A_DEED 20pages
RETURN TO HOME PAGE welcome.html
A DEED
by
glenn H. whittaker, jr.
glenn H. whittaker, jr.
P.O. Box 188
Glen Carbon,
IL 62934
618-692-9347
or my agent:
Robert
Fletcher@sydra-techniques.com
Sydra Techniques,
Inc.
P.O. Box 272503
Boca Raton, FL 33427-2503
1. EXT. EDISEN MANSION – BACK YARD – AFTERNOON
Boston, MA 1920’s
Two workmen have constructed a tall platform. A set of wide steps leads up to the platform.
They are securing a hangman’s noose to the archway above the platform.
JONASON
Jonason. I don’t understand why we’re puttin’ up this rope. Tis a hangman’s noose.
MCBRIDE
Right ye are. Strong enough ta hold the both of us. It better be secure up there.
JONASON
Very secure. Put a double hitch around the bar. This rope a hold three men. But ya can’t hang nobody with it. There aign’t no drop hole in the floor.
MCBRIDE
Don’t need no drop hole. It aign’t ta snap a neck.
JONASON
Well then I don’t understand why we’re makin’ it.
MCBRIDE
Ye aign’t getting’ paid ta understand, just ta build it. Bring ye tools, we’re done here.
Mcbride motions for Jonason to follow as he walks down the steps to the ground.
Jonason carries his toolbox down to the ground.
Mcbride goes over to a large pile of dry tree limbs and drags some from the pile to under the platform.
MCBRIDE
Ye gonna watch or ye gonna help?
Jonason puts down the toolbox and helps carry limbs from the pile to underneath the platform.
After all the limbs are under the platform Mcbride takes newspaper from a wooden box and stuffs it all about the pile of limbs underneath the platform.
JONASON
Ya fixin’ ta start a fire?
MCBRIDE
Not today. Tomorrow.
JONASON
That don’t make no sense either. Took us all week ta make that platform. Now ya say ya gonna burn it.
MCBRIDE
Tomorrow mornin’ bright and early. We finish up tomorrow an ye get ye coins. That make sense ta ye?
JONASON
I’ll take the money but I don’t understand nothin’ or what or why we doin’ this.
MCBRIDE
Ye understand tomorrow. I gurantee it. Ye wait here while I talk ta the spinster.
Jonason sits on his toolbox as Mcbride walks away.
Jonason watches Mcbride talk to the spinster Edisin on the patio.
2. EXT. EDISIN MANSION – BACK YARD PATIO – AFTERNOON
The spinster Edisin is sitting in a wheel chair beside a patio table. A young woman in a white nurses’ uniform stands beside her.
Mcbride walks up to the spinster Edison and tips his hat.
The spinster Edisin gestures for him to sit down across from her. Then she gestures for the nurse to leave.
The nurse walks into the mansion.
The spinster Edisin takes an envelope from her lap purse and puts it on the table, pushes it toward Mcbride.
Mcbride takes the envelope and extracts a letter and reads it. He shakes his head no several times.
The spinster Edisin takes bell from her lap and rings it.
A distinguished man in a doctor’s business suit carrying a doctor’s valise comes out of the mansion and walks over to the spinster Edison.
The doctor sits down at the patio table putting his valise on the table. He opens the valise and extracts a letter. He hands the letter to Mcbride.
DR. SULK
Mr. Mcbride that is a legal document. My professional diagnosis. Miss Edisin has incurable cancer. Her entire body is infected. Last month it destroyed her vocal cords.
Mcbride takes the letter, reads it slowly. Then he nods his head yes. He puts both letters in his shirt pocket.
Dr. Sulk takes a medicine bottle out of his valise and gives it to the spinster Edisin. Then Dr. Sulk goes back into the mansion.
The nurse comes out of the mansion and goes to stand behind the wheelchair. She then pushes the spinster Edisin back into the mansion.
Mcbride takes out the letters and reads them again. He nods a yes to himself then puts the letters back in his shirt pocket.
Mcbride walks back to Jonason sitting and watching him.
3. EXT. EDISIN MANSION – TALL PLATFORM - AFTERNOON
Mcbride is standing by Jonason.
JONASON
That looked like Dr. Sulk. What’s he doin’ here? The spinster sick or somethin’?
