• Author / Uploaded
• Adam Graham

Citation preview

Music & Lyrics by

Libretto by

Musical Direction by

JOHN

STEPHEN

T BONE

MELLENCAMP KING

BURNETT

PROLOGUE Scene 1 (The McCANDLESS CABIN is a DARK SHAPE.There’s a jutting ROCK PROMONTORY at STAGE LEFT that overlooks Lake Belle Reve.The top of the clearing is ringed by pines.The bottom drops out of sight. As the audience enters and seats, we hear CRACKLY DEEP SOUTH AM RADIO.The music is ZYDECO and HANK WILLIAMS TYPE C&W. It’s peppery and upbeat.) (As the HOUSE LIGHTS GO DARK, the ZYDECO COWBOY appears in his little studio at STAGE RIGHT, on his feet behind an old-fashioned standing mic. Shirtsleeves rolled to the elbows; suspenders; big ole straw cowboy hat. ZYDECO is on the phone—an old-fashioned ’67 model. He puts it down next to his record player and lifts the needle from the current disc with AN AMPLIFIED SKEE-RONK sound.)

Song: “AnD You CAn DreAM” ..... ZYDeCo CoWBoY DON’T LET THIS WORLD GET YOU DOWN DON’T LET THIS WORLD GET YOU DOWN DON’T LET THIS WORLD GET YOU DOWN YOU CAN BELIEVE AND YOU CAN DREAM During the following, BIG NUMBERS—1967—appear above the darkened cabin. (into the mic) Sorry to interrupt, chillun, but I just got some tragic news from Lake Belle Reve, where it look like a bad accident has occurred on to a double suicide. The bodies of a young man n woman was recovered by Mr. Dan Coker, a local caretaker—half ya know him, the other half missin out. An-nd the body of another boy was found in a nearby cabin! An-nd the boys were brothers! Both was in the Hawkeye Shootin Competition, where your pal the Zydeco Cowboy was the master of ceremonies, yeah you’re right. [Beat] Oh my. This make the Cowboy feel so sad. Luckily for cheerin’ us up, we got the Delta 5, yeah you right, on WWFW, your voice of the Crescent… (As he puts on another record and the MUSIC STARTS UP, newspaper headlines appear above the darkened cabin. First: THEY DIED FOR LOVE. Second: DAY OF FUN & CELEBRATION TURNS TO HORROR)! (The MUSIC BECOMES ECHOEY AND FADES. The STAGE GOES DARK, and then a shaft of RED LIGHT appears as THE SHAPE rises from the bowels of the earth. He’s a handsome, smiling, tattooed, muscular monster.) (Spreading its arms wide, it sings—a capella—the first verse of “That’s Me.”)

Song: “ThAT ’S Me” ..... The ShAPe YOU KNOW THAT VOICE YOU HEAR IN YOUR HEAD THAT’S ME, BABY THAT’S ME AND YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE JUST TALKING TO YOURSELF BUT IT’S ME, BABY THAT’S ME I CAN GET YOU TO DO 3

ANYTHING I WANT ’CAUSE I’M THE SEXY ONE WITH ALL THAT GOOD STUFF IT’S ME,YES BABY, THAT’S ME WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE SMACKING YOUR BROTHER THAT’S ME, BABY THAT’S ME AND WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE CHEATING ON A LOVER THAT’S ME, AH YES THAT’S ME

YOUNG MAN I love you. YOUNG WOMAN I love you, too. YOUNG MAN On three, then. One…two… BOTH Three!

I CAN GET YOU TO SCREW UP YOUR LIFE STICK UP THE PAPERBOY WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND’S WIFE THAT’S ME, BABY, OH THAT’S ME I’M THE PROVIDER OF ALL THAT POOPY-DOOPY-DOO WHEN YOU THINK YES, I GOT IT ALL WORKED OUT NOW THINK OF ME, BABY THAT’S ME WHEN YOUR SUNNY DAY TURNS CLOUDY THANK ME, BABY THANK ME (When the verse finishes, it allows a beat of silence.Then it does a happy little dance and swirl that finishes with a bow to the audience.) THE SHAPE Hello, all you beautiful people—how ya doin’ tonight? Are you good? Of course you are! It’s Friday night in downland Mississippi, and everybody’s happy.Your paycheck is cashed and it’s time to go honky-tonkin’. Get in a fight in the parking lot; get kissed after; ride home fast. Some girl’s apt to get her name sprayed on the Delight water-tower. Oh, and someone’s going to die. Isn’t it wonderful. That radio asshole is bustin’ his britches tellin’ everyone in Darkland County. It’s the American way…and it’s what you came to see. (Headlights approach on the PROMONTORY, and the HOUSE BAND begins to play.) THE SHAPE Call me an old softie, but I love it when young people die. (It slinks back into the darkness. The RED SPOT FADES INTO MOONLIGHT. TWO CAR DOORS OPEN, then CHUNK SHUT. A YOUNG MAN and YOUNG WOMAN appear in the clearing that will go down in local history as The Leap. We can’t see their faces, only their SILHOUETTES.) YOUNG MAN

(They JUMP! Hand in hand and out of sight. The MUSIC CRASHES BACK—a BIG STING OF SOUND. ) THE SHAPE OH YOU CRAZY MOON! (The PROMONTORY fills with BLUE MOONGLOW, and this allows us to see the people who come next. A YOUNG JOE, a boy with a WHITE STREAK IN HIS HAIR, walks into the clearing.) YOUNG JOE (to the audience) That ain’t how it happened. (A MAN enters the clearing: Grown Joe with the same WHITE STREAK in his hair.) GROWN JOE Sure it was. (YOUNG JOE looks around fearfully.) Ask anyone in these parts. YOUNG JOE No! It ain’t! You got to tell! GROWN JOE I can’t ever tell. And you know why. YOUNG JOE It wasn’t like that! It was— GROWN JOE TATTLE-TALE-TIT! ALL THE DOGS IN TOWN COME TO GET A LITTLE BIT! Get out of here or I’ll tan your britches! YOUNG JOE You’re the one who needs his britches tanned! You!

Never meant to hurt him. Nosir. YOUNG WOMAN I know it, honey. I’m ready if you are. (They share a passionate kiss at the lip of the drop.)

4

(YOUNG JOE flees. GROWN JOE peers after him, then approaches the edge of the drop and looks down.) GROWN JOE Nosir. No. We don’t tell. We don’t ever tell. 5

(Now THE SHAPE creeps to the foot of the promontory. GROWN JOE doesn’t see him, but he senses him.)

Scene 2 (LIGHTS GO UP in the DREAMLAND CAFÉ, which floats in mid-air over the CABIN. The DREAMLAND exists in no time…or rather, outside of time. It’s empty except for GROWN JOE and THE HOUSE BAND, still softly playing “Away From This World.” JOE’s head is down on his arms. There are a couple of empty beer bottles in front of him. He’s either asleep or passed out. The feel is blue…as in a Frank Sinatra torch song.)

THE SHAPE I win, I always win. (To JOE) Move chump.You’re in my moonlight. (GROWN JOE exits. THE SHAPE stands in the moonlight for a few seconds, enjoying it, then it finishes the song.)

SOUND CUE: A GUNSHOT, ECHOING, LOUD. (JOE snaps upright, eyes wild with terror. He looks around… and terror becomes unutterable weariness. He runs his hands through his hair. DAN comes to him, only here he’s the DREAMLAND BARTENDER, wearing a bow tie and arm garters.)

Song:“ThAT ’S Me” (rePriSe) ..... The ShAPe AND WHEN YOU’RE BURNING UP IN HELL’S FIRE I’LL GIVE YOU A WATER BREAK I’M SUCH A LIAR THAT’S ME, OH AREN’T YOU GLAD YOU KNOW IT’S ME CAUSE BABY THAT’S ME, OH YES THAT’S ME I’M THE ORIGINAL HOTTIE, THAT’S ME THANK YOU (THE SHAPE EXITS in the same shaft of RED LIGHT it arrived in. It fades to dark, and the LIVE BAND bridges to Scene 2 with “Away From This World” instrumental).

DAN Closin’ time! You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here! Drive safe, watch out for County Mounties, and if you’re on your bike, wear wh— JOE No… DAN If you’re on your bike, wear white! JOE Again? DAN What do you mean, again? Closin’ time always comes at the same time. Why you still here when everyone else is long gone? JOE This time I want to stay. DAN Your bi’ness ain’t right. Put yo bi’ness right, then we see. How many times have I told you? JOE I don’t know what you mean. DAN You know, all right. When you gonna tell the truth and get out of here? Wise up, Joey. Wise up and grow a pair. (JOE looks at him with despair, but THE BARTENDER leaves, and the DREAMLAND goes dark. The 1967 superimposed over the cabin BLURS UPWARD, stopping at 2007. Then these numbers fade, leaving only the sound of CRICKETS and faint music.)

6

7

ACT 1 Scene 3 The McCandless cabin on an August night in 2007. (The CABIN is gloomy. Partly because it’s night, but mostly it’s just a gloomy place these days. The FURNITURE is swaddled in dustcloths, even the two biggest pieces: the GRANDFATHER CLOCK and the GUN CABINET.) SOUND OF AN APPROACHING ENGINE. (THE SHAPE enters, cutting across the apron and entering the cabin. It travels in an ORANGE-RED GLOW, like well-banked hellfire. It puts one BONY HAND to the side of its hooded head, as if getting an ESP wave.) THE SHAPE More company coming! I think it might be Frankie! And I think he’s bringing…a friend! (THE SHAPE pumps its hips in burlesque intercourse) (From STAGE RIGHT comes DAN COKER, a black man now in a black suit and tieless white shirt. He looks about 60, which is how old he was when he died. Like all the GHOSTS in this play, he travels in a BLUE GLOW. He approaches THE SHAPE from downstage. They’re old adversaries.) THE SHAPE Where’s your little friends? Off hauntin’ the Tastee Freeze again? Or shoppin’ for bargains at the Wal-Mart where the drive-in used to be? DAN Never mind them. Why not let these folks be, just for the hell of it. Whoever they are. THE SHAPE Eat some chicken! Add some pie! Add some French-fried shit and die! (The door opens. FRANK McCANDLESS (22) and ANNA WICKLOW (about the same age) enter the living room, arms around each other, laughing and stumbling. FRANK’s got one arm in a forearm cast, but it’s not slowing him down any.They’re not drunk, but they’re certainly high and pressurized.They’ve been partying all night. On the way here, too, from the looks of them. ) (As the scene plays, they go around the room yanking dustcovers off the furniture, goofing around, flapping them at each other. They’re in good humor. ) ANNA Did you see him when people started to leave? FRANK Halfway through his tenderest ballad, some guy yells out Hey Drake, play ‘Free Bird!’— ANNA And he goes… (Imitating DRAKE, deep cornpone Southern accent) ‘This ain’t that kahnd of bay-und.’ (She caws with laughter.) I love that! 8

FRANK You don’t feel sorry for him? Just a little? (ANNA pauses with a dust cloth in her hands. She turns partly away from FRANK and we see she does feel sorry, at least a little. Then her face closes up and she turns back to FRANK with a hard, shiny smile. This is a pretty girl, but the smile isn’t pretty. This is one Southern belle you do not want to cross.) ANNA Do you know who calls me a bitch and gets away with it, Frank? FRANK Can’t say I do, ma’am. ANNA Nobody. Not sojer-boys in wheelchairs, not Girl Scouts selling cookies door-to-door. Not even your brother.

Song:“ThAT ’S Who i AM” ..... AnnA I’M A WHOLE LOTTA BIG LITTLE GIRL AND I KNOW WHAT MEN LIKE LOOK OUT BOYS ‘CAUSE HERE COMES ANNA WITH HER SKIRT HIKED UP HIGH WHEN YOU HOLD ME TIGHT AND LOOK INTO MY EYES I CAN SUCKER YOU INTO BELIEVING ALL OF MY LIES THAT’S WHO I AM ONE THOUSAND PERCENT ILLUSION THAT’S WHO I AM GOTCHA FLOATIN’ ON A CLOUD THAT’S WHO I AM COOKIE-CUT FOR YOUR LOVIN’ REUNION I WANT TO MAKE DAMN SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GETTING YOURSELF INTO NOW I CAN BE AS NICE AS PIE WHENEVER I NEED TO PUT MY HAND IN YOUR FRONT POCKETS AND TIGHTEN UP YOUR SCREW MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE A BIG MAN WALKIN’ WITH YOUR BARBIE DOLL PUT YOU DOWN WHEN YOU AIN’T AROUND AND KICK YOU WHEN YOU FALL THAT’S WHO I AM ONE THOUSAND PERCENT ILLUSION THAT’S WHO I AM GOTCHA FLOATIN’ ON A CLOUD THAT’S WHO I AM COOKIE-CUT FOR YOUR LOVIN’ REUNION I WANT TO MAKE DAMN SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GETTING YOURSELF INTO NOW 9

I CAN LAUGH AT ALL YOUR JOKES PARTICULARLY WHEN IT’S AT YOU HAD BETTER AND I HAD WORSE BUT I GUESS THAT YOU’LL DO DON’T TRY TO BOSS ME OR THINK I REALLY CARE ’CAUSE THERE’S HUNDREDS OF BOYS WAITIN’, WAITIN’ FOR ME OUT THERE

FRANK You know what? When we were kids, Drake stole all my toys. ANNA And now that you gone and stole one of his, how do you feel? FRANK

THAT’S WHO I AM ONE THOUSAND PERCENT ILLUSION THAT’S WHO I AM GOTCHA FLOATIN’ ON A CLOUD THAT’S WHO I AM COOKIE-CUT FOR YOUR LOVIN’ REUNION I WANT TO MAKE DAMN SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GETTING YOURSELF INTO NOW (ANNA is alarmed at where this particular insight might be going, and throws one of the dustcovers over FRANK’S head to shut him up. works.) FRANK I’m a ghost! I’m the ghost of Lake Belle Reve! BWAA-HA-HA! (ANNA screams theatrically. He chases her, looking like an overgrown version of Casper the Friendly Ghost. She tumbles to the sofa. He lands on top of her and covers them both with the sheet. LAUGHTER and GIGGLES from beneath.) FRANK Pop quiz. What do ghosts love most?

(frown becomes a smile) Damn good, actually. ANNA Which bunk was yours? FRANK Bottom. ANNA Then let’s go up top. If you’re gonna play with his toy, you ought to do it in his playroom. FRANK You don’t quit, do you? ANNA Nosir, I do not. FRANK (As she takes his hand and leads him to it) Anna…honey…I’m not sure that’ll hold us… (She unbuttons her blouse and drops it. Shimmies out of her skirt. Stands there in her lacy underwear)

ANNA I don’t knooww! FRANK Tittie-ticklin’! (She SCREAMS some more, and when she emerges from the sheet, she’s messed up and unbuttoned. She runs STAGE LEFT, to the boys’ old room. FRANK chases after. She turns on the lights. It’s a 1990s time-capsule from when FRANK and his brother DRAKE were kids.There are posters, a toybox, sports books.There’s a [relatively] tasteful pinup of Shania Twain.)

ANNA If you want some sugar, you’re gonna have to dip it out of the bowl up there where the air is rare. (Giggles) FRANK Well, damn! (He’s out of his shirt, and as he shucks his pants, he turns off the light. There’s some glow from the main room, but mostly we see shadows as first ANNA and then FRANK climbs into the top bunk.)

ANNA Omigod! Shania! FRANK We were kids. She looked pretty hot to a couple of… (Embarrassed, moving on.) Kurt Cobain, see? ANNA (not to be distracted) Shania TWAAIIIN! Oh…my…GOD! Is that where you boys slept? (Indicating the bunk beds.) FRANK Well (He looks around the room, frowning.) 10

ANNA Come here and show me how the world’s next big writer does it. (There’s a WARNING CREAK from the top bunk as they wrestle around.) FRANK Hear that? ANNA (seductive) Feel this? 11

(More wriggling. More slap-and-tickle. Another CREAK…then a CRASH as the top bunk collapses! ANNA screams. FRANK shouts. There’s silence…then more THRASHING and LAUGHING. They’re young, and not apt to let a little thing like a busted bunk stop them.) FRANK The survivors crawled from the wreckage intact but with an insane desire for PROCREATION! ANNA (fake Southern belle indignation) You…you bunk-wrecker! But at least it was his bunk. (There’s more GIGGLING…then MOANING we all recognize from our own post-adolescent sexual adventures.) (The LIGHTS SINK TO DARK in the boys’ bedroom; the BLUE GLOW returns to the APRON. DAN is still there, looking toward the boys’ bedroom, but he turns as ANDY (21) and JACK (18) enter from STAGE RIGHT. Both traveling in their own BLUE CAPSULES OF LIGHT.)

(He bends over until his face is almost on FRANK’S. Although the BLUE GLOW is bright, neither sleeper stirs.) That’s a McCandless face, though. Damn if it ain’t. Like looking into a mirror! JACK Wanna see your face without looking in a mirror? (JACK drops trou and moons ANDY. Then yanks his pants up again quickly, just in time to dance away before ANDY can grab him. Through what follows, the SLEEPING LIVE FOLKS, never stir. At one point, ANDY kicks JACK’S upturned ass. JACK does a barrel-roll and comes to his feet, grinning.) ANDY Don’t show me your ass unless you want me to whip it off you. JACK You couldn’t whip cream! DAN

ANDY What’s goin’ on, Dan? They ain’t been out here forev— (DAN puts a finger to his lips and points toward the darkened bedroom.)

Don’t start, you two. JENNA They never stopped.

JACK (snorts) As if they could hear us!

JACK (arms out, does Elvis) Hank-yew. Hank-yew verra much. DAN

Sometimes they feel us. ANDY (nods to the noisy darkened bedroom) Sounds like someone’s feelin’ plenty. Two someones. (JENNA (19) enters. She’s beautiful, and bears a resemblance to ANNA.) JENNA

ANDY You little show-off bastard. (turns to DAN) Forty years in this rotten cell! Forty years with the brother from hell! JACK (knocks a blow from his brother aside) If you can’t finish, you best not start! (He launches a roundhouse punch.)

