Better Places to Go (3 page)

RICARDO. Derek, there’s a lot to talk about.

DEREK. I don’t understand. You said –

RICARDO. I know what I said! What do you want me to do? My sister is sick. My Mom and Dad –

DEREK. They can take care of her! They made her sick and it’s their fault and they can fix it!

RICARDO. Maybe I’m not ready to leave Grand Island.

DEREK. Well, I am.

(Derek grabs his backpack and the bus tickets and he bolts out the front door, leaving the road map behind. Ricardo starts to run after him, but he stops. He looks out the front door for a moment, watching Derek disappear. He sits down at a table, lowering his head into his folded arms. Softly, he begins to cry.

A few moments pass before Judy enters. She stands in the doorway and watches Ricardo. Slowly, she goes to him and runs a comforting hand through his hair.)

JUDY. I hate to see men cry.

RICARDO.
(Looks up, wipes his eyes:)
I have a lot on my mind.

JUDY. My daddy used to cry. My mother would take off for days at a time and she wouldn’t call. My daddy would sit in the kitchen until all hours of the night and he would just cry. It used to break my heart.
(Beat.)
What have you gotten yourself into, Ricardo?

RICARDO. I’m scared.

JUDY. If what folks are saying about the two of you is true, then you should leave. You won’t survive here. It’ll destroy you. Look what it’s done to him. That boy is ruined.

RICARDO. It’s my fault.

JUDY. That’s what my daddy used to say. He’d look at me and say, ‘Judy, this is all my fault. I wasn’t good to your mother and now she’s gone and run away’. I’ll tell you the same thing I used to tell him. It’s not your fault. No matter how hard you try, you can’t tame a wild heart.
(Beat.)
You’ve been real good to me, Ricardo, and I’ve never spoken an unkind word about you. I know what the Bible says and I know what I’ve heard around town, but I know the type of person you are. Despite what I’ve been taught to believe, your relations with that boy are of no concern to me. You’re still my friend.
(Beat.)
Every time she ran, my mother always came back home. The last time she ran, she didn’t return.
(Beat.)
A whole year went by before they found her body in the trunk of a car. 

RICARDO. Does your father still cry?

JUDY. No, but I never hear him laugh.

RICARDO. My mother and father need me. We moved to Grand Island to try to give my sister a better life. She’s so messed up and the medical bills are more than my parents can handle. If I don’t help them –

JUDY. What will happen if you leave?

RICARDO. My sister might die.

JUDY. That’s not your decision, Ricardo. That’s the will of God. From what I gather, your sister has been in pain for a long time.

RICARDO. It wasn’t her fault.
(Beat.)
My father was driving and he was fighting with my mother and it happened so fast, they didn’t have time – my sister was thrown from the car and she’s never been the same. We came here because life was quiet and my grandparents got us a house but nothing seems to help. I work as much as I can and it doesn’t seem to matter. Nothing matters anymore.

JUDY. Derek needs you and you’re good for him. Nobody’s ever wanted him. Not even his own
mother, God rest her soul. Britney is too busy with her six hundred boyfriends and each one of them is worse than the last. Nathan is a monster.

RICARDO. You think I should go?

JUDY. I’m going home, Ricardo.

RICARDO. What about your truck driver?

JUDY. Maybe Rosie is right. Maybe I’m just a ridiculous woman. We both know there’s a storm coming tonight. I don’t want to get stuck in the middle of it. I’d rather be at home, with my father. He needs me.

RICARDO. You’re giving up? You said he was coming back.

JUDY. I’ve been promised that before and each time I wanted to believe it, but I can’t and I don’t anymore.

RICARDO. I think he’ll be back, Judy.

JUDY. No, he won’t. But that’s all right. I won’t stop laughing.
(Beat.)
No matter what.
(She exits.)

(Ricardo, alone, picks up the road map. He unfolds it and starts to trace a route to San Diego with his finger.

Lights fade to black.)

ACT ONE: SCENE TWO

(As the lights come up, the diner is empty. A half an hour has passed. The radio is on.)

RADIO ANNOUNCER.
Well, folks, the storm hasn’t hit quite yet, but I’m told that when it does, we might get blown right off the map. They say we have a chance of flash floods tonight. By tomorrow morning, though, everything should be cleared up. They say blue skies are in the forecast.

(Music begins to play.

A few moments pass before BRITNEY, a simple woman in her late twenties, enters in a hurry. She is frightened. She is wearing a blouse that is ripped. It is evident she has been crying. There is a visible bruise on her left arm.  She goes behind the counter, hides.

Immediately, NATHAN enters. He is in his thirties and is exceptionally handsome, physically intimidating. He’s the ultimate bad boy. He turns the radio off.

Silence.

Nathan stands in the middle of the restaurant, waiting and listening.)

NATHAN. I know you’re in here. You can’t hide from me.
(He listens closely and hears faint crying. He goes behind the counter and pulls Britney out of her hiding place by her hair.)
  What did I tell you, huh? Think you can fucking outsmart me?

BRITNEY.
You’re crazy.

