A Stormy Night

A stormy night

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Boss Dumitrache Tartar the Hard-hearted, lumber dealer, Captain in the National Guard

Nick Gumshoe, Precinct Chief, member of the same political party as the Captain

Charlie, lumberyard manager, the Captain's trustworthy right-hand man, Sergeant in the National Guard

Spiro, orphan apprenticed to Boss Dumitrache's household

Rich Venturiano, archivist at one of the lower courthouses, law student and newspaper reporter

Vera, Boss Dumitrache's better-half

Zena, Vera's sister

 Act I

(A room in the slums. A door backstage leading to the entrance hall; two windows, one on each side of this door. Wood and wicket furniture. Two more doors, one left front stage and another further back. Backstage right, another door. In a distant corner, leaning against the wall, a rifle with the bayonet on.)

SCENE I

Boss Dumitrache, dressed in the National Guard Captain's uniform, minus the sword, and Nick Gumshoe

Boss: (continuing his original discourse) Them punks... them dang pencil-pushers, a dime a dozen the whole stack of 'em! They eat on credit, they hit on their friends for a drink, they got a bunch a tricks up their sleeves... and then at night they get all dressed up in high feather 'n start stalkin' married women. I'm tellin' ya, sir, it ain't safe to take a woman outta the house without a whole pack of 'em bums sniffin' at your heels. A... paper-pusher, a desk-jockey, without two coins to rub together, 's got the nerve to stalk a businessman's wife, to bust an honest businessman's marriage.

Gumshoe: They don't stalk 'em all, boss. See, it depends on the woman, too: if she gives 'em the come-hither look, ya know, if she makes goo-goo eyes at them, sure, that's all them bums're waitin' for.

Boss: Excuuse me! I know whatcha mean... But my wife ain't one of 'em floozies, sir.

Gumshoe: Heck, no, boss! You got me all wrong, man. That's not what I meant. You didn't think I's hintin' at you, did you?

Boss: No offence taken, Don Nick. Only, what I mean is, if my wife ain't one of 'em floozies, why did they stalk me?

Gumshoe: Was the bums after you, too?

Boss: They was and they are...

Gumshoe: Oh, man, have they got the wrong man...

Boss: When it comes down to my familiar honor... I got dignity, ya know!

Gumshoe: Logical!

Boss: Slam 'em cuffs right here, I don't care! Take me downtown and throw away the key, I don't give a rat's whisker. If I see that punk foller me one more time, just hand'im over to me.

Gumshoe: Which punk?

Boss: Heck, how do I know 'im? A punk like all 'em other bums...

Gumshoe: Excuse me, but if you don't know the guy, how do you know he's a punk, eh?

Boss: Gee! Are we like speakin' the same language here, or what? But, you know, I cain't hardly blame you; you got no idea what I been through, how he been roastin' me over a small fire for two weeks... Not that I suspicion somethin' on my wife's part and all... I don't want you to...