Who was it, Dan? Who’s here? DAN Come see. (He leads them to the bedroom. They may pass through the living room wall to get there; they’re ghosts, after all. The BLUE GLOW travels with them, illuminating the room. The top bunk lies askew on the bottom one. FRANK and ANNA are sleeping in each other’s arms.) DAN (points at FRANK) That’s Frank, your baby brother’s son.Your nephew.Your youngest nephew. ANDY (shocked) I don’t believe it! 12

JENNA (steps between them) Can’t you stop? It breaks my heart! You both think you’re so goddam smart!

Song:“So GoDDAM SMArT ” ..... JACK, AnDY, JennA JACK SHOWED UP AT THE WRONG TIME I’VE BEEN KEPT OUTSIDE NEVER COULD GET IN AT ALL EVEN WHEN I TRIED NOW I SEEN THIS WHOLE WORLD CRYIN’ SEVEN DAYS FROM THE START I’M THE ONLY SON CONCEIVED THROUGH WISDOM AND THAT’S WHAT MAKES ME SO GODDAM SMART SO GODDAM SMART

13

ANDY YOU AIN’T NOTHING BUT A LIAR I HEAR THOSE WORDS THAT YOU SPEW YOU ARE UNKIND AND THOUGHTLESS AND I’M ASHAMED OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CALL THE TRUTH BUT LOOK AT ME WITH ALL OF THIS BEAUTY AND MY WORDS ARE SPOKEN FROM THE HEART I’M STRONG AND GETTING STRONGER THAT’S WHAT MAKES ME SO GODDAM SMART SO GODDAM SMART JENNA OH HERE WE ARE FROM DUST TO ETERNITY AND HERE WE WILL STAY TILL THE TRUTH JUST LETS US BE

ANDY Bullshit! (But she does and ANDY knows it. It’s just that these two never agree.) ANNA (shaking FRANK) Honey, wake up! I think I hear something! FRANK (mumbling) Just mice…hzzzzz… DAN No one here.

JACK & ANDY SO GODDAM SMART SO GODDAM SMART YOU BETTER KEEP YOUR DISTANCE MY OLD EX-BEST FRIEND AS WE LIVED AND DIED BROTHERS FOREVER OUR BEST WISHES TO YOU ALL WE’LL SEND AND SOME DAYS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS IT SEEMS OUR ACTIONS HAVE TORN US APART AND THE MORAL IS TO TRY TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER THAT’S WHAT MAKES US SO GODDAM SMART SO GODDAM SMART SO GODDAM SMART (At the end of the song, ANDY and JACK lunge at each other again, one on each side of the SLEEPING COUPLE. DAN gets between them this time, and shoves them apart like a ref at a boxing match) DAN (thunders) ENOUGH! (This wakes ANNA, who sits up clutching the sheet to her shoulders.) JACK Now you done it, went and woke her up— ANDY Wasn’t me, you gluefoot dumbbell— (JENNA ignores them. She is bending to look into ANNA’S face. And although their faces are less than an inch apart and the BLUE GLOW washes over ANNA, she looks right through JENNA.) JENNA Why, she looks like me! JACK (bending in for his own look) Maybe a little. 14

ANNA (sighs) I guess no one’s here… this place is creepy. JACK (a little offended) Creepy? What’s creepy about it? DAN Live folks can’t smell the blood that was spilled in a place…but sometimes they can feel it. (He touches ANNA’S forehead, then passes his hand in front of her eyes.) Go back to sleep. (ANNA lies down, snuggles against FRANK, and goes back to sleep. From outside comes THE SOUND OF AN ENGINE APPROACHING. Lights flash in the windows of the front room.) (On the APRON, A RED-ORANGE GLOW lights THE SHAPE.) THE SHAPE Whoa! This could be one of those Lifetime Channel situations! (The GHOSTS retreat to the living room as FRANK stirs. When they leave, the bedroom GOES DARK again; we can just make out the shapes of FRANK and ANNA. HEADLIGHTS wash in through the windows. This rouses FRANK, who sits up. ANNA stirs and mutters. ) JENNA (frightened) Who’s that? (ANDY tries to put an arm around her. JACK shoves him away. They’re on the verge of another fight—one of many, stretching back over 40 years. DAN pushes them both away and comforts JENNA himself.) (The ENGINE CUTS OUT. Footsteps approach and the door opens. MONIQUE McCANDLESS comes in, carrying a single fashionable overnighter, pink, of course, and a handbag, Gucci, of course. She’s…well, let’s just say a woman of a certain age. 15

She’s managed to hang on to a good deal of the charm and beauty that captivated her husband JOE…and she’s managed to hold onto him, as well. No trophy wife for JOE McCANDLESS; MONIQUE is his first and only.) MONIQUE (She is not quite steady on her feet.) Well, hello, cabin. (She opens her purse and brings out a silver flask. She has a nip, looks around.) (Louder) I said, hello, cabin!

FRANK I don’t know who you are ……… (He sees his MOTHER pointing a gun at him.) Yow! Jesus, Ma! Hold your fire! (Lowers the bat) MONIQUE (Lowers the gun, trembling and terrified.) My good God, I almost shot you!

(This wakes ANNA again. She sits up and clutches FRANK. FRANK puts a finger to his lips to hush her. There’s a baseball bat leaning in one corner amid a clutter of sports gear, and he grabs it.)

FRANK (taking the old rifle from her) Not likely. Barrel’s plugged. See? Where’s Pa?

(During this business, MONIQUE takes a longer drink, then caps the flask. Before she can put it back in her handbag, FRANK kicks a toybox, producing a THUMP and RATTLE.)

MONIQUE Held up at a job site. That darn bank building. Something about the cladding. He’ll be along t’rectly.

ANNA (whispers to FRANK) Who is it?

FRANK (spots the flask and picks it up) This yours?

FRANK (whispers back) Stay put.

MONIQUE (plucks it from his hand) No, that belongs to Vanna White.You know, The Wheel of Fortune gal? I dropped her off half a mile back. Said she had to pick up a mess of vowels. Guess she might have forgot it.

MONIQUE (stiffens, goes on alert) Is someone here?

FRANK From the smell of your breath, old Vanna must be a sharing soul.

(Those whispers are enough for MONIQUE. No horror movie heroine here; she drops her overnighter and her purse on the floor, puts her flask on an end table, and strides to the GUN CABINET. Inside is a DUSTY OLD RIFLE. As she takes it out, she doesn’t notice a METAL ROD protruding from the end of the barrel. Probably we won’t, either, until it’s called to our attention.) (MONIQUE raises the gun, socks the butt into the hollow of her shoulder, and points it at the darkness. She’s not quite steady on her feet and the barrel wavers around a bit. ANDY and JACK watch tensely. JENNA cringes inside DAN’S encircling arm.)

MONIQUE You might want to save your sarcasm for your writing, honey. (She puts the flask in her purse, perhaps operating under the out-of-sight, out-of-mind theory.) FRANK Momma, what if a County Mounty had stopped you? What would you blow? Oh-six? Oh-eight? MONIQUE I’m fine, Frank, and anyway, the State Patrol doesn’t bother with Darkland County except on Friday nights.You know that as well as I do.

JENNA (whimpering) Oh Dan, it’s like 1967 all over again!

FRANK But…Momma…if—

(There’s a moment of fraught silence, which THE SHAPE breaks.) THE SHAPE (amplified, on the apron) KILL THEM BURGLARS, MA! SHOOT FIRST N ASK QUESTIONS LATER! REMEMBER THE FUCKIN’ ALAMO!

MONIQUE (surveying her son’s decidedly informal attire) And you’re about two swatches of cotton from nekkid. Thought you’d have a little nap, then scare the dickens out of your loving Momma? FRANK Ummm…no. We went to Darkland County Days. To see Drake.

(FRANK, dressed in his boxers and holding the bat like Chipper Jones in a bad mood, comes into the living room.)

MONIQUE And who is we, dear?

16

17

(ANNA comes out. She’s found a tee-shirt that she wears like a minidress. Lots of bare thigh on display…her hair’s all in a good-lovin’ tangle…doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what’s been going on.) ANNA Um…hi, Mrs. McCandless. We…um…broke the bunk. (She emits an irritating little sub-deb giggle.) Soh-ree. FRANK Wrestling around. (Brightening; sees a way to distract her, maybe.) Say, Momma! My agent sold my book to paperback and— (MONIQUE pays no attention to him. She’s staring at ANNA, and without much liking. MONIQUE knows a bitchkitty when she sees one.)

BECAUSE EVERYTHING YOU DO I SEE BUT YOU’RE WRONG,YOU’RE WRONG,YOU’RE WRONG ABOUT ME TEN COMMANDMENTS, HELL! WITH ME, THERE’S ONLY ONE EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS THE RIGHT THE FELLA NEXT TO YOU HAS NONE YOU’RE WRONG,YOU’RE WRONG,YOU’RE WRONG ABOUT ME (MONIQUE starts picking up the scattered dustcovers and folding them.) MONIQUE (low, to herself) Well, hail. It’s been goin on since the world began. But little Miss Hot-Pants… (Shakes her head) ANDY & JACK

MONIQUE (sweet as honey) If you’re going to be shtupping my son in our lakeside cabin, why don’t you just go on and call me Monique? And put something on, dear.You too, Frank. Children generally greet their parents with their pants on, or did when I was young. THE SHAPE And when was she young? WHEN DINOSAURS ROAMED THE FUCKING EARTH! (To the audience, confiding) Looks like Mo-neekie forgot how to get freaky. Goes to church, you know. I get bad reviews there. Always have. True artists usually do.

What did she say? THE SHAPE (bellowing cheerfully) Momma doesn’t like her! Thinks her boy genius got hooked up with a real ball-cutter! But she’s hot! Gotta admit it! Them legs start in the Australian outback and go all the way up to the steamy African jungle! FRANK (enters) Anna’s just fixin’ her hair.

Song: “WronG, WronG, WronG ABouT Me” ..... The ShAPe WELL YOU LOOK DOWN YOUR NOSES WHEN ANYONE’S HAVING FUN I GUESS YOU CAN’T REMEMBER WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE YOUNG YOU GOT NO FUN-LOVIN’ SPIRIT LEFT IN YOU AT ALL JUST TWO YOUNG LOVERS HERE TRYIN’ TO HAVE A BALL IT’S PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO THINK THAT HEAVEN’S THE PLACE TO BE BUT YOU’RE WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG ABOUT ME

MONIQUE (sweet) Oh, is that what she’s fixing? FRANK What are we doing here, anyway? MONIQUE Honey, you’ll have to wait for your father on that. FRANK But you know.

WELL YOU’VE LIED TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT WHAT’S GOOD AND BAD AND YOU FALSIFY THE TRUTH ABOUT ALL THE FUN THAT YOU’VE HAD YOU ALWAYS ACT SO GOODY-GOODY WITH YOUR “THANK YOU, DEAR” AND “PLEASE” BUT YOU’RE WRONG,YOU’RE WRONG,YOU’RE WRONG ABOUT ME IN SUMMATION JUST TO BRING THIS TO A CLOSE I BET YOU’VE DONE SOME THINGS YOURSELF THAT NOBODY’S SUPPOSED TO KNOW DON’T FORGET WHO YOU’RE TALKIN’ TO, DEAR 18

MONIQUE Just enough to make me nervous. FRANK I thought Daddy told you everything. MONIQUE (can’t quite hide her hurt feelings) So did I. FRANK Daddy never comes out here anymore. Not since we were little. 19

MONIQUE Well, he’s comin’. And it had to be here. That’s what he said. (She changes the subject.) Tell me your big news.You sold your book to what…the movies? FRANK Not the movies, paperback! MONIQUE (doesn’t care or doesn’t get it) That’s wonderful! Did you get a little money, Frank? FRANK (laughs happily) Did I get a little? A little? Momma, I got—

FRANK Stop it! DRAKE Huggies on Frank! Huggies on Frank from the Big Duck! (He swings FRANK around, making QUACKING SOUNDS that go to childhood.) What do you say, Frankenstein? How’s the hot-shit writer? Still typin’ out those turds? MONIQUE Drake McCandless, don’t you ever! DRAKE (releasing FRANK, who steps back, brushing his shirt) Sorry, Momma. Hot shot writer is what I meant to say. FRANK

MONIQUE

You stink of beer, sweat, and pot.

(hand up to hush him) That must be your brother.

DRAKE That’s the smell of rock and roll.

(There is indeed another CAR APPROACHING. She turns toward the SOUND eagerly, losing interest in FRANK’S big news. The joy goes out of FRANK, replaced by a look of sullen resignation.)

MONIQUE (anxious) How did it go? Did that man from the record company show up?

FRANK Bad pennies always show up. MONIQUE (fierce) Don’t you start!

DRAKE He stayed the whole show. Said he loved the new stuff. (He touches the guitar case, which is covered with stickers.) Says he’ll be in touch real soon. MONIQUE

(HEADLIGHTS flash across the windows. A moment later, DRAKE McCAND LESS (24) steps in. He’s carrying a cased guitar, which he sets by the door. The GHOSTS, unnoticed, stare with avid curiosity. THE SHAPE lurks in its ORANGE-RED FIRE on the APRON.) MONIQUE Come here and hug your Momma, Drake McCandless! (He does, and gives her a kiss. FRANK watches with narrow jealousy. He’s the success, but DRAKE has always been his parents’ favorite. The LIVE BROTHERS are a study in contrasts. FRANK is slim, dark, intelligent, nervy; surface confidence and swagger mask the insecurity that comes from a lifetime of sucking hind tit behind his older brother. DRAKE is handsome and outdoorsy looking, very much his father’s son. Until lately, he’s always been the successful one, but now he looks tired and unsure of himself. He takes off his battered leather jacket and slings it onto the couch.) (He turns to regard FRANK. MONIQUE watches nervously. For a moment nothing happens. All is still. FRANK looks at his older brother with a lifetime of narrow distrust. Then DRAKE gives a magnificent Big Duck grin and sweeps his brother into his arms, lifting him from the floor.)

20

(claps her hands) Wait’ll Joe hears! FRANK He might even like to hear my news.You know, at some point. MONIQUE You be glad for your brother, Frank McCandless! FRANK (ignores her, goes straight to DRAKE) Stayed for the whole show, did he? I guess I pegged the wrong fella. I thought he was the greasy guy with the coke-drip. I must have been wrong. DRAKE You were there? I didn’t see you… (ANNA appears in the doorway of the boys’ bedroom, smiling at DRAKE. She’s dressed, and her hair is neatly pulled back in a scrunchie, but she’s still got that look— that glow—that can mean only one thing. DRAKE is thunderstruck to see her there.) ANNA Hi, Drake. (There’s something sweet and tentative here. Hopeful.) 21

DRAKE Anna…what the hell are you doing here? (The anger in his voice freezes the sweetness out of her face. Her smile becomes catty.) ANNA

Behaving like a couple of twelve-year-olds! Drake, you’ve got your music, and now you’re goan get a record deal! Frank, you sold your book! Jealousy in the face of such blessings is an affront to God! FRANK His record deal is mostly in his own mind. And I can’t help it if Anna ended up preferring me to him—

We came to your show. Me ’n Frank. ANNA DRAKE (thunderstruck) You…and Frank? ANNA Lookie, y’all— (She shows a flashing ring on the third finger of her left hand.) We’re engaged! (A beat while she savors their expressions: MONIQUE amazed, DRAKE jealous, FRANK uncomfortable.) Well…engaged to be engaged. DRAKE But you…when did you and him…how… FRANK (with a meanly delighted smile) Kind of a shock, I guess. When things don’t go your way. Not exactly used to it, are you?

(sweet as sugar) That’s right, honey— JENNA That one’s only got two speeds—Bitch and Bitch Overdrive. ANDY Well…you’d know, wouldn’t you? (JENNA gives him a hurt, angry look and steps away from the GHOST BROTHERS. DRAKE, meanwhile, makes another lunge for the door. MONIQUE blocks him.) MONIQUE Nosir. No.Your father has got something eating into him. He needs to get shut of it, and he said it had to be at the cabin. “Where it happened,” he said.You think I want to be here and listen to you boys chew on each other about this…young lady? I do not. But I’m here and you’re here and here we’ll stay until he says what’s on his mind. Once that’s done, you can go. But not until.

(DRAKE gives his brother a look of pure shocked hate, then turns to MONIQUE.) DRAKE

FRANK (grumbling) Don’t know what it’s got to do with us.

You know what? I’m out of here. (ANNA looks surprised by this, and takes a step toward him, as if to stop him from leaving. FRANK hauls her back. That’s okay; MONIQUE does the job.) MONIQUE (grabs him at the door) No, sir.You’re goan honor your father.Your mother, too. Raised Christians and acting like cannibals! It’s a shame, it really is!

MONIQUE Don’t you think he sees how you are with each other now? It’s not just yellin’ anymore. Is it? (She challenges them with her eyes.They look down, ashamed.) Frank, I want to know why your brother broke your arm. (She picks it up to show DRAKE the cast. DRAKE doesn’t want to see it.) MONIQUE Look at it!

DRAKE You can’t ask me to stay here while my girl……

DRAKE Aw, it wasn’t nothing, Ma. Just a little accident—

FRANK She is NOT your girl!

MONIQUE As my granddad used to say, why don’t you just save the shit for the shithouse?

DRAKE ….. flashes that two-dollar sparkler like a cheap wh— MONIQUE SHUT UP! (DRAKE is stunned. All three of them are. MONIQUE rarely flashes anger, but when she does, you want to stand clear of the flame.)

(DRAKE is stunned. Mom usually doesn’t talk this way. Meanwhile, MONIQUE turns those laser eyes of hers on FRANK. Not to be denied.) MONIQUE The truth, please. Without any sugar on it. (DRAKE and FRANK look at each other uncomfortably. Then the BOYS’

22

23

BEDROOM lights up, only now it’s FRANK’S BEDROOM in town. He’s converted it into a kind of writer’s den.)

…in the gloom of these southern forest glades, the McCoury brothers played out their ancient animosities.”You might want to change that McCoury brothers thing, bro, Del McCoury’s got a bluegrass band—

FRANK He came in drunk from a gig. Wasn’t the first time, won’t be the last.

FRANK Give me that!

