(Originally written as a short play during the summer of this year, posting it here after failing to get it staged.)
CHARACTERS
CHARLENE BEAUMONT
AMELIA KIRBY
HARVEY CHESWICK
REX PAULSON
Scene: A local television station
(A local television studio where an afternoon talk show is about to air. The host and the three guests are seated around a coffee table. The host, Charlene Beaumont, is seated at stage right. She is intelligent and informed. To her left is Amelia Kirby, an officious but dense person. Next to Amelia is Harvey Cheswick, obsequious and two faced. Seated at stage left is Rex Paulson, a menacing heavy.)
CHARLENE (Addresses audience)
Good afternoon, and welcome to Current Affairs. I am your host, Charlene Beaumont. Since the election of Arnie Fowler to Congress, things have been very different for District 7. In addition to an increased emphasis on security measures and a decrease on social spending, there has been a very concerted effort to go after immigrants, both documented and undocumented, environmentalists, human rights observers, women’s groups, minority groups, LGBTQ groups, civil libertarians, unionized workers, teachers, intellectuals, journalists from all forms of media, the entire county board of supervisors, people who speak with accents, appear too swarthy, and have last names that are, quote, funny sounding. With me to discuss his new administration is Congressman Fowler’s chief of staff Amelia Kirby.
AMELIA
Thank you having us, Charlene.
CHARLENE
The Congressman’s governmental advisor, Harvey Cheswick.
HARVEY
A pleasure to be here, Ms. Beaumont!
CHARLENE
And also with us is…(Looks at her notes), Director of Special Operations Rex Paulson
REX
Hi.
CHARLENE
Well, it’s been a hectic time in District 7 since the election. How have you all adjusted to your new positions as well as your sudden presence in the public spotlight?
AMELIA
Well I’ve adjusted just fine, and I really don’t know what all the controversy is about. Congressman Fowler was very expressive about his vision during his campaign so for me there were no surprises. Plus I’ve had plenty of experience when it comes to dealing with an upset public.
CHARLENE
And where was that?
AMELIA
Customer service for United Airlines.
CHARLENE
I see. And have the rest of you readjusted to your new positions?
HARVEY
Like a hand in glove! When Mr. Fowler tells me to jump, I don’t even bother to ask him how high, I just jump.
CHARLENE
But as his governmental advisor aren’t you supposed to inform him of the duties of his job? Especially if he’s about to do something illegal or make some other kind of mistake?
HARVEY
Ha! Oh my, you are so naive. Congressman Fowler never makes mistakes. He told me so himself.
CHARLENE
Okay. And you, Mr. Paulson? Have you acclimated yourself to your new position?
REX
Yeah.
CHARLENE
All right. Now Ms. Kirby, how has the Congressman reacted to the slew of protests that have plagued him since he took office?
AMELIA
Well I just remind Congressman Fowler, and the rest of us, that the protesters represent only a small minority of voters and doesn’t reflect the majority of opinions.
HARVEY
And I have it on good authority that all these so called protesters are bussed in from out of state and are funded by George Soros.
REX
A conspiracy.
CHARLENE
Now protesters claim assiduously that they are local, and they contend that Congressman Fowler only won through voter intimidation.
HARVEY
Sore losers, ha ha!
AMELIA
They’re making that all up. I have yet to hear any examples of this so called intimidation.
CHARLENE
Well, some of the voter disenfranchisement techniques cited by protesters include closed polling stations, voter intimidation by brown shirted protesters at other polling stations, and one instance of a man in a security guard uniform who claimed to be a ballot inspector, and went around looking at filled out ballots looking for irregularities. He ended up throwing away hundreds of ballots.
REX
Mr. Fowler denies knowledge or involvement in any of these alleged activities.
CHARLENE
They’re not alleged, there’s plenty of video footage. All the local TV stations and many online sources have already shown footage.
REX
They’ll be dealt with.
CHARLENE
I beg your pardon. What do you mean by that?
HARVEY
Uh, Mr. Paulson was merely being sarcastic.
AMELIA
Of course! Rex is very well known for his sarcasm.
CHARLENE
Is that true, Mr. Paulson?
REX
Yeah, sure.
CHARLENE
Moving on. Another complaint from citizens is that the Congressman is rarely at his office. They accuse him of spending too much time golfing, bowling, playing poker, and when he does meet with constituents, it’s usually at a strip bar.
REX (Agitated)
Are you accusing Mr. Fowler of meeting with Reds?
CHARLENE
No, (Enunciates) a constituent. It means someone who lives in the Congressman’s district.
REX (Beat)
I knew that.
CHARLENE
Back to voter concerns. Many are worried that the Congressman is not only shirking his duties, he doesn’t take seriously the very responsibilities of his job.
HARVEY
Now I think I can put those worries into perspective and ultimately to rest by pointing out that candidate Fowler ran a very unique campaign. So of course after winning he going to be a unique, outside the mainstream congressman.
AMELIA
And let me add that no one takes his job more seriously that Congressman Fowler. You should see the passion with which he yells at the TV when he sees a news item he disagrees with, especially when Sylvia Brown is on.
CHARLENE
Yes, the Congressman’s opponent during the election. Why would he still be angry with her?
AMELIA
Because she said some mean things about Arnie.
HARVEY
She sure did.
CHARLENE
But since Fowler won and became Congressman, it seems rather unnecessary to harbor bitter feelings toward Mrs. Brown.
AMELIA
But she never apologized for her mean comments.
CHARLENE
Actually Sylvia Brown said very little about Fowler, especially toward the end of the campaign. Most of her ads were just clips Fowler’s more outrageous accusations, especially the obviously false claim that Mrs. Brown killed Vince Foster for the Clinton’s, and that they paid her in heroin.
