Gossip

SCOTT: A high-school sophomore.

GREG: A high-school sophomore.

JULIA: Greg's steady girlfriend.

KAREN: Scott's girlfriend.

MR. JOSEPH BENNETT: An English teacher.

MRS. ELIZABETH RUSSELL: The school principal

DEAN LAWRENCE LONG: The school dean.

OFFICER RILEY: A police officer.

MR. MORRISON: Scott's father.

GOSSIP: VOICES of teachers and students.

TIME: The present.

SCENE ONE

TIME: Before the first bell.

SETTING: Near the bench defining the front of the school.

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Faggot!

(GREG enters, follows the walkway and goes into the building.)

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Faggot!

VOICES: Did you hear?

VOICES: Greg!?

VOICES: And Scott?

VOICES: Scott Morrison?

VOICES: The one in our science class?

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Faggot!

GREG: Oh, I'm glad I've run into you.

SCOTT: What's up? Are you all right?

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Faggot.

GREG: Uh- . . .yeah, sure. I just made a mistake, that's all.

SCOTT: Um hmm, so what are you doing out here?

VOICES: No!?

VOICES: I don't believe it!

VOICES: Karen's Scott and Julia's Greg!?

VOICES: Yes.

VOICES: It's true!

VOICES: Greg confessed to Julia last night!

VOICES: (Whispering all together.)

GREG: I forgot my lunch, I'm going to go get it.

MR. BENNETT: I always knew there was something wrong there.

SCOTT: You'd better hurry. (Moves toward the door.)

GREG: Don't go in there!

VOICES: Oh, gross!

SCOTT: Greg, what's wrong?

VOICES: Did they? I mean, did they- -you know!?

GREG: Well, I made a mistake, because-

VOICES: -Well I knew they were dancers-.

SCOTT: -Because-?

VOICES: -Poor Karen-.

GREG: -I've got to go get my lunch-.

(GREG starts to walk away, SCOTT tries to stop him, GREG pulls

away and runs off.)

GREG: Scott, I'm sorry!

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Faggot!

(SCOTT exits.)

TIME: Action is continuous.

SETTING: MRS. RUSSELL's office.

AT RISE: MRS. RUSSELL is at her desk. DEAN LONG enters.

DEAN LONG: What on Earth is going on here!?

MRS. RUSSELL:Oh, please don't tell me you don't know! It seems even the desks and chairs are buzzing with it!

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Faggot!

DEAN LONG: Is there something to know?

MRS. RUSSELL: I don't know.

DEAN LONG: Well, Julia could compete with the major networks. It's still a few minutes before the first bell and there's not as person in this building with another subject in mind.

VOICES: Oh! Poor Julia!

MRS. RUSSELL: Bully for Julia!

VOICES: He was on our football team!

DEAN LONG: Ah! Even principals have their favorites.

VOICES: He is on our football team!

MRS. RUSSELL: Thank you, Lawrence, you have always been there, strong and to the point when I have needed you.

MR. BENNETT: I always knew there was something wrong there!

DEAN LONG: Thank you.

VOICES: Oh! Don't tell me you haven't heard!

MRS. RUSSELL: That young lady is going to have one fine day for herself.

VOICES: Greg Armstrong!?

DEAN LONG: At the gentlemens’ expense.

VOICES: And Scott Morrison!?

MRS. RUSSELL: And at what expense?

VOICES: Well, what did they do, really?

DEAN LONG: Well, what did they do, really?

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Faggot!

MRS. RUSSELL: I have no idea, but we can't exactly ask them to come in and straighten the story out for us.

VOICES: But Greg's a jock, and Scott-!

DEAN LONG: Most of the kids look up to them.

VOICES: They studied ballet.

MRS. RUSSELL: And how people resent looking up!

VOICES: Perverts!

DEAN LONG: What can we do to help?

MR. BENNETT: I always knew there was something wrong there!

MRS. RUSSELL: I can't think of anything that doesn't just make the situation worse.

(SOUND: First bell. People move toward classrooms.)

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Faggots!

MRS. RUSSELL: Thank God for the first bell.

DEAN LONG: You don't want to release the boys' own version over the "P" "A" with the morning announcements?

MRS. RUSSELL: You're being facetious! If I thought it would help, I would do it. . . . But it smacks of force, and confession and we don't know what the true story is, Lawrence.

DEAN LONG: You think it could be worse than this?

MRS. RUSSELL: I'm sure I don't know. Of course, you could might invite them to your office, and just see if there's anything they would like to discuss.

DEAN LONG: The three of them?

MRS. RUSSELL: No, no, just the boys. Julia wants to talk about something she thinks happened to her, and everybody is listening.

DEAN LONG: And repeating. And editing.

MRS. RUSSELL: Yes, I noticed. Where does it end? . . . Why, I wonder of they gossip about us, Lawrence?

