Directed by Jon Wai-Keung Lowe

Featuring Mark Vashro & Aeron Macintyre

Cast of Characters

Phil: Man in his 50s. From Wyoming.

Lives in Kansas. Funny guy, if brusque, but not a man to be trifled with. Likes beer, football, Fox news, doesn’t talk about feelings at all. Has a tendency to trail off in his thoughts, but only because he’s usually talking to his wife, who knew what he
was going to say. Distraught over the loss of his wife.

Daniel: Young man. Lives in California now. Intelligent, articulate, kind manusually. Estranged from his father for 7 years. Loved his mother very much.

A small house in the middle of nowhere. I mean, Kansas. Jingle of keys off stage and a door opening and closing. Phil and Daniel enter dressed in black. Daniel has a laptop bag. Phil drops his keys on a table.

PHIL
Come on in. Make yourself at home.
DANIEL
This is not my home. Where should I put your keys?
Phil points to an entry table.
I won’t be here long. Shuttle will be here any minute.
PHIL
Shuttle? You aren’t staying?
DANIEL
No.
PHIL
I see.
DANIEL
Yeah.
(pause)
PHIL
Can I get you something?
DANIEL
No.
PHIL
What do you… (drink?) No pop, but I got, uh…
DANIEL
I don’t need anything.
PHIL
Well, I’m gonna get get a beer.
Phil exits to kitchen. Daniel rubs his face. Phil enters with a six-pack of Coors Light. He hands Daniel a can without thinking.
DANIEL
I said I didn’t want one.
Phil doesn’t respond. He goes to his chair cracks open a beer. Sits. Phil sips for a moment in silence.
PHIL
Aren’t you gonna sit down?
DANIEL
No. I’m not. If you listened, you’d have heard that I’m leaving the second the shuttle gets here and brings me to the airport so that I can return to civilization.
PHIL
Oh.
DANIEL
Yeah, “Oh.”
PHIL
So, you’re not staying for dinner.
DANIEL
Jesus Christ.
Pause
PHIL
Lotta people there.
DANIEL
Yeah. Everyone loved her. People coming over?
Phil is confused by the question.
Sometimes people do that. Come home, afterwards. A meal.
PHIL
Don’t think so.
Beat
DANIEL
Couldn’t believe old Mrs. Rhody still plays the organ.
PHIL
She was old Mrs. Rhody when your mother was a kid. Woman farts dust.
Daniel snickers in spite of himself.
Well. Thank you for coming.
DANIEL
I didn’t come for you.
PHIL
I didn’t say… (you did.)
DANIEL
Let’s be perfectly clear about that.
PHIL
We are.
DANIEL
I came for her.
PHIL
I know. I only meant-
DANIEL
For her sake, I’m here. For her sake, I will drive you to and from the funeral. But that is the end of my civility. Don’t fucking thank me.
PHIL
Alright.
(pause)
Daniel checks his phone.
PHIL (cont’d)
It woulda meant a lot to your- (mother)
DANIEL
Please resist the urge to chat with me. Mom was a saint and I will be damned if I was going to miss her funeral because you were there.
PHIL
She was my… wife.
DANIEL
Yes. How you managed that is beyond me.
PHIL
I had every right to be at the funeral.
DANIEL
Yes. You did. And I had every right to be there. No laws were broken. But being in the same room doesn’t mean we have to talk.
Daniel checks his phone. Shit. Nothing. He opens the beer. He drinks. It has been a while since he has had a Coors Light. His face suggests that he has not missed them.
Jesus.
Pause.
PHIL
Hot.
DANIEL
Seriously? (That’s what you have to say to me?)
PHIL
Well, what am I supposed to say?
DANIEL
It’s hot? Brilliant observation. Kansas in the summer is fucking sweltering. One of the many things I don’t
miss. And mosquitoes the size of small cars. Why do you think I’m not waiting on the porch? Why isn’t the air conditioner on?
