"Replacing Todd Baker" - Scene 1
INT Office. Dull. MAN sits behind desk. He is in a suit, but disheveled. The clock on the wall is at about 10:12. There is a simple chair on the other side of the desk. It’s empty.
Door opens on left. MAN #2, presumably a guard of some kind, pops his head in.
MAN #2: I can’t believe you’re here. It’s what, 10:15? The odds of this working are slim.
MAN: (sighs, looks to clock, then back at MAN #2): It’s not my job to decide whether this is right or how it gets done. I just ask some questions, check some boxes, and it’s out of my hands.
MAN #2: Well then. I’ll grab him.
MAN #2 closes the door. MAN stands, straightens his tie. The door opens. MAN #2 enters and motions to someone out of view. ERIC enters gingerly. He is of normal build, perhaps a bit scrawny. He’s wearing jeans and an untucked button down shirt. His head is lowered.
MAN: (gestures to ERIC) Come now, sit, sit. We have much to discuss.
ERIC sits in the chair. MAN picks up a folder from his desk and opens it. He leans on the edge of the desk and opens the folder.
MAN: Eric, correct? Eric Williams?
ERIC: (nods) Yes sir.
MAN leafs through folder for about 20 seconds. There is silence.
MAN: Well, Mr. Williams, let’s make history.
MAN moves back around his desk and sits.
ERIC: (softly) Do you think we’re going to make it?
MAN: I honestly don’t know, seeing as this hasn’t been done before. By my guess, I need to approve this by 11:45 to make it work. My man out in the hall will make the necessary arrangements after that. Now, we talk.
ERIC: (A little bit stronger) I… I just really want this to work.
MAN: Look, Mr. Williams. I am not going to pass judgment on this plan that’s been concocted because it is not my place to do so. But know that these next ninety minutes will weigh on me far more than they can on you.
ERIC: I hate to interrupt sir, but if this works, nothing will weigh on me after tonight.
MAN: Of course. Let’s begin.
MAN reopens folders, puts on glasses.
MAN: We have confirmed that you are Eric M. Williams of 164 Stewart Avenue, Apartment 3B. Do you dispute this?
ERIC: No, I do not.
MAN: What’s the M stand for?
ERIC: Excuse me?
MAN: Your middle initial. The M.
ERIC: Nothing actually. It was always just M.
MAN: (to himself more the ERIC) Truman did that too.
ERIC: What?
MAN: Truman. His middle initial was just S because it appeased both sides of the family. Come to think of it… was Grant like that too? Ulysses S Grant… What was the S for…
MAN fades into thought. ERIC waits.
MAN: Simpson! That’s it. Or Sampson I think. Either way, not like Truman. Or you, of course.
ERIC: (somewhat befuddled) Of course.
MAN: Anywho, let’s move along. I’m sorry to go off on tangents like that - I guess it helps me defuse the situation.
ERIC: I understand.
MAN: So where were we… Apartment 3B, yes. It says here you’re a few months late on rent.
ERIC: Four.
MAN: (to himself) Four. (to Eric) And your landlord hasn’t hassled you about it?
ERIC: He’s been kept abreast of my… err… condition.
MAN: And what condition is that?
ERIC looks at MAN with a blank face. The MAN's face is buried in the folder. He looks up as if to coax an answer and sees ERIC looking at him.
MAN: Oh, right. My apologies, Mr. Williams. It’s a bit late and all.
ERIC: And getting later.
MAN: (answers swiftly, agitated) Do you think I don’t know that?!?
Silence in the room. ERIC is looking down. MAN realizes he overreacted, takes off his glasses, brings his fingers to his nose and rubs where the glasses go.
MAN: Sorry. It’s the whole…
ERIC: It’s okay.
MAN: (swiftly, in an effort to move on) Okay then. So your landlord knows and your things are all taken care of. Good. Now, I have here a list of crimes that you have, in the past, denied being a part of. I will run down the list, we’ll fill in some blanks, answer some unanswered questions, etc. Then you get to sign some things and we should be set. So, let’s hop to it.
ERIC: I’m ready.
MAN: Good. We’ll work backwards. The most recent crime you were suspected of committing is an armed robbery six weeks ago outside of Tulsa. Is this correct?
ERIC: I believe so, yes.
MAN: Alright. And at this armed robbery, you were one of two suspects that physically entered the facility you were robbing while your driver waited outside.
ERIC: Yes.
MAN: It says here that as the bank manager opened the vault, one staff member under a desk tried to use a special buzzer to alert police. According to witnesses, you were the one that discovered this staff member and proceeded to shoot this person in their left thigh as punishment.
