29: In Memory of Roger Bucklesby Who Hated This Park and Everyone In It

by Joseph Frost

a play written for The 31 Plays in 31 Days Project

Draft August 29, 2013

Attic Scripts, 2013 4550 Normandy Dr Jackson, MS 39206 atticscripts@gmail.com

A green park bench, wooden. On it sits a woman, CARA. She holds a dog leash without a dog. She stares ahead. From upstage, LIAM enters. He is wearing athletic gear, and is at the end of a run. He jogs in place or stretches during the scene. LIAM Your dog. CARA Hm? LIAM Your dog is off the leash. CARA Yeah. LIAM You should get him. CARA Whats the point. LIAM Bucklesby. CARA I cant... LIAM We have to be strong. CARA I know. LIAM We must live. A moment.

2. CARA You switched to the longer jogging shorts. LIAM I have. A moment. CARA He hated Patsie. He used to spray her with a hose. LIAM Kept her off the lawn. CARA Still. LIAM He was a man, warts and all. CARA He was the worst human being Ive ever met. Liam sits on the ground near her. He stretches. LIAM We have to consider the totality of the situation, Cara. Bucklesby was a horrid man. But in the grand scheme of the world, dont we need those who steer us down the right path? CARA Did it have to be with a cattle prod? LIAM No. It didnt. I dont think so, anyway. But even if it was, did he not serve the same purpose? Did Bucklesby not serve us as well as a good shepherd, if he led us to better ourselves? CARA He was a bad shepherd. He did not care for us. LIAM He served us though, if we allow ourselves to see it that way.

3. CARA He hated us. He called the cops on us. LIAM He never called the cops on me. CARA On me. Cops came to my door. Tried to arrest my dog. LIAM They cant do that. CARA Animal services. Like Patsie was a skunk, or a weasel or something. A menace. Which is what Bucklesby was. A menace to this neighborhood. To the people who use this park. I saw him chase kids away from the slides one time. LIAM He didnt... CARA Its true. He treated this public park like it was his private garden. LIAM Isnt that what we want from our community? To take ownership? To treat public spaces with the respect that we would treat our own property? CARA And try to kick other people out? LIAM There may need to be limits. (beat) Of course, I did see him burying something just outside his fence. CARA In the park? LIAM Mhm. CARA Why didnt you say something? LIAM I didnt think anything of it.

4. CARA What was it? LIAM I couldnt see. CARA Where? LIAM Over there. Behind his fence. CARA Near that brown patch? LIAM I dont remember that brown patch being there, but yeah, near there. A moment. CARA He killed the grass. (beat) He was a horrible man. A moment. LIAM Did you go to his funeral? CARA I didnt see you there. LIAM I wasnt allowed to go within 50 feet of him after the restraining order. CARA Hes dead. That cant apply anymore. LIAM It was stipulated. CARA I see. A moment.

5. LIAM Lots more people in the park this week. CARA Yeah. LIAM Almost crowded. CARA Yeah. A moment. LIAM Too crowded. CARA I was just about to say. A moment. LIAM As I look back. Ive come to my peace with his place in my life. And Im now relieved that his new place is six feet under. CARA Ive brought Patsie here every day since I heard. (beat) Its strange to spend so much time here, now. I find Im getting less and less done around the house since Im here so much. LIAM Hm. CARA Im not saying I miss him. (beat) Because I absolutely dont. (beat) Not one bit. LIAM Me, neither.

6. CARA Good riddance. LIAM Exactly. CARA So much happier without him. A moment. LIAM That dog is sniffing Patsie. CARA Hey! You! Shoo! Get away from my Patsie! LIAM Thats not good. CARA Hey! Stop it! Quit! (she exits toward them) Ill hose you down, you dont stop that right now! She is gone. Liam looks at his watch. He jumps up and jogs off opposite.