The Director Sector

SCENE 7

ROLF
I found out later, mister, that you can’t kill the devil.  Did ya know that?  He ain’t dead or nothin’.  He’s just gone.  The bag lady down the street says the devil can lie six ways to Sunday, but if he makes ya a promise, he can’t break it.  He just can’t.  Them people at the church, Brother John or whate’er the hell his name was… he said that the devil was a fallen angel, ya know?  An angel.  That bastard was an angel?  Screw that.

So here I’m at.  On the fuckin’ sidewalk.  Mindin’ my own goddamn business.  And people walkin’ by, pissin’ on me, cussin’ at me, throwin’ popcorn at me like i’m some sorta goddamn monkey.  I had it all, mister.  I had it all in my hands and I blew it.  Gone.  Jus’ gone.

(beat.  ROLF looks around, discouraged)

I dunno what to do.  Dunno where to go.   I just don’t know.  I just don’t…

(Lights dim — not a blackout, but dimmer than normal.  ROLF sits on the floor, back to the upstage wall.  He mutters incomprehensibly and sobs.  After a few awkward moments, he looks around furtively, then notices the audience again.  He crawls forward and the lights come up just a little bit.)

Hey, hey, you. Got a dollar? s’all I’m askin for. Just a lousy, stinkin’ dollar. That’s all I’m askin for. What’s that? You don’t got a dollar?

(beat)

Okay, a quarter. Got a quarter? I just need a quarter. A lousy, stinkin’…

I’m just sittin’ here, doin’ my best to survive. Tryin’ to make it through this hellhole you call life. I call it shit. Complete, utter shit. You hear me? You don’t hear me. Of course you don’t. I’m just a bum.

(beat)

Hey.. you.  You look familiar…

(blackout)