Free Topdog / Underdog by Suzan Lori Parks Page A

that easy, shes alive shes shes—.
     
    Lincoln
    Dead. Shes—
     
    Booth
    Dead.
     
    Lincoln
    Ima give you back yr stocking, man. Here, bro—
     
    Booth
    Only so long I can stand that little brother shit. Can only take it so long. Im telling you—
     
    Lincoln
    Take it back, man—
     
    Booth
    That little bro shit had to go—
     
    Lincoln
    Cool—
     
    Booth
    Like Booth went—
     
    Lincoln
    Here, 3-Card—
     
    Booth
    That Booth shit is over. 3-Cards thuh man now—
     
    Lincoln
    Ima give you yr stocking back, 3-Card—

    Booth
    Who thuh man now, huh? Who thuh man now?! Think you can fuck with me, motherfucker think again motherfucker think again! Think you can take me like Im just some chump some two lefthanded pussy dickbreath chump who you can take and then go laugh at. Aint laughing at me you was just laughing bunch uh bullshit and you know it.
     
    Lincoln
    Here. Take it.
     
    Booth
    I aint gonna be needing it. Go on. You won it you open it.
     
    Lincoln
    No thanks.
     
    Booth
    Open it open it open it open it. OPEN IT!!!
    (Rest)
    Open it up, bro.
     
    Lincoln
    Booth
     
    Lincoln brings the knife down to cut the stocking.
    In a flash, Booth grabs Lincoln from behind.
    He pulls his gun and thrusts it into the left side of Lincolns neck.
    They stop there poised.
     
    Lincoln
    Dont.
     
    Booth shoots Lincoln.
    Lincoln slumps forward, falling out of his chair and onto the floor. He lies there dead.
    Booth paces back and forth, like a panther in a cage, holding his gun.

    Booth
    Think you can take my shit? My shit. That shit was mines.
    I kept it. Saved it. All this while. Through thick and through thin. Through fucking thick and through fucking thin, motherfucker. And you just gonna come up in here and mock my shit and call me two lefthanded talking bout how she coulda been jiving me then go steal from me? My inheritance . You stole my inheritance , man. That aint right. That aint right and you know it. You had yr own. And you blew it. You blew it , motherfucker! I saved mines and you blew yrs. Thinking you all that and blew yr shit. And I saved mines.
    (Rest)
    You aint gonna be needing yr fucking money-roll no more, dead motherfucker, so I will pocket it thank you.
    (Rest)
    Watch me close watch me close now: Ima go out there and make a name for myself that dont have nothing to do with you. And 3-Cards gonna be in everybodys head and in everybodys mouth like Link was.
    (Rest)
    Ima take back my inheritance too. It was mines anyhow. Even when you stole it from me it was still mines cause she gave it to me. She didnt give it to you. And I been saving it all this while.
     
    He bends to pick up the money-filled stocking.
    Then he just crumples. As he sits beside Lincolns body, the money-stocking falls away.
    Booth holds Lincolns body, hugging him close. He sobs.
     
    Booth
    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
     
     
    End of Play

Topdog/Underdog is copyright © 1999, 2001, 2002 by Suzan-Lori Parks
     
    Topdog/Underdog is published by Theatre Communications Group, Inc., 520 Eighth Avenue, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10018-4156.
     
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