MCBRIDE
Or somethin’, ye could say but ye can’t, not yet, not till tomorrow.
JONASON
What’s them letters they give ya? Somethin’ ta do with that crazy platform?
MCBRIDE
Tomorrow we finish the job. Then ye find out. Tomorrow ye get paid, ye follow?
JONASON
I get paid tomorrow. Yea I follow.
MCBRIDE
Go ta bed early. I’ll be by ta git ye at dawn. We got hard work tomorrow.
Mcbride and Jonason walk toward the back woods.
4. INT. JONASON’S LOG CABIN – DUSK
The cabin is lit by only one candle and the last of the sunshine through two small windows.
Jonason is sitting at a small table. His wife, Evelyn, is standing by the cabinets.
EVELYN
Jonason ye got ta keep ye big mouth shut. Ye make Mr. Mcbride angry an he fire ye. Ye got ta keep that job.
JONASON
Yea dear I know I need that job. But it’s crazy. All that lumber, all that work. And I know he’s gonna torch it.
EVELYN
Didn’t ye say Spinster Edisin was watchin’ ye work? She can see what ye doin’. Torchin’ it must be her idea.
JONASON
I don’t understand. Why a platform with a hangman’s rope?
EVELYN
I think it’s one of those political things. They put up a dummy that looks like the person they don’t like. They hang it an burn it. Ahh, it’s called effigy or affigy.
JONASON
I don’t care what it’s called. It’s plain crazy. A waste of good wood.
EVELYN
Ye keep ye mouth shut an do what ye told. I only got enough food left ta feed the kids for a week. A month before the garden grows. Ye didn’t work all winter. Aign’t no money left in the jar.
JONASON
All the money tis gone?
EVELYN
Yea. So shut up an do ye work.
JONASON
Yea dear. I’ll do it, but I don’t gotta like it.
5. EXT. COUNTRY DIRT ROAD – DAWN
Mcbride is walking along a narrow dirt road through a wooded area.
A large dog comes running out of the woods barking and snapping at Mcbride’s ankles.
Mcbride waves his arms at the dog and swings a foot at it.
MCBRIDE
Away, away with ye, ye mongrel! Don't tear at me cuffs. Back ye off afore I kick in ye teeth. I mean ye nothin'. I brin' ye no harm. Ye bent tailed cur, leave me ta meself. I say, get back ta ye kennels.
The dog barks and snaps its teeth as Mcbride swings his foot at it.
The dog dodges and then grabs Mcbride’s other foot with his teeth.
Mcbride spins and kicks the dog hard in the mouth.
The dog runs off yipping in pain.
MCBRIDE
There ye beast, that should keep ye howlin'. I promised ye no harm, till me cuff ye tore. So tis even we are. Ye got a piece of me pants and I got ye tooth in me boot.
Mcbride looks down at his torn pants and rubs his sore ankle. He continues along the dirt road, limping.
6. EXT. SMALL LOG CABIN – NEAR COUNTRY DIRT ROAD – DAWN
Mcbride leans on a stick fence looking at the log cabin. He picks up a couple of dirt clumps and throws them, hitting the front door. Waits, then throws more.
MCBRIDE
Jonason, my man, have ye the sleep from ye eyes? This morn we have an appointment. I say man, do ye hear me? Come along, come along. The spinster's ah waitin'.
The front door of the log cabin opens and Jonason comes out carrying his toolbox.
MCBRIDE
Leave the toolbox here. All we need is a match.
Jonason takes out a lunch box from his toolbox. Then puts the toolbox inside the cabin, yelling inside.
JONASON
Ya right, that old spinster’s makin’ an effigy bonfire.
MCBRIDE
Come along Jonason, no time for talkin’. Spinster Edisin wants it done at dawn.
Jonason slams the door and runs out to join Mcbride on the dirt road.
MCBRIDE
She’s payin’ us handsomely for this job. I need those coins as much as ye. Tempted I was ta bash in the door. Ye arrival has saved yer hinges.
JONASON
Who’s she gonna burn in effigy? My missus wants ta know.
MCBRIDE
Jonason ye talk ta much. Ye sure ye got the matches? No time ta return for them.
Jonason opens the lunch box and takes out a small box. Then takes out a match, strikes it on fire.
JONASON
Got a whole box full. Ya happy now?