DRAKE I had a few… (Looks meaningfully at FRANK) …but I ain’t the only one in this family who likes a drink. (DRAKE gets up and crosses into FRANK’S BEDROOM/STUDY, starting to weave a little as he does. He was drunk, all right. He sits down in front of the computer. Looks at the screen, then takes up the pile of papers beside the computer. He starts to read, and as he does, he takes a FLASK (a lot bigger than MONIQUE’S) from his hip pocket and helps himself to a drink. )

(He tries to take the pages. DRAKE is up in a flash, avoiding him easily. FRANK stumbles to his knees. DRAKE dancing away and shuffling pages at the same time, dropping some) “Their rage was old and apocalittic—apocka-what-ick?—and any hope of forgiveness had long since—” (FRANK grabs for him again. They do a drunken rage dance around the desk, DRAKE waving the now battered manuscript over his head.) DRAKE

FRANK This was in town.You and Dad weren’t there. I’d been out myself… ANNA With me! (to MONIQUE) Me’n Drake were supposed to go out, but he was practicin’ with his bay-yund. Like always. So I went with Frank. (FRANK gets up. The cast on his arm is gone. Starts to whistle. He goes to the door and opens it. As he steps into the past, he also begins to weave subtly. DRAKE wasn’t the only one who put away a drink (or five) on the night in question. The lights in the LIVING ROOM dim almost to dark, but we can see MONIQUE and ANNA watching. On the APRON, the GHOSTS are also watching.)

Watch out, crip! Don’t trip! FRANK You shithead! Couldn’t even play an F-chord til I showed you how! (He swings a roundhouse punch.) DRAKE (avoids it easily) What, did you send that by Pony Express? FRANK Maybe, but here’s FedEx. (This time he connects. DRAKE falls against the computer. It crashes to the floor and SHATTERS IN A BURST OF SPARKS.) FRANK

FRANK (agonized)

(stops, surprised to see his brother) What the hell you doing in my room?

NO!

DRAKE How are ya, Frankenstein? We had a great show. Four encores.

DRAKE (shocked sober) Hey, little brother…I’m sorry. I was only teasin’. And I wanted to see what you were—

FRANK Not surprised. The drunks don’t stop yellin’ for encores at Club 41 until the bartender padlocks the taps. I repeat: what are you doing in my room? And what are you doing with that? (He means the manuscript) DRAKE Wanted to see the great writer’s book, is all.What’s the big deal? It’s goan be published, isn’t it?

FRANK You want what you can never have! A real life instead of that SHITTY BAR BAND! DRAKE (almost pleading for understanding) That band’s gonna get me out of this town, just like your book.

FRANK

FRANK You’ll be playing “Sweet Home Alabama” for pickup-truck-driving assholes until you’re too arthritic to make a bar chord. I’ll be in New York. I’ll drink to you, bro. Champagne.

DRAKE (laughs) I’d say it needs some! “In the ineluctable gloom... (makes a change)

(DRAKE throws the papers in his brother’s face. FRANK leaps at him with a YELL OF RAGE. DRAKE backs off. As they circle, feinting at each other, throwing little exploratory punches, they sing. It’s a dance of young-man aggression.) (THE SHAPE strolls into the room to watch. And to egg them on, of course.)

It isn’t ready yet, I’m still making changes.

24

25

Song:“BroTherLY Love” ..... FrAnK, DrAKe FRANK WELL I DON’T LOVE MY BROTHER AND HE DON’T THINK MUCH OF ME WE DON’T LIKE EACH OTHER AND WE NEVER CAN AGREE IF IT WEREN’T FOR THE OLD MAN I WOULDN’T TALK TO YOU AT ALL WE HAVE HATED EACH OTHER EVER SINCE WE COULD CRAWL CAIN AND ABEL OUGHT TO BE OUR NAMES IF IT WEREN’T FOR THE MURDERING CHARGE I WOULD PUT YOU IN YOUR GRAVE DRAKE I’D BEAT YOU LIKE AN OLD MULE AND LEAVE YOU LIKE AN OLD WET SACK SPIT IN YOUR FACE AND BLACKEN YOUR EYES AND LEAVE YOU ON THE RIVER BANK LET THEM CROWS PICK YOUR BONES LET THE WOLVES CHEW OFF YOUR HEAD THEN I’D MAKE YOU DIG YOUR OWN GRAVE TILL I’M SURE THAT YOU WAS DEAD THEN I WOULD BE WHISTLING ALL THE WAY BACK HOME THEN I’D SAY A PRAYER THANK GOD THAT I WON’T HAVE TO SEE YOU NO MORE

(DRAKE grabs FRANK. They grapple. Suddenly there’s an AMPLIFIED CRACK SOUND. FRANK SCREAMS and holds his arm.) DRAKE Frank? Frank, are you all right? FRANK You broke my arm! DRAKE Aw…Jesus. What a clusterfuck. (He looks at his brother. He looks at the shambles of the room.) I’m sorry. THE SHAPE Brotherly love. It’s been beautiful ever since Eden. (LIGHTS DOWN in FRANK’S room, and the LIVE BROTHERS rejoin MONIQUE and ANNA. Both are shamefaced.) DRAKE Just an accident. MONIQUE I know, honey, I’m sure you didn’t mean to. FRANK I’m trying to remember.

FRANK MONIQUE

’SCUSE ME FOR SAYIN’ SO BUT I PREFER IT THIS WAY

(sweet as pie) What, dear? DRAKE

WITH THE WAGGIN’ OF YOUR JAW DAY AFTER DAY FRANK YOU ARE SELFISH AND A LIAR DRAKE YOU ARE AS TRUSTWORTHY AS A SNAKE BOTH A MATCH NOT MADE IN HEAVEN IT WAS SURELY A MISTAKE DRAKE IT’S GOT TO BE FROM HELL AND NOT FROM ABOVE BOTH THIS IS WHAT THEY CALL BROTHER……BROTHERLY LOVE 26

FRANK If there was ever a time when you didn’t take his side. (MONIQUE might as well have been slapped. ANNA gives a poison smile and rubs FRANK’S arm. She may be conflicted about her feelings for DRAKE, but there’s no question of how she feels about MONIQUE.) DRAKE (moves menacingly into FRANK’S space) You take that back. FRANK Or what? You’ll break the other arm? Or this time you want to try for a leg? (During this, ANOTHER CAR has arrived. None of them notice the SOUND OF THE MOTOR or the BRIEF FLASH OF THE HEADLIGHTS. Both cut out, but now JOE McCANDLESS (broad-shouldered and 50ish) comes onto the apron and approaches the cabin. Although the “fourth wall” is invisible to us, it’s not to him. He looks in through a window at his fightin’ family. He can’t watch and steps away. When he does, he sees YOUNG JOE watching him from the apron.)

27

MONIQUE Stop it, both of you. (To ANNA) You can stay, but I’d like you to go back into the bedroom while we hash this out. It’s family business— FRANK (goes to her, puts an arm around her) Yeah? Well, she’s family. Gonna be, anyway—

JOE I don’t know if I can tell them, after all. (renewed resolve) I will. I’m gonna tell them. THE SHAPE (in his ear) But not everything.

MONIQUE (aside) Jesus save us.

JOE Of course, I can’t tell them everything.

FRANK —so whatever he’s got to say, Daddy, can say it in front of her. Or we’re leaving. (Self-important) I got work to do. Rewrites and such.

THE SHAPE (confiding to audience) He never tells them everything. Like that pretty librarian . . . but that’s a different story. (LIGHTS GO UP in the cabin again. MONIQUE has gotten the boys separated, but they are still glowering.)

DRAKE (savage mimicry) “Rewrites and such.”

DRAKE You know, I looked into that book business a little.

(FRANK lunges toward him. ANNA looks on with a mixture of fright, awe, and satisfaction. Wearily—she’s done this a lot lately—MONIQUE gets between them. LIGHTS IN THE CABIN DIM. JOE walks down on the apron. Spots iso late the distance between GROWN JOE and YOUNG JOE. JOE looks up at him, then turns away. He’s been doing it ever since that night all those years ago.)

FRANK Didn’t know you could read. Barely finished high school. DRAKE ’Cording to what I read, most first novels don’t sell but 500 copies. Good thing Momma’s got a lot of relatives, they should be good for two copies apiece—

JOE Jesus, look at ’em go at it. Just like Jack and Andy all those years ago.

MONIQUE (still between them) Stop it, both of you, I won’t hear it—

Song:“hoW MAnY DAYS” ..... Joe HOW MANY DAYS CAN ONE MAN WONDER HOW MANY YEARS CAN ONE MAN CARRY ON IF I WAS TOUGH, COULD MY FIST HARNESS THE THUNDER IF I WAS STRONGER, COULD I ROLL THESE DAYS ALONG HOW MANY DAYS, HOW MANY DAYS HOW MUCH TIME CAN ONE MAN SPEND TRYING HOW MANY LIES COULD THAT ONE MAN TELL IF I WAS SMART, WHY WOULD I TRY TO TAME THE LION IF IT MEANT I LOST MYSELF TO BURN IN HELL HOW MANY DAYS, HOW MANY DAYS IF I BELIEVED THERE’S A BETTER WORLD WAITING IS THAT BELIEF FRAMED IN IGNORANCE AND FEAR IS BLIND FAITH OUR ONLY SALVATION OR IS THE PLAIN TRUTH ALWAYS SITTIN’ RIGHT HERE HOW MANY DAYS, HOW MANY DAYS HOW MANY DAYS CAN ONE MAN WONDER HOW MANY YEARS CAN ONE MAN CARRY ON HOW MANY DAYS, HOW MANY DAYS HOW MANY DAYS, HOW MANY DAYS 28

FRANK (jibing) How those tune-ups going down at Blessey’s Service Station? DRAKE (jibing right back) Try payin’ for one with a New York Times review, smart-boy. FRANK My agent sold the paperback for half a million dollars! (Silence crashes down. DRAKE is thunderstruck. So is MONIQUE.) ANNA (to DRAKE, and very sweetly) Bet you’re sorry you broke his arm now. (And to spite him, she plants a soft kiss on FRANK’S cheek.) DRAKE Cheating bitch.

29

ANNA I never did! I just… [teeny voice] …didn’t tell. MONIQUE Stop it right now. Both of you. (Beat) All three of you. DRAKE Half a million dollars? That’s a flat black lie. FRANK The lie, big brother, is that the record company man stayed for the whole show. He bumped me on his way out, and that was during the first song. DRAKE (in a trance of amazement) You weren’t even there.You’re just makin’ it up.

(MONIQUE hugs JOE—she’s never been so glad to see him in her whole life. DRAKE, meanwhile, is panting, trying not to break into childish tears. It’s useless. He abruptly heads for the door.) MONIQUE Where are you goin’? DRAKE (thick voice) I need…I need some fresh air. (He EXITS and stands in the DIMNESS, head lowered and shoulders shaking.) FRANK Hey, Daddy, I’m sorry…it’s just that sometimes he makes me so mad…all his life he’s been on top, and now that I’m the one who’s got hold of something good, he can’t— JOE He can’t, and neither can you.

(THE SHAPE scurries forward to join the fray.) DAN Stay out of it, now! (THE SHAPE whispers to ANNA)

MONIQUE (to FRANK) See what you can do with that bunk you broke. ANNA Mr. McCandless… Mrs. McCandless… Monique… I know we’re all a little upset, but—

ANNA “We cain’t play ‘Free Burd,’ this ain’t that kind of bay-yund.” THE SHAPE (to DRAKE) You don’t have to listen to this shit. DRAKE I don’t have to listen to this shit, not from my stuck-up brother and not from that no-accounhighboxhoney. (ANNA is shocked and hurt. FRANK lunges at DRAKE. MONIQUE is spun aside. And that’s when JOE enters.We’ve seen his weak and wavering side; now we see the family patriarch.This has got to be a strong entrance, with the force of his shout knocking even THE SHAPE back a step or two.) JOE (thunders) JUST YOU GODDAM STOP IT! (There’s a moment of SHOCKED SILENCE. ANDY, JACK, and JENNA are cringing together.) ANDY (almost a whisper) That’s baby brother? Oh my soul.

JOE Go on, now. (FRANK hesitates, then takes ANNA’S arm and leads her back into the bedroom. In the dim light, we’ll see they actually are able to get the broken bunk back in place, but our attention—and that of the GHOSTS—is focused on JOE and MONIQUE.) MONIQUE Well, honey, you got us here.You pleased with how it’s going so far? JOE (not convinced by his own words) It’s the girl, that’s all. I didn’t know she’d be here. Maybe this idn’t the right time, after all. (He turns as if to leave and she grabs him) MONIQUE If you walk out that door, Joe McCandless, don’t bother going home. Just take that yellow streak up your back to the Holiday Inn down by the turnpike. (He looks at her, shocked.) You said you had something to tell us, and it had to be at the cabin. So…you tell. JOE Now that I’m here, I don’t know if I can. (Looks around) This place has gone bad again. It was okay when the boys were small, but since they started all that squabbling, the poison’s come back.

DAN And just in time, by the look. 30

31

MONIQUE Squabbling? Squabbling? Is that what you call it? (She laughs—a sound like icicles dropping off an eave.) THEY’RE AT EACH OTHER’S THROATS! If you’ve got something to say that’ll make a difference, you owe it to them to say it. (Beat) And you owe it to me. (She pulls the flask from her handbag and takes a sip. Puts it away.) JOE I haven’t seen that flask in a year or more. MONIQUE Say whatever it is that keeps you awake nights and I’ll throw it in the lake before we leave in the morning. I want my sons back, but you know what I want even more? I want my damn husband back. While you organize your mind, I’m going out to see if I can get Joe Cocker calmed down. JOE (as MONIQUE reaches the door) Listen, honey—next week’d be better. Back in town. We’ll make sure Frank leaves his little honey in whichever trailer park she calls home. MONIQUE All right, then. (She gives JOE a moment to think he’s actually off the hook) You enjoy your week at the Holiday Inn. I hear they put on a nice Sunday brunch. JOE Neekie— (She ignores him and goes out. In the DIM LIGHT on the apron, we see her find DRAKE and take him in her arms. They talk inaudibly, MOTHER to SON. We’ll never see her this way with FRANK. JOE wanders the living room in a daze, touching pieces of the furniture.) ANDY

JACK He’s so sad.

Song:“hoMe AGAin” ..... JennA, CAST JENNA THE WHOLE WORLD CAN TELL YOU’RE SAD IT JUST SAYS SO IN YOUR EYES SORRY THAT YOU FEEL SO BAD BUT I THINK YOU’LL BE ALRIGHT YOU GOT MANY FRIENDS HERE TO BE BY YOUR SIDE AND WE’RE ALL HERE TO HELP YOU ALL OH, OH HOME AGAIN AREN’T YOU GLAD TO BE HOME AGAIN OH, OH HOME AGAIN JENNA YOU’RE AMONGST FRIENDS ALL AREN’T YOU GLAD TO BE HOME AGAIN JENNA THE WORLD CAN MAKE YOU WEARY AND MEAN JUST TAKE A LOOK OUTSIDE SOME WILL TRY TO BUY YOUR DREAMS AND HIDE THE TRUTH WITH LIES WHEN GOOD FORTUNE COMES YOUR WAY THIEVES WILL STAND BACK AND SCREAM WE NEVER WANTED YOU HERE ANYWAY ALL OH, OH HOME AGAIN AREN’T YOU GLAD TO BE HOME AGAIN OH, OH HOME AGAIN

He got so old! JENNA DAN That’s what live folks do, Andy. Only the dead stay the same. JOE (runs his hand lovingly over the dining room table) Huh. This is what Momma got when Uncle John passed. (Goes to the GRANDFATHER CLOCK) And this came down from Virginia with great-grampy. (He picks up the rifle and tugs at the rod plugging the barrel. It’s solid, but he still looks at the gun with loathing.) JOE And that goddam thing. (Puts it back in the GUN CABINET and slams the door shut.)

32

YOU’RE AMONGST FRIENDS ALL AREN’T YOU GLAD TO BE HOME AGAIN JENNA WHY DON’T YOU REST HERE AWHILE LET YOUR ANXIETIES SUBSIDE MAYBE WALK AROUND THE TOWN YOU DON’T HAVE TO SPEAK IF YOU’VE GOT NOTHING LEFT TO SAY AND WE’LL TRY TO EASE YOUR PAIN AND TOMORROW’S ANOTHER DAY

33

ALL OH, OH HOME AGAIN AREN’T YOU GLAD TO BE HOME AGAIN OH, OH HOME AGAIN JENNA YOU’RE AMONGST FRIENDS ALL AREN’T YOU GLAD TO BE HOME AGAIN OH, OH HOME AGAIN AREN’T YOU GLAD TO BE HOME AGAIN OH, OH HOME AGAIN AREN’T YOU GLAD TO BE HOME AGAIN (While singing, the GHOSTS draw closer. At the end.) DAN (kindly, pointing at the wall) No one thought to uncover that, Joey. (JOE looks in the direction of the pointing GHOST-FINGER (of his own accord, he thinks) and sees a picture that’s still covered…the way a Jewish family might cover a mirror after a death in the family. He goes to it, pulls off the covering, and reveals A LARGE FRAMED PHOTOGRAPH. It shows the family here at the lake. They’re all in swimsuits and all smiling. DRAKE (14) and FRANK (12) have their arms slung around each other—the best of friends. Happy days. Happier than these.) (The LIVING ROOM FADES TO BLACK, except for the BLUE GHOSTGLOW. In its light, we see JOE sit down, looking old and unhappy. Then one little piece of that GHOST-GLOW separates from the rest. It’s JENNA, drifting down to the APRON, where MONIQUE and DRAKE are sitting in the moonlight.) MONIQUE It’s so beautiful out here! DRAKE Remember what Daddy always used to say? “Wish-a-fish!” SOUND CUE: KER-PLUNK! MONIQUE (laughs, then grows serious again) What really happened at the Darkland County Days? DRAKE (flatly) Nothin’. MONIQUE Drake…honey…

34

DRAKE I ain’t lyin’, Momma. Nothin’. Just like he said. The big-shot writer. (Pause) We did that new song…“You Are Blind.” I played it for you, remember? MONIQUE I loved that one! So poetic! They…what, honey, they didn’t like it? THE SHAPE (strolling toward them) Play ‘Free Bird,’ Drakey-Wakey! (DRAKE winces. The SHAPE reaches them and leans chummily behind DRAKE’S chair.) THE SHAPE (To DRAKE) What most folks like are songs about fucking and murder. (To the audience) Add Momma gettin’ hit by a pick-up truck, you got a Top 10 hit. Guaranteed.What’s so hard about that, shitbird?

