Through The Hands of a Cheater

On my quest to create a 500 word One Act based off of anything, I stumbled upon a slight problem. I just couldn't seem to end the play. I knew what point A and point B were, just not how I was going to get there. I spent a couple days mulling over what I could inflict the characters with. I finally came up with this end result. I find playwrights more effective when they have actual stories that could happen in a certain time period. Fantasy doesn't click with me and plays. I decided to place it in 1913 New York with four main characters. Jane D'uroe, a hard working mother and loving wife who will do anything to keep her family afloat. Bob D'uroe, a man 37 years of age, yet acts like a freshman in college. He loves to have kids, take it both ways, he is very good with his kids. Estelle Gato, a rich heiress who spends all her money on men. She thinks by having an affair with her husband and paying her lover’s bills is a sort of a duty put upon her. Finally, Richard Gato, a husband who has lost touch with his wife, Estelle. If it wouldn’t ruin his career, he would divorce her. He is a 43 year old salesman who is fairly popular around his town. Now, for Through The Hands of a Cheater.

Setting: Early April, 1913 New York. JANE (35 years), looking weathered from her job at the factory escorts ELAINE (8 years) into their broken down house. Her hands shake as she smoothes down her dress and starts to slave over the kitchen to start dinner for the family and wait for everyone else to arrive.

BOB (37 years) walks in following THEODORE (aged 12 years). THEODORE has grease on his cheek from his job as a “Greaser” for the nearby mines. He massages his knuckles, working in the extra grease. BOB drops his bloody rag in a bucket inside. He has arrived home from the meat packaging plant.

(BOB reveals a bloody package before tossing it to his wife. He grunts with a smile while raising his eyebrow to JANE, apelike, before physically brushing off his sly, dirty, comment with his brown stained hands.)

BOB: I’m too old for this (he holds his back while sitting down).

JANE: Bob, you’re only 37, you’re not old enough to be too old for somethin’.

BOB: Explain that to him. (He points at his back and puts his feet up on the rickety table in their house, his broken dirty work shoes bringing the whole place down in value)

JANE: Bob! For Christs Sake! I’ve been working hard all day too, get your feet off of the table. (she whips his feet with her cooking towel)

BOB: Yes Jane, but a simple seamstress job is nothing compared to a man's job! Right Theodore? (He looks at THEODORE, rolls up his sleeve and flexes, revealing a bicep bigger than Theodore’s head)

THEODORE: Wow! Yes Papa! (THEODORE begins to flex as well, revealing a smaller, protein deficient arm)

JANE: Theodore, no. You are an educated young man, you are not to aid your father’s antics. (She pulls him aside and wipes the smudges off of THEODORE’S face, she turns back to the package on the table) Where did you get this meat, BOB?

BOB: Stole it from work, they ain’t gon notice one package missing. (A knock on the door startles BOB from his seat) Hold on! (he yells towards the door) hide the meat (he whispers to the two kids, who scurry away with the bloody package)

(BOB opens the door to reveal CHARLES, their landlord, holding a paper. CHARLES, a large old Irish man with too many wrinkles to count, is never happy, or sober. But this particular visit created more wrinkles around his mouth than usual.)

BOB: Ah Charles, what ca-

CHARLES: Where’s yah mess makers Ah gat a bill for tree dollahs of cleanen, yah boys knocked ovah ah plant in de lahbeh. (The two kids peer out from behind a wall, they look at each other in fear)

JANE: You must have the wrong house, One of ‘ems a gi-

CHARLES: Ah don care where’s mah tree dollahs

JANE:(with a pause of disbelief)...but we know our kids would never do this.(She tries to close the door, but Charles sticks a beefy foot between the door and the frame)

BOB: Nevermind that, we’ll take the bill, can you just retract your foot from our door?

CHARLES: Watch yer fantty langage surh.

BOB: (In a mocking tone) Ah meen move yer damn foot!

(CHARLES growls, resembling a large dog, acting territorial. He removes his foot. The door closes)

BOB: Elaine, Theodore, would you kids come over?(The kids walk over with their heads low.) Did you two break the plant? Please be honest with me.

(ELAINE and THEODORE look at each other, ELAINE leans over to whisper something in THEODORE’S ear, her soaked steiff bear follows her hands while she covers her secrets and sends them directly to her brother’s ear. THEODORE nods)

THEODORE: No, Pa we didn’t do it. It was Beary, he needed a bath after he fell in the mud so we went to the house but Beary hit the plant. He’s very sorry, Sir.

