People Live Here

by George F. Walker

  VIOLET: Okay. Okay. Just turn it off … come on, turn it off, for Chrissake! (rocking) You rotten little bastards! It’s mean. And it has to stop! Someone has to make it stop! (grabbing the cleaver and rushing out) Okay then, maybe this will do the trick!

  Blackout.

  SCENE 11

  VIOLET is helping LEO into the apartment. He has been roughed up: a bloody nose and a welt under his eye.

  VIOLET: You were very brave out there.

  LEO: Well, I couldn’t let them keep screaming at you like that.

  VIOLET: (helping him sit) Yeah, I guess threatening to castrate them got them pretty worked up. I mean, after I explained what that was.

  LEO: They should be way more understanding of your condition.

  VIOLET: Please don’t refer to my condition as a “condition.”

  LEO: I just meant … well, even when you were accusing me of all that stuff with Keith, I cut you a certain amount of slack.

  VIOLET: That was big of you. Considering that everything I said was true.

  LEO: Except you told people I was a killer.

  VIOLET: I had a reason for that.

  LEO: Yeah, you were out of your head.

  VIOLET: No. It was something else. (thinking) Yeah. It was Keith. When no one knew who was doing those killings, Keith told me he thought it could be you.

  LEO: Why would he do that?

  VIOLET: Let me think about that for a moment. What were you doing hanging around in front of the building?

  LEO: I never left.

  VIOLET: … Because he was planning to kill you.

  LEO: What?

  VIOLET: That’s why he told me you might be the killer. He was planting suspicions about you in people’s heads. (thinking) Yes. And then once he’d done that, he’d plant evidence that pointed to you. Then he’d kill you, and make it look like self-defence. At least that’s what I’d do. What do you mean you never left?

  LEO: Well, I didn’t know where to go. I mean, should I head back to the motel, should I go into hiding, should I go drown myself in the fucking lake? I mean, when I saw Maddy and whatshername head off, I was sure they were on their way to turn me in to the cops. And I can’t go back to prison! I just can’t!!

  VIOLET: Okay, okay, try to relax. Maddy had to pick up the kids from school. And Cathy was probably going shopping. Trust me, she hasn’t got anything on her mind except what to do with me.

  LEO: And what about you?

  VIOLET: The last time I reported someone to the police I wound up in a psych ward.

  CATHY comes in, carrying a bag of groceries.

  CATHY: What’s he doing here?

  VIOLET: He saved my life.

  LEO: And I got a little banged up in the process.

  CATHY: You’re talking about the incident in front of the building?

  VIOLET: Yes, I am. What have you got there? More lousy canned goods?

  CATHY: You told me, very emphatically, that you only wanted to eat food from a can.

  VIOLET: That was because of the spiders. (to LEO) I was afraid there were spiders hiding in all the fresh vegetables.

  CATHY: Right.

  VIOLET: Right. But you convinced me that there weren’t.

  CATHY: I did? You know, you have to tell me when that happens, Violet. When I tell you something that’s actually real or true, you have to let me know that it’s sunk in, okay?

  VIOLET: Sure. No need to make a big deal about it, though.

  CATHY: Got it. So fresh fruit and vegetables are okay, then.

  VIOLET: Like I just said, yeah.

  CATHY: (to LEO) The police are looking for you.

  LEO: (to VIOLET) You said she wasn’t gonna report me.

  VIOLET: I guess I was wrong.

  LEO: Looking for me. Jesus … I mean, they might think I’m armed.

  CATHY: I didn’t tell them you were armed. I just told them you were an accomplice in a number of murders.

  VIOLET: That sounds worse than it is.

  CATHY: I think it sounds just about right, actually.

  LEO: Okay, but the thing is, it could mean they’ll be ready to shoot me on sight.

  VIOLET: (to CATHY) He’s right. He’ll need to be accompanied to the police station. (to LEO) She’ll do it.

  CATHY: No, I won’t.

  VIOLET: Why not? You’re the one who put him in jeopardy.

  CATHY: I’m not taking this guy to the police station. If I have to take anyone there, it’ll be you. They want to talk to you, too.

