A PRIVATE VICTORY by Jim Reardon Cast: Alex Protagonist, general good guy who cares about his friends and knows to just say no! Jason The evil antagonist who, unbeknownst to Alex, sells drugs to Bob. Dresses in collared shirts with the first few buttons open, exposing his manly chest hair. Coach A person to look up to who cares for Bob. Bob An innocent jock who doesn’t realize real dangers of drugs. Billy A nice guy who befriends Alex in his new environment. Juanita Just some random girl who attends a party and knows. every woman’s dream man, Bob. Michael The only black kid that goes to Highland, and one of Bob’s only true friends. Debbie Student Assistance Personal at Highland. Principal The Principal of Highland High. Cop A fine member of the Highland Law Enforcement Team. Babe Some attractive, yet stupid, woman. Seller Where Jason gets his stuff from. Thugs Just your average social deviants who like to abuse. Lunchlady A social deviant who torments our protagonist, Billy about his lactose intolerance. Steve Just your average party go-er, who is dating Amy. Amy Just your average party go-er, who is dating Steve. 6 to 10 Miscellaneous People For party scenes, hallway scenes, and the such. Props: Wad o' Cash For Jason, the Pimp Oversized Ripped Ten Dollar Bill A essential key to Alex's discovery of Jason. Smoke Smoke can be used for the party scene to accentuate that everyone there is, in fact, smoking, but is not necessary to the plot. ACT I Scene 1 Scene: We see a group of people sitting on bleachers, including ALEX, JASON, and BILLY. Each character is sitting apart from the others. There is a definite air of superiority around the COACH, who sits the furthest stage right and separated from the rest. Characters act as if watching a brutal wrestling match, and look nervous as if the outcome is shaky. After a short while, everyone but one or two jump up and cheer for BOB. Others boo or look disappointed. BOB (Enter stage right, approaches COACH) COACH Good job, Bob, but I would have expected you to pin that guy, he was no match for you. Is something wrong? BOB No coach, just fine! (Gives a settling chuckle) Look, everything’s fine! I’ll work out and do better next time. Promise. BILLY (Moves over to sit by ALEX, who appears pleased by his move) Wow, he did it! For a while I didn’t think he’d do it this time… ALEX (Nods in agreement) Neither did I! You know, with his record, I really expected him to be overwhelming. He didn’t look like a 3 year undefeated champion out there today. BILLY Well, he was the past three years… But not really lately. ALEX You know him? BILLY Yeah, pretty well. So, do you go to Highland? ALEX Yeah, I just moved here about a week ago. BILLY Yeah, I didn’t think I’d seen you around. I’m Billy Hecklin. ALEX And I’m Alex Dumblo. BILLY So Alex, what do you think of old Highland High? ALEX Well, I haven’t really met many people yet… JASON (Barges politely into ALEX & BILLY’s conversation from stage left) See, I told you that Bob’d come through! (Looks at ALEX) Hey, Alex, my man, how’s it going! (Shakes hands or does some familiar gesture with ALEX) ALEX Great, man. JASON Yeah, (pulls out wad of cash) Bobbie’s my money man! I hear he’s going to be the big thing at the party tonight. (directs his attention towards ALEX) You are still coming tonight, right Alex? ALEX Oh yeah, I’ll be there all right. JASON Okay, well, I’ll check you later, gotta 7-15. ALEX Later, amigo. BILLY (Looks as if he may be jealous) So, looks like you’ve made one friend. ALEX Yeah, he seems to be the only person here that’s been real friendly so far… Other than you of course (shoots BILLY an approving, if not homosexual, smile). There’s supposed to be a big party tonight, are you going? BILLY No thanks, I think I’ll pass ALEX I hear Bob Harper’s going to be there (shoots a loving glance where BOB is talking silently to COACH). BILLY Oh yeah, Bob’s going to be there all right. Hey look, I gotta jet, but I’ll see you around, okay? ALEX Yeah, see ya. BILLY (Exits stage left) FREEZE Scene 2 Scene: Set changes into a huge party. Kids are all over drinking brews and having laughs. A few at a table are passing around some reefer. General