ERIC: Sounds about right.
MAN: (agitated) Don’t you remember what happened the last time you pointed a gun at someone? Or is this all a big fucking joke to you, Mr Williams?
ERIC: (remains calm) That wasn’t the last time.
MAN: (still agitated) What did you say?
ERIC: I said that wasn’t the last time…
MAN looks confused.
ERIC: … that I pointed a gun at someone.
MAN: Oh for fuck’s sake.
MAN puts down folder. Puts down glasses. Breathes deeply to calm himself down.
MAN: Why are you doing this?
ERIC: Excuse me?
MAN: This. What’s happening tonight. Why are you doing it?
ERIC: (seems confused) I… I don’t know… It’s just right.
MAN sighs.
MAN: It’s just right. Mr. Williams, if all goes to plan, you will die tonight at midnight.
ERIC pauses, looks up at MAN, looks down.
ERIC: I understand the gravity of my decision thank you.
MAN: I don’t think you do. I think you knew you were cornered and that this was an easy way out that you happened to fall into.
ERIC: We’re running out of time.
MAN: It’s my time, Mr Williams, not yours. And it’d be best for you to remember that. If I stall enough, this doesn’t happen, and the weight is off my shoulders.
ERIC: My weight, maybe, but not Todd Baker’s weight.
MAN sighs. Pauses.
MAN: Why are you doing this?
ERIC pauses.
ERIC: Because Todd Baker deserves to live. And I… I…
MAN: … Deserve to die.
Knock on door. MAN #2 pops head in, looks to MAN.
MAN: Ah, yes. Bring it in.
A WOMAN enters the room carrying a thin paper grocery bag.
MAN: Great, you can set it right here.
WOMAN sets bag on desk. MAN takes out his wallet, looks through it.
MAN: Ah, fuck. I don’t have enough.
MAN looks towards door. Begins to call to MAN #2.
ERIC: No, no.
ERIC reaches to his back pocket. Pulls out cash. Reaches out to WOMAN.
MAN & WOMAN look surprised. WOMAN looks at MAN. He nods. She takes the cash and leaves. Door closes. MAN reaches into bag and pulls out a bottle of whiskey. He twists open the cap and takes a swig. He reaches the bottle towards ERIC. ERIC declines. MAN sets the whiskey on the table, moves the bag to the floor and sits again.
MAN: When was the last time you pointed a gun at someone?
ERIC: This morning.
MAN: And at whom were you pointed the gun?
ERIC pauses.
ERIC: Myself.
MAN sighs again. Opens desk drawers to look for something. On the third drawer he finds what he’s looking for. He pulls out two glasses. Pours scotch into one. Motions to the other.
ERIC: I’m okay.
MAN: (set off by his refusal for a drink) Damn it Mr Williams, I don’t care for any of this. It’s 10:20 at night and I’m in a random state penitentiary in Oklahoma at the request of people far more powerful than I helping a suicidal career criminal be swapped out for a man on death row that might be innocent but is scheduled to die at midnight anyway.
MAN drinks his scotch. Slams the glass down.
ERIC: (tries to defuse the situation) You forgot about the cancer.
MAN looks at ERIC and shakes his head. ERIC motions to the glass. MAN pours them both scotch. ERIC takes his glass, sips slowly. MAN chugs his down and sets the empty glass down again.
ERIC: Looks like somebody’s in for a rough night.
MAN looks at ERIC. He’s exacerbated.
END SCENE
"Replacing Todd Baker" would be a drama set in the mid-1900s. Todd Baker is a death-row inmate who may be innocent, but courts have refused to stay his execution scheduled for midnight. Eric is, as the interviewer describes in the first scene, a suicidal career criminal with terminal cancer. In a plan concocted by subjects unknown, and for reasons unknown, Eric has come to be in a position where he can replace Todd and die in his place at midnight. The play follows the interview of Eric by a mid-level official who probably is asking more questions than he should. As Eric’s life story unravels, and the clock gets closer to midnight, the unnamed interviewer must grapple with the final decision: does Todd Baker die, or does Eric?
The twist of the ending is that the interviewer doesn’t decide; the audience does. Before the final scene, the audience votes on who lives, and who dies. There are two final scenes written, and either can be performed within moments of the audience’s decision.
This project turned out a bit darker than I expected, but I’m pretty satisfied with where my scene went and how it could be expanded into a full production. Your move, Eric. (That’s my friend and competition Eric, not the suicidal career criminal with terminal cancer Eric that I just introduced you to.)
-Rob
