Evan                 

A Short Play in Three Acts by Justin Aclin

ACT ONE

ELEVEN YEARS AGO

The pediatric ward of a hospital.  Everything is white. 

Enter two women.  The first is in her middle years and looks haggard.  The second is young and is wearing hospital whites.  They stop in the center of the room.

Dr. Neis: This is where Evan has been staying, although he's at his group now.

Mrs. Anderson:  It's... nice.

Neis: There's nothing nice about it, Mrs. Anderson.  It's a hospital.

(Mrs. Anderson nods, and looks down at the floor, her head resting in one hand.)

Neis: Evan's injuries have all healed, but there are other problems.  You're sure you're sticking to your story of how he got those...

Anderson: He fell down the stairs, Dr. Neis (Nees).  There's nothing to stick to.

Neis: Very well.  Anyway, Evan has been acting.. strange.

Anderson: He's always been a very different boy.

Neis: Well, yes, but his behavior has been bordering on psychosis.  That's why we've put him in his group.  It has been helping.

Anderson: What sort of... of behavior?

Neis: Has Evan ever spoken to you of someone named Billy?

Anderson: Yes.  He's Evan's imaginary friend.

Neis: I'd say it goes deeper than that.  I don't know how it was before, but since Evan arrived at the hospital, Billy is the only person he'll talk to outside of group.  He spends all his time reading and talking to Billy.  He's read every book in our library twice.  Billy seems more real to him than the doctors or the other children do.

Anderson: Well, I don't see what's wrong with having an imaginary friend for a boy his age.  And there's certainly nothing wrong with reading a lot.

Neis: Of course not.  That's not what I'm saying.  What Evan does would be perfectly normal, but he does it on such a scale that it's making him severely antisocial.

Anderson: (clearly in denial, trying to make excuses for everything Neis says) Not every child has to have a lot of friends.  Evan's never been very close with his brothers and sisters.

Neis: Do you have many children?

Anderson (taking a wallet out of her pocketbook and removing pictures from it): Five.  Here's Aaron, and Mark, and Hillary, and little Kiera.

Neis: (slowly) Where's Evan?

Anderson (turning away, quickly putting the pictures away like she's ashamed): Aaron is in college.  Mark is a baseball star.  Hillary rides horses and Kiera is a ballerina.  Evan doesn't do anything we can take pictures of.

Neis: How does your husband...

Anderson (cutting her off briskly): My husband doesn't live with us anymore.

Neis: I'm sorry.  How did your husband behave towards Evan?

Anderson: He... he.. he loved Evan.  We all do.  He's just... such an unusual child. 

Neis: Was Evan always fed?

Anderson (exploding): That's a ridiculous question! 

Neis: I'm sorry.  I really am.  (She is embarrassed) It's just... Evan has been assigned to me since he got here, and I'm really concerned with seeing him get better.  And... he shows all the signs of a neglected child.

Anderson: I assure you, Dr. Neis, Evan was not neglected.  He always ate.  He always had everything he could want.  We bought him all the books the bookstore had, as fast as they got them in!

Neis: Did you read the books with him?  Did you include him in the conversations at dinner?

Anderson (is crying now): We would try. He was a very difficult child to reach out to.  He had... a chair set aside for Billy at the dinner table.  We thought it would be good to humor him.  He was so...

Neis: (Going to comfort Anderson) It's OK.  A lot of the time, parents don't even realize they're neglecting a child.  He just tends to... fall through the cracks.

Anderson: I think... I think we did realize.  He was just so... I wasn't even sure if I loved him.  I was his own mother and I wasn't sure if I loved him.  I didn't realize until the... (catches herself) the accident.

Neis: I don't mean to upset you, Mrs. Anderson.  I just need to know these things so we can help Evan.  I want to see him get better as much as you do. 

Anderson: (recovering from her crying) Thank you Dr. Neis.  This is very difficult for me. 

Neis: It's never easy to deal with a sick child, especially when you feel like you might be, at least partially, to bla... (trails off)  That is to say, it's never easy to deal with a sick child.

Anderson: You can say it, Dr. Neis.  I'm to blame. 

Neis: I didn't mean it that way, Mrs. Anderson.