zaniness is ensued. Kids have fun, look stoned. We see ALEX as he enters stage right. He glances around in a accepting, but disapproving, manner. He walks past drunken, passed out fools and is approached by JASON. JASON Hey man, good to see you. You been here long? ALEX No, just got here actually. (BABE walks by, checking ALEX out, inviting him to a night of free sex and beer) Hey, whose house is this anyway? JASON I dunno. Some girl’s. (Short pause). Hey, don’t worry about it! There’s nobody here to stop you from getting anything you want (chuckles slightly), and I do mean anything. ALEX Oh yeah? (Said with a slightly evil grimace). JASON Yeah. (Just as he is about to say more, the scene’s focus is distracted to BOB and his friends). BOB (Holds a can of beer) Wait, let me tell you another one (said slurred and through drunken laughter. He is obviously making a complete fool out of himself to his friends). ALEX Is that Bob Harper? JASON Yeah, he always comes to parties. Hey, do you want to meet the big man? ALEX (Looking and sounding bashful) Naaaahhh, I couldn’t… JASON Aww, come on… (Pulls ALEX towards BOB, who is continuing to make a fool out of himself) BOB So I say rectum? Dang near killed him! (Laughs strongly at a joke that no one else seems to get) JASON Hey Bob! BOB Jason, Jason, Jason (continues quietly through JASON’s first line) JASON I want you to meet Alex Dumblo, your newest and biggest fan. He just moved into Highland last week. (Looks at ALEX) Alex, this is the legendary Bobbie Harper! (Does a little handshake with BOB) BOB Alex, hey, new kid, huh? What do you say, Alex? How you doin’? ALEX Not bad, so far… (Points to BOB’s cans of brew) So is this part of the training for wrestling? (JASON laughs hysterically) BOB There’s nothing wrong with a few brews… Long as you don’t tell the cops! (JASON laughs even harder now) JASON (While laughing, slaps BOB a high five or similar approving gesture) BOB (Announcing) A brew for Alex! ALEX No, no, I don’t want one… Really, I don’t drink. BOB (Wide eyed and fearful) You’re not in training are you? (Looks serious for one second, then cracks up again with JASON) ALEX (Obviously a big dork, takes him seriously) No, I’m not in training… BOB Well then, here you go! (Hands ALEX a beer, ALEX reluctantly takes it, but does not drink any of it) ALEX Uhh, thanks. JUANITA (Busts in on their conversation, wild and crazy, might just have had a little too much party punch) Hey Bob man! BOB Hey, Juanita! What’s up! JUANITA Nothing, man. Hey, great party, I’m having a blast! (Eyes settle on JASON, go wide, voice is now more serious) Hey Jason, I need to talk to you… JASON No problem. (Puts his arm around JUANITA, and they walk off talking in low mumbles which fade into pantomimed speech) BOB So, you wrestle Allie? Mind if I call you Allie? ALEX Uhh, I wrestle a little, and I guess so. BOB Well you can’t be any good, I ain’t ever heard of you. ALEX Yeah, well, I’ve heard a lot about you and you weren’t any good tonight. BOB (Good humoredly, but a little pissed off) Woooooaaaaahhh, you want to show me what you got? ALEX Oh, no, man, I didn’t mean anything by that… BOB Here, take these guy (hands his loved brew to somebody close by and convenient). AMY Yeah, you take him Bob. ALEX Oh, no, man, not now… BOB Come on champ, show me what you got. BABE Look, Bobbie’s going to wrestle again! BOB Hey, clear out everybody, I got a major challenger here! The honorable Alex will wrestle me! JUANITA (Still standing by JASON) Man, Bobbie’s going to kill him! BOB (Beckons ALEX to the floor) Well, come on man, I won’t hurt you, I promise. STEVE (Arm around AMY) Man, watch him demolish this new kid. That sucker doesn’t even have a chance. BOB & ALEX (Drop into wrestling position. The crowd looks amused and stoned at this development in the party. They wrestle, and ALEX easily pins BOB… Maybe too easily) BOB (Realizing his defeat) Wow, I am amazed. Either that or I must be really wasted to let you take me that easy. ALEX You okay man? (Offers his hand to BOB and helps him up) BOB Yeah man, just fine. But we’re going to have to do that some time for real in the gym. But right now it’s time for some