Chessplayers

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A scene

By David Ibarra
 SCENE 1

SAL and PAL are playing chess in a park.

SAL
Uh. About two years ago.

PAL
You know that’s bad right?

SAL
Well when was the last time you went to the dentist?

PAL
Probably three months ago / no four months

SAL
/ Fuckin whatever. Doesn’t matter. I brush my teeth. I’m fine.

PAL
Do you though?

SAL
(to the board)
Are you gonna go?

PAL
I’m thinking.

SAL
Well you’ve been thinking too much.

PAL
Shut up, I’m moving, cavity face.

PAL touches one of his pieces and starts to

move it and just leaves it hanging in the air
while he thinks for another 20 seconds. SAL
checks his phone.

SAL
Yeah this is why I can’t play with you. You take forever to move.
 2.

PAL
I just think harder than you do.

SAL
No, you think longer than I do. Difference. It’s why you lose all the time / and it’s why
you can’t get out of this

PAL
/ I don’t lose all / the time.

SAL
/ You lose all the time and it’s why you can’t get out of the fuckin--your house, Pally.
Cause you’re always thinkin. Never doin.

PAL
At least I go to the dentist.

SAL
Big whoopdie d--you got great teeth. But your life? The rest of it?
(to the board)
Yes, move there. That’s the best place you can go.

PAL moves and SAL immediately follows up

with a check.
Check. It’s stale.

PAL
That’s not...no I can block or / run or something can’t

SAL
/ Your life is stale. You can’t leave that house. You can’t go out of town. You can’t even
buy your own groceries. The only time you get, is with me and so I’m giving it to you.

PAL
Yeah, whatever.

SAL
Yeah, whatever, Pal. Because you got no one to show your beautiful sexy teeth to / all
because you are SOLD.

PAL
/ enough about the teeth. I’m not sold.

SAL
You are. You aren’t yourself...You aren’t.
 3.

PAL
It’s not true. I feel fine.

SAL
Isn’t that what they advertise? “Fine?” Of course you fuckin feel fine.

PAL
I do. That’s what I wanted.

SAL
No. What you wanted was to pursue zookeeping and rock climbing and archery and all
that fun shit but what you DID, was settle for fine when you couldn’t cope with the
rejection.

PAL moves his King away. SAL quickly checks

him again.
Check.

PAL
I’m fine.

SAL
You’re not. But whatever. That little disk will trick you. Trick you into thinking you’re
fine and that there’s never a need to take it off. It’s a drug. It’s all the same thing.

PAL
A drug.

SAL
Yes. A drug.

PAL
I don’t know. I just feel more focused and generally more content. Is that so bad?

SAL
No, being more focused isn’t bad and content is fucking nice. But you’re focused on the
wrong thing. The wrong thing for you. And until you get that, you will keep losingwith
that fake fucking content. You want that, think less and do.
(to the board)
Move.

END SCENE
4.