Finally, a free day.

Whoa, sorry about the long delay between posts but I been busy. Got put in hospital, started a new job and basically have been trying to enjoy the ride. Its been good.

So what did I do on my day off? I got some ideas and wrote out a scene from a play that doesn't exist. Maybe it will one day but probably not. This is probably a bit too heavily influenced by some texts, can you see which?

As a bit of background: Eason is a PI who drinks heavily with a pessimistic attitude (we find out why here). Its not really pessimism though, because he's normally right. He's been hired to find a man named Malone who arrived in town last week. His investigations have lead him to his favourite bar seeking the Captain of the ship Malone came in on.
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A bar. There is a piano on the right near the front of the stage with tables stretching across to the bar on the left. The lighting is dim but bright enough to see paintings on the walls and a small alcove at the rear of the stage for semi-privacy. CAPT JENKINS sits in the alcove with a tankyard. The other tables are empty, it’s too early for most of the customers even though night has fallen. This is a late-night establishment. SAMAEL, the bartender, is playing the piano.

Samael: (singing and playing)You cant recall if there is skin on your flesh

Or if the world is spun from a fine mesh

When you met her

All that you remember

In the solemn empire

A melon collie tune

About impending doom

I’ll fetch your tankyard

Fill it too the brim

The cask goes stale

(EASON enters from the left. His normally darkened mood is noticibly worse as he makes his way over to the piano.)

Samael: (still singing) Broken drum ale

Wondering how long till you meet again on the bank of the Ankh

Too much to drink

You could barely even think

Too much b–

Eason: I thought I told you never to play that song again.

Samael: Oh, sorry Mr Eason. I wasn’t expecting you to call tonight.

Eason: You thought I wouldn’t be here? It’s only been 8 years, Samael. Got any whiskey?

Samael: Sure thing, Mr Eason.

SAMAEL goes to the bar and pours a whiskey on the rocks and a whiskey chaser – Eason’s usual. Eason motions thanks for the drink. He is upset, but not with Samael. EASON goes to the alcove to interview JENKINS about the MILKA. We overhear JENKINS arguing with EASON about getting onto the ship while A WOMAN enters the bar and sits near the piano. SAMAEL goes back to the piano and starts playing again. The woman listens to her requested song.

Samael: (singing) You cant recall if there is skin on your flesh

Or if you –

EASON leaves JENKINS in the alcove and moves towards SAMAEL and THE WOMAN.

Eason: (loudly, disturbed) I thought I told you never to pl- (notices woman)

Eason: (to self, coldly) Stacia. I thought I’d never see her again. I prayed I would never see her again. But either the gods didn’t listen or they were having a laugh at my expense. Knowing the gods of the discworld, I had a pretty good idea which.

EASON finishes his chaser and sits down at STACIA’s table.

Eason: Play it again, Sam

Samael: You know what? No one is ever going to believe you said that.

Eason: Hello Stacia, how long’s it been?

Stacia: Too long.

Eason: That’s funny, I was thinking that it wasn’t long enough.

Stacia: Aren’t you pleased to see me?

Eason: Sure, like a jellyfish praying for the tide to come in.

Stacia: What’s that supposed to mean?

Eason: If I always knew what I meant, I’d be a genius.

Stacia: Back then you always knew what to say.

Eason: I still know what to say, I just choose not to.

Stacia: You’re getting a big kick out of making me feel cheap, aren’t you? Well, maybe I had it coming.

Eason: Hey, don’t take my side – you’ll take all the fun out of it. (pause) I spent years rehearsing what I’d say if I saw you again, what I’d ask you. I even tried to imagine what you’d say.

Stacia: But now I’m here you can’t think of what to say?

Eason: No, now you’re here and I just want to do is slap you. Just once, across the cheek.

Stacia: What will that prove?

Eason: That I still haven’t forgiven you.

Stacia: You’re not making this easy, Eason.

Eason: Did you think I would? Did you think I’d just come bouncing up to you like a trained puppy? Maybe I’d wag my tail and wait for you to throw me a stick. Well I’m never going to be another woman’s dog for as long as I live.

Stacia: That’s cruel.

Eason: Not as cruel as the day you left me. I suppose you have some explaination for what you did? Some pat excuse that’ll make everything all right.

Stacia: There’s no excuse for what I did.

Eason: Well at least we agree on one thing.

Stacia: Why do you hate me so much?

Eason: Because I had everything when I had you, and when you left you took everything with you. It’s easy to hate someone who took your life away from you.

Stacia: It hurts to hear you talk like this.

Eason: (darkly) Good. (pause, Eason changes topic as if he has overstepped the line) What made you ask for that song?

Stacia: I was feeling sentimental.

Eason: It’s good to know you still remember me.

Stacia: How could I forget?

Eason: I don’t know. But you managed to leave, I figured you probably managed to forget as well.

Stacia: Never!

Eason: I tried to forget you. I tried to forget the day you left. I tried to forget the good times. I tried to drown my memories in cheap whiskey.

Stacia: And did you forget?

Eason: I don’t remember.

Stacia: I remember you. That’s what the song means to me. It’s everything that is good about our time together.

Eason: You got lucky Stacia. You got all the good memories, and I got all the bad.

Stacia: It didn’t have to be like that.

Eason: It’s always like that. (steering converstion around to the case) So, you came in on the Milka, did you?

Stacia: Yes.

Eason: Alone.

Stacia: No. I came with.. a companion.

Eason: Ah, it figures.

Stacia: What?

Eason: Women like you are never alone.

Stacia: I’ve been alone.

Eason: You know nothing about loneliness.You know nothing about what it’s like to not know why you’ve been abandoned. You don’t know what it’s like to watch your career slip away because the one thing you care about has been taken from you. You don’t know what it’s like to spend years going into resteraunts and asking for a Table – for one.

Stacia: You don’t eat in resteraunts.

Eason: Okay, but if I did, that’s what I’d ask for.

Stacia: Why did you ask about the Milka?

Eason: You came aboard in Ecalpon, right? With a man?

Stacia: That’s right. His name’s Two Conkers. How did you know?

Eason: It’s my job to know.

Stacia: You’re being paid to find out where people board ships?

Eason: No, I’m a Private Investigator. One of your passengers went missing, a man named Malone. What do you know about him?

Stacia: He kept mostly to himself. I noticed he’d go down to the cargo hold every couple of days, but he never said anything to anyone.

Eason: That’s all you know?

Stacia: If I knew more I’d tell you.

Eason: Given what you did to me, I find that one hard to swallow. You know where I am.

Stacia: What are you going to do?

EASON stands.

Eason: I’m going to fond out what Malone liked in the cargo so much.

EASON exunts, scene ends.
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p.s sorry about the format, I'm too tired to fix it tonight but wanted to put this up before I went to bed.