The Players

Scene 1

paul

i think they’re giving us looks.

david

what kind of looks? ‘come here and fuck me’ looks? bedroom

eyes?

paul

it’s hard to tell. your girl seems pretty good at it, but

mine… i don’t know if she knows how to give a ‘come here

and fuck me’ look.

david

that’s cute.

paul

it really, really is.

david

are we going to go over there?

paul

well, i’m going to go over there.

david

what do you mean, ‘well, i’m?’

paul

well, david, you have a girlfriend.

a pause.

david

not anymore.

paul

oh, baby, do you mean it?

david

it’s been a hard decision, but i’ve come to agree with you

that she doesn’t respect me.

paul

does this have anything to do with the half-glimpse you got

of miss flirty bombshell when you picked up that napkin?

david

yes, it has a little bit to do with that.

paul

i’m just trying to see all of your cards, here.

david

no, i appreciate that, you’re a good friend.

paul

should you call her first, tell her it’s over?

david

my girlfriend? i mean, my ex-girlfriend?

paul

i don’t think she’s your ex until after you call her.

david

i’ll call her after lunch.

paul

david, don’t put this off until like, next week, when you’ve

already slept with this new girl and your old girlfriend has

to come like, crying to me, of all things.

david

i’ll do it after lunch.

paul

promise?

david

remind me?

paul

(sighing.)

fine.

david

okay, then I promise.

paul

so are we going?

david

yeah. let me finish this.

he drains his martini and stands.

paul stands also.

i love this part.

they begin to walk towards the

girls. the focus shifts.

elizabeth

oh, shit, they’re coming.

amelia

that’s what you wanted.

elizabeth

i didn’t… i thought…

amelia

it’s going to be fine. play it cool.

elizabeth

i’m really bad at that.

amelia

i know, just follow my lead.

the men arrive.

hiyah, boys.

the lights go down and come up one

last time on booker and upshaw.

upshaw

so we’re taking the job, then.

booker

it’s a lot of money.

upshaw

messy job.

booker

just maybe.

upshaw

you ever seen this girl, this poppy girl?

booker

she’s a hard one to miss.

upshaw

she’s in the papers all the time. she’s completely real.

booker

you know what happens when a person like her meets people

like us?

upshaw

i don’t.

booker

things. things happen. compared to usual, when nothing

happens, nothing real, that’s news. that’s big news.

upshaw

think we’re gonna make news with this one?

booker

kid, i don’t think we’re going to be able to avoid it.

upshaw

(laughing.)

that’s good, that’s good.

booker

news.

upshaw

(in agreement.)

news.

a pause.

poppy weisz?

booker

don’t mind if I do.

Scene 2

amelia

what, paul, you want me to explain twenty-five years of

political upbringing to you?

paul

i get it, amelia, your dad is the secretary of state. yes,

that’s a pretty big deal, and yes, i’m sure you have more of

an insight into american politics than i do, but you don’t

seriously believe that our government is this great,

infallible system of incomprehensibly wise old men.

amelia

it’s not infallible, paul, but it’s not a fucking joke.

a pause.

elizabeth

will you guys stop?

a pause.

paul

i’m sorry.

amelia

whatever it is, maybe someone’s not happy with her. more

likely, though, she’s face-down in some crack den.

elizabeth

you guys are freaking me out. i like poppy weisz.

amelia

you only like poppy weisz because you read about her in

gossip mags.

elizabeth

i like that’s she’s helping africa.

amelia

but do you really care? i’m all for helping the less

fortunate, but this isn’t real help, it’s just pop culture.

elizabeth

the news said it was helping.

amelia

and if she’s using leverage on some poor senator to get her

pet bills passed, then that’s just dirty politics.

paul

maybe david can spin that into ‘soon-to-be-washed politics.’

amelia

really funny, paul.

paul

david working for poppy weisz. you sleeping with david. seems

like a conflict of interest.

amelia

always the charmer, aren’t you. i don’t care about the woman.

i just hate – elizabeth, are you crying?

elizabeth

(sniffling.)

no. i don’t know.

paul

are you alright?

elizabeth

it just freaks me out. i like poppy weisz.

paul

baby.

amelia

look, i’m sorry, lizzie.

elizabeth

she’s pretty.

amelia

i know she is. she’ll turn up. she’s probably just floating

around, taking an impromptu vacation. starlets are

notoriously flighty.

paul

amelia’s right.

david enters.

david

did you hear?

paul

just read it.

david

my god, this is an opportunity for me.

paul

do you know where she is?

david

no, nobody does. i sent some of my team out to see if they

can find her – oh yeah, i have a team.

paul

impressive.

david

a team! a whole team of people beneath me.

david embraces amelia.

i’m moving up, baby, and things are going to be different.

amelia

i like things the way they are.

david

you’re funny. what i’m trying to say is, i’m getting a huge,

repeat, huge raise.

amelia

what about your workload?

david

i’ll still have plenty of time for you.

amelia

that’s what i’m afraid of.

david

(laughing.)

you’re a spitfire today.

paul

where are you taking us?

david

that’s up to you guys.

paul

we haven’t come up with anything.

elizabeth

just the same old.

david

i like the same old.

amelia

(to elizabeth.)

no surprise there.

elizabeth

oh, hush.

david

are we ready? i’m itching to tell you all about it.

paul

ready.

elizabeth

ready.

david

then lets go. we’ll nab a taxi.

