The Inheritance

by Matthew Lopez

Eric Harder.

  Toby I can’t really go any / harder.

  Eric Fuck me harder.

  Toby That feel good?

  Eric That feels amazing. I love you, Toby.

  Toby Oh God, I’m close already. Shit, I’m sorry.

  Eric It’s okay, Toby. Cum inside me.

  Yeah, Toby. Yeah.

  God I love you.

  I love you.

  I love you.

  God, I wanna get married.

  Toby stops.

  Toby What?

  Eric Oh fuck, nothing. Forget I said that.

  Toby You wanna get married?

  Eric Bad timing, bad timing. Keep going.

  Toby But now it’s just out there.

  Eric Forget I said anything. Just bring it home, baby.

  Toby Okay.

  Morgan Toby starts to bring it home.

  Toby Are you thinking like a big fancy wedding?

  Eric We don’t have to talk about this now.

  Toby Oh fuck, I’m getting close.

  Oh God.

  Eric Yeah.

  Toby Oh God.

  Eric Yeah.

  Toby Oh God.

  Eric Yeah.

  Morgan Release the hounds!

  Toby Oh God!!

  Fuck, that was good.

  They lie there a moment.

  You wanna get married?

  Eric Forget it.

  Toby No, Eric … tell me.

  Eric Yes, Toby. I do. I have for a while.

  Toby Why didn’t you say something before?

  Eric Just waiting for the right moment, I guess.

  You don’t have to answer right away. But I would like to talk about it. I mean, we’ve been together seven years and I do want to spend the rest / of my –

  Toby Yeah, fuck it, why not?

  Eric We can talk about it another time.

  Toby I think we should do it. Should we have the party here?

  Eric Oh. Well. Actually –

  Toby Yeah, you’re right: we’ll save up for a really nice wedding. Maybe at the Plaza or in Maui.

  Eric That’s really expensive, babe. It’s not like I make a fortune / and –

  Toby We’ll be able to afford it. Gimme a year. Two at the most. I’m going to finish this play and it’s going to get produced and I will finally show people that I’m worthy of their attention. And their respect. And eventually their money. And we will build something real for ourselves, not just borrowed. Something that’s ours. How’s that sound?

  Eric is amazed at his certainty.

  Eric Uh, yeah. Let’s do that.

  Toby Deal.

  Eric So, did we just get engaged?

  Toby I think we just did.

  Eric Holy shit! I’ve got your cum inside my ass and we just got engaged.

  Toby Where’s that Cole Porter song?

  Eric I love you, Toby.

  2. Toby Interlude

  Morgan Yes, well done. Now: why didn’t Eric tell Toby about the apartment? Why did he choose to seduce him rather than inform him?

  Eric It isn’t a certainty yet. And Toby is so focused on writing his play.

  Morgan I think there’s another reason. One that touches on Toby’s nature – perhaps even Toby’s past. I think we must take a moment to examine the deep truths of Toby’s soul. Let’s start with his writing, for it seems to be driving his character.

  Young Man 1 Toby has written a novel based on his childhood.

  Morgan Excellent. Now, if I may: the book is good, not great. It’s engaging, and wittily written. If a touch facile.

  Young Man 1 It’s published as a young adult novel.

  Morgan What’s the name of Toby’s central character?

  Young Man 1 Elan.

  Morgan Perfect.

  Toby Rich kid, seventeen, raised on the Upper West Side, sexy as fuck, sarcastic, rude, yet undeniably compelling. He’s basically me.

  Morgan Or.

  Elan is everything Toby has ever wanted to be. He is who Toby has convinced himself – and the world – that he’s become.

  Toby Are you saying that Toby’s life is a lie?

  Morgan I’m saying that the truth is something he has spent his life running from.

  Toby That doesn’t sound very fun.

  Morgan It isn’t.

  Springtime. New York City Ballet. A rainstorm.

  End of Scene Three.

  SCENE FOUR

  Spring and Summer, 2016.

  1. Lincoln Center

  A heavy rainstorm. Toby stands under the massive eaves, dressed in a very smart suit. A large, expensive umbrella in his hand.