serious partying, am I right? ALEX Right. BOB (Grabs a new beer, offers it to ALEX) ALEX (Shakes) No thanks. BOB Okay. (Pops it open himself and drinks it). Hey, you got a joint? ALEX A what? BOB Hey man, a joint, you know, some pot? You got some? ALEX No, I don’t have any of that stuff. BOB No problem, then, provided you have twenty bucks. I left my wallet in my locker. ALEX Are you serious? BOB Yeah, come on, trust me here. ALEX (Whips out his wallet) Well, all’s I got is ten bucks (gives him a fine, normal sized ten dollar bill), and, well, I guess fifteen (hands him the oversized half-ten dollar bill, making sure the audience sees and notices this important characteristic). BOB Hey, thanks a lot buddy. Hey, have a seat, I’ll be back in a few, all right? ALEX (Sits down, watches all the partiers party. Does not notice as BOB approaches JASON and JUANITA, pantomimes talking, and all walk off stage right together). JASON (Enters stage left [opposite he left from, if possible]) Hey man, that was some move you put on Bob there. ALEX No, he was too stoned and drunk to know what he should do, let alone what he was doing. JASON Still, it was a pretty good move. Hey, is there anything you need? ALEX Ah, no, I was probably just about to leave anyway… JASON Hey, well, I gotta go soon too, got a couple other parties I have to go to. Some other people counting on me, you know what I mean? ALEX Right. JASON Check you later. ALEX Bye. BOB (Enters waving the air, obviously from smoking some doobe. Approaches JUANITA and talks to her) Hey, look at Alex, man, look at him, Alex, Alex, man, I’m going to get him this time, man, I’m going to TAKE HIM OUT! (Approaches ALEX) Hey man, let’s do it again, let’s do another fall man. ALEX Bobbie, what’s wrong? You’re stoned out of your mind. You’re in no condition to go fall now… BOB What do you mean? I can take you! I can take anyone! ALEX What’s wrong? Just calm down! BOB Come on, let’s go! (Clutches heart and throat) JUANITA You okay man? ALEX What’s wrong? BOB (Starts coughing) ALEX Bob? JUANITA He’s going into some kind of fit! BOB (Falls down) ALEX Bobbie! Bobbie! I don’t think he’s kidding! BABE Oh my God! What do we do? ALEX Somebody call an ambulance. Go on! Somebody call an ambulance QUICK! FREEZE Scene 3 Scene: In the school hallways. Several kids are lounging around or just kicking it old school. We start the scene as COACH is walking down the hallway. AMY, originally talking to some friends, notices him and approaches. AMY Hey Coach! What’s the skin on Bob? COACH It’s bad Amy, really bad. Hey, sorry, but I got to get into a meeting right now, I’ll tell you more after practice. AMY That’s cool, Coach, see you at practice. (Exits stage right) DEBBIE (Enters as she sees COACH, and approaches him hurriedly) Coach! I just heard about Bob, now is he going to be all right? COACH The doctors I told me said they can’t know yet. He’s gone into a coma, I spent half the night yesterday with his parents in his room. Really a shame. You headed for the meeting too? DEBBIE Yes. I’m really worried… EXIT ALL Scene 4 Scene: COACH, DEBBIE, PRINCIPAL, and COP are all gathered around a meeting table. All sit except for COP, who stands. PRINCIPAL Okay, (pointing to COACH) this is Coach Harr, he is Bob’s gym teacher and his wrestling coach, and this (pointing to DEBBIE) is Debbie Cardwell, head of the school’s Student Assistance Program. Ladies and Gentlemen, this (pointing to BOB) is Sgt. Webster Popadapolus of the Highland Police Force. COP I asked Principal Skinner to let me speak to you today because what we have here is not just drugs, it is something worse than drugs, somebody playing games with drugs. We know that Bob went to a party that dreadful night, and we also know for a fact that he drank a lot of beers and had some marijuana. At least a couple of joints. But here’s the twist: his last joint was laced with a heavy dose of an even deadlier drug, Cocaine. We need your help to stop this. Bob had a heart attack, and now he’s in a coma. And what happened to Bob can happen to anyone else who gets their hands on some marijuana from the same batch, or even just from the same dealer. That’s all I have