping)

Dontcha wanna know if you can get another one? What if somethin happens?

EDIE

I said, I ain't gonna bring your sorry ass nothing.

(Pause. BOBBIE removes a revolver from beneath his shirt and lays it on the table.)

BOBBIE

I ain't leavin til I get my half, Edie. I need my half.

EDIE

You ain't gonna shoot me.

BOBBIE

I'm showin you that I ain't foolin, now. This is serious, Edie. I'll shoot this place up if I haveta.

(Pause)

EDIE

There ain't no money, Bobbie.

BOBBIE

I done the math.

EDIE

I'm being straight with you Bobbie--

BOBBIE

I checked it out. I done the math.

(Pause)

EDIE

If I bring you the boxes and you get your half, will you go?

BOBBIE

I'm on the L-train, baby.

EDIE

You promise?

BOBBIE

Don't diss me. You know my word is bond.

(EDIE goes into the bedroom for the boxes. BOBBIE stands and crosses to the sink where he washes his hands thoroughly. After a moment of thought, he takes the dish towel and carefully rubs down the gun. He wipes it thoroughly and firmly. EDIE enters holding two boxes before he finishes with the gun.)

EDIE

He's still asleep.

BOBBIE

Put em on the table. Come on, get the others.

(He sets the gun on the table and eagerly opens the first box as EDIE returns to the bedroom for more boxes. BOBBIE pulls several pieces of cloth from the box, throwing them onto the ground as he digs deeper. Pulling a brand new piece from the box, he holds it up to the light. It is the bottom half of a pant leg. BOBBIE stands stunned as EDIE returns.)

EDIE

What is it?

BOBBIE

Pant legs. Lookit all the pant legs. For the leg he don't have no more. He'd cut the pants in half and pin em shut.

(a painful, self-mocking laugh.)

What did he think he'd need them for? Left legs.