Play 241: Don’t Say I Didn’t Try

CHARACTERS
ANTHONY, early 20s
JOHN, early 20s

(Anthony is lying on a couch watching television in the common room of a fairly messy, small, apartment. John is sitting in a chair a couple feet away. There is a table in front of the couch littered with empty beer bottles and various other trash.)

JOHN
Come on.

ANTHONY
I don’t feel like it.

JOHN
You never do.

ANTHONY
So?

JOHN
Well you should get out.

ANTHONY
Why?

JOHN
Maybe you’ll meet someone.

ANTHONY
Maybe I won’t.

JOHN
Maybe you will.

ANTHONY
Maybe I don’t want to.

JOHN
Yeah, sure.

(Beat.)

ANTHONY
I don’t.

(Pause.)

JOHN
Just come out with me this once.

ANTHONY
No.

JOHN
You’re no fun.

ANTHONY
Good for me.

(Beat.)

JOHN
It’s not like you’re doing anything here.

ANTHONY
I am.

JOHN
Moping doesn’t count.

ANTHONY
I’m not moping.

JOHN
Then what are you doing?

ANTHONY
Watching TV.

(Beat.)

JOHN
You’re moping.

ANTHONY
(Annoyed.)
So what if I am?

JOHN
It’s pathetic.

ANTHONY
So what?

(Beat.)

Why do you care so much if I come anyways?

JOHN
I don’t know.

(Beat.)

I’m just tired of you lying around here feeling sorry for yourself and not doing anything about it.

ANTHONY
Yeah? Well fuck you too.

JOHN
Hey, you asked.

(Pause.)

Last chance.

ANTHONY
Do I need to say it again?

JOHN
Fine.

(He stands up.)

(Beat.)

I’m leaving.

ANTHONY
(Deadpan.)
Have fun.

JOHN
I will.

(Pause.)

ANTHONY
Don’t.

JOHN
What?

ANTHONY
Ask again.

JOHN
I wasn’t going to.

ANTHONY
Then why didn’t you just go?

JOHN
I was about to.

ANTHONY
Then go.

JOHN
I will.

(Beat.)

Don’t say I didn’t try.

(Anthony laughs bitterly.)

ANTHONY
Don’t worry about that.

(John exits.)

(Pause.)

(Anthony picks up a beer bottle off the table and tries to tack a sip from it, but realizes it’s empty. He angrily throws it back onto the table, knocking another bottle off and onto the ground.)

(Blackout.)