Five Plays. Samuel D. Hunter
your boss!
(Everyone looks at Eddie. Pause.)
Sorry, just—. (Pause) It’s Thursday, we have staff lunch on Thursday. So just—sit down.
(Confused, everyone awkwardly sits at the large table. Eddie quickly exits.
Pause. Troy looks at Tammy.)
TROY: Tammy, I don’t know what— . . . You wanna just talk later?
(Pause. Tammy looks at Isabelle, then at Troy.)
TAMMY: No, Troy, actually I wanna talk now, I—
ISABELLE: Oh hey Max.
(Pause. Tammy stops herself.)
MAX: Um. Hey.
ISABELLE: So what’s going on with you?
MAX: Not—much?
TROY (To Tammy): What / is it?
ISABELLE: How’s your band? Tell us about your band!
TAMMY: / Nothing, never mind.
MAX: We broke up like four weeks ago. I told you that.
ISABELLE: Oh that’s too bad how’d it happen?!
MAX: Isabelle, what are you doing?
(Eddie reenters with plates, silverware, and a large plastic vat of salad. He puts it all on the table.)
ISABELLE: Eddie you want help?
EDDIE: I’m fine.
(Eddie quickly exits. The speaker begins to crackle as before. Troy looks at it.)
TROY: When did that start?
MAX: Couple days ago, you haven’t noticed?
TROY: Why aren’t we paying to fix these things?
MAX: ’Cause the only customers we have right now are ourselves?
(Pause. A silence in the conversation. Max looks at Becky, nods.)
’Sup.
BECKY: Jesus Christ.
(Eddie enters with a tray of breadsticks.)
TROY: Eddie, we don’t need breadsticks, we have the whole dinner / rush—
EDDIE: We’re fine.
(Eddie quickly exits again.)
BECKY: Are we still getting paid right now?
TROY: Yes, hon, we—
(Tammy starts to get up. Isabelle is increasingly uncomfortable.)
TAMMY: I think— / I think I’m gonna go.
ISABELLE: Hey Max let’s go help Eddie in the kitchen.
TROY: / Tammy, please just—.
MAX: What’s with you?
TROY: Just stay?
(Tammy slowly sits back down. Eddie reenters with a large pot full of soup, carrying it with his bare hands.)
EDDIE: Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow—
(Eddie plops the soup onto the table.)
Okay. Here we go!
MAX: I’m not hungry.
ISABELLE: Yeah, Eddie, I really don’t want anything—
BECKY: Me neither.
EDDIE: Guys, let’s just—. Let’s just eat something?
(Eddie starts quickly filling bowls with soup.)
It’s been a long week, right? We’re all tired, we’re miserable, but right now? We can all just—have lunch together, / I think we can all manage that.
TROY: Eddie—
MAX: Buddy, calm down—
(Eddie accidentally sloshes some of the soup onto Becky.)
EDDIE: Oh God, I’m sorry Becky—
BECKY: Is there meat in this?
(Short pause.)
EDDIE: Shit—
BECKY: There’s meat in this!
TAMMY: / Becky, it’s okay—
TROY: Honey—
EDDIE: I’m sorry Becky—
BECKY: It’s all over me—
TROY: / Okay calm down—
ISABELLE: Eddie I think I should probably watch the front in case / someone comes—
TAMMY (To Becky): Honey, it’s okay, / just take a deep breath—
EDDIE: I locked up, don’t worry about it.
MAX: You what?
EDDIE: / It’s fine—
BECKY: I’m gonna be sick.
TROY: Becky, you’re fine. / Just tell yourself not to throw up and you won’t throw up.
ISABELLE: Eddie you can’t just close the restaurant—
EDDIE: Why not? / It’s my restaurant!
(Eddie continues to serve soup.)
TAMMY: Becky, let’s just go home, okay?
TROY: No, you—. Tammy I never said that I was going to let you take Becky back / home—
TAMMY: Troy, for God’s sake, can / we just skip this part?!
ISABELLE: Eddie, no one wants any lunch, / just stop!
BECKY: I need to go to the bathroom.
(The speaker crackles louder. Max gets up.)
MAX: This is nuts. I’m opening the front.
EDDIE (To Max): No. Stay here.
TAMMY: I’ll take Becky home and / she can take a shower—
TROY (To Tammy): You are not taking her home—
ISABELLE: / We can’t just close in the middle of the day!
BECKY: JESUS WILL YOU TWO STOP TALKING ABOUT ME LIKE I’M NOT HERE?
(Becky takes off her apron, throwing it on the ground.)
TROY: / Great. Here we go.
TAMMY (To Becky): Honey, let’s just go—
EDDIE: I didn’t mean to—I’m sorry—
BECKY: FUCK YOU PEOPLE, FUCK THIS RESTAURANT.
TROY (Fierce): SHUT UP Becky.
TAMMY: / Troy, stop—
BECKY (To Troy): I’M GLAD THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSING.
(Short pause. Everyone stops.)
TROY: What?
BECKY: Eddie said this place is closing, so pretty soon you’re gonna lose your pathetic / little job—
EDDIE: Okay—
BECKY: —and hopefully you and Mom will finally get divorced and / I can—
ISABELLE: Wait, hold on—
(The speaker crackles louder.)
TROY (To Eddie): What is she talking about?
EDDIE: / I just—
MAX: Why would you tell / her that, Eddie?
TROY: Eddie,