(A dive
bar in Tuscon. JOEY locking up. AMY enters.)
JOEY: We’re closed.
AMY: I’m looking for
Joseph Gadaggio?
JOEY: You found him.
AMY: You’re him?
JOEY: Yup.
AMY: Okay.
JOEY: Expecting
somebody prettier?
AMY: I was expecting…I
don’t know what I was expecting.
JOEY: You’re not some
long-lost kid of mine, are you?
AMY: No.
JOEY: Good. So far, not procreating has been my biggest
accomplishment.
AMY: How did you end
up in Tuscon?
JOEY: I killed
somebody.
AMY: Really?
JOEY: No. Who are you?
AMY: I’m Amy
Lawrence.
JOEY: Should that
mean something to me?
AMY: Not necessarily.
JOEY: I’m confused.
AMY: I’m looking for
my sister.
(A
beat.)
JOEY: Ohhh…Tara.
AMY: She gave me your
name. She said if they ever let the
exiles back in Rhode Island, I should come here and ask for you.
JOEY: Did you ask her
why?
AMY: No. I mind my own business for the most
part. I thought maybe you were a friend
or—
JOEY: I haven’t seen
Tara in a year.
(A
beat.)
AMY: Okay.
JOEY: Sorry.
AMY: Do you know
where she went?
JOEY: I’m not sure
she went anywhere. I just haven’t seen
her.
AMY: How did you—what
was your—
JOEY: She worked
here. For me. I own this bar. She was a bartender.
AMY: And then she
quit or—
JOEY: Well, she
stopped showing up, so yeah, I guess she quit.
AMY: I’m sorry, but—Did
I open up a wound or something, I—
JOEY: How well did
you know her?
AMY: You’re asking me
how well I knew my sister?
JOEY: She never
mentioned having a sister.
AMY: I’m not
surprised.
JOEY: Did you two not
get along?
AMY: She hated my
guts.
(A
second.)
So yeah, I guess we didn’t get along.
(A
beat.)
JOEY: Then why are
you looking for her?
AMY: I just want to
know she’s all right.
JOEY: I’m sure she’s
fine. Tara was one tough cookie.
AMY: Was?
JOEY: Was. Is.
She had a boyfriend. Not sure
what happened to him. She was a good
worker.
AMY: How much?
JOEY: Excuse me?
AMY: Did she steal
from you?
(A
beat.)
JOEY: Hard to
say. I didn’t notice until…I figured she
needed the money.
AMY: Everybody needs
money.
JOEY: Ain’t that the
damn truth.
AMY: My sister had a
way of making people angry.
JOEY: Are you asking
me if I hurt her?
AMY: Did you hurt
her?
JOEY: I probably
would have, but not for stealing from me.
AMY: What for then?
JOEY: For disappearing.
AMY: She told me I
shouldn’t believe anything you say.
JOEY: For somebody
who hated you, she sure told you a lot.
AMY: She wanted to go
home. She didn’t like being away from
Rhode Island. She knew that if they ever
let her back in, she’d need me.
JOEY: Need you for
what?
AMY: She couldn’t
take care of herself. I’m sure you know
that.
JOEY: She seemed
pretty capable to me.
AMY: Capable?
JOEY: Like she could
take care of herself.
AMY: She was a good
actress.
JOEY: Better than
you?
(A
beat.)
AMY: I never understood
why she moved here.
JOEY: People have their
reasons.
AMY: Maybe I could
hang around for a few days. See what the
appeal is.
JOEY: Suit yourself.
(She
starts to leave. JOEY begins humming “Nobody
Does It Better.” She stops. He continues to hum. She looks at him for a moment. He stops humming.)
AMY: Maybe I’ll just
head home.
JOEY: Okay.
(A
beat.)
AMY: What about you?
JOEY: What about me?
AMY: Are you going
back?
JOEY: Back where?
AMY: To Rhode Island.
JOEY: Why would I go
there?
AMY: Tara—
JOEY: --Told you I’m
from there?
AMY: Yeah.
JOEY: I’m not an
Exile.
AMY: Okay.
JOEY: People do just
move, you know. Not everybody’s forced
out.
AMY: Yeah, but—
JOEY: So if I want to
go back, I’ll go back.
AMY: All right.
JOEY: (Spreading his
arms out.) But I got everything I need
right here.
AMY: I…Okay.
JOEY: Don’t believe
me?
AMY: It…doesn’t
really matter. Does it?
JOEY: I guess not.
(He
goes back to humming.)
AMY: Are you--?
JOEY: What?
(A
beat.)
AMY: Nothing.
(Slight
pause.)
It wouldn’t mean anything—if you were. An Exile, I mean.
JOEY: Didn’t say that
it would. I just said I’m not.
AMY: Okay.
(She
turns away from him.)
JOEY: You know you
don’t look anything like her.
(A
second.)
Your sister.
AMY: Yeah.
(A
second.)
I get that a lot.
(She
exits. Lights.)
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