Song:“You Are BLinD” ..... DrAKe SHE’S COLORFUL AND CRAZY YOU THINK SHE’S BROKEN HEARTED THE SADNESS OF THE WORLD IS WHERE THE CONVERSATION STARTED BUT YOU WANT TO BE WITH HER ‘CAUSE YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN SAVE HER BUT SHE LIKES THE WAY SHE IS AND SAYS THAT’S THE WAY GOD MADE HER BUT YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN’T LOVE HER WITH A LOVE THAT LASTS FOREVER SO YOU HOLD HER SO CLOSELY ‘CAUSE YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE BLIND SHE TAKES YOU MANY PLACES SO YOU GO THERE TOGETHER THE RIDE’S ALWAYS STORMY YOU’RE SURE IT WILL GET BETTER AND SHE TOUCHES YOU SO SOFTLY SOMETIMES YOU CAN BARELY FEEL HER SHE TELLS YOU SHE’S YOUR LOVER BUT YOUR MIND, IT KNOWS BETTER AND JUST WHEN YOU WANT TO LEAVE HER SHE BRINGS YOU INTO HER BODY AND YOUR HEAD GOES TO SPINNIN’ AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE BLIND SO MAYBE TOMORROW SHE’LL BE GONE FOREVER IT’S ALWAYS HER FAVOR IF YOU’LL BE TOGETHER IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE 35

THAT SHE IS ONLY HUMAN BUT SHE’S REALLY NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER WOMAN BUT YOU’D CARRY HER FOREVER NO MATTER WHAT THE DISTANCE BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE HER AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE BLIND DRAKE Momma, they booed us off the stage. (MONIQUE puts her arms around him) DRAKE It was the worst we ever played. Worse even than when we were starting out. (Beat) I blew it, Momma. I’ll be gappin’ plugs and changin’ oil for the rest of my life. MONIQUE No, honey, no! DRAKE (looks bitterly toward the cabin) And he makes half a million dollars sittin’ on his ass at a computer! Barely out of college! [Bursts out] He’s rich and he stole my girl! MONIQUE (with a grim smile) A year from now you’ll thank him for the girl-stealing part. DRAKE

(MONIQUE produces her flask from her dress pocket and has a drink.) SOUND CUE: KER-PLUNK! MONIQUE Wish-a-fucking-fish! (She has another drink. Puts the flask away. And sings)

Song:“You Don’T KnoW Me” ..... MoniQue YOU DON’T KNOW ME YOU CAN ONLY SAY MY NAME PICTURES OF ME YOU PAINT I CANNOT SAY I’M ONLY JOKE BUSINESS TO YOU SOME SORT OF SILLY FOOL FOOL THAT I AM I FORGIVE YOU BECAUSE I LOVE YOU BECAUSE I DON’T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN TO SAY THE WORDS YOU NEED ME TO SAY YOU DON’T KNOW ME NOT LIKE YOU THINK THAT YOU DO I’M NOT THINKING OF ME I’M THINKING OF YOU SO JUST LET ME SAY THESE FEW WORDS FROM THE VERY PIT OF MY HEART TROUBLESOME THING THAT WE ARE YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU FROM THE MOMENT I LAID EYES ON YOU CAN’T WE FIND A NEW PLACE TO START?

I’m goin’ on back to town. MONIQUE No you are not! It’s taken me a long time to bulldoze your father into talking about whatever it is that makes him scream and cry in his sleep. Don’t you let all my hard work go to waste. JENNA (puts an unfelt arm around him) Tell her all right. If you love her, tell her you will. DRAKE Okay, Momma. But not for him. For you. (He starts back toward the cabin) MONIQUE If you want to do something for me, honey, make it up with your brother. DRAKE (bristles at once) Tell him that. (He stalks toward the cabin.) 36

YOU DON’T KNOW ME THAT’S ALL I HAVE TO SAY AS MY UNDERSTANDING DRIFTS AWAY BECAUSE I LOVE YOU BELLY TO BELLY AND SKIN TO SKIN MY HEART IS OPEN NOW WON’T YOU PLEASE COME IN YOU DON’T KNOW ME YOU DON’T KNOW ME YOU DON’T KNOW ME AT ALL (MONIQUE re-enters the cabin. JOE is coming out of the CLOSET, holding a FRAMED PICTURE, which he’s looking at bemusedly) JOE (excited, happy) Gosh, I haven’t seen this in years. It makes me think of the time when Pappy McCandless… you never met him, Neekie, but this one time— 37

MONIQUE That’s not the story you need to tell. Or the one the boys need to hear. JOE (trying to jolly her) Momma, young bulls have always butted horns. I know you didn’t have any brothers, but…if you had…you…well… (Her steady stare makes him realize this is foolish, and he runs down.) MONIQUE

MONIQUE On the couch, boys. I’ll sit in the middle. Then if you want to go at each other, you’ll have to punch through me. ANNA Where should I sit? THE SHAPE (pops out of the wall) Momma’d like it if you sat your ass right there in the fire! (And pops back in.)

They are boys Joe, not bulls? (No reply, and he won’t look at her.) [He’s staring at the picture. She reaches out and lifts his chin, making him look at her.]

MONIQUE Why don’t you just sit your— (Gets hold of herself; gives a brilliant Miss Ole Miss smile) Sit over here, darlin’, by Frank.

(JOE laughs.) (ANNA does so.) MONIQUE Goddam you, Joe McCandless, you think that’s FUNNY? JOE No, I do not. Sometimes a man laughs because laughin’s all that’s left. (JOE gathers all his moral courage, which is considerable, and bellows in that deep patriarchal voice. DAN, meanwhile, has gone to the edge of the apron.) JOE Drake! Frank! Come out here! (Reluctantly) And bring your friend. DAN (to the audience) Maybe this time. (The other GHOSTS join him and they huddle together.) Pray for the truth, children. (FRANK and ANNA come in from the boys’ room, DRAKE from the kitchen, which we don’t see).

DRAKE What is it, Daddy? Hurry up. Tell your story. (JACK and ANDY come back in their blue glow and stand by JENNA. THE SHAPE strolls along THE APRON in its red glow. ) JENNA Dan…if he tells them what really happened…what will happen to us? THE SHAPE (to the audience) Won’t do any good. Talk is the opiate of the wanking class. (Having delivered himself of this aphorism, he disappears. For now.) FRANK (gently) We’re waitin’, Daddy. (The GHOSTS move closer, unseen by the living…but felt. Don’t we all feel ghosts when we speak of the unhappy past?) JACK

FRANK

Could we maybe…live again?

What is it, Daddy? You’re as white as a— JOE Ghost, I know. I’ve got a story to tell you, then you can all go your separate ways. Draw up a little.

ANDY You twit! Wake up ’n smell the damn coffee! JACK Shut up! You’re the reason we’re here—

(They move in close) JENNA JOE This is a story about brothers who couldn’t get along.

You’re BOTH the reason we’re here! (The GHOST BROTHERS recoil from her rage.)

(DRAKE and FRANK exchange a look of mingled animosity and shame.)

38

39

DRAKE Earth to Dad. DAN Live again? Don’t think so. I think live folks only get one bite of the apple. JENNA Even if we couldn’t live, we might be able to leave! ANDY And go where? JENNA To whatever comes next! Or did you want to stay in this cabin forever? JACK At least we know this place… DRAKE (when JOE doesn’t respond; but also gentle) Earth to Dad, come in, Dad. (JOE doesn’t respond for a moment. Then he snaps to and gives a little smile.) JOE

(Smiles) Daddy called me “Momma’s little afterthought.”

Song:“MY nAMe iS Joe” ..... YounG Joe (appearing on forestage) MY NAME IS JOE AND I’M BARELY TEN YEARS OLD AND I SLEEP IN THE BACK OF THE PONTIAC WHENEVER THERE’S TROUBLE AND I CAN DO AS I PLEASE ’CAUSE I’M THE RUNT OF THE FAMILY AND ANDY AND JACK ARE HEROES AND THEY’RE MY BIG BROTHERS AND MY NAME IS JOE AND I KNOW WHEREVER I GO THAT MY BIG BROTHERS WILL TAKE CARE OF ME THEY TEACH ME LOTS OF GAMES AND EVERY DAY IS NEVER THE SAME SOMETIMES I’M QUARTERBACK SOMETIMES I’M ON THE ATTACK IN THE ARMY

Sorry. Just thinking how to tell it. MONIQUE That’s all right, honey; take your time.

THEY HAVE FRIENDS AROUND ALL THE TIME AND I REALLY LIKE TO SPY ON ANDY AND JACK BOTH TRYIN’ TO KISS JENNA

ANDY Skunk? (He laughs and shakes his head.) Anything he knew’d take about twenty seconds to tell. (At this, JACK and JENNA exchange a look. It’s supposed to be private, but ANDY catches it.) JACK

AND MY NAME IS JOE AND I KNOW WHEREVER I GO THAT MY BIG BROTHERS WILL TAKE CARE OF ME ’CAUSE I’M PART OF THE FAMILY (At the end of the SONG, the light around him FADES. He doesn’t exit, just disappears. And, as that happens)

Listen to the runt. (He’s distracting…and it works. They all turn back to the live folks gathered in the living room.)

JACK (moved) We loved you, you little skunk-haired sonuvabitch. No matter what. Hope you know that.

JOE I had two brothers when I was a kid; that much you know. Andy ’n Jack. They would have been your uncles, had they lived.

JOE They loved me. And until high school, they loved each other. Got along fine.

DRAKE Died in some kind of accident, didn’t they, Daddy?

Did we? I can’t remember.

ANDY

JOE It was a little more complicated than that. Happened in 1967. Forty year a-gone. Andy was twenty-one. Jack was eighteen. And I was ten. 40

JENNA I can. Didn’t we all scrape our knees on the same playground? (The LIVE FOLKS, hearing this on some level, look around uneasily.) 41

JOE Around the time Jack got to high school, the fighting started. Squabbles over anything and everything. Sometimes I’d try to make peace, but no one ever listened to me. I was just Skunk, the runt of the family. It was like I was invisible. (Smiles) Daddy had an old Pontiac. It was what my brothers learned to drive on. Andy got his license first crack; Jack had to go three times. Daddy said Officer Carmody finally gave Jack his ticket because he got tard of looking at his face.

JOE (smiling, embarrassed) Oh….you know…ones where we were all friends again. MONIQUE I know stories like that. I make them up about you two. (We have seen some thawing between DRAKE and FRANK during the last sequence, but now they look at each other with renewed hostility.)

(JACK shakes his hands over his head like a victorious boxer.) ANDY That wasn’t it, baby brother. He was plain scairt to drive with you after you almost hit that dump truck over by the town motor pool. JOE The last three years of their lives was one long stretch of ugly.

JOE Two things happened. The Minutemen was the first. Rifle club. Disbanded in 1968. The official reason was lack of funds, but everyone knew it was really about the McCandless brothers. And what happened after the Hawkeye shooting competition in ’67. (Beat) Then… JENNA Then came Jenna. Go on. Say it.

ANDY (stunned) That ain’t how it was…was it?

JOE Then came Jenna. She’d been livin’ two blocks over their whole lives…just a gawky-legs tomboy in jeans and pigtails and a big ole Birdy Feeds cap that came down around her ears… JACK

Listen to the runt. He’s tellin’ it.

JENNA I was not!

JOE Andy got straight As without trying. Jack had to bust his hump to make Bs. Even the dog liked Andy better. ANDY That’s true. Good old Whiffle.

ANDY & JACK (both laughing) You were! ANNA (interested in this part) They both fell in love with her! That’s sweet!

MONIQUE Which one did you like better, darlin’? JOE I liked ’em…no, loved ’em both the same. But what good was that? By the summer of ’67, my brothers were at war and I was just a ghost between ’em. Was that one the summer of love? (He laughs bitterly at the idea.) (A PHOTO-PROJECTION of a VINTAGE PONTIAC appears at STAGE LEFT, near the promontory. It flickers in and out, as our memories do.)

JENNA (drifts toward DAN) Everyone thought I’d end up with Andy. (Laughs) Especially Andy. For awhile, I did, too. It just seemed natural. We were the Homecoming King and Queen, afterall! But then…I don’t know… JOE After high school, Andy chose Crescent Community College over Ole Miss. He said it was to stay closer to home…

UNDERSCORE: “MY NAME IS JOE” JOE (sad, even after all these years) That old Pontiac! When they really got goin’ at it and neither Momma nor Daddy was there to yell a stop to it, I’d climb in back. I’d make up stories….

DRAKE Another Hiram Hoehandle like me, in other words. JOE He wanted to stay close to her, too—Jenna—but…yeah. He was one of those guys who just…liked home.You see anything wrong with that?

FRANK What kind of stories, Daddy?

DRAKE No. Huh-uh, Daddy.

42

43

JOE What about you, William Faulkner? FRANK Nope, nothin’ wrong with home. It’s just not for me. ANNA (takes his arm possessively) Or me. FRANK (looks right at ANNA) And the girl kep’ on with both of ’em? What a tease!

(DOWNSTAGE becomes the SHOOTING RANGE, flooded with OUTDOOR LIGHT. We see a set of TARGETS and TEENAGE BOYS with their .22s. The MUSIC here is PEPPERY ZYDECO. Standing in the crowd we see JENNA, now a LIVE GIRL. She wears a satin sash that says MISS DARKLAND COUNTY 1967. With her is YOUNG JOE. DAN’S there, too.) ZYDECO COWBOY (amplified) We now ready for the Deer Round of this year’s Hawkeye Shootin’ Competition! And here’s this year’s Shootin’ Master—and pro-prietor of Delight Furniture, where every day is sale day—Nooo-oot HOGGENBECK! (The crowd APPLAUDS. NEWT, now 35 instead of 75, but still recognizable as the same man, struts forward, waving.)

JENNA (calls out angrily) You think I was doing it on purpose? MONIQUE You think any girl of 19 has a plan? Men! ANNA I think it’s just so beautiful. (This time both FRANK and DRAKE look at her with irritation…then catch each other’s eye…and smile. Brothers, whether they’re pissed at each other or not, can read each other’s minds. ) JENNA For awhile, I loved you both. Just like little Joe did. (Turns to JACK and ANDY.) I truly loved you both. But Jack…little by little…Jack… (The image of the PONTIAC fades, then disappears.) JOE For quite awhile, the three of em went everywhere together. Jenna insisted. Andy went along with it, prob’ly thought she was just being nice to his little brother because Jack had a crush on her. When they were together, they got along sweet as pie. When she wasn’t there, though, the fights started gettin’ hotter. Maybe Andy was startin’ to get a clue—he was sure of himself, but not dumb. Finally all that fightin’ was past. We got us some peace at last. Peace in the house, ’cause they weren’t around. They were nine blocks over.

NEWT (deep delta accent) You folks know how dis woik! Six boys! Foist roun’, four stay n two go! Second roun’, two go an’ two stay! Thoid roun’, we gonna see who wins the medal! (Applause) Now if I could have it quiet, puh-leeze! Gennelmen, load your rifles. (He raises a hand) Gennelmen, ready! (The dozen SHOOTERS shoulder their weapons) Gennelmen, aim! (They do so, and after a dramatic pause—) GENNELMEN, FAR! (A DEAFENING CRASH as all the guns go off. The targets jump.) NEWT Gennelmen, lower your rifles! Pull your bolts! (As they do so, NEWT calls out to the JUDGES.) Target judges, we are clear! You may pro-ceed! (The TARGET JUDGES examine the targets, then trot up to NEWT and confer. The CROWD murmurs. The SHOOTERS watch tensely, except for JACK, who knows he’s okay. We see JENNA light up every time she looks at him. She’s made her choice.) NEWT All right! Those goin’ on to the Bear Round will be #1, Bobby Clampett…#3, Herk Snopes…#5, Jack McCandless…and #6, Jack’s big brother Andy! Give ‘em all a big dose of da clap, folks, because they all shot like champeens!

MONIQUE (The CROWD LAUGHS GOODNATUREDLY at NEWT’S faux pas, and nobody applauds harder than JOE and JENNA.)

(very quiet) Underground. JOE All the quiet I wanted, and you think this place is haunted? (Takes a beat.) The Minutemen held their annual Hawkeye Shooting Competition every August, right where they have the band tent nowadays. Andy and Jack were both entered. Hell, the best shots in the county were entered, and most of the town was there.

44

NEWT Gennelmen, please reload your weapons and assume the position! (Each of the four semi-finalists takes a shell from his shirt pocket. ANDY’S fingers are wet with sweat and he almost drops his. He manages to hold on, loads his rifle, and closes the bolt.)

45

NEWT Quiet, please! We gettin’ down to it now! Gennelmen, ready! (The barrel of ANDY’S gun trembles, then steadies. JACK, however, is like a rock.) Gennelmen, aim! (They do, and after the same dramatic pause—) GENNELMEN, FAR!

NEWT I know the rules, Howard. (To ANDY, kindly) I’m sorry, son. ANDY But it slipped. (To JACK) You know I can do better’n that!

(Another DEAFENING CRASH, and the remaining six targets jump.)

JACK Sorry, bud. (He’s not.)

NEWT Gennelmen, lower your rifles! Pull your bolts! (And when they have done so) Target judges, we are clear! You may pro-ceed!

ANDY But— YOUNG JOE

(The JUDGES examine the targets, conferring at some length over two of the four. At last they trot up to NEWT and confer some more.) NEWT Quiet, please! That was a close ’un, folks, but it’s the brothers goin’ on to the Eagle Round, Numbers 5 and 6, Jack ’n Andy McCandless! (APPLAUSE. JENNA hugs YOUNG JOE, then jumps up and down.) Now what are we goan give these other boys? CROWD A BIG DOSE OF THE CLAP! NEWT That’s right, so let’s hear it! (The CROWD CLAPS, CHEERS, and WHISTLES) NEWT Now…for dis year’s Hawkeye Medal…gennelmen, load your weapons! (ANDY and JACK do so. We’re back to DEAD SILENCE from the CROWD. JOE hides his face against JENNA’S hip.) NEWT

(finally dares to look around) What happened? JENNA Andy lost. YOUNG JOE Andy lost to Jack? (ANDY becomes aware of the SILENT CROWD, judging his behavior. He manages a grotesque smile and holds JACK’S hand high.) ANDY THE CHAMPEEN! (The CROWD ROARS approval, and gives the brothers another dose of the clap. JACK hugs his brother. Then JENNA rushes forward and he hugs her. ANDY picks up YOUNG JOE and swings him around. CONSTANT CHEERING.) NEWT Dis year’s Hawkeye Medal go to Jack McCandless! And to present it…Miss Jenna Farrell, dis year’s Miss Darklun’ County! Ain’t she a peach!

