Better Places to Go

ACT ONE: SCENE TWO

(As the lights come up, the diner is empty. A half an hour has passed. The radio is on.)

RADIO ANNOUNCER. Well, folks, the storm hasn’t hit quite yet, but I’m told that when it does, we might get blown right off the map. They say we have a chance of flash floods tonight. By tomorrow morning, though, everything should be cleared up. They say blue skies are in the forecast.

(Music begins to play.

A few moments pass before BRITNEY, a simple woman in her late twenties, enters in a hurry. She is frightened. She is wearing a blouse that is ripped. It is evident she has been crying. There is a visible bruise on her left arm. She goes behind the counter, hides.

Immediately, NATHAN enters. He is in his thirties and is exceptionally handsome, physically intimidating. He’s the ultimate bad boy. He turns the radio off.

Silence.

Nathan stands in the middle of the restaurant, waiting and listening.)

NATHAN. I know you’re in here. You can’t hide from me. (He listens closely and hears faint crying. He goes behind the counter and pulls Britney out of her hiding place by her hair.) What did I tell you, huh? Think you can fucking outsmart me?

BRITNEY. You’re crazy.

NATHAN. Give me the keys.

BRITNEY. I don’t have them.

NATHAN. (He strikes her. She collides with a table and knocks over a chair. She ends up on the floor, on all fours.) Give me the fucking keys!

BRITNEY. You were supposed to be the perfect man.

NATHAN. Did you hear me?!

BRITNEY. I wanted to be your wife.

NATHAN. I’m not fucking around anymore. Give me the keys.

BRITNEY. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. (She stands.) But I would rather die! (She lunges at him, shoving him, striking him. They struggle violently.)

ROSIE. (She enters from the kitchen carrying a bus tray of silverware. At the sight of the struggle, she yells and throws the tray on the floor, trying to create a distraction.) Nathan, get out!

NATHAN. (Still struggling:) Stay out of this, Rosie!

ROSIE. I said get the fuck out. Ain’t putting up with your bullshit tonight. Let go of her!

NATHAN. (He throws Britney down. She hits the ground and crawls away from Nathan quickly. She ends up near the kitchen door, terrified.) Tell her to give me my keys.

ROSIE. (To Britney:) Do you have his keys?

BRITNEY. (She holds them up with a trembling hand. The keys rattle lightly.) Don’t give ‘em to him. Please, Rosie. I don’t have anywhere to go.

ROSIE. The hell you don’t. (She takes the keys and goes to the main entrance of the diner. She opens the door and hurls the keys out into the parking lot.) Here’s your keys, Nathan! You show back up here again tonight, I’m calling the sheriff and you know he’s been waiting three years to kick your ass. Now, get the fuck out before I kill you myself.

NATHAN. (Slow; creepy:) Rosie, Rosie, Rosie. Got a pocketful of… (He touches her, suggestively. She slaps his hand away.) Ashes fall. They hit the ground.

ROSIE. I told you to leave, pig face.

NATHAN. Think you’re pretty tough now, don’t you?

ROSIE. I can take care of myself. I always have.

NATHAN. Since when? Since Della hired that idiot to protect you when you’re alone here at nights? Believe me. If I wanted you again, he couldn’t stop me. He isn’t even here right now. I saw him down at the bus depot, taking food to Britney’s faggot brother.

ROSIE. I should have put your ass back in jail.

NATHAN. But you didn’t. And you wanna know why you didn’t? Because you liked it.

ROSIE. You make me sick, you dumb bastard.

NATHAN. Sweet, sweet, Rosie. So young. So tough. You weren’t too tough that night, were you? (Beat.) You didn’t even fight me off.

ROSIE. (She goes to the telephone on the counter and dials a number.) I should have done this a long time ago.

NATHAN. (Approaching her:) What are you doing?

ROSIE. Calling the sheriff. Telling him to throw your crazy ass back in jail where you fucking belong.

NATHAN. You gonna tell him what we did? Hell, Rosie, I’m a good man. Everybody in town thinks the world of Britney. She’s the best cashier at Grady’s. You know that. You tell the sheriff what we did and by tomorrow morning everyone in Grand Island will know what a filthy little whore you are. My God, you practically begged me for it.

ROSIE. You fucking liar! (She slams the phone against the side of Nathan’s head. He recoils and yells in pain.) I told you to get out!

NATHAN. I should fucking kill you!

ROSIE. You already tried that once, remember?

NATHAN. Mark my word—

ROSIE. Your word means nothing to me. I want you out and if you know what’s good for you—

NATHAN. Just remember, sweet Rosie, you’re the one who declared the war.

ROSIE. Go fight yourself, Nathan. I’m through. You’re insane and I hope someone kills you for what you’ve done to the women in Grand Island.

NATHAN. (Sinister:) I’ll kill your Grandmother.

ROSIE. (Beat.) I’ll kill her first.

NATHAN. (To Britney:) You stay here with this bitch and you ain’t coming home.

ROSIE. She’s staying here with me.

NATHAN. (In Rosie’s face:) You can have her.

ROSIE. Fine, then. She’s mine. (Beat.) Now get out! (He exits. Immediately, Rosie turns to Britney.) What in the hell is wrong with you?

BRITNEY. He was hitting me. I ran from him.

ROSIE. Did you get the money?

BRITNEY. I took all of it from the store. It’s in the truck.

ROSIE. You left it in the God damn truck?

BRITNEY. Under the seat. In a paper bag.

ROSIE. How are we supposed to leave tonight if you don’t have the money?

BRITNEY. You’re going to be upset with me, but I’ve thought things through. (Beat.) I’m taking the money back. I’m not going with you.

ROSIE. The man is a barbarian. He beats the shit out of you every chance he gets.

BRITNEY. It’s not about him. (Beat.) I’m pregnant, Rosie. I’m gonna have a baby.

ROSIE. You’re even dumber than I thought.

BRITNEY. Can I tell you a secret? (Beat.) It’s not his baby.