AT RISE: A young boy in his mid teens, BENNY, is seated at a rickety, small table center stage. A bowl with a single apple sits in the middle. He is wearing an old threadbare shirt. He is busy rolling a cigarette. He already has another clenched between his lips. A door can be heard closing as another young man, late teens, JAMIE, enters. JAMIE removes the Harvester coat he is wearing and drops it over his chair at the table. BENNY throws him a cigarette and JAMIE leans back as though he has had a long day.
BENNY
Let it all out.
JAMIE
[Looking at his brother he smiles]
Just the same old same old at the factory. What did you do?
BENNY
I found some really nice watches. I took them to pawn and got a hundred for them.
JAMIE
[Looks at his brother a little suspiciously]
Where did you find them?
BENNY
Someone threw them away at Waldens. You know? The wine bar?
JAMIE
Just threw them away, did they?
BENNY
You know the hoity toity types that go there. They have more money than sense. They must have just not wanted them anymore. One hundred is nothing to them. It means everything to us though.
JAMIE
People don’t just throw watches away.
BENNY
[Unable to keep the rouse continuing]
They were drunk. It was only lunchtime too. They came staggering out of Waldens and the watches were practically falling off their wrists.
JAMIE
[Becoming a little irate]
We’ve talked about this! You shouldn’t have done that.
BENNY
I needed to do something. You’re out all day at that factory busting your nuts for us. I wanted to help. I wanted to play my part.
JAMIE
Damnit Benny! We promised no more stealing.
BENNY
It was just a couple of watches. I just wanted to help. You are always tired. The factory is draining the life out of you. One hundred isn’t to be sneezed at, is it?
JAMIE
I don’t mind the factory. I work there to get us out of this place. I bust my nuts so we don’t have to steal. What were you doing hanging around Walden’s anyway? Shouldn’t you have been in class?
BENNY
[Looking a little shy.]
Class was cancelled for today.
[Takes notes from his pocket and places them on the table.]
It’ll help, right?
JAMIE
[Leans across the table and clasps his brother around the back of his neck affectionately.]
I want us to have a good life. We are going legit. We’re going to do well.
BENNY
If going legit means you working yourself sick then I don’t know if I want it.
JAMIE
You can help by going to class. Get a bit of education in you. You can make it out of here and make something of yourself.
BENNY
Class was cancelled.
JAMIE
Will it still be cancelled tomorrow?
[BENNY scoops up the notes as JAMIE continues watching him.]
You don’t have to worry. We’re not going back. I promise.
BENNY
I can’t even think about that.
JAMIE
You don’t have to. We’re out of it. We’re on our own and we’ll do alright.
BENNY
I’m sorry about the watches.
JAMIE
Too late to give them back now, like.
BENNY
I’ll stop. I was just trying to help.
JAMIE
You have to. We’re never going to get anywhere if we keep stealing. We were desperate before but I’ve got the job at the factory now. We don’t have to do be doing any of that. It’s tough but the work has to be done if we’re going to do well.
BENNY
The old man said we’d amount to nothing. He called me a no good lowlife. Who was he to judge?
JAMIE
Then prove him wrong. You can’t steal, little man. Get to class and get some book smarts.
BENNY
What about you?
JAMIE
Don’t worry about me. I’m just the dumb big brother, right? I’ve got a job and I’m doing good. You will do even better. Don’t mess it up.
[Leaning over again he shoves BENNY playfully, causing BENNY to smile warmly]
BENNY
Maybe if I got a job at the factory too you wouldn’t have to do so many hours.
JAMIE
Not at least until you’ve finished your classes. Then I’ll practically retire and let my brainy little brother take care of me.
BENNY
[Chuckling merrily.]
If the old man could see us now, huh? He said we’d be back within a week. Calling us no users, throwing us out with nowhere to go. It wasn’t our fault he lost the practice. He was drunk on the job. Who wants to visit a dentist who stinks of booze? No one.
JAMIE
Alright, Benny, I know.
BENNY
He lost everything and he blamed us! The old girl didn’t exactly stick up for us either. She took his side. What would she know anyway? Pills, pills, pills all day. It was a wonder she didn’t rattle when she walked.
JAMIE
[sternly]
Enough. We’re out of it now.
BENNY
And we’re never going back.
JAMIE
There’s no use being bitter then, is there? We’ll do fine but we got to keep straight. If we want to make something of ourselves we can’t do the things we did before. We got into a lot of trouble as kids. We’ll get into even more now if we’re not careful.
[BENNY nods morosely.]
Right?
[He picks the apple and rolls it at his young brother. BENNY chuckles, cheered by his brothers playfulness. BENNY takes a bite of the apple.]
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