An Eye For An Eye

 

A short play in three acts

 

THE CHARACTERS

The boss.

Angelli. The bosses aide.

The 'boys'. Mario & Benny.

Antonio. The victim.

Juliet. The bosses woman.

Suzannah, their daughter.

Lanky Len leader of a down-town gang.

 

THE STORY - Act One

 

      "I want his wedding tackle in a plastic bag on my desk in a hour."

      "But boss," Mario tried to intervene.

      "No buts," The boss was firm, "just do it."

      "But boss," Mario persisted "you don't know."

      "I know plenty." the boss murmured, his dark swarthy face contorted in anger.   "you think I can't trust my own eyes."

      "But what did you see boss?" Mario was distraught at the thing he was being asked to do. "You gotta be sure."

      "He's sure enough." A new voice had entered the room. It was Angelli, the bosses closest adviser. "I've seen what's been going on." he said.

      "Oh no boss," Mario was still pleading, "you’re not going on what Angelli tells you. You know he would piss on his own mother if she was dyin of thirst.

      Angelli took little notice of the jibe. He was secure in the knowledge that he had the boss's ear; and he had plans. He knew that before long he would have the opportunity to even thing things up with that whining Mario.

      The boss walked across the room and with his arm on Mario's shoulder, guided him gently to the door. The interview was over.

      "Go get Benny," he said quietly, almost fatherly, “tell him what you gotta do; then go do it."

      Mario had to try once more. "You know boss that I'd do anything for you, but I gotta tell you, I have very bad vibes about this." But the boss was unmoved; the decision already taken; the result irreversible.

      They found Antonio shooting pool in a down town bar. "The boss wants to see you." Mario called.

      "He does? - What's it about?"

      "He'll tell you himself."

      Antonio was a little alarmed at the rather abrupt manner of his two friends, but he had no reason to fear his boss. He had done nothing wrong that he could think of. But he was even more alarmed when they reached the large house which served as the boss’s residence; the boardroom for his 'business' associates and their activities, and numerous rooms used 'ad hoc' by the gang. What alarmed him most of all was that instead of being taken to the grandeur of the upstairs rooms, he was taken to a cellar.

      Antonio had worked for the boss long enough to know that this was not a good omen. "What gives guys?" he asked. For an answer he was bundled up against a pillar, and his hands tied behind it.

      "Come on fellas, what's the game?"

      "Sorry Tony," Mario said, as he removed the belt from Antoio's pants. There was real distress in his voice when he continued, "but I've gotta cut ya nuts off."

      "What!" Antonio shouted out loud, making the word last for an eternity "What are you taking about?"

      "Boss says you've been dipping you're wick where it didn't auta be dipped."

      "But what does he mean? Who can he mean?"

      "He says you have been getting too close; much too close; with Juliet."

      "No way. Does he think I'm crazy?" Antonio couldn't help the rising panic in his voice. He knew the boss as a fairly tolerant man, at least when he was calling the shots, but he also knew that he would take no truck with anyone who messes with his woman.

      "He says you've been seen going into her suite and not emergin for hours."

      "Who says! They're lying whoever it is."

      "Angelli, that’s who."

      "Yeah!" Added Benny.

      "Surely he's not sent you to mutilate me based on what that lying toad says."

      "He seems to believe every word Angelli speaks." Mario said.

      "Yeah.” said Benny.

      "But didn't you speak up for me?" Antonio pleaded.

      "The boss wouldn't listen. He's made up his mind." Mario muttered.

      "Mario spoke up for you real good, but the boss wouldn't listen." added Benny, beating his usual vocal contribution by a hoodlum mile.

      "Listen boys; let me tell you what I know, and then you'll just have to do what you gotta do."

      'The boys' listened quietly while Antonio told his story. At last he stopped.   "That's   it." he said

      "But why don't you just tell the boss?" asked Mario.

      "Yeah, why?” repeated Benny.

      "He aint never gonna believe me. Especially now. He'll just think I'm trying to lie myself out of bad deal." Antonio explained. "Besides, it looks like Angelli is calling the shots now.”

      A short period of silence followed, broken by Antonio saying, "Now boys; don't you have a job to do?"

      "You want us to go through with it?" Mario asked, while Benny looked on without a ‘yeah’ to his name.

      "You said the boss wants my 'nick nacks', so you'd better give him them."

      "He said he wants your dick as well," Mario nodded, "but I think I can swing that."

 

Act Two

 

Later that day Mario marched straight into the lounge of the boss's apartment where he was entertaining Juliet and Angelli. He banged the small clear plastic bag down on the table in front of his employer.

      "If you can't justify this then it's the last thing I will ever do for you." His voice low, but angry.

      "Is it all there?" the boss asked, somewhat surprised by Mario’s hostility, as he casually looked into the bag.

      "Enough," Mario responded curtly, "he can't do much harm with what’s left.

      The boss looked up. "Thank you Mario, that's all for now."

      "Oh no, I haven’t finished yet." The boss looked cross, but Mario carried on before he could be distracted. "You had me do your dirty work, now I want to see you do some."

      With that he picked up the plastic bag, and handed it to Juliet. She was very curious not having recognised the contents, but she did recognise the serious looks on the faces of the two men. Mario, and her man, the boss.

      "Honey," she asked, what's happening; and what are these?"

