Staying Out of Trouble

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Staying Out of Trouble

By: Everette S. Hamlette

Characters

QUINCY JACKSON 16

BRANDON ORTIZ 17

ABBIGAIL JACKSON 48

YOUNG HOODLUM 20

BUS DRIVER 55

QUINCY JACKSON , a 16-year-old boy He has strict parents that don’t tolerate nonsense and is deeply involved in school. He is viewed as the leader of the group and often the problem solver for friends.

BRANDON ORTIZ, a 17-year-old boy who was held back a grade that’s why he is the oldest. Heis half Puerto Rican and half Dominican and lives with his single mother. He is always getting into trouble and have experience with drugs and alcoholin the neighborhood. Even though he knows rightfrom wrong he will always insist on doing the wrong.

ABBIGAIL JACKSON, the 40-year-old mother of QUINCY. Called MS. JACKSON by everybody in the community. She’s a stay home mother who is constantly cooking and cleaning. She often sits by

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the window on the second floor of the JACKSONhouse to keep an eye out on QUINCY and also to see what’s going on in the neighborhood. She often communicates with QUINCY through this windowand often is not noticed until she speaks.

Setting

We are located in the South Bronx on Sunday,

June 28th 2009. On this beautiful summer day

the MTA raised the bus fare from $2.00 to

$2.25. The bus fare haven’t been raised since

2003 and for the locals this was a big issue.

The characters are seated in front of QUICNY

JACKSON’s house on a stoop with 4 stairs and

a railing on the right. As the conversation goes

on various people are walking by. It is lunch time.

Time

2009

AT RISE:

QUINCY and BRANDON are hanging out on the stoop. BRANDON is high while QUNICY and him are talking.

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Act 1, Scene 1

BRANDON

(counting change in his hand)

17…. 21…. 41… 42… 57… 60… 69… 83…. 87

QUINCY Son, you don’t have enough guap. You might as well hop the bus so you can get your food before that church closes.

(looks at invisible watch on wrist)

It’s like skin 30. I know you got the munchies. You better hurry up and book it over to that 27-bus-stop.

BRANDONFuckoutta here, you buggin out, Q. If I get caught hopping that bus again, sonnnnnnn, my moms gonna kill me.

QUINCYShe won’t kill you, B.

BRANDONYou right. Matter-a-fact, she’ll send me back to my father’s crib. You know that spot he got in Queens with my grandmother.

QUINCY Yeah I know.

BRANDONRight after she pops me upside my head with her chancletá of course. You wildin’ if you think I’m going back to Queens too. You even more crazy if you think I’m getting my ass whooped for hoppin’ the bus.

QUINCYMy butt gets whipped for you all the time.

BRANDON

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(Looks at hand and then continues to count change)

Whatever! 97… One dollar… One 15…. One 25…. One 50…

QUINCY

(looks at BRANDON’s loose change in his hand and sucks teeth)

Yo, I’m tellin’ you there is no way you have two 25 there. You aint getting that free lunch from Soundview today. Either you hoppin’ that bus or we heading back to the courts to flip that bread.

BRANDON (surprised)Two 25? Two…… 25! Two. 25. Nigga’ you woulda thought. Deadass, why the fuck do I need two 25? All that reading your moms got you doing before you go to bed done fucked up ya way of living, Q. Everybody and they mother know the bus is two dollars. What you smokin’?

QUINCY (whispers)Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh B. Why you bringing up smoking in front of my house? You already high. You know my mother can hear everything. Do you want both our butts to get whipped?

BRANDONHa, nah.

QUINCYGood cause I’m still sore from the whippin’ I got last week because of you! Having me out pass curfew on a school night…

BRANDON (laughing)Relaxxxxxxxx. You know your moms loves me. She probably love me more than you with yo goodie-two-shoes-ass. I told her it was my fault.

QUINCY

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You woulda thought she loved you. She only loves my father.

BRANDONYeah, whatever.

QUINCYBut look who’s talking with your MILF mother. Heads turn when everybody see her coming up the block. Matter-a-fact I might stop by for some Spanish rice later. Tell her new boyfriend Carlos not to come through tonight, because daddy’s paying a visit.

BRANDON(Stands up, puts the change in his pocket and slowly shoves

QUINCY)

Yo mama's so black, lightening bugs follow her during the daytime.

QUINCY (laughing)Now how long you’ve been saving that elementary joke? This is why girls don’t pay attention to you. Get outta here with yo second-grade mama jokes.

BRANDON (loud)Oh you think this is a game? You think I’m playing with you? Holdup , holdup, holdup.

(pauses as he collects his thoughts)

Yo mama soooooooo black, she got a PHD in Hide-N-Seek.

QUINCY

(points thumb downwards)

Boooooooooooooooooooooo! Sit down, get off the stage!

BRANDON (louder)Holdup……Yo Mama sooooooooooooooo black, she joined the SWAT Team and all they gave her was a gun. 

QUINCY

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Very original. I heard that one last week. Now, cut it out.

