Eye for an Eye

Just a play I had to write for my english class. My first one and i had alot of fun writing it.

Eye for an Eye (2009)

Characters

(Tina)

(Man 1)

(Man 2)

1983 in New York City. A middle aged man exits from a pay phone in front of a tall apartment building. He is wearing a white pinstripe shirt, beige business pants, a ruby tie, slick business shoes, and a light brown trench coat. As he climbs the haunted dusty stairs he draws from the coat a half empty bottle its rustic contents swirling as he examines it closer. Upon reaching the black mahogany door with the crooked golden 6 the man loosened his tie, disheveled his brown hair, and untucked his shirt half way. He barges through the door staggering as he enters.

Tina: Honey?

The man staggers into the small kitchen area where a woman is laboring over a pile of dishes.

Tina: Honey is that you?

Man1: Course itzzz me!

Tina: It’s our anniversary where have you-( Turns around her smile quickly fading) Tom what’s the matter with you?

Man1: Nuffins the matter with me. (his speech is slurred)

Tina: (Noticing the half empty bottle in his hand) You- You haven’t been drinking again have you?

Man1: Haha and what iffff I have woman? I’m en-entitled to a drink or two if I want.

Tina: Tom you’re not yourself when you drink. (shrinks slightly, turns her back to the sink and grasps it with both hands)

Man1: I’m more of meselfs than I’ve ever been befores. (snicker)

Tina: I think you’d best be off to bed.

Man1: I’ll go when I’m good and ready woman! (face falls and starts snickering again). Follow me I got’s a story fer yuh.

The man staggers to the tan plaid couch and stumbles to sit, motioning the women to sit next to him by patting a spot. The woman takes a seat in the living room chair opposite.

Tina: Tom I wish you wouldn’t drink…

Man1: Yeah (laughs) I’ll bet you wish I didn’t do lot of things.

Tina: Drinking seems to be your only flaw. (mutters)

Man1: My only flaw…ONLY FLAW!

Tina shrinks back

Man1: Why this drink is the only thing that lets loose what I really am. This drink (waves the half empty bottle) is the ambrosia of the gawdsss. It is my salvation! The warden to my prison, the savior to my soul, the monsoon to the desert which is my mind.

Pause

Tina: What was the story you wanted to tell me.

Man1: Story? Oh the story. Story. Stories. Stor-Essss. (chuckle)

Tina: Tom.

Man1: I got loads of stories Tina. Stories that you don’t even know about. Stories that I’ve kept secret. Oh so very secret. Stories known to only me and another. Would you like to hear my story Tina. Hear my stories that you’ve never known or suspected. (laughs)

Tina: I don’t think I do

Man1: Ok here is one. (chuckles) So remember that party we went to of your cousins. What was her name? Bella? Bella yeah. She had that wedding and you and I both went. The two of us went. Me and you. (laughs).

Tina: Tom.

Man1:  So we went to the wedding and believe you me was I getting some looks. You were sooooo busy being excited for your cousin didn’t even notice all the looks your relatives were giving me. (Bursts into laughter before trying to sputter out words) Ye-Ye-Yer entire family. (Wheezes with laughter) A bunch of w****s.

Tina: (looks surprised and hurt)

Man1: What was that one really pretty girl’s name? Elsa? Yeah Elsa was the worst of em all. And da best. While you-While you were off with Bella gettin ready Elsa approached me (laughs). You should have seen her. Like an angel from the heavens in her periwinkle blue dress and thick blond locks. And the smell. Oh she smelled of roses. She comes up to me and asks. Are you with anyone? I look her over and I have to admit she had it waaaayyyy over on you. I’m here with Tina says I. She pursed her pretty little lips. Tina? Didn’t think she had the stuff to nab someone like you. Well she ain’t nabbed me yet. That grin she gave me was so bright God himself would have needed sunshades. I’m glad to hear that. I been looking for someone to help me with my dress, the damn thing won’t stay up. So I says, Maybe I could be of some assistance. You bet your a*s that I was all over her whenever I had the chance. (snickers) In fact I’m half surprised you never suspected anythin.

Tina: You-You’re lieing!

Man1: Haha you WISH I was liein. I dunno what it is but this (shakes the bottle again) always makes me feel the need to tell the truth. Nah I ain’t liein. You’d be surprised how much you don’t know Tina.

Tina: I’m going to bed. I won’t have you ruin our 15 year anniversary any further.

Man dives for the woman’s arm and pulls her down back to the chair

Man1: You’ll sit till I’m done with my story. Story. Stor-eeeeeeee. (laughs)

Tina: Tom I won’t let you slander my family like this.

