Ugly Lies the Bone Read online

  KACIEJess –

  JESSWhat?

  KACIE…

  JESSYou know when I deployed, they promised me a job for when I got back.

  KACIEI know. I –

  May – take time to – find the right – fit.

  JESS…

  KACIE dismantles the ‘Welcome Home!’ sign.

  KACIE…He printed this at his house! Kelvin…

  JESS…

  KACIEA lotta ink…

  Beat.

  We thought you needed a little fun. I got cupcakes before I flew to pick you up, they had these tiny toy soldiers on top. Then we just started inviting people – he – he gets big ideas.

  JESS– not ideas about employment I guess…

  JESS lowers herself to the couch. Rubs her leg. KACIE sits next to her.

  KACIE…Even if you stayed outside most of the night, it is good for – people to see how brave you are.

  They stare into the mirror, neither knowing what to say… A long beat.

  JESSWe look like shit…

  KACIE laughs.

  They were all probably saying – the fuck happened to those Knox sisters. Especially you. At least I have an excuse.

  KACIE laughs and hands over her scratch-off ticket.

  KACIEHere. You didn’t do yours yet.

  JESS goes at it with a coin.

  Anything?

  JESSI can’t tell.

  KACIELemme see –

  KACIE gasps.

  JESSA lot of money?

  KACIEAnother ticket! That’s good! You still got another chance to win…

  Lights shift to JESS downstage with the VOICE.

  VOICEWe’ll measure your pain on an eleven-point scale. Zero means no hurt whatsoever, before the accident, waking effortlessly in your bed, on an average morning. Do you remember what that was like?

  JESS…yeah. Yeah, I do.

  VOICEOne to three is mild, an ingrown toenail that nags or annoys. Four to six interfere with ADLs.

  JESSADL?

  VOICEActivities of Daily Life.

  And seven to ten can cripple you.

  Long after your injuries heal, chronic pain is what actually disables – and lingers on. Standing here now, where are you?

  JESS…Seven and a half.

  VOICEI am sorry to hear that…

  Could you turn your head to the left?

  JESSNine.

  VOICELift your right arm.

  She does.

  Higher.

  She winces.

  JESSNine.

  VOICEBend at the waist –

  She won’t.

  Bend at the waist.

  JESSStop.

  VOICE…Ten?

  JESS– When my bigger grafts stretch, it – feels like I’m still on fire.

  VOICEI can make that go away.

  JESSFrom up there? I can barely see you –

  VOICEI stay in the booth. Less distraction.

  JESSI’m not sure I’m comfortable with this.

  VOICEDo you know what paradise looks like?

  JESSUh… Palm trees?

  VOICEYou can see palm trees on any street in this state. I’m not sure that’s what you’ll choose… I want you to start thinking about what your favorite place is. Or used to be.

  JESSIt was never Florida, that’s for sure.

  VOICEWell, wherever you want.

  I’ll craft a virtual place for you to go, totally unfamiliar to your senses, so they forget how much you hurt.

  Next time, bring your ideas of where your – Eden may be.

  A run-down convenience store slides in.

  We’re going to build you a perfect world.

  Lights shift. STEVIE appears in a ridiculous uniform – striped shirt and goofy hat, playing a game on his phone. A bell rings as JESS enters the store

  STEVIE(Flatly, without looking up.) – welcome to Space Coast Convenience.

  JESSHey –

  JESS throws her scratch-off ticket and some chips on the counter. STEVIE looks up and sees her.

  STEVIE…

  …

  Hi – there.

  You – you’re – in town for the launch?

  STEVIE starts ringing JESS up.

  Nice views down by the water, but if the bridge is too packed, watch from anywhere, the whole town shakes, you can’t miss it even if you wanted to – Here, here, lemme help –

  STEVIE grabs her lottery ticket.

  JESSStevie – ?

  STEVIEYeah – ?

  JESSOh, uh, no, no – your name tag.

  JESS turns abruptly to leave, but her leg cramps.

  She grabs it, trying to get out the door.

  STEVIENo – um. Wait –

  JESS(Sharply.) WHAT?!

  STEVIEUh, nothin’ – I – I already started ringin’ you up.

  JESSSo – ?!

  STEVIEI – ah, well it’s kinda like a pain in the ass to cancel, I gotta call my manager…

  JESS…

  STEVIE– So – please don’t leave.