DEAN LONG: You and me!?

MRS. RUSSELL: Oh, I hope so!

DEAN LONG: Why, thank you, that's quite flattering, though pale compared to this.

MRS. RUSSELL: Right you are, and to the point, so have a chat with them, will you?

DEAN LONG: Greg isn't here.

MRS. RUSSELL: Yes he is, I saw him on my way in,

DEAN LONG: I saw him drive out and he hasn't come back. Should I talk to Scott?

MRS. RUSSELL: No, I think not, Our showing an interest in him at this point won't do him any good, and he's more apt than Greg, to come for help if he wants it. Hmm, it's going to take more than a day or two for this to blow over. Is he planning to stay home indefinitely?

DEAN LONG: I'm not comfortable about that either.

MRS. RUSSELL: How well do you know the parents?

DEAN LONG: Not at all.

MRS. RUSSELL: Do they work?

DEAN LONG: I don't know.

MRS. RUSSELL: Maybe I'll call there-, but if there's no answer- . . . - he could have gone anywhere.

DEAN LONG: And if there is an answer, what will you say?

MRS. RUSSELL: Oh, you are right again! Perhaps it's time for our dean to check on truants?

DEAN LONG: All right. Is now as good a time as any?

MRS. RUSSELL: Now is an excellent time.

DEAN LONG: Were you interested in giving them something more to say?

MRS. RUSSELL: I beg your pardon?

DEAN LONG: About us?

MRS. RUSSELL: Go on, take the school van.

(DEAN LONG exits.)

TIME: Action is continuous.

SETTING: A classroom.

AT RISE: An English class is in process. SCOTT addresses MR. BENNETT.

SCOTT: Why are you doing this to me?

MR. BENNETT: I don't think you should be near the other students.

SCOTT: You haven't looked at my essay.

MR. BENNETT: What's it about?

SCOTT: Flowering Judas. . . . The story, . . . by Katherine Anne Porter.

MR. BENNETT: Yes. Of course. Interesting choice.

SCOTT: Interesting title.

(The bell rings. Students file out saying goodbye to MR. BENNETT and talking.)

SCOTT: Didn't Porter also write The Lottery?

MR. BENNETT: No.

VOICES: Wow! Bennett wouldn't even let him sit with us in English!

MR. BENNETT: Shirley Jackson wrote The Lottery.

VOICES: What did he do?

MRS. RUSSELL: They're going to crucify you.

VOICES: He sat in front of everybody, alone.

SCOTT: And you're going to help them.

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Faggot!

SCOTT: Even if they'll only let you hand them nails.

(SCOTT exits. MR. BENNETT straightens his classroom. DEAN

LONG crosses to the classroom.)

VOICES: Where's Scott?

DEAN LONG: Where's Scott?

VOICES: Have you seen Karen?

MR. BENNETT: Fine, Dean Long. Thank you so much for asking. And how are you?

VOICES: She won't even speak to Julia.

DEAN LONG: I am absolutely thrilled to see you, and to know that you are as full of vinegar and other things as usual! Now. Where's Scott?

VOICES: Yeah. Like it's Julia's fault this happened.

MR. BENNETT: Scott who?

VOICES: What happened?

DEAN LONG: You are an English teacher. Scott Morrison.

VOICES: Don't tell me you haven't heard!

MR. BENNETT: How the hell should I know?

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Faggot!

TIME: The action is contiguous.

SETTING: The bench outside of the building.

AT RISE: SCOTT is sitting on the bench. KAREN enters.

KAREN: Scott, do you really want to be alone?

SCOTT: I don't know.

KAREN: I expected to meet you at your locker. I know we never exactly said we would, but we always do.

SCOTT: I thought you- . . .

KAREN: Go ahead, say it, Scott. You thought I would be comforting, Julia.

SCOTT: Well, you are friends.

KAREN: Friends!? Me and Julia? I find her ditzy, and she finds me a terrible bore. But she was interested in Greg and he's your friend and I'm, um, interested in you.

SCOTT: So, that's how it works.

KAREN: Oh, don't laugh! I really love you, Scott!

SCOTT: What does that mean?

KAREN: I don't know. . . . Does any of this stuff really matter?

SCOTT: I don't know. I do love you, you know. I just can't think of anything to say to you right now.

(They sit quietly for a moment.)

KAREN: Oh, my gosh! There's the dean! Meet me after school?

(KAREN exits. DEAN LONG enters and crosses over to SCOTT.)

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Faggot!

DEAN LONG: Scott, I've been looking for you.

SCOTT: I'm sorry. I came out- -to think. Is something wrong.

DEAN LONG: Yes. Maybe we should talk inside.

(SCOTT and DEAN LONG exit to the building.)

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Faggot!

TIME: The action is continuous.

