In a Dark Dark House

First Part

Silence. Darkness.

A manicured stretch of lawn surrounded by trees.

Several areas to sit (benches, chairs, etc.) on two levels, with stone steps leading down from one to the other. It feels well hidden from the rest of the world. It is, in fact.

A man--DREW--staring out at the coming morning. Sound of wildlife. Maybe just a hint of traffic in the distance.

DREW goes over and checks a high hedge, trying to look through it. He wanders down a set of steps and studies a different wall (unseen). Stands on tiptoe.

Another man--TERRY--appears out of the forest. He stands and watches this for a moment. Silent. Finally:

TERRYGo for it. Make it over and you're outta here.

Startled, DREW turns around and then smiles--he takes one step forward; TERRY keeps his distance for the moment.

TERRYOr you can fall back on your ass and I'll say I found you that way. Broken collarbone or however you wanna play it. / (Beat.) Should buy you an extra few weeks ...

DREWYou're funny. / Right! Hey, man, what's up?

TERRYNot much

DREWsmiles at this and waves TERRY over--another step fromDREWbut he doesn't commit just yet. TERRY doesn't move.

DREWNo, come on, dude, seriously ... what?

TERRYNothing. Really. (Beat.) And don't say that, call medude. Grown-ups don't use words like that--not if we can help it, anyway ...

DREWWhatever.

TERRYThat one, either. (Beat.) Time to grow up, dude ...

DREWSee?! (Smiles.) You said it.

TERRYYeah, but who says I'm a grown-up?

DREWTrue ...

TERRY... I stopped doing that shit years ago. Growing up sucks.

The two men smile at this.DREWseems content to grin for a while, butTERRYcalls it quits pretty quickly. Listening.

TERRYThe road's close ... the highway or whatever that is.Freeway. / Place is right off the exit, almost ...

DREWYeah. I noticed that--I mean, not today but, you know, like, at some point. Sitting in one of the, ahh,six hundredgroups a day they make us go to here! / I heard traffic ...

TERRYHuh. / ... Probably five hundred yards's all.

DREWWhich is really stupid, right?I'mnot gonna do anything--I was just looking around--but a bunch of the people they've got in here? If they knewcivilizationwas just over there--man, it could really get messed up in this joint ...

TERRYS'pose so. Crazies all running up and down the road, dodging cars ...

DREWExactly! (Laughs.) / That'd be cool.

TERRYUh-huh. / Pretty funny ...

DREWAlthough nobody around here likes it if you use that word,crazies. Just so you know.

TERRYThanks for the tip.

DREWI'm just saying ...

DREWshrugs--TERRYnods but doesn't say anything.

TERRYGreat. (Beat.) ... So.

DREWYep. So, so, so.(Beat)So, you gonna stay for lunch or what? I mean, they'll let you in if you want some; chow's pretty decent.

TERRYSounds good. (Thinks.) I need to be back at six, but otherwise, fine.

DREWToo bad, gonna miss movie night ... It'sOn the Waterfrontor some shit.Black and white.(Beat.) Work?

TERRYUh-uh. 'S Friday. I'm off Fridays and Tuesdays ... unless I get hooked up for some overtime, but usually no. / Fridays're mine.

DREWHuh. / Then what, somelady... ?

TERRYNah. Got a Little League game at six, I'm doing some umping this year--but I'd be happy to have a bite with you. Sure.

DREWCool. (Beat.) I think it's stuffed peppers or something today ... plus they've always got their sandwich bar.Loadsof cold cuts and crap. / It's tasty ...

TERRYThat sounds fine. / Good.

DREWNice! (Beat.) Just like old times.

TERRYNot really. Mom's cooking was the worst. / Christ help us if she did anything like a stuffed pepper!

DREWTrue! / That's totally true ... Thank God for Swanson's, right?

They smile at this--apparently Mom wasn't much of a chef.

TERRYYeah ... (Beat.) So, I'm not sure I can find the right ... whatever-you-call-it ...seguefor this, so I'm gonna just jump right in--what's going on? / Huh?

DREWNada. / Nothing.