  VIOLET: About what?

  CATHY: About threatening all those kids with that freakin’ cleaver. You promised me that was only for chopping meat.

  VIOLET: And did you ever bring me any meat? No. So there it was, just lying around without a purpose. Maybe if you tell the cops I was just very nervous …

  CATHY: I did. I tried to explain your entire situation. But they still want to see you.

  VIOLET: Promise you won’t let them put me in prison.

  CATHY: That’s not going to happen.

  VIOLET: What about a hospital? Can you promise to keep me out of a hospital too?

  CATHY: I’ll do my best.

  VIOLET: Okay. I’m okay with that.

  LEO: You can take us both.

  VIOLET: I was just about to suggest that.

  VIOLET starts for the door.

  CATHY: (to herself) Great. A little family outing.

  LEO: I’m pretty stressed about what’s going to happen. You’ll need to shield me, so they don’t gun me down.

  VIOLET: Thinking ahead to possible consequences, eh? I guess that’s a habit you picked up in prison? (to CATHY) Leo was a target for sexual predators.

  VIOLET leaves.

  LEO: (to CATHY) It wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle.

  CATHY: If you say so.

  CATHY leaves.

  LEO: (to himself) I do. I do say so.

  LEO leaves, closing the door behind him.

  Blackout.

  SCENE 12

  MADDY is waiting for VIOLET to come out of the bedroom.

  MADDY: How you doing in there, Mum?

  VIOLET: (inside the bedroom) I’m fine, sweetie.

  MADDY: You don’t have to fuss, you know.

  VIOLET: Of course I do. I want to look just right for the kids. You sure they’re on the way?

  MADDY: Yeah. Definitely. Cathy’s bringing them. But she wanted a chance to talk to them first.

  VIOLET: About what?

  MADDY: Well, you know … just about how (to herself) fucking weird things might get.

  VIOLET: What was that?

  MADDY: Well they haven’t seen you for a while and you’ve been under a lot of pressure, so –

  VIOLET: I don’t like the sound of that. Suppose she exaggerates my health issues. She’s inclined to do that, you know. And it might make the children pretty nervous …

  MADDY: Yeah … (to herself, a bit too loud) That’s the issue alright!

  VIOLET: What?

  MADDY: No, no, don’t worry. She’s a professional. She knows how to handle these things.

  VIOLET: If you say so.

  MADDY: The basic thing … The only really important thing is that the kids are really looking forward to seeing you. So … just try to stay calm and –

  VIOLET: Don’t worry. It’s going to be terrific fun! (coming out of the bedroom) Ta-dah!!

  She is dressed in a clown outfit. The total package: nose, hair, cheeks, big shoes.

  VIOLET: I’ve been saving all this for years. Wanted them both to be old enough to enjoy it. Whaddya think?

  MADDY is just staring at her.

  VIOLET: Honey? I need to know what you think about my outfit.

  MADDY: Do you? Really? Okay then … (a deep breath) I think … it’s great!

  VIOLET: You do?

  MADDY: Oh yeah … it’s –

  VIOLET: Perfect? Is it perfect?

  MADDY: Perfect? Sure! It’s totally perfect! (to herself) Too fucking perfect …

&nb
sp; VIOLET: Good. Whaddya think Cathy will make of it?

  MADDY: She’ll probably be a little concerned.

  VIOLET: Yeah. Dosage. We’ll need to have a long talk about my dosage.

  MADDY: Probably. Yeah. And mine too.

  VIOLET: But the kids will love it, right? And that’s all that matters.

  She honks her nose. CATHY knocks and enters. Sees VIOLET. Stops. Stares.

  MADDY: It’s just something special she’s doing for her grandchildren.

  CATHY: No. No. It’s not …

  MADDY: You think it’s too much?

  CATHY: No. Well it could have been too much, but it doesn’t matter because –

  MADDY: Where are the kids?

  CATHY: Down in my car with their father.

  VIOLET: Why didn’t you bring them up?

  CATHY: Well they … changed their minds.

