IVY LEAGUE
(The library of a small boarding school in upstate New York. It’s seen better days. Shelves of books line the walls. There is a table in the center of the room. On it are several large brown boxes. In the back, we can see the Dewey Decimal System card holders. There is a desk off to one side, the information desk, with pens, pencils, various papers and office items on it. Educational posters hang around the room. There’s a set of double, glass-fronted doors leading into the hallway.
It is 1989. Spring break. Sunday night. Late. The whole place is quiet and slightly spooky. The only light on in the library is a desk lamp on the information desk.
At rise, we can see a figure, sitting on the floor in front of the information desk, talking on the phone. The phone is still on the desk and the person has pulled the receiver down, stretching the cord across the desk. The figure is hunched over and wearing many, shapeless layers, including a hooded sweatshirt with the hood up. A backpack sits on the floor, overstuffed with clothes and other things, notebooks, sketchbooks and the like are spread out on the floor. We can’t tell if it’s a boy or a girl, though we can just see a shock of bright blue-dyed hair sticking out from under the hood. Lots of rings and bracelets. Fingernails painted black or dark blue. Doc Martens, covered in ratty stickers. A battered Sony Walkman on the floor, headphones snaking up under the hood. We can’t really hear a voice, just whispering.
A beat.
Through the glass doors, we see MARC walk by. A beat. He walks back and enters the library. MARC is about 16, a little chubby, bespectacled and black. He is wearing sweatpants and a beat-up Yale sweatshirt. He looks around the library. He walks over the information desk. He looks at the person on the phone.)
MARC:
…Excuse me.
(The figure turns away a bit, and stays on the phone.)
Excuse me. You shouldn’t be in here.
(The figure turns and looks at MARC. The hood comes down. We see a girl, about MARC’s age, white. This is She looks at MARC. She turns around and goes back to her conversation.)
Excuse me. The library’s closed. You can’t- You shouldn’t- Excuse me.
(RAIN whips around on him.)
RAIN:
I’M ON THE PHONE! CAN’T YOU SEE I’M ON THE PHONE!
MARC:
…Sorry. Sorry.
(He retreats out the door. RAIN goes back to her phone call. MARC stops and comes back.)
Wait. Wait.
RAIN:
What?
MARC:
You’re not supposed to be in here. You can’t just yell at me.
RAIN:
I’m on-
MARC:
You’re not supposed to be using that phone. For personal calls. Or any calls.
RAIN:
(into the phone)
Hang on.
(to MARC)
What are you, the phone monitor?
MARC:
…Yes?
RAIN:
Really?
MARC:
I work in here. I know the rules.
RAIN:
(jangling a ring of keys at him)
I work here, too. So it’s cool.
MARC:
I don’t think it is.
RAIN:
I’m just, you know, on the phone. For, like, five minutes. What do you care?
MARC:
You shouldn’t be in the library when it’s closed.
RAIN:
Scared I’m going to steal some dumb books.
MARC:
The library’s closed.
RAIN:
What’s your name? I know you.
MARC:
I’m Marc.
RAIN:
Right. Right. Look, Marc. I’m going to be five minutes, then I’ll lock up. No one’s here. No one cares. Okay?
MARC:
I’m here. I care.
(RAIN gives an angry, frustrated sigh.)
Moe will care. If I get him.
RAIN:
Why you gotta bust my balls, man?
MARC:
The library is closed.
RAIN:
If you’re going to get Moe, go get him. Go on.
(She turns back to her phone call. MARC looks at her. He turns to go. He comes back. He puts his finger on the base, disconnecting her call.)
What the fuck - ?!?
MARC:
If I went and got Moe, you’d be gone by the time we got back.
RAIN:
You hung up the phone.
MARC:
The library’s closed. You can go now.
RAIN:
This isn’t, like, your personal property. It’s a public space, dude.
MARC:
Not when it’s closed.
RAIN:
GOD. FINE. I’m going.
(She starts gathering her things.)
Not supposed to be here. You’re not supposed to be here.
MARC:
What?
RAIN:
It’s spring fucking break. Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, home? Or something.
MARC:
I’m staying here.
RAIN:
What the fuck for?
MARC:
I don’t have anywhere else to go.
RAIN:
Oh.
MARC:
What are you doing here?
RAIN:
I live here.
MARC:
No one lives at Winterbrook.
RAIN:
In town. I live in the town.
MARC:
Oh. But you go here.
RAIN:
Yeah. And?
MARC:
You’re a day student?
RAIN:
…Yeah.
MARC:
Do you have a pass?
RAIN:
Oh, my god. It’s Sunday night. Sunday night of winter break.
MARC:
You…snuck in?
RAIN:
Are you sure you go to this school? I thought they only let in smart kids.
MARC:
You have to go. You have to get out.
RAIN:
I’m trying to.
MARC:
If Moe finds you, you’ll get in trouble.
RAIN:
I. Know.
MARC:
Wait. You snuck in to use the phone?
RAIN:
You’re just full of questions. It’s a long story. Don’t ask me any more questions, okay?
MARC:
Okay.
(RAIN finishes gathering up her things.)
Why would you sneak in to use the phone?
RAIN:
It’s none of your business. And don’t tell anyone you saw me in here. I’ll break your arm.
MARC:
Okay.
RAIN:
If you see me in here again, you just keep walking, okay?
MARC:
Okay.
(RAIN glares at him. She goes to the door. We can see a flashlight in the hall.)
RAIN:
Shit. Shit.
(She comes back into the library.)
MARC:
Is it Moe?
RAIN:
No, it’s the boogeyman.
MARC:
What?
RAIN:
Of course it’s Moe.
(She slings her backpack over the desk. She jumps over the desk.)
Not. A. Fucking. Word.