MCBRIDE
Good then. Let us be on, the sun soon peers over the trees.
7. EXT. NARROW DIRT PATH – DAWN
Mcbride and Jonason are walking along the narrow dirt path through a wooded area.
MCBRIDE
Ah what a loverly morn this day tis. Look there, the mother robin carryin' off the tree grub ta her hungry brood.
Mcbride stops and points at nest in tree.
MCBRIDE
The little darlin's ah cryin' for anythin' mama might brin' 'em. She works her tail off ah findin' 'em morsels for their screamin' mouths. All day, every day till the light dims an she can rest.
JONASON
I know just how that bird feels. Ya sure we’re getting paid today?
Mcbride resumes walking and talking.
MCBRIDE
Heedin' 'em, warmin' 'em from the night's cool and ah coverin' 'em from the earth's shower. Then always havin' ta chase 'em blood hungry black bird devils. Ye know those ravens will pick the very eyes from every babe robin within two days walk, just for the pleasure I think.
(stops, looks at Jonason)
Some day I'll do just that. I'll kill every one of them black heathens.
JONASON
Yea, a bird’s life is hard, but don’t seem no harder than me nor thee.
MCBRIDE
Then the saddest of time comes. She shows 'em how ta fly. Flip flop off they flutters an plop ta the ground they lie. The lucky
MCBRIDE
(continuing)
ones manage ta make the tree limbs again. The weak and unfortunate get ate by 'em lazy night snoopin' cats, 'em sandstone tongued cats.
(stops, looks at Jonason)
Maybe some day I'll kill all them cats. Yea I'd like that, I'll bet cats are real tasty in stew.
8. EXT. EDISIN MANSION – BACK YARD – DAWN
Mcbride and Jonason are standing beside the tall platform.
MCBRIDE
I shoulda told ye yesterday. The spinster Edisin wants this ta be secret. We are ta be the pillars of absolute discretion.
JONASON
Ya didn’t say. I done told my missus. Done is done. I aign’t losin’ my pay cause ya didn’t say yesterday.
MCBRIDE
No real harm. Ye missus knowin’ ‘bout the bonfire. Just don’t tell her anythin’ what we do today.
JONASON
When do we start the bonfire?
MCBRIDE
We have other services ta do first.
JONASON
What services?
MCBRIDE
Ye know why they call her spinster Edisin?
JONASON
Cause she aign’t never married?
MCBRIDE
More than that. She aign’t never been with any man.
JONASON
How can that be? She has that big house an all the land around for miles. She could have her pick of any man.
MCBRIDE
My mom was their cook for decades till she passed on. Mom told me spinster Edisin was engaged when she was young. But he was killed in a pistol fight. So no marriage, no man. She stayed in her room for years. Wouldn’t leave the house, no visitors.
JONASON
That’s a sad tale. But ya aign’t sayin’ we got to do her, to service her? But she’s, she’s real old.
MCBRIDE
Old and dyin’. Got some kind of cancer. Nothin’ left but lots of pain. Only got a few weeks left. That’s what this letter from Dr. Sulk says. She wants sex before she dies. That’s what she wants. Right up there on that platform.
JONASON
My missus won’t like this.
MCBRIDE
Like I said, don’t tell her. We are bein' paid a year's wages for this one day's work. Your missus like that?
JONASON
A year’s wages? Just for sex?
Hmmm? Won’t tell the missus, but I’ll have ta tell at confession. And my priest will give me hell.
MCBRIDE
A moral man I be, as ye be. But this money feeds us. Bread, meat and ale. The priest's morals are fine for his shelves are full and his belly is fat. And after tonight with the spinster's money full in our pockets, we can be moral men again.
JONASON
Maybe helpin’ an old lady do what she wants aign’t so bad.
MCBRIDE
That’s the idea. There aign’t no cause ta tell the priest ye been helpin’ do anythin’.
JONASON
That’s right. The priest only wants ta hear ‘bout sins. Guess I don’t mind helpin’ do her dyin’ wish. Ahh? Who’s gonna do her up there?
MCBRIDE
It’ll take both of us ta get her up there.
9. EXT. EDISIN MANSION PATIO
The nurse pushes spinster Edisin’s wheelchair out to the patio table.