      The boss didn't answer straight away, as if weighing up his words. "There's nothing to worry about. Just that someone won't be bothering you any more."

      "I don't understand; - no one has been bothering me."

      "You've been having long visits in your private rooms by a certain party. He won't be coming again."

      "No I have not; who says I have; and who is supposed to have been visiting me?" she asked, her voice getting shrill.

      For the first time Angelli spoke up. "Antonio was seen going into your room, and not coming out for well over two hours."

      "Honey," Juliet asked, "what's this man been telling you?"

      "Is it true?"

      "No it is not. But could you not have asked me instead of getting your gorilla to spy on me?"

      "I know what I saw." Angelli cut in, a big grin on his face.

      "Well you saw wrong you big mut. Antonio has only been into my room twice. He carried little Susannah in from the park one day when she fell off her bike. He stayed about ten minutes, and about two hours later he called back again to see how she was. He stayed another five minutes and then left. That's it."

      The boss turned to Angelli. He did not speak but his expression demanded an explanation.

      "That's not how I saw it boss."

      "Well how did you see it?"

      "That's enough." Juliet jumped to her feet, glaring at the boss. "I'm not going to let you discus me like I'm a dumb animal. I am being accused of having an affair with Antonio, and without asking me you take the word of a lying cheatin low life, who can't even spell honesty or integrity never mind knowing what they mean. And without ...” Suddenly she stopped and looked around the room. “Where is Antonio anyway?" she asked.

      The boss looked to Mario for an answer.

      "I had to take him to the hospital boss; he'd have bled to death if I'd left him."

      Once again Juliet was shouting, not at Angelli this time but at her boyfriend.   "You great dumbhead, what have done to him?" Only then did the penny drop as to the contents of the plastic bag. She looked at the boss hoping for reassurance.

      “Please don’t tell me that this is what I think it is.”

      The assurance she had pleaded for did not come and she sank heavily into her chair. "That poor innocent man." she sobbed as she covered her face.

      The short period of quiet in which only Juliet’s crying could be heard, was broken by a noise at the door. In waddled Antonio followed by a tall, a very tall, stranger.

      "Hi boss." he said, almost as though nothing had happened. "They wanted to keep me in, but as soon as they had sewn me up and strapped me up, I couldn't see any reason to stay.”

       "Who's ya friend?" the boss asked, showing little concern for Antonio's discomfort.

      "Well there's a funny thing boss. This is Len; his friends call him Lanky; he's from the downtown outfit. I met him a few moths ago in the barbers and we got to chatting. The upshot was that I found out that Angelli had been 'talking' to them about a merger." Antonio seemed to be enjoying being centre stage. "But not you boss; he has plans to get rid of you.”

      The boss sat up in his chair and looked directly at Angelli, who was no longer wearing his grin, but said nothing.

      Before the boss could speak Antonio now turned his attention to Angelli. "The trouble was I challenged him," he continued, "so I guess he felt he had to get rid of me. No doubt he thought that framing me for porking; - sorry Juliet - with having an affair with the boss’s woman would be a good way to do it.” Then he turned to face the boss again. “After that he planned to have you framed for Juliet’s murder, - sorry Juliet.” he said again. “There is no place for you Boss in his plans - he aimed to take over the number one spot. Nice chap eh!”

      Len had stayed silent through all this, but now he spoke up. "We don't want no trouble. Things work out better for us all if were not greedy. We stick to our patch, and you stick to yours. Everyone’s happy. So when my boys told me someone's skulking, I smell a rat. I don't like rats."

      He moved around a little before he started again. "You've got a loyal and faithful man here." he said, putting his arm on Antonio's shoulder, "I hope you reward him better after this than before. He put himself on the line for you, so you better start believing him."

      He took a couple of steps forward. "Anyway, as I was saying, my boys tell me about this guy talking loud and talking big, so I decided to string him along. He told me of his plans - which didn't include you." He glanced at Angelli briefly then continued. "Then he told me of a grand plan to merge our two outfits - and I'm pretty sure his long term plans didn't include me either. So I made contact with your man here." Turning, he acknowledged Antonio once more, "And the rest of it you know.”

 

Act Three

 

Throughout Lanky’s oration Angelli's grin had completely disappeared, and in its place was an ashen faced mask. He had not failed to notice that all the doors from the large room were now covered. Mario and Benny and Antonio had quietly placed themselves strategeticly, ready to prevent a sudden dash for freedom.

      "What da ya have to say for yourself Angelli," asked the boss, his face somewhat drawn by now. "anything you care to deny?"

      Angello was silent.

      Then the boss picked up the plastic bag and beckoned Antonio forward. "These are yours I believe." as he tossed them across.

      "Not much use to me now." he answered, "but I guess they'll be alright in a stew."

      He looked cheekily at the mystified faces around the room, "Sheeps bits and pieces; from the abattoir." he said, and then he patted around his waist and between his legs. "Padding, see." as he gave himself an extra slap in the nethers.

      Now everyone in the room was smiling except Angelli. The boss reached out to take Antonio's hand. "Sorry I mistrusted you, I guess you’ll be movin into Angello’s place now. And I think that you should have the pleasure of meeting out Angelli's punishment. An eye for an eye seems about right, don't you think?"

      As he spoke he tapped the plastic bag still in Antonio's hand. "And oh';” he paused, “can we have the full set this time?"

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