PROJECT WINDOW by Michael Broadway 2/25/20
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ROSE, 54. The mother of 4 children. Her youngest daughter, Mary, still resides with Rose along with her own son, Cameron, at 5326 S. State Street, Apartment 302. The Robert Taylor Homes. Rose is 5' 2", brown skin and brown eyes. She weighs 107 pounds. MERLITA, 51. The mother of three children, all of whom are grown and have moved out on their own, but live in the same community. Merlita is Rose's youngest sister. She resides at 5100 S. State Street, Apt. 209. She's 5' 1" and keeps her hair done in the latest style. CAMERON, 15. The son of Mary. Dresses well in the latest urban fashion. He's a high school student. He's 5' 6" and weight 150.
At rise: Small living room with oversized furniture. A recliner faces the windows. Thin, shear curtains. A small table with the base of a cordless phone resting on top. The receiver is in Rose’s hand as she looks out onto State Street and the project playground. She’s waiting for the phone to ring. It finally does. Rose answers. Merlita appears in her own light. She is looking out her own window. ROSE (On phone.) Hey Sis! MERLITA (On phone.) You looking out the window? ROSE I’m in my usual spot. Why? MERLITA Well, wait ‘til you see the mess coming down your way. ROSE Down the fire lane? MERLITA Straight up State Street. You can’t miss her. (Rose leans over closer to the window.) ROSE OH! MY! GOD! Is that Cherly coming down State Street like that? MERLITA Yes it is. You see that mess on top of her head? ROSE Is that a bird’s nest? (Rose and Merlita laugh hysterically.) Why would that woman leave the house looking like that? MERLITA I don’t know, but she look a whole mess. ROSE Yes she do. She than disappeared under the 22 building breezeway nah.
2/25/20 2. MERLITA Oh, she looking for that crack then. That stuff got her going crazy, girl. ROSE Oooh, what is that stuff? MERLITA Some new shit that got these fools all messed up. Got ‘em selling their stamps, their jewelry, their clothes, and whatever else they got, including they ass. ROSE They ass?! MERLITA Yes, girl. They having sex to get the drugs when they money run out. ROSE You gotta be kidding me. They sleeping around to get that stuff? MERLITA You didn’t hear me the first time? They having sex with these lil ass boys to get it. ROSE I can’t believe that. I just saw Cherly ‘bout a month ago in Starlite grocery store, and she was with that ugly Damien. I was wondering why she was with that fool. MERLITA His money. ROSE I don’t care how much money that ugly motherfucka got. He’d be the last person I’d ever sleep with. MERLITA You got that right, but he got them young boys all selling that stuff for him, all up and down State Street, from building to building, right up under the breezeways. ROSE That’s what they be under there doing, huh? I been watching them. They got everybody kids down there too/ MERLITA That’s exactly what they doing.
2/25/20 3. ROSE And they just babies, they suppose to have they behinds in school. I bet they mamas don’t know they be out there. Kick their lil tails. MERLITA Hell if they don’t. They can’t control them boys, and they be making tall money. They mamas ain’t turning down no money, no matter who bringing it in. ROSE That’s a damn shame then. Who uses their kids to replace no good ass men? I tell you, this place gets worser and worser every year. MERLITA They gang bangin’. ROSE They shooting and killing. MERLITA And now they taking over the buildings and people’s apartments. ROSE (Rose shakes her head.) I remember when this place was nice. MERLITA Green grass and trees. ROSE The elevator worked. MERLITA Hallways wasn’t pissy as hell. ROSE And the men went to work at least. Those who could find jobs, especially after they closed down all them factories. MERLITA And we helped each other out when we could. I wouldn’t dare ask anybody for help nowadays. They’ll just as fast cut yo head off for asking.
2/25/20 4. ROSE Mary’s baby father, Cameron’s daddy Gregory, he done the right thing and followed his job to Iowa. I told Mary she should go with him, but you know she’s a fool. MERLITA Let that good man get away, and for what? Chasing that no good ass Malik, or whatever his name is. ROSE Talking ‘bout he a Muslim. What Muslim you know eat pork and fornicate all day? (They laugh.) MERLITA All of ‘em. I than had a few of ‘em over here chasing up behind me. ROSE I tried to get Mary to go with him to Iowa, but she wanted no part of it. “What I’m pose to do in Iowa while he at work all day?” (Rose marking Mary.) She so full of shit. MERLITA Rose, nah you know you wasn’t gon let Mary out of your sight pregnant at 16. Who you think you foolin’. ROSE I’m not tryin’ to fool nobody. That’s just the truth. (Shouts.) OH LORD! MERLITA What?! (Rose stands, pulls back the shear curtains to get a better look at the area under the breezeway.) ROSE Somebody stop them boys! MERLITA What’s going on Rose?! ROSE They jumping on Cherly down there.