TERRYNothing's gonna come of "nothing," Drew, so try again. (Beat.) You're in the hospital, little brother, okay? Thepsychhospital, so don't do the whole "it's cool" thing ...

DREWI'm serious, I'm just ... you know. (Tries to grin.) Anyway, this isn't the real hospital. It's only the addictions unit--for us overzealous wine drinkers ...

TERRYI'm not your wife, okay, so I don't need all the bullshit excuses ...

DREW... Terry, I'm not ...

TERRYI got called to come down here and do some family therapy, Drew, so don't tell me I drove a bunch of hours to have you play games with me. I got a game tonight--I need thetruthfrom you ...(Waits.)I don't give two shits what you do with these folks up here--that is your business and if the insurance pays for this, then all the better--but do not mess around with me because I'll come over there and kick your fucking ass, I swear to God.

A silence grows after this--the dynamic between these two is now pretty obvious.

DREWGreat to see you, too, man ...

TERRYYou're a dick.

DREWYeah. It's my specialty ... just ask Judy. She keeps a running list of myfailingsin her purse ...

TERRYShe should. / And I don't have time for your dumb-shit act, either, Drew.

DREWThanks,dude. / I know that, bro.

TERRYI really do not.

DREWAll right, cool. I get that, and it is totally respected. /Totally.

TERRYThen fine. / Drew! God ... you sound like an episode of one of those, you know ... some bad TV show.

DREWWhat do you mean?

TERRYYouknow,those, like, California-type television programs. With the surfer kids and that sort of deal. / 9-0-2-whatever-the-fuck-it-is ...

DREWNo, I don't. / Uh-uh ...

TERRYBullshit! "Dude, bro, totally ..." All your crap. I hate that. (Beat.) Did you used to do that in court?

DREWSometimes ...Forget it, man. Sorry.

TERRYDon't be sorry, just stop. / Stop doing it when I'm around you ...

DREWFine. / Okay.

TERRYYou're not a kid, all right? You are not some teenager who can run all over doing that, because it sounds stupid. You sound childish, Drew. You just appear goofy and it's a little embarrassing ... (Beat.) You are a grown man.

DREWThirty's the new twenty ...

TERRYYeah, well, you're thirty-five.

DREWSo? That only makes metwenty-five then. Still young ...

TERRYRight.

DREWI can't help it--I've got a lot of young people working for me. They rub off on you.

TERRYYeah, and how does Judy feel about that? Having a husband who sounds like that Tori Spelling girl ...

DREWWe're ... I try and keep it to a low roar around her--this little midlife thing I'm dealing with ...

TERRYSo that's what this is? /This.

DREWHmmm? / What ... ?

TERRYWhy I'mhere.

DREWNo, its ... (Beat.) What'd they say to you? I mean, do you have any idea why I'm ... What'd they say?

TERRYNothing. That you were here and in for a while, that's all. 'Scourt-appointed or something ... right? It doesn't really matter--you've done so much shit it all justblends ...

DREWI'm sure.

TERRYThey said you mentioned some stuff in session that ... stuff that also would be of interest to me.

DREWAhhh. Got it.

TERRYYeah, and so I drove down. I drove here today so that we could ... you know. Talk about it.

DREW... they didn't really say "stuff," did they? No offense, but that's not very professional if they did.

TERRYDrew ... don't bust my balls, okay? It was something like that ... "issues" or "problems" or some damn thing. I don't remember now. It sounded urgent so I hopped in mySkylark and dragged my ass down here for four hours. / To be with you ...

DREWThanks, man. / I appreciate that.

TERRYYeah. You know ... yeah.

DREWNot that I want you to see me in this place, but hey, that's part of my recovery, to get past the whole vanity thing. Be in touch with the "real" me ...

TERRYSounds good.

DREWDon't lie--that sounds gay even to me and I have a far greater threshold for that stuff than you do ...

TERRYWell, that's true!

For the first time in a while the two brothers laugh at something together. DREW suddenly pounces onTERRY.Bit of horseplay erupts-pushing and shoving. Wrestling.

TERRY... Faggot! / Get off me! / Well, you always did know, right?

DREWCome on! / Ohh, dude! / What's that?

