2009

"A Streetcar named

Desire"
A young man, involved in
an open relationship with
two men, was forced to
choose between the man
he loves and the man who
provides for him.

Van Kirk M. Perlas

Writing for Theatre
7/14/2009
 CHARACTERS

ACHAN: A YOUNG MAN, IN HIS EARLY TWENTIES, RACED IN A WELL-

OFF FAMILY WHO RECENTLY SUFFERED A SUDDEN FINANCIAL
DOWNFALL. HE GOT INVOLVED IN AN OPEN RELATIONSHIP WITH A
RICH OLDER MAN, EDWARD, TO SURVIVE HIS FINANCIAL DOWNFALL.
THIS KIND OF RELATIONSHIP ALLOWS HIM TO BE ROMANTICALLY
INVOLVED WITH ANOTHER PERSON. SHORTLY AFTER HIS
INVOLVEMENT WITH EDWARD, HE FELL IN LOVE WITH ANOTHER
MAN. HE WAS LATER ON MADE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THE MAN HE
LOVES AND THE MAN WHO PROVIDES FOR HIM BY EDWARD.

- POSSIBLY A VARIATION OF THE HEBREW WORD

('AKHAR) MEANING "TROUBLE". IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ACHAN WAS
STONED TO DEATH BECAUSE HE STOLE FORBIDDEN ITEMS DURING
THE ASSAULT ON JERICHO.

ENDYMION: A MAN IN HIS MID TWENTIES, ENTANGLED IN AN

UNCONVENTIONAL ROMANTIC SETUP WITH ACHAN. HE IS THE LOVE
INTEREST OF ACHAN. HE HAS A POSITIVE OUTLOOK OF LIFE. HE AIMS
TO TEACH ACHAN THE VALUE OF BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR
ONESELF.

- DERIVED FROM GREEK ΕΝΔΥΕΙΝ (ENDYEIN) MEANING "TO

DIVE INTO, TO ENTER". IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY HE WAS AN AEOLIAN
MORTAL LOVED BY THE MOON GODDESS SELENE, WHO ASKED ZEUS
TO GRANT HIM ETERNAL LIFE. ZEUS COMPLIED BY PUTTING HIM
INTO AN ETERNAL SLEEP IN A CAVE ON MOUNT LATMOS.

EDWARD: A RICH MAN IN HIS LATE THIRTIES. HE IS AN OFFSTAGE

CHARACTER. HE IS MONEY ORIENTED. FOR HIM, EVERYTHING HAS A
PRICE. HE DOES NOT STICK TO HIS WORD. HE TREATS PEOPLE
AROUND HIM AS POSSESSION.

- MEANS "RICH GUARD", DERIVED FROM THE OLD ENGLISH

ELEMENTS EAD "RICH, BLESSED" AND WEARD "GUARD".

DANA: A SYMBOLIC CHARACTER. SHE REPRESENTS THE MORAL

DISPOSITION OF THE WORLD. SHE IS ONE OF THE CLASSMATES OF
ACHAN.

- FROM A SURNAME WHICH ORIGINALLY BELONGED TO A

PERSON WHO WAS DANISH. IT WAS ORIGINALLY GIVEN IN HONOUR
OF AMERICAN LAWYER RICHARD HENRY DANA (1815-1882), THE
AUTHOR OF 'TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST'.

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 LOUHI: A SYMBOLIC CHARACTER. SHE REPRESENTS THE
RATIONALITY OF THE MODERN CIVILIZATION. SHE IS ONE OF THE
CLASSMATES OF ACHAN. SUPERFICIAL

- MEANING UNKNOWN. IN FINNISH MYTHOLOGY LOUHI IS A

GODDESS OF DEATH WHO RULED THE NORTHERN AREA KNOWN AS
POHJOLA. SHE IS THE PRIMARY ANTAGONIST IN THE FINNISH EPIC
THE 'KALEVALA'.