PHIL
I don’t use it.
DANIEL
If you’re being cheap. If mom died because-
PHIL
That had nothing to do with it.
DANIEL
So help me, God.
PHIL
It was a… (stroke)
DANIEL
I know it was a stroke. I’m just saying…
PHIL
Well, watch what you’re sayin’! I know how much youhate me, but it’s no cause to… (say things likethat).
Beat
I loved her too, you know.
DANIEL
Don’t. Don’t even.
PHIL
I’m just saying you have no right.
Daniel checks his phone. In order to not commit patricide.
DANIEL
Does this shit hole have reception? Where are they? There’s no traffic, for fuck’s sake. If I miss my flight.
PHIL
I don’t know.
DANIEL
Don’t know what?
PHIL
If there’s reception. For those things.
DANIEL
Cell phones.
PHIL
I know what they are.
DANIEL
It’s not alien technology.
PHIL
I don’t use one.
DANIEL
No shit.
beat
Well, if I’m stuck waiting here, can we have a fan on or something?
PHIL
Sure.
Phil doesn’t move. Daniel realizes he’s going to have to turn it on himself. As he goes to do so he mutters under his breath-
DANIEL
Sonofabitch.
Phil finally has had enough. He roars.
PHIL
Alright! You’ve made your point, Junior!
Snap
DANIEL
Don’t! Don’t fucking call me Junior! I’m not your-
PHIL
I know, you changed it! Though, why in God’s name you chose “Daniel”-
DANIEL
I’m not a kid anymore, I don’t have to take your abuse. I’m sick-
PHIL
You’re sick of everything about me! I know! Yourmother knew! / The whole damn town knows that you hate my guts!
DANIEL
There he is! The Patriarch. Glad you still have it in you, bastard. I don’t know who you think you were fooling with this poor pathetic bereaved husband bullshit.
PHIL
That’s enough! Don’t you dare walk into my house- MY HOUSE, and use your filthy language after I’ve lost my wife!
DANIEL
My mother!
PHIL
She was both damnit! Have some respect!
DANIEL
Respect you?! I can’t-
PHIL
You have no right to dishonor her.
DANIEL
Don’t hide behind her! Your problem is with me.
PHIL
My problem?! From the second you walked in here… I haven’t… You’ve been acting like a goddamn…
DANIEL
Say it. Finish one fucking sentence in your life. That word sent me out of this house seven years ago, and I can’t wait for it to send me out again.
Beat
PHIL
Asshole.
DANIEL
Nope. That’s not it.
Pause. They stare at one another.
PHIL
Look, it’s been a long day let’s just…
They breathe. Phil sits down. He opens another
beer. Daniel texts someone.
When’s you’re flight?
DANIEL
4:30.
PHIL
Well, you can still make it.
DANIEL
Not if the shuttle doesn’t come.
PHIL
It’s only 2 something now. Airport isn’t 20 minutes away, if you take Frontage instead of-
DANIEL
Why do old people love discussing optimal routes?
PHIL
Old? Hell, I’m only-
DANIEL
The shuttle has a GPS. I’m more worried about lines at security. Things have changed a lot since the last time you flew.
PHIL
I know about security.
DANIEL
Body scans, and…
PHIL
I know. I watch the news. But… Kansas.
DANIEL
Fair point.
Beat
PHIL
So. What are you doing these days?
DANIEL
What?
PHIL
Work.
DANIEL
Oh. Teaching. English.
PHIL
English.
DANIEL
High school.
PHIL
That’s good.
DANIEL
Yeah.
PHIL
You always were good at it. English. Got it from-
(your mother)
Beat
DANIEL
Yeah.
PHIL
I never was good with words, but she…
DANIEL
Yeah.
PHIL
Like it?
DANIEL
I love it. Very much.
PHIL
Where are you-
Daniel gets a text. He quickly replies.