TERRYWhen something's queer or not ... you've got this, like ... / Yes!!

DREWGaydar?/ Oh yeah, I'm the king of that kind of stuff. The gay-osity of things!

TERRYI figured.

DREWI'msuper-gaywhen it comes to all that crap!! / Curtains andcologneand shit ... I'm a Pottery Barn fag.

TERRYExactly! / Ha-ha! When you gonna do the ol' "out of the closet" deal? I still got all that part to look forward to, don't I?

DREWFuck yeah! / We'll have ourselves a big party and everything ... fly Mom out for it, even.

TERRYI knew it! / ... Sounds great ...

DREWShe can make somestuffed peppersfor us ... (Falls to ground.) Ahhh!

TERRY... and you can help her--being the big queen that you are now. (PinsDREWdown.) / Slip on your Crate and Barrel apron and just go to town!

DREW'Course! / You got it ...

The two men slowly stop, letting the moment pass--trying to keep it light. The silence gets uncomfortable.

TERRYHere. (HelpsDREWup.) Anyways.

DREWYeah. Anyway. (Beat.) Nothing like a couple fag jokes to help break the ice, right? / (Smiles.) Yep.

TERRYGood times. / So ... (Beat.) What's up?

DREWNothing.

TERRYUh-uh, try again.Now.

DREWI'm ... dude, you are a tad intense, anybody ever say that to you?

TERRYDon't call me "dude." Really ...

DREWWhatever.

TERRYI mean it. (Beat.) I'm waiting to hear, Drew, so come on ...

DREWIt's not a big deal! I was in for a seventy-two-hour observation and they ... you know, chose to extend--atgunpoint.(Grins.) ... So I'm embracing the thing and I'll be here as long as it takes this time. Ipromise.

TERRYFine. / That's great, Drew.

DREWI'm gonna kick the pills andeverything. / Yep. Simple as that.

TERRYNothing is simple. "Simple's" not even simple anymore ...

DREW'S that right?

TERRYYep.

DREWSorry, didn't get thememo...

TERRYYeah, well, you best keep up,bro. World is changing on us, each and every second, so it pays to keep a close eye on things ...

DREWI hear ya.

TERRYUh-huh ... (Beat.) So?

DREWWhat?

DREWstares at him for a minute, a grin rolling off his face in waves.

DREWYou're right, man ... you are shit at transitions.

TERRYYep. So I'm gonna ask you again ... and then after that, that's when I'm gonna get pissed and start in on the angry part of this.

DREWTerry ...

TERRYDrew--why the fuck am I here right now? Tell me.

DREW... Come on, dude.

TERRYYou're pushing it, seriously. You are, like, really pushing me here. Just-say-it.

DREWIt's embarrassing.

TERRYI'm sure it is ... I mean, wait'll this gets around your office! I don't care if it's aprivatewing or not--people are gonna talk.

DREWI don't mind about that. / Who do I know that their opinions are gonna matter to me? Huh?

TERRYOh, sure ... / ... Somebody ...

DREWWho?!(Grins.) I don't have a boss, I'mfuckingrich ... and my wife and kids've already heard. (Beat.) Only person I was nervous about telling was you.

TERRY... And here I am.

DREWExactly.

TERRYAnd why is that?

DREWWhat?

TERRYWhyam I here, Drew? At this place with you, out in thewoods, right now?

DREWBecause, man ... Because ...

TERRYGood, that'sgood. Get it out.

DREWDon't patronize me, big brother.

TERRYThen just fucking say it, okay? This is getting a little silly ...

DREWOkay, fine.Okay. I need you, all right? That's why ...

TERRYWhat's that mean?

DREWI'm ... what does itusuallymean? / I'm reaching out here ...

TERRYI dunno. / Fuck you are.

DREWThat hurts, dude ...

TERRYYeah, well, then put a bandage on it because it's already starting to stink ... (Beat.) You don'tneedanybody, not one person, and you have proved that a thousand times over,babybrother ...

DREWWOW.

TERRYUh-huh, wow's right. I get abouttwocalls a year fromyou--and since it's not Christmas or the weekaftermy fucking birthday--why don't you go ahead, enlighten me.

