Yoshihiro Hattori knocked on the wrong door.
This play references the fatal shooting of Japanese exchange student Yoshihiro Hattori in 1992, one of the first “stand your ground” gun shootings in which the homeowner/shooter was acquitted.
TRICK OR TREAT BY PHILIP ZWERLING 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 21
A home in New Orleans. The at-home office/writing space of NED ATKISSON, 35 years old. A desk and chair are stage right. On the desk is a typewriter and lock box. Ned is sitting at the desk typing. He types a bit, reads what he typed, and then, in disgust, removes the paper from the typewriter, crumples it up, and tosses it on the floor. He repeats this action several times with mounting frustration.
NED
She said: “Rod, come quick. Bring the gun!” and he did. Christ!
(tosses paper)
“In Japan, most people have never even seen a gun except on TV.” Shit!
(Tosses paper. He unlocks the box on the desk and removes a gun. He examines it for several moments.)
CHERYL
(Ned’s wife, Cheryl, also 35 years old, is heard offstage.)
When are you coming to bed, honey?
NED
(He jumps at the unexpected sound and then quickly returns the gun to its box but does not lock the box.)
When I learn to fucking write!
(He tosses another paper on the floor after reading it.)
CHERYL
(She walks into the office in pajamas.)
C’mon, baby it’s past midnight.
NED
(hardly looking at her)
You go to sleep, honey, I’m going to get this right or...kill myself trying.
(She approaches him and kisses him. He responds at first reluctantly and then with enthusiasm as they embrace. Suddenly he pulls himself away.)
Oh, no you don’t! I know your game.
CHERYL
What do you mean?
NED
You’re just trying to make me feel better.
CHERYL
And what’s wrong with that?
(She starts to seductively play with his shirt buttons)
NED
Cut it out! I’m warning you...if you seduce me, get me into the bedroom...
CHERYL
Yes?
NED
...And drive me wild with desire!
CHERYL
Yes?
NED
...And make me forget about this play...
CHERYL
...Yes?
NED
...I’ll hate you...in the morning.
CHERYL
Well then finish this up with some dispatch because my bed has been a lonely place these last few nights.
NED
(he kisses her)
I’m sorry...it just isn’t coming.
CHERYL
Well, neither am I.
NED
Very funny... Mike’s been bugging me for this script for months now.
CHERYL
So? Let the old slave-driver wait a little longer.
NED
I can’t.
CHERYL
Why not?
NED
I told him I’d have it tomorrow...and missing another deadline is a good way to lose an agent.
CHERYL
It took you years to get an agent.
NED
Tell me about it. It’s back to unpublishedville for me.
CHERYL
Alright, don’t panic. What have you got so far?
NED
Lots...
(He throws away more pages which he had by the side of the typewriter.)
...and lots...of crap.
CHERYL
I’ve got it...let me help you?
(he looks incredulous)
Really. My women’s magazine said that for a husband and wife shared tasks can be a kind of foreplay.
NED
Believe me this is not turning me on.
CHERYL
Well, what’s the problem?
NED
I’ll work it out...just leave me alone.
CHERYL
Come on...I’ve never seen you sweat a project like this one.
NED
I just can’t get them.
CHERYL
Who?
NED
These people...the characters.
CHERYL
Well then, why don’t you just change them?
NED
Not so easy. This one is a real story, These are real people. I don’t want to change them, I just want to get inside them. I want to show what makes them tick...why they did what they did.
CHERYL
That’s a tough one. Who knows why anyone does anything?