Free Shot by David Christner
This Play is the copyright of the Author and may not be performed, copied or sold without the Author's prior consent
ACT I, SCENE IV
LIGHTS COME UP on DAVID outside Lauren's kitchen. He's sitting on
the stoop and sorting through the contents of a manila envelope. After
a few moments, LAUREN ENTERS FROM THE KITCHEN. She is carrying a large
scrapbook.
LAUREN: Here it is. This is really all I know about him.
DAVID: I'll check this against what I got off the Web.
LAUREN: The story's about me; why do you need to know about my dad?
DAVID: Because people will be interested in where your natural
athletic ability came from.
LAUREN: Believe me it has more to do with hard work than it does with
genes.
DAVID: I know that, but being gifted doesn't hurt. And people are
interested this kind of thing. Bobby Bonds and Rick Barry, Bob Griese,
Phil Simms, Bill Walton-all these guys have sons who are gifted
athletes that followed in their footsteps.
DAVID: Not much here that I don't already have.
LAUREN: Do you have the piece on the accident?
DAVID: No I didn't have that, but . . .
LAUREN: What?
DAVID: What do you know about his parents-your grandparents?
LAUREN: Nothing.
DAVID: What?
LAUREN: Off the record?
DAVID: Of course.
LAUREN: I've never met them. I don't even think they know about
me.
DAVID: This doesn't make sense.
LAUREN: Yes, it does.
DAVID: There are no dates on these clippings.
LAUREN: I don't think they were ever married.
DAVID: What?
LAUREN: I think Mother got pregnant and ran off-because she
wasn't married. Maybe he got killed before they had a chance to get
married. Maybe he wasn't going to marry her at all. I just don't
know. All I know is: Mother moved west, took his name for us, and
never looked back. She never even told his parents about me. Are you
listening?
DAVID: Yeah, yeah, I'm listening, but-I've got to double-check
some stuff. You okay?
LAUREN: I'm fine. Why? Shouldn't I be?
DAVID: No, you should be.
LAUREN: What's wrong? I know that look; your mind is racing a
million miles a second. What's going on?
DAVID: I can't believe a woman wouldn't tell a couple that they
have a grandchild-even if illegitimate.
LAUREN: You don't know my mother.
DAVID: Do you?
LAUREN: Well, yeah . . . I think so.
DAVID: Let me take these clippings; I'll be back tonight.
LAUREN: With a full report?
DAVID: Yeah. (Throws her the ball.) Work on those free shots.
LAUREN: I shoot 90 percent from the line.
DAVID: So you got some room to improve. Get to work. I'll see you
later.
DAVID exits. Lauren starts shooting around the perimeter of the
basketball court, working on her jump shot and lay-ups rather than her
free shots. After a moment, AARON KINGSLEY ENTERS UPSTAGE, stands in
the shadows and watches her. Lauren sees him, keeps shooting, then
holds the ball and turns to him.
LAUREN: Can I help you?
AARON: You sure can.
LAUREN: How?
AARON: By signing a letter of intent with Connecticut Wesleyan.
LAUREN: You went there?
AARON: Yep . . . Aaron Kingsley. I'm also the women's varsity
basketball coach and Athletic Director. I sent you a letter.
LAUREN: A lot of people sent letters. (A beat.) You were an All
American and All Pro guard with the Celtics, right?
AARON: A few years ago.
LAUREN: Let's see what you got, Coach.
He puts up a jumper and misses.
LAUREN: That why you quit?
AARON: Wheels went bad on me.
LAUREN: So Connecticut Wesleyan brought you back to build a program?
AARON: Something like that.
LAUREN: For women?
AARON: Basketball is basketball. It's all I know, and I needed a
job.
LAUREN: You came all the way out here just to see me?
AARON: No, I was in town for the NCAA meeting. I sent you a letter
that I'd stop by.
LAUREN: Don't think I got that one, but my mom might have
intercepted it. How 'bout some one on one?
AARON: I don't think so.
LAUREN: Afraid of being beaten by a girl?
AARON: I'm not the man I once was.
LAUREN: And I'm not the woman I'm going to be.
AARON: You have a way with words.
LAUREN: Thanks. Have a great jump shot too. Come on!
AARON: All right. I'll give it a go.
LAUREN: Better take off that tie; don't want you to choke.
He slips off his tie and takes off his dress shirt, but keeps his
T-shirt on. They start to play, and Lauren pretty much has her way
with him-driving past him for lay-ups and stopping for quick
jumpers.
LAUREN: You're not trying!
AARON: It's the forty years not the effort. The will is there, but
not the means. But come on, I'm not done yet.
Lauren starts to drive, trips on his foot and falls down scraping her
knee. She stays down, examining her knee.
LAUREN: Damn!
AARON: Jeeze, I'm sorry. You okay?
LAUREN: Yeah, I'm fine; it's just a "flesh wound" as they
say.
AARON: Still, you ought to clean it up some.
LAUREN: Yeah, I will.
AARON: Need a hand.
LAUREN: Ah-yeah. Come on in. (They start for the kitchen.) By the
way, I'm Lauren Alexander.
AARON: I know who you are.
They enter the kitchen.
LAUREN: Want a drink?
AARON: Sure, thanks.
Lauren sits down and looks at her knee.
LAUREN: Tap water's the best I can offer. There's a glass in the
drainer. (He runs water into a glass.) So why should I go to
Connecticut Wesleyan when I could go to UCONN or Oklahoma.
ARRON: You want to play or ride the bench for a couple of years?
LAUREN: But one of those schools will probably win a national
championship-maybe a couple in the next four years.
AARON: Lauren, at the risk of losing you before we even begin, I have
to tell you that simply playing is what's important. Play as hard as
you can; be satisfied with your effort, and have a good time is my
philosophy. Any player that gives it their best effort is a winner in
my book. Are you with me on that?
LAUREN: I don't know. I like to win.
AARON: Makes you feel-what-powerful?
LAUREN: I guess so.
AARON: Domineering?
LAUREN: Domineering-I don't know. I never thought of it that way.
It's just a game.
AARON: That's right, a game. Don't forget that.
LAUREN: But if you don't win, you'll be out of a job. You have to
win.
AARON: And we do. We won 22 games last years, lost eight, and
everybody enjoyed playing. In our program everybody graduates, and
every athlete has a life outside of basketball.
LAUREN: Well, my mother would be impressed. And I never thought I'd
hear that kind of talk coming from a recruiter, but
still-Connecticut is so far away.
AARON: I can't do anything about that; not even offer you an
alumni's jet for weekend trips, but I can assure you and your
parents-
LAUREN: There's just my mom.
AARON: -that Connecticut Wesleyan is a totally safe environment.
LAUREN: Mom knows that. She did some graduate work there back in the
80s.
AARON: Okay, so you could keep up the family tradition.
LAUREN: Maybe.
AARON: Let me get you something for that knee.
LAUREN: Just wet a paper towel. I'll dress it later.
AARON wets a paper towel, goes to Lauren, kneels down and begins
washing her knee. As does this, KATE ENTERS.
KATE: Lauren . . . Lauren!
LAUREN: Hi, Mom. This is Aaron Kingsley, Coach and Athletic Director
at Connecticut Wesleyan.
KATE freezes for a moment as Aaron rises and turns to greet her. When
he sees her, he too freezes. Then Kate calmly digs into her handbag
for her Beretta, removes it and fires three shots into Aaron's
abdomen. He falls to the floor.
LAUREN: Mother!
BLACKOUT
END ACT I
[end of extract]
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