10-min play, draft 1

KID

I promise, I wouldn’t say this without really thinking about it, but I’m really sure that I hate her.

OLD MAN

This ain’t who she was always

KID

That’s what they say but how does that matter

OLD MAN

She love you

KID

How does that matter

OLD MAN

She feel like she didn’t have choice

KID

I don’t know what that means

OLD MAN

It mean she didn’t want to leave

KID

How many gallons did she have to give you to say that

OLD MAN

Not a drop

KID

Well that’s not possible because you never lie

OLD MAN

That right she tried her best son

KID

I’ve been taking care of her all my life when it’s supposed to be the other way around

OLD MAN

You understand she gave up lots

KID

Everyone here has

OLD MAN

Oh no sonny you don’t understand this was before your time

KID

Forget it

OLD MAN

Don’t walk away we not have much no more in this scorched planet but we still have respect

KID

How many ounces of water would give one ounce of respect

OLD MAN

None it free

KID

Go to sleep Tio

OLD MAN

We had poets in our time they understood

KID

Good night

OLD MAN

Now listen here your mummy was the best she had so much

KID

Had what

OLD MAN

She had spark

KID

Meaning

OLD MAN

Meaning she had spark

KID

What spark what

OLD MAN

Damn you know that spark

KID

Meaning what

OLD MAN

Meaning some spark

KID

Some spark shit senile old man

OLD MAN

It helps

KID

What spark

OLD MAN

A spark of magic

KID

What kind of magic

OLD MAN

Magic that made everything shiny

KID

Shiny how

OLD MAN

Like make world glitter

KID

Speak sanely please

OLD MAN

I am I mean it

KID

Then tell me

OLD MAN

She had way with sounds with beats and tune and made beautiful

KID

What was it

OLD MAN

Music my boy it music

KID

Ma made music

OLD MAN

Ya

KID

I don’t know much about music

OLD MAN

Who does anymore

KID

Hmm

OLD MAN

Ya hear Daffy hummin’ sometimes though don’t ya

KID

Yeah but then she coughs

OLD MAN

Ya it sad but there other things that make music

KID

Like what

OLD MAN

Instruments

KID

What’s that

OLD MAN

Machines like

KID

Like

OLD MAN

Like uh

KID

Don’t say spark

OLD MAN

No no

KID

Or glitter

OLD MAN

Oh hush boy instruments like things you hit hard or soft or blow and make nice sound all kind of sound see

KID

Oh

Ma did that

OLD MAN

Magic it was

KID

How did she do it

OLD MAN

She used what called piano

KID

Sounds like it cost at least 87 gallons

OLD MAN

It always lots yes but this before gallons

KID

Where are the instmens now

OLD MAN

In-stru-ments

KID

In-stru-ments

OLD MAN

They no more

KID

Why don’t say they went to the auctions

OLD MAN

Ya they went straight to auctions now they with the rich

KID

Bastards take everything

OLD MAN

Can’t blame em jimmy boy they want water

KID

Everyone wants water they want more always

OLD MAN

That not new for folk like us

KID

Tell me more

OLD MAN

About

KID

Pino

OLD MAN

Pi-a-no

KID

Pi-a-no

OLD MAN

What you wanna know

KID

What does it sound like

OLD MAN

My I gotta pull back time and drag it out

KID

Do

OLD MAN

It hard to find words

KID

Tio please

OLD MAN

Why you all interested now

KID

Fine then

OLD MAN

Oi

KID

What

OLD MAN

Ya wanna know more about you ma

KID

She’s gone now

OLD MAN

No she gone next week not now

KID

She left a long time ago

OLD MAN

She still here ‘nother week

KID

I should go

OLD MAN

Wait

KID

Why

OLD MAN

Piano.

It a big instrument. Feel like something that could control ya. It heavy and thick and glossy and hard and it make delicate sound and you get surprise. It soft for something big and it have many small small white and black things, they called keys I think. When ya play them it like your fingers floating, dancing on top the surface as gentle as snowflake touching the ground, of course we seen no snow no snowflake since the word “gallon” become word for “money”. But them keys, I won’t forget, and Jim son your mummy on them I won’t forget.

KID

Maybe I don’t really know her

OLD MAN

Everyone changes

KID

No one knows anyone Tio

OLD MAN

Only piano knew her that marvelous piano player Peony Delaware

KID

My mother Peony

OLD MAN

Another one us gone

KID

Not gone yet

OLD MAN

No

KID

No

OLD MAN

She gone while back like the rest of us

KID

No she goes next week

OLD MAN

Does she

KID

Yes

Where are the pianos now Tio

OLD MAN

I said with the rich

KID

Some must be at the preservation center

OLD MAN

Must be

KID

Someone will know

OLD MAN

Why you sound like that

KID

Like what

OLD MAN

Like ya gonna do something naughty like when you six years old makin fart sounds on people's faces while they sleeping

KID

I didn’t make fart sounds

OLD MAN

Then what sounds huh

KID

MUSIC

OLD MAN

Haaaaaaaaaa haaaaaa

KID

I will find a piano

OLD MAN

No ya won’t

KID

Yes

OLD MAN

Don’t go messin around Jim now

KID

I can do it

OLD MAN

Ya have no gallons for yourself how you have any for rich piano

KID

If we didn’t need gallons for it before then we can find a way to use it now even if it’s for a few minutes

OLD MAN

No point no more piano won’t do nothing

KID

What if it can do something

OLD MAN

Like what

KID

Anything

Maybe it can do something