FABLE
Dialogue between man and woman, in the 10-minute play tradition of the Actors Theatre in Louisville, Kentucky. soldier-wife/ domestic scene – announcement of departure – confession? – torment /aggression – abandonment - resolution. Sol – Latino Iraq war veteran with a physical injury and PTSD. Ain – English school teacher and full-time nurse for her husband, Sol. Charlie - Friend and colleague of Sol
PERSONNAGES
Charlie’s Coming
Sol (Sitting in front of a television with his leg in a cast) Ainsley, can you get me a beer?
Ain (from a distance, sounds of packing, offstage) Ah Sol, I’m busy right now..
Sol C’mon on, get me a beer. Come sit with me a minute. What are you doing anyway? What’s all that noise over there?
Ain (Entering) I’m packing.
Sol What?
Ain I’m packing, I’m taking a little trip to my sister’s.
Sol You never mentioned nothing about a trip to your sister’s. What’s going on, when did you decide to go there? Why didn’t you tell me?
Ain
I just need a little break, Sol, I won’t be gone for long. Just a few days.
Sol Ain, you know I can’t be alone right now. That’s what the doctor said. I’m not supposed to be alone.
Ain I know. I spoke to Charlie and he said he’d come stay with you for a few days.
Sol Charlie? You been talking to Charlie? – pause – YOU BEEN TALKING TO CHARLIE? Jesus Ain, don’t we have no private life any more?
Ain Calm down Sol.
Sol (Agitated) I’m not gonna calm down. I can’t fucking calm down! Even the sound of a door closing drives me fucking crazy! I can’t go outside and hear cars backfiring or god-damn dogs barking. I can’t see children playing. I need some time. Ain please, I just need a bit of time.
Ain Sol, it’s been weeks... WEEKS! I just need a little break.
Sol You get out all the time! You go to all kinds of support meetings, bunch of BS if you ask me. Just a bunch of ladies stickin’ it to their men.
Ain
Sol, it’s not like that. You know it ain’t like that. And what about you, you haven’t seen your counsellor in weeks. Why don’t you go down to the VA center and see about getting some services?
Sol
Services? You think they give fucking services over there? Your buddies find out that you need services and they call you a pussy. Your Lieutenant Colonel finds out and your career is fucked. If I can’t work In the military, what the hell do you think I’m gonna do? Hey? Be a Walmart greeter for six bucks an hour? Flip burgers? Jesus, I need this job. We need this job. We were going to have a family, remember? And now you won’t come near me without three layers of condoms. What’s going on with that anyways? I’ve been meaning to ask.
Ain Ask about what? (pretending not to know)
Sol You never used to give a shit about condoms before I went to Iraq.
Ain (Silence)
Sol So...
Ain So...
Sol So what’s up with that? Don’t you want to have kids no more?
Ain Silence (Ain retreats from Sol) Sol C’mere baby, we ain’t had no fun in weeks. (tries to grab Ain by the waist, but she moves out of reach) A man has needs ya know. If I don’t get it here I might have to get it somewhere else.
Ain Good.
Sol What did you just say?
Ain (Irritated) Good! I said good! Then maybe you’d get out of the fucking house now and again, ya know? You’re always here, always, always here! You never do anything but sit there and watch soap operas. Maybe your friends would be right calling you a pussy!
Sol (Menacingly) You better watch what you say my little girl.
Ain Silence.
Sol I risked my fucking ass, getting shot at everyday, being forced to do things you don’t even want to imagine, things that I don’t wanna to remember, all so you and me and our kids could live a good life. Do you know how hard it is to get a job these days, Ain? Jesus, nobody’s hiring Vets. (pause) And now, after getting my ass blown off, now you’re taking off? You’re going to leave me alone? I can’t be alone. You know I can’t be alone.
Ain (Calmly) You won’t be alone, I told you Charlie’s coming over. Sol Charlie’s coming over. I don’t want no ‘Charlie’s coming over’ (mocking Ain). I want you HERE. You’re not going away, go unpack your shit, you’re not going anywhere.
Ain (Defiantly) I’m going to see my sister Char – Sol.
Sol (disbelievingly) What did you just say?
Ain I’m going to see my sister.
Sol Not that! You almost said Charlie.
Ain No I didn’t.
Sol Yes you did, I know what I heard, you bitch! (Slaps Ain across the face) Don’t treat me like a fucking moron! I heard exactly what you said. Ain (Crying)
Sol Look at me!
Ain (Sobbing)
Sol I said look at me!
Ain (Still sobbing)
Sol (Threatens to slap her, but instead grabs her by the hair) You’ve been fucking Charlie, haven’t ya, ya bloody bitch!
Ain (Sobbing)
Sol If I find out you been fucking Charlie I’m gonna kill you both, you understand? I don’t give a shit if he’s my staff Sargent, I’m gonna kill you and him both, but especially you! You bitch! (He lets go of her head).
Now tell me you ain’t been fucking Charlie.
Ain (Crying more quietly)
Sol Ain, I want you to look at me and tell me you ain’t been fucking Charlie.
