So in time we are a little after JESSICA and JASON left the basement.
They’re sitting on playground swings. Drinking coke from cans.
JESSICA has taken her puppet off.
JASON has not.
JASON takes a drink of his soda.
He is using the puppet mouth to hold the can.
It’s a little funny.
JESSICA maybe giggles.
JASON maybe gets red.
Maybe switches the soda to his other hand.
JESSICA You don’t take that thing off much do you?
JASON I do. I do all the time. I spend long periods of time with it off. Like in the bath. Or when swimming. Or …
JESSICA Only when dealing with water.
JASON What?
JESSICA What, is he some kinda hydrophobe?
JASON Who Tyrone?
JESSICA Is that his name?
JASON Ummm. Yeah.
JESSICA And he’s afraid of water.
JASON I know what hydrophobe means.
JESSICA I didn’t think you didn’t.
JASON He just takes a really long time to dry. You take him into the pool once and there goes your Saturday night, alone in the bathroom with the hair dryer.
She giggles again.
He gets red again.
JESSICA Aww you’re embarrassed.
JASON I’m not embarrassed.
JESSICA You don’t have to be embarrassed.
JASON Good I’m not.
JESSICA I think it’s sweet how much you love your puppet.
JASON I don’t love my puppet.
JESSICA Well how much you like your puppet.
JASON I don’t like my puppet.
JESSICA How much you need your puppet.
He gets up to go.
JESSICA Hey. Hey, don’t leave.
JASON Stop making fun of me.
JESSICA I’m not.
JASON I’m …
JESSICA Really I’m not. I saw The Lion King. I think it’s cool.
JASON Are you sure you’re not making fun of me.
JESSICA I’m sure.
JASON ’Cause I know it’s not cool.
JESSICA It is.
JASON You don’t have to patronize me.
JESSICA I’m not. I like it when you make him sing.
This one lets him believe her.
He turns around.
JASON You wanna see something.
JESSICA Ummm.
JASON You’ll like it.
JESSICA Yeah?
JASON I think you’ll like it.
JESSICA Okay.
JASON Okay.
JASON slicks back his hair. Takes a deep breath and then says …
JASON Well Costello, I’m goin to New York with you. You know Buck Harris the Yankee’s manager gave me a job as coach as long as you’re on the team.
TYRONE Look Abbott, if you’re the coach, you must know all the players.
JASON I certainly do.
TYRONE Well I’ve never met the guys. So you’ll have to tell me their names and then I’ll know who’s playing on the team.
JASON Oh I’ll tell you their names, but you know it seems to me they give these ball players now-a-days very particular names.
As he starts he’s a little aspergersy, but as he goes on he gets more and more comfortable.
TYRONE You mean funny names?
JASON Well let’s see we have on the bags, Who’s on first, What’s on second, I don’t know is on third …
TYRONE That’s what I want to find out.
JASON I say Who’s on first, What’s on second, I don’t know’s on third.
TYRONE Are you the manager?
TYRONE You gonna be the coach too?
JASON Yes.
TYRONE And you don’t know the fellows’ names.
JASON Well I should.
TYRONE Then who’s on first?
JASON Yes?
TYRONE I mean the fellow’s name.
JASON Who.
TYRONE The guy on first.
JASON Who.
TYRONE The first baseman.
JASON Who.
TYRONE The guy playing …
JASON is really into it. You can imagine him going into it all alone on a Saturday night.
JESSICA is giggling a bit.
JASON Who is on first.
TYRONE I’m askin you who’s on first.
JASON That’s the man’s name.
TYRONE That’s whose name.
JASON Yes.
TYRONE Well go ahead and tell me.
JASON I just did.
TYRONE Who?
JASON Yes.
JASON reaches a pause in the routine and looks out at her.
He becomes aware of what he’s doing.
JESSICA What are you doing. Don’t stop.
He gets red.
JESSICA What?
JASON I can’t remember anymore.
JESSICA That’s really good.
JASON Thank you.
JASON goes back to sit down.
JESSICA Did you come up with that all by yourself.
JASON Yes.
TYRONE (As if on his own.) Liar.
JASON grabs one hand with the other.
JASON Shut up.
JESSICA giggles.
TYRONE wriggles free.
TYRONE It’s a famous routine from the fifties.
JASON Thirties.
TYRONE You’d know that if you weren’t so stupid.
JESSICA Hey.
JASON Shut up Tyrone.
JESSICA Yeah, shut up Tyrone.
TYRONE But it doesn’t matter ’cause he thinks you’re hot.
JASON That is enough.
JASON puts his hand over the PUPPET’s mouth.
JESSICA You think I’m hot.
JASON No …
She looks a little hurt.
JASON Yes.
She looks a little embarrassed.
JASON I don’t know.
The PUPPET bites JASON’s finger.
JASON puts his finger in his mouth.
JASON Ouch.
TYRONE So hot. So hot he can’t keep from touching himself.
JESSICA Jason.
TYRONE Touching himself in the dark.
JESSICA Jason stop.
JASON Tyrone.
TYRONE The things he thinks about you.
JESSICA Jason this isn’t funny.
JASON I know.
TYRONE Thinks about doing to you.
JASON Tyrone.
TYRONE What.
JASON Stop.
TYRONE You can’t stop it.
JASON Yes I can.
JASON grabs the PUPPET by the neck in a violent motion and pulls it clear off.
He throws it to the ground.
There is of course a pause.
JASON Jessica. I …
JESSICA I’m gonna see if my dad’s here.
JASON I’m sorry.
JESSICA It’s okay. It’s fine. Don’t even worry.
JASON Don’t go.
JESSICA I’ll see you next week.
JASON Please don’t go.
JESSICA Bye now.
JESSICA goes. JASON watches her go.
He goes over to the PUPPET.
He takes the PUPPET up and holds it by the sides of the head.
JASON Shit.