THE RUNNING MAN

CHARACTERS:

HENRY - man in his late forty
BLAS - man in his mid-twenty, has a scar on his cheek.

(The moonlight shines on stage. HENRY is found on center stage about to light a cigarette.  )

HENRY

(Sighs.)

Don’t you just love Halloween?  A holiday that gives people the license to dress up in idiotic costumes.  Like we need a holiday for that!  We always dress up in disguises.  You try to look pretty when you actually feel rotten.  You face-paint a smile when you actually want to strangle someone.  Everyday is a Halloween party!

(BLAS in a futuristic soldier costume enters the stage running and bumps into HENRY.)

Hey! Watch where you’re going.  You run like you’ve seen a ghost.

(BLAS, with a wide mouth, examines Henry’s face.)

Now you look like you’ve seen a ghost. 

(BLAS keeps looking.)

What are you looking at?  I’m not a ghost!

BLAS

Henry?  Is that really you?

HENRY

My identity depends on who’s asking.

(BLAS removes his helmet.)

BLAS

It’s me, Blas. Do you still remember me?

HENRY

Blas?  (Examines the scar on Blas’ cheek.) Is it really you?

(The two hugs each other in a manly fashion.)

How can I forget you?  I can still remember how we met...

(There’s a disco light effect on the stage.  BLAS and HENRY dance the running man on their way to the opposite sides of downstage.  THEY will seat in front of a computer with their backs against each other.  The light changes to orange [or sepia] and spotlights on the characters. THEY say their lines while typing.)

BLAS

Acountutoot69, that’s a funny handle. . .

HENRY

What can I do for you BingBang?

BLAS

I just wanna make friends.

HENRY

What kind of friendship do you have in mind?

BLAS

Do you mind if I ask for your ASL? I’m 20. Male. San Juan.

HENRY

Oh, that kind of friendship. I’m 35. Male. Makati. I guess I’m too old for your taste.

BLAS

No. I like talking to guys your age. I could use some mature disposition. Do you have a webcam?

HENRY

Yeah I do. Wanna chat with a webcam?

BLAS

Sure...wait.

(BLAS and HENRY set-up their respective webcam.)

There you go.  You look like you just got off from work.

HENRY

Yes, I just arrived home.  And what’s with the soldier boy costume?

BLAS

Oh, this? I just got home from playing airsoft. I like playing war games. You can say I’m a frustrated soldier.  I got discharged from military training. I squealed on a high ranking officer after he took advantage of me.  I think the other officers didn’t like that.  They might have seen me as a threat for their code of secrecy. They made the training harder for me and made up some story that I failed to adapt.  I think it was the high ranking officer’s way of getting back at me.

(Chuckles.) They didn’t know I enjoyed it.

HENRY

(Laughs out loud.) L-O-L. Aside from being taken advantage, what else do you enjoy?

BLAS

I enjoy playing with guns. I don’t mean firing at innocent people, no!  To me a gun is like a work of art.

HENRY

I guess you have a collection of guns. Do you mind showing me your gun?

BLAS

Which gun do you want to see? Wink!

HENRY

The one you like playing with the best. Wink. Wink.

BLAS

You mean this gun?

(Unzips his fly in front of the webcam and started stroking his crotch.)

HENRY

Oh yes I like that gun very much.  I’d like to see it fire.

BLAS

You can fire it if you want to. I’ll teach you how to fire my gun.

HENRY

I’d love to fire your gun. Would you like to point your gun at my face and fire?

BLAS

Only if you fire your gun at my face as well...

HENRY

Deal!

BLAS

Do you have a place?

HENRY

No, I don’t.  I live with my younger sister. She doesn’t know this side of me.  How does a motel sound to you?

BLAS

I’m out of cash.

HENRY

Don’t worry. I’ll shoulder the expenses. How about we meet at Cubao tonight? I can leave right now.

BLAS

Sure. I’ll go change.

HENRY

No! I wanna see you in your soldier costume.

(BLAS zips back his fly. There’s a disco light effect on the stage.  BLAS and HENRY dance the running man on their way back to center stage.  The moonlight shines on THEM.)

HENRY

I guess you’re going to the Halloween costume party. Why else would you be dressed like that, right? I used to go to those parties.  A lot of eye candies! Guys flaunting their wares. And the best of course is the steamy meaningless sex after the party.

BLAS

That was the plan but something came up. How about you? You don’t look like you’re going to a costume party.

HENRY

I’m here because of work. My boss is launching her clothing line.  There’s a small fashion show and party inside. I just went out for a smoke. Plus I can’t stand all the pretentious people inside.

BLAS

Are there male models?

HENRY

No. It’s a clothing line for women.

BLAS

Oh too bad... So Henry, how have you been? How’s the love life? And the sex life? (Chuckles.)

HENRY

I wasted my time on the wrong guys. I already missed the love bus. I walk alone. I always have and I’ll always will. It’s not that bad. And for the sex life...let’s just say I already tried it all and there’s nothing new to try.  I’m almost forty...

BLAS

Forty?!  You were almost forty when we met.

HENRY

Okay. Fine. I’m almost fifty. Happy now? Do you have to rub it in?

BLAS

Whoa! Lighten up. Where’s the old Henry I used to know?

HENRY

I think he died. Of suffocation. In his closet.