DREWFine. (Beat.) I need you todosomething for me. Is that what you were looking to hear? Huh? 'S that better?

TERRY"Better" is pretty relative--but at least it's honest. You need for me to do you a favor, that sounds more believable than this other ... shit you've been pitching my way. / Right?

DREWS'pose so. (Shrugs.) / Yep.

TERRYSo tell me, I'll see what I can do ... if it gets me back for the first inning, you can probably count on it happening.

DREWsits down and fiddles with his ID bracelet for a bit. TERRYwaits, silent.

DREWI just need you to tell 'em the truth about something, back me up here on some stuff and that's all. / That is it.

TERRY"Truth." / Well, that shouldn't be too hard ... for me.

DREWWhat's that mean?

TERRYWell, the "truth" is not exactly your specialty, is it? / If you've got the whatever-you-call-it--woo/--pulled over their eyes then that wouldn't surprise me. Par for the fucking course.

DREWDude ... / You know what, man, forget it.

TERRYFine.

DREWSeriously.

TERRYHappy to. Take care, pal ... enjoy the fucking cold cuts.

TERRYstarts off but DREW jumps up out of the chair and moves in front of him. Not blocking him exactly, but in the way. TERRY steps back.

DREWTerry, come on.

TERRYDon't suppose you wanna go to yourart therapywith a broken nose, so I'd step outta my way.

DREWWhatever.

TERRY"Whatever" is what they're gonna use to pick you up off the grass with in a few minutes, you don't back the fuck up and let me pass.

Stalemate as the two men stare at each other--in the end,DREWsteps aside and lets his brother go. Just beforeTERRYdisappears,DREWspeaks:

DREWIt's about Todd. Todd Astin.

TERRYcomes to a quick stop. Freezes. He slowly turns.

TERRYWhat'd you say?

DREWI told them about him. 'Bout what he did. / Come on.

TERRYWhat? / ... I don't follow.

DREWTodd Astin.

TERRYIknowhis name, you don't have to keep saying the name, okay? (Beat.) I wannaknow why youjust said it ...

DREWIt's about when we were kids.

TERRYAnd?

DREW... and nothing, except for all the, you know ... his ...

TERRYWhat?

DREWI told 'em about the stuff that we ... I had to--had to, you know, get it off my chest.

TERRYPeople don'thaveto do anything. Not at all--live, die,breathe, okay, but other than that, you don'tgotto do much of anything else ...

DREWYeah, well, if I wanna keep Judy and the kids in my life, then I do. Ihadto ...

TERRYHuh.

DREWShe made an ultimatum on me, like, a week ago ... said if I didn't get honest with her about myself--myhistoryand all that--then she was gonna leave me. Take the kids and go. Judy does not say shit like that without meaning it.Unlike me. (Beat.) She's at the end with all this ... surprised she lasted as long as she did.

TERRYMe, too. You got a perfect family there and you piss 'em away ...

DREWYeah, well it's over now, dude--this here is the last chance I got, so that's why I need your help on it. I'm coming clean ... about all my past and everything, that's what I'm saying.

TERRYnods at this, considering what to say next. Waits.

DREWWhat?

TERRYI'm a little lost here, Drew ... he never did anything with you. Right? 'S what you said.

DREWNo, he ... I mean, yeah. We ...

TERRYYou told me that,yearsago. / You looked me right in the face and said that he never touched you ...

DREWI know ... / I know I did, but ...

TERRYThen I don't get this ...

DREWThat's what I'm trying to tell you here, Terry ...

TERRYI warned you about that guy, like, abilliontimes, I told you that you needed to stay away from him and you said you would, you said that to me--said it over and over andover. (Beat.) Now, was that a lie or not?

DREWIt was, yeah.

TERRYI see.

DREWI'm sorry, but yes.

TERRYSo, afterallI did to tell you that, getting sent away and, and--basically tossed out in the fuckingtrashby our dad--you still went off with him? / Hmmm?!

DREWNo, I ... / No ...

TERRYBullshit! Bull-fucking-shit!! You said you're gonna get honest, then fucking do it! You and Todd spent time together, right? Even after I specificallybeggedya not to ...Right?!

