BOX

by Rich Smolen

Characters:
Man
Young Man
Old Man
(Stage is bare, except for a bus stop sign downstage right. Upstage wall has a
few black and white framed photos; a tripod is lying on the ground next to the
wall. YOUNG MAN and MAN enter from upstage left and cross to the bus stop.
There is a camera around YOUNG MAN'S neck.)
YOUNG MAN
Well, here we are.
MAN
Here we are.
YOUNG MAN
I'll see you later....
MAN
Same time and place....
(His voice trails off as he looks for the bus)
YOUNG MAN
As usual.
MAN
(MAN nods in absentminded agreement, still looking for bus. He stops suddenly
and looks into audience.)
Uh-oh.
YOUNG MAN
What is it?
MAN
Uh-oh.
YOUNG MAN
Did you forget something?
MAN
Uh-huh.
YOUNG MAN
Forget your fare?

MAN
No.
YOUNG MAN
What, then?
MAN
My box! I forgot my box. Wait here?
(MAN runs off stage)
YOUNG MAN
Your what?
(MAN returns with a large cardboard box)
MAN
I didn't miss the bus did I?
YOUNG MAN
You were hardly gone ten seconds. What's-MAN
Good. I'll see you later.
YOUNG MAN
OK. Later.
(YOUNG MAN is obviously curious as to contents of box. He bends to look inside
as MAN pulls box away. This action becomes more exaggerated through the next
couple of lines)
MAN
Good morning.
YOUNG MAN
Yes, good morning....
MAN
Have a good day.
YOUNG MAN
Yes, thank you, you too....
MAN
(pause) Is there something else?
YOUNG MAN
Oh, no, not really, I was just....
MAN
Don't you have to go soon?
YOUNG MAN
Well, yes...soon-MAN

Didn't the studio call you in early today?

YOUNG MAN
Yes, but-MAN
Yes?
YOUNG MAN
I was just wondering...(pause, clears throat)...just wondering what's in the
box?
MAN
You want to know what's in my box?
YOUNG MAN
Umm, yes...if you don't mind telling me...?
MAN
(pause) You want to know what's in here?
(MAN gestures to box. YOUNG MAN starts to nod.)
Or what's in here? Eh?
(MAN gestures to his head. MAN nods, laughs at his own joke)
YOUNG MAN
I mean what's in here.
(YOUNG MAN points to cardboard box)
MAN
You don't find my joke very funny.
YOUNG MAN
Oh. No, I just wanted to know....
MAN
You want to know why? Because it wasn't a joke!
(MAN is serious for a moment, his eyes widen; then breaks out into laugh.)
It's the same thing!
YOUNG MAN
What?
MAN
(very slowly) The same thing. Here
(MAN gestures to box)
and here.
(MAN gestures to head)

YOUNG MAN
(pause, look of confusion) I don't understand. (pause) What's in the box?
MAN
Nothing.
YOUNG MAN
Nothing?
MAN
(MAN who has been half-joking until now becomes serious, almost threatening)
Nothing.
YOUNG MAN
(pause) Why do you have a box...of nothing?
MAN
Well, I have a box....
YOUNG MAN
Yes.
MAN
And it sure looks like something...doesn't it?
YOUNG MAN
Yes...
MAN
But, in fact...
(MAN turns box upside down)
it's nothing!!!
YOUNG MAN
What do you do with a box of nothing?
MAN
You find something to put in it.
YOUNG MAN
Like what? I could give you something.
MAN
I've had this box for a long time. Don't you think if it were that easy I'd
have something by now?
YOUNG MAN
What sort of thing are you looking for? Do you want my camera? I could give
you my camera!
MAN
What is the use of a camera?
YOUNG MAN

Excuse me? THIS is a Nikon 35 millimeter, automatic focus, automatic flash,

auto load, auto rewind, it's got a telephoto lens, rapid rewind for action
shots-MAN
What would I do with a camera?
YOUNG MAN
Take a picture?
MAN
Of what? My box?? Then I'd have two empty boxes to fill.
(MAN looks for bus. YOUNG MAN walks upstage, sets up tripod. OLD MAN enters,
downstage left. MAN sees OLD MAN and looks around in panic for a place to hide
box. He finally hides it in plain view, center stage, and returns to bus
stop. OLD MAN sees MAN and crosses to him, also waiting for bus.)
MAN
I got a box.
(FRIEND, apparently not in scene, sets up camera on tripod, upstage)
OLD MAN
What?
MAN
I got a box.
OLD MAN
I got a headache.
MAN
Do you hear me?
OLD MAN
AND, I got a backache. (pause) A box? (short pause) Let me see.
MAN
No. It's all I got. It's my box. It's all I got.
OLD MAN
(patronizing) Well, what kind of box is it, then?
MAN
It's a big box. Big enough.
OLD MAN
Is it...a metal box?
MAN
No, it's a cardboard box. It's mine.
OLD MAN
(still patronizing, but slightly annoyed) Can you carry it?
MAN