BOB: (BOB assesses the situation, looking at JANE multiple times, he smiles) Did he now? And how should we punish Beary for this crime? I think he should get a 20 minute time out on the clothesline. (He takes the bear from ELAINE’S hand, her eyes water) No, Honey, Beary will be fine, he just needs to dry off for a bit. Here come with me, we’ll sit with him outside. We’re just not aloud to talk to him. (ELAINE nods her head, cooperatively, they walk out together, THEODORE begins to walk out before his mother calls him back)

JANE: Theodore, where is that meat? We need to eat tonight, boy. (He groans and runs to get it)

One Week Later Jane goes out to look for another job to help pay for the bill. Basket in hands. She gets distracted by a fruit stand, she begins asking the men who own the shops if the have any openings. All men turn their backs before she finishes her requests.

JANE: Excuse me are there any jo-(The man turns away from her. She turns around to another stand) Excuse me do yo- (Another man turns away, she looks in the other directions and all the men turn away. She sighs in frustration before sitting down and leaning against a building wall, head in hands)

(A well dressed man walks through the slums and stops to look at JANE through the busy crowd of people. He walks over to her and offers her a hand. She looks up, hopeful.)

Blackout

(They turn the corner together, JANE lets out a laugh before immediately catching it with her hand. She smiles)

JANE: I’ve not laughed that hard in ages. When I’m with you, Richard, I feel like I’m living a lie. Not my real life, I could never have a life this fancy. (She breaks eye contact with him, she blushes. Looking back up at him, They kiss His thick Boston Accent seeps through when he speaks)

Richard Gato: Would you like to try?(They walk off stage Left door, closest to the wings)

(BOB walks out of the door the farthest to the stage right with ESTELLE)

BOB: Amazing time as always Estelle. You look so beautiful up there. (He winks, she playfully slaps his shoulder and kisses his cheek)

(ESTELLE has Bright Red lipstick on, Her black hair in tight small waves holding more secrets than her face could. She has a nasally, thick Boston Accent)

ESTELLE: Anything for you Bobby! (He squeezes her and she squeals as they walk off stage right, opposite of RICHARD and JANE)

(JANE comes back home with a yellow flower resting in her hair, she is happier than usual, she sighs when she enters the kitchen to make her family a meal. BOB walks in right after, more sexual than usual, he goes up behind her and grabs her hips)

JANE: Richard, did you follow me home? (she turns her head, to her surprise it is Bob behind her) Oh! Bob I didn’t know you’d be home so early.

Bob: (He doesn’t seem to notice her calling him “Richard”, He is too busy thinking of a whole different “Richard”) Hmm? (He rocks back and forth and leads her to another room offstage)

A year later

(RICHARD walks in with JANE clinging to his arm. She has a vast amount of expensive items on, She lets out a booming laugh, starting to resemble ESTELLE’S, JANE is carrying a box of fresh meat)

JANE: Thanks again Richard for all this meat, the kids will be very happy

RICHARD: No problem honey, whatever you and the kids need.

JANE: Bye (she kisses him on the cheek and leaves him outside of her house. Once inside JANE rips off the fancy clothing and throws it in the bucket by the door)

JANE: That man is severely thick. He doesn't know I'm scamming him for all he's worth yet?

(she sets the meat down) This’ll last us all month. Then when I sell those clothes we can afford to stay here. I’ll get a new dining table, and a new couch. (She holds her hands to her face, daydreaming of all she can buy.)

(BOB and ESTELLE come by. his hand is on his stomach)

BOB: That dinner sure was nice, huh baby?

ESTELLE: I’ve had better.(She shrugs, annoyed, yet pleased, that she was stuck with the check again.)

BOB: Well, goodnight babe. (He gives her a kiss and walks in, shifting moods to being hungry and tired from a hard days work.)

BOB: ugh work was so hard today (He throws his dirty rag into a bin, oblivious to the fancy clothes also in there.) what's for dinner honey?

JANE: Beef stew, now that we have this new fridge, I've been able to cook more with what we have.

BOB: This new what? Jane we’re broke we can't be buying hundreds of dollars worth of furniture.

JANE: Honey it's fine I got a raise anyway.

BOB: Yea but how much does a lousy seamstress make anyway?

JANE: Bob! That's not your business, and I'm not lousy. I'm quite good at my job. (She perks up a bit, proud of herself for sticking up for her job at the factory)

BOB: aw I'm sorry hun, I just am a little cranky about you making financial choices without me there. (He gets up and hugs her backside they chuckle and walk off stage together)

JANE is holding all of the clothes from yesterday in her hands while she walks into the marketplace she is selling them to the vendors for money, RICHARD comes up behind her.

RICHARD: did they not fit you?

JANE: No, they did, I was asking my old pal, Roger, here to uh… iron my coat right Roger, (She nudges ROGER’S shoulder, ROGER turns away and JANE chuckles nervously)

RICHARD: ok, Uhm, well do you want to get some lunch?

JANE: Oh, I’d love to but I have to get to work today. Maybe later at five?

RICHARD: I have an appointment at five how about tomorrow at eight we’ll go for brunch?

JANE: yea if nothing comes up. I guess it’s a date.