DREWNO! Not after, no--before, It wasbeforeyou ever told me.

TERRYWhat? (Beat.)Drew, what?

DREWSorry. It was already too late and so I just, you know, pretended. / I acted like everything was still okay but by that point ... no, it wasn't.

TERRYOh. / Ohh ... shit ...

DREWI couldn't tell you, I'm sorry. I was too scared about it ...

TERRYIt wasbefore?

DREWYeah, a lot before. (Beat.) All that stuff Todd did to me was before that.Waybefore ...

TERRYYou're kidding me ...

DREWNo. I mean, why else would I be in here right now? Talking about it?

TERRYAhhhh, about a thousand reasons ... Look at your life, little brother.

DREWDude, I'm trying to get myself on the straight and whatever, okay, so the truth is spilling out--I can see now that a lot of my behavior can be linked to this. Things that happened to me when I was a kid ...

TERRYWell, that's convenient ...

DREWMan, what a shitty thing to say!

TERRYI'm not saying anything. I'm not saying it didn't happen--saying it's veryusefulfor you to fall back on now ... so ...

DREWHey, look, I don't need you so bad that I gotta sit here and take any ol' crap that rolls out your mouth in my direction ... (Beat.) I'm not the greatest person, fine. I have lots to make up for in my life and with my family, well, all right, I'll work on that, but I don't have to swallow a bunch of your shit, too. I really don't, Terry ...

This seems to actually land forTERRY--he nods atDREWand lets it soak in. Considering.

TERRYLook, if that is the truth, that he and you ... then I'm very sorry and ... I'll do anything I can to help you here. All I can do. I just wish you would've said something to me, like, back in the day ... when I could've done something about it. / Saved you.

DREWWell ... / ... you can help me now.

TERRYI know, but ... I just ...

DREWThat's all that matters.

TERRYTrue. Yeah ...

DREWIt's all the past. I'm just gonna put that behind me and move ahead. / That's what I want ... I do.

TERRY'Kay. / 'S very forgiving of you.

DREWYou have to, bro. Have to forgive to take the next step ...

TERRYI see. You learn that here?

DREWNah ... people been telling that to me for years! Therapists, a few doctors, but I was, you know, too out there to listen.

TERRYI bet ...

DREWKeeping it together for the kids, but just barely ... a little rehab here, some ladies' undies on the floor of the Porsche ... always just sneaking by. Wanting to get caught, really, but people letting it go, forgiving me, and all the time just handing me a free pass to do it again. A little smoother the next time, so it's harder to get busted ... and then fucking upagain. Bigger and better. Hoping that this'll be the one, this time somebody has got to stop me! But they don't, they never do. (Beat.) Until I ran a traffic light with some chick from work and we're both high--wrapped myBoxsteraround a fucking lamppost--and, well, you know ... I just watched it come down. My life ...

TERRYI really don't wanna know all this stuff, Drew. I don't.

DREWIt's justme, bro. / This is where I'm at now ...

TERRYFine, and I'm here to help you ... / I just don't need all the blow-by-blow, okay? You can save that ...

DREWToo messy for ya?

TERRYNah, just not interested.

DREWWell, at least you're honest ...

TERRYI always have been, Drew.Always. You probably nevernoticed because you've been such a lying fuck for most of your life that you couldn't possibly recognize it ...

DREW Ouch.

TERRY Yeah, not so great being sober, is it?

DREW Not when you're around ...

TERRYHey, you asked.

DREWGuess so. That's true.

TERRYAnyways ...

DREWYep. Anyway ... you think you can do that for me, talk to those doctors I'm seeing? / Tell 'em about Todd?

TERRYI can, sure. / I'll answer anything they ask me.

DREWAppreciate it. It'll help me out a lot, I think ... both with them and Judy. She likes you.

TERRYFunny how that works, huh? Married to you and she likes me ...

DREWYeah.

TERRYWonder why that is?

DREWProbably 'cause you don't stay out late and fuck around on her, that sort of thing ...

TERRYMight be! (Bitter laugh.) Yeah.

