Five Plays. Samuel D. Hunter

fast food other than that now. Or the Old Country Buffet.

      NICK: Oof, no thank you. (Pulling out his wallet) Here, lemme pay you for the food we / ordered—

      EDDIE: Oh, you don’t have to / do that—

      NICK: Seriously, I’d feel bad.

       (Nick hands him some cash. Eddie takes the money.)

       And listen, uh—we’re actually not gonna see you later if that’s okay. Kelly and I are gonna head to Sun Valley for a couple of nights?

      EDDIE: Oh. Really?

      NICK: Yeah, she’s never seen it, so.

       (Pause.)

      EDDIE: I was sort of hoping we could— . . . My apartment complex has a few grills in the courtyard, I thought I could pick up some meat and / we could—

      NICK: Crap—sorry, buddy, we’ve just been— . . . I promised I’d show it to her this time around, and she— . . . (Pause) Look, Eddie, I’m sorry. Kelly and I were both looking forward to seeing you today, felt like we’ve barely had a chance to catch up.

      EDDIE: Yeah, right?

      NICK: It’s just—I don’t know, being back home . . . I feel like once I’m back in Pocatello for more than a couple days, I just get— . . . It’s just too much. And this is the only vacation time that we’re both going to have for a while, so we just—. And our room at the La Quinta is sorta—not great, the bed / has this—

      EDDIE: I mean you guys are welcome to stay at my apartment? I mean it’s kinda tight but the futon’s pretty comfortable actually—

      NICK: Oh nah, we—. We wouldn’t want to put you out. (Pause) But I mean it really is good seeing you, and we’ll swing by the restaurant before we head out. And seriously, don’t worry about Mom.

      EDDIE: Yeah, she—. I feel like I don’t even know how to talk to her anymore.

      NICK: Did you ever know how to talk to her?

      EDDIE: I mean, yeah, when I was in high school, it was just / different, it—

      NICK: Yeah, well. That was a long time ago.

       (Pause.)

      EDDIE: Sure.

       (Pause.)

      NICK: Eddie, you—? You sure you’re okay?

       (Pause. Eddie looks at Nick.)

      EDDIE: No, Nicky, actually I— . . . I’m sort of—in trouble? I don’t know what to—. (Pause) They’re saying I’m gonna have to shut down the restaurant at the end of next week.

       (Pause.)

      NICK: Wait—next week?

      EDDIE: They’ve been warning me for a while now, our profits haven’t been—. We’re just losing money at this point, and corporate’s given me chance after chance—

      NICK: And you haven’t told your employees yet?

      EDDIE: I mean I don’t want them to give up, or— . . . I’m still hoping I can save it somehow, or—

      NICK: Eddie, you have to tell your staff, if they’re all losing their jobs, you have to— . . . (Pause) Well, what about Rexburg? Mom said there’s one opening up there?

      EDDIE: Yeah—

      NICK: Maybe it’s time to get out of Pocatello, buddy. Kelly and I were downtown earlier, it’s looking pretty grim compared to the last time I was here.

      EDDIE: Yeah lately it’s been—. It’s been bad for everyone.

      NICK: Exactly, so maybe you should just—leave. Rexburg is fine, right?

      EDDIE: Sure, it’s—.

       (Pause.)

      NICK: Or hell, move somewhere else. Boise, or Portland, or— . . . Don’t you think you’d be happier somewhere else? I mean you have options, you went to college.

      EDDIE: I majored in Pacific Northwest History.

      NICK: Yeah, well, you—. (Pause) Look, you’ll land somewhere. You’re a smart guy. And I can help you with your resume if you want, I’d be / happy to—

      EDDIE: Nick, I’m feeling sort of—. I’d really appreciate it if you could stick around a few more days?

       (Pause.)

      NICK: Eddie—

      EDDIE: Can’t you just change your flight?

      NICK: Buddy I really just can’t take more time off, this month especially it’s / really—

      EDDIE: It’s just that—I don’t really know what to do, I don’t / really—

      NICK: Kelly has work too, we can’t / just—

      EDDIE: I could pay to change your plane ticket if you—

      NICK (Aggressive): Eddie c’mon, just— . . .

       (Max enters, begins to clear the dishes off of a table. Nick stops himself, calms down. Pause. He lowers his voice, moves closer to Eddie.)

       (Soft) Eddie, it’s just—a restaurant. It’s not even yours, it’s a chain restaurant. I know you’ve been here a while, but it’s—. You just need to find somewhere else, that’s all. And for God’s sake, tell your employees. (Pause, normal volume) Look, we’ll—. We’ll see you in a couple days, and you—. You’re gonna be fine. Okay?

       (Pause. Max has begun to listen.)

      EDDIE: Sure. (Pause) Thanks, Nicky.

       (Nick starts to exit.)

      EDDIE: Bye to Kelly?

      NICK: Sure.

       (Nick is gone. Eddie stares at the food. Max grabs the last dish, approaches Eddie.)

      MAX: You okay?

       (Pause.)

      EDDIE: Yeah.

      MAX: You sure?

       (Eddie looks up at him. Isabelle enters.)

      ISABELLE: Max that fucking ravioli app has been sitting under the heat lamp for ten fucking stupid minutes.

      MAX: Sorry. Geez.

       (Max exits. Isabelle goes to Eddie.)

      ISABELLE: Should I—? You want me to cancel the food?

       (Eddie looks at her.)

      EDDIE: Yeah, I guess you should.

       Scene Two

       Later that night.

       Eddie sits at one of the tables with receipts and a deposit bag, counting cash from the day. Isabelle sits with him. Eddie desperately tries to maintain his line of thought.

      ISABELLE: Gemini?

      EDDIE: No.

      ISABELLE: Taurus?

      EDDIE: No, Isabelle, I’m—

      ISABELLE: Don’t tell me! I’m really good at this. Pisces.

      EDDIE: No. You were at my birthday, you sang to me.

      ISABELLE: Well I don’t like know what dates they correspond to, I just do it by feeling. Aries.

      EDDIE: No.

       (Troy enters.)

      TROY: I’m not cleaning the bathrooms anymore. Eddie can’t we get people to do this stuff again?

      EDDIE: We can’t afford cleaning staff