1
Johnny
Genre:Drama
By Brianna Sanders-Lima
Brianna Sanders-Lima
85 Roosevelt Ave.
(201) 332-2125
Cast of Character
JOHNNY SEVILLE: 14 years old, a battered timid boy.
CHRISTOPHER SEVILLE: 30 years old, alcoholic pimp, Johnny’s father.
VICTORIA DUBOIS (CRYSTAL): 20 years old, hooker.
Place
An abandoned Crack House in Harlem, New York
Time
Late Spring
ACT I
Scene 1
Setting: A small bedroom, down stage left. A bed, a chair with a couple articles of clothing neatly folded on the seat. A shiny, black leather belt hangs from a coat rack. Door, upper stage left.
At Rise: It is at night around midnight. JOHNNY is cowering in the corner of the bed, silently sobbing.
JOHNNY
(slightly lifts his head and rubs his eyes)
Why does daddy hate me? I don’t mean it, but… I’m sorry.
CHRISTOPHER
(screams loudly from the other room, drunkenly)
Johnny………..Johnny! Where…where are you? Where ….. where is your scrawny behind? Johnny!!!!!!!!!!!
CRYSTAL
(yells from another room)
Please don’t hurt him again. Come on back to bed! Back to bed!
CHRISTOPHER
Ah, Shaadap!! Don’t you dare ... tell ... me what to do, hooker! I’ve got business to take care of.
(Enter CHRISTOPHER, upper stage left with a bottle of Hennessy in hand with only one swallow left.)
(JOHNNY moves father back in the bed, curling himself in ball.)
CHRISTOPHER
Johnny ……….. (hiccups) Johnny…… Don’t you hear me when I’m talking to you! Just for that, go get the belt! Come on! Don’t make me say it twice!
(JOHNNY shakes his head, no)
CHRISTOPHER
What, what was that? I CAN’T HEAR YOU! SPEAK UP!
JOHNNY(murmurs)
No.
CHRISTOPHER
NO, NO?!!!!!
(CHRISTOPHER throws the bottle to the side, charges towards JOHNNY and pushes him against the bed. JOHNNY struggles.)
CHRISTOPHER
You know, I’m so sick and tired of taking care of a piece of garbage like you! You and your prissy self makes me sick to my stomach. It is all your fault that she died!
JOHNNY
I’m sorry, okay! It’s not my fault! No matter how much you blame me, you can’t change the fact that …..
(CHRISTOPHER interrupts)
CHRISTOPHER
Shut up, shut! Just shut up! It is your fault. I should have made your mother get that abortion! But noooo, she believed that every creature of God deserves a life or some crap like that. She didn’t know that “creature of God” would be you or that you would be the one to take HER life away. I use to be happy. I use to promise her that when I get a good stable job; I was going to buy her a big house with a white picket fence and everything. That’s all she wanted. Now that’s all gone.
(Starts to sob)
(JOHNNY looks at him extreme pity. Christopher starts to loosen his grip; JOHNNY lightly slips his arms around his father’s shivering body.)
JOHNNY(murmurs)
It’s okay. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.
(CHRISTOPHER quickly realizes what has happened, roughly pushes him away and slaps him in the face. JOHNNY recedes into a ball and slightly looks at him, while cupping his cheek.)
CHRISTOPHER
I don’t need your pathetic pity. You’re the only one that needs any pity and I ain’t gonna be the one to give it. You had better go to sleep because you’re gonna either work on the corner or go to school. I rather you go and switch that tiny butt of yours on that corner but I don’t care what you do as long as you are out of my house by the time I wake up.
(CHRISTOPHER finally staggers out of the room. JOHNNY continues to rub his cheek as he looks up to the ceiling)
JOHNNY
Momma, if you can hear me, thanks. Not for leaving me with this horrible man, I don’t think I’ll ever forgive you for that. But for at least wanting me and not getting, an abortion like dad told you. For wanting me even if it was only a little. I guess you didn’t want me enough to actually stay alive. I don’t blame you, I guess it was ……..
