Convicted

October 14, 2009

CHARACTERS

Gardo San Vicente – convict, charged of drug dealing

SPO1 Chief Inspector Luisito – head police in charge of the prison

Guard– subordinate of the chief inspector

 

SETTING

Morning. In the office of Chief Inspector Luisto. He enters his office and checks the calendar.

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

LUISITO

(Enters office. Lays his things on his desk. Checks the calendar.)

Ah. San Vicente. (heads for the door and opens it, shouts.)

Guard! (sits)

 

 

GUARD

(enters office.)

Yes sir?

 

 

LUISITO

San Vicente, please.

 

 

GUARD

Right away.

(Exits room.)

 

 

LUISITO

(lights a cigarette. Puts his feet up on the table. Makes circles from the smoke of his cigarette.)

 

 

 

GUARD

(dragging Gardo in handcuffs.)

Here he is.

 

 

LUISITO

(to the police)

Take them off.

 

 

GUARD

(smirking)

Which?

 

 

LUISITO

The handcuffs, you imbecile.

 

 

GUARD

(grunts, takes the handcuffs off. Exits.)

 

 

LUISITO

So. Mr. San Vicente. Please, take a seat.

 

 

GARDO

(sits)

 

 

LUISITO

(reading a file from his folder)

Edgardo San Vicente. 19 years old. Sentenced July 1997.  Accused of drug dealing: marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine.  Sentenced to serve 10 years of imprisonment. (laughs)  But, Mr. San Vicente, do you know what today is?

 

 

 

GARDO

I don’t think so. What?

 

 

LUISITO

Today is your lucky day. You’re finally leaving this god-forsaken dump.

 

 

GARDO

(sighs)

Ten years roll by so fast.

 

 

LUISITO

Tell me about it. (gets a telephone). Here. Call your sister or whatever. Look for a place to settle in.

 

 

GARDO

(holds phone. But then releases)

I just realized. I can’t call anyone because nobody is waiting for me outside.

 

 

LUISITO

Are you sure? Not even one?

 

GARDO

Well, before I got in, I didn’t have anyone. I was alone; I lived alone, and was an orphan. Where else would I end up? The slammer, of course. Growing up, I just did drugs, delivered them and stole for a living.

 

 

LUISITO

Well, is that so? I wish we caught you earlier then. In that case, just get your things and you may leave.

 

 

GARDO

But where will I go? I don’t have a cent with me. Where will I stay? I have nothing.

 

 

LUISITO

I don’t give a damn. Just leave my office.

 

 

GARDO

(walks to the door slowly, slightly opens it but then rushes back and sits on the chair)

Wait. Please. Can I just stay? Let me explain. You see—

 

 

LUISITO

(shocked)

What do you mean stay?

 

 

GARDO

Like I said, I’m an orphan. Nobody’s waiting for me out there. I got no one. I don’t know where I’ll go once I step out of this office. Just let me stay. I have everything I could possibly desire here: food, shelter, clothing and… friends.

 

 

LUISITO

Are you out of your mind? It’s a jail for pete’s sake!

 

 

GARDO

But I like it here. I have people who care about me. Back then, I lived on the streets. I was a vagrant. I had no definite home. Nobody knew me, nobody cared for me. I was an outcast.

 

 

 

 

 

LUISITO

(flabbergasted)

Don’t you get it? You’ve done your part. You’re free to go. Leave. Just Leave. Leave.

 

 

GARDO

But, I want to stay. I have to stay. Here, people actually know my name and actually care about my life. I’ve never felt that before. I had no siblings. No permanent friends. Just really learned from the different people on the street. Adapted to the environment. Until one day, someone approached me and asked me to start delivering drugs for money. What a life, ey? (laughs) But that fateful day your boys got me was a blessing. Why didn’t I think of it before? Jail. Jail’s exactly how I thought of it to be: filled with people with nothing to do but talk and nothing else. This is my home now. I want to stay. They need me, but I need them more. Don’t you make any exceptions?

 

 

LUISITO

Exceptions for the crazy? You’d have to go to an asylum for that. If you really want to stay, (sarcastically) kill someone or do something that’ll get you another ten years (laughs). But if I were you, I’d get out of this place ASAP. (shouts) Guards! (two guards enter)

Take this man away.

 

 

GARDO

You can’t do this. I want to stay. I’m happy here. I have the right to be happy.

 

 

LUISITO

Then do something about it! (to guards) take this man away! Get him out of my sight. (Gardo snatches a nightstick from one of the guards and heads for luisito. Gardo hits him on the head. Guards pull him away.)

Are you crazy?  Why’d you do that?

 

GARDO

You told me to do something about it.

LUISITO

You’re crazy, you son of a bitch! Oh. I forgot. You don’t even have a mother. Guards! Just take him away and lock him up for physically assaulting a police officer.

 

 

GUARDS

(restraining Gardo)

You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say may be used against you in the court of law.

 

 

GARDO

Good.

 

(lights fade to black)

 

 

—–END—–