When I was young, I thought I wouldn’t live this old. I was planning to die at 35. So I don’t have to worry about growing old alone.  Some of us are cursed with a long life. What can I do? (Grunts.) When my mother died, I vowed to take care of my younger sister.  It would be selfish of me to leave her alone in this world. You know what? I’m lucky I have a sister. She’ll take care of me when I grow old. I hope she finds a good husband, someone who would let her take care of me. Someone who wouldn’t be afraid to let his son play with his gay uncle.

You’re still young. Things could turn out differently for you. So make the most out of your youth. And I don’t mean going around on a fuck fest. You don’t want to one day you’ll look back and find out that your life was just that, a fuck fest.

BLAS

I’m still young. I have a lot of time to worry about that later.  And how can I be sure of spending my life with one person if I haven’t tried all the possibilities?

HENRY

Just make sure you don’t spend all your life trying possibilities.

BLAS

How about you? Didn’t you ever fall for someone? There must be at least one...

HENRY

There was but he ran away.

(There’s a disco light effect on the stage.  BLAS and HENRY dance the running man around the stage. THEY end up in center stage. The light changes to red.)

BLAS

(Covers the healing wound on his cheek.)

Thanks for letting me stay at your place while I heal this wound.  I’ll just tell the folks back home that I got this from a camping trip.

HENRY

You can stay here as long as you want. My sister doesn’t seem to mind. I don’t think she suspects a thing. I kinda enjoyed seeing you here every time I arrive home from work. I don’t know but the work stress just disappears when I’m here. Just promise me you’re not going back to the homophobic bitch that did that to you.

BLAS

I was thinking of going home tonight...

HENRY

So soon? Couldn’t you stay a little longer?

BLAS

If I stayed a little longer we’d be called a couple.

HENRY

And what’s wrong with that? Can’t you see? We’re good for each other. I never had a connection like this with anyone before.  Living together isn’t so hard, right? Why can’t we go on living together... forever?

BLAS

Dude!  I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend. I was just looking for a friend who likes doing the same things I like. What we do, I was just tripping around. This just fun. Do you get it?

I’m not gay. One day I’m going to be a father.  I’m going to raise my own kids, build a house and be married to a lovely wife.  I’m gonna grow old with her and play with my grandchildren. This is just a phase.

I mean, what do you expect to get out of this anyway? I can’t keep doing this. I want to be a cop someday. Who would respect a gay cop? Just because you made me feel better for a couple of days doesn’t mean you can make everything alright.

HENRY

(Fakes a laughter.) You don’t mean that? (HENRY embraces BLAS and attempts to kiss him. BLAS shoves HENRY away.) I don’t get it. I let you in my home and care for you. We have the most passionate sex night after night. Now what? You shove me like I don’t matter to you? I don’t even know why I try running after you. The worst part is you didn’t even give us a chance. You didn’t even try.

BLAS

Don’t make this harder than it already is.

(Sound effects: A woman sobbing. Rapid footsteps moving away. Door being shut.)

I think your sister needs some explaining. I’m sorry she had to find out like this. I think I’ve overstayed my welcome.

(There’s a disco light effect on the stage.  BLAS and HENRY dance the running man around the stage back to center stage. The moonlight shines on THEM.)

HENRY

So why were you running like that? Don’t tell me you’re running away from a guy again.

BLAS

There’s this gay couple.  We have a common friend.  They spotted me in the costume party. If they find out it was me, they’re gonna tell my friend. I can’t let my friend find out about my true identity. You understand, don’t you?

 (HENRY nods.)

I don’t get. Other gay guys make it a game to "out" closeted gay guys. Don’t they have better things to do? So their gaydar works. Big deal! How about you? Have you told anyone about your identity? I guess your sister already knows.

HENRY

It came as a surprise to her but she... we learned to deal with it.  She’s the only one who knows.  You know what? I was planning to come out. I was just waiting for mother to pass away. I didn’t want to disappoint her. After she’s gone, I won’t care if everybody knew who or what I was. But once you’re used to living a lie, it’s hard to come clean. I mean, how would my colleagues react? Would they treat me in the same way? Oh I’m sure my boss is going to hate me.  She’s a major fag hater.  Do you know that she makes sure she doesn’t have a gay or lesbian employee?  She’s in the fashion industry and she doesn’t want to work with gays!  How silly is that?

(Male voice over: There he is. Don’t let him get away.)

BLAS

Shit! They found me. We have to get out of here.

HENRY

This way... (HENRY leads BLAS running.)  I think we lost them.

BLAS

Thanks. Thanks for helping me. Thank you and sorry. I know I owe you an apology.

HENRY

Shhh..

BLAS

Just let me say this. I’m sorry I walked out on you just like that.  I walked out on you the day you needed a friend. How stupid was I letting go a friend like you? You’ve shown me kindness; and what do I repay you with? I’m sorry...

I met dozens of men after you. We ran after our crazy dreams. We ran from our problems. We bail out at the first sign of complications. I tried to escape from reality but this is who I am. I’m tired of running. I’m tired. I’m going to face them.

HENRY

What about your dreams? How about your plan of being a cop? Are you going to give up on that? Are you going to throw away everything you worked hard for?

BLAS

I don’t know. I don’t know...

HENRY

I kept my true identity a secret for almost fifty years. Why can’t you do the same? They have no business knowing what we do at night.

(Male voice over: There he is. After him. Don’t let him get away.)

There they come. We better go now. Run!

BLAS

But when will we stop running?

(BLAS and HENRY run and exit stage. Lights off.)

THE END