(CHRISTOPHER interrupts)
CHRISTOPHER
(yelling from the living room)
Shut up in there! I don’t know what you got to talk about with your imaginary friend. Go to sleep. Stupid kid, makes me sick!
CRYSTAL(seductively)
Come back to bed already and stop messin’ with that boy already! I’ll make you feel a whole lot better.
JOHNNY
(gets under covers)
One day, I’m gonna be the one that slaps you around like some stupid rag doll. One day.
(Black out)
Scene 2
Setting: It is the living room, down stage right. There are bottles, clothes and wrappers strewn about the floor and couch. Television sits on the floor and there are three askew chairs around.
At Rise: A couple of girls are sittingon the floor watching television, most of them talking about the Tyra segment that was on, they were discussing the topic of girls that see ghosts. CHRISTOPHER is lying on the couch,hung-over with a bottle of Hennessey in hand. Crystal is sitting in of the chairs painting her fingernails with polish.
HOOKER #1
You see that man, I don’t know what I would do if I see some ghosts. That mess is crazy.
CRYSTAL
(continuing to paint her nails)
Whatchu’ talkin’ about, every time you touch that crack pipe of yours, you be seeing ghosts and mess. Do you know how many customers you scared off with all that screaming you do when you get too high?
(CRYSTAL gets up and starts running around, flailing her arms around.)
CRYSTAL(yelling)
Oh my god, something touchin’ me, something touchin’ me, get it off, get off!!!!
(CRYSTAL points at an empty space)
There, there, don’t you see it; it’s coming to get me! Can’t you see it?
(CRYSTAL and everyone else starts to laugh, except for CHRISTOPHER)
CHRISTOPHER
(very annoyed)
Why don’t you all shut up, shut up with all this useless chatter about nothing.
(CHRISTOPHER rises from his position)
CHRISTOPHER
If you all don’t stop watching this stupid Tiara…
(HOOKER #1 interrupts)
HOOKER #1
Uh, don’t you mean Tyra?
(CHRISTOPHER slowly goes over to HOOKER #1. He puts one hand around her slender neck and starts to squeeze. HOOKER #1 starts to gasp for air and struggles to escape his grip.)
CYRSTAL
Stop let her go!
(starts to cough)
CHRISTOPHER
(glaring at the frightened girl in his hand)
WHO ASKED YOU ANYTHING? UH, DID I ASK YOU FOR HER NAME? UH, DOES IT LOOK I REALLY CARE ABOUT THAT? WELL, ANSWER ME!
Hooker #1
(quietly through gasps of air)
No.
CHRISTOPER(sternly)
No, what?
HOOKER #1
(Gasping for air)
No… I’m sorry… big poppa…
(CRYSTALgoes over behind CHRISTOPHER and grabs the back of his shirt)
CRYSTAL
She ain’t mean nothing by it right, just let her go. Please, just let her go.
(cough harshly)
(CHRISTOPHER throws HOOKER #1 to the side on to the ground and pushes CRYSTAL off of him. CHRISTOPHER looks around at all the cowering girls.)
CHRISTOPHER(screams)
What are you all doing just sitting there and clean up this house!
(They all jump and scramble to get everything cleaned up.)
(CHRISTOPHER walks over to the side of couch, slightly sitting on the arm of the couch, clutching his bottle looking down in defeat. CRYSTAL looks up and sees him.)
CRYSTAL
Everyone out, I got the rest. It’s about time for yall to get ready for work anyway. Come
on, get to it.
(They all finally leave the room and CRYSTAL stands beside him.)
CRYSTAL
What’s wrong? Come on, you can tell me. What’s been eating at you?
CHRISTOPHER
(Voice breaking)
It’s just hard, you know. I really don’t feel like anymore, I don’t want this life anymore. I don’t want this kid I’ve got to tout around until he’s 18 but I don’t want him to give him up.
CYRSTAL
So it’s true, you do love him. See, its not all hate you feel towards that boy. All he wants is your love and affection.
