The Red Line

Act I - Tendencies

Scene one

It's an ice cold night in mid-January. The parties have come and gone. People are still writing the previous years on their checks by mistake. The city is quiet. The sky is clear. We're at the corner of Conneticut and 17th, at the top of the escalators to Farrugut North's Metro stop. Two men are working on a set of escalators. They are dressed in dark blue metro clothing and black hats. One of the men, Metro Worker 1, is older, walks with a limp and talks with a gruff. Metro Worker 2 is in his mid-thirties, amaible and goes out of his way to help the old man.

A young woman walks by entering stage right, huddled up in a coat, miserable. We hear her big boots stomp across stage. She only looks down and at the ground. A young man walks in stage left, right as the young sadly beautiful woman walks off the stage. They both pause with their backs to eachother. She continues walking away. He turns, sees her walking and continues past the metro workers and down the escalators in a rush.

Metro Worker 1: Hey, son. Grab that wrench for me.
Metro Worker 2: No prob, Pops. (Hands him the wrench)

Quiet, huh? Like even the city sounds are too fucking froozen to move. And here we are fixing the escalators. Always the up escalators, huh Pops? Why is that?

Metro Worker 1: (Hands back the wrench) Gravity, son.
Metro Worker 2: You need what?
Metro Worker 1: No, you idiot. It's why the up escalators break more often - Gravity. Now, hand me the screw driver.
Metro Worker 2: (Takes the wrench back and hands Metro Worker 1 the screw driver) Right. You don't have to call me an idiot, you know.
Metro Worker 1: What am I suppose to call an idiot then?
Metro Worker 2: Ha, you're a joker, old man. Here let me do that for you.
Metro Worker 1: 'Bout time you made yourself useful.
(They switch and Metro Worker 1 stars up at the sky.)
Metro Worker 2: You could try being nice to me sometime.
Metro Worker 1: I am being nice.
Metro Worker 2: I'm just saying.
Metro Worker 1: It is quiet tonight. Beautiful though. Even the stars look a little sharper.
Metro Worker 2: Hey, old man. Looks like we need to tighten the chain here.
Metro Worker 1: well, tighten it. You know where the wrench is.
Metro Worker 2: Thanks, pops.
Metro Worker 1: Hey, how's that family of yours. You feeding that kid enough?
Metro Worker 2: They're good. The Mrs is looking for a new job. Jr. is the best thing you could ask for.
Metro Worker 1: Good to hear.
Metro Worker 2: He's got these big eyes, always watching, and he's got some grip already.
Metro Worker 1: He's a fighter. You all enjoy that turkey I sent over?
Metro Worker 2: That was you, pops? We had no idea. No name on it or nothing. Hey, Thanks, pops!
Metro Worker 1: Don't mention it. I get it from the veteran's affairs office for being shot in the leg in Korea.
(beat)
What is an old grump like me going to do a big fat bird anyway.
Metro Worker 2: Hell, Pops! Thank you. He has a heart after all.
Metro Worker 1: AH, don't mention it.

Sirens in the background

Metro Worker 2: The quiet can't last all that long, huh pops?