  JESS…fine.

  She turns back to him.

  STEVIESa-weet.

  He rings up her purchases. She tries not to make eye contact, pushing over her lottery ticket.

  (Indicates a hanging musical triangle.)

  Congrats! I hafta – I hafta ring this bell-thing when somebody wins.

  JESSThere’s nobody in here.

  STEVIE– manager’s like – six hundred pounds. He gets mad.

  STEVIE rings the triangle.

  JESS… Are you serious?

  STEVIECrazy Eights, Lucky Lady, or – ?

  Oh, and I’m supposed to be pushin’ these souvenir shuttle T-shirts. After the launch, probably be a collector’s item, sell it on eBay or – frame it. That’s what my manager told me to – seems like a weird investment. I dunno what kinda people frame shirts they buy in a gas station.

  JESSStevie, Jesus Christ, it’s me.

  STEVIEWhat?

  JESSIt’s me.

  I’m –

  Jess.

  STEVIEHoooooly shit-AH!

  JESSHi.

  STEVIEOh God. Oh my God, you must think –

  JESSNo, it’s –

  STEVIEYou know I’m like – I’m an idiot. I’d never have recognized you, not what I, mmm I just – didn’t know what to – Look at you! You’re here!

  Laughs hugely, uncontrollably.

  – Whew! HA-HA-HA-Ooooh-maaa-God!!

  JESSHow’ve you / been?!

  STEVIEGREAT, actually. Oh, yeah – things for me are –

  Gestures two thumbs way up.

  JESSGreat! I’m so happy for you!!

  STEVIEYour sister told me about the IUD.

  JESSThat’s birth control, Stevie.

  STEVIERight.

  Beat.

  You’re back now! I had NO idea!! We should / like –

  JESSMy sister threw me a party the day I got home, so I already saw everybody important.

  STEVIE…

  JESSI had an incredible time, it was the BEST party.

  STEVIEStill – CATCH UP! I got A LOT goin’ on.

  JESSLooks like it.

  STEVIEI got married.

  JESSThat doesn’t mean you got a lot going on.

  STEVIE…We’re buying a house, kind of. Her brother-in-law’s got foreclosed property he’ll maybe lend us –

  JESSYeah, I don’t actually wanna hear the whole sketchy thing you’re workin’ on. I didn’t mean t’see you.

  STEVIEYes you did.

  JESS– Sorry?

  STEVIEKacie knows I lost my job. I see her when she gasses up Mondays.

  JESSShe mentioned you were fired, not that you’re workin’ here –

  STEVIEThey cut the shuttle program, I didn’t get FIRED.

  JESS…Guess you can’t lie about workin’ for NASA anymore.

  STEVIEI did work for NASA!

  JESSOn a panini press.

  STEVIEYou know I filed papers in the control room before the first round of layoffs.
I had top security clearance.

  JESSWell.

  Now you make hot dogs.

  STEVIE– Did you want one?

  JESSNo.

  STEVIEOnly the manager eats ’em. I hafta steam him two every time he comes in. Sometimes three. – weighs like –

  JESSYou told me.

  STEVIEDisgusting. He’s like mid-western fat. And these little – taco things. Want one of these?

  JESSI’m good.

  STEVIE takes his hat off.

  STEVIE…He makes me wear this? I don’t know why.

  JESS…

  STEVIE(A confession.) I don’t… ahhhhh. I really don’t know what to say.

  JESSWhy do you have to say anything? You shouldn’t SAY anything.

  Beat.

  STEVIETold ya I wouldn’t feel bad if you got blown up.

  JESS is stopped by this, then makes her way for the door.

  Whoa, whoa, whoa –

  He stops her.

  I’m – I – Sorry, I thought that’s why you came in here?

  JESSI came to get my lottery ticket! Because I wanted to drive now that my knee bends again. I got in the car and didn’t know where to go so I came here to cash it. I had no idea you’d be here. I did NOT come to hear about your WIFE and your shitty new job cooking hot dogs for a fat guy.

  STEVIE…Mostly you don’t wanna hear about my wife.

  JESSAm I supposed to? ’Cause that is never gonna happen.

  STEVIEI can’t really feel bad about that either.

  JESSFine. Good.

  STEVIEGood.