Ready! (JACK shoulders his weapon. ANDY hesitates.) I said READY! (ANDY raises his rifle.) Aim! (They aim.Then, after a long pause—) FAR! (The BOYS SHOOT…and the CROWD GROANS.)

(The CROWD GOES BONKERS with APPLAUSE and WOLFWHISTLES. NEWT hands her a GOLD MEDALLION on a wide purple ribbon. JENNA puts it around JACK’S neck and then kisses him on the mouth. The CROWD CHEERS.)

TARGET JUDGE Shooter 6 has missed the target. Andy McCandless is disqualified.

(JENNA and NEWT turn JACK to the CROWD and hold up both of his hands. ANDY is now alone and unnoticed (except for YOUNG JOE). Alone for perhaps the first time in his previously 24-karat life. His smile becomes a SOUR GRIMACE OF HATE.) (THE SHAPE comes SWOOPING DOWN (hopefully scaring the hell out of us.)

ANDY Damn gun slipped when I pulled the trigger. If I could have another chance—

(ANDY sees. He’s flabbergasted, realizing he may have lost more than a shootin’ match. Then he darkens. JENNA, realizing that she’s showing too much of her heart in front of too many, kisses ANDY as well…but on the cheek.)

THE SHAPE TARGET JUDGE Newt, the boy missed clean! Accordin’ to the rules—

Brotherly…fucking…love. (The GHOSTS draw back in fear; even the live folks feel the malevolence.)

46

47

THE SHAPE It’s…Tennessee Williams in hell! I LOVE IT!

TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN

Song:“T eAr ThiS CABin DoWn” ..... DAn, CAST

DAN ONLY GOD KNOWS WHERE WE’VE BEEN

DAN YOU KNOW PEOPLE MIGHT JUST SAY ANYTHING TO TRY AND SAVE THEIR SKIN AND THE BIBLE SAYS WE MUST STAND ALONE ‘CAUSE WE’RE DAMN SURE GONNA SIN AND THERE’S STORIES TO HELP US WALK THAT LINE COMMANDMENTS TO GET OUR CROWNS BUT IF THE TRUTH WAS KNOWED ABOUT US ALL WE’D HAVE TO TEAR THAT CABIN DOWN ALL TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN DAN AND START ALL OVER AGAIN ALL TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN

ALL

ALL TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN DAN THERE’S A HELL SOMEWHERE FOR US ALL ALL TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN DAN SO IF YOU WANT TO GET INTO HEAVEN YOU BETTER GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND TRY TO BE A BETTER MAN THAN THE ONE YOU USED TO BE AND DON’T GO MEDDLIN’ WITH SOMEBODY ELSE IT’S HARD TELLING WHAT YOU’LL FIND AND IF THE TRUTH WAS KNOWED ABOUT US ALL WE’D HAVE TO STAY HERE FOR ALL TIME

DAN ONLY GOD KNOWS WHERE WE’VE BEEN

ALL TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN

ALL TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN

DAN OH LORD LET ME BE THE BEST THAT I CAN BE DAN

THERE’S A HELL FOR US ALL

ALL TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN ALL

TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN

DAN OH LORD, LET THE TRUTH BE WHAT I SEE

DAN WELL CAIN ROSE UP TO SLAY ABEL SO THEY RAN HIM OUT OF TOWN AND DEEP DOWN IN OUR SOULS AND HEARTS OLD CAIN IS STILL AROUND AND HE LIKES TO TELL US SECRETS HE LIKES TO WHISPER IN OUR EARS THAT IF THE PEOPLE KNOWED ALL THE MEANNESS WE’VE DONE THEY’D THROW US OUTTA HERE

ALL TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN DAN YEAH LORD, THERE MUST BE A HEAVEN FOR US ALL ALL TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN

ALL THEY’LL TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN

DAN OH LORD LET ME BE THE BEST THAT I CAN BE DAN

AND START ALL OVER AGAIN

ALL TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN

48

49

DAN OH LORD, LET THE TRUTH BE WHAT I SEE ALL TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN DAN YEAH LORD, THERE MUST BE A HEAVEN FOR US ALL ALL TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN (GHOSTS exit; main stage goes dark except for a spot that showcases the SHAPE, on the Promontory. He holds the rifle from the gun cabinet up over his head.) THE SHAPE First rule of the thee-ater, ladies and germs: if it’s onstage in the first act, it must go off in the last act. BANG! Stay tuned…because I smell blood. THE SHAPE & DAN OOOOOHHHHHH YEAH CRASH TO BLACK - END OF ACT 1

ACT 2 SCENE 1 Empty cabin followed by the Dreamland Café. (At the open, both are lit—DREAMLAND above, CABIN below. In DREAMLAND, JOE is crashed out with his head in his arms on the bar.) (In the cabin, the sheets are back on the furniture. The light is very low. The place looks deserted, as if all the inhabitants were long gone years ago.) (THE SHAPE enters. By himself, he is thoughtful, contemplative, maybe a little sad although there is always that undertone of glee. As he sings, he removes the sheets from the furniture. At one point he should point a bony finger at the fireplace, which starts up with a whump. By the time he finishes, the place looks just as it did when we left it to have a drink and a chat with our friends at intermission. All it needs are the people.)

Song:“LounGinG ArounD in heAven” .... The ShAPe I USED TO HAVE A BIG ROOM UP IN HEAVEN I LOUNGED AROUND ON A BEAN BAG CHAIR PRIVATE MOMENTS WITH JUST ME AND JESUS HE TAUGHT ME MANY THINGS MOSTLY HOW TO CARE AND THEN ONE DAY THE THOUGHT JUST HIT ME IT HIT ME LIKE A THOUSAND POUND GOLDEN CALF AND SOMEHOW I KNEW I HAD LOST MY CALLING AND I BECAME NO GOOD NO GOOD AFTER THAT SOMETIMES THE TRUTH IS A MYSTERY SOMETIMES THE TRUTH DON’T SEEM FAIR SOMETIMES THE TRUTH AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT TROUBLE AND I CAN TAKE YOU THERE WHERE THE TRUTH DON’T REALLY CARE FOR YOU AT ALL WELL ME AND JESUS DON’T HAVE MUCH IN COMMON NOW I MOVED TO THE BASEMENT AND HE LIVES UPSTAIRS AND ALL THE PEOPLE PRETEND TO BELIEVE IN HIM BUT THEY FOLLOW ME EVERYWHERE AND SOME DAY I’LL PULL YOUR NUMBER YOU’LL GET A CALL HELLO IT’S ME AND THAT LIFE YOU’VE BEEN LIVING WON’T AMOUNT TO NOTHING AND DARKNESS IS ALL THERE’LL BE EVERYBODY!

50

51

ALL SOMETIMES THE TRUTH IS A MYSTERY SOMETIMES THE TRUTH DON’T SEEM FAIR BUT PEOPLE, SOMETIMES THE TRUTH AIN’T NOTHIN BUT TROUBLE THE SHAPE AND I CAN TAKE YOU THERE WHERE THE TRUTH DON’T REALLY CARE FOR YOU AT ALL

BARTENDER/DAN Happens ever’ night after sundown. Maybe you didn’t notice. JOE No stars. No moon. It was like walking into nowhere. BARTENDER/DAN You got to go. JOE I came back to ask a question.

SO IF YOU’RE LYING IN YOUR BED SOME NIGHT AND A FALLEN ANGEL CATCHES YOUR EYE AND YOUR DAYS FLASH IN A CIRCLE AROUND YOU AND YOU’RE CAUGHT IN A LIE THERE’S NO TIME TO CRY REDEMPTION HAS PASSED YOU BY SO, HELLO, THAT’S ME AND I’M THE REAL GO-GETTER OF LAKE BELLE REVE (To prove it, he drapes himself in the dust sheets, makes a big, flapping circle of the cabin, and rushes out with a hearty)

BARTENDER/DAN (sighs) All right, ask. But hurry up. JOE Do you think we can ever put things right once they go wrong? Do you think that’s even possible, outside of fairy tales? BARTENDER/DAN No. Wrong is wrong and done is done, that’s what I think.You have to keep more wrong things from happening. Or at least try. And you can’t let go of the truth, because too late always comes too early.

THE SHAPE Booga-fuckin’-booga!

JOE

(The CABIN goes completely dark (to allow our cast to take their places), and the light in the DREAMLAND CAFÉ comes up…but just a little. Remember that the hour is late and the mood is blue) THE HOUSE BAND IS SOFTLY PLAYING: “HOME AGAIN.”

(with renewed resolve) Okay. And thanks. BARTENDER/DAN Don’t mention it. In this place there are no drinks on the house, but the advice is always free. Like the peanuts. Now get out of here and stop bustin’ my balls. [Calls after Joe] Watch out for County Mounties, and if you’re on your bike, wear white!

SOUND CUE: A GUNSHOT, ECHOING AND LOUD. (JOE goes out. BARTENDER speaks to himself.) (JOE snaps upright, looking around in terror. The DREAMLAND BARTENDER (DAN) comes hurrying in from the kitchen, where he’s been doing a little late washing up; he’s wearing an APRON and has a TOWEL over one shoulder. He sees JOE at the same time JOE sees him. They both recoil in fright.)

BARTENDER/DAN Lord, that boy is stubborn. (The DREAMLAND goes dark.)

JOE & BARTENDER SONG: “TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN” (reprise)

Jesus! JOE Sorry.

DAN TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN

BARTENDER/DAN You scared the life out of me, McCandless! Thought I told you the bar was closed.You need to move on—how many times I got to tell you? JOE I left, but then I came back. (Beat) It’s dark out there.

DAN & JENNA START ALL OVER AGAIN DAN, JENNA, JACK, ANDY TEAR THIS CABIN DOWN TO BLACK

52

53

SCENE 2 The McCandless cabin, later that night. (Darkened stage. INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: “Tear This Cabin Down.” This version is slow and dreamy. DAN strolls onstage. JENNA joins him, then ANDY and JACK from opposite sides of the stage. They stand together in the darkness, lit in the BLUE SPOTLIGHT of their GHOSTLY AURAS. The GHOST BROTHERS’ anger has been put aside, at least for now; we see these four united in their hope that the LIVE FOLKS can do better than they were able to. More of that PEPPY, ZYDECO-FLAVORED MUSIC PLAYS, then FADES INTO the strains of “Home Again” as the BRIGHT DAYLIGHT of 1967 DIMS and our attention returns to GROWN JOE and his family by the fire. THE SHAPE comes slinking out of the darkness. It lurks just outside the family circle, listening.)

THE SHAPE She’s down! Mom goes down! Folks, the ref may have to stop the fight, ‘cause this looks like a technical knockout! (It shadow boxes out of sight, its job done. For now.) (JOE is frozen with shock, but) DRAKE Oh, Momma— FRANK I didn’t mean to— (MONIQUE sits up. Touches her mouth, from which blood trickles.)

DRAKE Andy must have been scared. (With a look at FRANK and ANNA) Pissed off, too. MONIQUE (reading DRAKE’S mind) Somebody should have told him that change isn’t always bad. FRANK It was for them. Wasn’t it? I know stories, and I can see where this one’s going.

MONIQUE (soft) Can’t you see you’re breaking your mother’s heart? (She holds her bloody fingers out for them to see.) JOE (roaring) And I’ll break your goddam heads! ANNA (sulky) Just because Duane Allman there can’t take a little joke—

(For that she has no answer. THE SHAPE whispers in DRAKE’S ear.) DRAKE I don’t want to hear any more of this. It’s boring. Ancient history. (THE SHAPE now whispers to FRANK.) FRANK Is the Big Duck chickening out? (THE SHAPE whispers more. FRANK listens and grins.) Play ‘Free Bird!’ MONIQUE

JOE (turning his wrath on her) It’s sixteen miles back to town and you’ll be walking every mile of it if you don’t shut your troublesome mouth! (She recoils, cowed. People don’t usually speak to ANNA in such a manner. JOE turns to the BROTHERS again.) As for you two— MONIQUE (gets up and holds him back) Sit down, Joe. (rubs her jaw)

Frank McCandless, don’t you ever!

DRAKE

(DRAKE turns angrily to his brother. FRANK turns to DRAKE. He might be ready to apologize, but) ANNA (laughing) “This ain’t that kind of bay-und!” (That does it! The LIVE BROTHERS unload, and—jeez, Louise!— instead of hitting their intended targets, both of them get their MOTHER! MONIQUE’S head rocks first one way, then the other. She collapses against the back of the couch, not out but dazed, for sure.) (THE SHAPE raises its hands over its head, shakes them triumphantly in the air, then FEINTS and DODGES around the room, both comic and ominous.) 54

(meek) Sorry, Momma. FRANK (mild) Me too, Momma. MONIQUE I don’t want your sorry. I want you to sit there and shut your heads. (The boys settle back on the couch, thoroughly ashamed of themselves.) Good. (She once more sits between them.) Now if you want to start again, you’ll have to punch me on purpose. (To DRAKE) You want to punch me? 55

DRAKE No, Momma. MONIQUE (to FRANK) How about you, George Foreman? FRANK No, ma’am. MONIQUE (to ANNA) What about you, sweet-britches? Want to take a shot? Go on Joe. JOE Do you want me to fetch you an icepack darling? MONIQUE I want you to finish your story. (ANNA looks away sulkily, saying nothing. Her evening, which started out well, is turning to shit.) JOE This place has seen its share of bad luck and trouble. My brothers…Jenna Farrell… (Turns to MONIQUE) And Dan Coker, him that was caretaker back then. He died right in this room. I ever tell you that? MONIQUE (wide-eyed)

Song: “AnD Your DAYS Are Gone” ..... JACK, JennA, AnDY JACK SOME PEOPLE GIVE UP ON THE MONEY JENNA SOME PEOPLE GIVE UP FOR THE PAIN ANDY SOME PEOPLE GIVE UP FOR NO REASON UNABLE TO START AGAIN THEN THEY GIVE UP FOR THE PROMISE JACK ON A TICKET THAT THEY CAN’T SELL JENNA THEN THEY GIVE UP ON EACH OTHER BEFORE THE TRUTH THEY’LL TELL ALL AND OUR DAYS ARE GONE AND THE DAYS ARE GONE ANDY YOU CAN GIVE UP FOR CONFUSION TOO AFRAID TO TAKE ANOTHER STEP JACK AND ALL YOUR DREAMS COME CRASHING DOWN FOR A MOMENT YOU’D LIKE TO FORGET

No! JOE Yessir. He was foolin’ with that old clock. (Points at it) Tryin’ to get it goin’.

JENNA AND IN THAT TINY MOMENT YOU CAN CHANGE THE COURSE OF TIME JACK

(ANDY, JACK, and JENNA look at DAN…who LAUGHS!)

THEN YOUR LUCK RUNS OUT

DAN Almost had it fixed, too! (Rubs his chest) Damn vapor-lock!

JENNA UP THE WATER SPOUT ANDY CUT DOWN IN YOUR PRIME

JOE That clock…that damn old clock… It never ran again. . . after. . . after. (He lowers his head.) JENNA (to JACK and ANDY) Your little brother’s getting ready to give up. I can see it in his eyes.

ALL AND OUR DAYS ARE GONE AND YOUR DAYS ARE GONE DAN (to Jenna) What about you, honey? Ready to call it quits? JENNA (lifts her chin) Maybe not just yet.

56

57

JENNA IN THE WHISPERS OF YOUNG LOVERS WHO CANNOT ORGANIZE THEIR THOUGHTS THAT THEY FOR THE FIRST TIME THE SWEET SADNESS OF LOVE’S BEEN BOUGHT ANDY WHAT DO YOU DO WITH SUCH A THING SO POWERFUL SO FRAIL JACK HOLDING HANDS YOU JUMP IN THE WATER A STORY ONLY DANTE COULD TELL

ALL AND OUR DAYS ARE GONE JACK Oh goddammit, after... (JACK whirls to the LIVE FOLKS. Maybe he wants to spur JOE on; more likely it’s the summed-up fury of being a ghost for forty years: no one sees, no one hears. In any case, HE SCREAMS WITH ALL HIS MIGHT.) JACK THAT GODDAM MEDAL IS STILL HERE! (The LIVE FOLKS take no notice…or do they?)

ALL MONIQUE Whatever happened to the shooting medal, Joe?

AND OUR DAYS ARE GONE AND YOUR DAYS ARE GONE JACK WELL I’M SORRY FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED

JOE I don’t know.

JENNA MONIQUE Can you imagine if that darn thing was still here? And we found that after all this time?

AND I GUESS THAT YOU ARE TOO ANDY AND HERE WE ARE LOST AND FORGOTTEN THE PRICE WE PAY FOR WHAT WE DO JACK BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I LOVED YOU BOTH THE BEST WAY THAT I KNEW HOW

(JENNA drifts closer to MONIQUE.) JENNA It’s on top ….. (points to the top of the gun cabinet) (A WHISPER instead of a SHOUT, but it gets through.)

JENNA SOME BAD MISTAKES OUR SOUL WILL TAKE DON’T GIVE UP ON US NOW ALL

MONIQUE (trancelike) Did anyone look on top of the gun cabinet? (She goes to it, stands on tiptoe, and starts feeling around up there)

AND OUR DAYS ARE GONE JACK That goddam medal—

FRANK Momma, here—let me. (He hurries to her, hips her aside, and reaches up on top.) Nope, nothin’ but dust.

ALL AND OUR DAYS ARE GONE JACK That medal, I took it off 40 years ago. After . . . ALL AND OUR DAYS ARE GONE JACK After. . .

58

DRAKE You may have sold your book for half a million bucks, but I still got two arms that work. (DRAKE hips FRANK aside as easily as FRANK did it to his mother. Starts feeling around.) Doubloons…guess this must be a bag of jewels…small bag, not worthkeepin’…and this must be a— (Freezes up.) ANNA What? (What now, in other words.)