MARC:
Okay.
(RAIN drops behind the desk. The door opens and MOE enters. He’s a security guard, late 40s, black, tall and imposing. He carries a flashlight.)
MOE:
What are you doing in here?
MARC:
Huh?
MOE:
Marc. What are you doing in the library?
MARC:
I…just wanted…to check on the books.
MOE:
The books?
MARC:
Yeah.
MOE:
They still on the shelves?
MARC:
Not those books. The new ones. Just came in.
MOE:
Oh.
(He walks over to the table, looks at the boxes.)
Bunch a new books?
MARC:
Yeah. I gotta catalog ‘em.
MOE:
Okay. But you should be up in your room, now.
MARC:
I know. I’m just…excited.
MOE:
About a bunch a books?
MARC:
They’re new.
MOE:
Okay.
(He heads out. Sees the Walkman on the floor.)
That yours?
MARC:
What?
MOE:
That there. Is that yours?
MARC:
Oh. Uh. Yeah?
MOE:
Then pick it up. I ain’t your maid.
MARC:
Sorry. Sorry.
(He picks it up.)
MOE:
What you listening to?
MARC:
Uh. Music.
MOE:
What kind of music?
MARC:
Uh.
(He’s trying to see the name on the tape.)
The…Replacements?
MOE:
Oh. Never heard of them. They new?
MARC:
…Yeah.
MOE:
They like the Commodores or something?
MARC:
Something like that, yeah.
MOE:
Hm. I should borrow that from you. I need some new tunes.
MARC:
Yeah. Anytime.
MOE:
Okay. You okay here?
MARC:
Yeah. I can lock up.
MOE:
You better.
(He heads for the door. He stops.)
You all right?
MARC:
Yeah.
MOE:
I…I know this place gets lonely without all them other kids around and everything. You must miss your folks a lot.
MARC:
A bit.
MOE:
Well. You know I’m here. If you wanna talk or something.
MARC:
Thanks.
MOE:
We brothers gotta stick together here, you know. Up amongst all these white devils.
MARC:
…Yeah.
MOE:
I’m kidding around. Don’t look so scared.
MARC:
Okay.
MOE:
But…we do gotta stick together. Okay?
MARC:
Okay.
MOE:
Don’t stay here, messing with them books. Well, not too late.
MARC:
I won’t.
(MOE goes. A beat. RAIN stands up.)
RAIN:
You had to have, like, a chat with him?
MARC:
We were just talking.
RAIN:
I’m crouched down there. My leg’s asleep. Give me that.
(She takes her Walkman back.)
You don’t even know who The Replacements are, do you?
MARC:
Are they like the Commodores?
RAIN:
No. You’re really staying here for the break?
MARC:
What did you think I was doing here?
RAIN:
I don’t know. Thought maybe you were leaving in the morning.
MARC:
I’m staying. I always stay for the breaks.
RAIN:
That must suck.
MARC:
It’s okay.
(A beat.)
RAIN:
I’m gonna sneak out the back.
MARC:
Okay.
RAIN:
Don’t tell anyone you saw me here.
MARC:
I won’t.
RAIN:
See ya ‘round. Ivy League.
MARC:
What?
RAIN:
Your sweatshirt. Ivy League.
(She puts on her backpack and slips out. MARC stands looking around. He turns off the light and leaves. End of scene.)
Posts
9 comments:
Q: Security.
Who is it, what is it, should anyone expect a guard to walk by near closing? There's always someone above, waiting to justify their paycheck, esp. during spring break when students might take those temp jobs to earn money.
Way of escalating tension. Or, not.
Also -- book thieves. Some notorious for cutting pages right out, or taking work whole.
Good thoughts. I'll simmer on them as I move forward.
Totally want to read more, which is good. The Replacements/Commodores bit is gold.
I have a question: what's the play about? I like all three characters, and I feel like this scene gives me a window into who they each are. But nothing's happened yet. You can't make us wait out an entire scene - the very first scene of the play - without letting us know what the play is about, or letting us know why we should want to keep watching.
Thematically, you're obviously sewing seeds. It feels like you're hinting at things. Atmosphere has been created, and it's an interesting atmosphere. But for me, there was no tension because there was no action.
Like this scene. Funny but wistful, distinct sense of place + time. I want to get to know more of the characters in subsequent scenes.
Is there some extra element you could add - something said or done - which could ensure that these three are going to cross paths again? How much lying is going on and should there be more? Is there anything to be gained by emphasizing class differences more, among the three? Do we need to find out what the new books are? Or was that a lie?
Anyway, thanks! And I'll stay tuned...
Definitely want to read more, love the Moe - Marc interchange, that is the heart of what you've been talking about and here it is, as drama, brilliant. More, please!
Thanks, all, for the thoughts and comments! All good things to be asking at this point. I think you'll be seeing some more of this play soon.
I agree with Anon', we need to know what the play is about. If it's not about something we get in this first scene, and it doesn't seem like anything happens, then it's just a wasted scene, cute and interesting though it may be.
Seems weird that 2 people work in the same library and don't know each other. And I can understand that patrons would not be allowed into a library after it's closed, but they work there - why are they hiding? The guard doesn't seem too concerned. What's the problem?
The phone call doesn't seem that important. What is? It can't be just a phone call - we need a tip into the "long story" so that it gets wheels in motion, or something does.
And hopefully, the guy is lurking around the library for a Super Objective that the girl is screwing up by being there.
If the guard forced the guy out while he still had the woman's radio, then we'd have the beginning of a plot - cuz she'd have to get it back, and then you're off. But still, that has to be tied into what you're trying to say big-picture.
Rule #1: show, don't tell. You've shown that these people come from very different places. Knowing that they listen to different music doesn't make that any more clear - snip.
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