| Bugsy: |
|
Veto, you’re
always talking about going home. Home this, home
that – you sound like a pigeon!
|
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
Calm your
nerves! You always be getting loud, Bugsy! Hurry
up! You’re laggin’!
|
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
I’m
full. You’re always in a hurry! |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
Of course!
I want to go see Maria!
|
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
I’ve
had enough of that girl! She’s just like
you! She always wants to go back to the
country!
(Pigeons are flying up in a rush from the fire escape.)
What’s going on?
(They run over there hella fast. They see the
pot they live in broken, now seeing MARIA and MOUSEE
laid down.)
|
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
Mama!
Are you alright? Was it those damn pigeons? |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
I
told you you shouldn’t have stuck thorns in their
nest!
|
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
No, that
was you!
|
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
Well,
it was your idea! |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
You
still did it! I told you we should leave!
(As MARIA and MOUSEE are walking looking up towards them,
MOUSEE says: Guys! SHUT UP!! A letter
came in from Ma and Pa! Here! MARIA and MOUSEE
run off to go search for a new home.) |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
(reading
letter)
Dear Veto,
The cats are repo-ing our house. We are in need
of some money, or we’ll be stranded in the streets.
Please come soon, son. We’re in a time of need.
I know that you are taking care of your sister and brother.
We’re doing fine. Hopefully, we’ll see
you soon.
Love,
Ma and Pa
|
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
(to
BUGSY)
You know, this draws the line. I’m leaving.
I’m leaving now. I’ve had enough of this
city. You’re over here and you and Mousee are running
around like you have your heads chopped off – causing
all kinds of trouble. |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
You
know Ma and Pa will be fine. Stop worrying. We’re
not going anywhere. |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
What
do you mean, stop worrying? You’re taking this
too far. You need to slow your role |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
Shut up!
That’s enough of you!
|
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
Well,
I can care less about what you’ve got to say.
I’ve already bought tickets for me and Mousee and
Maria. The ship leaves tomorrow. You know,
do you want to spend your last day arguing with me over
something that’s not important? Or are you
coming back with me? |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
Where
did you get the money for the tickets? That’s where
all my cheese money went, you stinking little rat! |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
You aren’t
so slick now, buddy. How do you think you’re
going to get a new home now?
|
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
Oh, you
think that’s funny, huh? You better calm
down or I’m going to throw Maria off the rooftop
and dip her on her head!
|
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
You always
blow things out of proportion! Why don’t
you hear where I’m coming from?
|
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
You stole
my money and used my own money against me. What
do you expect?
|
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
Whoa,
whoa, whoa. Hold up! Where you get off?
I am using your money to take your sister back home and
to take care of family! So don’t run around
talking about I stole your money to use against you. |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
You
know, it certainly feels like it. You always do
these things, even when we’re in the country. |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
But
you didn’t have anything to put your negative energy
into. Now you do. |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
What
do you mean? |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
You
know what I mean. You’re always getting to
all kinds of trouble stealing cheese, chasing pigeons,
jumping on people. |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
(laughing)
Ha ha – you know me. Those are the things that
get me going. What’s so great about home that
isn’t here? |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
We’re
country mice. We belong in the country. I
hate this city. It’s dirty roach! It’s
full of buildings and garbage and flying rats! |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
I
know you do, but the country is bunk! There’s
plenty more opportunities here. All my life you
know that my dream has been to be successful. Over
here, there’s so much more things to keep me busy
and there’s so much more liveliness. In the
country, there’s nothing even close to this feeling.
If living in the city was a sport, I’d have a ring! |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
Just
because we got stranded on that boat coming over here,
doesn’t mean me and Mousee want to stay here.
You know, Bugsy, you’ve lost sight of a lot of things. |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
You
don’t know what you’re talking about.
You think I’ve forgotten about Ma and Pa? I
miss them just as much as you. They’re hard
working mice, and they’ve done a fine job of raising
the three of us. I feel very disheartened to know
that they’re going to lose our house, ‘though
I know my time has come to get out on my own, and this
is where I belong. |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
What’s
stopping you from doing that there in the city in Italy,
where things are closer to home? |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
Well,
I never really thought of that. And I could build
a big house and be close to home. |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
Well
. . . what’s wrong with that idea? That’s
all you used to think about. And I know you remember
Chantana. And how you used to get all light-headed
when she came around? |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
Yeah,
these things will always be in my heart. |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
Then
what are you trippin’ off? You know everybody
probably needs you and you’ll have a lot of new experience
and maybe you can bring something you learned back to
the country. |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
But
I hate it there! |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
Well,
how would you know you wouldn’t like it when you
go back? Things would be a lot different without
you there. |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
Yeah,
you’re right, but I need to think about it. |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
So
why don’t you come with us down to the dock?
And come with us? So you will be there? Yes
or no? I already bought your ticket for you.
(VETO shows BUGSY his ticket.) |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
Man,
you always put me in these funky predicaments! I
gotta think about it. Either I’ll see you or
not. |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
Alright
then, bro’ –
(BUGSY walks off into the night, contemplating what
to do. He walks through North Beach.) |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
Nothing
never ever goes my way. On one hand, the country’s
where I grew up and I always will treasure it. But
on the other, this is where I want to be now. I
would feel very disturbed to leave, but I must do what’s
in my heart. Whoa!
(He stops and looks at a picture on the street of the
beach in the countryside that reminds him of home.
He lays down next to the picture and starts to fall asleep.)
Yeah, maybe I do need to go back at least one more time.
(And he starts to fall asleep. During his dream,
he reminisces of his home, his family and his friends
and relatives. He does have those priceless things
there that he can’t have here. He wakes up
to the sound of pigeons cooing and cars and he thinks
to himself:)
Oh my lord, these things are hella annoying!
(He starts walking towards the deck. He
sees MOUSEE, MARIA and VETO.) |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
(to
VETO)What’s going on? Where’d you
guys sleep last night? |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
We
were over by the bridge. |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
You
know, I was thinking last night – I have been overlooking
things, and what would you say if I go with you guys on
the boat and try it out and stabilize things? |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
Sounds
like a plan! Jeeeahh!! So what made you change
your mind? |
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
I
was walking around thinking and I came to a picture of
home and the smell of lasagna and I couldn’t handle
it any more. All those things I missed came back
to me. |
|
|
|
| Veto: |
|
(laughing)
Ha, ha! That’s what I’m talking about!
Young Bugsy, I knew you’d come through.
|
|
|
|
| Bugsy: |
|
Yeah,
yeah, whatever. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
The
End. |
| |
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| |
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|