NED: THE EX-BOYFRIEND OF ENDYMION. HE WAS OFTEN COMPAIRED

TO ACHAN. HE ALSO RESORTED TO FINANCERS FOR MONEY.

- DIMINUTIVE OF EDWARD OR EDMUND. IT HAS BEEN USED

SINCE THE 14TH CENTURY, AND MAY HAVE HAD ROOT IN THE
MEDIEVAL AFFECTIONATE PHRASE MINE ED, WHICH WAS LATER
REINTERPRETED AS MY NED.

Prologue

[The sound of a train leaving can be heard on stage]

V.O. Male: Can I help you, ma'am?

V.O. Female: Why, they told me to take a streetcar named Desire and then transfer to
one called Cemetery and ride six blocks and get off at Elysian Fields.

(Lights On)

Scene: In a restaurant.
[One table with three chairs on each side facing the audience is at the
center stage. The mirror image of "DESIRE"1, the name of the restaurant,
is hanged in place of the valance. Achan sits alone at the center, elbows
on the table examining his phone for messages or missed calls, jerking his
feet impatiently. Propped on his lap is a huge and seemingly heavy school
bag. Heavy rain can be heard off stage and suddenly stopped as if sound
was blocked by a door. Dana entered the scene folding her umbrella.]

Dana: Louhi! Could you move a little faster please? (Growing impatient, munching
chips) Rehearsals really drained me a lot… I'm so hungry; I could murder a
cow… (While munching on the chips on her hand) Would you stop texting
now? (Waits for Louhi)

1 If title is "Dining at Elysium" will change to Elysium.

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Louhi: Grumpy much… You're just Stella, Dana. It's not as if you're Blanche! And
besides, you weren't even rehearsed by the director, today. You sat by the
corner the whole time munching off chips."

Dana: What do you care? My delicate figure needs generous nourishment.

Louhi: Whatever…

Dana: And for your information, Stella is a very difficult character.

Louhi: What's so difficult about staging a plain house wife, faithful and dependent on
her good for nothing husband? She depends on me, Blanche DuBois, to define
her.

Dana: Blanche is an insecure, dislocated woman… an escapist and a liar. I wouldn't

wanna stage her. Stella on the other hand is genuine and meek. And for your
information, she is not dependent on Stanley Kowalski. She understands that
she'd have better future with a pauper she loves, who works hard for them
than with an imaginary millionaire who she had never known.

Louhi: Well, it doesn't matter if you disagree with Blanche or not. You're not staging
her… I'll be the elegant and fragile Blanche.

Dana: Elegant and fragile? She is far from being elegant and fragile… she's more of a
loony, conceited fraud to me. She ended up in an insane asylum for heaven's
sake.
Louhi: Still, she's strikingly beautiful as I? (In a theatrical manner, poses like a model)

Dana: (Rolling her eyes, changes the subject out of annoyance) Remind me why we
always dine here, again? They don’t have good food here. No pork, beef or
chicken. I need to eat a juicy pig! (Begging)

Louhi: Because I like it here. Remember, you are what you eat. You eat a pig… you'll
be a pig. You eat cauliflower… you'll be a flower.

Dana: Lame analogy. Next time… I'm not eating with you. You're starving me to
death!

Louhi: (Ignoring Dana, she talks to the audience) Miss! Hey miss! Stop chatting with
your boyfriend. A valued customer waiting here… (Irritated) Don’t make me
jump over this counter and drag you here.

Dana: You're horrible Louhi.

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Louhi: I know… A Caesar salad and diet cola…

Dana: Aren't you done saving for your shoes yet?

Louhi: Excuse me… I don’t need to save for anything… I have my sources. Duh!

Dana: Whatever you say, Louhi… but remember… easy comes, easy goes.

Louhi: Yes mother superior.

Dana: And you miss. You really should be totally ashamed of yourself. That's not
how a lady's supposed to behave. (She shifts her facial expression from
convicting to a frog grin) This… this… this… that and an extra large cola
please.