59

(DRAKE brings down JACK’S shooting medal. He blows off forty years’ worth of dust, then holds it out to his father. JOE reaches for it, then stops.) JOE Give it to Neekie. She’s the one guessed where it was. (DRAKE gives it to her with a bow. MONIQUE slips the ribbon around her neck. She’s delighted. So are the GHOSTS. Still in a state that’s almost like a hypnotic trance, MONIQUE rises and goes to the clock. Looks at it. DAN approaches, takes her hand, and lifts it to the clock’s face. They touch it together, and the clock starts to TICK.) JOE

WHEN I WAS HOPEFUL, LOVING AND YOUNG WHEN I WAS YOUNG, WHEN I WAS YOUNG I’VE BEEN HERE SO LONG, OLD FRIEND, BELLE REVE I’M NOT YOUNG AND THINGS AREN’T LIKE BEFORE AND BELLE REVE TIME, SO STRANGE, SO SWEET SO STRANGE, SO LONG, SO SHORT….SO SHORT ANNA (mutters) This place is weird and I hate it. (She gets up, walks sulkily to the window, and looks out.) Frank, I want to get out of here.

Sam I say goddam! FRANK DRAKE

Not yet. I want to hear—

Momma, how’d you do that? JOE MONIQUE

Actually, that might not be a bad idea.

I…I don’t know! MONIQUE FRANK You thumped it just enough to jog the works. It’ll stop again in a minute.

Song:“on BeLLe reve TiMe” ..... MoniQue WE’VE BEEN TOGETHER SO LONG, BELLE REVE I’M NOT YOUNG AND THINGS AREN’T LIKE BEFORE BUT BELLE REVE TIME, SO STRANGE, SO SWEET SO STRANGE, SO LONG, SO SHORT IT’S HERE THAT MY WORLD SHINED SO BRIGHT BUT NOTHING WORKS OUT LIKE WE’VE PLANNED YELLOWING WITH THE PASSAGE OF TIME AS DAYS SLIP THROUGH OUR FINGERS LIKE SAND . . . LIKE SAND OH, PLEASE, BELLE REVE, WON’T YOU SMILE FOR ME AND PUT SOME SUN ON MY FACE WITH A LITTLE MAGIC NOW AND THEN AND A FEW THINGS GOING MY WAY OF COURSE, WE’LL DANCE IN THE GLOW OF THE SUN SOMETIME SOON, I’M SURE BUT BELLE REVE, I FEEL THE SUN IS SETTING ON ME AND TIME HAS SETTLED ALL SCORES ALL THE SCORES,YEAH WHO KEEPS SCORE (DAN dances with her, unseen, as she sings) ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE, IN AN INSUFFERABLE WAY I DON’T KNOW EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START IT’S NOT THAT THEY’RE CRUEL OR UNKIND HAVE WE REALLY FALLEN SO FAR I HOPE YOU CAN FIND IT IN YOUR HEART TO FORGIVE ME FOR WHAT I’VE NOT DONE AND THINK OF ME AT MY BEST 60

Joe, you promised— JOE Just outside is all I meant. (To ANNA) It is weird; you’re right about that. Like…everything’s still here. ANNA (she’s grateful to him) Yeah…like that. (She looks around, and her eyes fix on DRAKE) You feel it too, don’t you? DRAKE When I reached on top of the gun cabinet… ANNA (totally focused on him and FRANK doesn’t like that) What? DRAKE For a second it felt like somebody took my hand and put it on that medal. FRANK (putting a proprietary arm around ANNA) That’s the purest bullshit I ever heard. JOE Quit it, you two. Last warning. Now come on. (They all rise and go outside onto the FORESTAGE. Director may invent a bit of business for ANNA and DRAKE—a whisper in the ear, a touch on the arm, stuff

61

to show us that she sympathizes with his little “ghost story” even if FRANK does not, and to show him she hasn’t lost all her feelings for him. The LIVING ROOM DIMS TO BLACK.) FRANK (as they settle) What happened after the shootin’ match, Daddy? JOE The boys dropped Jenna off and went home. Only they had a passenger in the back seat they kinda forgot. He was easy to forget. (During this, the projection of the PONTIAC reappears at STAGE LEFT. ANDY and JACK go to it and sit side-by-side below it, in folding chairs they carry. LITTLE JOE brings two more folding chairs and puts them behind the ones occupied by his big brothers. He shrinks into one, looking sad and beaten. Their words are beating him. ANDY, behind the wheel, makes driving motions. [Some sound FX would help here.] The FAMILY watches ANDY and JACK argue.) ANDY Why couldn’t you back me up?

(ANDY stalks away. After a moment, JACK does, too. As they reach the darkness, they regain their BLUE GLOW and become GHOSTS again.) (YOUNG JOE looks after them unhappily.) INSTRUMENTAL UNDERSCORE: “MY NAME IS JOE” JOE Sometimes after they fought like that, I’d lie down in that ole car and go to sleep. It was a way to get away from the pain, I suppose. (YOUNG JOE lies down on the folding chairs that make up the Pontiac’s backseat.) And when those two went out barrel-housin’ that night with the girl of their dreams, little brother was still fast asleep in the back seat. (Club 41 lights up: a smoky roadhouse where some older couples dance to CATATONIC COUNTRY MUSIC on the jukebox. JENNA, ANDY, and JACK (still wearing his medal) come rolling in.) ZYDECO COWBOY Yahoo all you jukers and tactical nukers! Welcome to the Club 41 Boom Boom Room. Now ’n then we pause for the cause and the cause is Mr. Al K. Hall! Kick off your shoes and lose the blues. (JENNA hands him a record) Change of plan here... We got something to give you enjoy up to yo’ plum full.

JACK (The CATATONIC DANCERS pay him no heed. ANDY goes to the bar to get drinks. JENNA surveys the scene and doesn’t care for what she sees.)

I don’t make the damn rules! LITTLE JOE (trying to be cheery) Hey, you guys, want to stop for ice cream? I got my birthday money, I’ll buy you each a— (They ignore him.) ANDY Or were you scared I’d beat you? That was probably it, huh? JACK You’re the one got scared. The way you dropped your last shell— ANDY I didn’t drop it! (Motor FX stop. ANDY gets out of the car. So does JACK, still wearing the medal. They face each other, fists clenched.YOUNG JOE watches. Neither of the older brothers notices him.) JACK Do you have to win at everything your whole goddam life? ANDY No. I’ll settle for Jenna. Keep your hands off her, Jackie-boy. JACK She’ll decide who puts his hands on her, Andy-boy. [Beat] And who doesn’t. Got that?

62

Song: “JuKin’” ..... JennA YOU GOTTA BE A LITTLE DRUNK AND A LITTLE BIT CRAZY IF YOU WANT TO GO JUKIN’ WITH ME I CAN BE A LADY OR A SNAKE IN THE BEDROOM I CAN BE WHAT YOU WANT ME TO BE I CAN TURN OFF THE LIGHTS WITH A FLIP OF MY HIP I CAN KISS YOUR LIPS REAL HARD I CAN DRINK YOU UNDER THE TABLE LEAVE YOU WEAK OUT IN THE BACKYARD BUT IT’LL BE ALRIGHT WHEN WE GET IT TIGHT AND WE’RE OUT THERE JUKIN’ WHEN YOU DRIVE AND DRIVE WITH THE TOP DOWN THEN YOU CAN’T DRIVE NO MORE YOU PUT SOME CHANGE INTO THE JUKEBOX AND GO BARE-FOOTIN’ OUT ON THE DANCE FLOOR MAKE A SHOW OF YOURSELF LET THEM KNOW YOU’RE ALIVE UNTIL THEY 86 YOU OUT THE DOOR THEN YOU GET BACK OUT THERE ON THE ROAD AND YOU GO JUKIN’ SOME MORE

63

BUT IT’LL BE ALL RIGHT SO LET’S GET TIGHT AND GO OUT JUKIN’ BUT IT’LL BE ALL RIGHT SO LET’S GET TIGHT AND GO OUT JUKIN’ YOU GOTTA BE A LITTLE DRUNK AND A LITTLE BIT CRAZY IF YOU WANT TO GO JUKIN’ WITH ME I CAN BE A LADY OR A SNAKE IN THE BEDROOM I CAN BE WHAT YOU WANT ME TO BE

JENNA The cabin! Lake Belle Reve by moonlight! Let’s go! (As they sit on the folding chairs representing the front seat of the Pontiac, CLUB 41 FADES TO BLACK.) FRANK How come you never told us this before, Daddy? It’s as good as…I don’t know…Flannery O’Connor! (At this, DRAKE and MONIQUE exchange a look of perfect understanding. FRANK doesn’t see it.)

(YOUNG JOE wakes up, gets out of the Pontiac [on the forestage], and creeps to the window. He’s fascinated.) (ANDY watches JACK and JENNA dance. He swallows his drink at a gulp.Then JENNA pulls him onto the floor. Last, the three of them together—big finish.The CATATONIC DANCERS [most of whom we saw in the CROWD at the shooting match] join in, and APPLAUD at the finale.) (Outside the roadhouse,YOUNG JOE’S head first nods, then descends to his crossed arms. Inside, the light LENSES TO A DEEP DIM RED. From the juke comes The Platters singing “Goodnight, Sweetheart” (or possibly “Home Again” done as an instrumental). JOE After awhile, I dozed off. I woke up just as the guy spinning the records said. . . (Inside, JENNA, ANDY, and JACK are sharing the last dance together. They won’t squeak when they leave, because they’re extremely well-oiled.) ZYDECO COWBOY/BARTENDER Closin’ time! You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here! Drive safe, watch out for County Mounties, and if you’re on your bike, wear white!

JOE (confused) Flannel who? MONIQUE Go on, Joe. (The three GHOSTS walk unsteadily toward the cabin and enter as they did on the night they died. JACK is wearing the shooting medal. As they turn on the lights, we see the place exactly as it was then: fresh covers on the couch and chairs, no dust, gleaming wood surfaces. The GRANDFATHER CLOCK ticks. In one corner sits a TABLE RADIO, which ANDY turns on. CAJUN MUSIC PLAYS. On the MAHOGANY BAR by the GUN CABINET is a BOWL OF FRUIT. THE SHAPE, there all along, shows the audience a SHINY RED APPLE with a flourish. Carefully, with an artist’s touch, he perches it atop the fruit) (YOUNG JOE creeps from the back seat of the Pontiac to watch through a window. The PHOTO-REPRESENTATION of the Pontiac FADES AWAY.) ZYDECO COWBOY Here’s a new tune for y’all: “Away From Dis Woild.” It’s a beautiful summer night and ain’t you lucky to be in the Crescent, yeah you right! (“Away From This World” plays from the radio. JENNA whispers in JACK’S ear)

JOE When I heard that, I ran back to the car and hid in the back. Barely beat ’em, too. (YOUNG JOE books for the “Pontiac” and crouches between the folding chairs representing the back seat just as his brothers and JENNA come out, high and hilarious.)

JOE (overlapping this business) I dunno how long she and Jack had been a couple, and I dunno why she chose that night of all nights to let Andy in on their secret. It must have been the booze. I saw her whisper in Jack’s ear—

JACK Y’all want me to drive?

(JACK nods and smiles at whatever she’s suggesting.) ANDY

I’ll do it, I’m soberer. JACK

—and I got an idea of what was goin’ through his mind: “Why, this is better’n the Hawkeye! When it comes to winnin’ prizes, this puts that old shooter’s tin to shame!” (JENNA gives JACK a hug and a kiss on the side of the mouth. ANDY enters)

Okay, Soberer—where we goin’? ANDY (spur of the moment) The cabin! 64

JOE What happened that night proves one of life’s great truths: you can never do the right thing after you just closed up the local honkytonk.

65

(JENNA spins free of JACK’S arms, dips a hand deep into her dress pocket, and slips a ring onto her finger. She and JACK approach ANDY, who stands by the MAHOGANY BAR and that unlucky bowl of fruit.) JENNA (shy, displaying her wonderful ring) Look what Jack gave me. Idn’t it pretty? JACK (slips an arm around her waist) We’re hoping to make it an official engagement at Christmas. JENNA

(ANDY bounces to his feet, grinning. Grabs some heavy crystal glasses from the BAR. ANDY and JENNA are both uneasy now, but ANDY won’t let them decline. He’s a good host! The host with the most, and they must drink a toast! He thrusts the glasses into their hands, pours, then sets the SECRET BOTTLE down next to the BOWL OF FRUIT. He holds his glass up, and, after exchanging a glance, JACK and JENNA do the same.) ANDY May you both have the best of everything, and may my brother not turn out to be like Uncle Ray. (Off JENNA’S puzzled expression.) Uncle Ray was the rump-wrangler of the family. Big skellington—skeleton—in the closet. (Conspiratorial) I think Jacky-boy favors his looks. No tellin’ what else he favors.

Thanksgiving! ANDY (quite drunk) Well slap my tail and call me stinky! Ain’t that somethin’! You been keepin’ secrets, you two! Little secret-keepers is what you are! Well, what the hell. What the fuckin’ hell. Congratulations! JACK You mean it? ANDY Hell, yes! Why wouldn’t I mean it? Better man won. Better man fuckin’ won. We gotta have a drink on it! With the good stuff!

FRANK (to JOE) We had a gay uncle and you never told us? JOE Son, my Uncle Ray was married three times and had nine kids. Only reason you don’t know that is he moved up north to get shut of another three or four ladies. (Beat) It’s true that he liked silk underwear, though. DRAKE Gay’s somethin’ you prob’ly know about, Frankenstein—all those writers you like are gay, right?

Maybe we’ve had enough.

FRANK Don’t talk about what you don’t understand.

ANDY Shit on ’at! Gotta hap to drinkiness…drink to happiness…you know what I mean, course you do, little secret-keepers like you know all kinds of things.

DRAKE (to ANNA) I think they have to turn gay when they go to New York. I think it’s a rule, like—

JENNA

(ANDY opens a PANEL in the bar and brings out the SECRET BOTTLE. He hugs JENNA, then pats her bottom. She steps away fast.) ANDY You fucked the best; might as well fuck the rest. (And before they can respond) Just kiddin’, just kiddin’, and prob’ly not in the test of baste…best of …you know what I mean. JACK

FRANK Like how all rock and roll musicians shoot heroin. (Casts a mordant eye on ANNA) And screw half-drunk sluts after the show. (DRAKE balls his fists and starts to get up.) JOE (sad) You sound just like ’em.

Andy— ANDY Calm down, calm down, just bammin’ your balls a bit. Better man won, that’s all. Won this afternoon, won tonight. I bow down before you. (He drops to his knees and bows his head.) JENNA (decides to treat it as a joke) Get up, you goof.

66

(That stops them. For the time being. They sit, still staring at one another. Each on a hair trigger.) (ANDY, meanwhile, tosses off his drink. JACK and JENNA only sip at theirs. They are becoming more and more uneasy.) ANDY (chanting) Let’s have another one! Just like the other one! (Tries to pour and only succeeds in watering the floor.) 67

JACK

(In the cabin ANDY is pushing JACK with his chest.)

That’s enough. ANDY Throw seven, throw eleven, kiss my ass and go to heaven. We’re havin’ another. And why? Because the one who got lied to says so. JENNA We didn’t lie— ANDY (to JACK, confidential big brother stuff) She cries when she comes. JENNA (cold) You wouldn’t have any idea what I do when I come. ANDY Touché, touché! (He pronounces it “touchy, touchy” and tries to pour himself another drink.) Kiss my ass and go— JACK You’ve had enough. (ANDY and JACK struggle over the bottle. JACK gets it, but drops it. It shatters on the floor.) ANDY Little pansy can’t even hold onto a bottle of liquor. What’s he gonna do when he gets you in bed? Squirt on the sheet beside your right knee and then say, “Was it good for you, dear?” (While ANDY is LAUGHING DRUNKENLY at his own wit, THE SHAPE swoops in from wherever it’s been lurking. It whispers in JENNA’S ear. She listens intently, and a small, mean smile lights up her face.) JENNA (turning to ANDY) For your information, Mr. Drunk and Ugly, he has no problem at all finding Happy Valley. A spot YOU’VE probably only seen in Playboy magazine. (Smiles at JACK, then turns again to ANDY; here she is all ANNA) Maybe you need lessons in all kinds of shooting. ANDY Why you open-legs little slut. (He raises his hand to strike her, but JACK intervenes, pushing ANDY all the way to the wall with his chest.)

ANDY You know what a loser is? Someone who can do in a game what he can’t do in real life. You can win a medal out in back of the Amvets Hall—nothin’ on the line, got your pretty girlfriend cheerin’ you on—but it’d be different if you were playin’ for all the marbles. Even at close range.

Song:“PuT Me in The GrounD” ..... JACK, DrAKe, AnDY, FrAnK JACK SOMEONE GET THESE CHAINS OFF OF ME THEY HAVE KEPT ME DOWN FOREVERMORE I HAVE EYES BUT I STILL DON’T SEE WHAT’S THE POINT OF ME BEING HERE FOR DRAKE HEAVEN HAS TURNED ME AWAY BUT I CAN’T GET ON MY KNEES AND PRAY I KEEP SEARCHING FOR THE GOOD OLE DAYS BUT IT LOOKS LIKE DARKNESS IS HERE TO STAY JACK, DRAKE, ANDY & FRANK OH... OH, PUT ME IN THE GROUND OH... OH, PUT ME IN THE GROUND FRANK SO IF I AM GUILTY WHO CARES JUST HOPING TO SETTLE A FEW OLD SCORES THIS GOES BACK SO MANY YEARS I CAN’T EVEN REMEMBER NO MORE ANDY & DRAKE SO PUT YOUR GUN TO MY HEAD THE RAIN IS ALREADY FALLING DOWN ANDY IF THIS IS ALL THERE IS IN THIS DIRTY OL’ WORLD ANDY & DRAKE I’D RATHER NOT HEAR ANOTHER SOUND JACK, DRAKE, ANDY & FRANK OH... OH, PUT ME IN THE GROUND OH... OH, PUT ME IN THE GROUND OH-OH-OH-OH PUT ME IN THE GROUND (Lights fade on 2007 brothers.)

JACK Quit the shit! Man up! You lost! Know it and own it!

ANDY Let’s see how you do under pressure, Hawkeye.

