Scene: (A well-dressed woman sits over her
sandwich plate at the counter of a small diner reading the last few pages of a
thick paperback. She’s twisted in
her seat to decorously cross her legs.
A cook named Mac wearing a white apron over jeans and
t-shirt works behind the
counter.)
Mac
More coffee?
Woman
No, thank you.
Mac
You want I should wrap that to go?
Woman
Uuummm, I may take another bite here. I’m just trying to finish this story. You know how it is. How you get near the end and need
to see how it turns out.
Mac
Yeah, sure.
Woman
A cliffhanger, you know?
Mac
Ah, I got the diner here.
I don’t got much time for paperbacks.
(Woman goes back to
reading. Enter Joe who sits at a
stool four down from the woman.
Mac joins him.)
Joe
Hey, Mac.
Mac
Yeah, how’s by you?
You want coffee?
Joe
Yeah, sure.
(Indicates the
woman.)
Whose package?
Mac
A free agent, I guess.
You eating?
Joe
Dressed awful nice for around here.
No offense, but she’s a cut above your regular clientele. You seen her before?
Mac
You eating, or what?
Joe
Where’s Doris?
Mac
Out sick.
Joe
She’s out sick, huh?
Not here tonight? You’re
working sui generis? Heh, heh. That’s a good one, sui
generis.
Mac
You gonna order?
Joe
How’s the pie? You
got a slice of that apple pie? Is
it fresh?
(Louder, playing to the woman.)
I don’t want no pie that’s green around the edges. No green pie for me, heh, heh.
Mac
There’s pie, came in this morning. You want some, or what?
Joe
Yeah, give me the pie.
But look, heat it up, okay?
Kill off that green bacteria.
Just nuke it for a minute.
(Mac leaves to get the
pie.)
Joe
(To the woman.)
How about that guy, huh?
Can’t take the time to heat up my slice of pie.
(Louder, challenging absent Mac.)
Can’t take a whole minute out of his life to pop my slice of pie
into the microwave. Too much
trouble. (more)
(Woman reads. Joe moves one stool closer to her.)
Joe
I’m Joe. I come in
here all the time. This is a
regular stop for me. That’s my rig
there.
Yessirrie, a million-dollar rig. It ain’t mine, of course. I’m just the driver.
Licensed and bonded. Making
the long hauls. That’s me. My boss’ best man, trusted with the
million-dollar rig for the long hauls.
So, ah, wha’chu driving?
(Pause.)
So, wha’chu reading there?
Must be a great book.
En-gros-sing, huh?
(The woman glances at
him.)
Joe
Hi, I’m Joe.
(She goes back to
reading.)
Joe
Yeah, okay. I get
the picture. Too good for drivers,
uh? There in your silky blouse and
your long coat and your pan-ty-hose.
(The woman stares him
down. Mac enters with the pie.)
continued...