Man1:  Haha you think I’m liein! Think about it Tina. You think it coincidence that soooo many of your family members started hangin round here after that weddin. Comin home to meet some cousin you ain’t talked to in forever sittin on this couch laughin with me. Never thought it strange that they didn’t stay long after you got home. Just a simple hello, light hug, goodbye then see them again the following week. In the beginnin I thought for sure that you had guessed somethin about it. But after about (squints face) six months I figured that you were really oblivious so I decided to up the game.

Tina: (sobbing) Tom don’t do this. Its-its our anniversary.

Man1: So after the first six months I got pretty anxious. I mean you had yet to catch me and part of me was actually wantin it to happen. That part of me wanted to see what your face would be like if you caught me with one of your cousins or eventually one of your sisters.

Tina: NO! (Breaking into more sobs)

Man1: But the other half of me decided to start playin it safe. It was pretty convenient to since I had just gotten that promotion. I figured that I could get you to quit your job what with all the new money I was makin. See I knew that if I was going to be messin around in town that I couldn’t have you walkin around, imagine if we ran into each other while I was supposed to be on one of my many business trips. But you had to be dedicated to work. Work, work, work! Luckily you had no aversion to working from home. So I went on with my work and bein a ladys man. How long did that last? A year at least. Yeah after about a year I noticed you were beginning to wane and I needed to reel you back in. Couldn’t have you cheatin on me (snickers). So what did I have to do? Propose to you (laughs). My god every one of your bridesmaids I’d slept with before and sometimes even during the wedding preparations.  Want me to tell you the things I did on my bachelors party. (laughs) Nothin special really. I mean what was there to do that day that I didn’t do nearly every day of my life. Want to know my favorite part of the wedding? (shakes Tinas arm) I said do you want to know!

Tina: (Biting her lip, shaking her head through a cascade of silent tears whispers) No

Man1: (Grins) Well I’ll tell you. It was the exchangin of vows. When the preacher asked. Do you Tina Smith take Tom Adams to be your lawfully wedded husband and do you promise to love and cherish him, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him, for so long as you both shall live. And how you said I do. I do. I do. I do. You were crying then to (snickers). You said I do with every fiber of your being, believing whole heartedly that I also shared the same feelings. You could not have been more wrong. Do you remember when I said I do and how I was smiling so brightly. I’ll bet you thought that smile had something to do with the joy I was feelin at that moment with you becomin my wife. If that’s what you were thinkin then you were only half right. I was thinkin I’ve fooled her, I can’t believe I’ve fooled her, let the games begin further. Let the games begin. Begin games haha.

The man turns to look at Tina who is shaking her head, eyes frozen open.

Man1: What is it?

Tina: It can’t be true

Man1: What can’t be true? (glances at his wrist watch)

Tina: You-you l-l-loved m-m-me. I-I-It-It was my family that changed you. (Strained reasoning in her voice)

Man1: Your family?!? (laughs) Truth be told your family was the only reason I was interested in you in the first place and they hated you Tina, why I don’t know but they hated you, that’s prolly why they felt no aversion to tricking you. Young girl bright as a light bulb and possible a heir to a fortune. I had an inside source. Bobby Brown. You remember Bobby?

Tina: He was one of your drinking friends (her voice is distant)

Man1: Bobby’s father was one of your grandfathers lawyers. When the old man started making his will he stated that he would leave his fortune to which ever grandchild had been most successful in their lives. The idea being that (takes on an old mans voice) If they were smart enough to manage themselves to a healthy lifestyle then they should be well enough to know what to do with the money. Course Bobby was out of the picture since he was already engaged. But me and Bobby go wayyyyy back. He figured that he may as well help a friend out so he set it up so that I could meet you. But going back to something you said earlier. No it wasn’t your family that changed me. I’ve always been like this (snickers). I’m a sleazebag Tina. A regular degenerate, rotten, wicked, immoral, wicked man. (string of laughter)Here I’ll show you. Did you know I had a brother?

Tina: (silence)

Man1: Did you know I had a brother?

Tina: No. Why should that matter?

Man1: Oh it matters a lot. Do you recall me ever mentioning my brother? Ever mentioning that I had a little brother.

Tina: No you never did.