Louhi: You really can't resist spending too much on food, can you?

Dana: I save for food… if you want to have some meet on you arse, I suggest that you
do the same. Oh, there's my order. Lazy little sloth! (To the Audience) (Walks
towards the serving window, a table at downstage left.) I will talk to your
manager. (Threatening the audience)

Dana: (Gets her own tray) No offence Miss, but is it very difficult to move a little
faster to make a starving little girl a tiny meal? (To the audience)

Louhi: You call that tiny? (Staring at Dana's food)Came on, lets grab a chair.
Dana: I don't see empty ones. (Seeing her friend not listening) Louhi, when will you
ever stop texting?
Louhi: When you stop eating.

Dana: Eating is good…

Louhi: Yah… if you’re a cow.

Dana: (Angrily waving a bag of chips towards Louhi) Don't you ever call me a cow…
anorexic bia… (tried to control her temper)bad girl!

Louhi: I'm not anorexic!

Achan: Hey! Watch it Dana! Your chip is all over me.

Dana: (Apologetically and sweetly) Didn't see you there Achan.

Louhi: Why are you here? Aren't you dining at that expensive resto around the
corner? A rich kid like you shouldn't be seen dining here.

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Achan: (Stands up and goes downstage where the meal counter is.)

Louhi: Thank you for the table. (Sarcastically to Achan) You! (To Dana) Never call me
anorexic again if you don’t want me shoving my six-inch stilettos in your huge
orifice.

Dana: Shush! Doesn't he seem a little weird lately? He never dines in this cheap
restaurant.

Louhi: Maybe he likes the food here. Hey! Don't change the subject. I'm not done
with you.

Dana: (Still ignoring Louhi) Maybe he's broke.

Achan: (Looking at the meal display on the fourth wall, and occasionally glancing at
his phone)

Louhi: He looks awful. (Disgustedly)

Dana: Poor thing, he's been crying. Pity, that people living a sinful live will never be
happy. (Turns her stare from Achan to Louhi raising her eyebrows)

Louhi: Huh! Fags.

Dana: Louhi! He might hear you. Use a better word.

Louhi: What? Gay? Fagot, homo, gay…they all mean the same thing… Drama queens
with their reproductive organ on the outside.

Dana: You're just bitter because gays get cute rich boys and you don’t.

Louhi: Huh? Are you trying to make me laugh? Excuse me… but I think you're talking
about someone else. I, the most voluptuous Louhi, can get any boy I want… and not
just one boy… no dear… not just one but as many as I want. (Starts texting
again)Maybe you're talking about yourself… You know why boys never ask you out?
Because you…. never mind… (Resumes texting)

Dana: (Shows a climbing rage, but dismisses it and starts munching off chips)

Achan: Caesar salad and coke please. (To the audience)

V.O.: Please find a seat and we'll serve it to you sir.

Achan: Thank you. (Leaves to find a seat)

Dana: Wanna know what's up with Achan?

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Louhi: Not really.

Dana: Achan, I have your script with me. You left it on the stage. You're being more
and more distracted lately…

Achan: Thanks. Ahm, every seat's taken, can I sit here?

Dana: Sure! It was your seat anyway. (She keeps a defined space between them, as if
disgusted and afraid of being infected by a disease.)

Achan: (Sighs)

Louhi: Just save the drama for yourself. Count me out.

Dana: Don't mind her. Tell me… why where you blubbering earlier on your phone.

Achan: It's nothing.

Dana: Nothing? That can't make you stare at noting in the middle of your lines.

Achan: I just wasn’t feeling well.

Dana: Not well enough to be crying like a baby backstage?

(Pause)

Achan: You know my story. (He stares at his phone)

Dana: As if I'm a gossip girl like Louhi.