BRANDON (even louder)Wait-a-minute, wait-a-minute, wait-a-minute. Yo mama's sooooooooooooooooooooo black, if they put you in a bottle you'd be a Pepsi.

QUNICY (whispers)Alright, now that’s not funny. Be quiet. I don’t want her to hear us.

BRANDON(loudest)One more, one more, one more. Yo moma is soooooooooooooooooo black….

(QUNICY cuts him off)

QUINCY(whispering)You done yet? Damnnnnn son you play too much. What if my mother hear you? Just stop shouting.

BRANDONThat’s what I thought son!

QUINCYBut all jokes aside the MTA jacked up the fare to two 25 this morning. It’s all over the news. What rock you’ve been living under? People been complaining all day.

BRANDON

(BRANDON sits back down right next to QUINCY on the stoop)

Deadass?... No lie I haven’t had cable all week. Once Carlos started tappin’ my mom’s ass he stopped paying bills around the crib. Tell me how I even missed the NBA Draft on Friday. Nigga can never catch a break!

QUINCY

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Damn son. We could hit up the courts back up. We was in the zone out there earlier.

BRANDONQ, I’m too high and hungry to ball right now son.

QUINCYMy bad, did I said “we” was in the zone I meant me. I was in the zone… 17 points, 12 rebounds, 15 steals, 8 blocks. (pause and takes a deep breath) In a few years I might be the one you missin’ on the Draft when Carlos is hittin’ it.

BRANDON

(BRANDON zones out looking toward the audience)

QUNICY (shouts)WHEN CARLOS IS HITTIN’ IT!!!

BRANDON

What? Man be quite you the one worrying about your moms right.

QUINCYYou good B? You too high son. Stay focused I’m roasting your mother right now.

(ABBIGAIL approaches the stage from behind and is in the background sitting. She is on the second floor and opens the window to peak outside because she heard QUINCY shouting from the kitchen. She is a soft spoken lady with young looking traits. Even though she is in her 40’s she often gets mistaken as QUINCY’s older sister to those who have never met her.)

ABBIGAIL

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(shouting from 2nd floor window)

Now well aint this something. What are you two knuckleheads up to? Staying out of trouble I hope.

(Both QUNICY and BRANDON stands up and looks at the window)

BRANDON (shouting)Good afternoon. Ms. Jackson. Q, I mean, Quincy, was just telling me how well he was doing on the courts, I mean basketball courts, today. Tell her Quincy.

(gently taps QUNICY with his elbow)

QUINCYYes ma’am, I was on a roll this morning, I wish you would have seen me. I was unstoppable. Scoring points like it was my job and….

(ABBIGAIL cuts QUINCY off)

ABBIGAILSpeaking of jobs, boy didn’t your father tell you to sweep the front of this house before you went to play some basketball. You know how he doesn’t like repeating himself.

BRANDON (whispers over to QUINCY so ABBIGAIL won’t hear)

Nigga, you gonna get yo ass whipped like a slave.

QUINCYShut up my nigga!

ABBIGIAL

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What I told you about using that word young man? Do you want to get punished? Look at me when I’m talking to you. Sweep the front of the house and make sure it’s spotless before your father gets home. Don’t make me come downstairs and give you a piece of my mind.

QUINCYYes ma’am.

ABBIGIAL

Good! And Brandon…

BRANDONYes, Ms. Jackson?

ABBIGAIL Tell your mother I said hi. She should stop by sometime this week, come along too, I’ll cook up something nice to eat.

BRANDONOk Ms. Jackson, I’ll be sure to pass the message along to her.

ABBIGAILYou two stay out of trouble now. I don’t want to hear about any of you on the 6 ‘o clock news.

(ABBIGAIL closes the window and exits from the scene)

QUINCYDAMN! I hate getting her upset. What if she came out here 2 minutes earlier when you was coming out yo face. No lie it would have been mine and your butt.

BRANDONFuck outta here. You didn’t just hear your moms invite me over to dinner? You better tell your pops to catch the night shift because daddys coming over for some grub. Don’t want to get caught knocking boots with ya old lady.

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QUINCYThis coming from the idiot that didn’t even know the bus fare was raised this morning. I don’t even know why I kick it with you sometimes, B. You always getting both of us into trouble, and it’s always up to me to get us out of it.

BRANDONYou stressing yourself out way too much. You need to relax your mind. (reaches in his pocket to grab weed)

QUINCY (looks at BRANDON’s hand)What is that?

BRANDONWeed nigga. Never seen Buddha before?

QUINCYNah, B I don’t know about this. You’ve made me do a lot of dumb stuff but never drugs. My mother just came out and told me I had to do chores. I can’t disobey her.

BRANDONForget about yo moms. We can light this bad boy after your chores. I got this for us son. And besides you know we always stay out of trouble.(BRANDON gives QUINCY the weed)

QUINCY(looking at the weed)I don’t know, B.

BRANDONLike you said, your mom won’t actually kill you… Let’s go stay out of trouble!

