Hello?

[DramaKaw]

Here is an old short play I wrote around seven years ago. It is kind of, I know, but I would like to know what you think.

Characters

Principal Porter
Mrs. (Daisy) Miller
Ms. (Ebony) Peters

Setting

The Principal's office at a local high school.

The room is clean and dustless. It consists of a bookshelf with books shoved or stacked, a desk, and two chairs. Walls are covered with different educational posters and many diplomas. The desk has an in box and an out box that are both overloaded with papers, a computer, and a telephone. Behind the desk is PRINCIPAL PORTER, a man in his late forties wearing a dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the two top buttons undone. His hair is thinning, but not completely bald and his boney face is covered by a beard. He is writing on some papers until the phone rings. There is strong seriousness in his face.

PORTER picks up the receiver and holds it to his ear.

PORTER
Hello? . . . Yes, Mr. White. . . . Yes, I received your message and no, I cannot change the date of your son's Saturday school. It has to be next week. . . . Well, it's not my fault that he never served his detention for the two weeks he was required to serve . . . I see . . . I understand that it is your wife's birthday next week, but you have to tell her that her son will have to miss it. Good day.
(He hangs up the phone and goes back to his papers. A few minutes later, the phone rings. He picks up the receiver.)
Hello? . . . Ah, Coach. Yes. I called you due to your star quarterback. . . . Well, apparently, he is in the process of failing his English class. . . My point is he won't have the privilege to play at the championship and there is nothing that you or his entire family of football fanatics can do about it . . . Well, Coach, we can think of a-Coach? . . . Coach? . . . God Dammit.
(Hangs up rather angrily. He starts to write on his papers in frustration. Then the phone rings. Irritated, PORTER picks up the receiver.)
What? . . . Oh, hi honey . . . Oh, good. That is very good. For the moment, I thought she wasn't going to make it. . . . yes, yes, I'll take care of the doctor's bill. Don't you worry about it . . . Well, honey, it took them a few hours to complete the hernia operation for your mother and it was not very cheap; Everything involving doctors or anything medical costs a lot of money.
(There's a knock on the door. He puts down the receiver and turns to the door.)
Come in.
(To phone.)
Are you going to stay at the hospital for the night? . . . All right, well I'm going to be in the office for a while longer. Okay? . . . I'll see you at home. Bye.

While he was talking, MRS. MILLER and MS. PETERS nervously walked in and took their seats in front of PORTER. MRS. MILLER is a trim Caucasian while MS. PETERS is a full-figured African-American. They are both in their mid-forties.

They wait patiently while PORTER finishes up his call. He gets up from his seat and shakes hands with MRS. MILLER.

PORTER (Cont.)
Well, Mrs. Miller, I am glad to see you again.

MILLER
Yes, it's great to see you as well. Are you feeling very well?

PORTER
Yes, I am. I have the heart of a horse. That is, according to my check-up.
(To PETERS.)
And you are?

PETERS
I am the chauffeur with no life.

PORTER stares at her, pondering whether he should laugh at that or not.

MILLER
Ebony is a good friend of mine. She drove me here because my car is at the auto shop. She likes to joke around like that.

PORTER
I see.

PETERS
And my name is Ms. Peters.

PORTER
Well, it is nice to meet you.

PETERS
Likewise.

PORTER
I was very surprised to actually get your call at a short notice.

MILLER
Yes, for a very good reason.

PORTER
Oh?

MILLER
Yes, you see, we bo-

The phone rings. PORTER picks up the receiver.

PORTER
(To phone)
Hello? . . . Yes, Mrs. Kline, I called earlier about your daughter, Lottie. . . . Well, apparently, she's been cutting class for the past four days now. . . . Yes, Mrs. Kline, Lottie has been absent and I am getting quite concerned . . . . All right, Mrs. Kline, It's best that you talk to her about it, but I will say this, if this keeps up, she's gonna be staying here after school for the rest of the year. . . . okay, bye.
(He hangs up.)
I am sorry about that. My phone has been ringing off the hook.

MILLER
I know. I know how that feels.

PORTER
Anyway, you were saying?

MILLER
Well, we both have been noticing a lot of strange activities going on here.

PORTER
Strange activities? What do you mean?

