A Sinking Ship

One Revolution Play Festival, Center Stages, July 3, 2010

Friday, July 2, 2010, at 7:00 P.M. six writers met at the home of the current Center Stages president, drew prompts from a pile and began writing. We were charged with completing a ten page play by 7:00 A.M., when about forty actors, six directors, and an unspecified number of tech people met at the Center Stages arena to cast, crew, and stage the plays. At 8:00 p.m. the plays were presented to an audience. What follows is my play.

Writer: Ron White
Title: A Sinking Ship
Prompts: mismatched couples & a sinking ship
Setting: a hold in a ship that may be sinking
Characters:
JESSICA, late forties, dressed in short brightly patterned shift wearing cowboy boots. Somehow, on her tall, leggy figure the combination “works.” A brightly but differently patterned scarf is loosely tied around her neck. Her big sunglasses are pushed up on her head. Everything she says rings with certainty and authority.
GIB, even later forties, dressed in beige chinos and a tan shirt. He is as tall as JESSICA, but because he is overweight he gives the impression that he is the short one of this couple. He is certainly shorter in stature. If in every relationship there is a pot and a flower, he is the pot to the brightly flowering JESSICA.
CODGER, late sixties, dressed in what use to be pumpkin colored overalls, a long sleeved blue denim work shirt, and orange work boots. All the colors have been faded and stained to mottled earth tones. His hair is unkempt and his beard is untrimmed, both graying in that piebald pattern that will never look distinguished. You expect him to be trailing a grocery basket with all his world’s possessions.
BENJAMIN, a shadow of a teen, skinny legged black jeans, a hoodie, worn zipped up with the hood up. Arms either perpetually wrapped around his thin frame or his hands stuffed deep in his pockets. He barely raises his head until BRIANNA enters.
BRYCE, Late forties. He never thinks he is out of place, wearing yellow chinos, and a khaki safari shirt and hat. He is ebullient and enthusiastic, to the edge of insincerity. He smiles a lot, for no apparent reason.
BRIANNA, a teen, wearing a khaki safari shirt open over her black t-shirt. Also wearing a black skirt, she carries a khaki safari hat as if she doesn’t quite know what to do with it.

THE SCENE
(We hear the sound of dripping water in a big, empty, metal-walled space, a hold in a ship that has not had a useful purpose in decades. A working ship’s hold would have crates, labeled, ordered, and stacked. This hold, while containing a few old crates and boxes left over from useful life, resembles someone’s attic. Mismatched chairs are piled in corners, among tables, boxes, and an occasional nautical artifact and random junk that only someone who sees possibilities in even the most worthless, useless things would save. Occasionally we hear a metallic thump echo from somewhere in the ship, and at rise, seemingly from everywhere we hear a metallic groan so loud, long, and low the walls seem to shudder and the floor seems to shift.)


JESSICA
(striding into the hold looking over her shoulder)
What was that! I tell you this thing is sinking.

GIB
(entering then roaming around the hold looking in boxes moving chairs, looking behind things)
It may be. Could just be the hull heating in the sun and expanding. Ask the Codger about it.

CODGER
(we hear his voice echoing from down the passageway)
Halooo, where’d you git to? Don’t stray off. Ye’ll git lost an we won’t be able to save you.

JESSICA
I never stray. I’m not lost. Don’t need saving. We’re here.

(CODGER shuffles in, he has a slight limp. He looks from JESSICA to GIB and back, a little too intently. His gaze settles on GIB. What at first looks like the CODGER’S shadow resolves into BENJAMIN, who slips through the hatch and into a corner, sits on a crate, pulls a notebook from his pocket and hunches over it.)

CODGER
You wanted to see this?
(GIB does not answer)

JESSICA
Well,did you? You’ve been asked.

GIB
(on his hands and knees looking into a pile of chairs)
Yes. This was his last berth. I never got his personal effects. He had an old trunk. I thought it might still be here.

CODGER
Well, prob’ly. All we done here since I came is add stuff, never threw anything away. Never know what you’ll need. It’s all got possibilities.

JESSICA
Looks like a bunch of junk to me. Fifteen years ago. It’s probably not here, been too long, and if you find it what’ll you have?

GIB
It’s worth a look to me. It might be worth something to someone.

