The Inheritance

by Matthew Lopez

  Eric I would love to see it. It’s just that tonight’s not …

  You know what? Yes. I would love to see your house tonight.

  Walter There’s a train at 7:30. If we hurry we can make it.

  Eric I’ll go pack a bag.

  Walter I know you’re going to love it.

  The ding of an elevator. Two strapping, all-American young men enter: Charles and Paul Wilcox, Henry’s sons.

  Charles Hey! Walter!

  Walter Charlie, Paul? What are you doing here?

  Paul Charles wanted to surprise you.

  Walter Eric, these are Henry’s sons. Charlie and Paul: this is Eric Glass.

  Eric Hello.

  Charles What are you doing out in the hallway?

  Walter We’re going upstate.

  Charles What? Now?

  Walter I’m going to show Eric the house.

  Charles No, it’s way too late. We’re taking you to dinner.

  Paul We don’t want you getting lonely while Pop’s away.

  Walter But I’m not lonely, you see / Eric’s been visiting me and –

  Charles No arguments. We haven’t seen you in weeks.

  Paul Are you really going to say no to us when we traveled all this way to treat you to dinner?

  Walter No, Paulie, of course not.

  Charles I booked your favorite table at La Grenouille.

  Walter Eric, you should come with us. It’s his birthday today.

  Eric Oh, no. I don’t want to intrude.

  Walter It won’t be any intrusion.

  Paul He doesn’t want to intrude. Come on, Walter. I’m double-parked.

  Walter Eric, are you sure you don’t want to join us?

  Eric It wasn’t meant for us to go tonight.

  Walter I’m so sorry, I had no idea they were coming.

  Eric It’s fine. We’ll go some other time.

  Walter Thank you for understanding.

  Charles Walter, let’s go.

  Walter I won’t forget my promise to you.

  End of Scene Three

  SCENE THREE

  Autumn, 2016.

  Young Man 1 But it seemed that Walter had forgotten his promise. In the weeks following Eric’s birthday, Eric saw little of Walter. He was rarely home when Eric visited and, whenever Eric did catch him in, Walter was never in the mood for more than a cursory exchange of pleasantries.

  Toby Eric flew to Chicago to attend the opening of Toby’s play.

  1. ‘Loved Boy’ Opens

  Morgan Toby’s play opened to ecstatic reviews.

  Young Man 7 The director Tom Durrell’s staging was deemed revelatory.

  Young Man 1 Adam’s performance was hailed as one of the most thrilling stage debuts that anyone could remember.

  Young Man 8 It was said in those weeks that the most dangerous place to be was in between Adam and any agent hoping to sign him.

  Young Man 1 The production was a hit.

  Young Man 2 Offers were made and plans were hatched for a Broadway transfer the following autumn.

  Toby Toby was hailed as the premiere writer of his generation. His talents were breathlessly compared to Salinger, Albee, Eugene-O’fucking-Neill.

  Morgan No.

  Toby Why not?

  Morgan Because then what?

  Toby Then? He lives happily ever after!

  Morgan No, the response to Toby’s writing was decidedly less effusive than that.

  Toby How much less?

  Young Man 1 His talent was recognized but the achievement was not considered as great as his colleagues.

  Morgan The impression one got was that Toby Darling had crafted the perfect vehicle for Tom Durrell and Adam McDowell to prove their genius.

  Toby That’s bullshit.

  Morgan And yet, that is what happened.

  Toby They didn’t say one positive thing about the writing? Nothing to indicate that Toby deserved any credit for this success? After all that work? After all these years?

  Young Man 1 Not in the way that Toby needed to hear.

  Toby Well fuck that. Toby flies to Los Angeles where, over the course of three dizzying weeks, he drops his longtime agent for a new team at a high-powered agency, takes on a manager, lawyers up, and promptly sells the film rights to Loved Boy.

  That’s what Toby does.

