#10: GOOD MEN

Written by
Joseph Frost
Draft
8/13/16
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 flashing yellow caution light.

Underneath, a chair.
Harvey stands in the darkness.
HARVEY
I was lost at night. Dark blind. The world, there, present, and easily navigateable. But for
the non-sun. Frustrating. That physical sense that one would be better off not fighting the
pitch, but stopping, and waiting. For light.
(beat)
I could feel it. The right direction was at my fingertips. In front of my nose. Facing me. But
I had no proof. And I felt I needed proof. I felt that way.
The yellow light stops flashing.
Harvey sits in the chair.
Gina enters.
Lights some up, a bit.
GINA
I waited for you.
HARVEY
You shouldnt have.
GINA
I promised.
HARVEY
So did I.
GINA
Nothing else I could do.
HARVEY
Anything else.
GINA
Harvey.

2.
HARVEY
Gina, I want to go to sleep.
GINA
Its not that easy.
HARVEY
Could be.
GINA
You showed up at the wrong house at 2 am if you wanted it to be easy.
HARVEY
We could hold this fight for morning.
GINA
That's what you really want.
HARVEY
I do.
GINA
Youll still be here in the morning?
HARVEY
Right here on this couch.
GINA
Freds off at 4:30. You probably should be gone by 5.
HARVEY
Fred.
GINA
My husband.
HARVEY
Oh.
GINA
He works nights.
HARVEY
Second shift.

3.
GINA
Hes a good man.
HARVEY
Imagine he is.
(beat)
I dont have an alarm.
GINA
Id figure something out if I were you.
Gina crosses past Harvey.
HARVEY
I didnt want to let you down.
GINA
Funny.
Gina fades into the dark.
The yellow light flashes.
Harvey stands.
HARVEY
Theres a handful of constants in life. Wanting more. Not getting it. Not seeing a way out.
Failure. Sometimes theyre like clockwork.
Walter sits in the chair.
WALTER
If all youre gonna do is lurk around the door, you might as well go.
HARVEY
Im here, arent I?
WALTER
Not even half, son. Not even just physically. I dont know how you do it. You walk in
and its like you already left. Dont explain it to me, I dont want to know how it works.
HARVEY
Make me feel bad for showing up.
WALTER
I feel bad when you show up. I need an antacid.

4.
HARVEY
I dont want anything from you if thats what you think.
WALTER
Get me an antacid.
HARVEY
I dont have any.
WALTER
The drawer.
HARVEY
Get it yourself.
WALTER
Please.
A moment.
Harvey gets the antacids, hands them to Walter.
Walter eats one.
HARVEY
Better?
WALTER
Isnt even down my throat yet.
HARVEY
You knew Gina got married?
WALTER
Freds a good man.
HARVEY
Because he works night shift?
WALTER
Nope. He works night shift because hes a good man. Does what he needs to do. For Gina.
For Sarah.
HARVEY
Sarahs my daughter.

5.
WALTER
Hes a good man.
HARVEY
That so.
WALTER
Its what a good man does.
HARVEY
Whatd you do?
WALTER
Son.
HARVEY
I mean it.
WALTER
You know Im not a good man.
HARVEY
I know that.
WALTER
You and I, neither of us are good men. Ginas got a good man now.
HARVEY
This is advice?
WALTER
Take it or leave it.
HARVEY
Why should I take advice from a man whos not good?
WALTER
Because a no-good man knows good when he sees it. And he knows when the goods not
there. Walk away.
HARVEY
I can do that.
WALTER
I know you can.

6.
Harvey crosses away.
HARVEY
Happy birthday.
WALTER
Never is.
The flashing yellow light.
Walter leaves.
Harvey stops by the chair.
Gina enters wearing a bathrobe, sits down.
HARVEY
We work together.
GINA
So do gasoline and a match.
(beat)
This cant happen again.
HARVEY
It could happen again.
GINA
I know.
HARVEY
You want me to go.
GINA
I dont. I really dont.
HARVEY
We could leave. Before he even comes home.
GINA
I dont want that either.
HARVEY
What do you want, then?

7.
GINA
Dont do that to me.
HARVEY
Do what?
GINA
Back me in a corner. This aint my decision.
HARVEY
It is. Told you what I want. You and Sarah with me. Its up to you.
GINA
Sarah?
HARVEY
She can come with us.
GINA
Shes not coming with us.
HARVEY
Why not?
GINA
She doesnt deserve that.
HARVEY
Shes my daughter.
GINA
She deserves better than you.
A moment.
HARVEY
Youd leave her behind.
GINA
Before Id let her go with you.
HARVEY
Freds a good man, isnt he.
GINA
He is.

8.
HARVEY
Hes better than me?
GINA
No question.
HARVEY
And what about you?
GINA
Hes too good for me.
HARVEY
St. Fred.
GINA
Compared to me? Absolutely. After what we just done?
HARVEY
I cant believe this.
Harvey crosses.
GINA
So youre leaving?
HARVEY
I didnt say that.
GINA
You were just doing it.
HARVEY
Whats that.
GINA
What you do. You sure know how to find the door when it all dont go your way.
HARVEY
I didnt come here, you know, for...
GINA
What did you come here for?
(beat)
This should be good.

9.
A long moment.
HARVEY
I was never here.
The yellow light begins to flash.
Gina crosses away.
Harvey stands for a moment then stands up on the chair
under the yellow light.
All lights but the yellow flash go dark.
The yellow stops.
End.