Youngstown

Roy Clemons

Vince Lofgren

Mr. Clemons

Mary Bittan

Mr. Jacobs

Jason

Soldier #1

Soldier #2

In a factory, during lunch break. 1970. Youngstown,Ohio USA.

Vince

Man, Youngstown is one son of a bitch of a town.

Roy

You plan on leaving anytime soon? Cause if you’re not I’d prefer that you shut up and not complain about this town just one damn day.

Vince

Oblivious of Roy’s irritation

Nah. Probably not leavin’ any time soon. But man, who would want to stick around here? Youngstown hasn’t got much going on.

Roy

Hey, my dad has worked here for 22 years and he’s damn proud of it, and I’m proud of him too. He says workin’ here or workin there doesn’t matter. It’s the work that makes you a man, Vince. That’s what he says. I believe him.

Vince

All I’m saying is we’ve spent our whole lives here Roy. Nothing’s happened. Nothing fun, nothing alive. I’m itchin’ to get out and see what we’re missing. And I’m taking you with me when I go. I can’t leave you behind, you’re my blood brother, man.

Roy

Laughs. Blood brother. That’s right, I almost forgot.

Vince

I meant no disrespect to your old man either, he practically raised me too. Since my old man was too busy hittin’ the bottle and telling me I’m worthless. You’re dad is a good man, but he’s who he is – we’re different. You think he’s worked all these years in this shit hole so you can do the same thing?

Roy

Shh, Vince.

Mr. Jacobs, the boss enters.

Mr. Jacobs

Greets them.

Boys.

Vince

Afternoon Mr. Jacobs, sir.

Roy

Afternoon sir.

Mr. Jacobs

You boys been keeping up on the papers?

Roy

No, sir.

Vince

No, sir.

Mr. Jacobs

President Nixon says he’s bringing more troops into the war. You boys will be called soon enough, if you’re lucky.

Vince

Yes, sir.

Roy

Yes, sir.

Mr. Jacobs

Lunch is almost over. Get back to work.

Exits.

Vince

Hey, I was listening to the radio and they were playing this great song about going to “The Promised Land”. Man, I think that’s where I’m headed, where we are headed.

Roy

Where the hell is your god damn promised land?

Vince

I’ll let you know when we get there.

Whistle blows.

You comin’ with me to see Mary at work tonight?

Roy

Yeah, are you coming over for dinner?

Vince

Why would tonight be the first night, in 4 years, I decide not to come over for dinner? Hits him in the head. I’m always coming over for dinner!

SCENE 2

DINNER AT THE CLEMON’S HOME. ROY IS HOLDING A LETTER. ROY AND MR. CLEMONS(ROY’S FATHER) LOOK DOWN.

Roy

So this place, how do you say it? Vee et-name?

Mr. Clemons

I think it’s Vee-et-nom.

Roy

Where is it?

Mr. Clemons

Oh, you know… I’m not sure.

Roy

I don’t really know much about politics really, and I don’t really know much about this war. I don’t think that its-

Mr. Clemons

Roy, you better shut your mouth and not finish that sentence. This is your duty. It’s the highest honor for a man to be called to defend his country. Confused or not, you report for duty and you do what they tell you, Goddamnit. You understand?

Roy

Yes, sir.

Mr. Clemons

Please don’t embarrass me like that again, Roy.

Roy

I’m just saying I would like to know at least a little bit of what this war is about, before-

Mr. Clemons slams down his fists on the table

Vince enters

Vince

Sorry I’m late Mr. Clemons. Had to stay late at the factory. I worked 11 hours today, god I feel like my back is gonna break. I’m workin so long that I’m losin track of everything. But I’ll just keep waiting for that big paycheck!

Roy

Big paycheck? You aren’t making any more than I am. And my pay check sure aint big.

Mr. Clemons

Vince I’ve worked 11 hours everyday for 22 years. You ain’t got no business goin’ and complaining.

Vince

Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.

Pause.

So, looks like my luck turned for the worst, again.

Roy

Me too.

Vince

You get drafted?

Roy

Yeah. I did.

Vince

Well, looks like we got a ticket outta here!

Roy

This isn’t a vacation, Vince. We gotta go over there and kill them little chinamen, or somethin’.