  VIOLET: Because of something you said?

  CATHY: No, it was –

  MADDY: (to CATHY) What happened?

  CATHY: Someone took a video of your mother menacing those kids with her … cleaver. It was on the news.

  VIOLET: Really? Such a small thing to be featured on the news? I mean, with the world about to explode and all?

  CATHY: One of Dennis’s friends texted him the video while I was trying to explain things to the children.

  MADDY: And he showed it to them? Idiot!

  MADDY takes out her cell and punches speed dial.

  CATHY: It’s gone viral, by the way.

  MADDY: Great … (on the phone) Hey. What the hell were you thinking? (heading into the bedroom) Well, maybe we could have talked about it first! … Whaddya mean, why?! Jesus Christ! Don’t go anywhere. I’m on my way down!

  MADDY disconnects and starts out.

  VIOLET: Don’t hurt him, okay?! People sometimes make mistakes?

  MADDY: Yeah. Big ones.

  CAHTY: Count to ten! Okay? Just count …

  But MADDY is gone.

  CATHY: (to herself) … to ten.

  VIOLET: (to CATHY) You were a little slow getting that out.

  CATHY: Yeah …

  VIOLET: I guess I won’t be seeing them anytime soon.

  CATHY: There are consequences for our behaviour. Even when we’re not entirely responsible for that behaviour.

  VIOLET: Was that one of those things you say that I need to acknowledge?

  CATHY: Yes.

  VIOLET: Okay. I understand what you’re saying.

  CATHY: And what it means?

  VIOLET: I suppose it means I have to be more heavily medicated.

  CATHY: Not more heavily. Just more consistently. And it also means you’re going to be monitored more closely.

  VIOLET: In a hospital?

  CATHY: Unless you’ll agree to letting a health worker move in here.

  VIOLET: You?

  CATHY: No.

  VIOLET: Well, that’s good. The proximity might damage our friendship.

  CATHY: We have people who do that short term.

  VIOLET: Well, that’s quite a choice, isn’t it? Give up my privacy by being in a hospital. Or give it up in the comfort of my own home.

  MADDY comes back in.

  CATHY: That was fast.

  MADDY: Coward took off before I got down there.

  VIOLET: With my grandchildren?

  MADDY: Yeah. Look, I can fix it with the kids, but it’ll take some time.

  CATHY: (to VIOLET) You hear that? It’s going to be okay eventually. Just try to be patient. (starting out) And you’ve got a court appearance tomorrow morning. I’ll pick you up at 9:30.

  VIOLET: Are they going to put me in jail?

  MADDY: (to CATHY) What’s she talking about?

  CATHY: (stopping) I told you I wouldn’t let that happen.

  MADDY: Neither would I.

  VIOLET: A hospital would be bad enough, but jail …

  They both look at VIOLET. CATHY sits beside her on the couch.

  CATHY: I’ll always try to do what’s best for you. I care about you very much, Violet. Please try to believe that. We all do. All the doctors who work on your case. All the people who love you.

  VIOLET: Who are they?

  MADDY: You mean besides me?

  CATHY: And me. I love you too.

  VIOLET takes off her nose and puts it on CATHY.

  VIOLET: Say that again.

  CATHY: I love you. And I admire you. And so do those other teachers you worked with. They admire you as well. Not to mention all those young people you taught.

  VIOLET: Especially the ones I couldn’t help. I’m sure they have great respect for my capability.

  MADDY: Mum …

  VIOLET: It’s okay. (to CATHY) You can take off that nose now. It’s starting to make me nervous.

  CATHY: (taking it off) Why a clown anyway? Why not a pirate or a … vampire?

  VIOLET: I wanted to make them laugh. Clowns make kids laugh. Don’t know why. They’re obviously the work of the devil.

  CATHY: I agree.

  VIOLET: You do? Gee. I was only kidding about that. You might need some help yourself when you finish with me.

  CATHY: I don’t think I’m ever going to finish with you, Vi. I think we’re stuck with each other for a long time.

  VIOLET: You probably didn’t mean that in a bad way. So try to rephrase it, okay?