Spinster Edisin gestures for the nurse to leave. The nurse goes back into the mansion.
Spinster Edisin gestures for Mcbride and Jonason to come to the patio.
Spinster Edisin gives Mcbride another letter. He reads it then puts it in his pocket.
Mcbride and Jonason push the wheelchair across the lawn to the tall platform.
Mcbride and Jonason carry Edisin up to the top of the platform and lay her down flat.
Spinster Edisin pulls her dress above her waist.
Mcbride pushes down his pants and gets on top of her.
Jonason looks away until Mcbride taps him on the shoulder.
MCBRIDE
Go on. Do it. I think she likes it. She’s smilin’.
Spinster Edisin is smiling and gesturing for Jonason.
Jonason pushes down his pants and gets on top of her.
After Jonason is done, he stands up.
JONASON
When do I get paid?
Spinster Edisin stands up. She opens her purse and gives Mcbride and Jonason envelopes full of money.
Then Spinster Edisin gives Mcbride a pocketknife. She then puts her head inside the hangman’s noose and drops down so it pulls tight about her neck.
Spinster Edisin then stands up. She extends her hands to Mcbride, pushing the sleeves up and smiles at him.
Mcbride opens the pocketknife and puts the sharp blade across both of her thin wrists.
Jonason stands with his mouth open, eyes wide.
MCBRIDE
Go down stairs an light the fire. Go on man, tis how she wants ta die.
JONASON
No way. Sex tis one thing, but burnin’ her would be murder.
MCBRIDE
She’s goin’ ta hang an bleed. She’ll be dead afore the fire gets ta her. Tis what she wants. Her last request.
JONASON
They’ll hang us for murder.
MCBRIDE
No they won’t. She gave me her letter of instructions. It’s the job she hired us ta do. She gave her attorney the same letter. It’s a legal contract. We won’t go ta jail.
JONASON
Her lawyer said that?
MCBRIDE
That’s right. The doctor says we’re doin’ her a favor. She only feels pain. And it will get worse an worse an she’ll end up screamin’ herself ta death in a couple of weeks. Is that how you want ta die?
JONASON
No. I don’t want that kind of end. Want ta go in my sleep like grandpa did.
MCBRIDE
Yea. But that doesn’t happen very often, does it? And the spinster wants ta end this way, not screamin’ in pain. Now go down an start the fire.
JONASON
Ya sure that lawyer will protect us?
MCBRIDE
The lawyer said it won’t even go ta trial. I wouldn’t do this otherwise. We get more money from the lawyer when we’re done.
Jonason runs down the stairs. He opens the matchbox and strikes a match and throws it onto the paper.
The paper catches on fire and soon the dry limbs begin to burn.
Mcbride stares into the eyes of the spinster Edisin.
MCBRIDE
Spinster Edisin. Are ye sure tis what ye want? We still got time ta get away.
Spinster Edisin smiles at him. Then lets her body go limp. The noose tightens around her neck. She extends her wrists up to Mcbride.
Mcbride looks back at the mansion and sees Dr. Sulk and a lawyer sitting at the patio table watching them.
Mcbride looks back at Spinster Edisin smiling, her wrists barely visible through the smoke. Mcbride slices a cut across both of her wrists.
Spinster Edisin stands up and looks at her wrists. She holds the bloody wrists close to her eyes. Then she falls limp and the noose chokes the air from her.
As the first flames creep up through the bottom of the platform flooring, Mcbride wipes the blade clean, pockets it, then runs down the stairs.
Mcbride and Jonason slowly walk backwards toward the patio as the platform blazes.
When the platform crashes into a pile of burning timbers, Mcbride and Jonason walk over to the lawyer.
The lawyer hands each another envelope of money.
10. INT. JUDGE FERGUSON’S CHAMBERS
Judge Ferguson in his black robe sits behind his desk.
Attorney Carver sits in front of his clients, Mcbride and Jonason.
Prosecuting Attorney Hanes sits across from Carver.
HANES
Your honor the state can not view this as a suicide. Dr. Sulk and Mr. Carver have testified that they witnessed Jonason start the fire.
CARVER
Your honor. The fire was a cremation. Miss Edisin killed herself by hanging. She was dead before the flames engulfed her.
HANES
Your honor. There is no way to verify that.
