Unpublished: Limbo
A Washington, D.C. coffee shop/bar, dimly lit.
The hour is late and there are few customers.
Andrew Reyes sits, tired. He plays with a cup
of coffee. Malik enters, rubbing his hands and
approaching the bar (characters face the audience; the bartender’s existence is inferred).
MALIK
I’ll have a venti, double shot, four pumps, peppermint, non-fat, extra hot, no whip, stirred macchiato, please.
ANDREW
(Glances at the new arrival.)
That’s quite an order.
MALIK
I have very specific tastes.
(Sees Andrew’s coffee.)
That looks cold.
ANDREW
That’s because it is.
MALIK
You look familiar.
ANDREW
I get that a lot.
MALIK
I think I’ve seen you on TV. With, ah, Senator Kwan, I think. You work for her?
ANDREW
(Unenthusiastic.)
Ding, ding. You got me.
(Takes a sip of coffee.)
Andrew Reyes. Deputy Communications Director for the junior senator from Texas.
(Holds out a hand to shake, somewhat ironically.)
Nice to meet you.
MALIK
(A little weirded out, but shakes the hand anyway.)
Nice to meet you, too, I guess. What are you, uh, doing out here so late?
ANDREW
Who wants to know?
MALIK
Malik Shareef. Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Planning.
ANDREW
Fancy title. You work at the White House?
MALIK
For now. I hear we might get kicked out soon.
Malik’s drink arrives. He grips it tightly.
ANDREW
(Chuckles, raises his mug of coffee.)
Amen to democracy. Cheers.
MALIK
(Hesitant, but clinks mugs with Andrew.)
Cheers.
(After drinking.)
You didn’t answer my question.
ANDREW
Hmm?
MALIK
What are you doing out here so late?
ANDREW
Well… let’s just say that Senator Kwan’s more than a little upset with me. (beat) I screwed up on Capitol Hill today. I blew the Education Reform Bill’s announcement. It got leaked because a journalist overheard me bragging about it to Cole, my boss. Now, Republicans are threatening to reach down the Senator’s throat and remove her heart with an ice cream scoop.
(Drinks.)
You’re right. It’s cold.
MALIK
(Still processing what was said.)
So… you’re afraid you’re going to get fired?
ANDREW
Pretty sure the boat has already sailed on that, but for the moment, I still have my job. (sigh) I work my ass off getting the Senator reelected and the first thing I do after we win is screw up one of her biggest projects in the new year. (beat) Damn it.
Malik reaches out, touches Andrew’s shoulder. He
stiffens. After a moment, he relaxes. Malik gestures
to the bartender.
MALIK
Hey. I think we might need to pull out the alcohol for this.
Lights go out immediately. After a moment, lights
return. Malik and Andrew now hold bottles of beer
in their hands, postures considerably more casual.
Andrew is getting fairly drunk. Even less customers
than before.
ANDREW
And I tell Cole, I tell him, ‘What kind of an idiot boss decides to buy a birthday cake for an employee who’s lactose intolerant?’ And you know what he tells me? (smiles) He tells me, ‘Reyes, I think you should learn to be more tolerant!’
MALIK
(Laughing.)
He bought a whole cake for the sake of a pun? You’ve got to admire his dedication.
ANDREW
He’s a great boss, just… you know, I don’t know how much longer we’re going to be working together. That goddamn education bill is going to kill me.
(Takes a big swig from his bottle.)
But I want to hear about you.
MALIK
(Moment of hesitation.)
What’s to hear?
ANDREW
I’ve been pouring my heart out to you. Come on, man. You didn’t come out here in the middle of the night for nothing.
MALIK
What makes you think that I didn’t come here just to grab a drink?
ANDREW
(Leans in close to Malik.)
I know you White House staffers. You never – (hiccup) – go out for drinks this late. Something’s burning you up on the inside, you want to hear other people’s problems. Plus, this place is nowhere near 1600 Penn. Which tells me that you desperately want to avoid being seen by your coworkers or – (hiccup) – vice versa. (beat) Am I right or am I right?
MALIK
You’re pretty observant, aren’t you?
ANDREW
I have been told that, yes.
MALIK
I’m dating one of my coworkers, the assistant to the Press Secretary.