Vince

Is that where we are going? China? Groovy.

Roy

I don’t know. Somewhere where there’s Asians, I guess.

Mr. Clemons

Vietnam, you’re going to Vietnam fellas.

Vince

That’s where we’ve been sending all the cannon ball-like machinery we’ve been makin’ in the factories.. they’re goin’ to Vietnam.

Roy

Yeah, we are building things that will help us kill people we don’t even-

Mr. Clemons

Vince, my boy. Are you going to be proud to serve your country over there, in Vietnam?

Vince looks at Mr. Clemons, then at Roy and then back at Mr. Clemons.

Vince

Yes, I am sir.

Pause.

Roy, I guess I gotta say that I’m excited to get the hell out of Youngstown, but I have a feeling Vietnam isn’t my Promised Land, blood brother.

Mr. Clemons

What’s with this blood brother stuff? You boys aint got the same blood.

Vince

Sure we do, Mr. Clemons. Roy’s my blood brother. Till the day we die.

Roy

Yeah. Till the day we die, sir.

SCENE 3

ROY, VINCE, AND MARY AT HAMBURGER TIME. MARY IS BEHIND THE COUNTER.

Vince

Roy, could you take off for a few minutes? I gotta tell Mary about, you know…

Roy

Sure, man. I’ll be over there.

Roy walks over to the other end of the stage

Mary takes off her apron and hat from behind the counter and runs out and jumps on Vince, hugging him in the air, and then they kiss.

Mary

I missed you baby. Hey -- they let me off work tonight- I don’t have to pull the all-nighter again! That leaves more time for us…

Vince

Oh baby that’s great.

Mary

What do ya wanna dooooooo? Want to go down to the river again?

Vince

Ha.. I do but Roy’s with me, he’s just somewhere pissin’ or something. Pause. I gotta talk to you, Mary.

Mary

Baby, tell me anything.

Pause

Just don’t tell me that you’re number is up. Tell me anything but that, Vince.

Vince

Baby… Roy and I are going to Vietnam.

Mary hugs him. They hold each other for a long time.

Mary

I read about ways to get out. Denny and Doug Shannon were in here yesterday talking about how easy it is. You can fail your physical, or pretend you’re crazy, I’ll help you break your legs!

Vince

Mary, I gotta go. I don’t have a choice. Roy and I gotta defend you, and the rest of the country. It’s up to us to take charge over there. Then I’ll come back for you, baby, I’ll come back and we’ll go to the Promised Land, like I’ve been telling you about. Me, you and Roy. When we come back, I promise.

Mary

But-

Vince

Hey, I’m getting out of Youngstown, just for a little bit. It’ll be good. This town wears people down if they stay; look at the old guys who come in here: it’s like they had the bones ripped right out of their backs. It’s a death trap. We’re too young for this shit. Every Friday night, drivin’ around and just lookin’ at girls combin’ their hair in the rearview mirrors; the boys tryin’ to look so hard. Next thing you know, they’re sad old people ordering meatloaf. Mary, we can still get out.

Mary

Where are we runnin’ to, again?

Vince

The Promised Land, baby!

They Kiss.

Roy re-enters.

Roy

Hey, Mary

Mary hugs Roy.

Mary
I’ll miss you Roy. Pause. So you boys will be off in some far away land, while I sweat my ass off here at Hamburger Time?

Vince

Haha.. you’re always sayin ‘From small things, big things one day come’.

Mary

Don’t forget that, either Vince. When do you boys leave?

Vince

Couple of days, I think.

Mary

Well shit, fellas. Wipes away a tear or two. Let’s make this a good night then!

SCENE 4

8 OR SO SOLDIERS ALL SITTING TOGETHER IN FULL UNIFORM IN THE FORM OF THE BACK OF A TRUCK. GUNS ARE VISABLE.

Vince

So they slap us in this truck and expect us to know what to do?

Roy

Shut up Vince, were you paying attention at all the past two weeks?

Vince

Actually I have, and the more I think about it, the more I don’t understand what the hell we are doing here, blood brother.

Roy

Vince..don’t call me-

Vince

Roy, I want you to know that I ain’t killin’ nobody. It’s against my will. I’ve been seein’ weird shit since we got here, and I aint killin’ no body.

