Et Tu Brute

Et Tu Brute

(JOE sits against a wall holding an empty baked beans can. EZEKIEL enters from stage left and begins to cross in front of JOE.)

JOE
Hey bud, spare some change

(EZEKIEL doesn’t hesitate but keeps walking)

JOE (CONT’D)
Anything will help. Did I tell you I was wounded in Vietnam?

(EZEKIEL glances in JOE’s direction then stops dead in his tracks)

EZEKIEL
Joe? Is that you?

JOE
Zeke? Holy shit man look at you all respectable and such.

EZEKIEL
Are you still telling people you were in Vietnam?

JOE
Hey it works better then telling them you dodged. People respect vets.

EZEKIEL
You magnificent bastard!

(EZEKIEL sits down next to JOE and pulls out two cigarettes. He lights the first and hands it to JOE, then lights the second. They smoke together for a second in silence.)

EZEKIEL
So how goes sales?

JOE
Not good man. Economy is worse then ever so nobody’s got anything to spare. Even the fucking philanthropists are tight assed these days. Dumpster diving is getting bad as well, people just aren’t as wasteful as they used to be. I haven’t eaten a decent meal in days.

EZEKIEL
Why don’t you go to the mission man? Sarah will take care of you. I know it sucks but come on don’t let your pride kill you.

JOE
Can’t do that, I got kicked out.

EZEKIEL
What for?

JOE
I got a fucking cigarette off some kid, didn’t realize that he had given me a fucking half and half. So I show up at the mission stoned and they throw me out on my ass. Then to make things better, I couldn’t get any of my shit and those vultures fucking split it up.

EZEKIEL
I’m sorry to hear that man.
(EZEKIEL slides slightly away from JOE. JOE notices but doesn’t say anything. They sit in silence for a moment longer.)

JOE
But enough about my troubles Zeke, you aren’t a client. I want to know where you jetted to. One morning we wake up under the overpass and the next you are gone. What happened?

EZEKIEL
Actually it’s Ezekiel now. There’s not much to tell. Some guy picked me up that day, took me out to dinner and gave me ten bucks. Kinda got me thinking, maybe I need to get a real job you know? Try to make something of myself. Spent all night wandering around thinking about it.

JOE
So you pull a fucking disappearing act on us? I thought you were dead man! Things weren’t the same after you left, everyone thought I had something to do with you leaving. I got kicked out of the camp man. All because some man gave you ten bucks. I hope it was worth it.

EZEKIEL
It wasn’t just the ten bucks. The next morning I went into 7-11 to get a pack of smokes and decided to try my luck at lottery tickets. And here’s the best part. I won! Not just a little bit either I won the jackpot! Fifteen million dollars!

JOE
You won fifteen million dollars and you couldn’t even come back to the camp to tell us you were leaving? That is cold man, real cold.

EZEKIEL
Well you know I got busy. I decided to invest it. Starting buying up condemned properties and turning them into office buildings. Turned out to be a good investment. It’s funny actually I’m on my way to close on a deal that is going to make me a nice little chunk of change.

JOE
(Venomous) Well. I don’t want to keep you from anything. So which one of these shit hole buildings are you looking to destroy today.

EZEKIEL
Actually it’s interesting that you should ask me that. It just so happens to be the one you are leaning against. In six months time this building will be the home of “Joseph’s Landing” some of the best luxury apartments this city will have ever seen. I decided to name it after the man who has been keeping this corner in business for years.

JOE
And what exactly will happen to the Joe in “Joseph’s Landing”

EZEKIEL
Oh come on don’t be like that Joe, tell you what I will go down to the mission and talk to Sarah. You will be back in there in no time.

JOE
Don’t do me any favors Ezekiel. (He spits out the name like a rotten piece of fruit)

(EZEKIEL realizes that this conversation is over and begins to walk away)

JOE (CONT’D)
So now that you are a big shot and everything, could you spare some change?

(EZEKIEL pauses for only a moment then hangs his head and continues walking)

JOE (CONT’D)
Didn’t think so.
(Fade to blackout)

THE END