HARVEY
But can you prove that it didn’t happen?
CHARLENE
You can’t prove a negative.
HARVEY
Aha! More pseudo intellectual hooey!
CHARLENE
No, it’s just common logic. You do understand the basic tenets of logic, right?
(The guests stare back at Charlene blankly.)
CHARLENE
Okay, let’s move on. Another area of concern is the shroud of secrecy that surrounds the office of Congressman Fowler. Access to him has become more restricted, and most people have no idea what happens during a typical day at the Congressman’s office.
AMELIA
Well then let me explain it to all those anxious, worried people. In the morning we put together his briefing. We keep it simple. He likes it when they have pictures and lots of color graphs.
CHARLENE
Is anything substantive said at these briefings?
HARVEY
Of course! Mr. Fowler is a very complex man who takes his job very seriously. Just the other day I attempted to bring up an important issue that I referred to as an elephant in the room. But when I said it that way, Congressman Fowler jumped to his feet and said, where’s the elephant? where’s the elephant? Then he excitedly ran around the office looking for an elephant. When we finally explained to him that it was a figure of speech and not a real elephant, he was extremely upset. He even broke down in tears.
CHARLENE
It does seem alarming that the Congressman has a hard time controlling himself.
AMELIA
But would you rather have some cold blooded, unemotional leader who doesn’t have feelings and only does things calmly, and rationally?
CHARLENE
But how do you deal with Congressman Fowler when he acts in such an emotionally unhinged way?
HARVEY (Reassuringly)
Oh, we know how to handle him when he gets in one of his special moods. A box of crayons, some paper, and he relaxes like a tranquilized animal.
CHARLENE
I see.
REX
I’d like to state for the record that Mr. Fowler does not inject tranquilizers or any other drugs. He just says no.
CHARLENE
I believe that was a metaphor.
HARVEY
That’s my fault. I should have been more plain speaking, like our beloved Congressman, instead of relying on the crutch of metaphor.
CHARLENE
Okay. Well one thing Congressman Fowler has been open about is his desire to return to policies that are fading, like mandatory minimums, suspension of civil liberties, and general prison expansion.
AMELIA
He is merely reacting to the wishes of the people.
CHARLENE
Actually public opinion is going against those policies.
HARVEY
That’s absurd!
CHARLENE
Not really. And many speculate that these policy opinions are because the private prison industry was a major donor to Fowler’s campaign.
AMELIA
But they are merely supporters who are showing their appreciation by donating to Congressman Fowler’s campaign. It’s really all quite innocent.
CHARLENE
But donations give the appearance of influence.
HARVEY
Might I remind you that money is speech?
REX
Citizen’s United, sweetie.
CHARLENE
Okay, currently money is considered speech, but that decision has been steeped in controversy, so just saying money is speech doesn’t seem to satisfy the public.
AMELIA
Well maybe the public needs to pull itself up by its own bootstraps instead of asking for a handout.
CHARLENE
I’m not sure how taking issue with moneyed interests having a disproportionate influence on elected office holders makes one a seeker handouts.
AMELIA
You see? You just answered your own question.
CHARLENE
That doesn’t make sense.
HARVEY
You need to stop thinking and just go with how you feel.
CHARLENE
Okay, I think we’re going off course here. Now I want to bring up the nagging and persistent questions that continue to surround the last election. More specifically, Fowler’s connections to figures in the criminal world.
AMELIA
Oh please! Congress are the real criminals.
CHARLENE
But Mr. Fowler is now a Congressman.
HARVEY
A new kind of Congressman, without that Washington taint.
CHARLENE
But these connections between Fowler and the criminal underworld go back years, long before he got into politics. He plays golf with members of various South American drug cartels, is suspected of having ties with members of the Yakuza, and has been accused of brokering money laundering for Russian oligarchs.
AMELIA
But as you can see Congressman Fowler has very diverse friends.
HARVEY
You think the pointy headed elites would at least give him credit for that.
CHARLENE
Uh, I think you’re missing the big picture. Now that Mr. Fowler is a congressman he is under greater scrutiny, so all those connections to criminals that he was able to hide when he was a private citizen are now in the public arena.
AMELIA
Those charges are baseless!
CHARLENE
And there’s Congressman Fowler’s insistence that climate change is a hoax despite all scientific evidence to the contrary.
HARVEY
The Earth is still around last time I checked.
CHARLENE
But the Congressman is at odds with most of his constituency. Isn’t he afraid of a backlash?
AMELIA
If Arnie took his critics seriously he would have given up long ago.
HARVEY
And he knows how to deal with his critics.
CHARLENE
How does he?
HARVEY
Oh, he has a plan.
CHARLENE
What plan?
HARVEY
A little thing called martial law.
REX (Jumps up)
You’re not supposed to mention that!
CHARLENE
What??
HARVEY
No! I didn’t say anything!
REX
That does it!
HARVEY
Noooooo!
(Rex grabs Harvey and drags him off stage.)
CHARLENE
What’s going on here?!
AMELIA
You didn’t see a thing!
CHARLENE
We’re on live TV!
AMELIA (To audience)
You! At home! You didn’t see or hear a thing! Got it?
(Runs off stage after Rex and Harvey)
CHARLENE (Pause, to audience)
Well this is flabbergasting. When we come back from break we’ll try to straighten out this mess and then discuss the Congressman’s voting record.
(Harvey runs back on stage screaming for help and then runs down the center aisle while being chased by Rex, who holds a pair and manacles or a large net, and Amelia.)
CHARLENE (To offstage)
Security!
©2017 Robert Kirkendall
Robert Kirkendall 