DREWAfter a while, wives just seem to be able to tell when you're lying through your teeth ...

TERRYGod bless 'em.

DREWYep. (Grins.) Maybe Judy's just got a crush on you. / That could be it.

The two brothers smile at this one, maybe even a chuckle.

TERRYRight! / Uh-huh. (Beat.) So you want me to tell 'em what? These people?

DREWThat I'm not making the guy up or anything, that he existed ...

TERRYOkay. That's easy.

DREWThey're telling me that in lots of these cases it's a sibling or some family friend, a parent ... a figure of some authority. That kinda deal is the usual case. (Beat.) Not some dudedrifting'cross the country.

TERRYI see ...

DREWThey've even, you know--they asked if it could've been Dad, or, like, maybe ... you.Impliedit, anyway.

TERRYSounds like doctors--heads wedged up their fucking asses ...

DREWYeah ... but I told 'em no. I said it wasn't anybody in our house ... and it wasn't! / It wasTodd . ..

TERRYThat's okay ... / ... Drew, it's ...

DREWI mean it, though. It was! (Beat.) But, you know, can'tproveit or anything. It's just true, and so, you know. They're finding it ... "difficult to corroborate." (Beat.) Mom came up already but she can't rememberyesterday, let alone ... you know.

TERRYYeah, well, she's been a fuckingghostfor as long as I can ever remember--how's she doing by the way? / Right ...

DREWSame ... back's killing her. The eyes are going. All that shit ... / (Beat.) Anyway, she's no help, and Dad ... he's ... whatever ...

TERRYDead, I hope. Dead in some fucking alley or hit by a goddamn bus, all I care about that prick ... (Beat.) Anyway, I get it ... I'll tell 'em anything I can remember about the guy. Dates and names and shit ...

DREW Good.

TERRY ... and hopefully that'll help.

DREW It will. / Definitely.

TERRY Fine. / I'm fine with that, then ...

TERRYrelaxes for a moment now, sits down on one step.

DREW You okay?

TERRY Yeah, 'course. Just hearing that name again. / It's weird ...

DREWI know. / Sorry.

TERRYWhat are you sorry about? (Waits.) It's just strange, that's all. I haven't thought about him for ... you know. A while.

DREW... Really? Huh.

TERRYWhat's that mean?

DREWI'm just saying ... you guys were ...

TERRYlooks over at his brother, holds his gaze. Finally he turns and looks away.

TERRYI mean, yeah, he'scrossedmy mind occasionally ... why wouldn't he? He was one of those people that--you know what he was like--you let 'em in, into your life when you're a kid ... / You remember what a hugeeventit was when he first came to town ...

DREWYep. / Sure. EvenDadliked him.

TERRYYeah! He knew how to do everything and he was always just ... cool. You know? Could play baseball and swim and helped us out with our chores and all that. (Beat.) I'll tellyou what ... I was only fourteen or something, but I thought he had a deal going with Mom.

DREWReally? / Wow, I never ...

TERRY Comeon... the way she'd fix snacks for him and dressing up and stuff? / I noticed all that crap but it was nothing I could put words to; just spotted the behavior and it made me ... I got all angry about it, but not 'cause I worried aboutDad--I didn't ever care about that piece a shit--and he was oblivious, anyway. (Beat.) No, see, I just wanted Todd to bemyfriend ...

DREWHe was. You guys were ... you spent, like, thewholesummer with him! / Practically, anyway.

TERRYUh-huh. / Except for camp--when the folks made me go away to a fucking scoutjamboree.

DREWYeah, except for that.

TERRYBut by then I was, you know--I did a complete one-eighty on the guy. So ...

DREWnods at this while TERRY catches himself, not sure how to proceed. He takes a beat.

TERRYAt that point--the last week or two before I left--he was being all different toward me. I had this bad feeling ... so I tried to tell you, towarnyou to be careful. And now you're telling me that he was ... / You know ...

DREWYeah ... / Yes.

TERRY... that it was already too late.

DREWI'm sorry. (Beat.) I know he was a big influence on you, so ...

TERRYFuck it. If that's true then he deserves whatever shitgets told about him. (Beat.) ... I can tell these people that much if it's gonna help you.