Man1: Well I did have a little brother. And you should have seen how we got along. Like cats and dogs mom used to say. Cats and dogs. I’ll admit it was 100% my fault. I wanted everything he had. Even if it wasn’t as good as what I had I still wanted it. I took most of everything he had too. Toys, cloths (grins). In school was where it was difficult. I never thought grades to be of real importance, the playground was where it counted. But then he brought home that report card. Straight A’s except in P.E. My parents were ecstatic. Maybe one of their sons wouldn’t be destined to as my father would say clean up other peoples s**t. That got to me. Those A’s in all his classes verses my solitary A in P.E. And it was something I knew I couldn’t really take from him. I couldn’t write my name across that report card, show it to my parents, and be showered with the praise they gave him. So I began to study of all things. Studied harder and longer than I thought he did. Bobby Brown. You remember Bobby Brown? I even had him cheat for me so I could get perfect scores on all my tests. When that next report card came in what do you know. Straight A’s baby!!! I’d beaten the little snot. Beaten him at his own game too. Of course I couldn’t let up. I couldn’t let him beat me. So I had to do it throughout school while juggling football, basketball, and track. I was summa cum laude and my brother got magna cum laude by the time high school ended. Then college acceptance letters came. (chuckles) My brother got into State University of New York at New Paltz on a 2 year scholarship. Course I got into Harvard, Yale, and Stanford. Harvard was the only one that offered a full ride so I went to them. I was sure that I’d beaten my brother once and for all.

Tina: Why didn’t you ever mention your brother? (really curious)

Man1: It wasn’t until after I had finished my four years at Harvard. I hadn’t seen my brother at all those four years. Then finally mom made us come down cuz of dads terminal cancer. He was on his last leg. So I get there to find my brother there by his bed side. And then I see her. Standing next to him holding hands is the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Hair as dark as night itself with skin softer than powdered snow. She was gorgeous (closes his eyes) and she was his wife. Hadn’t even considered sending me an invitation to the wedding. I guess he knew what I would try to do. He was right to not invite me cuz that’s when I set out to make her mine.

Tina: Tom! She was your brothers wife!

Man1: She was a tough one. Katherine was her name. It was surprisingly easy to too get her alone to spend time with. My brother trusted her too much. Too too much. Foolish really. He knew what kind of person I was. Those four years apart had softened him. He trusted her too much. It only took about four months before I finally had her. Course she wouldn’t leave him. (heaves softly. Sounding on the verge of tears) She said that she loved him too much. So it continued. for about two years. The cheating did. He almost caught us to but his mind seemed to be made up that she couldn’t be cheating on him. With his brother of all people. Then I came up with the perfect scheme. Yes I did. I decided to take my brother, on his anniversary of all days, to a w***e house, course I blindfolded him. As soon as he found out where we were he threw a punch at me which I dodged. He was livid with rage as he quickly stomped out. And there was Katherine. I had scheduled for Katherine to be walking down the street as I exited with my brother but she came early which worked out perfectly. I never want to see or speak to either of you ever again! She yelled. She took off her diamond ring and threw it at my brother. All he could do was reach out to her as she stormed off. He couldn’t even speak. Of course it was only later that night that I learned that Katherine had really included me in the shunning. But do you want to know what I said to my brother as Katherine walked away.

Tina: Tom don’t (further sobbing)

Man1: Do you want to know what I said to my brother Tina!

Tina: Tom

Man1: I whispered in his ear. I win.

(silence)

Tina: W-why T-t-tom why? (stuttering)

Man1: Because everything is a game to me Tina. Life is a game and I have to win it. That’s why I cheated on you, partially because I loved the thrill of the act but more because of the thrill of knowing that you didn’t know. I was beating you. (looks at his watch) And now I want to play another game with you. (Releases Tina’s arm and reaches for something in his pocket)

Tina: (Rises to her feet and backs away )Tom what are you doing?!?

Man1: It’s the most basic game in the world. A duel. Man against man. Mono e mono. (Withdraws an old .45 colt peacemaker)

Tina: (stumbles over her feet and falls to the floor) Tom why do you have that?

Man1: It’s an old gun my father gave me. Always kept it in case I found you cheating on me (smiles). There’s one bullet left. You’ll use this as your weapon. I left mine in my car. (Tosses the gun in front of Tina, and walks towards the door.)

Tina: (whispers softly) Tom…

The man turns around as he opens the door to look at the woman. She stares unblinking at the gun not moving an inch. He exits the door and begins to walk down the hallway. As he gets to the stairs another man staggers past him and stops. He is dressed in a white pinstripe shirt, beige pants, a ruby tie which was loosened, slick business shoes, and a light brown trench coat. The two men stare at each other an imaginary mirror between them. Man1 shoves the bottle into the other mans hands then takes off the gold ring that was on his ring finger and places it in the other mans hand.

Man1: Happy Anniversary big brother. (Walks past the man, onto the street)

Man2 shakes his head and walks to door number 6. He opens the door.

Man2: Tina?

Bang!

(Blackout)

 

Reviews

[LeeLee Ryder]

Interesting ... Payback is a motha ... Thru out the read, I was pondering why Man1 could pontificate so coherently when "3 sheets to the wind" but the ending clarified that... Revenge is sweet but I felt sorry that Tina was made a ex-spendable pawn between the chess playing twins.. Jail time & heartache--what a deadly combo..

[Sonya]

This is fun to read, keep at it!