A double date
(This really doesn’t work. It’s an experiment on how to allude to something in dialogue without saying it openly)
Scene: Mr. Bensen is in his living room when two boys, Charlie and Butch enter. They are very nervous.
BENSEN: Come in, boys. What’s wrong with you?
CHARLIE: (in an aside to Butch) This is the part I can’t stand. We come to see his daughter and we get him.
BUTCH: Shush, Charlie. Louise will wait.
CHARLIE: Wait for me, you mean.
BENSEN: Sit down, boys.
My daughter will be down in a few minutes (he chuckles)
But I can’t say as I’ve ever seen this kind of thing before, two boys taking my little girl to the high school prom.
But you two boys are the…
Well, you know what they say around town anyway.
CHARLIE: It wasn’t my idea that two of us should taker her.
It’s Butch. He just doesn’t take a hint that your daughter might want to go to the prom with me, not him.
BENSEN: That’s not how I heard it, Charles.
My daughter talked to me and said she liked the two of you very much.
So when she couldn’t make up her mind, I told her to let both of you take her.
Then by the end of the night, she can make up her mind who she wants to bring her home.
It’s like a contest.
Both of you are going to have to be on your best behavior in order to win her hand.
BUTCH: But she promised to go with me first.
CHARLIE: A girl has a right to change her mind, don’t she?
BUTCH: And you’re right there to help her change her mind, right Charlie?
BENSEN: Boys, please.
I won’t have you fighting.
The rules are set.
You’ll both take her to the prom, and let the best man win.
BUTCH: But it’s not fair.
CHARLIE: You can leave right now if you don’t like it, Butch. I won’t mind. Honest. And neither will Louise, I’m sure.
BUTCH: Like hell, I’m leaving her to you.
CHARLIE: Well, I’m not leaving her to you either. No matter what you’ve done to her already.
BENSEN: That’s fine.
So why don’t you two relax here until my daughter comes down.
I’d like to find out a little more about the two of you.
(Both boys sit uneasily on the couch)
Okay, Butch. Tell me a little about yourself.
BUTCH: (Glances at Charlie, then shrugs.)
There’s not a lot to say.
BENSEN: Well, tell me what you want to be when you graduate
BUTCH: I’m not really sure yet.
I got a job down at Jerry’s service station.
You know the place; it’s down on the highway?
BENSEN: You mean the place with the rusty sign in front of it?
BUTCH: Yeah that’s the one.
Jerry says he’s gonna get a new sign any day now.
CHARLIE: Jerry’s been saying that for years, but never does it.
BENSEN: What about you, Charles?
What are your plans for after graduation?
CHARLIE: I’m going to business school.
My old man says if I do well enough, he’ll let me have the downtown store to run.
BENSEN: I’ve heard the downtown store has been doing pretty poorly lately.
CHARLIE: That’s because of the shopping malls.
But I future I might get some clue how to change that when I’m at business school.
BENSEN: That’s very admirable.
I’ve been trying to convince my daughter to continue her education.
But she seems to have other things in mind.
(Bensen glances over at Butch and frowns)
She’s afraid that if she goes off to school, she may lose what she has here.
CHARLIE: I think that’s foolish.
It seems to me that she’ll do better if she gets more schooling.
BUTCH: Better than what?
You want her to be unhappy?
BENSEN: Are you saying my daughter is unhappy, Butch?
BUTCH: I’m saying she has a mind of her own and ought to be able to decide what she wants to do with the rest of her life.
BENSEN: Maybe that’s true, Butch.
But maybe she needs to see all the choices before she goes off and commits herself to something that she might regret later.
BUTCH: Are you saying she’ll regret being with me?
CHARLIE (in an aside to Butch) Don’t lose your cool, boy. You open your mouth a little more and you won’t get to take her anywhere tonight or ever.
BUTCH: Shut up, Charlie.
I’m talking to him.
(To Bensen) Well, Mr. Bensen? Are you saying that or not?
BENSEN: Maybe I am, Butch.
Maybe I want something more for my daughter than a future as the wife of a gas station attendant.
BUTCH: I’m not always going to work at Jerry’s. I just haven’t made better plans yet. That doesn’t mean I don’t love your daughter or I won’t provide for her when the time comes.
BENSEN: When what time comes?
CHARLIE: (in an aside to Butch) Now you’re hitting your stride, boy.
Why don’t you tell him the whole thing, and then he’ll really take a shine knowing what you’ve already done to his daughter.
BUTCH: I said shut up, Charlie.
BENSEN: Tell me, Butch.
What did you mean by “when the time comes.”
BUTCH: Let’s just forget it.
All of this is stupid anyway since me and Louise plan to get married right after graduation.
BENSEN: Is that so?
BUTCH: Ask her yourself.
BENSEN: I did. She said she didn’t know.
BUTCH: That’s not what she told me.
CHARLIE: A girl has a right to change her mind, Butch.
BUTCH: For the last time, Charlie, shut up
(To Bensen) What did she tell you, Mr. Bensen?
BENSEN: She said she was confused and didn’t know what she wanted, and that’s not a good condition for marriage.
CHARLIE: Maybe she’s not in the condition for marriage now, but she will be after graduation.
BENSEN: Which means?
BUTCH: Charlie! I’m warning you…
LOUISE: (Enters through the door) I’m ready.
Hey, what’s wrong with everybody?
BENSEN: I think, Louise, we need to talk
CHARLIE: I think maybe none of us are going to the prom tonight, eh Butch?
BUTCH: (Glaring at Charlie) I think one of us is going to wind up in the Emergency Room before the night is over.
CHARLIE: Don’t be silly. Louise isn’t that far gone yet.
BUTCH: Will you just shut up, Charlie!!!