The cue for the lights is an angry huff of breath from none other than TONY ESPOSITO. He is glaring at an older, bulkier man - LUCA ESPOSITO, his father. The two are in a room closed off in the restaurant, during day hours now. Bustling customers eat in the next room.
LUCA: Why can't you just listen to me?
TONY: That's the first relatable thing you've said all day, dad.
LUCA: Don't back sass me! (He smacks the table with his palm.) You can't get your head out of the goddamn clouds long enough to listen to a word I say!
TONY: (He mutters intelligibly.)
LUCA: What was that?
TONY: Nothing. It doesn’t matter.
LUCA: (He pauses in consideration.) Listen, Tony. Really listen. I will not be around forever to fix your screw ups, and you are, for lack of a better word, my heir. Why not actually put in an effort for once? (LUCA exits, leaving TONY by himself.)
TONY, quietly and with force: I am.
The stage darkens once more. When they come back up, TONY is once more in the restaurant, later in the day. He is waiting tables.
TONY: E-excuse me, Signor. (He is carrying several plates at once, each teetering threateningly. The customer looks up at TONY in disgust.)
CUSTOMER: I am not a man! (She jumps up and storms out of the establishment. Several looks of uncertainty and shock are aimed at a humiliated TONY.)
TONY, to himself: Much apologies, Signorina. (He stumbles to the next table and sets one of the plates in front of another customer. In the process of setting down the second plate, he spills it into the man's lap and the plate clatters to ground, shattering.)
MARCO enters from the kitchen in response to the sound. He approaches cautiously, taking in the scene.
MARCO: Oh, no, Tony.
TONY covers his face with his hands.
“IMMINENTLY” (music break)
Ft. TONY, as a solo
Every glass I pick up ends up broken
Every scene I am seen in is felled
I am clumsy, and all that may happen
Results from the cards I have dealt
I... am... imminently
That's right, I am imminently
I-m-m-i-n-e-n-t-l-y
I'm imminently someone to bash
To tease
To crash
And seize
Every stranger I meet doesn't like me
And I couldn't be more in the dark
I don't understand normal social cues
And so nothing I say matters much
I'm imminently...
I'm imminently
That's right, I am imminently
I-m-m-i-n-e-n-t-l-y
I'm imminently someone to flee
To fear
To be
And here... I... am
Imminently
I-m-m-i-n-e-n-t-l-y
I-m-m-i-n-e-n-t-l-y
I'm imminently someone to profess
That even in this world I live in
I'm imminently someone who fails.
(music break ends)
The stage darkens. They come back up to a mirror of the first scene, TONY sitting in the darkened restaurant composing a letter. The only difference is MILES' presence.
MILES enters from the restaurant entrance with a determined look on his face. TONY does not notice him, but MILES notices TONY.
TONY: Giulia Romano. This is the twentieth letter I have written to you. It seems to be a special occasion, does it not? Although my attempts at reaching you have proven fruitless thus far, I find you, with your unresponsive nature of consolation, to be a rather enticing - if not unconventional - form of catharsis. Regards, Tony. (He leans heavily back in his chair, tapping his pencil rhythmically against the tabletop. He gingerly folds the paper, places it in its respective envelope, and gets up to leave.)
MILES: You're still writing to her? (He sounds hurt, but attempts to hide it behind a nonchalant shrug as he slowly approaches.)
TONY glances up from his letter, startled and sheepish.
TONY: Oh! Miles, hi, I... was just...
MILES, with a sigh: No, it's... it's alright. You don't have to make an excuse for me. I get it. (He sits at the table next to TONY.) What do the two of you talk about?
TONY: We... (He blinks in surprise at MILES quick acceptance of the news. He looks away.) She never writes me back.
There is an abrupt silence as MILES trains his face to a neutral one, trying not to react in any way.
TONY, uncomfortably: But... that's okay. It's not really about a response. I get a sense of catharsis writing to her, you know? (He begins gazing out the window. MILES looks at him fully, his face grim.) I guess... I just want to feel understood. I… feel like she's the only one who would understand.
MILES remains silent for a moment, shocked.
MILES: Tony... you know you can always talk to me, right? I would never push you away. I'm here for you whenever you need me. I'm... well, I'm here even when you don't need me.
TONY nods unconvincingly, and a crack forms in MILES' façade. Before he can say another word, TONY rises to leave.
TONY: I... have to deliver this letter before opening time.
MILES, seeing his chance and jumping up: Let me deliver it. (TONY is uncertain.) Please. It's the least I could do.
TONY is torn, but after a moment, he caves. He gingerly hands the letter to MILES, who is equally cautious for the sake of TONY.
TONY: Thank you, Miles. I... (His words taper to a stop, and he looks away.) Thank you.
The lights drop as TONY disappears.
YOU ARE READING
Oh, No, Tony!
Romance(Before reading, notice that this is a script for a musical I am writing!! It is not meant to follow the same guidelines as a run-of-the-mill novel, and in fact does not include every aspect of a book within it!! I hope you enjoy! I might later incl...
