Junk

Characters
             
BEN: early-thirties, clean cut, business suit
 FOOD DELIVERY MAN: early-twenties
             

                                   SETTING

                    Ben's living room. The room has an antique desk
                    and chair set in the corner. There's a Persian rug
                    in the middle of the floor. There's a bookshelf on
                    the far wall facing the audience. It is full,
                    carefully lined with wildlife animals such as a
                    giraffe, panda, elephant, wolf etc. They're
                    realistic, but obviously children's toys and made
                    from various materials, plastic, ceramic, wood,
                    etc. The combination of animals doesn't matter, as
                    long as there's at least a LION with a mane.

          SCENE

                    Lights up. Dim. BEN walks in, and puts briefcase
                    on desk. He takes off his coat, and sets it around
                    the chair. He slowly walks across the shelf, and
                    stops to pat one of the animals.

               BEN: (to all animals in general): I saw Chris at the
               store. I looked up and there he was across the produce
               section. We caught eyes...long enough for his face to
               say "I'm sorry." It's been six months and I'm tired of
               seeing that face. And it isn't just Chris. It's
               everyone...No, I didn't say anything. I left. We used
               to be good friends. But now all he can do is say sorry
               and leave voicemails inviting me to go golfing. If I
               didn't like golfing before Rebecca died, why would I
               like it now?

                    Silence for a moment, then BEN turns around, and
                    grabs LION off the shelf.

               BEN: Yes, I said "died." What are you suggesting,
               Charles?...Shh. That's not true. Where's your respect?
               She didn't...It wasn't on pur-I don't understand. Shh.
               Quiet. Stop.

                    BEN shakes his head.


               BEN: Don't think about that. Remember. She's the one
               who brought you here. Sure, it was my idea to open a
               wildlife preserve. Yeah, one day, Becca and I were
               going to go to Africa and Asia and wherever else the
               real life versions of you exist. She put you here as
               little reminders of how our lives would be different.
               She promised. We were going to go together.

                    BEN sits on rug with LION in his lap.


               BEN: It sounded crazy, getting together some scientists
               and buying some land,but helping animals is a better
               cause than helping people. People are too good at
               messing themselves up, messing each other up. Rebecca
               thought so too. Even if my dream sounded crazy to my
               mom or my brother, and of course I never told
               Chris-even if it seemed stupid to everyone else, Becca
               said it was gonna happen. And I loved her for that.

                    Silence and then BEN shakes LION.


               BEN: Be quiet. Please, be quiet, Charles. Yes, I did
               say "loved." But what do you expect? I want to say I
               feel her around me, but I don't.

                    BEN looks at LION again.


               BEN: No. I'm not forgetting her!

                    BEN throws LION across the room. It breaks, but he
                    doesn't notice at first.


               BEN: I'm not forgetting her. Rebecca isn't here,
               Charles. I don't understand it, either. She was. But
               now she's not. There's nothing anyone can do. There's
               nothing I can do...Well...there is one thing. I've been
               afraid of that stuff. That junk. That shit that stole
               her from me. I've been thinking. Maybe if I had
               understood her better, this would never have happened.
               Maybe I can still understand.

                    BEN sets stands up and walks over to his desk and
                    opens drawer. At the same time, FOOD DELIVERY MAN
                    appears onstage and KNOCKS on BEN's door. BEN
                    shuts drawer. KNOCKING continues. BEN goes to door
                    and opens it a crack. BEN stands in silence. FOOD
                    DELIVERY MAN holds some Styrofoam boxes in a
                    plastic bag.


               FOOD DELIVERY MAN: Here's your dinner.

                    BEN stares.


               FOOD DELIVERY MAN: Your dinner.
               BEN: I didn't place an-
               FOOD DELIVERY MAN: Look, I'm not up for your games. Not
               tonight. We both know every Tuesday your mama calls up
               Chinese Panda and has us deliver you some dinner. Pays
               for it by phone and has us deliver it to you.
               BEN: I didn't-
               FOOD DELIVERY MAN: I got more places to go. Just take
               the food, man.
               BEN: Let me check with my...

                    BEN trails off as he closes the door in FOOD
                    DELIVERY MAN's face. A few KNOCKS then FOOD
                    DELIVERY MAN leaves bag outside the door. BEN
                    walks back to desk and pulls out cotton, alcohol
                    swabs, syringe, spoon, tiny package, etc. from the
                    desk and sits on the middle of the rug.


               BEN: You left all this, Bec. Did you want me to find
               it? I had to search online to find out what
               all this was for, and then I looked up how to do it,
               how you did it. You'd be surprised how the world is
               filled with helpful druggies, just ready to teach
               someone how to shoot up. Ones who say they can
               "function in society." Or maybe you wouldn't be
               surprised. You were one of them, weren't you? When we
               first started dating you told me, straight out, "Ben, I
               had a problem. But I'm better now." And that was that.
               You never mentioned it again. You promised you were
               happy. But then...after five whole years...then...

                    BEN closes his eyes.


               BEN: I found her here. She did it here.

                    BEN unwraps tiny package, places contents on
                    spoon. BEN's PHONE RINGS. He's surprised and then
                    sets spoon and contents down on rug. He answers
                    phone and listens for a moment.


               BEN: What? Lucy? Is that you?... I'll see you at the
               office tomorrow morning...A movie? But it's...what time is it?
               ... Yes, seven P.M...Yes,I'm busy. I'm in the middle of cooking.

                    (Long Pause)

               BEN: Yes, ok. Have your presentation ready for the
               board in the morning.

                    BEN puts his phone away, then looks at junk etc.


               BEN: I'm forgetting something.

                    BEN sets SPOON AND CONTENTS down on rug. Exits
                    Stage. Few moments. Then BEN returns with a glass
                    of water and sets it down next to junk etc.


               BEN: I'm forgetting something else...Charles? Charles!
               Where are you?

                    BEN sees LION across the room. Walks over and
                    picks it up.


               BEN: No. No. No. Your tail. Shoot. Your tail! Shit.
               It's broken. I promised her I'd keep you safe, Charles,
               and now your tail's broken off. I didn't mean it.

                    BEN turns LION towards him so they're face to
                    face.


               BEN: Do you really think she meant it? But she promised
               us. She promised me she was better...And now what? What
               am I supposed to do?

                    BEN sits on rug and sets LION down, faces it
                    opposite him.


               BEN: I've just got to understand.

                    BEN prepares the rest of the junk and holds needle
                    to his arm.


               BEN: She never told me. I've got to understand.

                    Lights down.


                    Long Pause.


                    Lights up.

                    Ben is passed out on the floor with LION in his
                    hand. Bookshelf is empty and there's a big
                    cardboard box next to it.


                    Lights down.

          END