GRID-locked

By: Dan Vargas

SCENE 1:

A nice apartment in uptown NYC, JAMES and MIKEE are having a discussion.

JAMES: I grew up in a wealthy part of stateside New Y-

MIKEE: Yeah I know. What’s your point?

JAMES: If you let me finish, I’ll explain.

MIKEE: I don’t want to talk about this.

JAMES: Then what the hell do you want to talk about?

MIKEE: I want to talk about us.

JAMES: Well?

MIKEE: Where is all this going? Where are we going?

JAMES: Well if you let me finish my story…

MIKEE: NO!

JAMES: So anyways, my father was a lawyer-

MIKEE: I know about your father, mine was a piece of shit too.

JAMES: What is with you?

MIKEE: You’re working on a production right?

JAMES: Yeah?

MIKEE: Well I want to be your choreographer.

JAMES: What!? I can’t do that!

MIKEE: Why not? You don’t love me that much?

JAMES: It has nothing to do with that-

MIKEE: Then what?

JAMES: I have already hired a choreographer-

MIKEE: But you’re not sleeping with him are you?

JAMES: Well no…but-

MIKEE: Then fire him and hire me!

JAMES: What!? No!

MIKEE: Why not?

JAMES: It’s just not right…unethical.

MIKEE: Are you afraid of what people are going to say?

JAMES: No. But I’d like to keep my job.

MIKEE: You don’t want people to know that you are dating another man!

JAMES: Mikee, please. It has nothing to-

MIKEE: Whatever.

JAMES: He is a famous choreographer!

MIKEE: You sayin’ I’m not good enough?

JAMES: Well you-

MIKEE: Well excuse me, Mr. Big-Broadway-Producer!

JAMES: Oh no, no, no…I worked to get where I am. I graduated from a real fuckin’ college!

MIKEE: Fuck you…Only ‘cause mommy and daddy paid your way!

JAMES: And you think your high school education is SO much better?

MIKEE: I went to a theater arts high school and I’ve been dancing since I was 4!

JAMES: Look, this is stupid.

MIKEE: But-

JAMES: The answer is no!

MIKEE: sigh

JAMES: I’m sorry

MIKEE: So your father…

JAMES: Was a lawyer and we never had many hardships.

MIKEE: Lucky

JAMES: Anytime I got sick, I could just go to the doctor and I’d leave with penicillin and a sucker.

MIKEE: Mmmmm…sucker…

JAMES: I…I don’t know…

MIKEE: How come we haven’t been fucking lately?

JAMES: Ah…You know, work…

MIKEE: You were never tired before.

JAMES: I don’t know…

MIKEE: Is there somebody else?

JAMES: (quietly) No…no...

MIKEE: Why should I believe you?

JAMES: I wouldn’t lie-

MIKEE: Oh, my, God! You just lied about not doing the laundry last week!

JAMES: Come on…

MIKEE: Speaking of dirty laundry, I found a sock in your refrigerator. What the fuck!?

JAMES: Mikee- you’re hurting me…

MIKEE: Oh shut up! Who is it? Just tell me!

JAMES: Why are you so- ugh!

MIKEE: It’s that damn choreographer, isn’t it? I knew it!

JAMES: Can you just let go of the choreographer?

MIKEE: It’s him, I knew it! Man, you were full of such ethical bullshit a moment ago and all you wanted was an excuse to fuck the choreographer when I thought you were at work.

JAMES: No, Mikee. I haven’t been sleeping with anybody lately…

(pause)

MIKEE: What’s up with you hun?

JAMES: (quietly) I have AIDS…

MIKEE: What?

JAMES: I’ve got AIDS.

MIKEE: You’re lying. You’re so full of shit James.

JAMES: No, I mean it…I think you should get tested too.