Infinite Black Suitcase Script

Scene 1: Porch Talk

(Eight o'clock in the morning.)
(Kitchen of the Kalinski house.)
(When the lights rise, STAN KALINSKI, wearing a bath-robe, open over dark trousers and a T-shirt, is sitting on
the floor, polishing shoes - his own dress shoes, his wife's black leather pumps, and different sizes of little girls'
black patent leather dress shoes. A shoe polishing kit in an old cigar box is on the floor beside him.)
(Someone pounds on the kitchen door.)
(STAN looks up, then wipes his hands on a rag.)
(More pounding. Insistent.)
(STAN stands up and opens the door to his brother; KAL, who's wearing jeans and work boots, an old Levi jacket and gloves.)
(STAN looks at KAL for a moment.)
(KAL takes his gloves off, runs his hands through his hair.)
DONNA. (calling out from offstage, in the house) Who is it, Stan?
STAN. (yelling back over his shoulder) Kal.
DONNA. (offstage) Hi, Kal.
KAL. Hey, Donna.
DONNA. (offstage) You gonna come with me an' the girls?
It's okay.
KAL. No. No, I just gotta talk to Stan.
DONNA. (offslage) He's gonna pick up Janie.
(beat)
Megan, what is on your face? What did I tell you?
STAN. (to KAL) I gotta get ready.
KAL. Yeah.
(clenches fist)
There's somethin' not right.
STAN. (wearily) Fuckin' A, Kal, we've been over this.
KAL There's somethin' not right! I saw him on Thursday.
(STAN glances over his shoulder, into the house, then moves out onto the porch.)
STAN. (trying to keep his voice down) You told me.
KAL. I'm fuckin' tellin' you! He came over. On Thursday, that was just...an' he helped me work on my bike.
STAN. An' you had three beers, an' he had two. I gotta get ready. She's been in the bathroom all morning.
KAL. Does that sound right to you? It was normal. It was totally normal. We had beers. We worked just like always.
STAN. Nothing is right.
KAL. That's what I'm saying.
STAN. That doesn't mean-
DONNA. (offstage) Stan, where are Chrissy's shoes? Her good shoes?
STAN. (Yelling back) She wore 'em to school yesterday.
DONNA. (offstage) She's not supposed to wear her good shoes to school.
(Offstage, MEGAN throws her socks into the toilet.)
Megan! Why would you do that? Stan, will you please-
STAN. I gotta go. She's crazy this morning.
KAL. You don't give a shit. Your own brother-
STAN. I'm gonna hit you in the face.
KAL. Will you listen to me?
STAN. Just go, okay? Take a shower. We gotta be there at ten.
KAL. I'm not done.
STAN. We got things here, Kal. You gonna pick up Janie?
No. (beat; turns to look in the box of shoes) I gotta find Chrissy's shoes.
(KAL grabs hold of STAN'S robe.)
(STAN'S eyes narrow.)
STAN. What do you want?'
KAL. I want-
STAN. (overlapping; almost fiercely) You know what I want?
(KAL looks down at his feel.)
STAN. I want to get through today. Would you just-
KAL. I want to know when you saw him.
(STAN turns away from KAL, but KAL keeps hold of STAN 'S robe. STAN turns back to KAL.)
STAN. I saw him...I saw him Thursday. Same as you. Okay?
KAL. Did he-
STAN. I don't know. Fuck. Jesus Christ, okay? He brought back my scroll saw. One he borrowed for doin' that new wall. That new wall he was gonna do.
KAL. The new wall.
STAN. Yeah. Months ago.
KAL. Yeah. Did he say-
STAN. He didn't say shit.
DONNA. (offstage) Stan?
(STAN looks back inside the house.)
STAN. I gotta go. Be at the church by ten.
(STAN swipes his sleeve under his nose, then puts his hand on KAL's chest and pushes him back a step. Then
he steps inside the house and closes the door.)
(He picks up the box of shoes and exils.)
(KAL watches the door for a moment, then turns and exits.)
(Lights.)