#21 MR.

MICHAEL GETS READY FOR JESUS

Written by
Joseph Frost
Draft
8/25/16
written for the 2016 31 Plays in 31 Days project

Joseph Frost, 2016

4550 Normandy Dr
Jackson, MS 39206
FrostJosephD@gmail.com
* member, Dramatists Guild of America

A man huddled into a dark corner of a basement, under the

wooden staircase.
After a moment, noise upstairs.
The door opens, casting a bright light down the staircase
into the basement.
The voice of a young man is heard.
TOMMY
(offstage)
Mister Michael?
(a long beat)
Mister Michael! Are you down there?
Tommy takes a few tentative steps down the staircase. He
is probably 12 or 13 years old. His voice has not yet
changed.
TOMMY (CONTD)
Im looking for you, Mr. Michael. I heard about what happened. Im scared for you.
Wanted to see if youre ok. If you needed anything.
(he reaches the bottom of the staircase)
I remembered, Mr. Michael. I remembered what you said about coming here if something
ever went wrong. And gosh its gone wrong hasnt it.
(he squints as he goes further into the
darkness)
I know you didnt mean to do it, Mr. Michael. I dont care what Benny Biggs says or
Winnie. I know it wasnt like they say. So Im not afraid. Im not afraid to help you. I
want to help-Michael grabs Tommy out of the darkness, hand over his
mouth. Tommy screams, but muffled by Michaels hand.
Michael has a gun, and holds it to Tommys head.
MICHAEL
Shut up. Shut the... Sh!
They are motionless as they listen.

2.
MICHAEL (CONTD)
You were followed, werent you. Werent you!
Tommy shakes his head violently.
MICHAEL (CONTD)
You cant be here. You shouldnt have come here. Now you cant leave. Damn it. Now
you cant leave. Youre as caught up in this as I am.
(beat)
You gonna keep your mouth shut?
Tommy nods.
Michael slowly releases him.
TOMMY
Jesus, Michael.
Michael slaps the back of Tommys head.
MICHAEL
You watch your mouth. Your mother hears you talk like that, youre dead, Im dead, and
we all see Jesus before hes ready for us. He aint ready for you or me yet, thats for sure.
Michael looks up the stairs.
TOMMY
Jesus was ready for Seppie?
MICHAEL
Giuseppe was ready for Jesus, thats for sure. I was for sure done with him.
TOMMY
So its true.
A moment.
MICHAEL
Tommy...
TOMMY
Im ok.
MICHAEL
It wasnt like I wanted to do it.

3.
TOMMY
I just didnt believe it.
MICHAEL
Listen...
TOMMY
They said it was true, but I said you said that was over.
MICHAEL
You know Giuseppe wasnt gonna back off of me.
TOMMY
I know.
MICHAEL
I didnt want to. I had to.
TOMMY
I just had to hear it from you.
A moment.
MICHAEL
Can you go shut that door?
TOMMY
Hm?
MICHAEL
You left it open.
TOMMY
Its dark down here.
MICHAEL
I got a light, go shut the door.
(beat)
Please?
Tommy goes to the stairs.
TOMMY
All right.

4.
Michael goes back under the stairs and pulls out a bag. He
sticks the gun in his belt.
MICHAEL
Make sure no ones out there who saw you.
Michael pulls a flashlight out of the bag.
Tommy closes the door and comes back down the stairs.
TOMMY
I know how to lose a tail.
MICHAEL
I know you do. I want to be sure.
Michael turns on the flashlight.
TOMMY
You been down here since yesterday?
MICHAEL
About an hour. Took me that long to get here.
Michael moves a chair over by the flashlight.
TOMMY
All night?
MICHAEL
Didnt have a car.
TOMMY
Neither did I.
MICHAEL
You got people trying to kill you, do you?
TOMMY
No.
MICHAEL
Count your blessings, Tommy. Count em up.
Michael sits on the floor.

5.
He sets the gun on the seat.
Tommy crosses to behind the chair.
They are lit from underneath.
TOMMY
Mr. Michael.
MICHAEL
What.
TOMMY
Are you even sorry for what you done?
MICHAEL
Tommy...
TOMMY
I mean it.
MICHAEL
You know who he was.
TOMMY
I know exactly who he was.
MICHAEL
I didnt want him dead. But you know I had to do it. You know that.
TOMMY
You had to.
MICHAEL
Thats right. He earned it. You know he did.
TOMMY
How.
MICHAEL
How? You know what he was. What he was doing.
(beat)
What are you thinking? You think he didnt deserve it.
TOMMY
I didnt say that.

6.
MICHAEL
You think I did this in cold blood.
TOMMY
Mr. Michael.
MICHAEL
Son, Im not that guy. Dont think that of me. You shouldnt think that of me.
TOMMY
I didnt say I did.
MICHAEL
But youre thinking it.
TOMMY
Im not glad hes dead. Thats all.
MICHAEL
Im not glad either. But the chips fall where they may and when the wheel stops, the house
wins. I gotta do.
TOMMY
I know.
MICHAEL
You know.
TOMMY
I do.
MICHAEL
Then dont be that way. Act like we gotta be glad about it. Thats not what we do. Thats
not what we are. We are what we are.
TOMMY
I know.
MICHAEL
Then act like it.
(beat)
You been a kid long enough. Open your eyes.
A moment.

7.
TOMMY
They say theres money on you.
MICHAEL
I figured. Its what they gotta do.
(beat)
You know how much?
TOMMY
Yeah.
MICHAEL
Its a lot.
TOMMY
I think so. Seems like a lot to me.
MICHAEL
Whats it take to seem like a lot to you?
TOMMY
I know the money the guys talk about.
MICHAEL
Yeah?
TOMMY
Its a lot.
MICHAEL
I expected as much.
TOMMY
You worried?
MICHAEL
Im in a basement.
TOMMY
Yeah.
MICHAEL
You can get me food?
TOMMY
I can.

8.
MICHAEL
Im hungry.
TOMMY
I bet.
MICHAEL
Get me something?
TOMMY
Ok.
Michael grabs the flashlight and heads toward the stairs.
Tommy is in the dark, follows him.
MICHAEL
Head on up.
TOMMY
Youll stay here?
MICHAEL
I got no where else to go.
TOMMY
Ok.
Michael stays at the bottom of the stairs, points the
flashlight up the stairs for Tommy.
Tommy trudges up the stairs.
MICHAEL
I know its hard, Tommy. Giuseppe was a good man sometimes. He was just a lousy sack
of shit as a man of business. I didnt want to kill him. I know he was your father, and all,
but honestly, the piece of crap he was youre better off without him. I promise you, boy,
Im not gonna let you down. Im not going to leave you without a father. Im gonna be that
father. We get through this, and I promise you, Ill set you up. Youll be right as rain.
You hear me?
Tommy stops at the top of the stairs, we see his legs and
hands only, not his face.
Tommy reaches behind him.

9.
Tommy pulls the gun out of his belt and points it at
Michael.
MICHAEL (CONTD)
It was a lot of money, wasnt it.
TOMMY
You may not be ready for Jesus, Mr. Michael, but Jesus is ready for you.
Tommy pulls the trigger.
Several gunshots.
The flashlight falls to the ground.
The door opens above.
Tommy exits.
The door closes.
End.