DREWIt would. It'd help a bunch ...

TERRYAnd what're they saying about all this? Huh? About you and him?

DREWWell, you know ...

TERRYNo, I don't. I do not. That's why I'm asking ...

DREWIt's what I'm saying ... I'msayingit right now--they blame most all of my behavior in the last year or so on it. / These memories that're coming back up for me--the trauma. That it sorta ... I dunno, froze me, I guess, kept me in this perpetual age ... like ateenager ...all acting out and shit, because of it. That what he did to me--all the sexual stuff he tried--had a real effect on my upbringing and is now sort of just pouring out ...

TERRYRight. / No, I can see that ... that'd make sense. (Thinking.) Sure.

DREWYeah, and so ... you know, we're now getting to the bottom of all this and I think it's gonna make a real difference with the judge, on the drunk-driving charges and probably some of the other stuff, too--even the coke I was carrying! / Yeah ...

TERRYThat's great, then. / Good.

DREWBut that's not why I'm doing it--I really do want to get to the bottom of this. / To put it behind me, what happened. (Beat.) Ireallydo, man. I wanna get past all this shit that I've been living with. And doing.

TERRYSure. / No, I mean, yeah ... I could believe that.

DREWGood. I'm glad.

TERRYAnd so ... What do I gotta do?

DREWJust go over some details, fill in a few of the blanks that I left open--you're, like, a couple years older and you can probably remember him a bit better.IJust physically, I'm saying.

TERRYSure ... I can give 'em a pretty fair rundown on the guy, if that's what they're looking for ...

DREWThat'd be a big help, bro. Really.

TERRYOkay.Bro.

DREWmoves over and gives his brother a hug.Unexpected--it'sdefinitely a one-sided affair.

DREWThat's so great, dude, honestly!IVery cool of you ... Thanks.

TERRYNo problem./Least I can do ...

DREWAwesome.

TERRYYep. (Beat.) So, should we--where are these guys at? Back at the ...?

DREWYeah, the administration building down by the gates there--it's thatTudory-looking deal.

TERRYAll right. / Fine.

DREWGood. / You wanna eat first?

TERRYUmmmm ...

DREWWe can just grab a sandwich ...

TERRYI guess. Don't you wanna get this over with?

DREWIt's ... I'm in here now, so it's okay if we wait a little. No rush.

TERRYI've got that game, though ...

DREWTrue, but that's not 'til--(looks at watch)--like,six, you said.

TERRYRight. Okay, great.

DREWSweet--I wanna show you off a bit! My bro, the working man.

TERRYWhat's that mean?

DREWNothing ... bunch of assholes up in here, you know? I want 'em to get a look at arealman ... a guy who could've been ... you know ...

TERRYWhat? (Waits.) Been what? Go ahead.

DREWNothing. I just mean ... a dude who listens to his own drummer and that shit. You know what I'm saying ...

TERRYHuh. (Beat.) You got show-and-tell today? That what's going on here?

DREWCome on, Terry, I'm just saying ... I'm proud of you, isn't that okay? / (Beat.) These people are all fucked up for one reason or another ... it does 'em good to see somebody who is well adjusted. Holding down the same job most of his life, served his country, doingregularshit--you'd be, like, aninspirationfor a lot of guys. Some ladies, too.

TERRYSure. / ... Okay, Drew, enough.

DREWSeriously! You have always been a real flagpost for me, even when I was acting like an asshole, didn't call you for months--still admired you. Honest. (Beat.) I don't always know how to say that sorta shit ... feelings that families or, like, a relative'd have but I do get it.

TERRYThanks. / That's ... thank you.

DREWYep. / (Smiles.) So, come on, turkey sandwich on me, then we'll go find my shrink and fill him in on Todd Astin ...

TERRYOkay. Sounds good.

DREWthrowsan arm around his brother astheystart off.

DREW... Shame we can't find that fucker.

TERRYYeah, why's that?

DREW... Oh, nothing ...

TERRYWhat?

DREWJust ... (Shrugs.) Whatever.

TERRYNo.Why?