Ain
(With determination) I’m leaving you Sol. I’ve been thinking about it for a little while. But now I’ve decided.
Sol (Unbelieving) I know I haven’t been right, Ain, I know I haven’t been right since I got back. And I’m sorry, but I can’t go to the VA Center. You know why. I’ll never be anything but a soldier or a captain or some computer-button-pusher if they find out I’m not right.
Ain You need help, Sol. (recovering from crying) I’m not the one who can help you. I’ve been paying the bills, cleaning the house, doing the cooking, looking after your injuries. You’re almost better. You don’t need me any more.
Sol Ain
Ain (Silence)
Sol Ain. I do need you. I need you because your the only one I have, you know that. I have no brothers, no sisters, the only time my dad gave a shit about me was when I filed my post-op reports. You can’t leave me! Ain, listen to me.
Ain Why do you give a shit about him, you’re dad’s a creep.
Sol He’s a businessman.
Ain He’s not a businessman.
Sol He’s a goddamn businessman, he runs his own business!
Ain Jesus, Sol, your dad runs a mercenary army. Didn’t you read what Skunkwater did in Iraq? Didn’t you read the news?
Sol (Somberly, head in hands) I can’t read the news. Ain Well you should read the news! Between your dad’s company and the real military, they did all kinds of bad shit over there. Things nobody deserves to have to live through, things nobody over here wants to hear about: executions of innocent people, ‘enhanced interrogations’, white phosphorous, depleted uranium, attacks on families, children...
Sol (Agitated and hyperventilating) STOP TALKING AIN!
Ain Your dad had a hand in all of that bad shit, plus he never even bothered to come to our wedding. He never calls or writes a card or anything. He’s a loser, Sol. Fuck him!
Sol Leave my dad out of this.
Ain I don’t get it, why do you protect that guy? He’s a fucking mercenary who doesn’t give a shit about anybody, even his only son! Sol (Brooding)
Ain (walking away)
Sol (With fear) Where are you going?
Ain I’m going to my sister’s.
Sol (menacingly) You ain’t going to your sister’s and you ain’t leaving either.
Ain I’m gong to my sister’s Sol, get that through your head. I’m going to my sister’s and I ain’t coming back. You hear me? I will not be back!
Sol I hear ya.
Ain Good.
Sol Now sit down.
Ain
No Sol, I’m leaving.
Sol You ain’t told me about Charlie yet.
Ain Sol, I’m leaving.
Sol (Pulls out a Glock, puts it on the table) Sit yourself down and tell me about Charlie.
Ain (Wide-eyed, remaining standing) There’s nothing to tell Sol. I just can’t take it any more, the yelling, the ordering around, the drinking, the hits, I’m bruised Sol, you see here? (Pulling up sleeve to reveal bruised upper arm) This is from three weeks ago. I’m not leaving you for Charlie, I’m just leaving.
Sol Does Charlie know about this?
Ain (Lying) The taxi will be here in two minutes.
Sol You can’t do this to me Ain, you’re my wife!
Ain (Goes offstage, packing noises emanate from off-stage)
Sol Ain, don’t leave me baby. I’m sorry. I know I’m fucked up, I’m sorry. I’m just waiting for the right posting. Things will be better when I get back to work. You know things was never like this before, Ain. You know we were always good together, before I...
Ain (Suddenly appearing) Before is right! Things have changed Sol, and not for the better. You’ve changed. We’ve changed. Things are shit now and I can’t stand it any more.
Sol I ain’t got nobody, Ain. Nobody. You can’t do this to me. (Begins to cry)
Ain (Softly) Sol..
Sol I’ll end up begging in the streets, Ain, please don’t go...
Ain It’s too late Sol. I gotta go.
Sol This is not right.
Ain It’s right for me, Sol. I’m sorry. I have to leave now.
Sol Give me another chance, baby. I’ll go see a counsellor, I promise.
Ain Like I ain’t heard that before!
Sol I can’t be alone, Ain.
Ain You’ll be fine. Charlie will be here in two hours (lying).
Sol (Silence)
Ain You take care now, Sol. I’ll call you some time. (walks offstage with some hesitation, hand on her cheek, door slams)
Sol (Gazes at the gun. Leans forward to grab it, examines it with contemplation, points it towards his face as his cell phone begins to ring, looks into the barrel, (long pause) and puts it down. Gets his cell phone out of his pocket, answers the call.) (hopeful) Ain?
Male voice No it’s Charlie, Sol. How’re ya doing, man?
Sol Not so good Charlie, Ain is gone.
Charlie
She’ll be back soon, Sol. I’m gona be over soon to check things out OK? You gona be alright until then?
Sol I dunno, Charlie (absently). I dunno if I’m gonna be alright..
Charlie You hang in there for a bit, OK?I just have a couple of thing to take care of. Feel like burgers? I can pick up some burgers on my way over.
Sol Could ya get a couple a beers too?
Charlie Sure thing.
Sol Thanks, man.