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Saturday, January 7, 2017

Women in the Age of Trump: DEMONSTRATION

DEMONSTRATION by Monica Hileman is a semi-finalist for NYCPlaywrights project "Women in the Age of Trump."

MONICA HILEMAN's stories have appeared in journals such as Arts & Letters, The Baffler, and the Chicago Tribune’s Printers Row Journal. There are times when she tries her hand at plays. Her website is monicahileman.com
Thanks to Monica Hileman for allowing NYCPlaywrights to publish this excerpt from her play DEMONSTRATION.

   ALICE

I’ve had to change jobs three times in the past five years. Not because I wanted to. I worry what’s going to be there for my little girl when she grows up. What kind of world she’s going to be living in.

   GUS

I tell ya, this job is not for everyone. We get dropped in the middle of things and try to do the best we can. I know some guys have an attitude, but you find that in any group. Like your friends that trashed those storefronts last night.

   ALICE

(Annoyed)
 
Not my friends.

   GUS

Pretty stupid. And dangerous with all that glass flying.

   ALICE

   (Her shoulder hurts and her foot has gone to sleep) 
I’m gonna start screaming if you don’t take these off.
   GUS

   (Smirks like she’s being ridiculous)

   ALICE

(Loud, full-throated scream) AAAAAHHHH!!!!

   GUS

(Drops cigarette and jumps to his feet)

   ALICE

TAKE. THEM. OFF!

   GUS

All right. Christ!

(He stands behind her, bends down.)

   ALICE

(Emotional) I asked you nicely. (Nearly in tears) Didn’t I?   
   GUS

I said all right. Hold still. (Removes the plastic cuffs)

   ALICE

   (Brings her hands around and rubs her wrists, moans with relief)

   GUS

   (Remains standing behind her, pulls another strip of plastic off his belt)

Okay.

   ALICE

   (Wipes her nose on her sleeve)

Okay what?

   GUS

I have to put on another one.

   ALICE

Noooo.

   GUS

It won’t be as tight.

   ALICE

What, you think I’m gonna try and escape?

   GUS

I don’t want to have to use force to put these on.

   ALICE

   (Hunches over, keeping her hands in her lap)

Why don’t you go arrest some muggers.

   GUS

Cause I’m here with you, stupid. 
(Nudges her shoulder)

   ALICE

(Takes deep breath) Okay. 
(Puts one arm behind her, then the other)

   GUS

(Puts on cuffs and goes back over to lean against the wall, takes a deep breath)

   ALICE

(Starts crying quietly) The way thing are I had to do something. (snivels) It builds up and you start to get numb. I don’t want that (snivels) Being here, with other people who feel the same way, who care about this country and what’s happening to it, at least I know I’m not alone.

   GUS

   (Under his breath) 
This is definitely not why I became a cop.

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