(With the SHAPE egging them on, JACK and ANDY are at each other’s throats. During this, THE LIGHTS COME UP on DRAKE, glaring at FRANK–who has his arm firmly around ANNA and is glaring right back.) 68

69

Song:“So GoDDAM GooD” ..... AnDY, JACK, JennA ANDY GO ON AND DO IT DO YOU THINK THAT YOU COULD? LET’S SEE YOU GET TO IT, IF YOU’RE SO GODDAM GOOD JACK YOU BETTER NOT TEMPT ME I WOULDN’T DO THAT I’LL TAKE YOU UP ON IT AND NEVER LOOK BACK

JACK I TOLD HIM I WOULD— ANDY IF YOU MEAN WHAT YOU SAY, THEN BROTHER, GET DOWN TO IT JACK (enraged) —AND NOW I’LL SHOW HIM WHO’S SO GODDAM GOOD NOW I’LL SHOW YOU WHO’S SO GODDAM GOOD

JENNA PLEASE DON’T DO THIS LEAVE IT ALONE STOP FOR MY SAKE, IF NOT FOR YOUR OWN

MUSIC CRASHES TO SILENCE. GRANDFATHER CLOCK TICKS. (THE SHAPE whispers in ANDY’S ear, then points to the BOWL OF FRUIT. A big old drunk smile spreads out on ANDY’S face.)

ANDY I DON’T THINK YOU CAN DO IT YOU WERE NEVER FOR REAL YOU’RE AS GRAY AS A HANGOVER—WHERE’S THOSE NERVES OF STEEL? JACK YOU WANT ME TO DO IT? I SAID THAT I WOULD SHUT UP OR I’LL SHOW YOU WHO’S SO GODDAM GOOD SOUND CUE: CABINET DOOR OPENS. RUMMAGING SOUNDS. THEN THE METALLIC CLACK OF A RIFLE BOLT BEING RACKED. JENNA STOP WHILE THERE’S TIME STOP IF YOU CARE THIS WON’T PROVE A THING THERE’S DEATH IN THE AIR STOP WHILE THERE’S TIME STOP WHILE WE’RE FREE IF NOT FOR HIM THEN DO IT FOR ME

(ANDY takes the apple and puts it on top of his head. Then he stands with his back against the GRANDFATHER CLOCK. Jack goes to the gun cabinet and snatches out the RIFLE we’ve already seen…although of course now there’s no rod plugging the barrel. JACK doesn’t shoot.We see what we didn’t at the Shooting Competition: he’s scared. The muzzle of the gun wavers slightly. THE SHAPE is dancing around, making shooting motions and crying Pow! Pow! Blam! Blam! Ya got me, partner!) JENNA Can’t you see how stupid this is? It’s not about ANYTHING! ANDY (a small drunken giggle) Remember if you aim low and put one between my eyes, I’ll haunt you for the rest of my life. JACK Shut….UP!!!! (The gun barrel wavers everywhere now, a recipe for disaster.) JENNA Please don’t. For God’s sake! THE SHAPE

THE SHAPE Are you going to let her tell you what to do, Jacky-wacky? That’s no way to start a relationship!

DO IT! (But JACK lowers the gun, shoulders sagging, relieved and almost sober. THE SHAPE is at JACK’S side in a flash, yammering in his ear.)

SFX: ANOTHER CLACK AS JACK SLAMS THE BREECH CLOSED. JENNA JACK BUDDY,YOU’RE TEN MILES PAST STUPID YOU’RE AN ACRE OF DUMB AND I’M COUNTRY-ASS TIRED OF LIFE UNDER YOUR THUMB ANDY (back against the clock) YOU DON’T HAVE THE GUTS,YOU WON’T NEVER DO IT—

That’s enough, now. THE SHAPE DO IT! JENNA We’re going home. THE SHAPE DO IT!

70

71

JENNA

JACK

Home and bed. I’ll drive.

How’m I going to tell mine?

ANDY (back still to the clock, apple still on his head) YOU GODDAM THIEF, YOU’LL ALWAYS BE SECOND BEST! (In a single motion, JACK puts the rifle back to his shoulder and FIRES. ANDY’S hand flies to his forehead.The glass front of the GRANDFATHER CLOCK SHATTERS. ANDY stares at his brother with unbelieving eyes as BLOOD TRICKLES THROUGH HIS FINGERS and starts RUNNING DOWN HIS FACE. His hand drops.We see a ROUND BLACK HOLE dead center in his forehead. He holds his BLOODY HAND out to JACK and JENNA.Then his knees unhinge and he crumples to the floor.)

JENNA How can I live in Delight…anywhere in Darkland County…after this?

(YOUNG JOE staggers backward. The kid’s face is a mask of horror. He MIMES SCREAMING.) JOE I thought I screamed, but neither of ’em came outside, so I guess it was just in my head. (AUDIO FX: AN ECHOING, DIMINISHING SHRIEK OF HORROR.) God knows that somewhere inside I’ve been screaming ever since. (YOUNG JOE Silent! Shh! runs away into the shadows) (The inside of the cabin FADES TO BLACK.) FRANK Jesus, Dad! I mean God-a’mighty damn! MONIQUE (on autopilot) Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain if you’d not face Him so. JOE I remember going back to the car, but that’s all I remember for awhile. (DIM LIGHT returns to the cabin. JACK stands at the end of the couch with his face in his hands. JENNA kneels beside the dead boy. When she rises, JACK drops his hands and looks at her.)

JACK (the dawning of an idea) You don’t need to, darlin’. Neither do I. JENNA We don’t have any money. If we run away, they’ll bring us back. JACK There’s a place we can go that no one ever gets brought back from. (They stare at each other, communicating volumes via ESP. JENNA nods. JACK goes to a small writing desk and begins scribbling a note while JENNA strips the coverlet from the couch and puts it over ANDY’S body.) JOE The note they left said, “We are sorry. What happened was an accident because of high spirits and too much to drink. Jenna and me love each other and want to be together always. Whoever finds this, tell our folks we love them. And give Skunk a kiss from Andy ’n Jack.” (JOE chokes on this and almost loses it. MONIQUE puts an arm around him. DRAKE and FRANK also move to comfort their Dad. ANNA still stands apart, left out of the family and pouting about it.) (During this on the FORESTAGE, JACK leaves the note on the liquor cabinet. He and JENNA exchange a brief, chaste kiss, then leave the cabin.) JOE They must have been just drunk enough for it to look romantic. (MOONLIGHT on the Promontory; HEADLIGHTS appear through the trees up there. This is where we came in.) (DAN COKER stands in front of GROWN JOE, unseen.)

JACK Is he—? JENNA

DAN It’s not your sons you need to help, Joey. And it’s not your wife. Help yourself! (Now the SHAPE comes, peering over DAN’S shoulder.)

(calm; in shock) Oh yes.

THE SHAPE Dassn’t tell.You aint never to tell.

JACK (slips off the shooting medal and looks at it) This fucking thing! (He throws the medal on top of the GUN CABINET. JENNA barely notices; she’s still looking at ANDY’S CORPSE.) JENNA (calm and dazed) How am I going to tell my Momma and my Daddy? 72

(JACK and JENNA walk to the edge of the drop, holding hands.They’ve both been crying, and although their tears are behind them, they have the hollow-eyed look of kids who have finally seen the world for the house of cards that it is.They MIME SPEECH and share a kiss.When we saw this at the start, they were silhouettes. Now we see them clearly.) JOE (dreamily) Maybe it was the moon that made ’em do it. 73

THE SHAPE That crazy moon. (Hands joined, the lovers leap. The MUSIC CRASHES TO SILENCE.)

JOE Look, I’m tired. [Tard] I’m goin’ to bed. Boys… (He struggles to say more. Cannot. He moves away from the family.) FRANK

DAN It wasn’t the moon!

Why’s he crying? I mean, he told it!

THE SHAPE (thrusting up its fingerbones) And the judges give them…ALL TENS!

MONIQUE (calmly) That’s why. Come on boys, let’s give your Daddy some space.

JOE It was Dan who found Andy’s body. And the suicide note. And the Pontiac parked at the end of Lookout Road. (Beat) What’s now Leap Road. MONIQUE Was it Dan who told the cops your brothers were playing William Tell?

(When they leave, MONIQUE has her arm around DRAKE. FRANK starts to go beside her, but MONIQUE doesn’t even look at him. So he tries to put an arm around ANNA, but she just stalks off. FRANK walks off behind the others, alone.) DAN (to Joe) If you gonna keep lyin’ about what happened, why tell it at all? UNDERSCORE: “WHAT KIND OF MAN AM I”

JOE (With increasing bitterness) He didn’t say anything about William Tell, but that idea got around, all right. As for me, the next thing I remember, I was at Dan’s house. People in town treated him awful afterwards. But of course, they had to blame someone.

DAN How many days will you deny the things you saw? How many nights will you face the night alone? How many times can you break your own heart’s law, before your heart is turned to stone? (But now THE SHAPE glides toward them.)

DAN (to the audience, cheerfully ironic) In them days, it was handy to have a black man around. For the blamin’ part. THE SHAPE (climbs back onstage) You got off lucky. I tried to get em to lynch your ass! FRANK

THE SHAPE (with underscore) If you believe there’s a better world waiting, you’re as numb as a pounded thumb. Silence, that’s your salvation. Keep it buried until kingdom come. DAN (to the other ghosts) He coulda gone deep or come up. He chose.

They really jumped together? JOE (anger covering deep unease) What else?

THE SHAPE Sorry, kiddies! Better luck next century! (It goes into its victory dance, waving its bony arms.) YOUNG JOE (over)

DRAKE (thoughtful rather than hostile) The note proves it, little brother.

Joe. (The GHOSTS look around, startled.) Joe!

FRANK Yeah…but if I put that in my book, the editor would make me take it out. (Realizes how this must sound to JOE) Truth is stranger than fiction, I guess, but…most kids’d change their minds if they had some time to cool down. DRAKE (nodding) Whole lives before ’em, and all. But hey, you’d ever told me Kurt Cobain would—

74

JACK It’s Skunk! DAN (points through the walls at the PROMONTORY) Up there.

75

The MOONLIGHT SPOT once more illuminates the clearing.YOUNG JOE stands near the edge. YOUNG JOE Joe! Wake up! It’s time to WAKE UP! GROWN JOE Frank? Drake? Who’s there? (No answer, although MONIQUE stirs on the living room couch.) YOUNG JOE Joe! Look up! GROWN JOE Dreamin. Must be. (But he walks outside…and looks up) God and sonny Jesus, so many stars! YOUNG JOE Joe! (JOE looks up and sees his YOUNG SELF looking down from where JENNA and JACK died. He’s stunned; may even go to his knees (I would).The other GHOSTS walk down to JOE and regard him solemnly from within their envelopes of BLUE LIGHT.) YOUNG JOE Every secret’s poison, don’t you know that by now? Tell ’em the truth while you still know how.

Song:“WhAT KinD oF MAn AM i” ..... Joe, AnDY, JennA, JACK, DAn JOE MY WORDS DON’T KNOW THE TRUTH THEY FLUTTER AS I SPEAK THE SICKNESS I FEEL UNDER MY BELT IS THE DISDAIN I HAVE FOR ME AND I ASK YOU TO STAND TALL BUT IT’S ME WHO’S FALLEN DOWN I’D LIKE TO BE A BETTER MAN BUT I CAN’T FIND MY WAY HOME NOW SO WHAT KIND OF MAN AM I WHO NEVER LOOKED UP TO SEE THE SKY AND EVERY WORD I SAY HAS COME BACK TO HAUNT ME EVERY DAY SO HERE I STAND ALONE CRIPPLED ON MY CANE THE COWARD I’VE BECOME THE LOSER IN THE GAME

SO WHAT KIND OF MAN AM I WHO NEVER LOOKED UP TO SEE THE SKY AND EVERY WORD I SAY HAS COME BACK TO HAUNT ME EVERY DAY AND HERE I STAND ALONE CRIPPLED ON MY CANE THE COWARD I’VE BECOME THE LOSER IN THE GAME ANDY SO DIG DEEP, YOU LITTLE BASTARD LET THE TRUTH BE KNOWN JENNA ANGELS ARE FLYING WITH YOU TONIGHT YOU’D BETTER NOT LET THEM GO JACK ‘CAUSE IF YOU DO I’D HATE TO THINK OF WHAT YOUR FATE COULD BE DAN SO SPEAK YOUR MIND, TELL WHAT YOU KNOW AND SET YOUR FAMILY FREE JOE WHAT KIND OF MAN AM I WHO NEVER LOOKED UP TO SEE THE SKY AND EVERY WORD I SAY HAS COME BACK TO HAUNT ME EVERYDAY ANDY, JENNA, JACK, DAN SPEAK YOUR HEART JOE SO HERE I STAND ALONE CRIPPLED ON MY CANE THE COWARD I’VE BECOME ANDY, JENNA, JACK, DAN SET US FREE JOE THE LOSER IN THE GAME ANDY

THESE EYES YOU SEE ARE MASKED BY A THIN VENEER OF TEARS AND WHO WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT SUCH A SMALL TASK WOULD HAVE COMPROMISED ALL THESE YEARS BUT A LIAR’S GUILT IS A LIAR’S FATE AND MAN, THAT’S JUST THE FACTS FOR THOSE TOO WEAK TO TELL THE TRUTH INTO DARKNESS YOU WILL BE CAST 76

TELL THE TRUTH! JACK All of the truth! JENNA Before it’s too late!

77

GROWN JOE (at finish) I dunno what’ll happen if I puke up that old story. What if they hate me for it? YOUNG JOE I think you’ll be all right. (Beat) People who come home usually are. Why not ask them? (JOE looks, and sees the GHOSTS. [He’s finally ready to see them.] He CRIES OUT IN FEAR and puts his hands over his eyes.) JOE (to each in turn) Andy?...Jack?...And…is it… JENNA (beautiful calm) I’m Jenna, hon, don’t you remember? JOE Dan?...Is it Dan? DAN We won’t blind you, son. We’re just a few left-behind spirits.

JOE (top volume) COME HERE, Y’ALL! BEFORE I LOSE MY NERVE! MONIQUE What is it? What’s wrong? JOE I never told what really happened. I never could. It would have broke me. The weight of it. The shame of it. MONIQUE Shame? Joe you were ten. (It has never occurred to him that that might make a difference. He looks into her eyes, then up at the promontory. The others follow his gaze. JACK and JENNA break their statue-like poses and walk slowly halfway to the edge. There they stop again and JENNA MIMES PASSIONATE SPEECH.) JOE I saw ’em up there in the moonlight. They took the car, so I ran. I ran after them. I ran until I thought my heart was gonna burst out of my chest. To stop ’em. (Crying) All I wanted was to stop ’em. Frank, you were right. They meant to go through with it at the cabin, but up there…

JOE JENNA (on the PROMONTORY) If you want to do it, I can’t stop you, Jack. But I’ve changed my mind. I’m going back.

(lowering his hands) What he says…can I? Can I really? JENNA You’re one of the live folks.You can do whatever you want. JACK Your hand moves what it touches. Ours goes right through. ANDY

JACK (grabs her before she can retreat from the edge) Too late for that, darlin’. JENNA If we tell ’em how it was, they’ll understand.

It’s still your world, Skunk. JACK Go on, you little sonuvabitch, and take it back. JOE Are you sure?

JACK Our folks won’t. This is for the best. Close your eyes, if you want to. (JENNA is fighting for her life as JACK forces her toward the edge, ignoring her screams that she wants to live. This needs to be drawn out, made really grim and horrible. On the very edge, as they teeter) JENNA

JACK They’ll call you a coward and a murderer!

Sure shot. YOUNG JOE Do it for me, because I can’t. DAN And do it for y’self, because you can. (The MOONLIGHT on the PROMONTORY goes out, as if because of a passing cloud. When it returns,YOUNG JOE is gone. In his place are JACK and JENNA, FROZEN IN PLACE, waiting for JOE’S memory to move them.) 78

JACK They’ll know it was an accident. Just like the note says. JENNA Will they, after they find our bodies? (Beat) After you kill me, too?

79

JACK (stunned) Kill you? I ain’t gonna kill you! You said…you said… JENNA I know what I said, but I was wrong. This is wrong. We need to go back and face what we’ve done.

MONIQUE puts her arms around him and his boys also close in. Poor little cuss up there on the Leap, though…he had nobody.) JOE I told that lie tonight, just like I’ve been tellin’ it for forty years… although I guess Dan suspected plenty. I lied, and after awhile I started to believe the lie. But in the back of my mind, I always knew the truth. If not for me, they woulda walked away. I killed ’em.

JACK Tell the truth.

DAN No, honey.

JENNA Yes! Yes! Tell the truth, no matter what.

FRANK You didn’t put the gun in Jack’s hands.

JACK All right. (Slumping with relief, but still on the lip of the drop.) As long as you still love me…? JENNA Of course I do. I’ll always love y— (At this moment,YOUNG JOE comes bursting into the clearing, shirt untucked, hair crazy, eyes wild. He needs to scare us, and even more, he needs to scare them. A BIG MUSIC STING will help.) YOUNG JOE Don’t! Don’t, don’t, d— (They’re still on the edge, their arms around each other. JACK turns to his little brother’s voice and loses his balance. They go over together, SCREAMING.) YOUNG JOE (rushes to the edge, falls to his knees, and looks down.) No! No! OH, NO! (He looks ready to throw himself after them, but THE SHAPE appears and helps him to his feet.) THE SHAPE Nice job, kid. Couldn’t have done it better myself. Just remember: they jumped. YOUNG JOE (eyes wide, dazed with horror) Jumped.

DRAKE You didn’t drive em up there, either, just chased after.You tried to save ’em, Pop. ANNA (just sayin’) Shitty timing, though. FRANK Shut up. (ANNA recoils as if slapped) DRAKE I love you, Daddy. FRANK So do I. We all do. The boys hug their father and MONIQUE joins the family embrace. Only ANNA is left out. Her face is a study in jealousy. THE SHAPE battens on her, whispering in her ear. JOE, meanwhile, is soaking up his family’s love, but the pain of that old horror is still very much with him. JOE Four seconds—couldn’t have been more than that. I’d give anything to change what happened in those four seconds. MONIQUE Honey, four seconds idn’t nothin’. We’ve got all the rest of our lives. (All LIGHTS FADE as JOE looks toward the PROMONTORY.The kid looks small and lonely up there.)