Louhi: (Alerted by the mention of her name) I am not! (Defensive)

Dana: Well, I do know that you're gay. (With a face full of Prejudice) Then you almost
quit school because your father died and left your family with a huge debt.
(Became confused) Then suddenly everything seemed well for a while… until
now.

Achan: How did you know all that? I was too careful not to…

Dana: Ask Louhi… She tells me stuff about people even if I'm not interested.

Louhi: Duh! I do not! I'm an angle. I hate gossip. (Protesting) So tell me, how did you
do it?

Dana: (Eyes rolling) For heaven's sake Louhi… (Starts munching chips)

Achan: Do what?

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Louhi: Get back to school?

Achan: (Silence)

Louhi: Oh my! (Eyes growing bigger) You did not!

Achan: Did what?

Louhi: Steal from a bank… and… and killed the poor security guard… and… and now
you're conscience is getting back on you…

Dana: Wacko… (Aside)

Achan: What!

Louhi: Oh my! I have to call the cops. (Stands up and held her phone to her ear)

Achan: Are you serious? Don’t! You're being ridiculous Dana. (He tries to grabs her
phone off her hand)

Louhi: Not until you tell me the truth. (Struggles to hold on her phone)

Achan: Alright! Alright! I got myself in a messy situation. And what do you care
anyway?

Dana: (Stopped eating to listen)

Louhi: What messy situation?

Achan: (Silence)

Louhi: I'm really calling the police.

Achan: (Silent)

Louhi: Come on… you can tell us. We'll never tell anyone. We promise. We're you're
friends aren't we?

Achan: When did we become friends?

Louhi: You're hurting my feeling, Achan. We've been classmates for the past four
years, and we've been doing plays together. You've practically spent more
time with us than your family. Basically, we're the closest friends you've got.
(Acts like about to cry, theatrically)

Dana: (Rolls her eyes) You're giving me a headache. (To Louhi)But seriously Achan,
you might need to talk to someone…

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Achan: Alright! Alright! (Silent, as if thinking about what to say) I had to say yes to an
indecent proposal. Happy now? (Sigh)

Dana: (Looked so alarmed by hearing the word "indecent") Indecent?

Louhi: Details…

Achan: (Silence) Edward. He offered help. But I had to live with him as his boyfriend.

Louhi: (Shocked) Edward Smith? The well-heeled sponsor of our latest play? He's old
enough to be your father.

Dana: What?! That arrogant self centered materialistic scum. He thinks he can buy
everything with money. He tried to bribe me to spy on you, you know. That
was so unethical.

Achan: I know he could never trust me. But he was always suspicious, always
thinking that I'm hooking up with someone else.

Dana: But I thought you're seeing that cute bank teller. What's his…

Louhi: Wait…You said Edward's a family friend.

Achan: He is. He's my uncle's friend.

Dana: What did your uncle say?

Achan: Nothing… he doesn't know…

LOuhi: It must have felt so weird having your uncle's friend for a boyfriend. It's like
dating your neighbor's one year old baby. Doesn't he feel too old for you?

Achan: Actually, he feels so insecure about his age. But actually, his age was never an
issue for me.

Dana: Really? Are you sure? Don't you mind what other people would say? You
mean… you love him?

Achan: I… well… Love is overrated. A relationship does not need love to exist. Love
grows with the relationship. I thing I'll learn to love him.

Dana: Well how about… what's his name again? Ah… yes… Well how about
Endymion, the bank teller? You're dating him, aren't you? Are you learning to
love him too?

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Louhi: Endymion? (Shocked) He's gay? I thought he had a thing for me… Oh… that
angel… he seems such a gentleman and brainy too… we talk about different
sort of stuff like movies, politics, problems at home and things like that,
though I always try to change the subject to shoes when he bring-up politics.
I've never been interested with it. I always thought he likes me. Now I know
why he had to leave with you as soon as you're done with rehearsals.

Dana: In your dreams Dana… why do you think he always picks-up Achan? To listen
to you big mouth.