ANDREW
Keeping it in the family, I see. (hiccup)
MALIK
(Nervous laugh.)
Something like that. Anyway, I forgot our anniversary and then he got upset and I’m not sure if we… are still a thing. The worst part is this isn’t the first time that I’ve forgotten. Just that with work and everything, it’s tough to keep track of all the other things in my life. It’s kind of a… we’re stuck in… limbo, you know what I mean?
ANDREW
(Whistling.)
Forgetting the anniversary. Now that is a rough proposition. What do you plan on doing?
MALIK
I don’t know. Why do you think I’m out here in the middle of the night?
ANDREW
Touché.
(Drinks, looking contemplative.)
Limbo.
MALIK
What?
ANDREW
That’s a good word. We’re both – the two of us – stuck in limbo, aren’t we? Me with my job, you with your relationship. Limbo. Just… lying in suspended animation.
MALIK
Limbo. Like Schrodinger’s Cat. (beat) Hey, you know what we need?
ANDREW
More drinks?
MALIK
More drinks.
Lights go out. After a moment, lights return but dimmer. The pair look plastered. Only them at the bar now. Ties are untied, shirts are ruffled,
sleeves are rolled up. Empty bottles line the bar.
MALIK
And if the President said so then, obviously, I’ve got to do it, right? So, I go up to the Queen, bow, and say, “His Excellency, the Lord President of the United States is present and awaits your command!” (beat) Turns out my boss was kidding and the President never said to say that. Red cheeks all the way from Westminster to Air Force One.
ANDREW
(Smiling.)
I remember that! The media had a field day with you guys.
MALIK
Fuck the media.
ANDREW
Fuck the media!
They take huge swigs of their beer. Lights go out. We hear sounds of clinking bottles. Lights return, very dim. The pair are face down on the bar. Andrew stirs.
ANDREW
Hey.
MALIK
(Giggling.)
Hello.
ANDREW
This has been quite the night, hasn’t it?
MALIK
Yes, it has.
ANDREW
You’re not going to start erupting into giggle fits, are you?
MALIK
Would that be so bad?
ANDREW
Probably not.
The pair share a drunk laugh. Andrew looks distant. Malik picks up on it.
MALIK
What are you thinking about?
ANDREW
(Takes a little while to answer.)
Tomorrow.
MALIK
(Looks at his watch.)
Well, tomorrow is today.
ANDREW
(Chuckles.)
Alright, Billy Joel.
MALIK
Are you going to be okay working at the Hill with a hangover?
ANDREW
Are you worrying about me now, Malik?
MALIK
(Giggles again.)
I don’t know, Andrew. I’m a worrywart. I am a… person who worries a lot about things. A worrier. A… yeah. A worrywart.
ANDREW
(Puts his hand on Malik’s shoulder.)
Alright, buddy. I think you’ve had enough to drink.
MALIK
You didn’t answer my question.
ANDREW
I’ll be fine. If I get in trouble, I’ll just tell them… I was on a date.
Malik looks at Andrew. It’s a weird, suspicious look, but he doesn’t say anything. Silence follows. The pair both look distant.
MALIK
We’re in for a reckoning tomorrow. The both of us.
ANDREW
Yeah.
MALIK
(Hesitant.)
You know, Andrew. I, uh… if you want, we could-
A phone rings. Malik takes his out of his pocket, reading a text. Andrew looks over at it.
ANDREW
Is that…?
MALIK
My boyfriend. (beat) He, uh, says that he’s sorry and that he overreacted. (reading) “Everyone’s on edge because of the election and I’m sorry about the…” Yeah.
(Silent for a moment.)
He says he wants to come see me. I’ve got to, uh, I’ve got to get home.
ANDREW
Are you okay going out this late by yourself?
MALIK
It’s dark but it’s not dangerous. I should be fine.
ANDREW
We’re in southside D.C. and you’re not from around here.
(Puts a hand on Malik’s shoulder assuredly.)
You could get hurt. Let me come with you.
MALIK
(Inhales.)
Okay.
ANDREW
Okay?
MALIK
Okay.
The pair leave. After they exit through the door, the lights slowly dim until the set is covered by total blackness. END.
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