  Young Man 8 Wouldn’t Toby have made a lot more money if he waited until after it opened on Broadway to sell the film rights?

  All eyes on Toby. Then:

  Toby Fuck!

  2. November 8, 2016

  Eric On election night, Eric gathered with his friends to watch the returns –

  Young Man 5 – while Toby had dinner with his new agents at Mr Chow’s in Beverly Hills.

  Young Man 6 Eric bought noisemakers and small American flags for the occasion.

  Young Man 7 But from as early as seven o’clock, it was clear to Jasper that something was off.

  Jasper Eric, I’m worried about Florida.

  Eric Really?

  Jasper Pinellas County is practically a dead heat right now. That shouldn’t be happening.

  Eric It’s early yet, Jasper.

  Jasper A Democrat should be leading by double digits in St Pete right out of the gate. And fuck, she’s behind in Hillsboro County.

  Morgan Eric texted Toby:

  Eric Are you watching? Call me.

  Jasper I’m telling you guys, this is not looking good.

  Jason 1 Yeah, but Nate Silver still has her at 86 percent.

  Jason 2 She just won Connecticut!

  Eric Oh, and Massachusetts!

  Morgan Nine o’clock:

  Tristan Clinton takes New York!

  Jasper Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Wisconsin: all too close to call.

  Morgan Ten o’clock:

  Jasper Nevada too close to call. Utah too close to call.

  Morgan And then at 10:21 …

  Jasper Oh fuck, they just called Ohio.

  Jason 1 Nate Silver has her at 72 percent.

  Morgan 11:07 …

  Jasper They just called North Carolina.

  Jason 1 Sixty-seven percent.

  Morgan And 11:30 …

  Jasper Fuck, there goes Florida.

  Jason 1 Fifty-three percent. Fuck you, Nate Silver!

  Morgan Eric texted Toby:

  Eric Where are you? This is bad. Is this really happening?

  Morgan For hours, they watched with growing dread as state after state was called.

  Jasper We still have a firewall in the rust belt. And Arizona might still be in play.

  Morgan And then, nothing. Three hours of waiting as precinct after precinct slowly started to report. The Jasons went home. Tristan fell asleep in the guest room. Eric and Jasper finished another bottle of wine as they waited, waited for a miracle. And then at 3:04 in the morning …

  Jasper They just called Pennsylvania. That’s it, then. It’s over.

  Eric It’s over.

  Morgan A week later, Toby returned from Los Angeles.

  3. Eric and Toby’s Apartment

  Toby You’ve known for a year we were losing this apartment and you didn’t tell me?

  Eric I’ve known it was a possibility.

  Toby Why didn’t you say anything / to me?

  Eric I didn’t want to worry you.

  Toby Don’t treat me like a child, Eric.

  Eric I’m not, Toby / I simply –

  Toby The night we got engaged, I mentioned having the wedding here at the apartment and you said, ‘Mmhmm, yeah maybe.’ Did you know then?

  Eric Yes.

  Toby How long had you known?

  Eric Only a couple of hours.

  Toby You proposed to me the day you found out we were being evicted?

  Eric The day I found out it was a possibility.

  Toby You see how that looks, right?

  Eric No …

  Toby It looks like entrapment.

  Eric How did I entrap you?


  Toby By luring me into a marriage under false pretenses.

  Eric Are you saying that if you had known about the apartment, you might have made a different decision?

  Toby I’m saying that I didn’t have all the information I needed when you asked me to marry you.

  Eric What other information did you need? Are you with me because of this apartment?

  Toby No!

  Eric So then why should it matter?

  Toby Because you weren’t honest with me.

  Eric I’m being honest with you now. We’re going to have to move at the end of the year. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything. I truly didn’t want to worry you needlessly. But, with your advances on the play, I think we might have just enough money for a down payment on a small apartment. We’ll be like Jane Fonda and Robert Redford in Barefoot in the Park. Everything’s going to be fine, Toby. At least now that you’re back, we can finally start planning for the future.