THE SHAPE You won’t ever say different, will you? YOUNG JOE They jumped. (Puts his hands over his face and begins to cry) They jumped, they jumped, they jumped and I won’t ever say different! (PROMONTORY TO BLACK except for one MOONLIGHT SPOT, where YOUNG JOE huddles near the edge. GROWN JOE staggers, EXHAUSTED. 80

JENNA It all goes so fast and we never know. It just slips… (Looks at her raised hand. Her spread fingers.) …slips away. Like silk. Makes a noise when it goes. Just a little one. Shhh… (Looks around) Andy? Jack? Where did you go? (No answer, but she LAUGHS SADLY) They’ll be back. They have to be back. It’s heaven that got lost, and that’s the hell of it.

81

Song:“AWAY FroM ThiS WorLD” ..... JennA

SCENE 3 The next morning

THERE IS A HEAVEN SOMEWHERE EACH WORD IS ITS OWN LITTLE PRAYER WHERE OUR SOULS CAN SOAR AND BE FREE AWAY FROM THIS WORLD A PLACE WHERE THERE’S NO EARTHLY PAIN NO TEAR DROPS BEING CRIED IN VAIN WE WILL ALL BE CHILDREN AGAIN AWAY FROM THIS WORLD SO HERE WE ARE FROM DUST TO ETERNITY AND HERE WE WILL STAY ‘TIL THE TRUTH JUST LETS US BE

(BRIGHT SUNLIGHT pours in; we hear BIRDS. What little luggage the McCANDLESS FAMILY brought is piled next to the door. The main room is empty, but ANNA is in the boys’ bedroom, sitting on the lower bunk. THE SHAPE sits beside her, pouring more poison into her ear. She listens with her hands folded and her lowered head nodding.) (On the forestage, DRAKE sits in one of the two folding chairs [where DRAKE and MONIQUE sat the night before] FRANK comes down and stands beside the other chair.) FRANK This seat taken?

WHERE EACH STAR WE CAN REACH OUT AND TOUCH THERE’S PEACE OF MIND FOR EACH ONE OF US HOPE, FORGIVENESS, AND TRUST AWAY FROM THIS WORLD THERE IS A HEAVEN SOMEWHERE WHERE EACH WORD IS ITS OWN LITTLE PRAYER WHERE OUR SOULS CAN SOAR AND BE FREE AWAY FROM THIS WORLD AWAY FROM THIS WORLD AWAY FROM THIS WORLD JENNA (whispers) Like silk. Finest silk. And the sound is…shhhh. TO BLACK

DRAKE All yours, baby brother. (A beat; he looks out at the lake.) I’m sorry about your arm. And I’m glad about your book. FRANK Really? DRAKE Really.You think we could start again? FRANK I think we could try. (Lights go down on them, and come up on the main room as MONIQUE comes in, followed by JOE.) MONIQUE Lake’s as pretty in the morning as ever. JOE (takes her in his arms) Not just the lake. MONIQUE Why honey, thank you. JOE (after kissing her) I just couldn’t tell. The nights I spent layin’ awake…especially since Drake broke Frank’s arm…thinkin’ “Here it is again, all over again…” MONIQUE And how do you feel now? JOE Better. Lighter. Freer. I only wish it’d do some good. Do you think it will, Neekie? Do you think things ever change? Does hate ever…does it ever run out?

82

83

MONIQUE (pulls him forward) Well…look.

MONIQUE Oh, you don’t need to do that—I’m sure I closed them all. DRAKE

(She points downstage at DRAKE and FRANK. We don’t hear them, but they’re talking and laughing. The best of friends.)

Won’t hurt to check. MONIQUE

JOE

I think I might’ve left my makeup case.

That’ll never last. MONIQUE

(The LIVE FOLKS exit. But when JENNA heads for the BOYS’ BEDROOM, DAN catches her up by the shoulder.)

You might be surprised. JOE You really still love me? Even though I held it back so long? MONIQUE I stood up in front of God and all of Delight, Mississippi, and said forever. Forever’s what I meant. In this world and the next…if there is one. (Calls down to the lake) Come on, you two! Who’s ready to go back to town? (The boys join them in the cabin.) FRANK Can’t wait to get out of it, Momma, to tell the truth. DRAKE (rolls his eyes) Jesus.

DAN No, Jenna. This is where things change…or where they don’t. (DIM IN THE MASTER BEDROOM; a little BRIGHTER in the LIVING ROOM; BRIGHTEST in the BOYS’ ROOM.)

Song:“A roSe For Poor AnnA” ..... AnnA OH PLEASE, OH PLEASE, WILL YOU FORGET ABOUT ME COULD YOU LEAVE ME ALONE THIS TIME I’VE BEEN ON MY BACK AND I’VE BEEN ON MY KNEES I’VE LOST AND LIED MY WHOLE LIFE I GOT SOMEONE THAT LOVES ME, I GOT SOMEONE THAT NEEDS ME OH PLEASE DON’T TAKE THAT AWAY OH PLEASE, OH PLEASE, LEAVE ME ALONE AND PLEASE JUST GO AWAY THE SHAPE (beside ANNA on the lower bunk) Do you really think Frankie-Wankie’s going to take you to New York with him?

JOE Ain’t we done with this even yet?

ANNA No, probably not. And it’s too late to ask the other one to take me back, isn’t it?

(Smiling, DRAKE holds up a “Peace” gesture) (THE SHAPE nods.) MONIQUE Where’s that little…where’s Anna?

ANNA So where does that leave me?

FRANK Think she already went out to the car. MONIQUE Is it cold in here, or is it just me? JOE (puts and arm around her) You’re many things, Neekie, but cold has never been one of ’em. DRAKE Someone must have left a window open. I’ll just— DAN (comes through the wall, speaks to MONIQUE) Best he not do that. 84

THE SHAPE Does the phrase “up shit creek” ring a bell? (DRAKE enters to check the windows. Her response to THE SHAPE was disconsolate, but when she sees DRAKE, her old venom returns.) ANNA Big brother, small time. That’s you, idn’t it? DRAKE Quit it.You got the writer-boy, isn’t that enough? ANNA (nasty-sweet) You’re like the big brother in your Daddy’s story. When it was on the line, you froze, too.You looked so stupid up there. So country. 85

(The GHOSTS are watching through the doorway, the YOUNG PEOPLE wide-eyed and clutching each other for comfort, DAN sad.)

DRAKE Shut up and get those round heels movin’. I’m done with you. (THE SHAPE whispers some more crap in her ear.)

ANNA He tried to choke me! You saw it!

ANNA I followed that record company man out. I had to run to catch up with him, he was struttin’ so fast. He asked me if you were having a bad night, and you know what I said? You know what I said about the Big Duck? (He’s dumbfounded. She advances on him.THE SHAPE is with her every step of the way, whispering and whispering.) I said you were havin’ a bad life.You know what Drake? This is the first time I met your Momma and Daddy face to face.You were ashamed of me weren’t you? That’s alright. That’s fine. There’s one brother in this family that’s going somewhere, and sure idn’t you.You’ll be blinkin’ muffler rust out of your eyes for the rest of your life. DRAKE Why? Why are you doing this? THE SHAPE BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO, YOU NO-TALENT HICK! ANNA (spitting, furious) Because you broke his arm! Because you’re always trying to bring him down to your level! You’d like him right here with you in Dee-light, wouldn’t you? Along with your half-broke Daddy and your lah-di-dah Momma… (Vicious imitation) “Oh, mah! Idn’t the lake purty in the moon-laht? Wishey-fishies!” Make me want to puke. DRAKE

THE SHAPE (conversational, to MONIQUE) Ain’t she the little slut, though? MONIQUE (back to the deep accent she’s worked to lose over the years) And I heard you aigin’ him on! Get your narra ass n busy cunt out the door! THE SHAPE (conversational, to ANNA) Ain’t she a stuck-up bitch? ANNA Get out of my way, you fucking stuck-up BITCH! (She pushes MONIQUE hard. MONIQUE stumbles backward and strikes the GRANDFATHER CLOCK hard enough to shatter the glass, just as it shattered was back in the day. MONIQUE takes a step forward, eyes wide and blank, then collapses.) THE SHAPE (vicious baby talk) Ooops! Momma faw down go boom! DRAKE Momma! (He rushes to her, kneels, turns her over.) Momma! (Shakes her gently; no response.) Momma? (And now presses his fingers to her neck, taking her pulse.)

Stop it. (He moves to the CENTER ROOM. ANNA follows. She’s not done.) ANNA (mounting senseless cruelty) She’s a drunk and drunks never change.You think she won’t get another bottle? Well, I s’pose she’s got reason to, pretty as way and ugly as comin’.We won’t be stayin’ around, I’ll make sure of that. But we’ll send you a postcard every now ’n then, okay? From places like Paris. And we’ll think of you playin’ in Club 41 and dodgin’ them flyin’ bottles, gettin’ you a nice big beergut, and we’ll laugh— (THE SHAPE flies to DRAKE and starts whispering in his ear. MONIQUE hears the argument.) (DRAKE snaps and seizes ANNA by the throat. He starts to choke her, shaking her back and forth. She makes GURGLING SOUNDS.) MONIQUE No, Drake! Let loose, goddammit! (She pulls DRAKE away.)

ANNA (a sneer on top and fear just beneath) She’s fakin’. DRAKE No pulse. (A beat while he realizes what this means.) You killed my Momma! You fucking bitch,YOU KILLED MY MOMMA! THE SHAPE (swings open the GUN CABINET) Want this? (And as DRAKE rushes to ANNA and begins CHOKING HER again) Guess this is gonna be more of a “hands-on” operation. FRANK Hey, you guys—what’s keepin’ you? I haven’t got all d— (Comes in. Doesn’t see MONIQUE; she is shielded by either the GRANDFATHER CLOCK or the GUN CABINET. But he sees DRAKE choking his girlfriend and rushes to them.)

THE SHAPE Awww! Just when it was gettin’ good. 86

87

FRANK Let go of her! Stop it! What are you DOING? DRAKE (pushes him back with one hand, then resumes choking) What her mother should have done the first time someone handed her over red ’n squallin’.

THE SHAPE That was you! FRANK That was you! JOE

(FRANK is no physical match for DRAKE, but he sees the open gun cabinet and snatches out the rifle. The BARREL-PLUG, of course, is gone.) FRANK (shoulders the gun) Let her go! Let her go or I’ll shoot you, Drake! I swear! DRAKE (quick look over his shoulder) Not with that, the barrel’s plug— (FRANK FIRES. Both DRAKE and ANNA jerk. It’s a high-powered slug, and has gone through both.) (There’s a RED HOLE in DRAKE’S shirt. As he clears our sightline to ANNA, we see the BLACK HOLE in her forehead, exactly where ANDY got it. She goes down. DRAKE turns to his brother, holds out a hand to him just as ANDY held out a hand to JACK and JENNA, then collapses.) THE SHAPE It must be Twofer Tuesday! And folks…he hasn’t even seen Mom yet! FRANK (stunned) Drake? Big Duck? (Walks forward, starts to kneel, sees his mother is also dead, SCREAMS, and covers his face. He stands there, the rifle still in his hands.)

FRANK! (FRANK shoots his father. Silence. He sits there. Sanity—an unwelcome visitor at this point—returns.) FRANK Why did I do that? Why? THE SHAPE (to the audience) This is your basic clean sweep. Except…for Frankie-Wanky. (He goes to FRANK and puts a comforting arm around the poor lad.The lights to DIM.) THE SHAPE You had to, Frankie…he deserved it. FRANK Although…he deserved it. Him and his secrets. Him and his stories. THE SHAPE And you know what you have to do now. Unless you want to spend the next twenty years writing books with Crayolas in Parchman Farm, that is. I think that you should. Let’s see you prove that you’re so goddam good. (FRANK looks around and sees THE SHAPE.)

THE SHAPE Really just one thing to do now, Frankie, wouldn’t you say? (FRANK goes to the sofa and sits down. He puts the muzzle of the gun under his chin.)

FRANK Were you here all along? (No answer, but FRANK doesn’t need one.) Course you were. Tell me something, sir. Is hell as hot as the preachers say?

THE SHAPE Oh, please. And the one who got you into this mess just walks away? (FRANK considers this and puts the gun across his knees. He’s wearing a trace of a smile. FRANK has gone mad.)

Well…yes. But it’s a dry heat.

JOE (shouts) Frank? Drake? What the hell was tha— (Enters and sees the bodies on the floor.) Oh my dear Jesus. (Sees FRANK on the sofa with the gun.) No, son. No. Shooting yourself is no answer. FRANK Why would I shoot MYSELF? I’m not the one who kept a secret all these years. I’m not the one who brought us out here. (Aims the gun at his father.) 88

THE SHAPE (The LIGHT IS ALMOST GONE as FRANK sits on the sofa and puts the barrel of the gun in his mouth. He’s going to pull the trigger with his toe.) (ALL TO BLACK…SILENCE…THEN) JENNA Like silk. Like silk. Shhh… SOUND CUE: GUNSHOT UNDERSCORE: “AWAY FROM THIS WORLD” END OF ACT 2 89

EPILOGUE DREAMLAND CAFÉ (It’s empty except for the HOUSE BAND, now softly playing “Away From This World.” JOE enters.) JOE Hey, can a man get a drink around h— SOUND CUE: A GUNSHOT, LOUD, AS FRANK TAKES HIS OWN LIFE. (JOE looks around in terror…but then terror becomes unutterable weariness. He runs his hands through his hair. DAN, now the DREAMLAND BARTENDER, comes to him.) JOE

JOE I ain’t going anywhere but back down there. (He points to the cabin.) I’m gonna fix it. I’m gonna make it right. MONIQUE Too late. JOE I got you all killed. I don’t see how you can even stand to look at me. MONIQUE (goes to him, puts a hand on his neck) Oh, you stupid man! I stood up in front of God and all of Delight, Mississippi. I said forever, and that’s what I meant. In that world (points down) and in this one. Don’t you remember?

Don’t make me go back.

JOE

DAN Son, you always want to stay. And you always go…but to the wrong place. JOE (in despair) We were dead all along.

Then where the hell have you been? MONIQUE (sweetly patient) Waiting. JOE

DAN Yes. JOE But I told the truth! DAN Not in time. JOE

Waiting? Waiting for what? MONIQUE For you to be ready to hear the truth. It’s not 2007 anymore. It’s been years since then.You’re the only one who won’t give up on that little hell in the woods.You’re the only one who keeps torturing himself with blame and might-have-been. Look. Open your eyes for once and look. (She points down. Lights come up in the CABIN. It’s a dusty, disused hulk.) You’re the only ghost that’s left in that cabin. Come with me. It’s closing time. (MONIQUE takes his hand.)

Not in time???

JOE

DAN Did I stutter? There’s just one time to tell the truth. Then it just… goes. Like silk. Finest silk. (He leaves. JOE sits in despair. He doesn’t see MONIQUE come in moving in a GHOSTLY manner.)

Can I?

Song:“T ruTh” ..... CAST MONIQUE WHEN GRACE HAS ABANDONED AND FORGOTTEN YOU AND YOU SEE THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT YOU THOUGHT WAS TRUE

MONIQUE MONIQUE & JOE AND THE FRUIT IS ROTTEN AND THE CROPS HAVE ALL DIED

Honey? Closing time. JOE Neekie—? MONIQUE You can go now. I’ll take you, if you want.

JOE THERE’S NO DREAM FOR YOU TO DREAM ANYMORE AND YOU’VE BEEN KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR MONIQUE & JOE BUT THERE’S NO ANSWER AND YOU RECEIVE NO REPLY

90

91

JOE

(JOE and MONIQUE to center stage, hand in hand. They speak to the audience.)

Are they waiting for me? JOE MONIQUE Many. So very many. Folks you haven’t seen in years. Come on Joe. It’s closing time. (Monique looks aside and gives her head a little shake.) DAN, JACK, ANDY, JENNA, MONIQUE, DRAKE, ANNA BUT YOU CAN SEE WITH THOSE EYES AND YOU CAN HEAR WITH THOSE EARS AND YOU CAN SPEAK WITH THAT TONGUE THE TRUTH LOOKS SO FAR AWAY BUT NOW IT’S CLEAR THE SHAPE DOUBLE TALK, LIAR LIAR THE TRUTH HAS COME TO SET YOU ON FIRE THE LIE IS WELL SPOKE BUT THE TRUTH IS WELL HID

Wish me a fish! (YOUNG JOE steps from the darkness and joins them. GROWN JOE and MONIQUE put their arms around him.) YOUNG JOE And I’ll wish you one too. (The three of them exit hand-in-hand-in-hand, in a BLUE GLOW. As they do DAN comes back and watches them disappear.) DAN That’s the way it’s s’posed to be. [Then, calling] Watch out for County Mounties…and if you’re on your bike, wear white! SHOW ENDS

DAN SAY HELLO, HELLO TO A NEW BEGINNING SAY GOODBYE TO WHAT NOW IS ENDING YOUR PATHWAY TO WALK DOWN IS VERY CLEAR ALL BUT YOU CAN SEE WITH THOSE EYES AND YOU CAN HEAR WITH THOSE EARS AND YOU CAN SPEAK WITH THAT TONGUE THE TRUTH LOOKS SO FAR AWAY BUT NOW IT’S CLEAR SO HOORAY, HOORAY FOR TOMORROW A BETTER PLACE TO FORGET ALL YOUR SORROW THE TRUMPETS ARE BLOWING JOE AND THE MUSIC IS CLEAR ALL BUT YOU CAN SEE WITH THOSE EYES AND YOU CAN HEAR WITH THOSE EARS AND YOU CAN SPEAK WITH THAT TONGUE THE TRUTH LOOKS SO FAR AWAY BUT NOW IT’S CLEAR YOU CAN SEE WITH THOSE EYES AND YOU CAN HEAR WITH THOSE EARS AND YOU CAN SPEAK WITH THAT TONGUE THE TRUTH LOOKS SO FAR AWAY BUT NOW IT’S CLEAR π & © 2013 Ghost Brothers, LLC under exclusive license to StarCon, LLC d/b/a Hear Music ™ 100 N. Crescent Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Hear Music ™ is a licensed trademark of Starbucks U.S. Brands, LLC in the U.S. and Starbucks Corporation outside the U.S. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.

92

93