NATHAN. Give me the keys.

BRITNEY. I don’t have them.

NATHAN.
(He strikes her. She collides with a table and knocks over a chair. She ends up on the floor, on all fours.)
Give me the fucking keys!

BRITNEY.
You were supposed to be the perfect man.

NATHAN. Did you hear me?!

BRITNEY. I wanted to be your wife.

NATHAN. I’m not fucking around anymore. Give me the keys.

BRITNEY. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you.
(She stands.)
But I would rather die!
(She lunges at him, shoving him, striking him. They struggle violently.)

ROSIE.
(She enters from the kitchen carrying a bus tray of silverware. At the sight of the struggle, she yells and throws the tray on the floor, trying to create a distraction.)
Nathan, get out!

NATHAN.
(Still struggling:)
Stay out of this, Rosie!

ROSIE. I said get the fuck out.
Ain’t putting up with your bullshit tonight. Let go of her!

NATHAN.
(He throws Britney down. She hits the ground and crawls away from Nathan quickly. She ends up near the kitchen door, terrified.)
Tell her to give me my keys.

ROSIE.
(To Britney:)
Do you have his keys?

BRITNEY.
(She holds them up with a trembling hand. The keys rattle lightly.)
  Don’t give ‘em to him. Please, Rosie. I don’t have anywhere to go.

ROSIE. The hell you don’t.
(She takes the keys and goes to the main entrance of the diner. She opens the door and hurls the keys out into the parking lot.)
  Here’s your keys, Nathan! You show back up here again tonight, I’m calling the sheriff and you know he’s been waiting three years to kick your ass. Now, get the fuck out before I kill you myself.

NATHAN.
(Slow; creepy:)
Rosie, Rosie, Rosie. Got a pocketful of...
(He touches her, suggestively. She slaps his hand away.)
Ashes fall. They hit the ground.

ROSIE. I told you to leave, pig face.

NATHAN. Think you’re pretty tough now, don’t you?

ROSIE. I can take care of myself. I always have.

NATHAN. Since when? Since Della hired that idiot to protect you when you’re alone here at nights? Believe me. If I wanted you again, he couldn’t stop me. He isn’t even here right now. I saw him down at the bus depot, taking food to Britney’s faggot brother.

ROSIE. I should have put your ass back in jail.

NATHAN. But you didn’t. And you wanna know why you didn’t? Because you liked it.

ROSIE. You make me sick, you dumb bastard.

NATHAN. Sweet, sweet, Rosie. So young. So tough. You weren’t too tough that night, were you?
(Beat.)
You didn’t even fight me off.

ROSIE.
(She goes to the telephone on the counter and dials a number.)
  I should have done this a long time ago.

NATHAN.
(Approaching her:)
What are you doing?

ROSIE.
Calling the sheriff. Telling him to throw your crazy ass back in jail where you fucking belong.

NATHAN. You
gonna tell him what we did? Hell, Rosie, I’m a good man. Everybody in town thinks the world of Britney. She’s the best cashier at Grady’s. You know that. You tell the sheriff what we did and by tomorrow morning everyone in Grand Island will know what a filthy little whore you are. My God, you practically begged me for it.

ROSIE. You fucking liar!
(She slams the phone against the side of Nathan’s head. He recoils and yells in pain.)
I told you to get out!

NATHAN. I should fucking kill you!

ROSIE. You already tried that once, remember?

NATHAN. Mark my word –

ROSIE. Your word means nothing to me. I want you out and if you know what’s good for you –

NATHAN. Just remember, sweet Rosie, you’re the one who declared the war.

ROSIE. Go fight yourself, Nathan. I’m through. You’re insane and I hope someone kills you for what you’ve done to the women in Grand Island.

NATHAN.
(Sinister:)
I’ll kill your Grandmother.

ROSIE.
(Beat.)
I’ll kill her first.

NATHAN.
(To Britney:)
You stay here with this bitch and you ain’t coming home.

ROSIE. She’s staying here with me.

NATHAN.
(In Rosie’s face:)
You can have her.

ROSIE. Fine, then. She’s mine.
(Beat.)
Now get out!
(He exits. Immediately, Rosie turns to Britney.)
What in the hell is wrong with you?

BRITNEY.
He was hitting me. I ran from him.

ROSIE. Did you get the money?

BRITNEY. I took all of it from the store. It’s in the truck.

ROSIE. You left it in the God damn truck?

BRITNEY. Under the seat. In a paper bag.

ROSIE. How are we supposed to leave tonight if you don’t have the money?

BRITNEY. You’re going to be upset with me, but I’ve thought things through.
(Beat.)
I’m taking the money back. I’m not going with you.

ROSIE. The man is a barbarian. He beats the shit out of you every chance he gets.

BRITNEY. It’s not about him.
(Beat.)
I’m pregnant, Rosie. I’m gonna have a baby.

ROSIE. You’re even dumber than I thought.

BRITNEY. Can I tell you a secret?
(Beat.)
It’s not his baby.

ROSIE. Does he know?