  JESSFine.

  Beat.

  STEVIEShe’s got a weird job, makes / a lot of money. Works nights at this really fancy hotel.

  JESS– Oh my God, Stevie! –

  STEVIE– After the launch, who knows what’ll happen with it, but when it’s crowded, they let her do tarot-card readings by the pool, for tips.

  JESSShe sounds amazing.

  STEVIEYou’re not like – you don’t – wanna – sorry, kill yourself, right?

  JESS’Cause your wife’s a fortune-teller at The Holiday Inn? Nah, think I’m okay.

  STEVIE– ’cause of – a lotta things.

  JESSHadn’t actually thought about it, but thanks for the suggestion.

  STEVIEI’ve been really worried about you.

  I did research.

  JESSYou did research?

  STEVIEWell, I googled it. When I heard about your IU / D –

  JESS– still birth control –

  STEVIEEverything I read said – alotta soldiers, get – you know, like –

  He sort of gestures slitting his wrists.

  JESSI shouldn’t have come. Just gimme the –

  STEVIEI’m tryin’ t’be nice.

  JESSTRY HARDER.

  Beat. He doesn’t know what to say. He gestures to indicate that. Laughs. Flicks food off the counter. Comes to the ticket.

  STEVIE… Lucky Lady?

  JESS…Yeah, Lucky Lady.

  STEVIECool.

  Beat.

  JESSThis is who I am now. I am not gonna sit around, feeling sorry for myself, alotta people don’t come back at all.

  STEVIE…

  JESSCome on, I gotta be somewhere.

  He tears the ticket and hands it over.

  STEVIE… You wanna scratch it here or take it home?

  JESSWhy would anybody take it home?

  STEVIEMaybe – they want an excuse to come back…

  He winks, holds out the card. An unspoken offer hangs in the air. JESS shoves it in her pocket, exiting into the living room.

  VOICELooking back will only cause pain. Forward motion. That’s what you need.

  JESS grabs KACIE’s dream board from the closet, heads downstage.

  On to new frontiers…

  Lights up to the space downstage.

  The world we create must be designed by you. Have you thought where you’d like to go?

  JESS produces KACIE’s dream board as her own.

  VOICEDid you make this?

  JESSUm. – Yes. Yes I did.

  VOICEWow, I’m impressed.

  JESSYou – you are?

  VOICEHold it towards the window so I can see! I’ve never had someone actually make something before, you’d never have struck me as – a lover of arts and crafts.

  JESSTook hours. The glue sticks and sequins –

  VOICETell me what in these photos appeals to you.

  JESSIt’s like – look – whole forests of Christmas trees.

  VOICEGood, what else –

  JESSThe air looks like you’d wanna breathe it? And… everybody here’s always talking. They talk all the time and they don’t SAY anything.

  VOICEWhat do you mean?

  JESSPeople wanna talk about – grocery lists. Price of gas. My sister tells me what kid pissed himself in her class and got a gold star. She goes on and on about broccoli – should she get one broccoli or two, what if her boyfriend comes over, will there be enough and if there’s not maybe she’ll make pasta instead so she can mix the broccoli in. And they talk and talk and don’t say ANYTHING. Not a single thing. Nothing happens and they’re still TALKING about it. NOBODY CARES what you make for dinner. Or who the president is. You’re like this and the universe is THIS and you’re a fucking dot. You fucking dots. – It – it looks quiet here.

  VOICE(Excitedly.) Yes. Go on.

  JESSThe way it snowed in Afghanistan… I’ve never heard quiet like that. Snow in the mountains.

  VOICE– while Florida is nothing, but flat heat.

  A good choice. This – this is a very good choice for you.

  And could you tell me what you’d do when the snow would fall –

  JESSI’d –

  VOICEYes?

  JESSI’d run.

  VOICEIs something wrong?

  JESSNo, I – I think I forgot? About running? I’d run and wake up Hawaii so he could help me shovel out our humvees. Everybody who grew up with snow would complain about working in it, but not any of us from the South –

  – You – can you really make this?

  VOICEJuuuuuuust you wait.

  Beat. Lights start to shift.

  JESSI’d run and pick up a shovel.

  And dig.

  And dig.

  And dig my way out!

  Lights up bright to the living room.

  KACIE brings pizza. KELVIN is already eating.