CHRISTOPHER (cracking a smile)
I wouldn’t say all of that but I mean he’s my only son. Tell me something crystal, will you promise to stay with me? I mean everyone else in my life has left me. Will you?
CRSYTAL
Not unless, you be kinder to that boy.
CHRISTOPHER (furious)
Why should I? All that boy has done for me was take away everything that I ever loved from me. Any chance I had for any kind of happiness, gone. Now you expectme to treat me him with kindness, when this cold world of ours has never done the same for me? You must be out your mind.
(JOHNNY enters with his backpack and Geometry book in hand. CHRISTOPHER scowls at him.CRYSTAL left his side and continued to pick up the garbage on the floor.)
CHRISTOPHER(sarcastically)
And here comes my pride, my joy, my existence. (laughs) He’s not even worth his own existence.
JOHNNY(sarcastically)
Glad to see you, too.
CRYSTAL
(while picking up some clothes)
Hey, Johnny, why don’t you go to your room and I’ll come back there later to see how you’re doing with Geometry. You know that’s your weakest subject. Now go study.
JOHNNY
(going towards the door)
Okay.
CHRISTOPHER
(flopping down on the couch, taking a sip from the bottle)
Hey, that’s my son; don’t act like you his mother. He already killed his, ungrateful little... You know, I don’t know why you go to study whenyou’re just going to become another one of my cracked out whores. Right Crystal, you know all about that. Speaking of which, Johnny, did you get my money?
JOHNNY
(He stopped in his track and looked over his shoulder with a crazed sweet grin plastered on his face)
You know I went to school today.
(Turns his head back around and continues to walk)
CHRISTOPHER
You act as if you can’t work from school.
(JOHNNY suddenly stops)
JOHNNY
(Slowly turning around, fuming with anger in his voice)
Shut up, I am not going to be some school ho to supply your drinking habit.
CHRISTOPHER
I guess you want to be a corner ho, or would you rather work in some gay bar? You little too young for that but I think they’ll make exception for you.
JOHNNY
I HATE YOU, WHY DON’T YOU DIE!
CHRISTOPHER
You would want that wouldn’t you?
JOHNNY
Yes, that is exactly what I mean.
CHRISTOPHER
Then, you can get out if you won’t work. Youcan get out, if going to act like an ungrateful brat. I should have thrown you in the trash when I got the chance to hold you for the first time. But I didn’t, now that chance has come up again and I’m taking it. Now get out of my house and don’t come back.
(Throws some clothes and him)
JOHNNY
I will!
(CRYSTAL runs over to JOHNNY and looks back at CHRISTOPHER)
CYRSTAL
Just stop it you two! You know you don’t mean it. The both of you.
(Coughs harshly, holding her stomach.)
(JOHNNY quickly rummages through his bag to give her a tissue. CRYSTAL quickly takes, covers her move while continuing to cough. She removes the tissue to see blood spattered on the tissue)
JOHNNY(worried)
You’re bleeding, are you okay? We need to get you to hospital. Dad, we need to get her to the hospital. Dad!
CHRISTOPHER
(starts to walk out of the room while taking a sip from his bottle)
When you start to make some money then she can go to a hospital. Until then, she can suffer for all I care.
(Blackout)
Scene 3
Setting: It is the living room, down stage right. The room is clean and the TV continues to sit on the floor.
At Rise: Johnny is sitting on the floor next to the couch with his Geometry book in hand. CRYSTAL islyingon thecouch with a cover over her. She is very sick.
JOHNNY
If all lines are equilateral and not equiangular, is it a rhombus or a rectangle? It’s a rectangle?
CYRSTAL
No we’ve gone over this. A rectangle is a ...
(JOHNNY interrupts her)
JOHNNY
What am I gonna do with this any way? I’m probably with end like some male stripper like dad said.
CYRSTAL
Yeah, I think you’re going to be one too and your name will be umm.... Bambi Glitterwhip! Yeah, that’s it!