BRITNEY. Not yet.

ROSIE. Good. I hope he blows his head off when you tell him.

BRITNEY. I’ll get you some money, but I’m staying in Grand Island. I just have to find my mother’s ring and I’ll sell it. I think Derek hid it from me somewhere.

ROSIE. We had a promise, Britney. We made plans. I want out of this place and I’ll do anything to get on that bus tonight.

BRITNEY. What about your grandmother?

ROSIE. What about her? She’s old. She’s waiting for the aliens to come and take her away because she’s a fucking nut like everyone else in Nebraska.

BRITNEY. Do you want me to look after her, since I’ll be here?

ROSIE. Become her fucking nurse for all I care.

BRITNEY. It’s funny that you say that. I’m actually thinking of going to nursing school. After the baby is born, I mean. I think I’d be really good at helping people.

ROSIE. I can’t believe you want to stay. I should’ve known you’d change your mind.
All because of a piece of ass.

BRITNEY.
I know what Nathan is like. I’m not staying because of him. I told you that.

ROSIE. You know what he did to me. You’re his girlfriend, for God’s sake. It doesn’t bother you that your man has forced himself on half the women in this town?

BRITNEY. Some of them wanted it. Like Sheila and Madison.

ROSIE. That’s sick.

BRITNEY. I see how they look at him. Sheila practically seduces him every time we go down to Clyde’s for a beer. And Madison told me to my face that she wants to marry him. He’s bad. Some girls like that.

ROSIE. Well, I didn’t. He practically raped me. Did you know that? Huh? Do you care? Yeah, all you care about is the cheap, sick thrill you get every time he smacks you around.  You’re a fucking puppet, Britney. A dumb, lazy, nasty little puppet
who stays with a pig because you get off when he nearly bashes your skull in. You wanna stay here. You’re an idiot. You stay and rot away with your bastard baby. I’m leaving. I’m going to Miami and no one will stop me. Not you. Not my stupid grandmother and certainly not your ugly boyfriend. I got a suitcase behind the counter and I got some food in my purse. I’m not going home tonight, because if I do, I will kill that old woman in her sleep.
(Beat.)
Now, you go get the money you promised me and get your fucking ass back here so I can go to Miami and start my wonderful new life. Do you hear me?

BRITNEY.
I said I’ll get you some cash. I need the ring.

ROSIE. Then go find it.

BRITNEY. I feel horrible for stealing from the store. I have to put the money back before they realize it’s missing in the morning.

ROSIE. We’re supposed to go to Miami and share an apartment and get jobs and be happy. You messed everything up.

BRITNEY.
You can go by yourself.

ROSIE. Believe me, I am. But once I’m gone, you’ll regret it. You’ll be stuck here working the cash register at Grady’s.

BRITNEY. You make it sound like a bad thing. Did you hear? I’m the Employee of the Month.

ROSIE. Well,
congratufuckinglations. Who knows, Britney? Maybe nursing school will be more glamorous than ringing up groceries all day long.

BRITNEY.
I don’t need all the excitement like you do, Rosie.

ROSIE. You’re boring me.

BRITNEY. I can’t go to Miami if I’m pregnant. Who’s gonna help me with the baby?

ROSIE. It’s not my fault you got knocked up.

BRITNEY. I’m scared.

ROSIE.
Because you don’t have any backbone. You never have.

BRITNEY.
I know you don’t mean that. Me and you have been friends for a long time. You were there for me when my Mom died.

ROSIE. I’m not as nice as I used to be, Britney.

BRITNEY. Yeah, I noticed that.

ROSIE. We both know I was never a Girl Scout.

BRITNEY. Still, you’re always so angry now.

ROSIE. Don’t ever fall in love.
(Beat.)
It’ll make you crazy. Just look at what it’s done to me.

BRITNEY.
Is that why you’re going to Miami?

ROSIE. You’re wasting my time, Britney. Memory lane is a dead end street. Go get the money.

BRITNEY. What if Nathan catches me? I have to go back to the house to get the money out of the truck and then sneak back into the store. If he sees me –

ROSIE. That’s your fault, not mine. You shouldn’t have left the money to begin with. I’m not sticking up for you anymore. You’re a grown woman. You made a promise.
                           

BRITNEY.
I could get fired. I mean, I’ve worked at that store for three years. Those people trust me.

ROSIE. Well, if you were going to Miami with me, they’d never catch you. If you stay here, I’m sure they’ll find out.

BRITNEY. What if they send me to jail?

ROSIE. Then you and Nathan can share a cell. You two deserve each other.

BRITNEY. I’m not staying with him – when you leave, I mean.

ROSIE. Bullshit.

BRITNEY. I’m serious. Not after what he’s done.

ROSIE. Who are you kidding? You’re
gonna die with that man. You like what he does to you.

BRITNEY.
His mother made him mean. Have you met her before? She lives in Kearney. She’s horrible.

ROSIE. I don’t give a shit. Go get me some money. The bus leaves at midnight.

BRITNEY. It’s a long walk. The storm is coming -