Play 218: Words I Can’t Pull Off

CHARACTERS
VINCENT, 17
AARON, 17

(They are sitting watching TV.)

VINCENT
You know what I’ve noticed?

AARON
What?

VINCENT
There’s some words that, as a white person, I cannot pull off at all.

AARON
Like what?

VINCENT
Baby.

AARON
True.

(Beat.)

What else?

VINCENT
Ain’t.

AARON
Yeah.

VINCENT
Or word.

AARON
Well yeah, of course.

VINCENT
I know it’s obvious, I’m just saying.

(Beat.)

Or son.

AARON
What?

VINCENT
Son.

AARON
How can’t you pull that off?

VINCENT
Well, not in its normal meaning. But like, as in “You know it son!”

AARON
Oh, yeah.

(Beat.)

You definitely cannot pull that off.

VINCENT
Yeah.

(Beat.)

Know what word like no one can pull off though, I mean not just white people?

AARON
What?

VINCENT
Gangsta.

(Aaron cringes.)

VINCENT
I know.

AARON
I can’t believe you said that.

VINCENT
It was just to make a point.

AARON
Still.

(Beat.)

It’s just sad.

VINCENT
I know.

(Beat.)

Not even gangstas can pull off “gangsta.”

AARON
True.

(Beat.)

And Vincent?

VINCENT
Yeah?

AARON
Never say that word again.

(Beat.)

Ever.

(Blackout.)