Affairs of the Hart: A Conversation with Jesse

Post date: Oct 03, 2012 5:29:35 PM

DISCLAIMER: NOT IDEAL TO READ ON A DROID. I ASSUME THE SAME GOES FOR iPHONE.

I wrote this a few months ago with no idea as to what, if anything, I was going to do with it. The spiritual and universalist sentiments within it needed to come out of me. And of course, I needed to post it because…why not? Initially, I was reluctant to do so because I thought it was a bit self-aggrandizing. Then I had a friend of mine read it and he just thought it was a bit dark. That, I can deal with.

Lights come up on the living room of a Hollywood apartment. An adjustable daybed, which can be used as a couch as well as a bed, is situated in the center of the stage. There is a desk placed perpendicular to the bed. On the desk is a lamp, random papers and a glass of water. In front of the couch is a very small coffee table. This can be moved around by the actors or per the director as necessary for blocking purposes.

Seated at the desk working on his laptop is HART, a young man in his early thirties. He’s a smart, winning guy who has been unemployed for more than a year as he pursues his life’s passion.

There is a knock on the door. HART gets up and opens it.

HART

Oh, it’s you.

HART walks back to his desk.

JESSE

(while walking in and closing the door)

I’ve been greeted with worse.

HART

Be glad I let you in at all.

JESSE

I can’t imagine you would have had me come all the

way over here just to stand outside your door.

HART

You underestimate my ire.

JESSE sits down on the couch.

JESSE

And what do you have to be so ired about?

HART

I’ve been unemployed for a year. I have no prospects

for employment and I’m running out of money.

JESSE

But you’re finally doing what you’ve always wanted to do.

HART

And what do I have to show for it besides great work that

no one gives a shit about?

JESSE

You could always get another job you know you’re

going to hate. Is that what you want?

HART

No.

JESSE

Then you’re just going to have to trust me to do mine.

HART

Is hanging me out to dry in your job description?

JESSE

Is that what you think is happening?

HART

Sometimes, yes.

JESSE

That’s perfectly understandable. But I’m preparing you.

HART

Preparing me for what?

JESSE

Success.

HART

Well, we’re a year into this and I’m not seeing anything

that resembles that. Perhaps now it’s time for me to take

matters into my own hands.

JESSE

And how did that work out for you the last time…when

you wound up floundering in New York for nine months?

HART looks away in silence.

JESSE

Would you like me to leave?

HART

No. I want you to fix my situation.

JESSE

Your situation is complicated.

HART

Even for you?

JESSE

No, not at all. Not for me. I could fix your situation

with a snap of my fingers and a wave of my wand.

HART

You don’t have a wand.

JESSE

Not in this form.

HART

What form requires a wand?

JESSE

A fairy godmother of course.

HART

Of course.

JESSE gets up and looks around the apartment.

HART

What is so complicated about my situation?

JESSE

It just is.

HART

How so?

JESSE

It just is.

HART

Don’t pull this “mysterious ways” crap on me.

If you can’t solve the problem, you can at least

give me some answers.

JESSE

You didn’t offer me anything to drink.

HART

(rolls his eyes)

Can I get you something to drink?

JESSE

Water with lemon.

HART gets up from his desk and walks offstage into what we’ll assume is the kitchen area.

HART

(mumbling as he crosses)

All this drama for water with lemon.

JESSE smiles and shakes his head.

JESSE

You know I can hear you.

HART

Yes, I know.

HART returns from the offstage kitchen area. He hands the glass of water with lemon to JESSE and places a coaster on his desk. HART sits down on the daybed and stares at JESSE, waiting impatiently for an answer. JESSE feels the stare and acknowledges it with a subtle raising of his glass.

HART

(exasperated)

So why is my situation so complicated?

JESSE

(startled)

Because your situation involves so many other

people.

HART

And that’s it?

JESSE

That’s it.

HART

And what do “so many other people” have to do with my

ability to pay rent and eat?

JESSE

They don’t. That’s all on me.

HART

So then make it work! What’s taking you so long?

JESSE

What's in store for you takes time to orchestrate.

HART

(intrigued)

Explain.

JESSE

I am in the process of putting you in position to deliver

on your promise. And the masses in position to receive.

HART

But I didn’t promise anything.

JESSE

I know. I did. On your behalf.

HART

Why?

JESSE

Because in choosing you for this, you automatically become

the promise fulfilled.

HART

(slight confused but shrugs it off)

How long might this take?

JESSE

Oh, I don’t know. When you’re dealing with people and

free will, including yours, there’s no telling when anything

can happen.

HART

Which goes back to your job.

JESSE

My job is to touch their hearts and minds, not to

force their hands.

HART

Cop out. And free will was a huge mistake.

JESSE

Oh, I don’t make mistakes.

HART

Except for free will.

JESSE

It worked out well for you. You decided you wanted a

nicer apartment and here you are. You decided you

wanted out of a career that was not going to take you to

where you wanted to go. After I gave you two previous

outs, you finally walked through Door Number Three

into a career that will catapult you into the stratosphere

of success. You’re living the life you’ve always wanted to.