for now, but as we learn more about the specifics of the case, I’ll get back in touch with you. COACH Excuse me, but I have a question. Why would a dealer go through all the trouble – and danger – of tainting their drugs? COP It’s not too uncommon. Dealers often do it in order to get their customers hooked on another, more expensive drug. Sometimes it’s not even the dealers that do it. With drugs, you never know what you’re getting yourself into. Any other questions? (Short pause) Well then, I’ll keep in touch. In the mean time, I think it’s important that we alert every student of the dangers here. ALL EXIT Scene 5 Scene: Hallway of school again. DEBBIE is talking with some students away from JASON. JASON is standing at a locker when ALEX walks in. JASON approaches him. JASON Hey man, what’s up? ALEX Hey, now, listen. Did you hear about Bobbie? JASON What? What happened? ALEX They took him to the hospital after the party last night, after you left. JASON They WHAT? ALEX They took him to the hospital. He must of overdosed or something. I really wonder if somebody sold him some bad stuff. JASON No, the guys who sell that stuff, they’re just… business men. It was Bob’s choice to smoke dope. Besides, he only smoked a few joints, that won’t put you in the hospital. ALEX I dunno, but I can’t help feeling a little responsible. After all, I’m the one who loaned him the money to buy the stuff. JASON Look, if you don’t believe me I can prove it to you. Hey, Ms. Cardwell, can I talk with you? (DEBBIE comes over) Now, Ms. Cardwell, you run a substance abuse class, right? DEBBIE Sure do, Jason, were you thinking of signing up? JASON No, no, I just need you to explain to Alex here that smoking a few joints won’t put you in the hospital. DEBBIE Smoking marijuana inhibits your thinking, kills brain cells, and impairs your decision making skills., that’s bad enough. But you’re right Jason, in limited quantities it can’t put you in the hospital. Unless something else was added, and that’s another danger. ALEX Is that what happened to Bob? DEBBIE We think so. A police officer told us that the marijuana Bob smoked was laced with cocaine. JASON (Looks very shocked) What? DEBBIE Cocaine. It can cause an almost instant heart attack in some people… One of those people just happened to be Bobbie Harper. With drugs you just never know what you’re getting yourself into. ALEX Boy… I would like to find the guy that sold Bob those joints. JASON (Looks confused, and talks kind of low, but still audible) Yeah, so would I. BLACK OUT ACT II SCENE 1 Scene: The cafeteria. There is a table with nobody currently sitting at it. BILLY is behind ALEX, who is standing in line to receive his food. BABE is in front of ALEX, completing the sandwich. BILLY (Talking to ALEX) Just two milks? That’s it? ALEX Hey, milk, it does a body good. BILLY I wouldn’t know, I’m lactose intolerant. Why no food, though? ALEX Not very hungry. I think you can understand. BILLY Of course I can. ALEX You were right not to go to that party last night. Did you hear there was some dealer that sold Bob some bad coke? He’s in a coma now. BILLY I think everyone has. Mixing cocaine with marijuana? Now even drug dealers are thinking up new ways to ruin people’s lives. BABE Yeah, I just heard. Of all the people I couldn’t believe Bob Harper would get involved with drugs. ALEX Yeah. (As he approaches LUNCHLADY, who stands at the front of the line, JASON jumps in line) JASON Hey man, mind if I butt in? Just need some change for the phone. ALEX Sure man, go ahead. Just getting something to drink. JASON Yeah, milk, it does a body good. Eh, Billy? BILLY Don’t torment me because of my deficiency to digest milk. JASON (Pulls out huge, torn bill) ALEX (Grabs JASON’s arm) Where’d you get this torn bill? JASON I don’t know, it’s just some money! What’s the big deal? ALEX Nothing. Nothing. JASON (To LUNCHLADY) Change for the phone. (LUNCHLADY takes bill and gives him some change. JASON exits) ALEX Just two milks. LUNCHLADY That’ll be 40 cents please. Just don’t let Billy get his hands on them. BILLY You’re going to regret this torment one day, all of you! ALEX (Chuckles) Thanks. (Sits at table) BILLY