  MADDY sits on the other side of VIOLET.

  MADDY: (to CATHY) Yeah, say something like … Well, here we are in a difficult, real-life situation, all of us with a need to stay connected. Both personally and professionally.

  VIOLET: (continuing) All in our own ways struggling for answers. All in our own ways trying to make the best of very complex circumstances …

  CATHY: And we keep trying. We don’t give up.

  VIOLET: Even when it seems foolish, and even painful, not to.

  MADDY: (putting on the nose) We don’t ever give up, Mum. Okay?

  VIOLET: I’ll do my best.

  MADDY puts her head on VIOLET’s shoulder. VIOLET puts her hand on CATHY’s head, and gently pushes it down onto her other shoulder.

  Blackout.

  THE END

  KILL THE POOR

  Ron Lea (Harry) and Anne van Leeuwen (Lacey) in Kill the Poor at the Assembly Theatre in Toronto, Ontario (October 27 to November 18, 2018).

  Al Bernstein (Mr. David) and Craig Henderson (Jake) in Kill the Poor.

  PRODUCTION HISTORY

  Kill the Poor was first produced by Leroy Street Theatre at the Assembly Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, from October 27 to November 18, 2018. It played as a double bill with Her Inside Life, produced by Low Rise Productions. The cast and crew were as follows:

  LACEY

  Anne van Leeuwen

  JAKE

  Craig Henderson

  HARRY

  Ron Lea

  ANNIE

  Chandra Galasso

  MR. DAVID

  Al Bernstein

  Director

  Wes Berger

  Assistant Directors

  Breanna Dillon and Marisa McIntyre

  Stage Manager

  Jenna Borsato

  Set Designer

  Chris Bretecher

  Lighting Designer

  Chin Palipane

  Sound Designers

  Jeremy Hutton and Will Jarvis

  Costume Designer

  Kathleen Black

  Graphic Designer

  Fook Communications

  SETTING

  An apartment in a one-bedroom low-income five-storey building.

  CHARACTERS

  LACEY, late twenties

  JAKE, late twenties

  HARRY, mid-fifties

  ANNIE, mid-to-late thirties

  MR. DAVID, late forties

  SCENE 1

  An apartment in a low-rent five-storey building. Open to a kitchen and a small eating area. A door to the bedroom. In the living room, a couch, a TV on a stand, and a single weathered armchair. The apartment is messy.
Clothes on the chair and couch.

  Some mumbling. A thud against the door.

  A WOMAN groans in pain from out in the hallway.

  LACEY: Careful.

  JAKE: Okay …

  LACEY: (groaning) I said be careful!

  JAKE: Okay!

  LACEY: Jesus. Just … pay attention.

  JAKE: I am!

  The door opens and JAKE and LACEY, both in their late twenties, enter. JAKE is helping LACEY into the room. She looks tired and unsteady.

  JAKE: Into the bedroom?

  LACEY: No, I’m okay on the couch for now.

  JAKE: Yeah, but I made up the bed.

  LACEY: I don’t wanna get into bed. I’ve been in a bed for two weeks.

  JAKE: Right. So the couch then.

  LACEY: Like I said.

  JAKE leads LACEY to the couch and tries to lower her.

  LACEY: Take it easy …

  JAKE: Yeah.

  LACEY: (looking around) There was no time to tidy up a little, eh?

  JAKE: Yeah. No. Sorry.

  JAKE is picking up clothes from the couch, tossing them, and lowering LACEY at the same time.

  LACEY: I said easy! God!

  LACEY is down.

  JAKE: You okay?

  LACEY: I wanna stretch out.

  JAKE: Yeah, good idea.

  JAKE lifts LACEY’s legs onto the couch. She stretches out.

  LACEY: Can you get me a glass of water?

  JAKE: Sure … (heading into the kitchen) Anything else?

  LACEY: No.

  JAKE: Your lunch was still on the tray beside your bed.

  LACEY: So what?

  JAKE: (returning with water) So you should eat. Just because you didn’t like the food in the hospital, doesn’t mean you –