Soldier #1

Boy, you think you’re at day camp? You think mommy is gonna come pick you up at sundown so that you wont have to shoot no gook? Boy, you better learn fast that out here it’s “kill or be killed”. Those funny lookin gooks ain’t your friends. They gonna kill you when you ain’t lookin, so I suggest you shut up and quit talking like a momma’s boy and take my advice. You won’t survive a day out there without shootin somebody.

To Roy: You got that, “blood brother”?

Roy

Yeah, sure. I got it.

Vince

What’s the date today, Roy?

Roy

April 4-

Soldier #2

April 4^th, 1970.

Vince

Thanks.

Soldier #2

Sure thing. I’m Jason, by the way.

Vince

Jason? Vince, and this is Roy.

Soldier #1

You boys done playing house? We don’t got much longer to go, so could ya’ll just shut up till we get there?

Lights fade out.

SCENE 5

Mr. Clemons and Mary are eating lunch in an uncomfortable atmosphere.

Mary

Thanks for inviting me over, Mr. Clemons.

Mr. Clemons

Sure thing, Mary. The house has been quiet for too long.

Mary

It doesn’t seem like they’ve been gone for 6 months already.

Mr. Clemons

No, it doesn’t.

Mary

Have you gotten any letters from Roy lately?

Mr. Clemons

No. Not for a couple weeks. It gets crazy over there though, I’m not worried. He’s probably been on duty for a long time, and any free time he has he’s probably sleeping. He’ll write when he can.

Mary

Oh, yeah. Roy wouldn’t write unless he had a good reason. And.. uh, that.. that’s a pretty good reason.

Pause

I actually got a letter from Vince the other day, and that’s why I came here.

Mr. Clemons

Mary..

Mary

Mr. Clemons, it’s alright. Vince just said that Roy got moved to a different infantry division, so he hasn’t seen him in a couple months. But Vince knows a guy who’s with Roy a lot, and I guess they talk through him. His name is Jason. Vince has really good things to say about him.

Mr. Clemons

Let me read the letter.

Mary

Mr. Clemons, I just want you to know-

Mr. Clemons

Mary, I lived and breathed World War Two. I’ve seen those boys comin’ back to Youngstown from the war. There were ghosts in their eyes. Nothin’ will shock me in this letter, Mary. Just let me read it.

Mr.Clemons and Mary freeze- Vince appears and recites the letter he has written.

Vince

Dearest Mary,

I miss you. I love you. Don’t forget that.

I’m scared, baby. I didn’t know it was going to be like this. I thought I could ignore the things that I saw because Roy could usually talk some sense in to me, but I haven’t seen him in a couple months. I don’t even know if he’s alive. I don’t spend too much time thinking about Roy though, it hurts too much to think something might have happened. Make sure you tell his old man he’s fine. He’s only gotta worry if a soldier comes to his door, but until then tell him Roy is fine.

I’ve been thinking a lot about workin’ back in Youngstown, and how all these guys over here are telling me about “Capitalism” and how me, Roy, Roy’s old man, and all the thousands of workers that work in that goddamn factory are breakin our backs for the bosses- and for nothing! Did you know they could be payin’ us a hell of a lot more but they don’t, ‘cuz I guess they just don’t feel like it? They are takin’ all our money, and usin’ us as some cheap labor, hopin’ we don’t figure it out. But, oh baby I figured them out! Those bastards! Breaks my heart to think someone could do that to ol’ Jesse Clemons, usin him for his labor and stuff, and he goes back to work every damn day for 22 years. Now that’s a man. That’s the kind of man I wish I could be.

But about this war, I don’t like what I am seeing. I’ve never seen more dead bodies in my life. Kids too. Mary, I never wanted to see no dead kids, I don’t care what you look like or what you done. There shouldn’t be dead kids around here. I had to go clean up an area that was bombed, and we had to pile all the bodies up, there were so many kids in that pile, Mary. Those kids didn’t do nothing to nobody. Don’t tell no one, but I went behind a tree and puked. I couldn’t help it. Baby, I have a feeling those Vietnamese people were killed by us, the Americans. I think it’s our side that’s doing most of the killing.

Keep writing, your letters keep me going.

