Summer Gone - Act 1, Scene 2

Travis goes home and talks to his mother.

Act 1 - Scene 2:

SCENE OPENS ON THE LIVING ROOM OF A SMALL APARTMENT. A SMALL KITCHEN CAN BE SEEN IN THE BACKGROUND. THE LIGHTS ARE OFF IN THE KITCHEN, BUT AN END TABLE LIGHT IS ON IN THE LIVING ROOM. TRAVIS’ MOTHER IS ALONE ON A COUCH WATCHING TELEVISION. THERE'S A SMALL COFFEE TABLE IN FRONT OF HER WITH AN EMPTY BEER BOTTLE ON IT. SHE’S OVERWEIGHT AND YOUNG FOR THE MOTHER OF A SON TRAVIS’S AGE. TRAVIS ENTERS THE ROOM FROM OUTSIDE AND LOOKS THROUGH MAIL ENVELOPES.

Travis: Hey Mom.

Mom [WITHOUT LOOKING UP]: There you are. Can you do me a favor?

Travis: What do you need? I was just stopping in for a second, I gotta go meet up with Sean in a minute.

Mom [ANNOYED]: Can you get me a glass of water and hand me the remote?

[TRAVIS WALKS TO THE BACK KITCHEN AND TURNS ON THE LIGHT. HE GETS A GLASS OF WATER, WALKS BACK AND HANDS IT TO HIS MOTHER]

Mom [Irritated]: You left the light on in the kitchen. That’s why the light bill is always so high, you always leave everything on.

[TRAVIS SIGHS AND WALKS BACK TO THE KITCHEN. HE SWITCHES OFF THE LIGHT, WALKS BACK TO THE LIVING ROOM AND SITS IN A CHAIR ADJACENT TO THE COUCH.]

Mom: I asked for the remote too.

[TRAVIS LOOKS AROUND FOR A SECOND AND SEES THE REMOTE ON THE COFFEE TABLE IN FRONT OF HIS MOTHER, WHO’D ONLY HAVE TO LEAN FORWARD TO GET IT. HE MOTIONS TO THE REMOTE QUESTIONINGLY AND THEN SHRUGS, DEFEATED. HE GETS UP AND HANDS THE REMOTE TO HIS MOTHER, WHO TAKES IT AND STARTS CLICKING THROUGH CHANNELS]

Travis [FLIPPING THROUGH THE MAIL]: Speaking of the light bill, we got a final notice bill here. [HOLDS IT OUT FOR HIS MOTHER WHO DOESN’T TAKE IT] Alright. I’ll leave it here for you.

[THEY SIT AND WATCH TELEVISION SILENTLY FOR A FEW MOMENTS. TRAVIS COUGHS AND TURNS TO HIS MOM, ABOUT TO ASK SOMETHING]

Travis: Uh...Ma? Do you have any money I could borrow. Like ten bucks or something? I’ll pay you back, I promise.

Mom [WITHOUT LOOKING AWAY FROM THE TELEVISION]: Yeah, sure. Just like you were gonna pay me back for that movie you went to with your friends. Where’s the money from that, huh?

Travis: That was like two months ago. [MOTHER STILL NOT LOOKING AT HIM] Alright, I’m working on it, but we’re doing something over at Sean’s tomorrow and I might need to bring some chips or something.

Mom: Aren’t you seeing him tonight? You're going over there again tomorrow? Honestly, do you ever do anything else? You’re always with Sean or Mike or whoever and you always need money for something. Why can’t they ever come here, huh?

Travis [ANNOYED]: ‘Cause there’s nothing to do here. If it wasn’t so boring here, they’d probably come once in a while.

Mom [RAISING HER VOICE]: Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot Sean and his family were so much better than us. Let me lay out the f*****g red carpet for the rich family.

Travis [FRUSTRATED]: Seriously Mom, again? They’re not rich, they never were.

Mom: Oh don’t give me that; I saw their house.

Travis: Yeah, that was passed down from Sean’s Grandfather Ma, his Dad works for the cable company. Besides, ever since his parents split, he’s been staying with his Dad over at the Lancaster Garden apartments up the hill.

Mom: So if it’s such a s****y place, why are you always there.

Travis: There’s a pool there for the residents, Ma. They just opened the pool up for the Summer.

Mom: Oh, whatever, I don’t give a s**t about a pool. Why aren’t you looking for a job so you can help out here. You see we’re behind, why don’t, instead of you going out and playing with your friends, you go get a job to help your mother, huh?

Travis [SHOCKED]: I don’t even know what to say to that.

Mom [FEELING TRIUMPHANT]: Oh, you have nothing to say now, do you? How ‘bout tomorrow, you go and get some applications? Then we’ll talk about whether or not you’re going to Sean’s.

Travis [FLUSTERED]: Wait, what?! I wasn’t asking for permission, I’m going tomorrow regardless. No, that’s bullshit Mom, you can’t tell me I’m not going just because you’re in a bad mood.

Mom [YELLING]: The hell I can’t! You’re telling me “No?” I’m your mother, and if you’re here, you will respect me in my house!

Travis [STANDS UP OFF THE COUCH, ANGRY AND OFF-POINT]: Your house?! What house? It’s a s****y apartment on Columbia Street Ma; there’s a f****n’ halfway house two houses down.

Mom: Yeah, ‘cause rich Sean’s house is so much better.

Travis [SHOUTING]: Jesus Christ, he’s not f*****g rich! What f*****g difference does it make?

Mom [SMILING IN AN ANGRY WAY]: Oh, that’s it, you’re gonna shout and curse at me, you’re not going nowhere tomorrow or today or anywhere.

Travis [WALKS TOWARDS THE DOOR]: Oh yeah? That’s bullshit Mom. Honestly, why’d I even f*****g come home?

Mom [YELLING]: Oh, real cute! Go ahead, get out, but don’t you even think of coming back here. We’re not rich enough here for your blood.

Travis: That’s just so stupid Mom.

[MOM THROWS THE REMOTE IN TRAVIS’ DIRECTION. SHE MISSES AND IT CRASHES AGAINST THE WALL, SHATTERING INTO PIECES]

Mom [SHOUTING ANGRILY]: Get out! Get out of my house! You’re gonna call me stupid now! Who are you, huh? You’re so f*****g smart, who are you now? Big man ‘cause you’ve got some f*****g friends, huh? Don’t you f*****g come back!

Travis [ON THE VERGE OF CRYING, HIS BACK LEANING AGAINST THE DOOR]: Mom, c’mon, why does it always have to go here? What’s the matter with you?

Mom: Go on, go! Get out of my house!!

[TRAVIS OPENS THE DOOR BEHIND HIM, EXITS OUT AND SLAMS THE DOOR CLOSED. MOM SITS BACK ON THE COUCH AND FOLDS HER ARMS, BREATHING IN A HUFF. SHE FEELS AROUND FOR THE REMOTE AND LOOKS AT THE WALL WHERE SHE THREW IT, THEN RUNS HER HANDS IN HER HAIR, SHAKING THEM IN FRUSTRATION AND LETTING OUT A LOW, ANGRY MOAN]