Anderson: No, it's OK.  I can't put the blame entirely on his fath... (trails off).

Neis: What did his father do?

Anderson: Nothing.  He's out of our lives now.

(There is silence as Evan enters.  A nurse walks him in and then leaves.  He still has his hand out as if he is holding hands with someone.  He is about five years old.  He stands and looks .)

Anderson: Evan?  Mommy's here.

Neis: Evan?  Aren't you going to say hello to your mommy?

(Evan goes and sits in a corner by himself.  The two women look at him as he begins rocking back and forth and humming to himself).

Neis: I wouldn't take it personally, Mrs. Anderson.  He hardly talks at all, unless he's talking to...

Evan: Did you have fun at group, Billy?  So did I.  I like Dr. Flannigan, don't you?

Neis: This is what he's like most of the time.  Pretty soon he'll probably break to read a book. 

Anderson: He was never this bad at home.  He would at least acknowledge us.

Neis: His condition was probably worsened by the... accident.  Traumatic events can do that.  Why don't you try talking to him?

(All through this conversation, Evan is still talking to himself, saying the following,

although the main focus is on the women's lines and his are in the background.)

Evan: What do you want to read today?  I like to read about the knights.  Well, of course you do too.  You are a king.  How are things going in your kingdom?  Good.  Say hi to everybody for me.  How is Willa feeling?

(When the lines women are finished talking they walk to the back of the stage where Evan is sitting.  Mrs. Anderson kneels down by Evan.  He stops rocking and stops talking when she approaches.)

Anderson: Hi, Evan.  How are you feeling? (Evan doesn't answer)  Do you feel better?  Do you miss me?  (No answer)  Are you looking forward to coming back home?  You don't have to worry about coming home, now.  Daddy is... (Looks over her shoulder at Dr. Neis) Daddy is somewhere else.

Evan: Billy chased him away.

Anderson: Evan, Billy didn't do anything.

Evan: Billy can do whatever he wants.  He's a king.

Anderson: Is he really? 

Evan: (standing up, angrily) Yes!  He's a king and I'm the Duke! So you can't make me do anything anymore!  You can't make me take baths and you can't make me go to school.  Billy says so!

Anderson: Evan, we make you go to school so you can learn.  I love you. (Evan sits back down and starts rocking again, humming to himself)  Evan?  Evan!  Evan, stop.

Neis: (Leads Anderson away): He's gotten agitated.  He'll work himself up over it for about half an hour and then he'll fall asleep.  I'm sorry it didn't go like you would have wanted.

Anderson: He hates me.  I don't blame him.

Neis: He doesn't hate you.  He's just very confused right now.  But we're treating him.  In no time he'll be back to normal.  We're doing everything we can.

Anderson: I know, I know.  It's just...

(A nurse enters)

Nurse: Visiting hours are over, Dr. Neis.(exits)

Neis: I'm sorry, Mrs. Anderson, but you'll have to leave now.  You can come see Evan again tomorrow.

Anderson: (doubtfully): Good bye, Evan.  (Evan keeps rocking and humming)

Neis: I'll see you out.  (They exit.  Evan stops rocking.)

Evan: Bye, Mommy.  (pause) How is Willa doing, Billy?  Oh my, that's just terrible.

END ACT ONE

ACT TWO

TODAY

(A teenager's bedroom.  Evan, about eleven years older, is sitting on one edge of his bed.  On the other edge is a teenage girl of about the same age.  She is not moving.  Music is playing in the background, but faintly.  Evan starts humming along with the music and rocking gently back and forth, but catches himself and stops both.  He resumes staring at the girl.  As he is staring another teenage boy of about the same age comes wandering into the room from stage right.  He has a bag slung over one shoulder and has the look of  moving on, a transient.  He seems to notice Evan for the first time and stops suddenly.  He grins and pulls up a chair alongside Evan's side of the bed.)

William: She's pretty.  Who is she?

Evan: (surprised at seeing a stranger in his room/head) Do I know you?

William: Come on, Kev.  Think back a few years. 

Evan: Were you in my kindergarten class?

William (laughs) Nope.  Try again.

Evan: You used to live next door.

William: (Makes buzzer noise) Ehhh.  One more guess.

