King St. John's Jim

The house lights go down. The stage is a black backdrop where images of trees and streets are projected. We see Nobrow and Southwick talking at the St. John’s town square bus stop. It is early morning, but Lombard is busy.

Southwick sees his friend Nobrow waiting for the bus and walks up. They haven’t seen each other in weeks. They exchange pleasantries.

Nobrow: I gotta get that woman out of my life. She’s getting way out of hand. I thought she was going to go in one direction but she is getting worse, worse, worse. She bought $50 worth of heroin at ten last night, and she’s still out. She is totally out of control. She has a $100 a day heroin habit, drinks all the time, and smokes two packs of cigarettes a day.

Southwick: How many poisons can we put in our bodies? I see it all around in St. John’s. Is she going for some Olympic medal in drug tolerance?

N: You can’t tell her nothing, she’s totally in denial. She won’t talk about any of it. (He leans down a bit and makes a gesture indicating a big bump on his inner thigh) She has a big welt on her leg where she put it in. There were big red blotches up and down her leg. It was so bad, it burned as she put it in. And then she put the other half in her other thigh and said it burns real bad. She stayed up hours with the itch. She kept saying “your place is filthy, the bugs are biting me.” I got no bugs. I said: “Well I’m lying here and the bugs aren’t biting me.”

Nobrow’s phone rings. He answers. He glowers a bit. His German wrestler stance hardens.

Southwick walks a bit away.

“Yeah…”

“I’m waiting for the bus. I gotta work…”

“Why didn’t you walk with me?…”

“Why didn’t you walk with me? You turned around and went the other direction.”

“Where are you now?…”

Everytime he pauses, a truck or bus passes by.

Throntle appears stage right sitting under a the sign of the infirmary. Throntle wears a purse in the shape of a lions head. The jaws pop open and closed for her. It hangs by front paws around her shoulder. She is talking on the phone, we cannot make out what she is saying. At the same time they both hang up. She makes another call, we cannot make out what she is saying.

As Nobrow hangs up, Southwick comes back and they continue:

Nobrow points: There she is, under the arch. (He tries to change the subject, and not think of her. He keeps looking around in all directions: he wants to stare at her, but he wants to make it look accidental when he does watch her.) I gotta work today. I keep my girls safe: They dance and they tip me big. It will be slow, but I got a couple of big tippers. I work thursday and friday. I could have worked last night, but this way I get some time off. I work saturday, sunday, too. I just missed the bus, it was twenty-two minutes out. I been waiting some time. Here she is:

Throntle finishes her call and walks up and sits on a potted tree next to N and S. She has a Starbucks drink from 7-11. I’ts capped, but half gone. She has a wet spot on her chest. She seems a bit drowsy.

N: you spilled something.

T: It’s coffee.

N: you have stuff all over you.

T: It’s coffee. It’s good. (She holds it out to him, he does not take it.)

T: don’t you like it? Here, taste it. (she almost forces it on him — a difficult feat considering her sluggish demeanor)

N: I know what it tastes like. I just don’t want any.

T: At least it’s not beer.

N takes an accusatory tone: Well, it will be.

T: That’s why nobody likes you, I can’t buy beer, I don’t have any money.

A well dressed elderly woman passes by. She is obviously old and “respectable”. She sits down on the sidewalk and has a bit of a spell. An ambulance drives up within seconds, and the attendants quickly disappear with her.

N: How much do you have?

T: I have $5. I need $6.

N: You can buy two quarts for 5.

T: I’ll give you $3 for $5. (She stands and moves closer)

N: I would too. (he pulls out his wallet, she gives him three dollars, he gives her a five dollar bill. )

T: You know how I hate to beg.

S: You just have to figure out how to beg more efficiently.

T: Yes.

Throntle and Nobrow are close as they make the exchange, she gives him a hug.

T: I’m sorry you are angry.

N: I’m not angry, I’m irritated, there’s a difference.

T: Well, I was irritated all last night.

N: That’s what I’m irritated about.

T: I know.

That is as much of an apology that Throntle will ever give. She hugs him, and he responds. Their energy shifts to oxytocin closeness. They kiss goodbye sweetly and he gets on the bus and goes to work.

Southwick walks off.

Throntle walks over to the trash can and starts pawing through it.