Of course I can--it's my box!

OLD MAN
(long pause) I got somethin' too.
MAN
Yeah?
OLD MAN
(mocking) Yeah. Better than a box.
MAN
Better?
OLD MAN
Yeah. It's in my pocket.
(He pats his front pocket)
I'll trade it for your box.
MAN
Trade what?
OLD MAN
What's in my pocket.
MAN
I don't know.
OLD MAN
No, I'm telling you. What's in my pocket. I'll trade for your box.
MAN
What's in your pocket?
OLD MAN
What's in your box?
MAN
Now I asked you first. What's in your pocket?
OLD MAN
It doesn't matter...if you don't want to trade...if you want to trade, I'll
tell you.
MAN
No, I have to know....You do have something?
OLD MAN
(sarcastic) No. Yes, I have something. (long pause) Well?
MAN
(pause) All right.
OLD MAN
We have an agreement, then?

MAN
Yes.
YOUNG MAN
(YOUNG MAN enters scene from upstage)
No.
OLD MAN
Excuse me?
YOUNG MAN
(to MAN) There is no agreement yet.
OLD MAN
Listen young man, I don't know who you are but I have made a deal here-YOUNG MAN
( to OLD MAN) Apparently you DO know who I am. And I know you, old man.
OLD MAN
Then we are on equal ground, but I have made a verbal agreement, and I intend to
carry out-YOUNG MAN
(to MAN) Hey, man--I have something, too. Why don't you trade with ME?
MAN
I-OLD MAN
It's too late, he has agreed to trade with me.
YOUNG MAN
That was before he knew that I had something better than you.
MAN
Look--I really don't care which one-OLD MAN
You made the agreement with me. Are you going reneg on your agreement? Are you
going to break your word-YOUNG MAN
Are you going to listen to this clown? I have something better to trade. You
will trade with me.
OLD MAN
You will shut your mouth before I-YOUNG MAN
Before you what, old man?
MAN
Listen, I think-YOUNG MAN

No one cares what you think.

OLD MAN
Why don't you shut up and let him speak.
MAN
(to YOUNG MAN) Look, I just want something, I already agreed-YOUNG MAN
You will trade with me, or you will not trade at all.
OLD MAN
Don't be ridiculous.
YOUNG MAN
Take one more step towards me, old man, take one more step.
MAN
I don't want trouble-YOUNG MAN
I'll kill you, old man, come closer and I'll-MAN
Please-OLD MAN
Let's make the trade now. Where's your box?
YOUNG MAN
Go get your box. But the trade will be with me.
(MAN hesitates, then moves towards box.)
Is that the box over there?
(YOUNG MAN points to box. OLD MAN looks. YOUNG MAN strikes OLD MAN from
behind; OLD MAN falls to ground, motionless. YOUNG MAN looks around, visibly
anxious and upset after assaulting OLD MAN. YOUNG MAN runs over to MAN who has
just picked up box. YOUNG MAN grabs box and pushes MAN away to the side.)
This box is empty?!? This is worthless! All this for nothing!
(YOUNG MAN throws box to MAN who catches it. YOUNG MAN runs to camera and
tripod, grabs them, and runs off stage.)
MAN
(calling after YOUNG MAN) Wait! (silence)
(MAN looks into box)
(long pause) Nothing. (pause) Worthless.
(MAN looks around)
(pause) Alone. (pause) I hate alone!

(MAN crosses to OLD MAN, tries to revive him, but fails)

(pause) Nothing. (pause) I hate nothing!
(MAN throws box down. Sound of something shattering in box. MAN kneels in
front of box. Lights fade except for red down light, illuminating only MAN's
head and box. MAN looks down at box, then looks up at source of light. Light
fades.)
CURTAIN