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Foul Ball - An American Soap Opera

Altenir Silva

Chapter Four

 

Lights come up on the apartment of LOMAR. He is happy and excited. He holds a wine glass and walks back and forth. Then he stops, looks at his watch, and walks again. The intercom buzzes. He picks the phone.

 

LOMAR

(On the phone.)

Hello? (…) Peggy? (…) Right… I'm waiting…

 

(Lomar hangs up, looks at the mirror, breathes deeply, and sips his wine.)

 

(The bell rings. Lomar opens the door.)

 

(MARGOT - dressed seductively - enters.)

 

MARGOT

Hi...

 

LOMAR

(Looking at her.)

Wow! You're so beautiful!

 

MARGOT

Thank you! Mr…?

 

LOMAR

Wellman... William A. Wellman. Nice to meet you.

 

MARGOT

Me too.

 

LOMAR

Please have a seat.

 

MARGOT

Thank you.

 

(Margot sits down.)

 

LOMAR

Would you like a drink?

 

MARGOT

Yeah.

 

LOMAR

A dry-martini, whiskey or wine?

MARGOT

Wine, please.

 

LOMAR

Sure!

 

(Lomar picks up another glass, pours wine into it and hands to her.)

 

MARGOT

Thank you.

 

LOMAR

It's my pleasure. Cheers.

 

MARGOT

(Gets up.)

Cheers.

 

(They toast and sip.)

 

LOMAR

I should pay you before or...?

 

MARGOT

What do you prefer?

 

LOMAR

I don't know, I mean, whatever you want.

 

MARGOT

Later.

 

LOMAR

Right.

 

(Silence.)

 

LOMAR

Well, what should I do?

 

MARGOT

I don't know... Do you want me to take my clothes off?

 

LOMAR

Are you sure?

 

MARGOT

Yes. I can do it.

 

LOMAR

Can I put on a song?

 

MARGOT

Please.

 

LOMAR

What about Bob Dylan?

 

MARGOT

I think it doesn't match with the situation.

 

LOMAR

You're right! Sorry. I'll get something more appropriate.

 

(Lomar turns on the stereo. We hear a love song.)

 

MARGOT

I-I don't like this type of music. I prefer something more vibrant, like Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, or even Britney.

 

LOMAR

Old pop, huh?

 

MARGOT

If you want that, I could be one of them.

 

LOMAR

Really?

 

MARGOT

Yeah... any of them.

 

LOMAR

You don't mind doing Taylor Swift for me?

 

MARGOT

Taylor Swift? All right. You're paying, by the way.

 

LOMAR

Thank you.

 

(They place the wine glasses on the coffee table. Lomar puts a Taylor Swift song on the stereo.)

 

LOMAR

The stage is yours.

 

(Margot begins to lip-sync the song in a private show. Lomar glances excitedly at her.)

 

LOMAR

What do you think about a striptease?

 

MARGOT

(Dancing.)

What?

 

LOMAR

A striptease!

 

MARGOT

Okay.

 

(She begins to take off her clothes.)

 

LOMAR

I love you!

 

(He grabs Margot, and kisses her.)

 

LOMAR

I love you, Peggy!

 

(She pushes him away and continues doing the sensual dance.)

 

LOMAR

Peggy! Peggy! You're unbelievable!

 

(She stops the dance.)

 

MARGOT

Stop it!

 

LOMAR

What's up?

 

MARGOT

(Angrily.)

Stop it!  

 

(Lomar turns off the stereo.)

 

LOMAR

What's the matter?

 

MARGOT

I don't want more this shit.

 

LOMAR

What's going on, Peggy?

 

MARGOT

My name is Margot! Stop this stupid thing.

 

LOMAR

I thought you were enjoying it.

 

MARGOT

I'm tired of all that shit. I hate doing it. I won't do this crap anymore.

 

LOMAR

Sorry... I didn't know that it bothered you so much.

 

MARGOT

It does.

