Play # 19

The Rope Beds

__________________________

By Joseph Frost

Originally written for the 2019 "31 Plays in 31 Days" challenge

Contact:
Joseph Frost
710 Newland St
Jackson MS 39211
FrostJosephD@gmail.com
 A series of ropes are strung across the stage.

One person stands far upstage, leaning onto the

rope. They are asleep.

Three men enter. They are very poor.

MITCHELL
Warm in here.

Howard opens up a pocket watch.

HOWARD
It’s still early.

MITCHELL
I’m not complaining.

HOWARD
I didn’t think you were.

Howard starts to wind his watch.

MITCHELL
It’s nice that it’s warm. I couldn’t take another night like this past week.

HOWARD
Cold.

MITCHELL
Damn right. And I couldn’t take any more.

HOWARD
This will be so nice.

MITCHELL
Nice it is. Very nice indeed.

HOWARD
We can’t thank you enough, Ward.

Howard puts his watch away.

 2.

MITCHELL
Yes, thank you to Ward and his generous offer for a night’s stay indoors.

WARD
It’s nothing.

MITCHELL
It’s not nothing.

HOWARD
That’s for sure.

Mitchell pulls a metal pipe tool out of his

pocket. He plays with it - maybe cleans his
finger nails.

MITCHELL
Nothing would be to have left us on the street where we were. Though I’m a bit worried
about my spot.

HOWARD
Your spot.

MITCHELL
By the widow’s windows. It’s actually quite nice in the summers. Widow Ann likes to
leave pies on the windowsill. I’m sure she does it on purpose.

HOWARD
How do you know?

MITCHELL
Well, sometimes, the pies are quite massive, overfull. Those are the ones she wants me
to take. I see that most of the time, they’re...well.. Full, and nice, but it’s the rarer one
that’s stuffed like a fattened turkey. I see the way she looks around the alleyway when
she sets those out. She’s got an eye out for me.

HOWARD
So you only take the fattened ones?

MITCHELL
That’s right. I try not to be greedy.

HOWARD
Wouldn’t it be nicer to leave the fat one and take the thin?
 3.

MITCHELL
Don’t get it all twisted, Howard. She fattens them for me. She knows that’s the only real
thing I get to eat in a fortnight.

HOWARD
Maybe that’s only how often she can afford the real filling.

Mitchell puts away the pipe tool.

MITCHELL
Don’t make it like that. Please. It’s such a beautiful thing between me and Widow Ann.

HOWARD
You sure she’s not got a pie out for you tonight?

MITCHELL
It’s usually late morning.

HOWARD
Usually.

MITCHELL
Well, now I won’t be able to sleep thinking about someone taking my pie.

HOWARD
Widow Ann’s pie.

MITCHELL
How about you, Ward. Where would you be tonight if not in here?

A moment.

WARD
I don’t have... a regular place.

MITCHELL
Well, you can’t have the widow’s window. That’s mine.

HOWARD
I’m usually down by the cobbler’s.

MITCHELL
The cobbler’s? Down the river way?

HOWARD
Yeah.
 4.

MITCHELL
Are you mad?

HOWARD
No why?

MITCHELL
The River Rats, Howard. Have you not run into the River Rats?

HOWARD
There are rats everywhere.

MITCHELL
No. That gang of boys that run the streets down the river way.

HOWARD
Oh them. I know them.

MITCHELL
They’ll steal you naked as sure as we’re standing here.

HOWARD
They’ve never done such to me.

MITCHELL
Matter of time, Howard. Matter of time.

HOWARD
Have they ever bothered you?

MITCHELL
I don’t go down there. So no, they have not ever bothered me. I’m smarter than that.

HOWARD
I’ve not had a single problem with those boys. Sweet boys. Like my sister’s boy.

MITCHELL
Your sister has a devil’s spawn like one of them River Rats?

Howard moves to Mitchell.

HOWARD
You watch what you say about my nephew.

MITCHELL
Whoa there, Howard.
 5.

HOWARD
Andrew is a sweet lad, with a good heart and sense in his head. He’d never be like
you’re saying.

MITCHELL
You’re the one who said he was a River Rat.

Howard smacks Mitchell.

Ward steps between them.

HOWARD
Take it back.

MITCHELL
You keep your hands to yourself. Or something bad will happen to you in the night. So
help me.

HOWARD
A threat then. That’s not the same as taking back what you said about Andrew.

MITCHELL
I don’t take it back. He’s a runt bastard like his rotten uncle.

Howard tries to rush Mitchell again, and again

Ward gets between them.

WARD
That’s enough! That’s enough, both of you.
(beat)
We’ve come here to rest. If you’d like to leave, I can get my money back. It’s to drop
below freezing tonight. Who’s for freezing? Mitchell?
(Mitchell shakes his head.)
Howard?

HOWARD
Not tonight.

WARD
Then settle. Down.

HOWARD
Sorry, Ward.

MITCHELL
Sorry, Ward.
 6.

The men get comfortable, then sling their arms

and torsos over the rope, to sleep leaning on the
rope, vertically.

HOWARD
It’s nice and warm in here.

MITCHELL
Not too warm.

HOWARD
Just about right.

MITCHELL
For a good night’s rest. It’ll set me for another fortnight.

HOWARD
Be time for another Widow Ann pie.

MITCHELL
That’s right. It would be.
(a moment)
It would be.

The men are essentially asleep.

Ward stands up.

Ward goes to Howard and cuts his throat.

Ward goes to Mitchell and cuts his throat.

Ward goes through the men’s pockets.

Ward gets the pocket watch and the pipe tool.

Perhaps a few coins.

Ward takes Howard’s shoes and takes

Mitchell’s coat.

Ward exits, leaving the bodies hanging on the

rope beds.

Lights down. End.