Lodestar Quarterly

Issue 6 • Summer 2003 • Featured Writer • Drama

Home Again

Troy Hill

Act II, Scene 4

Scene 4.

Dawn. Todd stumbles into "the space" bumping around getting water and aspirin. After a few moments, Janice comes in.

JANICE
Good morning.

TODD
Hi.

JANICE
You smell like cigarettes.

TODD
I went out.

JANICE
No kidding.

Todd stands drinking soymilk out of the container. They look at each other.

JANICE
We have work to do today.

TODD
It's Saturday.

JANICE
Well, this isn't an ad agency.

TODD
And you're not my boss.

JANICE
Right now, I would say I am, considering it's my grant money we're living on.

TODD
Oh, I thought you said it was ours now.

JANICE
It is -- so that we can work. Not so you can go out and spend money drinking in a bar and having sex with some random guy.

TODD
I didn't pay. I don't pay for sex -- usually. I didn't last night.

JANICE
That's not what I meant. You've paid for sex? Well, the point is it looks like you bought a few drinks if nothing else. I'd be afraid to ask. I've been up all night imagining the worst. I guess I should have known. Why didn't you answer your cell phone?

JON
Because. The battery. Died.

JANICE
And now we've lost a day of work because you'll be too fucked up to do anything.

TODD
Actually I'm feeling quite refreshed. After a few hours sleep I'll be raring to go. Amazing how sex does that. You should try it again sometime.

JANICE
Fuck you. I don't throw my body around like some piece of trash.

TODD
Okay. Okay. Whoa. I did not sign up for this. I went out one fucking night to blow off steam and you're acting like the jealous wife. This part of the equation is supposed to be gone -- subtracted. Back off. Some people have sex. It's perfectly legal.

JANICE
Paying for it isn't. Why would you pay for it?

TODD
I said I didn't.

AUDREY
But you have before?

Todd pulls his keys and wallet out of his pockets to leave on the counter and a couple of condoms and coke vials drop out.

JANICE
You are unbelievable. This isn't about... We can't afford... A whole day...

TODD
I'll be fine.

JANICE
You're out spending our money...

TODD
It wasn't out of our budget. I took money out of my savings, okay?

JANICE
You have a serious problem. I thought you were saving up for travel. You're not twenty anymore. When are you going to grow up?

TODD
God damn it! Just back off.

JANICE
I just hate seeing you throw yourself away. Why would you want to sleep with someone you don't even know?

TODD
I'm going to bed.

Todd exits.

JANICE
Your mother called last night. She said your sister is missing.

TODD
What?

Next Page:   Act II, Scene 5   (page 15 of 22 pages)

All Pages:   See the entire play on one page

Table of Contents:   Home Again

Troy Ernest Hill (misterhill@nyc.rr.com) is a playwright and actor in New York City, originally from Atlanta, Georgia. In the eighth grade he won the "Most Outstanding Student Award," and in the eleventh grade the Creative Writing Award. Since that time, it's been more or less a downward spiral. He is currently in the Off-Broadway smash Birdy's Bachelorette Party, and he is a white belt in karate.

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