Louhi: FYI! Guys drool around me… they do anything to see me.

Dana: Maybe you mean cover their ears and shut their eyes by the sight of your
almost naked breast.

Louhi: (Gives Dana an angry stare) Shut up Dana… Why on Earth would he even
bother telling me about his gold digging ex-girlfriend if he doesn't wanna win
my sympathy to have a date with me? He told me all about her… how much
money he has to pay the bank to cover her debt, her addiction to gambling,
and all about the troubles he had when he found out that his ex-girlfriend has
a sugar-daddy.

Dana: Oh let me see… I don’t know… Maybe, because you're too much of a middling
whore babbling about to fish information to win a guy?

Louhi: Excuse me but Endymion sees me as a refined lady, too meek and angelic to
be a whore, like Blanche.

Dana: Yes, and just like Blanche, lies about her modesty to appear attractive to men
and could probably end up in a insane asylum too. (In an as-a-matter-of-fact
matter, chuckles)

Louhi: (Angry, eyes growing bigger) What did you say? At least I'm not a fat caw.

Dana: (Suddenly stands up, feeling too much rage) What did I tell you about calling
me a caw? (Waving her chips) If we're not in a diner right now, I'll… Grrr…
(Controls her anger)

Achan: Dana! Watch the chips…

Dana: (Looked at Achen, panting then froze) Oh my… don’t tell me… You’re the gold
digging ex-girlfriend! Achan, I never knew you'd do such an awful thing.

Achan: No! That’s… Ned. Endymion's ex-boyfriend.

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Louhi: My poor Endymion, always shacking up with gold diggers. So… Cheating
faggot… how do you do it? You sneak out at the middle of the night to check in
a motel with my knight in shining armor?

Achan: No… you don’t get me. I never cheated. Edward wanted an open relationship.
He said, that'll prevent me from leaving him. Since I'm young and vulnerable
he says.

Dana: An open relationship? Meaning you allowed each other to hook-up with other
guys? That is so not right.

Louhi: Get out, you naughty little gold digging whore! (To Achan)

Achan: It's not what you think it is. (Explosively) I've liked Endymion ever since. I
thought its pure infatuation at first but lately, I felt exclusively for him but we
never hooked-up until I made the deal with Edward. I never dated anyone
else aside from Endymion… You don’t know what I've been through. So don't
judge me. (Collapsing to his chair and stares at his phone)

Dana: Maybe… but whatever your excuse is, it still is wrong. (Goes to the counter to
order.) Extra Large chips please. (Stalks an audience while walking towards the
claim counter)

Louhi: That doesn't explain why you've been acting so off today.

Achan: (Silent)
Dana: Miss… tardiness is not a virtue you should display while at work. You know
that right? You really should be fired you know. (To the audience kindly or so
it seems. Returns to her chair)

Achan: Remember yesterday the whole class went to the movies?

Louhi: Yes, you left without saying goodbye.

Achan: Sorry about that. Edward called.

Dana: Uhu…

Achan: When I got home, he won't talk to me. We had a fight. Apparently, he thinks I
had been dating with Endymion without telling him. He said, he's not happy
about our setup anymore. He asked me to choose between him and
Endymion. He grows more and more possessive everyday.
Dana: Does Endymion know?

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Achan: Yes… It was the most difficult thing to do, telling him about it. I felt as if he's
drifting away, especially when he asked me about my decision.

Louhi: What did you say?

Achan: Nothing, I needed time to think about it?

Dana: Why? There's no need… Endymion's hardworking and at least you feel
something for him. Choose him… you can never be so sure that Edward really
loves you, 'cuz if he does, he wont prefer an open relationship in the first
place. And besides… love can't be learned? That's ridiculous! It can grow
stronger but could never sprout out of nothing.

Louhi: You're sounding like Stella. (To Dana) No! Stay with Edward. Live Endymion
to me. Don't worry… I'll take good care of him.

