Each One Reach One: Young Writers: Play

“ I know what’s wrong, but all I want is for you to spend a little time with me, I mean we both can handle this we both can be a family.”
- excerpt from The Life of Rock Boy

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The Life of Rock Boy and Ill One, Rock Boy as a Lamborghini, Ill one as a Steering Wheel, Together as One, The Life of the Two Big Timers, The Autobiography of Rock Boy
A Play by Jonathan

Performance: February, 2002
Community School South, East Palo Alto

Time:June 1, 2002, 7:30 PM, Monday
Place: Western Addition, Fillmoe on Eddy block. A stop sign, Eddy Block. See beautiful trees, see beautiful people in the community walking down the street, see mothers, see babies. See food restaurants, see friends, see loved ones. The wind blowin, sounds like the wind in my ears, hear the birds in the trees, feel pumped, alive, feel rock solid. Hear mothers, babies crying. Hear cars runnin startin up the street, ski skirtin.
At Rise: Rock Boy the Lamborghini Diablo and Ill One the Steering Wheel are driving up Eddy Block, Jay-Z playing in the background, they knockin’ Jay-Z the blueprint.

Rock Boy:		What’s up man, why you honking when nobody’s in the way, man? You tripping Ill One whatsup? You gotta get it together, man.

Ill One:		I can honk when I want to, I’m runnin this, I’m runnin this show, I’m the steering, you work the peddles, I work the steering wheel. You understand that, you get with me, you get with my level. And by the way, turn that Jay-Z up man!

Rock Boy:		Matta fact, I work the paddles, I work the engine. You ain’t nothing but a steering wheel, you understand. Matta fact, I’m about to cut this engine off.

Ill One:		You know what? If you wanna work the engine, go ahead, that’s yo problem.

Rock Boy:		Matta fact, where the hell we goin’ anyway? You the steering wheel, you suppost ta make a left on Fillmoe Street. Remember I’m just the engine and the paddles, so why you go right?

Ill One:		I made a lef’ because I’m going my way. You said I’m the steering wheel so I’m gonna steer you understand that. And I ain’t gonna tell you no more, turn the goddamn Jay-Z up!

Rock Boy:		You know what since I’m the engine, you jeopardizing my life cause it was a Mack Truck back left, now if I had put my pedals, we coulda been wrecked. We’re gonna pull into the McDonalds right here and I’m gonna cut this show off.

Ill One:		Okay, I’m gonna pull up in here, we can shut it down, I’m gonna follow your order on this one.

Rock Boy:		What’s up Ill One man? Why you doing this to me, why you turning left when I’m turning right? C’mon man what you doing? Get with the program.

Ill One:		Man, I’m turning left and right when you turning the other way, because man you ain’t letting me see Baby Benz no more, every time I ask you to lemme see him you say some nonsense like he asleep or her in the bath. And I don’t hear no bath water. I don’t hear him snoring and I heard Baby Benz sleep before. He snore hecka loud. Why you trying to play me, you street punk?

Rock Boy:		I won’t be lying to you man, I know Baby Benz’ important to you. I know he’s like a Baby Brother to you man

Ill One:		Why you ain’t answer my question man? Why don’t you just come out like a man, be the Lamborghini you is and stop beatin round the bush?

Rock Boy:		What you talkin bout?

Ill One:		Man, you know what I’m talking bout man. I’m talking about Baby Benz. What you think your own son gonna be closer to me than you? Think your son love me more than you?

Rock Boy:		Man, I gonna keep it real with you man. I ain’t letting you see Baby Benz cause I think he gonna be closer to you than me man? It ain’t that. I think your gonna hurt Baby Benz to get to me.

Ill One:		Naw, that ain’t true, I’m a keep it real with you, too. Man I want to get out on that road and steer, cause I’m a steering wheel. That’s what I was born to do. And you ain’t letting me do it, you ain’t spinning donuts, you spending all your time with Alise and not with me.

Rock Boy:		What about when I woke up that morning Ill One and I felt like going to drive and you told me, “I don’t feel like driving.” And I said “Why don’t you feel like rolling?”

Ill One:		I didn’t feel like driving that day cause when I felt like doing donuts you didn’t want to do any doughnuts cause Alise said you can’t do ‘em no more. So what’s up with that?