  Young Man 1 emerges from the lobby, sees the rain and rifles through his bag for an umbrella, finding none. He then looks over and notices Toby.

  Young Man 1 Toby? You’re Toby, right? Toby Darling?

  Toby Hey, thanks for reading. I’m sorry I don’t have a pen on me.

  Young Man 1 No, I … We met maybe six months ago. At your apartment? We had each other’s bags.

  Toby Oh yeah. The little kleptomaniac.

  Young Man 1 Hey, you took my bag. I’m Adam Lucas McDowell.

  Toby Oh, the full name, wow. In that case, I’m Toby Michael Darling.

  Adam What a small world.

  Toby The world is big. Manhattan is small.

  Adam Yeah, I guess so. You look … wow.

  Toby Aw, thanks. I was going for ‘wow’. You usually dress like that for the ballet?

  Adam Oh. No, I … I grabbed a rush-ticket spur of the moment. Is your boyfriend with you?

  Toby Eric ended up working late tonight. Beautiful second-tier seat gone to waste.

  Adam I was all the way in the back.

  Toby Well, someone has to be. What’d you think?

  Adam Oh, of the program? Really good. I loved the new piece most especially.

  Toby Yeah. Life-changing, in fact.

  Adam Oh! Speaking of life-changing, I read your book.

  Toby Get out.

  Adam I really loved it. So vivid, so fully realized. Like Salinger, almost.

  Toby ‘Almost’? What do you mean / ‘almost’?

  Adam Oh. I just mean, you know, Salinger’s one of the greatest American writers / of all time and –

  Toby I’m just fucking with you.

  Adam The character of Elan is so vibrant. He pops, you know? I know that kid. I grew up with that kid.

  Toby The snobby gay rich kid?

  Adam He’s not snobby, he’s just particular.

  Toby That’s what I always say!

  Adam Well I loved it. And I’m glad I got a chance to tell you.

  The rain intensifies.

  Toby Do you have an umbrella?

  Adam I thought I did.

  Toby I can walk you to the train.

  Adam I actually live not too far from here.

  Morgan Do you? Where?

  Adam Oh, um. Over on 74th Street?

  Toby And what?

  Adam Riverside?

  Toby What, like with a dozen roommates or something?

  Adam No, I … I live with my parents.

  Toby Oh …

  Adam Yeah, so.

  I don’t mind / walking in the rain.

  Toby Nonsense. It’s pouring out. You’ll catch your death.

  Morgan They huddled together under Toby’s umbrella and headed out into the monsoon. Eventually they arrived at Adam’s apartment, which was …

  Young Man 1 Oh. A five-bedroom, six-and-a-half bathroom with park and river views that took up half of the eleventh floor of a majestic neo-Georgian building. For you see: Adam Lucas McDowell was filthy stinkin’ rich.

  2. Adam’s Apartment

  Toby Oh wow.

  Adam You can come in if you want.

  Toby I don’t want to bother your parents.

  Adam They’re in Japan right now. My dad has scotch, if you want. Like really old scotch.

  Toby How old is ‘really old’? Like from the Clinton administration?

/>   Adam No, like from the Treaty of Versailles.

  Toby Um, yeah, I’ll have a glass.

  Adam pours Toby’s drink.

  Toby This place is amazing.

  Adam It’s just my home, no biggie.

  Here you go.

  Toby sips.

  Toby Dear God.

  Adam Is it okay?

  Toby Baby, you’ve just handed me the last century of world history distilled into spirit form. It’s a quintillion times better than okay.

  Morgan Toby moved over to the massive bookcase. There on the shelf – in front of what looked like a priceless first edition of The Great Gatsby – was a photograph of Adam with the President and his wife, taken inside that very room.

  Toby Toby sipped the scotch, knowing that each swallow was worth more than what he currently had in his checking account. Toby felt his sense of status plummeting.

  (To Adam.) How do you know the Obamas?

  Adam My mom went to law school with him. It broke her heart when I decided to go to Yale.

  Toby Yes, I’m sure that’s every mother’s nightmare.