Act 1, Scene 2

Setting

In the South Bronx on Sunday,

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June 28th 2009. QUNICY and BRANDON are on the bus

after bus fare was raised from $2.00 to

$2.25. The characters are seated in

the back of the bus while the driver is

in the front of the bus. QUNICY and BRANDON

are high.

QUINCYYoooooooooo, B! Why am I feeling like this? I feel so, different all of a sudden.

BRANDONRelax, Q. You’re high right now just go with the flow of things. Let you mind’s eye take a peek at life.

QUINCYMy mind’s eye? I’m going to be in so much trouble! My moms… Oh my god MY MOTHER! Shes going to kill me.

BUS DRIVERNext stop Westchester and Whitlock Avenue! Please exit through the back door of the bus!

BRANDONCalm down my nigga. You’re just high. That’s the weed talking, you need to relax. Focus on the girls we’re about to bag.

QUINCYRelax? How could I? How did we even get on this bus? You didn’t have $2.25 to get on in the first place.

BRANDONYes, Q relax! Don’t I always have your back? Don’t I always keep you out of trouble?

BUS DRIVER

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Next stop Westchester and Bronx River Avenue! Please exit through the back door of the bus!

QUINCYI guess so… but my mother! I don’t wanna get into any trouble.

BRANDONExactly we hopped the bus from the back. Problem solved! We wasn’t even seen by the bus driver. So we won’t be getting into any trouble today.

QUINCY (whispering)We hopped the bus? That’s illegal, B!

BRANDONWe wasn’t even seen. We’re getting off soon so just listen to me for once and go with the flow.

BUS DRIVERNext stop Westchester and Evergreen Avenue! Please exit through the back door of the bus!

(Somebody enters the bus while it stopped. He’s a young African American male that looks like a hoodlum. He walks straight pass the bus driver without passing and precedes to the back of the bus)

QUINCYAlright, I’ll go with the flow!

BUS DRIVERExcuse me, young man. You need to pay the fare if you want to get on this bus.

YOUNG HOODLUMFuck you say to me old nigga?

BUS DRIVER

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Listen I worked the night shift, I’m getting off in an hour and I don’t want any trouble. Either pay the fare of get off my bus.

YOUNG HOODLUMHaha, are you serious, old man? Alright let me see if I can get some change from somebody off this bus because I don’t have any.

BUS DRIVERI won’t be moving this bus until you pay so you better hurry up!

(the BUS DRIVER puts the bus in park)

BRANDONAre you serious my nigga? What the fuck I got places to be!

QUINCYRelax, Brandon What’s even going on right now?

BRANDONYou didn’t just hear that, Q? The bus driver isn’t driving the bus anymore! I have places to be and this fool wasting my time.

YOUNG HOODLUMWhat you said little nigga? Did you just call me a fucking fool?

QUINCYHaha! Nice one, B. Calling him a fool like that haha.

BRANDONNah, Q. I didn’t call this nigga a fool I was talking about the bus driver! You’re too high, Q.

YOUNG HOODLUMFuck outta here little nigga! You aren’t gonna disrespect me like that. Run yo pockets right now.

QUINCYLook man, haha, this was all just a misunderstanding. We’re on our way to church and we don’t have any money. We don’t want any trouble haha.

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YOUNG HOODLUMI wasn’t talking to you motha fucka! I was talking to this punk nigga here.

(pointing at BRANDON)

Run yo pockets and give me all your change now nigga.

(shows BRANDON a gun that’s on his waist under his shirt. But QUINCY doesn’t see)

BUS DRIVERListen I won’t tolerate any of this on my bus! Get off right now or I’m calling the cops!

BRANDONHere nigga.

(gives YOUNG HOODLUM all his change.)

That’s all I got!

BUS DRIVERTHAT’S IT I’M CALLING THS COPS!

YOUNG HOODLUMThat’s it? This aint even worth going to jail for. Y’all some broke niggas!

(Throws change at BRANDON’s face then starts to walk off the bus.)

QUINCYWHAT THE FUCK!

(QUNICY gets up out of his seat and shoves the YOUNG HOODLUM.)

WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR…

YOUNG HOODLUM

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Haha. You’re a dumb nigga…

(YOUNG HOODLUM pulls out his gun and shoots QUINCY in the chest.)

Now you’re a dead nigga!

(YOUNG HOODLUM exits the bus quickly.)

BRANDONYO QUINCY! FUCK! SOMEBODY CALL THE COPS!

QUINCY (coughing)I guess you were right haha.

BRANDON (tearing)What are you talking about, Q. Save your strength bro. Help should be on the way.

QUINCY (coughing)My moms, B. You were right about my moms haha.

BRANDONWhat about your moms?

QUINCYHow…

(coughing up blood)

How she…

(coughing up more blood)

BRANDONStay with me, Q… Q… QUINCY!

QUINCY (dying breath)How she wouldn’t kill me…

BUS DRIVERThe cops and paramedics are here!

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BRANDON (tearing)Don’t worry, Q. I’m going to keep you out of trouble! Trust me!

END.