EText by Dagny
This Etext is for private use only. No republication for profit in print or other media may be made without the express consent of the Copyright Holder. The Copyright Holder is especially concerned about performance rights in any media on stage, cinema, or television, or audio or any other media, including readings for which an entrance fee or the like is charge. Permissions should be addressed to: Frank Morlock, 6006 Greenbelt Rd, #312, Greenbelt, MD 20770, USA or frankmorlock@msn.com. Other works by this author may be found at http://www.cadytech.com/dumas/personnage.asp?key=130
C 1985
Characters:
Maggie, a buxom woman in her late thirties
Burt, a rugged man in his mid-forties
Scene: A roadside diner
The scene is Maggie's place, a taco truck stop diner in the middle
of a highway. It is late and Maggie is cleaning up a bit around the
counter. Maggie is a buxom woman in her late thirties, still good-looking, but somewhat hardened by life. She is, however, prospering at
her business. Maggie is at work checking her cash register when there
is the sound of a car or truck pulling up. Maggie quickly puts most of
her money away and resumes other work at the counter. Maggie is
cautious, but not alarmed. A big man in his mid-forties shuffles in.
Other than the fact he is large and powerfully built, he is non-descript.
Maggie
Good evening.
Man
Good evening. Can I have a beer?
Maggie
Sure. What would you like?
Man
Oh, a Bud, I guess.
Maggie
Coming up.
(Maggie draws him a beer from the tap. The man is watching her rather closely and Maggie, tensing slightly, becomes aware of this.)
Maggie
Cold night.
Man (drinking)
Very. (polishing off the drink quickly) Let's have another.
Maggie (taking his glass)
The same?
Man
The same.
Maggie (giving him his glass)
Are you a trucker? (looking out the window) I don't see your rig.
Man (non-communicatively)
No, I'm not a trucker.
Maggie
You coming from Middleton?
Man
No, from Watkin's Landing.
Maggie
That's a long way. Are you going back tonight?
Man
No. Not tonight.
Maggie
Are you living in these parts? You look a bit familiar.
Man
Just passing through. Somebody I want to look up.
Maggie
Oh, you got friends nearby?
Man
Relations, actually. This place seems mighty lonely.
Maggie
It is. It's a pretty lonely stretch of road, but I'm popular with
the truckers.
Man
Not surprised at that, lady as pretty as you.
Maggie
They like my cooking.
Man
I bet. Speaking of food, got anything I can eat?
Maggie
I can make you a sandwich. (goes to the refrigerator and looks in)
I got some tuna and roast beef left.
Man
The roast beef will be fine. Plenty of mustard if you got it.
Maggie
Hey, we got Grey Poupon. We got class here. (laughing and making
the sandwich)
Man
You ever get lonely out here?
Maggie
Sometimes. Not often.
Man
A woman all alone, or maybe you're married?
Maggie
Nah, I'm not married, but I got my daughter. When she isn't driving
me nuts, she's kinda nice to have around.
Man
Truckers come often?
Maggie
Yeah, but not this late. I usually close by now and they know it.
In fact, it's past closing, so this is it—last call.
Man (munching his sandwich)
I'll have another.
Maggie
All right, but I'm shutting up after this.
Man
That's o.k. Go ahead and shut up. Don't mind me, I'm just finishing
up.
Maggie (giving him his beer and then starting to clean up)
All right. (she is soon ready) Are you about ready?
(Maggie rings up his bill and hands it to him.)
Man (giving her money)
Very reasonable and the food was good, too.
Maggie
Thanks. I told you I'm a good cook. I'm going to lock up. Come
again sometime.
(The man doesn't move.)
Man
This place is very homey. I think I'll stay here tonight.
Maggie
That's what you think, honey. This is not a motel.
(Maggie has handled men like this before. She is not afraid. Not even nervous.)
Man
I'm staying here.
Maggie
Look you, you're leaving right now.
Man
No, Maggie. I'm staying.
Maggie
And why is that, may I ask? And how do you know my name, anyway?
Man
Because I'm your husband.
Maggie
What?
Man
Don't pretend you don't recognize me, Maggie.
Maggie
I don't know you at all. First time I laid eyes on your ugly face
was tonight.
Man
You know who I am. You've known since I ordered my second beer.
Maggie
You're drunk or crazy. I'm no wife of yours.
Man
You were my wife and we've never divorced.