DANIEL
Okay, there is reception, so why hasn’t the shuttle-
He dials a number. Gets a recording.
Shit. On their way, my ass.
Texts again
PHIL
Juni- Daniel, I got something to give you.
DANIEL
Just a second.
Phil slowly gets up and gets a pair of letters out
of a drawer. Daniel gets another text. Daniel
reads the text. He absent-mindedly answers the
text aloud, as if the person he’s texting can hear
him…
Yeah, I’d love to, if the shuttle would-
PHIL
Huh?
DANIEL
Nothing. Not talking to you.
PHIL
Who were you-
DANIEL
I was texting my-
Beat
PHIL
Daniel, before you go, this is for you.
DANIEL
I don’t want anything.
PHIL
It’s not from me.
DANIEL
Who’s it from?
Beat
PHIL
Sarah.
DANIEL
Mom?
PHIL
Yeah. She, uh…
DANIEL
How did she know to write something?
PHIL
She… this wasn’t the first. A while back, she had a minor- incident. She wrote these in case…
DANIEL
She didn’t tell me?! She had-
PHIL
She didn’t want to worry you. Don’t start with me. This was her choice. She deserved her privacy. So, just… (read it)Daniel furiously takes one of the letters and reads it. Phil rereads his letter. This takes a minute. Daniel is noticeably shaken. He sits down and drinks his beer.
DANIEL
She should’ve told me.
PHIL
Her choice. And you and I weren’t… (talking)
DANIEL
She seemed fine.
PHIL
What does yours say?
DANIEL
You didn’t read it?
PHIL
None of my business.
DANIEL
’Bout what you’d expect. She wanted us to make up.
Daniel is struggling not to cry. Phil doesn’t know what to do. Daniel gets a text. He vaguely looks at it. Doesn’t reply.
PHIL
Is there anything I can…
DANIEL
Jesus, I don’t know. I can’t understand half this thing, and I’ve got a shuttle on the way…
PHIL
What don’t you understand?
DANIEL
Who is Ken? She wants me to cut you some slack because
of “Ken”-
Phil winces
PHIL
She had no right.
DANIEL
She didn’t tell me any of this last April. So I don’t even know what do with it.
PHIL
April?
DANIEL
At the wedding.
PHIL
Who’s wedding?
DANIEL
Mine. I’m married.
PHIL
You’re…?
DANIEL
Yes. And Mom was at the wedding. And she told me none of this. She looked fine. When was this “incident?” I
just want to go home to my husband and put all this shit behind me. Yes, husband, Dad. I’m married. To a man. So let’s get this over with.
PHIL
She went to your… (wedding?)
DANIEL
Wedding. Yes. And it was beautiful. She wasn’t a narrow-minded bigot like her husband. She wanted me to be happy. And she lied to you about where she was going because she knew you would be a prick about it.
PHIL
You have a… (husband?)
DANIEL
Why am I still in this house? Where the fuck is that
shuttle?
PHIL
She-
Text message. Daniel looks at it.
DANIEL
Shit.
PHIL
My brother.
DANIEL
What?
PHIL
My brother.
DANIEL
Shut up. No! 20 minutes is not okay. If I miss my fucking flight…
PHIL
She had no right…
DANIEL
What brother?
PHIL
Mine.
DANIEL
You don’t have a brother.
PHIL
Did.
DANIEL
What are you talking about?
Phil opens another beer
Yes, Jesus, Dad, by all means, please get shit-faced. Nothing new there, only she’s not here to clean up after you, so.
PHIL
Ken was my brother. Died before you were born. Sarah barely knew him. She had no right.
DANIEL
Dad-
PHIL
I know she wanted to fix things, but she shouldn’t have… Ken. That’s not her…
DANIEL
You’re going to have to finish your sentences, Dad, because this is too fucking much for me.