2/25/20 5. MERLITA Who? ROSE Some of these young boys. They chasing her across State Street now. Oh Lord. Don’t let that bus hit her. MERLITA Who chasing her? ROSE It look like one of Tracy’s kids. MERLITA One of my grandbabies. (Rose leans closer to the window.) ROSE Yeah, sure look like Mario. MERLITA Tell his ass to go home. ROSE She got away. Nah she heading back your way. MERLITA Down there messing with them young boys. ROSE Is Mario selling that stuff for Damien too? MERLITA He wasn’t doing nothing else with his life and I don’t like it one bit, but he helps Tracy put clothes and shoes on the rest of her kids. ROSE So she just let ‘em throw his life away to buy shoes and clothes? That don’t make no damn sense. I knew Tracy wasn’t raising them kids right. MERLITA Cameron be out there too. (Pause.) I know you didn’t think Mary bought that boy all that expensive stuff, did you?
2/25/20 6. ROSE How long you known this, Merlita? MERLITA I been trying to tell you, but you ain’t wanna hear it. ROSE We talk every day and you ain’t tried to tell me nothing. So go on with that mess. MERLITA I just told you Damien got all them young boys selling his stuff. ROSE You ain’t said nothing about Cameron, Mario, and all the rest of ‘em be out there. I’d think that’d be something you would wanna tell me right off. MERLITA Okay, I didn’t come right out and say it Rose, but that’s because you act all high and mighty sometimes. ROSE High and mighty! MERLITA Yes. You mean you never questioned how Mary helping you pay bills and buy food all of a sudden? Or you didn’t wannna question it? ROSE Question this, bitch. (Rose hangs up the phone on Merlita.) Cameron! Bring yo ass out here. CAMERON (Off.) Grandma, I’m sleep. ROSE Cameron, don’t make me come in there. (Cameron walks onto the set in designer shirt and jeans.) CAMERON Yes, Grandma? ROSE I know you ain’t been sick, boy. Now tell me why you playing sick?
2/25/20 7. CAMERON I really have been sick. It’s my stomach, and my head been hurting too. ROSE Yo ass gon be hurting in a minute if you don’t stop lying to me. You mama even been lying for you. What kind of a mess she than got you into? (Pause.) I know what you’ve been doing for Damien. Do you owe that man money? CAMERON Granny, it ain’t nothing you gotta concern yo’self with. It’s a small thing. ROSE Why Cameron? Why did you feel you had to go and sell drugs? CAMERON We needed the money. I was tired of watching you struggle to buy me stuff. ROSE So go find a job, or call your father. You don’t go out and sell drugs. CAMERON I’m not calling my father for nothing. I don’t need him. He picked his other kids over me, he ain’t have time for me. ROSE That’s not true. That man sends you money every month. CAMERON I never asked him to. ROSE You never have to. He’s your father, so he just does it. He’s asked if you wanted to live with ‘em plenty of times. CAMERON And I don’t want to. ROSE Why? CAMERON I dont’ wanna leave you and my mama here alone.
2/25/20 8. ROSE Boy, we been taking care of ourselves way before you was born, and gon keep taking care of ourselves. Now how much you owe this man? CAMERON Granny, I told you I got it. ROSE If you don’t tell me how much money you owe that man, you ain’t gon have to worry about playing sick no more, cuz I’mma kill you myself. (Beat.) CAMERON 750 dollars. (Rose stares through Cameron with her hands on her hips. Cameron lowers his gaze.) ROSE Get ‘em on the phone. CAMERON Granny, come on, I got this. ROSE Call ‘em, boy. (Hands phone to Cameron.) CAMERON Okay, Granny. (Cameron dials. On phone.) What’s up? Yeah, it’s Cameron/ ROSE Hand me the phone. (On phone.) Hello. Yeah, how you doing Damien? You can come by and pick up yo money. (Rose hangs up the phone.) Now, call your father and tell ‘em you’re coming to live with him. Your days of drug dealing are over. (Rose walks back to the recliner and sits back down and looks outside of her project window.) END OF PLAY