Maggie
You're a perfect stranger.
Man
You look even better than the day I left you.
Maggie
You sonofabitch.
Man
That's my girl. You always loved to sweet talk me.
Maggie (brandishing a meat cleaver)
Do you want this meat cleaver in your head, or are you leaving,
Mr.—?
Man
McGuire, Mrs. McGuire.
Maggie
Get out of here before I kill you.
Man
Always had a hot temper.
Maggie
You think you can do anything you want, don't you? And that I can't
protect myself, don't you?
Man
You always did a pretty good job of that. You always were good at
protecting yourself.
Maggie (pulling a pistol from under the cash register)
Get out.
Man
Do you know how to use that?
Maggie
Expertly.
Man
You wouldn't shoot me, would you, honey? After all, I came all the
way from Frisco just to see you.
Maggie
Wouldn't I just. I can shoot you down like a dog and say you tried
to rob me. Or rape me. You just put your head in a meat-grinder, Mr.
McGuire.
Man
Maybe. I knew it would start like this when I came.
Maggie
Why did you come?
Man
I told you. I wanted to see you.
Maggie
For years after you left, I wanted to kill you. Every day. For
eight years. And just when I start to think straight again, you walk
back in, just as if you own the place.
Man
Big Bad Burt. I never told you I was a nice guy, Maggie.
Maggie
I should kill you. Right now.
Man
I'll take that chance.
Maggie
Go away. Put on your coat and go away. We can talk in the morning.
Man
I'm not going.
Maggie (losing control)
You dare to come back to me like this? After all these years
without so much as a letter? GET OUT!
Man
I'm not going to go away again. I'm not going to make that mistake
a second time.
Maggie (pulling out her money)
There's a motel about ten miles from here. This is almost two
hundred dollars. It's all I can give you.
Man (refusing the money)
Maggie, I got money. It's you I want.
Maggie
Well, I don't want you, Burt. (she fires at him and hits him in the
arm) Get out, or I'll kill you. (she backs him out the door)
BLACKOUT
When the lights go up the room is in darkness. Burt looks in the
window. Then he tries the door. It is open. He comes in. He has tied a
dressing on his arm. Maggie is sitting propped up behind the bar—
barely visible and perfectly still.
Burt
Evening. Cold outside.
(Maggie makes no response and merely stares at him.)
Burt
You look fine, baby, never better. Added a pound or two, but in the
right places. Still my sexy Maggie.
Maggie
What do you think of yourself, coming back on me after all these
years?
Burt
Why, I think I was wrong to leave in the first place. This time I'm
not going to let you run me off.
Maggie
Why didn't you write?
Burt
I was mad, too, Maggie. I had to stop being mad. That took several
years. Then, I had to wait for you to stop being mad. I calculated you
might listen to reason now.
Maggie
I'm still mad.
Burt
So I noticed.
Maggie
Does that hurt?
Burt
Stings a little. I'm glad you learned to use that gun, or I'd
probably be dead.
Maggie
I hope it hurts a whole lot.
Burt
It would have to hurt a lot more to make me leave. Can I have a
drink?
Maggie
Help yourself.
Burt (pouring himself a beer with one hand)
You know, Maggie, you look better than ever. Nice tail on you.
Maggie
That's all you were ever interested in—tail. Isn't it? I've heard
about you and your women.
Burt
A man gets lonely. I've heard about you, too.
Maggie (standing up)
What lies have you heard about me?
Burt
None that I know of. I heard you were getting along real well.
Maggie
That's what I heard about you.
Burt
But, something was missing. Look, don't ask questions about what
I've done since I was away, and I won't ask you either. It's the past.
Maggie
Do you call yourself a man? To leave a woman and then turn up like
this? Do you call that a man?
Burt
I call it nothing.
Maggie
I wonder what you think of yourself—or what you think of me?
Burt
I'll answer for myself.
Maggie
And what do you take me to be?
Burt
The finest woman on earth.
Maggie
For ten years, eh?
Burt
It was pretty cold for both of us for the last ten years. It's warm
in here now. (looking at his arm) You fixed me up good, didn't you? I
think no worse of you for it. I like your spirit. I always did. But I'm
back to stay. (pulling her to him) And you're not going to deny you're
my wife, Maggie McGuire. Not any more.
Maggie
Never again. If you stay.
Burt
It will take more than that little gun of yours to get rid of me.
CURTAIN