Kid on a Hot Tin Roof
An Absurdist Play in One Act
ACT ONE FADE IN: EXT. POLITICAL RALLY GROUNDS - OUTSIDE A MANUFACTURED STEEL BUILDING A YOUNG KID WITH A SLIGHT BUILD AND LONG HAIR IS WALKING AROUNG THE BUILDING LOOKING UP AT THE ROOF. THE DOOR IS OPENED AND TWO POLICEMEN WALK OUT. KID [SHOUTING TO THE POLICEMEN OVER THE ROAR OF THE CROWD]: CAN I USE THAT LADDER OVER THERE TO GET UP ON THE ROOF? I NEED TO DO SOME ELECTRICAL WORK.
POLICEMAN #1: [SHOUTING BACK] OK... BUT MAKE SURE YOU... [POLICEMAN #1'S VOICE IS DROWNED OUT BY THE CROWD WELCOMING A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WHO IS SOON TO MAKE A SPEECH 150 YARDS AWAY ON A PODIUM IN THE LINE OF SIGHT OF THE BUILDING.] POLICEMAN #2: [TALKING TO POLICEMAN #1 AS THE KID WALKS OFF TOWARD THE LADDER PROPPED UP AGAINST THE BUILDING LEADING TO THE ROOF] WHO IS THAT KID? POLICEMAN #1: I DON'T KNOW. HE SAID HE'S FIXING SOMETHING UP ON THE ROOF. GOOD LUCK TO HIM, IT'S HOT AS HELL UP THERE ON THAT TIN ROOF. POLICEMAN #2: YEAH, NO KIDDING. I'M GOING BACK IN WHERE IT'S AIR CONDITIONED.
[BOTH POLICEMEN WALK BACK INTO THE BUILDING. THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE BEGINS TO SPEAK. THE KID GETS ON THE HOT TIN ROOF WITH A BACKPACK AND RIFLE CRAWLING TO THE TOP.] [THE CROWD ROARS AS THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SPEAKS. PEOPLE CLOSE TO THE BUILDING START POINTING TO THE KID AND SCREAMING TO POLICEMEN TO DO SOMETHING. A POLICEMAN STANDING OUTSIDE CLIMBS THE SAME LADDER AND PEERS OVER THE EDGE OF THE ROOF. THE KID ON THE HOT TIN ROOF TURNS AND POINTS THE RIFLE AT THE POLICEMAN. THE POLICEMAN QUICKLY RETREATS DOWN THE LADDER. SECONDS LATER 8-9 RIFLE SHOTS ARE HEARD. THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND OTHER SPECTATORS ARE SHOT. SECONDS LATER THE KID ON THE HOT TIN ROOF IS SHOT DEAD BY SECURITY SNIPERS.] FADE OUT [CREDITS ON THE BLACK SCREEN STARTS WITH ‘NOTHING'S MORE DETERMINED THAN A KID ON A TIN ROOF--IS THERE? IS THERE, BABY?']
With apologies to Tennesee Williams and prayers for those shot in America’s latest episode of insanity and violence. Oh to go back to a time when the only weapons used by a poor kid in Pennsylvania when committing a crime was an orange traffic cone, oranges, rocks and himself:
I "ass"-ume the so-called "police" hanging out in the building were the coffee and donuts brigade. Administrative workers from the police department given the job to man the coffee and donuts station for the "real" police hanging out in the "perimeter." That is why the policeman who scaled the ladder backed down because he didn't have no stinkin' weapon.
Must have been hotter than hell lying on the roof in short sleeves and capris. I can't touch my white car's hood and roof while it sits in 90 degree heat baking in the sun, I can't imagine how the kid crawled and laid on the hot white steel roof without burning his arms, hands and legs. Demons have supernatural strength!
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts"
-Shakespeare
My paternal grandmother was from Slippery Rock in Butler County, PA, born in 1889. I have never been there, but I am pretty sure I have relatives around there. I hope they had something better to do that day, and I really hope Butler would never invite the guy back..
Well, soon Butler will be forgotten again, I hope, as we move on to the next act of this grand theatrical performance.