Evan: Um... Schoolyard bully?

William: Not even close.  I'll give you a hint. (Voice becomes snooty and British) Oh, Evan, you'll never guess what mischief Willa got herself into today in the kingdom.

Evan: (With dawning realization) Billy!

William: Actually, I prefer William now.

Evan: Fair enough.  Where have you been? 

William: Oh, you know, here and there.  Lunch with the Animus.  Poker with the Super Ego and Id.  Actually, I was just on my way out.

Evan: Out of what?

William: I wish I knew.  So, how you been?

Evan: Good.  Really good. (Pause) I missed you.

William: Well, everybody needs a good friend from time to time. (pause)  As I was saying before, who's the girl?

Evan: (he's forgotten about her in his conversation with William, and suddenly remembers she's there.) Oh, right.  The girl.  Her name is Bridgette.  I know her from school.

William: (Whistles) Does she look like that in real life?
Evan: (pauses to think about it a second, gives her a thorough looking over) Pretty much.  I might have smoothed out some flaws, but pretty much.

William: So, what brings her to this comfy cranium?

Evan: I can't get her out of here.  Day and night, she's all I can think about.

William: You make it sound like that's a bad thing.

Evan: I know she doesn't like me.  I'm... not very good with people.

William: Aw... Just tell her you know a king.

Evan: I'm being serious Bil... ah... William.

William: So am I.  Chicks dig power.

Evan: Haha.  Very funny.  It doesn't solve my problems.

William: Well, have you talked to her?

Evan: Are you kidding?  She'd chew me up and spit me out and her friends would take pictures.

William: How do you know you don't have a chance if you won't even talk to her or, unless I miss my guess, look at her if you think she's going to see you looking at her.

Evan: That about sounds right.  Look, I can just tell, OK.  I'm not the kind of guy girls go for.  I don't have... muscles or cool hair or whatever it is that attracts them.

William: Je ne sai quois.

Evan: Exactly.

William: Aw... little Kevvy is feeling sorry for himself.

Evan: I do NOT sit around feeling sorry for myself.  I sit around obsessing.

William: (Going around to inspect her) She's not perfect.  Even in your mind she's not perfect.  No one is.  And no one can predict how anyone else is going to act.  Why don't you give it a shot?

Evan: Because if it doesn't work I'll be publicly humiliated.

William: Again.

Evan: Again.

William: A wise man once said, "He who does, gets the world.  He who sits around, gets hemorrhoids."

Evan: Who the hell said that?

William: I did, right then.  All quotes have to start somewhere, don't they?

Evan: I really don't remember you being this annoying.

William: People change.  I don't remember you being this wimpy.

Evan: (rising from the bed) OK, that's it.

Bridgette: Why don't you ever say anything to me Evan?

Evan: (Accusingly to William) You made her say that! (William shrugs his shoulders)

Bridgette: I think we could get along well.

Evan: What is that supposed to prove?  Don't you think I've imagined her saying that before?  it doesn't make it any more true.

William: Did I ever tell you how I became a king?

Evan: No.

William: There were two princes in contention for the throne.  Prince Billy and Prince Doug.  Prince Doug was so concerned about what people thought of him, that the thought of being king terrified him.  He figured no one would like him, and no one would want him as king.  He never even expressed intent to vie for the throne, and I won by default.

Evan: What was the point of that story?

William: Do I have to spell it out?  You can't just sit around and wait for things to fall into your lap!  You've gotta take action!  Yeah, she might say no.  Yeah, she might laugh at you.  What's the worst that could happen?  The whole school will know?  You'll be out of here in a couple of years anyway.  Who cares.  Screw everybody else.  Do what's right for you.

Evan: What you're saying makes sense..

William: Of course it does.

Evan: It makes sense but it goes against everything I know about myself.  Ever since I don't know when I've been sitting out in left field waiting for a ball to come to me but it never does.

William: Ever since you were five.

Evan: Ever since I was five.

William: It doesn't have to be that way though.  Maybe this is your chance to turn everything around.  If you take that first step, something will happen.  It might be good and it might be bad, but it will happen.