  Toby I can’t just start looking at apartments with you, Eric. I can’t just sit down and make plans for the future.

  Eric Why not?

  Toby Because who the fuck knows what going to happen between now and then? And in the meantime, I’ve got a lot of work to do. My play is coming to Broadway, I’ve got rewrites to do, I’m going to Los Angeles next week to have some meetings.

  Eric You were just in Los Angeles / for three weeks!

  Toby People wanna meet with me. What can I do? This is part of my business.

  Eric And what about the part that’s your life?

  Toby I just can’t make a commitment like that right now.

  Eric Please, Toby, just tell me what the fuck is going on?

  Toby I don’t want to get married. Okay? I don’t want to get married.

  Eric Right now?

  At all?

  Or to me?

  Toby?

  Toby, please answer me.

  Toby I don’t know.

  Eric Yes you do.

  Toby I don’t want to marry you.

  Eric Why not?

  Toby I just … I just feel we’re in different places right now.

  Eric What does that even mean, Toby?

  Toby I don’t –

  Eric What happened in Chicago?

  Toby Nothing, I just …

  Eric Please, Toby, just be honest with me. I have done nothing but love and support you. I have walked beside you for seven years. I’ve even carried you at times.

  Toby That is bullshit. You haven’t carried me.

  Eric You couldn’t even afford a studio in Staten Island / when we met.

  Toby You’re going to throw that in my face?

  Eric Now that I don’t have this apartment to offer you / now that success is in your grasp, you don’t need me anymore.

  Toby It has nothing to do with your fucking apartment!

  Eric Maybe you even think you can do better. At least be honest and tell me that, Toby.

  Toby I just want something different.

  Eric Did you fuck Adam in Chicago?

  Toby No!

  Eric Do you want to fuck Adam?

  Toby Yes! Of course I want to fuck Adam, who doesn’t?

  Eric I don’t.

  Toby Then there is something seriously wrong with you, Eric. He’s gorgeous.

  Eric There’s more to people than beauty.

  Toby You would have to tell yourself that, wouldn’t you?

  I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.

  Eric Actually, that’s the first honest thing you’ve said this entire conversation. And since we’re finally telling each other the truth, you should know that I hated your fucking play.

  Toby Wow, Eric. I never thought you could stoop so low as to lash out like that. That play is the greatest thing I’ve ever done in my life. We’re a huge fucking hit and we’re moving to Broadway!

  Eric Because of Tom’s production and Adam’s performance.

  Toby Oh fuck you, Eric. I worked my ass off on that play. I have been rolling that boulder up the hill for the last decade of my life. I will not let you take that away from me and I will not apologize for my success.

  Eric And who stood by your side while you were rolling your fucking boulder up the hill? You had the luxury of struggling for a decade because of me / and what I gave you.

  Toby That is bullshit, Eric.

  What you ‘gave’ me? You didn’t give me anything. I built my life from the ground up. I didn’t get to do it from the comfortable middle-class perch that you did.

  Eric It’s because of me that you were able to do any of the things you’ve done / these last few years.

  Toby Oh fuck off, Eric! I am so sick of your holier-than-thou, thoughtful, sweet and kind fucking bullshit. You act like you’re above the fray, can’t be touched, fucking Yale, fucking Fieldston, fucking save the world by strongly worded Facebook post, when secretly you’re just as manipulative and as self-involved and as frightened as the rest of us. But you slap on this veneer of middle-class perfection and you think that protects you from having to be a real person. But real people are ugly, Eric. Real people are compromised. Real people disappoint each other. Because the world is ugly and compromised and disappointing. And I’m sorry I can’t be perfect like you. I was never given that option. I have no choice but to be a real person.

  Eric That is the last thing that you are, Toby. You’ve become so good at spinning people / you think you can spin me, too.

  Toby I don’t ‘spin’ anyone.

