West Side Dreams

(Set in a poverty-stricken, run-down neighborhood after sunset. A man, mid-fifties, sits atop a crumbling stoop after sunset with his young nephew. Man wears a torn flannel and knee-length shorts and has a cigar in hand. Young boy looks disturbed by the continuous police sirens and screams in the background. Man has a distant look in eyes as he gazes into the night sky.)

Man

Ya know, I never seen them stars before. I heard they're real nice, though. Can't see anything from this dratted place but I can almost picture it, right, them stars like diamonds- as goes that ol' tune. (Exhales cigar smoke.) 'Course, I never seen a diamond either, but I heard they look like stars. (Chuckles softly.)

Funny, 'cause I wanted to be one of them astronauts when I was little- sail around that famous moon and see the Earth from afar. I thought it'd be pretty darn cool to wear one of those heavy white suits and go around all important-lookin'. Would'a been nice. (Exhales cigar smoke, looks down.) 'Course, I didn't know then that if you're from these parts, you'd have no shot at being anythin' important.

You see, Billie, it's really nothin' but unlucky you is stuck in this darn place 'till the very day that your whole miserable life ends. Ain't never heard of anybody who's gotten out of West-Side. (Glances at boy.) Ay, but don't you worry. You'll be the first one- make your ol' uncle proud, eh? (Boy nods.) Right ho!

Ha, guess it's just my luck that I'm stuck here forever. Without that- what d'ya call it? Right, that education, you can't be an astronaut- can't be nobody. Ay, ain't nobody wanna be a janitor like me- sweeping them infinite halls after those no-good kids who've never worked for a single penny in their life! (Bites lip.) Ya know, all my life, I'd wanted to move to that East-side everyone's always talkin' my ear off about! Heck, can't do nothin' now, an ol' man like me can only wear and tear at those darn floors.

(Grits teeth.) Oh, still all my life I wanted to be somebody, just somebody! Is that too much to ask? It just ain't fair that West-Siders can't be nobody just 'cause of the place they're born and the luck of the darn draw! So I get that unlucky card and I end up droppin' out of my fifth year, lose my Pop to some weird disease, and then I'm a freakin' useless janitor for forty freakin' years! (Stands up and hurls cigar into a nearby bush.)

(Turns to the boy, gaze softens, and breathing slows.) Heck, screw my life. But you, Billie- you're gonna be different. Now you go see them stars for me, boy? (Boy nods.) You go see a diamond for me, boy? (Boy nods.) You go be somebody for me, boy? (Boy nods. Man bites his lip and his eyes glisten with tears.) Right ho. (Man turns and marches up the steps, letting the screen door slam shut behind him.)