(JOHNNY glares at her with an irritated look on his face)
Don’t look at me like that, you the one saying you gonna be stripper.
(Christopher enters but hears them talking, so he sits on the floor in the doorway.)
JOHNNY
(looks down in defeat)
It’s just that it feel like that’s the only thing I’m headed for. You know at times I wish I was dead. I even slit my wrist one time at school with piece of glass I found on the bathroom floor, but some teacher saw me and sent me to the hospital. After that, the doctor comes to tell me, if I truly wanted to kill myself, is to cut vertically not horizontally. Do you knowhow sad that is, to be told how to kill your self properly when you shouldn’t be doing that in the first place.
CYRSTAL
(While stroking his head back with her hand)
Look, you have so much potential if you just use it, I didn’t have any choice in coming here. Of course, if I had paid attention that day, maybe I wouldn’t be here.
JOHNNY
(looking up)
What do you mean?
CRYSTAL
I use to be an honor student, head cheerleader and class president. It all went down hill when I went a Bamboozle for my sweet sixteen. I got kidnapped through all of the excitement; no one even noticed I was gone until it was too late. I was raped and thrown into some dark ally. That’s what they told me. I woke up the next day in this house, when I was firsthere; it used to be a crack house. A few crack heads took care of me, but got addicted to the crack ever since.When I met your father, and boy he was something else I can tell you that much. He came in saying that we were the prettiest things he had ever seen. He said we belonged on the cover of some big magazine or some crap like that, it was all such a blur because I was so high. We all bought into his lies, saying that he could get us all types of work in modeling and things like that. We ate it all up and hung on his every word. Your father was a very conniving and sly man. Look at me now, I’m his best worker. You have a choice to get out of here but only through your education.
(starts to cough and more blood comes up)
JOHNNY
We need to get you to hospital. I need to get us out of here; this place is no good for us. Look. I got something for you.
CRYSTAL
(wiping off her mouth)
Look, I don’t have to go anywhere. What you got in the bag? Is a present?
JOHNNY
(giggles while rummaging through his bag)
Something like that, here found it.
(He pulls out two wallets and gives it to CRYSTAL, she looks inside of the two wallets. Her eyes start to widen.)
CRYSTAL
Where did you get this money?
JOHNNY
There is at least two grand there. We can get you to a doctor and have a look at you.
CRYSTAL(sternly)
Where did you get this money?
JOHNNY
Maybe we can get a small cheap apartment and we can be out of here.
CRYSTAL(worried)
Where did you get this money? Did you go out on the corner and work for it? Did you steal it? Johnny, answer me!
JOHNNY
(looking down at the floor hurt)
Both.
CRYSTAL(worried)
Johnny, why did you do that?
JOHNNY
(gets up, takes the wallets, and hugs her)
I’m gonna get you out of here. I’m going to bed. You better get some sleep. We leave in the morning.
(CHRISTOPHER realizes he’s coming and hurries from the door)
(Black out)
Scene 4
Setting: It is the living room, down stage right. The room has some clothes thrown around and the TV continues to sit on the floor.
At Rise: JOHNNY is packing two bags with the clothes that are lying around. CRYSTAL is lying on the couch with a cover over her. She is very sick.
JOHNNY
(frantically throwing clothes into two bags)
Come on Crystal, you have to get up.
(JOHNNY picks up his switchblade and puts in his back pocket)
CRYSTAL
(sounds groggy and rubs her eyes)
What are you gonna do with that knife?
JOHNNY
(continues to frantically throw clothes into these bags)
Protection, now come on, you’ve got to get up before he does.
(CHRISTOPHER enters)
CHRISTOPHER
Before who gets up?
(JOHNNY jumps and turns around)
CHRISTOPHER
(calmly walks towards JOHNNY)
So you think you can walk out the house with my money and my ho? I really don’t care what you do you know that, but you truly think your going to take away my best business. I overheard your conversation last night. I told you, you are nothing but a ho and that’s all you will ever be.