Play # 11

Danny Shows Up

__________________________

By Joseph Frost

Originally written for the 2019 "31 Plays in 31 Days" challenge

Contact:
Joseph Frost
710 Newland St
Jackson MS 39211
FrostJosephD@gmail.com
 It is night.

A living area with a dining table. A figure,

DANNY, sits in the dark at the table. He takes
a drink.

From a bedroom area comes THERESA, in a

robe.

Theresa clicks on the light.

THERESA
Danny.

Danny appears to be in rough shape.

He takes a drink.

DANNY
Good evening.

THERESA
Look at you.

DANNY
Take a good look. While you can.

He drinks again, finishing the glass. He sets it

down with a clink.

THERESA
You could have called.

DANNY
I could have. You are correct.

THERESA
You told me you gave me your only copy of the key.

DANNY
Didn’t you leave me because I was a liar?

THERESA
That wasn’t the only reason.
 2.

DANNY
Well, liars lie, Theresa. What can I say?

THERESA
I want the key. Then I want you to go.

DANNY
I don’t have a key.

THERESA
You just told me you did.

DANNY
I don’t know why I keep lying to you. Maybe it’s you.

THERESA
Get out now or I’m calling the cops. Then I’m changing the locks.

DANNY
I want to see Alice.

THERESA
Alice is asleep Danny. It’s night.

Theresa begins to type on her phone.

DANNY
I need to see her. She’s my daughter too.

THERESA
She is. But it’s 3 am, and you’re drunk, and you’re not allowed to drop in like this
demanding anything.

DANNY
Who says I can’t see my daughter whenever I want?

THERESA
The judge. The state of California. And me, her legal guardian.

DANNY
Says who?

THERESA
Says the papers you singed.
 3.

DANNY
I want to see them.

THERESA
Them who?

DANNY
The papers.

THERESA
The papers are all with my lawyer, you can call him if you like. From the Uber I just
called for you.

DANNY
I’m not going anywhere.

THERESA
I can cancel the Uber and call the cops if you like.

DANNY
No. No.

THERESA
If the cops come, you don’t need to bother reading the paperwork. You’ll never see Alice
again.

DANNY
You wouldn’t do that. To Alice.

A moment.

THERESA
You can wait outside for...
(looks at the Uber app)
Antar. He’ll be here in just a few minutes.
(beat)
Don’t puke in his car. It’ll charge me extra.

Another moment.

DANNY
I miss you.
 4.

THERESA
Danny...

DANNY
I miss Alice.

THERESA
It doesn’t matter anymore.

DANNY
I still love you. Both of you.

THERESA
That’s not the point.

DANNY
It used to be the only thing.

A moment.

THERESA
You drank all my scotch.

DANNY
Yeah.

THERESA
I was saving that.

DANNY
For a special occasion.

THERESA
Friday.

DANNY
Friday’s a special occasion?

THERESA
Only when I make it through a whole week.
(beat)
It’s something worth celebrating.
(beat)
Alice is going to my mother’s this weekend.
 5.

DANNY
Oh yeah?

THERESA
For her birthday.

DANNY
Alice’s birthday is in June.

THERESA
My mother’s birthday. She wanted to spend the weekend with her granddaughter.

DANNY
Oh. That’s nice.
(beat)
I want to spend the weekend with Alice.

THERESA
Is it your birthday?

DANNY
No.

THERESA
Then no.

DANNY
But on my birthday?

THERESA
Still no.

A moment.

DANNY
Why are you doing this to me?

THERESA
I didn’t show up at your apartment at 3 am drinking in the dark.

DANNY
Not that.
 6.

THERESA
(getting louder)
Well obviously not that Danny, but that’s kind of my point right now, at this particular
moment, that this is totally unacceptable and doesn’t make me want to trust you in the
future--

DANNY
Shh. Shhh.
(beat)
You’ll wake up Alice.

THERESA
Get out, Danny.

A moment.

DANNY
Don’t you want to know why I’m here?

THERESA
I just want you to go.

DANNY
But there’s a reason.

THERESA
I’m sure there is, but I don’t care. Please.

DANNY
It’s a good reason. It really is. Important.

THERESA
I’ve dialed 911. All I have to do is hit call.

DANNY
I’m serious.

THERESA
So am I.

DANNY
All right.

Danny rises. He stumbles toward the door.

 7.

THERESA
All the important reasons are things I used to care about, Danny. I probably would have
cared, when I still loved you. But that’s not true any more. You made sure of that. It’s
what you’ve done to me. Remember that, when you sober up. When Antar drops you off
at wherever the hell it is you live now, go inside, wash your face, and remember - this is
all your doing.

Danny reaches the door.

DANNY
I’m sick, Theresa.

THERESA
What does that mean?

DANNY
Doctor told me that I’m sick.

THERESA
What is sick?

DANNY
Dying.

THERESA
Dying. When?

DANNY
Soon.
(takes a key out of his pocket)
Here you go. This is the last one.

Danny sets the key on the table by the door.

Danny opens the door.

THERESA
How do I know--
(danny stops)
How do I know you’re not lying?

Danny looks at her a moment.

DANNY
Tell Alice...
(beat)
 8.

If you could tell her... I did love her.

(beat)
You can tell her what ever other version of the truth you want. Just tell her I did love her.

Danny exits, closing the door after him.

Theresa looks at her phone.

Lights down.

End