SETTING: MRS. RUSSELL's office.

AT RISE: MRS. RUSSELL is seated at her desk with OFFICER RILEY. SOUND: A bell rings.

MRS. RUSSELL: Lunch, great! They'll all be free to chatter about. When will this day end?

(DEAN LONG AND SCOTT enter.)

VOICES: Karen cut second period to talk to him!

DEAN LONG: Officer Riley, this is Scott Morrison. We've had our talk. He understands that this is informal, but necessary and he is willing to answer your questions.

VOICES: Karen came back in crying!

OFFICER RILEY: Is that right Scott?

SCOTT: Yes.

VOICES: What did she see in him in the first place?

MRS. RUSSELL: Sit down, son. Words don't help much, but, I'm sorry.

VOICES: He always acted so superior!

OFFICER RILEY: I'll try to get this over quickly.

MRS. RUSSELL: Scott, have you called your parents?

VOICES: Faggot!

SCOTT: What? Oh, yes, they'll be here pretty soon.

VOICES: Isn't she a friend of Julia's?

OFFICER RILEY: Have you read the note?

VOICES: No. They just spent time together because of the guys.

SCOTT: What?

DEAN LONG: No, I didn't have it with me.

VOICES: Doug Williams asked her out.

OFFICER RILEY: It might make this easier-?

MRS. RUSSELL: Do you want to read it, Scott?

VOICES: Is he going?

SCOTT: Yes, I do.

VOICES: Sure, wouldn't you?

SCOTT: Thank you.

DEAN LONG: Are you all right?

VOICES: I'll say.

OFFICER RILEY: Can you do this now?

VOICES: It'll help her get over this.

OFFICER RILEY: What can you tell me?

SCOTT: There were two summers. We danced with the ballet. Cherubim and such. Sometimes in town, sometimes on the road. Our parents couldn't, or didn’t want to drive us back and forth to all of the rehearsals and performances, so we stayed with the company. And we slept together, usually, at out teacher's house. We hugged each other instead of our pillows, and- -we were so little-! We didn't know-!

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Faggot!

OFFICER RILEY: Um hmm. Scott, what happened next?

VOICES: Where are they going?

SCOTT: His parents made him stop dancing.

VOICES: She's going to wear a formal!

OFFICER RILEY: Do you think they had some idea-?

VOICES: So, Karen's a fag hag!

SCOTT: No. They just didn't think it was suitable for their adolescent son to continue. "Ballet is so feminine." My Dad says that too.

VOICES: Faggot!

OFFICER RILEY: And-?

SCOTT: We didn't see each other then, until school started this year. He was dating Julia and I was dating Karen. The four of us spent a lot of time together.

(MR. MORRISON enters and crosses to the principal's office.)

VOICES: There was obviously something wrong there!

OFFICER RILEY: Yes-?

SCOTT: I told him we shouldn't tell anybody.

OFFICER RILEY: But, he told Julia.

VOICES: He practically bragged about it!

SCOTT: Evidently. He loved her. He must have thought she’d understand.

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Faggot!

MR. MORRISON: See what your dancing lessons have done for you!? In here crying all over the police!

VOICES: Isn't that Mr. Morrison?

VOICES: What's he doing here?

MRS. RUSSELL: Mr. Morrison, perhaps a little compassion is in order here?

VOICES: Bet he'll be kicked out of school!

MR. MORRISON: I didn’t come here for advise, I came for my kid! Are you done with him?

VOICES: Faggot!

OFFICER RILEY: I think so, for now.

MR. MORRISON: Come on!

VOICES: Where is Julia?

DEAN LONG: Are you all right, Scott?

VOICES: Talking to Doug.

MR. MORRISON: They said you thought he should change schools?

VOICES: Where's Karen?

MRS. RUSSELL: Yes, it might be easier. Scott, did Dean Long talk to you about that? Good, the paper work will be complete for Monday morning.

VOICES: Still waiting for Scott.

MR. MORRISON: Come.

(GREG AND MR. MORRISON exit to hall.)

MRS. RUSSELL: I'll find Julia.

TIME: Action is continuous.

SETTING: The bench and hall area.

AT RISE: People are milling about. GREG and MR. MORRISON enter.

KAREN: Greg, aren't you even going to talk to me?

VOICES: Fag hag!

GREG: Sure! What about? Great times the four of us had together?

VOICES: Faggot!

MR. MORRISON: Come on, faggot, get in the car.

JULIA: Here's the fag that perverted Greg Armstrong!

SCOTT: And here's the mouth that killed him!

JULIA: What?

VOICES: What did he say?

VOICES: What's that supposed to mean?

JULIA: Scott-!? . . . Mrs. Russell-!? Greg said-!?

MRS. RUSSELL: Greg Armstrong hung himself this morning.

VOICES: (Whispering all together.) Gossip!