14

Annie: I’m going to go now. I think you need to sleep.

Trevor: I don’t want to sleep.

Annie: Can you- ummm- if I promise to help you get out of here?

Trevor: (laughs) Yeah right.

Annie: Don’t say another word. Leave everything up to me.

Trevor: You-

Annie: Not another word. What do you have to lose now? You’re already a prisoner. You can’t go any lower.

Trevor: True.

Annie: Get some rest.

Annie goes out into the hallway of the psychiatric ward of the hospital. Nurses and Doctors greet and nod to her. She goes up to the desk where Kathy sits.

Annie: Is Doctor G, scheduled to come in today?

Kathy: No, he’s at his office all day. Counciling. Why?

Annie: I want to go out and do a smoke break.

Kathy: But, child, you don’t smoke.

Annie: So what? You do! Why do smokers have privileges when all they do is kill themselves? I want to have a break like you do, except I won’t be taking off seven minutes of my life with that thing that you call pleasure.

Kathy: Fine. You’ve got five minutes.

Annie: You get six.

Kathy: Whatever.

Annie bolts out into an alley way and takes out her cell phone. She dials and then listens intently. Unbeknownst to her, a bum sits near the garbage can.

Annie: Hey Charla! Hey sister girlfriend. Yeah, yeah, I’m at work. But I think I’m in love. You know all those dreams I’ve been having, well he woke up today. . . and he sounds just like he does in the dreams. . . no no no, no pedestal. . . He deserves a golden altar! . . . I don’t care. . . .I really don’t. Ummm Trevor McNan.

The Bum stirs.

Annie: I’m going to help him escape from the hospital. . . .Don’t tell anybody. You just do your job at the gas station and I’ll be a nurse. . . the doctor is crazy. Sometimes nurses know more than doctors. . . have you ever wanted to risk it all for one person? Yeah. . . you’re boring. . .you wouldn’t.

Bum- Do you have a dollar?

Annie: (to bum) Ewww. No. (to phone) Charla, oh crazy homeless guy.

Bum- I know Trevor McNan.

Kathy: (from off) You’ve got two minutes, missy!

Annie: (to Kathy) Yeah, yeah. (to Bum) What did you say? (to Phone) Hold on a second, Charla.

Bum- My name is Jonathan. I tried to save Trevor once.

Annie: You did? (to Phone) Charla, gotta go. (She hangs up)

Bum/Jonathan- Give me a dollar and I’ll tell you all about it.

Kathy: (appears at the door) The McNan boy is asking for you.

McNan: (off) Excuse me, Excuse me, what room did you say my son was in?

Annie: Can you wait right here? I gotta go for a second.

Jonathan: Where else am I going to go?

Annie rushes in and sees Gloria McNan decked out in some glorious coat with a cigarette holder before Kathy at the desk. McNan’s hair is insane and smoke comes off the tip of the cigarette. Annie rushes up.

Annie: Mrs. McNan. Mrs. McNan.

McNan: Ms. It’s Ms. To you.

Annie: I’m sorry, Ms. McNan, but you have to put cigarettes out in the hospital.

McNan: Fall-da-roll and fiddle dee dee. Nobody speaks like that-

Annie takes the cigarette and smashes it on the floor.

Annie: They do now.

McNan: Young lady.

Annie: My name is Annie. Annie Graham. Nurse Annie Graham and I’m in charge of your son when Dr. G is not here. Please step to the side. Your son is not in a condition to see you at this time. Kathy, those are my orders.

McNan: How old are you?

Annie: I refuse to answer the question. Good day, Ms. McNan. Come back tomorrow
-without a cigarette.