Rock Boy:		So what are you jealous? Are you jealous of me? Are you jealous cause I have a wife and a kid? I don’t know why you would be jealous, they both love you. Alise love you, Baby Benz love you-you’re a part of our family. So what’s up with that?

Ill One:		I mean, c’mon Rock Boy, yes I am a little jealous, but all I am asking is that you spend a little more time with me. Now is that hard?

Rock Boy:		Yes, it is hard Ill One because I have a wife and a son and I need to spend my time with them.

Ill One:		What about when we used to wake at about 8:30 AM, you get you a quick wash from your dad the Jag and at 9:30 you start up the engine, the engines all good, gassed up, oiled up. We used to go up for a quick run up to Eddie’s at Macallister and Divisadero, we was feelin hyped, we was feelin juiced and we used to do a little ski skirtin before Alise waked up.

Rock Boy:		Yes I do remember those days and they was all good, Ill One, but c’mon I can’t keep lying to my wife every day its just not right Ill One. C’mon man that’s not right, what kind of relationship would I have with my wife if I kept lying to her?

Ill One:		I know what’s wrong, but all I want is for you to spend a little time with me, I mean we both can handle this we both can be a family.

Rock Boy:		Well, I’m tired of talking about this right now, we going home, so I’m starting this engine up and gonna steer us home. VRRR… (engine starting. They rollin. Jay-Z knockin the blueprint. They ridin down the Mac block)

Ill One:		Hey Rock Boy, blood, you see those girls walking by lookin beautiful in their tanktops, walking in our community, mothers with their babies. Its crackin on this Monday, Rock Boy, you feel me!

Rock Boy:		Man, don’t even try to change the subject man, you trying to get me off track. Don’t be like we all good now. And I’m tired of this Jay-Z, I’m about to put in this Hot Boys. (They riding listening to the Hot Boys. They make a right on Webster, then a left on Fulton, and they at they house. They out in front of the house.)

Ill One:		And you know what Rock Boy, I got something for you. I think you a little bit jealous of me, that’s why you don’t let me see Baby Benz, you know I’m not going to hurt Baby Benz to get to you, you know I ain’t gonna do that man. And I think you really think that if you let me see him then he gonna be closer to me than you. So let’s keep it real.

Rock Boy:		You know what, I know you aint gonna hurt Baby Benz to get to me I was just talking on that. Yes, Ill One, I am a little bit jealous of you, that’s why I don’t let you see my son when you want to. And I think maybe Baby Benz will be a little bit closer to you than me. And that’ll make me feel bad like I’m not a good father. (Rock Boy starts to cry)

Ill One:		Man rock Boy, you cryin! I mean you really do care about me, I never really knew that. But anyway, I don’t give a damn.

Rock Boy:		Man you ain’t nothin but a cold piece of turkey. I sat there and shed tears for you and you don’t give a damn. I mean I’m your driver man and I was crying man and you just threw it right back in my face like you don’t give a damn.

Ill One:		So goddamn what man? Life’s tough, you either live in it or get the hell out of it.

Rock Boy:		You know what Ill One man, let’s keep it real man. The only reason why I think you would be closer to my son than me is because I’m a father man. I gotta show discipline to me son when he get out of line. And you know some sons, they get mad at they daddy, they hold a little grudge in they heart. And that’s the only reason I think he’ll be closer to you, because when I discipline him you come around and pick him up and be a friend. And that’s why I don’t want you to see him when I’m not around. (Baby Benz on scene, coming from outta house)

Ill One:		C’mon man why you all arguing man? I love both y’all. Y’all argueing over nothing. So c’mon if y’all don’t squash this right now, none a y’all are gonna see me. I’m gonna be gone on the first flight smoking up outta here. Y’understand, ya dig that?

Rock Boy:		Man I’m sorry Ill One. I’m sorry I ain’t been spendin much time with youman. I swear I’ll spend a little bit a time with you man. I’ll break my day in half man.

Ill One:		Man and I promise man I promise I wont turn left when you want me to turn right. I’ll be the steering wheel you want me to be. Give me the little courtesy that you said you would. And by the way, I love you man.

		ON LOCK

		The End.