(1950’s. Prison interior. Wooden electric chair is center stage. Stage Right: red phone on a small table. Stage Left: wall-panel with dials, gauges, and large breaker switch with safety catch. Center Stage: above and behind chair is institutional-type clock that moves the minute hand with a loud Click-Clack. Onstage is PRIEST with CONVICT bound to chair. Clock is barely heard ticking.)
CLICK-CLACK
(Minute hand moves to 11:55. GUARD enters Stage Right with a water pail. Pauses, locks eyes with CONVICT)
PRIEST: In this hour of tribulation, Lord show forgiveness for this soul, so that…
CONVICT: Can it, Father. I got business with the Executioner-Man. (GUARD crosses to panel, checks dials)
PRIEST: May the Lord have mercy on your soul.
CONVICT: It’s his soul that needs mercy, Father. (PRIEST Exits) He’s the real killer here. So what is your career total?
GUARD: (Emotionless) 17.
CONVICT: Is that all? In what? 8 years?
GUARD: 5.
CONVICT: Shoot man, you’re barely averaging 3 a year. That’s not going to get you into the Hangman Hall of Fame. Pretty cushy job, Mikey, only doing the dirty work three times a year.
GUARD: Guess banking was harder, Joe.
CONVICT: Damn straight, Mikey. Worked my ass off for that bank. Not that they ever appreciated it.
GUARD: That why you embezzled the money?
CONVICT: I EARNED that money! (GUARD glances at clock – 11:55:45) How much time have I got?
GUARD: Just over 4.
CONVICT: I ain’t worried. My lawyers are hounding the Governor right now. That phone will be ringing any moment. (They stare at the phone for an eternal 5 seconds until)
CLICK-CLACK
(CONVICT jumps a little) (GUARD picks up pail. Moves to electric chair. Starts fastening electric conductor bands.)
CONVICT: (With forced camaraderie) Hey Mike, it’s… it’s good to see you again. How long has it been anyway?
GUARD: 9 years.
CONVICT: Whew! Time flies when you’re busy, huh?
GUARD: Yeah.
CONVICT: Look, I know the bank took all my time. I’m sorry. I didn’t have time for friends. I knew you, of all people, would understand because we’re blood brothers, Mike. All the crap we did together! Nothing can change that. We knew we’d always be there for each other, watching each other’s back. Just like we promised. Bank life didn’t give me much time for a social life. Shoot, not even for girlfriends. (Weak laugh) Remember how we used to double date? Always surprised me that you let me go out with your sister. And you with uh… what was her name?
GUARD: Rachel.
CONVICT: Rachel! Yeah, Rachel… so how is Melissa these days?
GUARD: Fine.
CONVICT: Still pining over me?
GUARD: No.
CONVICT: Oh right. Guess not, huh?
CLICK-CLACK
(Startles CONVICT. GUARD takes hand-sponge from pail. Starts dousing electrical bands)
CONVICT: Uh, what’s the sponge bath for, Mikey?
GUARD: So you don’t catch fire.
CONVICT: (Visibly shaken) Look Mike, we need to talk. (In a stage whisper) I know you can fix this, Mike. I just need some time.
GUARD: Nothing I can do.
CONVICT: Mike, I still have connections. I can get you out of here, into a real job, paying real money. A LOT of money.
GUARD: Money you stole?
CONVICT: Mike! You’re the Man here. You run this stuff. Pull a fuse or a plug or something. Anything. Hell, give IT the damn sponge bath.
GUARD: I can’t.
CONVICT: Why, the hell, not?
GUARD: You’ve been convicted.
CONVICT: In case you didn’t notice Mike, this is NOT in my best interests. We’re supposed to look out for each. We’re blood brothers, Mike!
GUARD: It was murder, Joe.
CLICK-CLACK
(CONVICT whips his head around, trying to see the clock.)
CONVICT: (Becoming frantic) I didn’t mean to kill her, Mike. I swear to God, I didn’t.
GUARD: The jury thought different.
CONVICT: It was an accident. We had an argument and I lost my temper. Please, Mike, you have to believe me.
GUARD: It was first degree.
CONVICT: It just happened. I went a little crazy, I didn’t mean to hurt her.
GUARD: They said it was premeditated.
CONVICT: No! No, it was an accident, I swear. You know I wouldn’t lie to you. Mike, I loved her. We just didn’t tell anybody because she worked for me.
GUARD: And she found out.
CLICK-CLACK
(CONVICT begins to crack from stress.)
CONVICT: (With growing anger) Yes. Okay. She was my secretary and she overheard one of my phone conversations. She found out that I was skimming some funds.
GUARD: And you killed her.
CONVICT: Yes! There, are you happy? Yes, I killed her. And yes, I planned it. So now you’re going to kill me? What are you going to tell Melissa? “Hey, torched your old boyfriend yesterday!” What a HIT you’ll be at the family reunion. “Hey everybody, remember good ol’ Joe? I fried him last month. Lucky number 18!”
GUARD: She didn’t deserve to die.
CONVICT: She was going to the cops! All I had worked for, all my plans were going to be ruined because she couldn’t keep her mouth shut. So I shut her up. Who cares? She was nothing!
GUARD: She was somebody’s sister. (10 seconds to go – GUARD puts hand on switch)
CONVICT: She was a WHØRE! She was sleeping with me to keep her lousy job. She should have kept her mouth shut! (5 seconds to go – GUARD removes safety catch.) I’M YOUR BEST FRIEND, HOW CAN YOU DO THIS? HOW WILL YOU LIVE WITH YOURSELF? HOW…
CLICK-CLACK
(GUARD pushes down switch. Lights dim, electric hum sounds. CONVICT convulses, stops. GUARD pushes up switch, lights come back up. Pauses. )
GUARD: (First sign of emotion.) She could have been my sister, Joe.