  Eric But I know that your book was a fraud from start to finish / and your play was –

  Toby Fraud?! Fuck you, Eric.

  Eric And your play was even worse. Not without talent, of course. God forbid anyone should accuse you of that. But worse: without truth. Toby, you are so afraid of actually being known – of really looking at yourself – that you have spent the last decade of your life constructing this elaborate narrative that has nothing to do with the truth. What happened to you as a child was unconscionable / and it hurts me every single day to know that it did.

  Toby Don’t you fucking dare / use that against me.

  Eric But that was not the great tragedy of your life, Toby. No, the great tragedy of your life was denying that it was your life, and insisting on another at the expense of the truth. I know who you are, Toby. And I know who you aren’t. You aren’t Elan. And you aren’t Adam. It’s why you gave him the job and it’s why you want to fuck him so badly. Because he is everything you will never be. I couldn’t even look at you after I saw your play. Because it was a betrayal of the frightened little boy you once were. And soon all of New York is going to see it and I will be the only one who’ll remember who you really are. And that’s why you want to get as far away from me as possible: because I would remind you every day of what a fraud you are and what wasted potential your life has become. And that’s what you’re too much of a coward to say.

  Silence.

  Toby Well, Eric. If there’s anyone who knows anything about wasted potential, it is you. And if you feel this way about me – if this is who you think I really am – then why the fuck did you stay with me for so long?

  Eric Because I love you, you fucking piece of shit!

  Henry Wilcox enters.

  Henry Am I interrupting something?

  Eric Henry. Is everything all right?

  Henry I wanted to come by to let you know … Walter’s … Walter’s gone.

  Eric Gone?

  Henry He died this morning.

  Charles took him to the hospital yesterday. I flew back just in time to …

  I know how close you and he had become while I was away.

  Eric Henry, I don’t even know what to say. I’m so sorry. Do you want to / come in?

  Henry No, I … No. Thank you. I thought you’d want to know.

  Eric Henry, I –

  Henry exits.

  Toby Eric.

  Eric No!

  Toby Eric, I’m sorry.

  Eric LEAVE ME ALONE! You
’ve ruined everything, Toby. Everything you touch, you ruin.

  End of Scene Three.

  SCENE FOUR

  1. Henry and Walter’s Apartment

  Autumn, 2016.

  Morgan Walter had been cremated, per his lifelong understanding with Henry. The doctors told of a body eaten entirely away by cancer. Walter had told no one of his illness. Henry had already buried his parents, one sibling, the mother of his sons and friends far too numerous to count. But true mourning had largely eluded him. With Walter’s passing, he could avoid it no longer. After thirty-six years together, Walter was gone. Henry’s sons gathered at his apartment every evening.

  Henry You don’t have to come by every night.

  Paul We were just in the neighborhood. Were you taking a nap?

  Henry Yeah.

  Charles Were you able to sleep?

  Henry A little.

  Charles Should I make some coffee? Or maybe a drink?

  Henry I’m fine, thank you, Charles.

  Paul Everyone’s been asking about you at the office.

  Henry Shit. Are things falling apart already?

  Paul No, that’s not what I –

  Charles Everyone just misses you, Pop.

  Henry I should probably go in tomorrow, show my face.

  Charles There’s no rush.

  Henry No, I’m done stewing. Walter wouldn’t approve.

  Charles No, it’s true. He wouldn’t.

  Paul No.

  Charles and Paul look at one another.

  Henry What?

  Charles A package arrived for you today. From a woman in Queens.

  Paul She says she was Walter’s nurse at the hospital.

  Charles Inside was an envelope, with your name on it, in Walter’s handwriting.

  Morgan A chill trickled down Henry’s spine. This was the closest these men had ever come to a spiritual communion with the dead.

  Charles hands over Walter’s letter. Henry opens it. It is as if he has seen a ghost.

  Charles Pop, are you okay?

  Paul What does it say?

  Walter ‘To Henry –

  I should like Eric Glass to have my house.’