HART

Except for one thing: I have no money – which means

pretty soon I’m not going to be able to afford this

nicer apartment that I decided I wanted when I could

afford one. Pretty soon this so-called career is going to

turn me into a laughingstock for trying to enter it with

no prospects and no connections. Pretty soon this life I

have always wanted to lead is going to take me to the

streets. Where’s the stratospheric success in that?

JESSE

Are you starving?

HART

No.

JESSE

Are your bills paid?

HART

For this month. But what about next month?

JESSE

I’m not worried about next month.

HART

You don’t have to. The leasing office isn’t going to

come after you when my next rent check bounces.

JESSE

It’s the middle of the month.

HART

I know that.

HART gets up, walks over to his desk and holds up an envelope.

HART

But do you know what this is?

JESSE

Your rent bill.

HART

And do you know how much is in my bank

account right now?

JESSE

Obviously I do.

HART

Don’t you think this is something we need to figure

out?

JESSE takes the envelope and puts it in his jacket pocket.

JESSE

Why don’t you leave that to me?

HART

I have. And now I’m in crushing debt with more bills

still coming in and no money to pay them.

JESSE

Well, none that you know of.

HART

Well if what you tell me I don’t know of doesn’t

manifest into something that I can know enough

of in order to survive, then you and I are going to

have a big problem.

JESSE

We already have a problem.

HART

No. I have a problem. You have “mysterious ways”.

JESSE

(chuckling)

They’re not really all that mysterious.

HART

So why don’t you just make things a little bit more

simple, clearer and easier?

JESSE

They’re pretty simple, clear and easy to me.

HART

Then why aren’t they to me?

JESSE

Because then I’d be out of a job. Besides, how else

do I get you to trust me?

HART

How about you just make some shit happen and

I’ll show you trust like you’ve never seen before.

JESSE

Is that how you want this to go?

HART

I just want to be able to earn a living.

JESSE

Then get a job.

HART

Doing what I want to do.

JESSE

And that’s where it gets complicated. If you just go out

and pick up any ol’ job that will take you because you’re

worried about money and want some steady income, then

you’ll have your living.

HART

But I won’t be happy.

JESSE

Well, there you go. Happiness takes time. Living the

life you want to lead takes time – and risk. But you

shall have all of it.

HART

WHEN?

JESSE

When you’re ready. And when they’re ready.

HART

Will I be ready before or after I get evicted on account

of “your time” and “your plan”?

JESSE

Have you ever been without a home?

HART

No.

JESSE

Or food?

HART

No.

JESSE

Then why would I allow that to happen to you now?

HART

I don’t know. All I know is where I live and that I see it

everyday when I walk to the grocery store or to a bar

or to the subway – people sleeping on the street, walking

around in a daze of hopelessness or begging for spare

change. That could be me. And I’m getting closer to it

by the week.

JESSE

But you’re also getting closer to that first level of success.

You’re doing exactly what you need to be doing in order

to get there and I’m obligated to reward you for that. So

what you see or think you’re seeing, really isn’t what is.

HART

Then what is it? All I see is that I’m living on the edge.

JESSE

I know. But have you fallen off yet?

HART

No. And I’m not entirely sure how much of that actually

has to do with you.

JESSE

Fair enough.

HART

So what are you going to do about it?

JESSE

Well, I could do one of two things: give you what you

want now even though neither you nor the masses are

entirely ready for it -- or you can trust me.

HART

It all comes back to trust with you doesn’t it?

JESSE

Yes. Because that’s what I need from you in order for

this to work. And I think deserve it.

HART

Based on what?

JESSE

Based on the fact that this isn’t your first time in this

situation. But it could be your last. You just have to

get out of my way.

HART

Trusting you is a tall order.

JESSE

I know. But I got this. I promise. Just keep doing

what you’re doing. I would have told you if you

needed to do something else.

HART

You may as well. No one gives a shit anyway.

JESSE

Some do. And others will. It’s going to reach who it

needs to reach because I am putting them in the position

to receive. It just starts with one and builds from there.

JESSE turns around to leave.

HART

I don’t know how much longer I can hold out.

JESSE

And I can’t tell you how much longer you will have

to. But I can guarantee you this: it will happen.

HART gets up and follows JESSE to the door. Once there, HART grabs JESSE by the shoulders.

HART

If you make me look stupid, this relationship will be

over. If you don’t come through in the end, then you

will no longer be welcome here.

JESSE

And that is your choice.

HART

Which is why you should eliminate free will.

JESSE

Would you want someone to believe and trust in you

because you forced them to or because of who you are,

what you’ve done and what you will do?

HART

If free will is what’s complicating all of this, then I’d

rather live in a world of mindless sheep.

JESSE

(chuckling)

To an extent, you already do.

JESSE leaves. HART walks slowly back to his desk, opens up his computer and starts typing. After a few moments, he stops and takes out his cell phone. He hesitates a few moments before dialing.

HART

Hey Christine? I’d like to talk to you about that job

you were telling me about. Can we talk this week?