MILLER
What I mean is, you know how kids are like, right?

PORTER
Yeah, always causing problems for us adults.

MILLER
Yeah, well, there have been some problems with some of the students here lately.

PORTER
Lately? Here?

PETERS
Where else?

MILLER
Ebony.

PETERS
Sorry, just tell him.

MILLER
I'm going to, I'm going to.
(To PORTER)
What I'm saying is-

The phone rings. PETERS rolls her eyes back.

PORTER
(To MILLER)
Hold that thought.
(He answers the phone. To phone.)
Hello? . . . Ah, Mr. Sellick. Yes, I wanted you to call me so I could give you the best of luck with your choirs with the music festival. . . . Yes, I know it's next week, but, being principal, I just wanted to be the first to wish you luck. I hope you come back with a big trophy or whatever they hand out these days. . . . All right, goodbye.
(He hangs up. To MILLER.)
Mrs. Miller, are there any students doing something I don't know about?

Beat.

MILLER
Well, if you put it that way, yes.

PORTER
What?

MILLER
Students tormenting other students is what I'm trying to get at.

PORTER
Oh, I see. That's been going on ever since high school was invented. It may be painful to go through, but it's something they have to get over.

PETERS
Excuse me, not to be rude, but what cave did you drag your big, hairy ass out of?

MILLER
(To PETERS)
Not now, Ebony.
(To PORTER.)
Principal Porter, I think it is time that you take a great care about what the students are doing here. It would be very comforting for parents, like me, to know if someone is doing something good or bad to our children. Yes, they have to go through with the torment, but it's somehow different today. Kids now are doing a lot more harm than we can imagine. They-

The phone rings. MILLER lowers her head while PETERS turns her head in frustration.

PORTER picks up the receiver.

PORTER
(To phone)
Hello? . . . Hi, honey. Have they finished? . . . . Good. Just leave the bill on my desk and I will take care of it when I get home. . . . Okay, goodbye, honey.
(He hangs up. To MILLER.)
So, you saying you have some concerns about some students in this school?

MILLER
Yes, I do.

PORTER
Are they considered important?

PETERS
They are considered extremely urgent.

PORTER
Well, then maybe we can arrange a PTA meeting ASAP.

MILLER
(Concerned)
ASAP?

PORTER
As soon as possible.

PETERS
Why not right now?

PORTER
Listen, I can't just push everything else aside just for a single complaint you both have about the students. It takes time.

MILLER
Time which we don't really have.

PORTER
Mrs. Miller, I know how you feel, but it doesn't take overnight to have all the kids in the world to stop bullying each other.

MILLER
Maybe not all of them, but possibly a few.

PORTER
We'll take care of it as soon as possible.

PETERS
That's not good enough.

MILLER
Ebony!

PETERS
No, Daisy, you have got to tell him what the fuck is going on here.

PORTER
What?

MILLER
I don't know if I can.

PETERS
It's all right, Daisy, he'll understand. At least, I hope.

PORTER
Understand what? What's going on?

Beat.

MILLER
I haven't been truly honest to you. We don't really have concerns about all the students. They're mostly about my son.

PORTER
Jay?

MILLER
Yes.

PORTER
Mrs. Miller, Jay has been a very good student throughout the year. No trouble has ever come from him.

MILLER
Yes, I know.

PORTER
Has he done anything that we don't know about?

Beat.

[DramaKaw]

MILLER
No

PORTER
Is he having trouble with anybody?

MILLER
Yes, in a way.

PORTER
Really?

PETERS
Yes, really.

MILLER
Something happened to him in this school.

PORTER
Really? What?

MILLER
Well, for almost a couple of years, Jay's behavior has taken a sharp turn.

PORTER
Meaning?

MILLER
He's acting like he's no longer my son.

PORTER
What is he doing?

PETERS
He lashes out at all of us without warning.

MILLER
And he goes out late at night to whoever knows and doesn't come home until two in the morning.

PETERS
He stays in his room all the time and never coming out for anything but food.

MILLER
He's just not my little boy anymore. He's this-person. This total stranger that sleeps in my home all the time. I was really concerned for a long time.

PORTER
Have you talked to him about it? Asked him what was bothering him for almost two years?

