In drama scene from one-act play, “True Blue Boy,” Abilene shows up at Chip’s place to reason with him over her son Jake’s life.

ABILENE: I stopped drinking long ago.

CHIP: Really now?

ABILENE: You know the sort of trouble it would lead me down.

CHIP: Sure do.

CHIP finishes his own drink but doesn’t turn around.

I know why you’ve come.

CHIP turns and sits behind his desk, facing ABILENE.

Before you get started, nothing can be done for the boy.

ABILENE: Nothing?

CHIP: Not a damn thing.

ABILENE: Why?

CHIP (shrugs his shoulders): You know I can’t go into all the details.

ABILENE: Try.

CHIP: Your son crossed some pretty dangerous characters. He took us all for a ride and now he’s running, as you know, but as you also know, he won’t get far. I’d say by sunset, they gonna catch up with him…

ABILENE: Call them dogs off my son, Chip.

CHIP: This conversation ain’t gonna go nowhere Abilene.

ABILENE: It’s my son!

CHIP: I know it is and he’s done some dirt!

ABILENE: I want you to call them dogs off my boy. I brought the money for you.

CHIP (surprised): What money?

ABILENE: I got forty-grand.

CHIP: Forty??

ABILENE: What’s he in for?

CHIP: Jake is in for a cool million.

ABILENE: Oh…I could kill him!

CHIP: Now, now…that’s his reality Abby. I warned him.

ABILENE: I told that son of a b’tch, so many times. He thinks he’s living up to his father’s traits…he has no idea what that man was like…he couldn’t shine his shoes, but I won’t tell him that. It’ll break his heart, but you remember Darrel, a force to reckon with.

CHIP: That he was.

ABILENE (heartbroken): Chip, they’re gonna kill my son…

CHIP: Now you listen Abilene, I just can’t look at that little son of a b’tch as your one and only true blue boy! In this business, he’s another face in the crowd of losers that wanna play this game. Some make it out, some don’t.

ABILENE: Don’t preach to me about this game!

CHIP: I’m reminding you. You know the rules.

ABILENE: The rules are made to be broken.

CHIP: Not this time. He went too far this time. I have no power to change the situation.

ABILENE: Who does?

CHIP: Abby, I ain’t gonna get into all that.

ABILENE: Answer my question, Chip.

CHIP: And what good will it do you? The boy’s in trouble and he’s got me in greater trouble, he’s lucky I didn’t take care of him myself!

ABILENE: Don’t you talk about my son that way. Give me their name, I need to know, just for my own well being.

CHIP: You ain’t ever heard of ’em. I aim to keep it that way, for your own safety.

ABILENE: Damn you…

CHIP: Look, I already tried…I spoke to one of the head honchos who is after him, I even spoke out of turn and now I’m lucky to be breathing. They’re gonna come after me too, I just gotta be ready for it. I tried to get them to accept a large chunk of money, buy your boy Jake some time, as if he hasn’t had enough of it, but it just wasn’t good enough for Miguel…sh’t.

ABILENE: So, Miguel’s his name?

CHIP: Yeah, that’s his damn name! So what? Now you know his name. Won’t do you any good Abilene, if you listen to what I’m sayin’. These men aren’t like we used to growing up. They play by a different set of principles. Best thing for Jake is to run for them high hills and pray he don’t get caught, which is pretty unlikely, like I’ve said, they’ve got him in a trap. If…if he runs hard enough and they don’t get him tonight, they’re gonna come back for me because I’m the one who brought him in here and I brought that dumb kid in because of you.

ABILENE: Me?

CHIP: I know you’ve been battling cancer.

ABILENE: He told you, did he…

CHIP: I know the money would have given you the treatment you need to survive, at least, the possibility of…

ABILENE: My poor boy, my Jake, my only boy…

CHIP: They’re coming for me, Abilene. Whether or not they get Jake, they’re coming for me regardless.

ABILENE: So what do you plan on doing about it?

CHIP: I’ve got no choice but to wait. Certainly not gonna take off like your son. I’m too tired for any of that. I won’t go without a fight, but it’s inevitable. When they come, they will come hard and there’s no stopping what they’re gonna do with me.

ABILENE: You just gonna lay down and die like an old tired dog?

CHIP: No choice.

ABILENE: Since when did you become such a wuss?

CHIP: Oh hell, there’s no need to start —

ABILENE: WUSS! Weren’t you once the man who chased them dirty scoundrels, years back, way outta town for tryin’ to take things over?

CHIP: Times were different back then. I was young, had the vigor and had more pull with the law.

ABILENE: Bullsh’t!

CHIP: Go home, Abilene. There’s no use trying to change our fate now.

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

In the one act eplay True Blue Boy, Abilene begs for the life of her son Jack to be spared after he crossed the line with take no prisoner criminals.  1 Woman, 1 Man.  Crime Drama.

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