Achan: I can't let go of Endymion. I love him.

Dana: So leave Edward!

Achan: I can't.

Dana: Why can't you?

Achan: He gives me money.

Dana: So? Earn your own money. You shouldn't depend on men to survive. You
should accept that fate has robbed you of your fortune and you can't do
anything to get it back anymore, or else you might end up in an insane asylum
like Blanche. You should think like Stella. She chose to stay with the man she
loves and resisted the temptation of luxury offered by her crazy sister,
Blanche.

Achan: (Silent) I never had to work before. I don’t know if I can.

Dana: Sure you can! You have limbs. Don't cha? You look for a job or something.

Louhi: Yah Dana. As if Achan has the bones to mop a canteen floor. Look at him? He
practically has never known what a broom is.

Achan: I'm not a princess. I know how to use a broom.

Louhi: That's not the point. Why would you work if you have a Mall owner for a
boyfriend? And besides, who knows, he might not be so alive for long, judging
by his age. (Laugh out loud) Maybe he'll leave you with some money.

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Dana: That's ridiculous Louhi. He cannot be so sure about his future with Edward.
Edward is far from being generouse. He's just practically sucking off all the
youth out of Achan and won't hesitate to throw him away the minute he finds
a younger man to bed.

Louhi: But what future do you expect him to have if he'd run away with Endymion?
He can't even afford a bike. The guy might even eat sardines for breakfast,
judging by his salary and the things he told me about his impoverished family.

Dana: Well maybe, your best bet is your family. Can't your mother send you money?

Achan: No. She can't. She's paying for my younger brother's expensive tuition.

Louhi: Can't your older brothers help?

Achan: Huh… (Smirk) Them? They still ask money from Mom. She couldn't afford
anymore and even asked our eldest to give me allowance. But he secretly told
me to ask money from Edward when he found out that he's courting me.
That's when I accepted Edward's offer.

Louhi: More the reason to leave Endymion to me… What would you do without
Edward? How would you finish college? Think?

Achan: (Silent)

Dana: Oh… Louhi. You and your stupid comments.

Achan: No. She's right.

Dana: She is?

Achan: I can do nothing without Edward.

LOuhi: Told you… (Goes to the meal counter to buy)

Dana: (Sneers at Louhi) Achan… look, if you still have the stomach to handle Edward
then go stay with him. The question is… can you tell Endymion to go?

Achan: (Silent)

Louhi: (Hands on the waist) Are you flirting with that guy again? You are so fired…
Give me a diet cola! (To the audience, and walks back to the table)

Dana: Think of your family Achan. Are they fine with what you're doing?

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Louhi: Yah… Think of your family… can they still have you under their wings? Or are
you becoming a heavy load already.

Achan: You're right Louhi. I have to let Endymion go. He has his own problems to
deal with.

Louhi: Precisely! (Starts texting)

Dana: (Back to her seat) I don't know Achan… Sometimes we make right decisions.
Sometimes me make decisions right. I just hope you can do something about
your decision because I know it's wrong. You just do what cha gotta do.

[Endymion enters the scene, panting and brushing off raindrops off his shirt.]

Achan: (Abruptly stands up) Endymion! (Tells himself)

Dana: Louhi? Time to go.

Louhi: What? Why?

Dana: Just come! (Grabs Dana by the hand)

Louhi: (Resisting) Ouch!

Dana: We have to talk to our off-cam advisor… so lift your heavy rump off the chair.

Louhi: We do? (Stands up)

Dana: Yes! Hurry…

Louhi: (Sees Endymion) Endymion! (Rushes to the man) How are you? Why did you
rush under the rain? Oh here, I have a hanky… (Wipes sweat and rain off the
man's face)

Endymion: Thanks. (Looks for Achan)

Dana: Louhi! Let's go! (Grabs Dana to storm away)

Louhi: But… Endymion… I know you're gay… But it's OK… I love you… (Off stage,
rushes on stage) Call me.