BENJAMIN
(releases a heavy sigh, and impossibly, manages to slump even further into the shadows. We have yet to see his face.)

JESSICA
Bennie! (a bit too intense) Don’t you start! (BENJAMIN straightens slightly while JESSICA is looking at him, then slumps. JESSICA to GIB) How long will it take? We’re leaving soon, not driving all night.

GIB
Not long. With help. Ben, look there. . . . a black trunk.
(JESSICA rolls her eyes and begins to pace around, occasionally halfheartedly looking around.)

BENJAMIN
“Ah eye t”
(spoken as one syllable, his response is indistinguishable as “right” he slumps over toward the corner, tilts slightly as if to look under one chair and stops)

JESSICA
He never did anything, never fit in anywhere, never accomplished anything.

GIB
He was my father. One hour (looks at watch), we’ll go, found or not.

(We hear a distant ringing, like a ranch house dinner bell ringing)

CODGER
Oop, ‘nother customer. Are ye sayin’ a trunk or a footlocker? Wood or metal? Round top or flat?

GIB
(after a pause) Locker. Metal. Flat.

CODGER
Ah’ll keep thinkin’. (the bell rings again) Be right back. (He takes two steps out, stops, turns, and commands) Stay here! (he leaves)

JESSICA
(drifts toward GIB, stops between him and the pile he wants to explore. Whispering, as if to hide her words from BENJAMIN)

This is not the vacation I planned. If we’re going to look through stuff, I’d rather it be something useful—we passed two outlet malls this morning—something meaningful.

(GIB looks her in the eyes a moment, makes a slow feint left, which she follows to block his way, then he spins left all the way around to his right, walks around JESSICA toward the pile and stoops to look through it. BENJAMIN, who has been watching, barks out a laugh which JESSICA squelches with a dark look.)

I’m tired of you two laughing at me. I will have better. I deserve better.
(the drips, creeks, pops--the sounds of the ship intrude again, culminating in another loud metallic groan, once again, so loud, long, and low the walls seem to shudder and the floor seems to shift.)

I tell you if this thing isn’t sinking, it’s coming apart at the seams.

GIB
Sorry, Jess. Fifty minutes. Promise. (He checks his watch. As he speaks he looks through the pile, he stops, sighs) Ben, that was wrong of me. I made you laugh at her. Sorry. I shouldn’t have.

JESSICA
That’s wasn’t my Bennie. He’s better than that, better than him anyway, aren’t you my sweeeet boy. (She crosses to him and pulls his head to her chest in a hug, he hangs there limply as if his head was impaled on a wall)

BENJAMIN
(emits an inarticulate mutter as she rocks his head side to side)

GIB
Here, help Ben. (JESSICA releases BENJAMIN who extracts himself and crosses to help edge a crate aside so GIB can look behind it.

(sounds from the passageway, people talking, CODGER talking. The sounds get louder as they draw closer.)

CODGER
. . . cargo down the coast of South America and back for thirty years. This’ll be the only exhibition ship honoring the merchant marine. A cargo hold to the left. . .

(CODGER, BRYCE, and BRIANNA enter. BENJAMIN stands taller when they enter.

BRIANNA
I’m pretty sure this isn’t the Battleship Texas, Dad. (CODGER gives her an irritated look.)

BRYCE
(breezy, and confident)
Well maybe not, but it’s interesting none-the-less. (stops as he sees the others, a little over inflected) Well what a coincidence. Jessica, Gib, Bennie!

JESSICA
(Surprise, caution)
Bryce.

GIB
A coincidence?

CODGER
I know where the footlocker is? Nor’east corner. Back ‘o the boxes. A black one, right?

GIB
(turns toward the corner and begins to move junk. Sighing to self.)

Coincidence.(finding the foot locker) Ah! You’re good?
(GIB drags the foot locker to center. BENJAMIN joins him. They kneel, trying to open it)

CODGER
I know where most things are, possibly everything.

JESSICA
(moving toward BRYCE as BRIANNA moves to see what’s in the chest)
What is it?

GIB
(opening the lid, pulling papers and letters, some stacked and tied together with string) My father’s poems.

BENJAMIN
(his first articulate word)
Grandpa wrote poetry?