PHIL
Ken was… He… Damn it. Good kid. Smart. I mean not like- (you) but. Smart. Athlete. I mean, hell, I knew back from when he was a kid. You could tell if you really paid attention, but back then you didn’t… I mean, in Wyoming, you sure as hell didn’t…
DANIEL
Didn’t what?
PHIL
I don’t know! I don’t know what I’m supposed to say, damn it! I use the wrong word and you get pissed off and storm out and I’m trying tell ya- but you just- you just won’t-
DANIEL
Okay, Dad, I’m trying to understand.
PHIL
In high school kids beat him up a little. Nothin’ bad. But enough he didn’t want to stick around after. So he joined the navy.
DANIEL
Okay…
PHIL
He was gone a while. Sent letters. Things seemed
fine.
DANIEL
Okay…
PHIL
But he got some shore leave. Got drunk. Went to one
of that kind of bar. I don’t even know where.
DANIEL
What kind of bar?
PHIL
Damn it, you know what I’m trying to…
DANIEL
I really don’t. (beat) A gay bar. Okay. Ken was gay.
PHIL
Yeah. Alright. There. So, drunk and he’s leaving abar. And by then Ken was tough. He mighta been- (gay) but he was tough, make no mistake. And some bastards decide to rough up the… guy he was with. Well, Ken wasn’t gonna take that shit, so he- but I guess there were a lot of guys. So…
DANIEL
So…
PHIL
I don’t know all the details. I flew back to Wyoming, we had a private funeral, cuz folks didn’t want people knowing the- story. My father didn’t go. His pictures around the house came off the walls. Like he wasn’t even there. Like he never… existed. Couldn’t talk to mom about him, she just left the room. So he didn’t- he was there and then he just wasn’t. Whole town. Just. Like that.
DANIEL
Jesus.
PHIL
Yeah. So, when I found out you were a-
DANIEL
Jesus.
PHIL
He was my baby brother. A man is supposed to take care of his baby brother. And I… didn’t. Anyway. I don’t know why your mother decided to tell you about Ken, when…
DANIEL
I do.
Pause
PHIL
You want a… (beer)?
Phil offers Daniel a beer can.
DANIEL
No. Yes.
PHIL
Here.
Phil hands him a beer. Daniel drinks.
DANIEL
Second one’s not so bad.
PHIL
Yeah.
Pause
DANIEL
Why do you drink this swill?
Phil shrugs
So when you found out your son was gay…
PHIL
Yeah. That was… tough.
DANIEL
You didn’t want me to have the shit beaten out of me.
PHIL
No father wants his son-
DANIEL
No. I remember that sentence starting more like, “No son of mine…”
PHIL
You gotta remember it was a bit of a shock. I come home early from work-
DANIEL
I remember, Dad. Jesus, years of therapy, I’ve gone over that episode plenty. So your solution was threaten me and call me a-
PHIL
I thought I could.
DANIEL
Don’t. Don’t even.
PHIL
You have to understand, I was raised-
DANIEL
I do understand that. And I know it was a different time, and I’m sorry about your brother, but it doesn’t-
PHIL
I was trying to, I don’t know. My brother was a good man. And I could never get my head around… his lifestyle. And then you. I wasn’t going to let anyone hurt… you.
DANIEL
Jesus.
Pause
I thought you were ashamed. Of me.
PHIL
Well, I can’t say I entirely… understand…it. Your mother and I were- normal.
DANIEL
For fuck sake, we are not getting into nature versus nurture, Dad.
PHIL
Into what?
DANIEL
Nevermind.
PHIL
But, it’s not exactly like you think it was either. I coulda understood it eventually, if I thought you were… safe.
DANIEL
Why did you say- what you said to me?
PHIL
I don’t know. I was pissed and scared. And if I coulda talked you outta-
DANIEL
It’s not dropping the football team- Jesus, Dad.
PHIL
Well, I don’t… know. This isn’t something I know how
to… (talk about)
Pause
PHIL
What’s his name?