(He walks away and she continues to sell her clothes)

A black table and 2 chairs set up stage right, JANE and RICHARD are talking and eating breakfast. ESTELLE and BOB walk out of BOB’S house. ESTELLE is wearing stockings, BOB sees JANE and RICHARD and gets angry.

BOB: (forgetting he has ESTELLE on his arm) Is that Jane? Who is she with? (He completely drags ESTELLE over to the table) who is this?

JANE: Oh Bob! Honey! Uhm well this is my boss Richard, he’s talking about giving me another raise. (She drops RICHARD’S hand abruptly) (RICHARD is surprised to hear JANE call BOB honey He does not see ESTELLE behind BOB)

RICHARD: Honey who is this? Hello Bob, I am Richard, Jane’s significant other. [He reaches his hand out to BOB]

ESTELLE: Jane’s WHAT [she comes from behind BOB, short and angry] Rich why are you her significant other AND her boss? Isn’t that against the rules? Aren’t you my husband? (she yelps in anguish at her realization) are you cheating on me?

RICHARD: Nevermind that, honey why did you and Bob here just walk out of Jane’s place?

JANE:(looking hurt into her husband’s eyes) Bob are you cheating on me with this airhead? (ESTELLE gasps)

ESTELLE: who you call’n an airhead sweetie … you’re the real… airhead… (she sighs in frustration)

JANE: I at least wish she would be intellectual.

ESTELLE: Hey screw you girlie I went to Hawvad.

JANE: Yea maybe for the night “girlie”.

ESTELLE: More like an hour, he wasn’t the best. Oh! Bobby let me fight her. [she runs at JANE, BOB grabs ESTELLE’S waist and holds her to him]

RICHARD: ESTELLE, get off that sewer rat, he’ll give you diseases.

JANE: [JANE turns towards BOB, she lifts herself out of her chair] Bob how long have you been with her?

BOB: Aw now don’t shift the blame onto me how long have you been with him?

JANE: A year.

BOB: Oh.. well I’ve been with Estelle about a year… Right bab- er- Estelle?

ESTELLE: What do you mean Bobby? Our 5th anniversary is coming u- oh oops. No yea he’s right it’s only been a year. She pats her hand on JANE’S arm, JANE pulls away quickly

JANE: I can’t believe you? 5 years? I’ve worked so hard to provide for this family. I even got with this schmooze to pay for our house.

RICHARD: Hey I ain’t no schmooze.

JANE: Did you really think I loved him? I couldn’t juggle two jobs I made a choice for our family. I regret it, sure, but never once did I love any man but you Bob. What did you do? Enjoy fancy meals with her while I was out at work? What about when our kids were starving? (She hesitates.) You only care about yourself Bob D’uroe. (She storms out in anger.)

ESTELLE: Aw Bobby, it’s ok. Now you have me all to yourself. (She clings onto Bob, forgetting RICHARDS presence. RICHARDS eyes are wide. He sits back in the chair, head in his hands.)

ESTELLE: Oh yea, Richard don’t worry about her, you have me. Don’t think you gotten off the hook for cheating on me. (She wiggles her finger at RICHARD who gets up and slaps ESTELLE.)

RICHARD: Estelle, how could you do this. (He steps away with realization)How could I do this? Bob, Jane is the most hardworking, loving woman, you at least had the chance to love her, and you didn’t even take that advantage. (He throws money on the table and storms off towards JANE’S direction.)

ESTELLE: Well, now that he’s gone… (she walks two fingers up BOB’S chest.)

BOB: You can always find a way to cheer me up, Estelle. (They walk into BOB’S house.)

(JANE comes out stage left and sits against the building, where she and RICHARD had first met. She puts her head in her hands. RICHARD walks in stage right and passes JANE, stops to search for her, then sits down next to her)

RICHARD: Was it the suit?

JANE:(she looks at him) What?

RICHARD: The suit? That I wore the day I met you, right here actually. It kind of reads “schmooze” doesn’t it?

(She laughs)

JANE: I actually liked that suit. Sorry for calling you a schmooze, I’m really hurting right now.

RICHARD: I can tell, I think I know how you feel.

JANE: No, you don’t.

RICHARD: I mean, my wife was cheating on me with a broke meat worker.(JANE glares at RICHARD) Sorry. But I also was just recently told that the woman I truly loved never truly loved me, just my riches.

JANE: Oh, yes. I’m sorry about that… and it’s not fully true. I do like you. Just not as much as I love my husband.

RICHARD: Yes, I understand… sort of. (He smiles) I don’t hold much love for my “airhead”. (They both laugh, RICHARD puts his arm over JANE to comfort her.)

RICHARD: Can you maybe… give me another chance? Now that we are both single?

JANE: Maybe… (BOB carries ESTELLE across stage, they both make loud sexual comments as they pass.) Yes ok, I’ve tired of him. (RICHARD and JANE laugh and kiss.)