Love always,

Vincent

Vincent stays on stage, but stands on the dinner table.

Mary

Mr. Clemons, are you alright? I’m sure Roy is O.K.

Mr. Clemons

Mary, I believed when I was fighting in World War 2, that I was fighting so my child would never have to.

There’s been lots of talk in the papers and on the news, lots of resistance. People protesting this war and all. Pause. I’m not even sure I know what this war is about, either.

Lights fade out.

SCENE 5

IN A LOUNGE AREA, IN A BARRACKS-TYPE PLACE. VINCE IS SITTING DOWN, WRITING. ROY SEES HIM.

Roy

Vince?

Vince

Roy!

They hug.

God, what the hell are you doing here? I haven’t seen you in months!

Roy

We are doing inspections- I was telling Jason to give you messages for a while- did you get the one about my dad?

Vince

No.

Roy

Damn it, Jason.

Vince

Roy, Jason died.

Roy

How?

Vince

No one knows.

Pause

Roy

Well, listen- my troop is leaving. I get to go home in a month.

Vince

I’m out in two weeks, man. Looks like I’ll see you back in Youngstown.

Roy

Yeah, back to work at the factory.

Vince

I’m not going back to the factory, and neither should you. A buddy of mine was telling me about some groups that are against the war, that go around and talk about what they seen here, and how it’s wrong. It’s wrong here, Roy, you know it. Life’s all wrong. This isn’t what our world was supposed to be. Old guys like Mr. Jacobs shouldn’t be in charge of bringing in 15 year old boys to the factories and making sure they don’t leave until they’re 70 years old. We are the ones who’ve seen what happens here, people will listen to us. We can change it, Roy. And that’s my Promised Land, Roy. It’s he opposite of here… where people aren’t working and dying for nothing.

Roy

I’ll see you when I get home.

Vince

Good-Bye Roy.

Hug

SCENE 6

THE DINING ROOM IN THE CLEMEN’S HOME. ALL THE FURNITURE IS COVERED WITH SHEETS. IT’S DARK EXCEPT WHEREVER ROY WALKS.(SPOTLIGHT?)

Roy

I figured if you saw me in my uniform you’d be pretty proud of me, sir.

You know I don’t believe in god or nothing, so I’m just gonna assume you didn’t get into heaven and you got stuck here, at the house.

Mary

Roy, do you want me to step outside?

Roy

Pause. Nah, it’s alright. Having you here is keeping me from cryin’ like a baby, hah. Stay, its fine.

Mary

Roy, your dad knew he was pretty sick. He gave me this to give to you if he passed before he got to see you.

Hands Roy an envelope.

Roy opens it, and reads it silently. Afterwords, he wipes his eye, but does not sound or act as if he had shed a tear.

Roy

I gotta call Vince’s house. I should tell him about dad.

Mary

Roy, I-

Roy

Mary, I think I’d like it if you stepped out for this one.

Mary

Sure.

Roy picks up phone and dials, he waits as it rings. Answering machine picks up.

Roy

Hi Mr. Lofgren, this message is for Vince, if he’s home, or whenever he gets home. My dad.. Pause. Old man Clemons says hello. Laughs nervously. It was really weird, Vince, not being around you for almost a year, when I’ve spent every moment of my life with you, man. Um, I wrote you somethin, but since you’re coming home soon- well- I guess I’ll see- It’s- it’s for you.

Roy takes out a wrinkled letter from his pocket. Mary enters and stands near the door, unnoticed by Roy.

We played king of the mountain
The world come chargin' up the hill,
Now there's so much time,

time and memory fade away
We got our own roads to ride and chances we gotta take
We stood side by side

each one fightin' for the other
We said until we died we'd always be

blood brothers.
Now the hardness of this world slowly grinds your dreams away
Makin' a fool's joke out of the promises we make
With no one runnin' by your side.
On through the houses of the dead

past those fallen in their tracks
Now I don't know how I feel, I don't know how I feel tonight
I don't even know why,

I don't know why I made this call
Or if any of this matters anymore after all
But the stars are burnin' bright like some mystery uncovered
I'll keep movin' through the dark with you in my heart
My blood brother.

Roy hangs up the phone.

Mary

Roy-

Roy

I know.

Lights fade out.

The end.