a story about peter
Excerpt from a one act play. Workshopped by Univ. of Redlands Department of Theatre Arts & Tala Mai Moana.
***
2015. Alley in downtown LA. PETER is curled up in a ball, laying on the sidewalk. SONIA enters, frustrated.
SONIA
Goddammit!
She tears up a headshot and resume she was carrying with her. Peter doesn’t react. She throws the papers on the ground. She pulls out a cigarette and starts looking for a lighter in her bag, but can’t seem to find one.
SONIA
I know I put it in here… Where the fuck?
Fed up, she hurls the bag onto the ground.
SONIA
Jesus fucking Christ is anything else going to go wrong today? Huh? What else have you got?
At this, Peter starts to stir, and Sonia notices him.
SONIA
Hello?
Peter doesn’t respond.
SONIA
I just--sorry about the noise I’ve just… I’m not crazy, I swear.
Peter doesn’t respond. Sonia glances quickly around, scanning the area. She goes over and kneels next to Peter. She nudges him gently.
SONIA
Hey. Are you alright?
Peter finally starts to stir and when he registers what’s happening, he starts to back away.
PETER
Please, leave me alone.
SONIA
Oh my god, you’re… what are you, fifteen?
PETER
No. I’m an adult.
SONIA
Hey, wait.
Sonia takes a step toward him, and Peter pulls out a small knife and points it toward her.
PETER
Don’t come any closer.
SONIA
Oh, he’s got a knife. Or… what is that, a letter-opener? If you think that’s threatening, you should try a director’s table who hasn’t had lunch yet.
Peter jabs the knife toward her. Sonia puts her hands up, turns from him, and leans against a wall.
SONIA
I was probably about your age when I went to my first audition. And I was like you, too. Fierce, guarded. It was for a toothpaste commercial.
Sonia mimes holding up a tube of toothpaste and grins widely at an invisible camera.
SONIA
My smile has never looked better! (Beat) I didn’t get it, of course. But I remember talking to this one woman outside the audition room. She seemed to be a bit older than I was--probably around my age now--and she had these beautiful brunette waves, and a nice Burbery coat, and I remember being so jealous of her. I thought, this woman is it. She is what success is. But then we got to really chatting, and it turns out she hasn’t booked a gig in years, and she tells me that if she doesn’t book this one, then she was going to give up on acting. I was so confused. How could anyone want to give up on acting? How could someone give up on their dream? (Beat) She didn’t book the commercial.
Peter puts his knife away.
SONIA
Here’s the thing, kid. If I wanted to hurt you, or jump you or whatever, I would’ve done it by now. (Beat) I just… if what I gave them in there wasn’t good enough, then what the hell is?
PETER
Gave who?
Sonia gets off the wall and prepares to perform.
SONIA
He was a boy, just a boy, when I was a very young girl. When I was sixteen, I made the discovery--love. All at once and much, much too completely.
Peter watches, already transfixed.
SONIA
It was like you suddenly turned a blinding light on something that had always been half in shadow, that's how it struck the world for me. But I was unlucky. Deluded. There was something different about the boy, a nervousness, a softness and tenderness which wasn't like a man's, although he wasn't the least bit effeminate looking--still--that thing was there...
Sonia pauses her performance.
SONIA
That’s it, ya know? That’s me. That’s all I’ve got. And if that’s not good enough...
PETER
“Streetcar Named Desire”.
SONIA
You’re familiar?
PETER
Yeah. I remember learning it in school. It was one of my favorites. (Beat) That was really good.
SONIA
Thank you. (Beat) I should clean up my mess, huh.
Sonia picks up her bag, and starts gathering any contents that spilled out. She picks up her lighter.
SONIA
Ah. It was here all along.
She lights a cigarette. and takes a drag from it. She offers one to Peter.
PETER
I don’t smoke.
SONIA
On the streets and you don’t smoke? How long’ve you been out here?
PETER
A week.
SONIA
Ah.
PETER
What do you… want from me?
SONIA
I don’t want anything from you, baby.
PETER
Then why are you talking to me?
SONIA
Listen, kid. I’m sure you’ve already discovered that these streets are not kind. If we don’t look out for each other, nobody will.
PETER
Who are you?
SONIA
I’m Sonia DuPre. Who are you?
PETER
I’m Peter.
SONIA
Just Peter?
PETER
Peter Alexander.
SONIA
When’s the last time you had something to eat, Peter Alexander?
PETER
Been a while.
SONIA
Let me buy you dinner. My treat.
PETER
Oh, that’s… you don’t have to do that.
SONIA
Please. I insist. It’s the least I can do.