 

LOMAR

We've agreed to do some steps to spice up our sex lives.

 

MARGOT

Okay, I understand you, but I just wanna be myself. I don't want more of these roles…

 

LOMAR

I just thought you... as you're an actress, I thought that—

 

MARGOT

It happens that-that… Lomar, you know, this shit is not my real life. Can you understand that?

 

LOMAR

Sure. Well, well… Sorry. Really sorry, honey.

 

MARGOT

Do you understand me?

 

LOMAR

Yes, yes. Of course. I don't know what to say…

 

(Silence.)

 

MARGOT

Lomar.

 

LOMAR

Yes?

 

MARGOT

We've been married almost five years…

 

LOMAR

So...?

 

MARGOT

You know, I think… I think it's time… I want to have a baby.

 

LOMAR

What?

 

MARGOT

I want to have a baby.

 

LOMAR

But— But— You… you said, no children. You said it could ruin your business.

 

MARGOT

I know, I know. I've changed my mind.

 

LOMAR

Since...?

 

MARGOT

It doesn't matter.

 

LOMAR

Are you serious?

 

MARGOT

Yes, of course. I think it's the right time… I feel it.

 

LOMAR

Wow! I need to digest all that.

 

MARGOT

What?

 

LOMAR

I liked the idea, I mean, I like this idea, you know, but— but—, on the other hand, I think it isn't the moment.

 

MARGOT

Why not?

 

LOMAR

I don't know… I don't know… I have to think about that.

 

MARGOT

Lomar, it's now or never.

 

LOMAR

And your job?

 

MARGOT

I don't want more that job.

 

LOMAR

What? That role was your dream. I don't know why you've changed your mind?

 

MARGOT

Lomar... please... let's get out of this town.

 

LOMAR

Why?

 

MARGOT

There's another place for us. We can go to California. Or we can go back to Miami, huh?

 

LOMAR

Margot, what happened?

 

MARGOT

I just want to get away from this place.

 

LOMAR

Why? I-I don't— Margot, please, tell me why?

 

(Margot freezes.)

 

(Blackout.)

 

(The lights come up on a hotel room. Earlier. Hall and Margot. She is scared and crying during this scene.)

 

HALL

It's your big chance. Many famous actors started up on soup operas. Anyway, your character will be a great villain in this season. It will be great for you to shine up your career. Don't forget that your Lady Macbeth flopped.

 

(Pause.)

 

MARGOT

(Holding a paper.)

It's horrible. I shouldn't do that.

 

HALL

Yeah. You should do that. Please, just sign the paper. You know, it's a nondisclosure agreement. We have to avoid sexual harassment things. It will be good for me and the best for you.

 

MARGOT

It is not right… You forced me.

 

HALL

Forget that day. Think about your career.

 

MARGOT

I don't know. I should report you.

 

HALL

Really? What about your boyfriend? What would he say about this shit, huh?

 

MARGOT

I feel so bad. I'm a Faust.

 

HALL

It's showbiz, sweetie! All of us are Faust.

 

(Silence.)

 

MARGOT

(To herself.)

What am I doing with my life?

 

HALL

Being smart.

 

MARGOT

Oh God!

 

(Pause.)

 

HALL

I have no time. I have a lot of auditions to do.

 

MARGOT

I can't.

 

HALL

You have no choice. The baseball player will never forgive you. And you know, you'll never be on the pages of Variety. Think about that, huh?

 

(Pause.)

 

HALL

Be a good girl.

 

(He hands a pen to her.)

 

(Blackout.)

 

(The lights come up on Lomar and Margot. Present time. They are on the same spot.)

 

LOMAR

I thought that role in the soap opera—

 

MARGOT

I quit my job. I'll look for a new role. I'll have new chances on TV.

 

(Pause.)

 

LOMAR

Alright… it's your decision, and I respect it.

 

MARGOT

Thank you.

 

(She hugs him.)

