The Witness

Setting: A dimly lit storage room.

Time: unknown, now.

Jack sits on the wooden chair with his face in his hands. He thinks he hears a noise, looks towards the door nervously, then puts his face back in his hands.

Time passes. We hear footsteps approaching. Keys rattle. The door us unlocked. Jack looks up at the door, startled. The door opens and Smith comes in.]

Smith: How ya doin� Jack?

Jack: Are you ...?

Smith: Naw, I just work here. He�s comin� though. That�s why I�m here. Ya ready?

Jack: Um... Well... I guess so.

Smith: Ya guess so?!! This ain�t no social call. This is a busy man we�re talkin� about. He ain�t got time fer ya to get ready. If ya ain�t ready when he gets here - that�s it. Ya understand me? That�s it. Look, I ain�t tellin� ya somethin� ya don�t know. I�m here ta help ya, �cause when he gets here, well, that�s it.

Jack: Okay, okay... I understand.

Smith: Ya understand, but are ya ready?

[Jack stands, turns away, takes a few steps to the edge of the light.]

Jack: I... I don�t think so.

Smith: That�s what I�m tellin� ya, ya gotta be ready.

[Jack turns back toward smith.]

Jack: Yes, I understand that, (pauses, looks expectantly) Mister?

Smith: "Smith." Just call me "Smith."

Jack: Well, Mister Smith, I...

Smith: Just "Smith," okay? (Glances at door) Look, I ain�t no gentleman, and I ain�t no Mister. (sits in chair)

Jack: Well, then ... Smith, I�m not sure what exactly is going to happen.

Smith: Eh? ...Well, he�ll walk through that door just like I walked through that door. And if ya ain�t ready when he walks through that door, ya�ll know it. Ya�ll feel like some kinda little worm he�s lookin� at �cause he don�t want ta step on ya while he�s walkin� by. I seen it happen! And then ya�ll stammer and choke up, and blow yer one shot with him. Like I said, he�s a busy man.

Jack: Um... Well... I... Um...

Smith: I didn�t say that it would happen, I just seen it happen, that�s all. But, ya gotta be ready. That�s all I�m sayin�, ya gotta be ready.

Jack: I guess... I really... (turns away) This isn�t what I expected, Smith.

Smith: Ya asked fer it, didn�t ya?

Jack: They asked me, I just said yes. I didn�t ...

Smith: Ya said yes! Ya asked fer it. It don�t matter what ya expected, or what ya wanted. This is it, pal! He�s comin� now. Do ya think I can just walk up ta him and say "Jack�s changed his mind, this ain�t what he expected"? It�s too late, pal. It�s gonna happen and ya gotta be ready.

Jack: (turns back, steping fully into the light) They just asked me if I wanted a witness... I thought...

Smith: (stands) It don�t matter what ya thought! What matters is what�s gonna happen. Ya think I haven�t seen this before? That�s why I�m tellin� ya, ya gotta be ready. (Sits on a box) But ya don�t wanna get ready, ya wanna change things ya can�t change. I�m tellin� ya - ya can�t! Okay? Ya can�t.

Jack: Okay! Okay! Okay! I understand, Smith. I understand that I have to get ready. I understand that I can�t change what�s happening.

Smith: All I�m sayin� is...

Jack: (firmly, moving closer) I�m not finished, Smith. Let me finish, Smith. What I don�t understand, Smith, is what exactly I�m to get ready for. How am I to get ready, when I don�t know what I�m to get ready for? Ay, Smith?

Smith: (pauses, leans back, and folds his arms) Ya finished, Jack?

Jack: (turns away) I�m finished.

Smith: �Cause I�d hate ta interrupt ya again.

Jack: I�m finished, Smith. (Turns back) Stop wasting time.

Smith: Wastin� time? Me? That�s funny, Jack. That�s real fuckin� funny. �Cause that�s all yer doin� Jack. Yer wastin� time. That�s okay, Jack, ya can waste time if ya wanna. Don�t bother me.

(Pauses, stands) Ya think he�s gonna even glance at me when he comes in? It�s yer show, pal. It don�t matter what ya wanted - it�s what ya asked fer. That�s it. Look, I ain�t here fer my health, I can go if ya want.

[Smith looks at Jack, shrugs, then turns towards the door.]

Jack: Just tell me something useful, Smith.

Smith: (pause. Then over his shoulder) Like?

Jack: Like - what�s going on, where am I, who�s coming? Something like that.

Smith: (turns, exasperated) The witness ya asked fer is comin�. I ain�t tellin� ya somethin� ya don�t already know. Nothin� else matters �cause he�s comin� and ya gotta get ready. Yer runnin� outta time, Jack.

Jack: Witness? ... But why?

Smith: How many times we gotta go through this, Jack?

Jack: I mean... well... What am I supposed to do?

Smith: Whatever ya like.

Jack: But what is he coming to witness?

Smith: You, Jack. He�s comin� ta witness You.

Jack: Me? (Pause, looks outward) What does that mean?

Smith: Ya sure are a dense one, Jack. I ain�t tellin� ya somethin� ya don�t already know. Everyone wants a witness, Jack, the question is almost a formality. That�s why he�s so busy. That�s why ya only got one shot. That�s why ya gotta get ready.

Jack: Well, what do they do? (pause) The ones like me?

Smith: (with grandiosity) Oh, I�ve seen it all, Jack. I�ve seen �em give speeches, confess, blubber. I�ve seen �em piss themselves, cower in the corner, get hysterical. And some I�ve seen just sit there and smile. �Course they�re the ones who are ready when I come in, and don�t give me trouble. I bet ya piss yerself... (glances at Jack, who meets his gaze) well, maybe not - but ya won�t be ready.

Jack: He�s just coming to look at me? That�s it? That�s the big deal? (Sits in chair) So what!

Smith: (shakes his head) Ya really don�t get it, do ya Jack? Yer not just playin� dumb, are ya? He don�t just look at ya, like I�m lookin� at ya. He ain�t just some audience ya can show what ya please and he�ll just take it in. He don�t just look at ya, Jack, he looks through ya.

When he comes in, I�m done - I�m not involved anymore - but I can�t watch him work, it gives me the willies. I�m not involved and it gives me the fuckin� willies, Jack. That�s why ya gotta get ready. It ain�t fer his bennefit, he�s seen it all - he�s seen things ya don�t wanna see, trust me - but if ya ain�t ready ya won�t be able ta take it.

Ya can hide things from everybody else, Jack. Ya can even hide things from yerself. But he knows, he knows just by lookin� at ya. And he�ll be here any second.

[Jack sits in silence, staring at the floor. Smith looks at him sympathetically, sighs, shakes his head, then turns away. After a pause, the door opens and a well-dressed enigmatic gentleman walks in, wearing white. He stands and gazes at Jack. Jack stands, steps toward the witness and meets his gaze, staring back.]

Smith: (turning) What are ya doin�, Jack! Yer not supposed to do that, Jack! Stop, Jack! Jack!

[The lights cut off. End Play.]

�1996-Troy W. Pierce