CARVER
My point exactly. She hung herself, that is how she wanted to end her pain. You have a copy of her statement your honor. Dr. Sulk stated she only had a few weeks left to live. And those were weeks of immeasurable pain. The cancer had eaten away her voice, she could only scream in silence. So she contracted with my clients to provide services to help her end her life. A life left of only suffering.
HANES
Your honor. Even if the state acknowledged that she was dead by hanging before the fire engulfed her, suicide is illegal. Therefore the state will prosecute the defendants as criminal accessories to an illegal act.
CARVER
Your honor. If the state were to have its way in this matter a terrible precedent would be established. Imagine the number of cases coming before this court. For example, Mr. Hanes hires a construction company to build a ten-story high-rise. Then upon completion Mr. Hanes jumps off the top, killing himself. The state would then have to prosecute the construction company as an accessory to his illegal act of suicide.
HANES
Your honor that is absurd. The state contends that these defendants knew in advance the illegal intentions of Miss Edisin. And that is why they are accessories.
JUDGE FERGUSON
Mr. Hanes, Dr. Sulk and Mr. Carver also knew in advance what Miss Edisin was planning to do on that platform. And they stood by watching and did nothing to stop the act. Are you also intending on charging them as accessories?
HANES
Ahhh, well your honor brings up an interesting point. Ahhh, maybe we will.
CARVER
Your honor. In this country there is no legal obligation for the citizen to prevent or stop any illegal act. This country was established under the principals of freedom of choice and the pursuit of happiness. Miss Edisin, because of an incurable illness, could no longer make or pursue any choices. When and how to die were the only choices left to her. So she hired my clients to build that platform. She put her own neck in that noose.
HANES
That is my point your honor. She committed suicide and that is illegal. Furthermore,
Mcbride and Jonason helped by building that platform and
HANES
(continuing)
carrying her up there. Mr. Carver and Dr. Sulk either knew or strongly suspected her intentions and may be liable.
CARVER
Your honor. Since this country’s guiding principal is freedom of choice, I contend that freedom extends to how and when to end one’s life. Therefore the law that made suicide illegal is unconstitutional.
JUDGE FERGUSON
Gentlemen. I’ve heard enough. I am inclined to lean toward Mr. Carver’s position that suicide should be a personal choice. At least it should be a choice when one is confronted by such a horrible future as was Miss Edisin. To condemn a person to weeks of intolerable pain and force them to spend all of their life’s savings to purchase pain pills and pay nurses and doctors to keep them alive so to endure more pain, is beyond cruel and unusual punishment to my mind. I think suicide should be legal in some situations. Each situation should be judged on its merits. It is my opinion that what Miss Edisin did was of her own free will and that she should have had the right to end her life. Therefore this case is dismissed. Defendants are free to go.
CARVER
Thank you, your honor.
HANES
Thank you, your honor.
Carver stands and bows to the Judge, turns to Mcbride and Jonason and gestures them to follow him out the door.
Hanes stands and bows to the Judge and follows Carver out the door.
11. EXT. JONASON’S LOG CABIN – DIRT ROAD – AFTERNOON
Two weeks after the Judge’s ruling.
Mcbride and Jonason are standing on the dirt road watching Jonason’s kids play tag in the yard.
MCBRIDE
Jonason my main man. I think ye missus won’t have to worry ‘bout food on ye table.
JONASON
Well not for a good long while. But I have ta get some steady work.
MCBRIDE
That’s what I mean. They put spinster Edisin’s story in the Times Newspaper. So I put an advertisement in the Times the next day. These letters came in the mail yesterday.
JONASON
We gotta see the Judge again?
MCBRIDE
No no, not the Judge. These here letters are from old ladies who are dyin’. They want services. Looks like we got lots of work ta do.
JONASON
How much they gonna pay? What ‘bout the law?
MCBRIDE
I went ta see lawyer Carver. He thinks the Supreme Court will agree with Judge Ferguson. But it will take a long time ta find out. So we are free men. We can provide the service ta old dyin’ ladies for now.
JONASON
My missus wasn’t angry at me. She thinks I did okay helpin’ Miss Edisin end the pain. Evelyn said, “Life has choices, but death not.”
the end.
RETURN TO THE_PLAYS.html
RETURN TO HOME PAGE welcome.html