Scene 3

paul

have you talked to david today?

amelia

i woke up there.

paul

ah. i didn’t see you.

amelia

i left before you woke up. i’ve got a job.

paul

i know.

amelia

some of us have jobs.

paul

okay.

a pause.

amelia

i have to get back to work.

paul

i don’t think that’s true.

a pause.

amelia

what are you doing here?

paul

i’m taking my lunch. in the park.

amelia

you’re lying.

paul

you’re lying.

a pause.

amelia

what are you talking about?

paul

were you out for a walk with a co-worker?

amelia

i was out for a walk by myself.

paul

you’re lying.

a pause.

amelia

why do you say that?

paul

because, i fucking followed you here, amelia.

a pause.

amelia

oh.

paul

why?

amelia

what right do you have…?

paul

why?

a pause. amelia tries to exit.

where are you going?

amelia

i’m not going anywhere.

paul

you’re lying.

amelia

fuck off, paul.

paul

you took your ring off?

a pause.

amelia

yeah.

paul

i’m going to tell him, amelia.

amelia

he’s not going to…

paul

i’ve known him forever, i’m going to tell him.

amelia

you had a fight

paul

we’re over it.

amelia

he proposed to me, paul, he knows i

paul

shut up.

paul opens his bag and pulls out

his camera.

i took pictures.

amelia

paul…

paul

i’m going to tell him.

amelia

okay.

paul

you took your ring off.

amelia

yeah.

a pause.

delete the pictures.

paul

(a mirthless laugh.)

are you kidding?

a pause.

amelia

yeah, i’m kidding.

paul

why, amelia?

amelia

it doesn’t matter.

a pause.

it really doesn’t matter.

a pause.

i’ve got a right, don’t i?

a pause.

what do you want me to say?

paul

i guess it’s too late for you to take it back.

amelia

this isn’t the first time.

paul

god damn it.

amelia

what? what do you want me to say?

a pause.

it doesn’t matter.

a pause.

paul

are you going to tell him…?

Amelia

I

paul

are you going to tell him, or am i going to have to show him

the pictures.

amelia

i’m not going to tell him.

a pause. paul puts his camera away.

paul, it doesn’t matter.

paul

okay.

amelia

what the fuck does it matter? it mattered for our parents,

maybe, back then, maybe, but not today. not now.

david’s going to have affairs and he’s going to fuck up, too,

just like i did. it doesn’t matter.

paul

okay.

amelia

and fuck you, you follow me with your camera, and so what if

you’ve got pictures of me fucking someone else? it doesn’t

matter. david’s rich, but he’s a fucking brick in the head,

it doesn’t matter. fuck you, paul, it wasn’t going to hurt

anybody. i could have married david and he would have been

happy. i could have fucked as many people as i wanted and if

he never knew he would have been happy, because what does it

matter what i do if he’s happy. i make him happy.

paul

you think you could have gotten away with it?

amelia

i know i could have. if you had a job and… worked like a

normal person, you wouldn’t have been out here in the first

place. i’m god damned careful.

paul

in central park?

amelia

it’s big.

a pause.

paul

i was working.

he pats his bag.

freelance. public reactions on the poppy weisz thing.

a pause.

go home, amelia.

Scene 4

a silence. they eat.

david

i was saying something.

amelia

mm?

david

what was i just saying?

amelia

oh, moving to a bigger place?

david

that’s it.

a pause.

how long do you think you can know a person before you know

you’re in love?

amelia

(laughing.)

what?

david

i love you. you know i love you.

amelia

i know.

david

i think you were right about growing up.

a pause.

do you want to move in with me?

amelia

(nearly choking.)

what?

david

shit.

amelia

what is going on?

david sighs and jerkily gets down

on one knee. he pulls out a ring

box.

david

i think it’s time for me to grow up. i am making a lot of

money, with this promotion. and i feel like a better person

with you in my life. i think that the best thing for me,

right now, is to be with you. it’s what i want. and that’s

something i’m good at: going after what i want. i love you.

amelia simonson, will you do me the honor of becoming my

wife?

amelia stares blankly.

amelia

you love me enough to propose to me this early?

david

…yes.

amelia

you think this is the best thing for you?

david

i know it’s the best thing for me.

amelia

do you think it’s the best thing for me?

david

i… i wouldn’t be asking you if i didn’t think that.

a pause.

amelia

okay.

david

okay?

amelia

i’m saying yes.

david gets up off of the ground and

pulls amelia into an embrace. she

doesn’t seem to know how to

respond. he takes the ring and puts

it on her finger, and kisses her.

they both sit down.

david

i just guessed on your ring size.

amelia

it feels tight.

david

i’m sorry, we can get it re-sized.