  Adam Did you go to grad school for writing?

  Toby I didn’t study writing in grad school.

  Morgan A clever dodge, a linguistic sleight of hand: Toby hadn’t even finished high school.

  Toby What did you study?

  Adam English.

  Toby How daring.

  Adam Yeah, I know.

  Toby And now you’re …?

  Adam An actor.

  Toby Of course you are.

  Adam Where did you go / to school?

  Toby Any luck so far? With the acting?

  Adam I get called back a lot. Haven’t booked a real job yet but there are a few agents and managers I’ve been talking to.

  Toby Not bad for your first year.

  Adam I’ve got friends on Broadway already.

  Toby And I’m sure you’re just sooooo happy for them.

  Adam I am.

  Toby I believe you.

  Adam No, I am. It’s just, you know …

  Toby ‘When’s it gonna be my turn?’

  Adam Yeah.

  Toby Believe me I understand that feeling.

  Adam It’s like such a struggle sometimes.

  Toby What the fuck do you know about struggle, rich boy? Some of us had to work our asses off to become the mediocrities that we are today. Brave choice, rich boy. Go be an artist. You’re the only ones who can afford to anymore.

  Morgan But what Toby actually said was:

  Toby Don’t give up, Adam. Keep struggling. It’ll be worth it in the end.

  Adam Thank you. It’s exciting that you’re adapting your book for theatre. Do you know what’s happening with it?

  Toby Actually I do. My agent’s good friends with the director Tom Durrell. Do you know him?

  Adam No, should I?

  Toby Yes, you absolutely should. He’s a genius. Anyway, Tom read my play and really flipped for it. We’ve been developing it and workshopping it all winter long and we go into production in Chicago this September.

  Adam What does Elan look like? You don’t give a lot of physical details in the book. Is that on purpose?

  Toby So every boy who reads it can believe that they’re him.

  Adam That’s exactly the experience I had! I’m convinced he looks like me.

  Toby Maybe he does.

  Morgan It’s stopped raining.

  Toby I should go.

  Adam Would you sign my copy first?

  Toby Yeah, of course.

  He inscribes Adam’s book.

  Morgan ‘To Adam, whom I hope to be when I grow up.’

  Adam Thank you.

  Toby Hey, how’d you like to come have dinner at our place next week?

  Adam Really? Yeah, I’d love that!

  Toby Great. I know Eric would love to see you again.

  Morgan Toby left, forgetting his umbrella. Adam picked it up and saw its condition. It had all gone along the seams and been re-patched. In truth, it was an appalling umbrella. But from a distance it was dazzling. Like its owner, it did not bear close scrutiny.

  Morgan As he rode the wood-paneled elevator down to the lobby, Toby thought …

  Toby Who the fuck is that kid? Boy, did he bury the lead that first time we met him.

  Morgan What was he going to say? ‘Hi, I’m Adam and I’m a child of privilege’?

  Toby Yes! I’d have cards printed up, I’d have T-shirts made!

  Morgan Oh Toby.

  So now we have Eric, we have Toby, and we have Adam. Time to bring all three together.

  Young Man 1 A week later, Adam walked twenty blocks north and joined Eric and Toby for dinner.

  3. Eric and Toby’s Apartment

  Eric What do you mean, you’ve never seen a Truffaut film?

  Toby Okay, calm down. He’s only twenty-one. / What does he know?

  Eric But he grew up in Manhattan!

  Adam My parents aren’t really into movies. We did see a Broadway show every Thanksgiving.

  Eric Okay, so let’s start there. What’s your favorite play of all time?

  Adam Mamma Mia!

  Eric Let’s start with movies instead. Can we assume that if it’s in black and white you haven’t seen it?

  Adam Yes.

  Eric Great. We should start with the French New Wave and then mix in American seventies cinema. 400 Blows.

  Toby Not a movie about blowjobs.

  Eric Jules et Jim.

  Toby Not a movie about homos. Bonnie and Clyde.

  Eric The Conversation. Then there are the contemporary classics. We should show him Beau Travail!

  Toby Oh God. Do not show him fucking Beau Travail. Run, Adam. Save yourself.