MILLER
Yes, I have. And what he told me was the most horrific thing I can never imagine. It was my worst nightmare coming true.

PORTER
What?

MILLER
Jay's-

The phone rings.

PORTER
Hold on a second.

MILLER
But it's really bad.

PORTER answers the phone.

PORTER
Hello? . . . Superintendent! Hello there! It is great to hear from you again. How have you been doing?

MILLER
Principal, I really have to tell you this.

PORTER
(To phone)
Well, absolutely, sir. I've been doing great myself . . . Well, everything is in good shape here. There haven't been any problems so far. The academic assembly last week was very entertaining. All the kids were enjoying themselves.

MILLER
Principal, it is serious!

PORTER
(To MILLER)
Hold on!
(To phone)
Oh, yes, we have a new rule about chewing gum in class. . . . Well, the rule states that if ever any student is caught chewing gum during class time, then that student would have to go outside and pick out five old pieces. . . . Yes, it is a good way to discipline them. . . .

PORTER laughs heartedly.

MILLER
Principal.

PORTER
(To phone)
Yeah, it sure was different in our time.

MILLER
Principal!

PORTER
(To phone)
Well, there were other times when we had to clean to halls if we ever disrupted class and-

MILLER
PLEASE!

PORTER
(To phone)
So, when are you coming to check us out? I can't wait to tell you about my mother-

MILLER
MY SON WAS RAPED IN THIS SCHOOL!

A long pause.

PORTER
(To phone)
Go away.
(Hangs up. To MILLER.)
What do you mean "raped?"

PETERS
What are you? Deaf? She is saying that there are a bunch of desperate boys sexually assaulting her boy.

PORTER
(Confused)
I see.

MILLER
What's wrong?

PORTER
Well, the thought about a boy being raped by another boy is just-well, it's just-

MILLER
Out there?

PORTER
Yes, as a matter of fact.

PETERS
Actually, Jay wasn't really raped, he was more like . . . molested.

PORTER
Oh, molested. Okay. Well, then, we'll take care of this as soon as possible.

MILLER
Why can't we do it now?

PORTER
Well, Mrs. Miller, it's Friday. The weekend is about to start. Everyone has gone already so I won't be able to get a statement from Jay until Monday, so-

MILLER
There's no need to wait, Principal Porter. I already have a statement for you.

MILLER takes out some stapled slips of paper from her bag and hands them out to PORTER.

PORTER
(Surprised)
Well, thank you very much.

MILLER
It's the least I can do.

PORTER
Is it in full detail and with everything that needs to be said?

MILLER
It's all in there. You'd be surprised at the things you find in these kinds of statements.

PORTER
So this is all what you just told me?

PETER
Yeah, but with more detail.

PORTER smiles. He looks down at the statement. There is a moment of silence as he reads all of the contents. Then his face starts to change with utter disbelief. He looks at it as if it was a pornographic comic book that is way beyond his taste. After a moment, he takes his eyes away from the statement. Then he looks at it again.

PORTER
(Shocked and Disgusted)
Oh my God! Oh my God! I can't believe this! This-this-this is disgusting!

PETERS
That's exactly what I said when I read that.

PORTER
This is terrible! He told you all of this?

MILLER
He sure did. He was the one who actually wrote it all out.

PORTER
Didn't anyone else know about this?
(MILLER is silent.)
Mrs. Miller?

MILLER
He didn't tell anyone else about it but me.

PORTER
Did anyone actually see this happening?

MILLER
No one, actually, no one could because they kept the door closed so no one would barge in on them and Jay.

PORTER
You mean, there were no witnesses to this?

MILLER
No.

PORTER
(Gets up from his chair and walks to the window)
Oh dear. . . . Oh, dear.

MILLER
What? What's the matter?

PORTER
This is not good at all.

PETERS
Why are you acting negative all of a sudden?

MILLER
Is there something wrong?

PORTER
Actually, there is.
(He walks over to his desk and sits on its edge.)
There is no way we can prove the fact that those boys really did all of this to Jay.

MILLER
(In disbelief)
What?

PETERS
What are you talking about?

MILLER
Don't you believe us?