Throw on an extra sandwich, too. And I’m not going to say “please.” (Gets his food and sits down with ALEX) Here you go, eat up. ALEX Thanks man. BILLY So, what’s up? ALEX So does Jason push drugs? BILLY That is the rumor… ALEX So that’s why he’s so friendly to me? Because he thinks I’m going to be one of his new clients? BILLY Could be. ALEX Great. Then he sold Bobbie a heart attack, and I helped pay for it. BILLY What do you mean? ALEX You know that torn bill Jason had? I gave that to Bob when he asked me to spot him some money for a joint. And now Jason turns up with it! BILLY I admit what you say about Jason is suspicious, but you don’t have any proof. ALEX I know, but I can’t get over what happened to Bobbie. I loaned him the money to buy him the stuff. But Jason sold it to him. BILLY We ought to go see him. ALEX I heard he’s in a coma. BILLY He is, but we can still go see him. Right after school. Might make you feel better. ALEX Yeah, it might. FREEZE Scene 2 Scene: Bobbie’s hospital room. BOB lies down, not moving because he is in a coma. JASON (Enters and stands by BOB) Bobbie. You can’t even hear me. So, uh, I don’t even know why I came. Except that, you have got to believe me, I didn’t mean to do this to you. You have got to believe that. I thought that the stuff that I sold you was just pot. I didn’t know it had anything else in it, I don’t sell hard stuff, you know that. It’s these guys, they put coke in it without telling me. It wasn’t my fault, I never wanted this man. I’m going to do something about it, I’m going to see the guys who sold me the stuff. I’m going to make sure nobody else gets any of it. I swear. It wasn’t my fault. (Short pause) Was it? (He starts to exit) ALEX (Enters with BILLY, sees JASON and responds) What are you doing here? JASON I came to see Bob. ALEX Oh, yeah, right. After you sold him the stuff that put him here. JASON What? You’re crazy, what are you talking about? ALEX You sold him the dope. I saw you with the torn dollar bill I loaned him last night. JASON Man, is that all you’re worried about? Bobbie and I just had a bet. He paid it off before I left. I didn’t sell him anything. ALEX (Attacks JASON) BILLY Hey, let him go. This won’t help. JASON (Exits) FREEZE Scene 3 Scene: Just your average neighborhood crack house. SELLER is sitting down in a chair. JASON Hey. SELLER You got a problem, Jason? JASON Yeah, I want to know why you laced my last batch of marijuana with coke. SELLER How long have you been selling for us, Jason? JASON About three years. SELLER And you’ve developed a pretty good clientele. You’ve got a lot of customers… JASON Yeah, but in pot. Just in pot. SELLER Well that’s just the point. We decided it was time to move you on to bigger, and better things. Sort of give your people a more expensive taste. You should be happy, it’s a sort of promotion. JASON Even if it causes someone a heart attack? SELLER Well that was too bad, but money… JASON NO! I don’t want any part of it. I want out. SELLER Okay, that’s your decision. There is the door (pointing towards door). JASON Fine. (He tries to exit, but is blocked by THUGS, who proceed to kick his white ass). SELLER Once you’re in… You stay in. Sorry about the beating, but we think you might need a little persuading. It’s just business. There’s not much money in pot. So you will carry the whole product line now, and if someone has a small problem, it’s their problem. You got that? FREEZE Scene 4 Scene: BILLY and ALEX are walking together, then stop to talk. ALEX You know something Bill, I never thought drugs were a big deal. I never did them, but if others wanted to do them, hey, it’s none of my business. But you can’t really be neutral. If you care about yourself and other people, you just got to take a stand. But that takes a lot more courage than just going along… BILLY Yeah, courage you have now. The fact is you have to know where you stand before you’re asked. Believe me, I know that’s not easy. Nobody is going to give you a reward for not hurting yourself. But you feel better. In a way, it’s like a private victory. ALEX A private victory? BILLY Yeah. And life is one game where winning does matter. FREEZE THE END! 19