  And yes, he looks like a shit bag.

  KELVIN– I got two Aunt Kathys! One on each side. What’re the odds? Two Uncle Jeffs, both married in. And three cousins named Frank, I mean what in the hell, my life is crazy!!

  JESSFascinating stuff, Kelllvin.

  KACIETell her what happened with the Franks.

  KELVINThere’s big Frank, middle Frank, little Frank, my dad’s cousin, my cousin, my cousin’s son. You with me?

  JESSOh, I’m with ya.

  KELVINI’m textin’, I’m textin’ all the time, if you know me, y’know I’m textin’ like a – I don’t know what – !

  KACIEHe texts a lot!

  KELVINTextin’ all the Franks the night a the NFL draft, we’re lunatics, go to the games together, whatever. So I text Frank ’bout the Dolphin’s number one pick, which is just like COME ON! – total mistake. Follow football, football fan?

  JESS– No.

  KELVINWeeeeell, I text, ‘Let the shitty decisions begin.’ Meanwhile… doesn’t GO to middle Frank… goes to LITTLE Frank, who is proposing to his girlfriend! Down on one knee and

  ‘Let the shitty decisions begin!!’

  KELVIN laughs hysterically, pizza tumbling from his mouth.

  JESSWhat a – classic.

  KACIE kicks JESS’s chair.

  KACIEI love that story.

  JESS– Do you?

  KACIEYeah, I do actually. He’s really close with his family.

  KELVINAnd all three of these Franks’re investing with me.

  JESSYou have investment ideas? That sounds much more entertaining.<
br />
  KELVINWe’re flippin’ houses – anyone’s who’s defaulted on their mortgage, send ’em my way –

  KACIELet’s not – nope! Let’s not get into your business plans now, sweetie.

  Tell her the story – The emails!!

  KELVINOh, oh. Are you gonna love this – All the Franks’re always forwardin’ me emails, and I write back to middle Frank who I think is my cousin, all caps locks, I write, GO FUCK YOURSELF, DON’T YOU DARE SEND ME YOUR RACIST REPUBLICAN BULLSHIT! – we talk like that, we kid around, ya know – But instead… it doesn’t goes to the middle Frank. Guess what? I sent that puppy right on to big Frank… my dad’s cousin… who is just like… not cool with it…

  JESS…

  KELVINHilaaaarious.

  JESS just stares back, speechless.

  KACIELast slice?

  KELVINWar hero gets first dibs.

  JESS(Disgusted.) Please.

  KELVIN inhales another piece of pizza. They stare at each other, eating.

  KELVINKacie tells me you’re lookin’ for work –

  JESSKacie’s getting me something at her school.

  KACIEYou know I’m not really in charge of hiring, Jess –

  JESSI’m a teacher too.

  KELVINOh I didn’t realise… Jeez.

  (Uneasily.) What grade?

  JESSKindergarten.

  KELVINJeez.

  JESSWhat.

  KELVIN gulps his mouthful, sticks a cigarette in his mouth.

  KELVINNo, uh, botha you wanted to be teachers, huh? That’s hilarious.

  JESSIs that, is that what we call funny.

  KELVINYou were like the same person. I can see it in all these pictures. Two beauties.

  JESSI had a job lined up at Kacie’s school – only left when they offered me a big bonus to volunteer for a third tour.

  KACIEWe needed the money to put Mom somewhere.

  KELVIN(Hitting his lighter.) – can’t even imagine.

  JESSCould you possibly not do that next to my face.

  KELVINShe usually lets me smoke in the house.

  JESSThe lighter.

  KELVIN awkwardly smokes the unlit cigarette.

  What about you Kelllvin, you go to college? Lemme take a wild guess –

  KELVINPlumber till my knee blew out. And now God Bless the United States for takin’ care of me.

  KELVIN salutes JESS. Beat.

  KACIE…Let’s – let’s tell her now.

  JESSTell me what.

  KELVINYou liked the pizza, right?

  JESSWhat happened to where we used to order from?

  KACIEClosed. Everything off NASA Parkway pretty much. Big Frank owns –

  KACIE indicates the box.

  JESSNot THE Big Frank –

  KELVINYes! Yes! You got it! Well, not the whole chain, but the franchise near the pier – He lets family eat half off… We eat SO much pizza.