DREWBecause I'd ... you know ... I'd wanna beat the shit outta him, I guess. If I could get my hands on him again ...

TERRYLittle brother, you never punched a guy in your life. Not that I've heard of, anyway ...

DREWOkay, well ... that's true. Fine, then I'd have you step in for me. / You do it.

TERRYHa! / Just like the ol' days ... I fought every battle you ever had as a kid.

DREW ... I don't know about that ...

TERRYAny bully, fucking beatings from the ol' man ...allof it. / I ran interference for youeveryday of our lives, growing up ...

DREWTrue. / Second you stopped, my whole life went to pot ...

TERRYLiterally! (Laughs.) / Anyways ...

DREWExactly! / Anyway, you could kick his ass ... that'd be so sweet!

TERRYThought you wanted tolet it go...

DREWYeah, well ... nothing wrong with a little ass kicking. For old times' sake. (Beat.) Fuck 'em up a little, like you did over there in Kuwait to people. / Come on, man--chestful of fuckingmedals?

TERRYUh-huh./ Yeah ... for being a punk and pissed off.

DREWAnyway ...it wouldn't bug you so much if it was Todd Astin, right?

TERRYI dunno ...

DREWCome on, bro, be honest!

TERRYS'pose not, no. (Grins.) Wouldn't hate that myself ...

DREWHell yes. I'd murder the dude, you gave me half a chance ...

TERRYYeah?

DREWI mean ... if I could get away with it, sure. (Laughs.) Then yeah ...

TERRYHuh.

DREWDrop his ass in a Dumpster and I'd still be able to sleep like a baby at night ...

TERRYI doubt that.

DREW'S true!

TERRYThat's a lot of big talk, Drew ... but I think you'd puss out in the end. Seriously. / You're more of a "puss-out" type ...

DREWDunno. / You might be surprised ... I might just do something that'd bewilder the shit outta you ...

TERRYMaybe. Figured you might sue him--if you were still a lawyer, that is ...

DREWYou might be very surprised what I'd do to that guy, Terry. (Beat.) Took away a part of me, you know? Part that's not ever coming back, so ... no, I don't think I'd weep if that son-of-a-bitch ended up at the bottom of a lake somewhere.

DREWshakes this off and gives his brother another hug. He motions toward a distant building, starts off.

DREWCome on, let's get you fed ...

TERRYAll right.

DREWMaybe we can start a food fight or something ... / Have a little fun ...

TERRYSure. / Okay. (Beat.) Hey, Drew?

DREWYeah? / It was ... what do you mean?

TERRYWhere did all this happen ... times he came to you? / I just wanna ...

DREWWhy?

TERRYI just ... in case they ask me. I should know some details. Right? / I mean, if I'm ...

DREWI guess. / No, that makes sense. Sure.(Beat.)... 'S the tree house.

TERRYWhere?

DREWYou know ... that one tree fort we built, like, down past the creek? (Beat.) He'd meet me up in that ... In the dark's where we'd do it--usually when you were off on your paper route. He'd get me to ... he'd get all up close to me and then he'd, he would ask me to take his, make me hold on to his ... you know,thing, and then I'd have to, I would do all these--with my mouth I had to, to ... you know. He would put his ... his dick in my ... (Cries.) He would make me suck on his cock, Terry ... that's what he did. He forced me to! Forced me as I lay there staring up at the trees. And he ... he'd ...(Waits.)'S that enough? I mean ...

TERRY'Course.

DREWI'll go on if you want me to, but it's ... you know ...

TERRYNo, Drew, that's okay ... I just ... / 'S fine.

DREW'Kay. /(Wipes his eyes.)I'm glad.

TERRYLet's get a sandwich and then I'll go, you know ... tell'em about it. (Beat.) I just gotta make a quick call first, that all right?

DREWYeah. (Smiles.) I'm gonna run ahead and get in line. The best items're usually snapped up pretty fast ... all the desserts and stuff.

TERRYGreat. / Right behind you ...

DREWCool! / Thanks a lot, bro.

TERRYYou bet.

DREWI mean it, though.Honestly.

TERRYI know ya do.

DREWThankyou ...