  Eric Better yet: what’s something you’ve never seen that you’ve always been curious about? There’s no wrong answer.

  Adam Well. I’ve always wanted to see The Deer Hunter.

  Eric and Toby look at each other.

  Eric Oh.

  Toby I mean, it’s a classic.

  Eric Great cast.

  Toby Epic sweep.

  Eric Meryl Streep.

  Toby It’s just a little, well …

  Adam Oh. Yeah, that’s okay. Whatever you think is best.

  Eric You know what? Fuck it. Let’s watch The Deer Hunter.

  Adam No, we don’t have to / watch it tonight.

  Eric When broadening our horizons, the word ‘no’ is not in our vocabulary.

  Toby Unless Eric thinks your taste is for shit.

  Morgan And so they watched The Deer Hunter. Adam returned the next night for –

  Young Man 7 Breathless.

  Morgan And then the next night for –

  Young Man 2 Jules et Jim.

  Morgan Eric and Toby took Adam under their wings that spring and early summer, folding him into their lives as if he had always been there. Adam found himself at Eric and Toby’s with increasing frequency, even going so far as to leave some clothes in their guest bedroom.

  Young Man 1 A fondness and an intimacy grew between them – a kind that Adam had never experienced before with older gay men.

  Eric Older?!

  Toby Fuck you, kid.

  Young Man 1 It was, in fact, the first adult friendship of Adam’s life.

  Morgan Eric delighted in filling in the gaps in Adam’s cultural education, making regular visits with him to –

  Young Man 5 – Film Forum –

  Young Man 6 – and MOMA.

  Young Man 8 They visited the Delacorte –

  Young Man 3 – went for day trips to Jacob Riis Beach –

  Young Man 4 – and hiking in Bear Mountain.

  Morgan Eric taught Adam how to cook and introduced him to his favorite writers.

  Toby Toby participated in these events but not as often and always at a remove. He spent most of that summer feverishly rewriting his play.

  4. Adam and Eric

  Adam I want to ask you something beca
use I don’t know how to ask Toby.

  Eric Okay …

  Adam Do you think Toby would let me audition for his play?

  Eric I don’t see why not. Why don’t you ask him?

  Adam I was hoping you’d ask him for me. I don’t feel as close to Toby as I do to you. Or, what I mean to say is: I’m not sure how Toby feels about me.

  Eric Toby adores you.

  Adam He’s sometimes cold and cutting.

  Eric Oh, Adam. Toby doesn’t pet with gentle hands, it’s true. But I do know he’s very fond of you.

  Adam Still, would you talk to him for me?

  5. Eric and Toby

  Toby Waste of time.

  Eric How much time could it possibly take? It’s one audition.

  Toby He isn’t even a trained actor. He’s got a BA in blowjobs from Yale.

  Eric If he’s not right, you send him home, that’s the end of it. Would you at least talk to him?

  6. Toby and Adam

  Toby First of all, next time you want a favor from me, you ask me and not Eric, okay?

  Adam I didn’t want to bother you.

  Toby Second of all, you’re not going to get far in this business if you’re afraid of bothering people. Now, do you want to audition for my play?

  Adam Yes.

  Toby Why?

  Adam It’s a great part.

  Toby No shit. Is that the only reason?

  Adam I want to prove myself to you.

  Toby Me? Why me?

  Adam Because I admire you, Toby.

  Toby is caught off-guard by this. He regroups.

  Toby The role is Everest.

  Young Man 3 Oh boy.

  Toby Elan never leaves the stage the entire play. He has more lines than Hamlet.

  Young Man 7 Really, Toby? Hamlet?

  Toby Shut up.

  (To Adam.) Think you’re up to it?

  Adam Yes.

  Toby Okay, then. But you’d better prepare. I’m not going to go to bat for you just to have you shit the bed once you get inside the room.

  7. Toby and Eric

  Toby Jesus, it was like he became Elan right there in the room.

  Eric So is he going to get the part?

  Toby He has to go through callbacks. But so far he’s everyone’s favorite. That kid is really special, Eric.