JESSICA
(JESSICA, snorts and rolls her eyes so only BRYCE can see)
Well that’s . . . good.

GIB
Look, Ben, He wrote this about you when you were born. He use to send poems to us neatly written in his big looping handwriting. I didn’t keep them, barely read them. (BENJAMIN takes the paper, and begins to read, GIB to BENJAMIN, apologetically) Old fashioned stuff, huh? He always said his poems were out of fashion.

BENJAMIN
No, it’s okay. I like it. (BRIANNA, kneels next to BENJAMIN, begins to read the papers with him.) Is it all poetry?

GIB
Looks like a lot of it is. This looks like a stack of journals. I’m glad we found it. (to CODGER) May I have this? Do I need to pay you anything?

CODGER
Looks like the best place for this is with you.

JESSICA
Okay, you found it. Let’s . . .(she drifts off, a first sign of uncertainty)

BRYCE
What are your plans? Bree and I are staying in Rockport. We could all go for dinner together.

GIB
I think our plan is to go on up to San Antonio this afternoon.

JESSICA
We’re on a vacation, we can be flexible. Bryce, do you think there might still be rooms available where you’re staying?

BRYCE
I’ll give them a call and see. (he steps away and calls on his phone)

GIB
Jess, you okay with that?

JESSICA
Sure, it’ll probably be good for Bennie--someone his own age. (to BENJAMIN) Do you know Bree? You go to the same school,don’t you? (BENJAMIN, shrugs, nods, and when JESSICA turns to BRYCE exchanges a direct gaze and smile with BRIANNA)

BRYCE
It’s a done deal. I went ahead and told them to hold you a room. That okay, Gib?

JESSICA & GIB OVERLAP
JESS: Sure,that’s fine. GIB: Looks like it.

GIB
(turning to CODGER, indicating the footlocker) Is this for sale, then?

CODGER
Naa, it’s yours.

GIB
Let’s see if we can carry it out.

JESSICA
Up those ladders? It’s going to take forever.

BRYCE
Why don’t we go ahead and get your room and let them come along when they haul the trunk out?

JESSICA
Uh, okay. (second sign of indecision)

BRYCE
Bree, you okay staying with them, or . . . do you want . .

BRIANNA
I’m okay Dad. (quickly)

JESSICA
Okay with you? (to GIB)

GIB
Probably for the best.

(JESSICA & BRYCE begin to move toward the exit)

CODGER
Le’me show you all out.

BRYCE
We can find it.

JESSICA
Yeah, not a problem.

(they’re gone, once again we hear a metallic groan so loud, long, and low the walls seem to shudder and the floor seems to shift)

I’m telling you this thing is sinking! Don’t hang around too long.

CODGER
I better go with ‘em.

GIB
Let her go. She may be lost, she may need saving, but she won’t admit it.

CODGER
We’ll be outta here in just a bit, anyway. I’ll look for ‘em when we finish.

GIB
Up those ladders with this trunk?

CODGER
Naw, the hold has a winch at the hatch. Come on up and help me drop the net down to the kids. (they exit)

(BRIANNA and BENJAMIN are left reading the poems. They look to see they are alone and then embrace and exchange a kiss)

BENJAMIN
Breee? (laughing)

BRIANNA
Bennieee? (laughing)

TOGETHER
BRI: Nobody calls me that but Dad.
BEN: Nobody calls me that but Mom.
(They laugh, giggle, and tussle playfully)

BRIANNA
And your Mom really doesn’t know anything about me?

BENJAMIN
She knows, I’ve taken out an Annie several times. (they both laugh) Dad knows you, could you tell?

BRIANNA
No, really?

BENJAMIN
He’s good that way. He’s also bad that way. I didn’t know why we were roaming around in this old ship, but I think he wanted me to have Grandpa’s poetry.

BRIANNA
Does he know about . . .

BENJAMIN
I don’t know . . . maybe.

BRIANNA
I like the poems, they’re sweet.

BENJAMIN
As sweet as mine? (she smiles as . . .)

GIB
Ahoy mates, line coming down. (interrupting from above)

TOGETHER
Ahoy mates? (looking at each other, they laugh again)

(a line is dropped from above and the “children” tie the footlocker to the line, it is being raised to the hatch above as the lights fade. The last thing we hear is their laughter echoing in the hold)