In the comedic scene from one act eplay, “Weight in Gold” two partners in crime may no longer be working together.

BILL:  Not for nothing, but what is it with you lately, huh? Don’t you wanna take down scores with me? I thought we were partners in this. You keep leaving me hanging.

REED: I’m not –

BILL: F’ck’n last Tuesday was another one. An easy gem of a place, and you flinch.

REED: I didn’t flinch.

BILL: You f’ck’n flinched.

REED: You have no patience is what it is.

BILL: Patience?

REED: You keep telling me about scores on score day. Where’s the preparation?

BILL: My guy, it was a ninety-year-old lady’s place in Brooklyn, who’s got no clue what planet she’s on. All you had to do was pretend you were her nephew, and the jewelry was yours. Not that hard.

REED: And I wanted to do it, but you got mad cause it was my sister’s birthday.

BILL: All of a sudden, you become a family man? This is business. We have to make money. You blew three jobs this month alone, and I’m going hungry. (pause.) My parrot is dying.

REED: …Buddha?

BILL: He’s going.

REED: That’s why you’re acting abusive?

BILL: Kiss my a**.

REED: Abusive.

BILL: The man of the house. Like a father figure to me, that bird. Old and wise. I get back home, he could already be dead.

REED: That’s why I don’t bother with pets.

BILL: Huh?

REED: Can’t deal with all that heartbreak.

BILL: ‘Cause you only care about yourself.

REED: Not true.

BILL: Is true. When’s the last time you gave a sh’t about anything or anyone?

REED: I take care of people.

BILL: WHO?

REED: IN the neighborhood.

BILL: Yeah, right.

REED: I give people tips. Advice, like, around town, when the opportunity presents itself, ya know.

BILL: F’ck outta here with that.

REED: Remember Fabiana?

BILL: What about?

REED: I saved her once.

(beat)

BILL: AND?!

REED: What?

BILL: You saved her once and WHAT HAPPENED?

REED: I’m too tired to get into the whole story.

BILL: See? Don’t even care to tell the story.

REED: Eh.

BILL: I’m not asking you to take down scores with me no more.

REED: Come on –

BILL: No, no, I’m telling you as a courtesy. You’ve lost your edge, and I need someone reliable. Everything with you is half-a**ed.

REED: Maybe I don’t wanna take down scores with you.

BILL: Oh, really?

REED: Maybe I like my life the way it is.

BILL: And what life is that?

REED: Freelancing.

BILL: What’s that?

REED: Means I get contract work.

BILL: From who?

REED: Guy named Spiro.

BILL: Who the f’ck is Spiro?

REED: A Greek guy on Bayside. Gives me the work I need with no short change either. Pays me better than you.

BILL: Oh, I see now. You jumped ship and don’t have the balls to tell me.

REED: I just told ya.

BILL: Yeah, but it took ya months.

REED: So, do your own dirty laundry you cheap f’ck. I’m moving up.

BILL: Don’t gotta be so harsh.

REED: You’re harsh, I can be harsh right back.

BILL: You could be whatever you want, but we worked together for years and did alright. Didn’t we? Didn’t we do alright?

REED: We did alright.

• To read the full one-act ePlay, find purchase link below:

In the one-act eplay, “Weight in Gold” Bill talks to his partner Reed about the opportunity for them to rob Stanley’s apartment, but Reed confesses he’s been doing scores with a different guy and because of it their business relationship may come to an end.  2 Men.  Comedy/Drama.

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