PORTER
Yes, Mrs. Miller, Ms. Peters. I do believe you two. But I don't think anyone else will. Without any witnesses or any other kinds of evidence of catching the boys really doing everything on this statement, this is only going to be Jay's word against their word.

MILLER
But Jay is telling the truth.

PORTER
How do you know that, Mrs. Miller? How do you know if he's not just making this all up just to get these boys back for anything they did in the past? Or maybe Jay is just saying all of this just to get some attention from everybody.
(Catching MILLER'S pale eyes.)
I'm sorry, Mrs. Miller, but there is nothing I can do for you or for your son.

MILLER
(Getting up from her seat)
The hell you can't. You can call the police and have them question my son and the boys. Make them all take the Polygraph test, that's how you can catch the boys and punish them for good.

PORTER
Are you suggesting that I jeopardize my reputation and the schools' reputation all because of a possible false accusation?

MILLER
It is not false!

PORTER
Then why would he tell you and not everyone else?

MILLER
Well, I figured that he was too embarrassed to tell anyone else about it. Did he ever come to you of any problems with these boys?

PORTER
Actually, he has informed me about it.

MILLER
What?

PETERS
I'm sorry?

PORTER
I've noticed that his academic performance was below average so I called him in and asked him what was going on. He told me that he was being harassed by a bunch of boys during lunch hour. I only told him to avoid them at all costs and he left.

MILLER
Why didn't you tell us about this?

PORTER
I didn't think the harassment was in a sexual approach.

MILLER
Well, now you know!

Just then, the phone rings. Beat. PORTER looks at MILLER. She looks at him.

PORTER
I'm sorry again, Mrs. Miller, but there is nothing I can do.

PORTER walks round his desk and sits. The phone continues to ring.

MILLER
This is not fair. This is not fair.

PORTER
Mrs. Miller, life is never fair. You just have to live with it.

MILLER
Oh God!

MILLER breaks down sobbing. PORTER answers the phone.

PORTER
(To phone)
Hello? . . . Oh, Jesus Christ! Are you the football player's father? . . . Ah, so the coach told you about your son not being able to play at the championships. . . . Well, it's your own son's fault that he is failing in his English class, not mine. . . . Oh, This game is very important to you all. Is it more important than his own future? His own education? Even his own future football career? Well, Mr. Carson, enough is enough! You have to tell your big boy that he will not be able to even run in that field until his grades are-

At that point, PETERS grabs the receiver from him, removing all the cords from the machine, and throwing it ground. She then glares at PORTER with red, fiery eyes.

[DramaKaw]

PETERS
Enough is enough is absolutely right, Principal Porter! We did not come here to make fools of ourselves by accusing anybody; we came here to inform you of what's been going on in this mother-fucking school of yours! You are in charge of this school! You are their father when we are not here! You are supposed to watch over them and protect them from the violent world that is awaiting them! If any of thing come to you with any problems involving violent from others, then you should stand up and talk to them all and sort it all out. They need you, Principal Porter! They all need you, but all you care about is their education and if they go to school at all!
(Pointing to MILLER.)
Her son is in need of help from somebody he can trust. You. You have to help him.
(Throwing her hands up as if giving up.)
You know what? I don't even think you care. So we are going to leave and go to the police, so they can take of it. Would you like that? Cause if you don't, then do something about it. DO SOMETHING!!!

Pause.

PORTER
I'll call the police right away and have them come here on Monday. Then I will call in all the boys and Jay and we will have this situation sorted out. It may not be much, but it is the best that I can do.
(To MILLER, who stopped crying and looking at him.)
And believe me, Mrs. Miller, we will have justice on your side . . . and your son's.

MILLER
Thank you.

PETERS
All right then. Monday? All right then. We see you then.
(PORTER nods. She turns to MILLER.)
Come on, let's get out of here.

MILLER
(Gets up from her seat)
All right.
(Walks to the door.)
What do you want to do?

PETERS
Let's get something to eat.
(As they walk out.)
All this arguing made me hungry as hell.

PORTER watches them as they leave. He gets up and walks over to the phone on the ground. He puts the phone on the ground and reconnects everything in their place. When he is finished, he turns to the window, walks over to it, and looks out. Beat. Then the phone rings. He smiles. He walks over to the phone and answers it.

PORTER
(To phone)
Hello?

End of Play