Shootin’ In The Street

A residential neighborhood at the edge of the woods.  A relatively calm cul-de-sac street.

A 10 year old BOY enters with a .22 caliber rifle and a beer can.   He puts the can downstage, goes upstage, aims, fires, misses, walks to can, spins it around, walks upstage, aims, fires, misses, walks to can.  Repeats a third time.

Neighbor One (N1) enters stage left while Boy is at beer can/target.

N1: Hey.

BOY: (startled) Hey.

N1: That’s the street, you know.  It’s not a good idea to shoot into the street.

BOY: Oh, OK.

N1: It’s just that… OK.. Thanks.  (pauses, thinks, then)  It’s a nice gun.  Did you get that for christmas?

BOY: Yep.

Neighbor Two (N2) enters holding a milk crate full of car parts.

N2: What’d’ya’ want?  What’re’ya sayin’?

N1: O, hi.  I was.. I live right there, you know.

N2: I know.

N1: And I was just asking him to not shoot into the street, is all.

N2: Well, don’t talk to him, talk to me.

Boy is caught in middle.

N1: OK.  Then I’ll ask you to ask him to not shoot into the street.

N2: Nope.

N1: Nope?  What do you…?

N2: ‘Cause it goes against what I already told him.

N1: What does?

N2: I told him to shoot into the street.

Pause.

N1: Ah, OK, but, I’m asking you… I mean, you can’t…

N2: I didn’t come out here to argue.

N1: I’m not arguing.

N2: Yes you are are if you’re telling him to not do something that I already  told him to do.

N1: But he can’t, I mean, common sense, you know, you can’t shoot into the street.

N2: He knows to look out for cars.  He’s not stupid.  We’re not stupid.

N1: I’m not.. I’m, I’m…

N2: That’s it; we’re done. (to Boy) Come on, inside. (to N1) You don’t talk to him; you talk to me.

Boy and N2 exit stage right.

N1: That’s what I’m trying to do.

N1 watches them leave then looks at beer can/target.  He walks over to can and in a sudden rage, picks up the can, crushes it in his hand, lacerating his palm.   He stands there looking at his bloody hand until he closes his eyes, raises his hand, and feels the blood run down his arm.

END

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