Evan: You know, come to think of it, I do remember you being this annoying.  Why did I spend so much time with you?
William: Because I'm so damn smart.  Listen, I'm leaving now.  This was me saying good-bye to you.  We've had some good times, but this is the last time I'm ever going to see you.  These are my parting words to you.  Don't wait for life to come to you.  Go out and do things for yourself.  Whatever happened when you were five, forget about it.  You're more than the sum of the events in your life.  You are Evan Anderson.  Get out there and make that mean something.

Evan: So, this is good-bye?

William: I'm afraid so. (They hug, briefly).  Take care of yourself.

Evan: You too. 

(William exits stage left.  Evan stares at Bridgette again, but he has a thoughtfulness in his expression that wasn't there before.)

END ACT TWO

ACT THREE

ELEVEN YEARS AND ONE MONTH AGO

(Interior of a  fairly affluent middle class suburban house.  Mrs. Anderson is on the phone in the kitchen.  Mr. Anderson is in his chair in front of the TV, a bottle of vodka sitting next to it.  He is clearly drunk.  Hillary is sitting on her father's lap.  She is about seven years old.)

Hillary: Daddy!  Today in school...

Mr. A: Shh... Honey, Daddy's watching TV.

Mrs. A: That's great, Aaron.  Your father will be thrilled.  No, Kiera is at ballet lessons.  You want to talk to Hillary?  Hold on a second.  (Shouting) Hillary! (Hillary runs into the room) Here she is.  (As Hillary picks up the phone, Mrs. A walks into the living room)

Hillary: Hey, Aaron.  School's going good.  Today in art...

(Her voice fades as the attention shifts to Mr. and Mrs. A.  Mrs. A walks over to where Mr. A is sitting and picks up the bottle of vodka.)

Mrs. A: Karl, you promised.

Mr. A: Yeah, yeah.  If I had a bottle for every promise you made me and didn't keep...

Mrs. A: You'd be even more of a lush.

Mr. A: I never did like your sense of humor.

(Hillary comes running in)

Hillary : Daddy, Aaron wants to say hi.

Mr. A: (laboriously rising from his chair) Sure thing, honey.  (Goes over and picks up receiver) What's up, Tiger?  (His conversation fades out)

Mrs. A: Hillary, did you check on the cookies?

Hillary: Yes, Mom.  (walks off stage right)

Mr. A: (Walking back into the living room) You done chewing my ear off?

Mrs. A: Far from it.  It's only six o'clock and you're drunk.  What the hell do you think you're doing? 

Mr. A: I had a tough day at work.

Mrs. A: (indicating vodka bottle in her hand) No day at work is this hard.

Mr. A: (losing patience) Don't lecture me.

Mrs. A: You hardly spend any time with the kids any more.  Evan is up there in his room...

Mr. A: Don't try and blame that little retard's condition on me.  It's not my fault.  All our other kids are fine.  Look at Aaron!  he just made the friggin dean's list. 

Mrs. A: One good student doesn't make you parent of the year.

Mr. A: All of our kids are great kids except for that little freak.  If I have to hear about "Billy" one more time I swear to God I'm burning that friggin chair we have for him at the table.

Mrs. A: He's your son!

Mr. A: Have we had blood tests done?  Mark gave a kid a black eye in school today.  He's my son.  I don't know what that weirdo is. 

Mrs. A: I can't believe I'm listening to you say these things.  You're drunk.  You're drunk and you don't know what you're saying.

Mr. A: I know exactly what I'm saying, and so do you.  I see the way you look at him.

Mrs. A: (Slaps him) I love my son.

(Mr. A raises his hand to retaliate as thick black smoke starts billowing in from the kitchen.  From offstage, Hillary shrieks and comes running in.)

Hillary: Mommy!  Daddy!  There's a fire in the kitchen.  Mark's outside already.

Mrs. A: Oh my God!  Evan! He's upstairs!

Mr. A: I'll go get him.

(As Mrs. A and Hillary run off stage and Mr. A walks offstage to get Evan, The stage blacks out.)

(Sound of footsteps going upstairs)

Voice of Mr. A: Evan?  Evan, you moron put down that friggin book, we've got a fire! (Silence)  Damn it Evan!!!

(Sound of a slap.  Sound of something falling downstairs.  Sirens.)

END ACT THREE