DANIEL
Whose?
PHIL
Your…husband.
DANIEL
Oh. Mark.
PHIL
What does he do?
DANIEL
Tech.
PHIL
Hm.
DANIEL
Yeah.
PHIL
That’s… good. Tech.
DANIEL
Yeah. I have no idea either. I couldn’t begin to explain.
PHIL
How did you… meet?
DANIEL
Gym.
Phil does not know where to go from there.
PHIL
But he’s good? A good man.
DANIEL
Um. Yes. I think so. I don’t know what you mean by “good,” Dad.
PHIL
He’s good… to you.
DANIEL
Yes.
PHIL
Okay. That’s real… good, kiddo.
DANIEL
Dad-
PHIL
Your mother… liked him?
DANIEL
After a while. It took some adjustment. He’s a Raiders fan.
Phil chuckles
PHIL
Yeah. She wouldn’t cotton to that.
DANIEL
But eventually, they got along very well. She finally had someone who liked to talk about gardening. “Thick as thieves” as she would say.
Phil starts crying
Dad?
PHIL
What the hell am I supposed to do without her? I don’t know where anything goes. And it’s so fucking quiet. All the time. I don’t know anyone’s phone number. And I don’t have anyone to call. And I’m scared to touch anything and everything looks like she’s still here, like she just went to the store, if I just turn on the news she’s going to come walking in with some bullshit gossip she heard that I don’t give a rat’s ass about but she’s gonna tell me anyway while she’s putting away the groceries; but she’s not ’cause she’s not here. She just left me like that, like it was nothing. And I can’t open a drawer without missing her. I don’t want to use any more socks, because I’malmost out of the ones she rolled, and I don’t know how she did that, they won’t all fit if they’re not rolled-
DANIEL
Dad.
PHIL
Hell, you don’t get it.
DANIEL
Dad-
PHIL
You left too.
DANIEL
Let’s not-
PHIL
Well, go on. Get on your damn plane.
DANIEL
Don’t, Dad-
PHIL
Shit. I don’t know why I bother.
Text message.
DANIEL
Jesus.
PHIL
Nevermind.
DANIEL
For God’s sake, Dad.
Beat.
Listen. I miss her too. It’s okay to cry-
PHIL
Daniel, don’t talk to me like I’m a child.
DANIEL
I’m sorry that you are going through this. I don’t like to see you-
PHIL
I’m fine.
DANIEL
You’re not fine. And I’m not fine. And it’s not going to be fine for a long fucking time, Dad. It’s not okay. What happened, when I left home. It’s not okay what you said to me.
PHIL
Ancient-
DANIEL
But I understand more now. Okay? And I need to think about this. And I need to just figure out-
Honking outside
Seriously? Okay, Dad. I’m going to leave you my card.
Daniel pulls out his wallet.
PHIL
Your card?
DANIEL
Give me some time. To… you know, process some of this… but if you need something.
PHIL
I don’t need-
DANIEL
Dad, you’re going to need help-
Honk
I have to go. But call me if you need something.
PHIL
Fine, but I don’t need anything.
DANIEL
Okay.
PHIL
Okay.
DANIEL
So.
PHIL
Have a safe flight.
DANIEL
Okay.
PHIL
How’d you pick “Daniel?”
DANIEL
What?
PHIL
When you changed your… name.
DANIEL
Do you remember when you took me fishing at Lake Panorama?
PHIL
No.
DANIEL
Because we didn’t go fishing. It rained buckets.
PHIL
Oh, hell. Yeah.
DANIEL
We were stuck in the cabin, just the two of us and a pack of cards. Three days.
PHIL
I never wanted to see canned beans again.
DANIEL
The cabins were named. Ours was “Daniel.” It was the only time I can remember you treating me like a “man.”
Daniel gets his laptop bag.
PHIL
Bye. Kiddo.
DANIEL
Bye.
Daniel exits.

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