Snohomish County 1916

this is my first play, (can't ya' tell?)

The scene is Seattle. It is raining and nobody decides to comment on the obvious. John Rowan his holding hands with his ladylove Rosaline action opens at an I.WW meeting there is crape paper decorations acroced the stage floor. I.W.W Labor posters are on the background of the stage wall. The room is packed but the theater audience can only see John Rowan and Rosaline because the light shines from the front of the stage, as though kerosene lanterns are illuminating the pairs faces. the audience should hear many voices around the two people to indicate that there are many people about, but the other people are indicated to the audience by the presence of dark shapes. John and Rosaline are siting quietly as the scene starts and the first lines are unheard thought monologues that are in the actors voice and are only heard by playgoers in recording. As the soliloquies start the other voices dampen and quiet.

Rosaline: My man, my John. his hand feels good. but I wonder if I'll tell him tonight or tomorrow.

Poem Speaker that they are watching. Fellow Workers ! It time for the O.B.U.! Cheers gustily. The the voice of the speaker again dampens and quits but is still softly heard by the audience.

John: I really need to tell Rosaline that It's not going to work I mean in a way she's... well, going to get in the way. I like her company, she's a swell gal but really, I got enough to do just organizing.

A man to the front spits tobacco on the floor the audience hears it but it sounds like it comes from the front of the stage.

John looks Rosaline and smiles big she smiles back at John and looks back at the speaker John does the same yet pauses to look at her chest.

John: I'll be a son of a b***h look at her tits I love them, I like the little freckles between em' I wonder if I'm in love with her. She is mity sweet to a man and makes god dam good sourdough.

Rosaline: I think tonight I'll tell him that I love him

Rosaline slowly looks over and gazes at John:

Rosaline: I do after all.

John sees her out off the corner of his eye and returns her gaze.Rossiline looks away quickly.

The speaker ends with the Wobblies pledge and accordion music strikes up almost like a slow polka the tune is Hallelujah I'm a Bum.The lighting is still kerosene looking, but now it lights up the other faces on the stage. Then the lights go dim to announce the next scene change.

The scene is now the flophouse in Seattle where Rosaline and John are living, it is run down looking and has the feel of a railroad building. The light is one bare light bulb hanging loosely from a ceiling cord. Rosaline and John's bed is unpainted metal with a squeaky bunch of springs under the mattress, The sound off stage is soft falling rain. Other then the bed there is no furnishings of any kind save one chair (wood in bad shape) a sink on the right, a large steamer trunk on the left with there close and stuff spilling out of it. In front of the audience, and a framed cover of a year old "Police Gazette" on the wall hanging by an long exposed black string.

Rosaline: I want to go with you sweetheart I don't want to stay here.

John interupts: - what the hell do you think you would do for us in Everett?

Rosilene: I don't know pass out flyers maybe get up and speak

John (louder voice) They got gun thugs up there hon, cops, drunk deputes with clubs, hired goons and a lot of loggers that just don't like reds.

Rosaline: I'm in this as deep as you are and you know it.

John : Yeah baby but you still might get arrested beat up ( pause) shot.

Rosaline : Workin' stiffs and Timber beasts are just hard headed. they've been told all that "open shop" Capitalist bullshit for so long that they just need somebody to tell them the truth.
John: leading horses to water.

Rosaline: You've got to admit John that I'm a better public speaker than you and I'm sure as hell better to look at than you and anyone else at the Union meeting. (she lowers her head and speaks softly) I know how men think, we could use that.

She undress slowly and John watches intently with a half smile.

Rosaline: I've got something to tell you baby.

John me too.

Rosilene: What?

John: Nothin' baby-tell ya tomorrow.

The scene in Everett Washington: John has been beaten severely, blood runs from his ear on the right. it is the woods. The only light is that of kerosene that is held by a deputy. Specking of deputies there are five of them, Three of them are drunks, the other two are out of work loggers. The two non drunks are nonetheless, inebriated on good dark bear, All of the (deputies) should carry themselves with an inflated sense of importance.

Deputy Shmit, : You like that, you little commie b*****d! (Schmitt) kicks John in the gut twice.

Deputy Thurgun: You think! (Deputy Thugun lifts John up by the hair, and clocks him in the face twice with both his right fist also his connecting, right elbow) :...That you, spitting in John's face, : That you are gona' start a chapter up here? I came all this way to get away from red b******s like you! (taking slower now), St Paul, (hits John again), Montana, (shakes John by the collar), an' wherever I go you b******s are following me. I can't get away from the trouble that you bring, the missus just gets her flowers planted in the front of the house and you outside instigators come in and f**k up everything for the working men that you clam to represent."

Deputy Mcsween: (has a cigar loose in his lips) Yep, boyyyy you dam sure better get back on that same ratter that you boom hear in on, red cocksucker! (Deputy Mcsween takes his night stick out and taps John on the head lightly)

Deputy Mcsween: hear's what your gonna get somabich!

(Mcsween takes his police issue Colt and fires five times into the air.)

Author's Note

Yeah, please ignore grammer and spelling, I'm shure that it is frought with em'.
I'll fix all of that later, right now I'm on the rough drafts.