 

LOMAR

Well, well. I think you're right. Maybe it's the time to have a baby.

 

MARGOT

I love you so much.

 

(They kiss.)

 

MARGOT

Lomar, I need to talk to you.

 

LOMAR

Yeah?

 

MARGOT

I did something bad...

 

LOMAR

What're you talking about?

 

MARGOT

Well, after my audition... I-I...

 

LOMAR

I'm getting worried.

 

MARGOT

When I went to the hotel to talk about my role… I-I- I did a bad thing for you... for us...

 

(Blackout.)

 

(The lights come up on the audition room. Later. Martin and Margot.)

 

MARTIN

Hi! Good to see you.

 

MARGOT

Thanks for having me, Martin.

 

MARTIN

How're you doing?

 

MARGOT

I'm trying to remake myself.

 

MARTIN

I heard about your complaint against that sonuvabitch.

 

MARGOT

Yeah. It was very hard... but I had to do something.

 

MARTIN

You did the right thing. Unbelievable! He obliged you to sign a paper, so you couldn't report him for sexual harassment. It was a shame!

 

MARGOT

I changed my mind and I blasted all that shit.

 

MARTIN

Hall Conrad... that sonuvabitch will lose everything and he will never be in the showbiz again.

 

MARGOT

I hope so.

 

MARTIN

He ruined my life, too.

 

MARGOT

I think Hall has been fucking all people that meet him.

 

MARTIN

Yep. He's a class-A jerk.

(Beat.)

And your boyfriend?... The baseball player—

 

MARGOT

We broke up after all that shit... he went back to Miami.

 

MARTIN

Oh, I'm sorry for you Margot, I really am.

 

MARGOT

Thank you. And how's the case about your son?

 

MARTIN

I got a joint legal custody. I'm happy.

 

MARGOT

Good.

 

MARTIN

You know, It's the game of life, and I'm trying to hit home runs left and right.

 

MARGOT

I got it.

 

MARTIN

Well, I think this new play will be good for us.

 

MARGOT

I hope so.

 

MARTIN

Well, then let's move on.

 

MARGOT

Right. I'm ready.

 

MARTIN

Cool. Shakespeare to Euripides. Here we go.

 

MARGOT

Medea is so intense as Lady Macbeth!

 

MARTIN

Sure. Then you can get started!

 

MARGOT

Right.

 

(MARTIN checks out the script.)

 

MARTIN

Well… Ready? Then, let's go!

 

(Lights up on Margot.)

 

(She closes her eyes, breathes deeply, then…)

 

MARGOT

(As Medea.)

I can't stand this shame... this pain... What do I do with my misery? I wish I could die!

 

(Blackout.)

 

TO BE CONTINUED

The next chapter: The Epilogue

 

 

To Read the First Three Chapters:

Click Here

 

 

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Altenir Silva | Scene4 Magazine

Altenir Silva is a Brazilian playwright and screenwriter. In 2019, he won the Best Feature Screenplay at Prisma International Film Awards in Rome with The Sunrise Man (co-written with Ben Fiore, based on a story by director Werner Schumann). This screenplay was also nominated as a Top Finalist, 2017, Hollywood Hills Screenplay Awards, CA, US. In 2017 his short-play "Friendship" was published in "One Minute Plays: A Practical Guide to Tiny Theatre" (Routledge UK). In 2014 he received the Award of Excellence from Shakespeare at The Burg Theatre Festival (Middleburg, VA) for the play "The Idea". In Brazil, he worked as a scriptwriter for several TV shows at Globo TV, Record TV, CNT TV. He also wrote the feature films "Belarmino & Gabriela" (2007), "The Salt of the Earth" (2008), "Japan Connection" (2008), "Curitiba Zero Degrees" (2010) and "Moses and The Ten Commandments" (2015). For more of his writings in Scene4, check the Archives.

©2021 Altenir Silva
©2021 Publication Scene4 Magazine

 

 

 

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