Endymion: (Ignores Dana, as if unintentionally)

Dana: That's enough Dana, people are staring. You're embarrassing. (Grabs Dana
away again)

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Endymion: (Walks excitedly towards Achan) I'm sorry baby. Have you been waiting
so long?

Achan: (Silent)

Endymion: I really wanted to get out of that meeting but you know my boss.

Achan: (Silent)

Endymion: Hang on. Let me buy you somethin' to eat. (Rushes to the meal counter)

Achan: (Walks toward Endymion) Andy… don't bother… I have to go.

Endymion: I thought you wanna talk.

Achan: But…

Endymion: Edward.

Achan: Yes. I'm sorry.

Endymion: It's Ok. At least let me buy you a snack. (To Achan) Miss… Miss… chips
and coke to go please. (To audience) This won't take long. (Takes his order
from the claim area)

Achan: Andy…

Endymion: (Gets back to Achan) Here you go.

Achan: (Stairs at Endymion, doing nothing)

Endymion: Do you have an umbrella with you? It's raining cats and dogs outside you
know… trust me… you wouldn't wanna get out there… (Chuckles) Babe, you
have to take care of yourself because…

Achan: (Dashes to hug Endymion tightly)

Endymion: Baby… everyone's staring. (Uncomfortably shy)

Achan: I'm sorry Andy… I never wanted this to happen.

Endymion: (Untangles from Achan) Hush now baby… what do you mean? What will
happen? (Guides Achan to the table)

Achan: I told you on the phone. Didn't I? Babe I don’t wanna leave you, but…

Endymion: (Trace of fear on his face. Then, smiled) why would you?

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Achan: I need Edward.

Endymion: And you don’t need me… I know… and that sucks.

Achan: No… you're wrong… I need you… because I love you.

Endymion: No Achan, you don’t want to need me…

Achan: Baby I…

Endymion: Then let me help you! How much do you need every month? Tell me! I'll
try to give whatever Edward's giving you. I'll try to give you everything you
need and want, even if that means doing three jobs. (Frustrated, in a
restrained loudness)

Achan: Then what? (Stands up and cries) I'll use you like I use Edward? NO! I can't do
that to you… not ever.

Endymion: Sit down Baby… (Looks around) Alright… it may sound wrong but I'm
fine with it. If that's how I'll win you, then… then be it. And you're not using
Edward or anyone…In fact… It's Edward who's taking advantage of you. If he
really wanna help, he should have done it unconditionally. Heavens! He's
supposed to be your uncle's friend, someone close enough to be family, but
instead, he chose to have an affair with.

Achan: Right, but I was tempted and took the bait. It's my fault.
Endymion: Maybe, but it's not too late to right the wrong. Come live with me. I'll
support you? I just don't want you ending up like Ned, dependent on dirty old
men.

Achan: Then I'll be dependent on you… that won't fix anything. And don’t compare
me to Ned. I am nothing like him. He likes what he's doing. He likes using
people. He loves the luxuries his men give him. I don't. Every night, I stay
awake late, thinking if my decision is right… if the cool comfort of his bed, the
tasty meal, the cloths, tuition, allowance and all that, enough to lay in bed
with someone you don’t love. But I have to… for my family… to survive… to
grow my own wings and fly away someday. Even if I feel more and more like a
whore everyday.

Endymion: So, that's it then… you want to stay with him. For how long? One? Two?
Four years? Until you land a job? Baby… believe me… the longer you cling on
him, the more difficult it'll be, to let go. You'll grow dependent on him. You'll

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 never want to work and you'll have too much dept of gratitude that you'll be
swallowed by guilt if you try and leave him.

