Paperboys

Chapter 2: Roach

It’s after the route and its payday, Mike and Al sit in the break room.

Mike:
Did you see how mad he looked?

Al:
Fuck- we’re fucked.

Mike:
His eyes where huge-

Al:
Where the hell is Kevin- if he doesn’t get here soon-?

Mike:
We’re going to get fired aren’t we?

Al:
Shit- where- don’t talk like that- we didn’t even-

Mike:
We didn’t do anything wrong!

Al:
Calm down- quiet- maybe he’s not mad at us- he didn’t even look at us.

Mike:
You think he’s mad at Kevin- you think-

Al:
Where the hell is Kevin?

Mike:
You think he’s going to fire Kevin?

Al:
We’ve got to calm down- shit- let’s just wait and- oh shit it’s Kevin- we gotta go talk to him.

Mike:
He’s out there?

Al:
Come on!

Mike and Al run out to Kevin who is riding up to the office on his red bike.

Kevin:
What’s cooking?

Mike:
Roach is-

Al:
Roach is fucking pissed K-

Kevin:
Roach- what happened- what’s he pissed about?

Mike:
His eyes-

Al:
He just walked through the fucking room- his face was red as a cherry and he was grinding his teeth-

Mike:
His eyes-

Al:
His eyes where fireballs.

Kevin:
Shit- he didn’t say anything?

Mike:
He was screaming really loud but-

Al:
We couldn’t understand him- he was back in his office.

Kevin:
How do you know he’s pissed at one of us- I mean how do know he didn’t get a phone call while we where running the rags- how do you something didn’t happen then?

Mike:
We’re going to get fucking fired.

Kevin:
Just calm down- just calm- calm- calm the fuck down- where is he- where the fuck is Roach?

Al:
Mike- you saw him last- where’d he go?

Mike:
My mom is going to kill me- shit shit shit!

Kevin:
Snap out it Mike- come on-

Mike:
Huh?

Al:
You fuck! Where did you see Roach go- you saw him last- where did he go?

Mike:
He went-

Kevin:
Did he go to the-

Mike:
He went to the basement.

Kevin:
Fuck.

Al:
What- what- what about the basement- what’s fuck about the basement?

Kevin:
Look.

Kevin points to Roach walking quickly across the lot towards them. He is forty years old, bald, and short.

Roach:
You fucking kids- you stupid mother-fucking stupid shit for brains fucking kids!

Kevin:
Roach-

Roach:
Shut the fuck up you fucking scum- piece of shit- you’re all fired- the fucking lot of you- all three of you’re lazy good for nothing fucking asses- get off my fucking lot now go on- and don’t let me see you’re stupid fucking faces around here again- scram- fucking scram!

Kevin:
Roach- what-

Roach:
Shut up! Don’t say another fucking word- if I pick up another fucking word out of you’re mouth on my frequency- I’ll run you the fuck over do you understand? Get the fuck out of here- you get no last paycheck- fuck off and scram- SCRAM!

Roach stomps off back to the basement. The paperboys turn to go.

Mike:
Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit!

Kevin:
Mike-

Mike:
Fuck him man- fuck!

Al:
Fuck him is right- what did he-

Kevin:
Mike-

Mike:
Kevin what the fuck man- my mom is going to be so fucking pissed- she is going to be so- fuck!

Al:
We’re going to get back at that son of a bitch- I’m going to fucking get him- he didn’t even tell us-

Kevin:
You still got those cigarettes Mike?

Mike:
Shit- fuck- what? Yeah I got them.

Kevin:
Let me smoke one of those- you should have one too- it’ll calm you down.

Al:
This is so fucked- Mike can I have one?

Kevin:
Al-

Al:
Yeah so I have a fucking smoke every now and then- how about it Mike? This is so fucked.

Mike takes out three Reds and hands them out, they each light one and sit on the curb.

Mike:
What do you think- he never said-

Al:
Who knows- I mean he owed us a fucking explanation at least.

Mike:
At fucking least- what do you think Kevin- did either of you guys do anything?

Al:
I know I didn’t do shit- not a thing- not a goddamn thing- K?

Kevin:
I don’t know- I don’t know- it doesn’t-

Al:
It matters- fucking A it matters K- what did you do?

Kevin:
Get off my back shorty- it doesn’t-

Al:
It fucking matters to Mike and I- fuck- you’re older- it’s easier for you-

Mike:
Kevin- did you-

Kevin:
Fuck it you guys- I didn’t do shit- I’m out of here- I’m- I’m out of here- fuck.

Kevin gets up and throws his cigarette down.

Kevin:
I’ll see you guys later.

Kevin leaves.

Mike:
Do you think-

Al:
I don’t know Mike- this is such a fucked situation- especially for me and you.

Mike:
My mom-

Al:
If you want me to come home with you- and you know help explain- I’ll do it- you can do the same for my mom- this is so fucked.

Mike:
I think so- I think that’s a good idea- God- what happened?

Al:
What fucking happened?

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