Achan: (Silent) You're maybe right. But I don’t wanna burden you. And… I'm afraid. I
don't know what to do. Maybe… Maybe… (Looks away)

Endymion: I'll help you find a way. If that's the least I can do. (Looks around attempts
a kiss)

Achan: (Still looking away)

(Phone rings)

Achan: (Stands up) Hello? Edward. Honey I'm sorry…I… I… I was about to go home
when my friends asked me to have dinner. I… I… I couldn't say no… Yes…
Yes… I will… No, No! We didn’t. Honestly… Yes… I'll be on my way. Yes, now.
Ok… I (Hesitated) love you too… see you, bye.

Endymion: So you made up your mind, then. (Fixes his stuff to leave)

Achan: (Watches Endymion helpless and agitated) I have to. I'm so sorry…

Endymion: (Leaves without looking back)

Achan: Andy… I love you. (He calls out as Endymion went off stage) Endymion… wait!
(Quietly to himself, starts crying) I need something to give Edward. (Goes to the
counter, stops midway, stared at the audience) You were listening? Aren't you
doing something important? (Phone rings and stares at the phone for a while,
declines the call, phone rings again, answers call) Edward. I won't be your
whore anymore! (Cancels the call and dials on his phone) Andy… Andy, please
come back. Seeing you leave feels worst than hell. Dana was right. Edward
was never the answer to my problems. Blanche's biggest mistake was to rely
too much on men. I don’t want to end up like her, or Ned… A character in a
play… (Chuckles, smiling, subbing) I realized that what you said is right. I'll
stand on my own feet now. Just promise me that you'll be there… just be there
please… Please come back.

Endymion: (Enters the scene holding his phone to his ear) I won't come back…
(Slowly lowered his phone) Because I never left and will never do so. I just
couldn't. I stayed by the door looking at you from afar. I was hoping you'll
come back to your senses.

Acha: (Rushes to Endymion and rapped himself around him)

Endymion: Babe… this is awkward. We're standing in the middle of a restaurant.
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Achan: (Chuckles) Sorry. (To Endymion) We're brothers… really… (To the audience
and around)

Endymion: How about Edward?

Achan: (Phone rings, Achan turns it off)

Endymion: (Ecstatic) I love you Babe! (Kisses Achan, full in the mouth)

Achan: (Shocked, Embarrassed) Lets get out of here.

Endymion: (Crams with Achan, off stage)

Achan: (Seeing the sign "now hiring" on the claim counter) wait! What's this? (He
gets flyer the runs off with Endymion)

(Lights Off)

Epilogue

(Lights On)

[Achan's on a company uniform, cleans the table]

Louhi: (Now on colored attire) Dana! Hurry up… I'm starving.

Dana: It's really hard standing on these high heels.

Louhi: You look better on those.

Dana: Alright…

Louhi: Remember, you're in a diet. No junk food…

Dana: I know. Hey Louhi! Is that Achan?

Louhi: It is! He looks much better.

Dana: Hey Achan!

Achan: (Chirpy) Mornin' girls! What can I get for you?

Louhi: You work here now… That's good. That girl who used to work here is way too
intolerable.

Achan: (Chuckles) After the play… this had kept me busy and the bills paid. You
where great as Blanche!

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Louhi: Thank you. (Giggles)

Achan: (Bows like sailsman) Can I help you, ma'am?

Louhi: Why, they told me to take a streetcar named Desire and then transfer to one
called Cemetery and ride six blocks and get off at Elysian Fields.

Achan: Perfect! You where great too Dana.

Dana: Thanks… But no line throwing please… We're in a diner…

Achan: (Chuckles) So, What can I get you?

Dana: I'll have diet cola and Caesar salad.

Louhi: I'll have your special… double large.

Dana: Don’t you know how much calories is stuffed in it?

Louhi: It's fine… I'm just trying to gain a little weight.

Achan: Nothing else?

Louhi and Dana: No more… Thanx.

Achan: One Caesar and cola and double large special, coming right up. (Leaves)

Louhi: He really looks better now… don’t you think so?

Dana: Oh, Dana… You and your obsession with gays.

(Lights Off)

-End-

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