| Sunlight pours in through the front windows. Brian is taking a razor blade scraper to the acrylic painting of a football field which covers the large front windows of the tavern. Removing the paint from the windows, allows more and more light to enter the tavern. The sound is the razor scraping against the paint of the glass. There is a therapeutic value for Brian in removing this paint. It is the last remnant of anything about football that remains in the tavern. Large mirrors have been installed to cover the wall behind the bar. There is a new large coffee machine and an espresso machine sitting on the bar that have to be installed. Four pool tables have been removed, and Brian is building a small performance area along the back wall of the tavern. There is stack of used paint cans, varnish cans, and a long drop cloth. All of the woodwork, including the floor of the tavern, has been cleaned and polished. There is fresh coat of paint on the walls giving a Brighter, fresher feeling to the interior of the tavern. Peter dressed in his boy scout uniform and a light winter jacket rushes into the tavern. He is followed by Julie Hobbs. �Uncle Brian! Uncle Brian, look who I brought to see you! Did I do good?� Brian looks up to Julie and almost cuts himself with the scrapper he is using. �Hey, Sonny Boy, what�s going on?� �Mrs. Hobs, offered to give me a ride home after scouts, but John�s not there, and I didn�t want to stay home alone. I hope that�s okay.� �My son Jimmy and Peter are in the same troop,� Julie explains. �Okay,� Brian replies. �I also needed to talk to you. You should know that I�m your parent�s attorney, and that I�m executor of their estate.� �What estate? My father hasn�t died.� �No, but Jack is in the hospital, and you and your sister, Claire, and I do need to go over some legal matters.� Brian reaches his hand into his pant�s pocket. �Peter, here�s some quarters. Why don�t you find some music you like on the juke box.� �What kind of music do you like, Mrs. Hobbs?� �Well, I like Elton John, Peter.� �Elton John. Does that start with an L?� �E ,L, Sonny Boy, it�s E-l-t-o-n.� �E, L... I got it.� Peter rushes over to the juke box and busies himself with looking for music. �This couldn�t have waited?� �No, not really. Your father has a living will that dictates he is not to be revived or placed on a respirator.� �What?!� �On Saturday night, when the emergency medical technicians preformed CPR, and administered medicines to start Jack�s heart beating again, they were violating his legal right to die.� �His right to die!� �Yes. Your father does not want his dying prevented or prolonged.� �You�re going to stand there and tell me, I have to let my father die.� �It is not an unusual request, what with your father�s condition and the cost of medical care. You need to face the fact that your mother has been legally declared incompetent to make decisions for herself or for your father.� �He had my mom declared what?� �Your mother is under doctors care for Alzheimer's disease as well as acute liver damage.� �You think I don�t know that. I�m the one who hired a nurse to stay with her around the clock until we can find a home to place her into.� �Yes, I know, but legally I�m the one who will make those decisions for your mother, not you.� �And who the hell are you?� �I am your parent�s attorney. I have power of attorney over all their affairs. I was hired by your father, because you were unavailable. And there is nothing you can do to prevent me from executing my job.� �Don�t you mean executing my father.� �That�s not fair. I happen to like Jack and Joan. If they were my parents... No, I wouldn�t want anyone else making decisions for them but me. But you weren�t here.� �I�m here, now.� �For how long? Your father�s condition is terminal, and he probably will not live through the week. Your mother will never get any better and will need extensive care.� �Why not Claire? She was here.� �Peter is a wonderful little boy, but your sister�s affair with Stephen Reeves was not... How can I say this... Accepted by father. He closed this tavern when his health failed preferring that over letting Claire run it. Didn�t you know that?� �Claire would done fine.� �I agree, but these are your father�s wishes intrusted to me.� �I found Elton, I think!� Peter cries out loud. �I could come by the hospital this evening at eight if both you and Claire could be there...� �We�ll be there.� Peter who has been absorbed with the juke box selection rushes up to Julie. �You and I also need to discuss East Central University. Peter, I�m sorry, but Jimmy�s in the car, and I need to get going.� �I already pushed the buttons.� �Well, then, you enjoy it for me. Brian, I am sorry. I�ll see you this evening.� �This evening? Are you and Uncle Brian going out on a date?� Peter questions. �Date? Oh, no, Peter, your uncle and I are only friends.� �Just friends, Peter,� Brian adds coldly. �He�s really a terrific guy, Mrs. Hobbs.� �I see that Peter. You�re a lucky boy to have such a good uncle. Goodbye, now.� Julie exits. �Bye,� Peter yells back. �Mrs. Hobbs is available. She�s divorced. I like her. Uncle Brian, are you okay? Uncle Brian?� Brian looks scared. *** Claire is slumped back on the coach in the waiting room at the hospital. She has been crying and has a hand full of used tissues. Brian is sitting next to her staring at the scars on his wrists and rubbing them. Julie is sitting across from them supporting her briefcase on her knees. �I have already given doctor and hospital a copy of your father�s instructions, and they will comply. Do you have any other questions?� There is deafening silence. Claire sniffles and blows her nose again. Julie removes a manilla envelop from her briefcase and shut it with a click, click. �Well, if you come up with any questions, please call me. I really do want to help. Call me at home if you need to...� She stands and starts to exit the room before she turns towards Brian. �I realize I�ve got very poor timing doing this now, but as I have this with me, I�ll just give this to you now.� Brian says nothing as he sits up and looks up Julie. Julie offers him the envelope in her hands, but Brian does not move to accept it. Julie gives up and drops the manilla envelope into Brian�s lap. �Call my office tomorrow, Brian. We need too talk about your experiences at ECU and Cynthia. �You know about Cynthia?� �I�ve been in contact with her parents,� she says as exits. Intense fear grabs a hold of Brian as he looks at the manilla envelope in his lap. �She�s a good lawyer, Brian,� Claire sobs. �She knows about Cynthia!� �I know.� �Claire, what have you done?� �I really didn�t do anything. Julie�s the one that first mentioned Cynthia to me. She said that you were the one that found her dead body.� �I�m a dead man.� �What�s in the envelope?� �Do you want to know the biggest problem with being, Brian Kinney? I used Cynthia's rape as leverage to get whatever I wanted. I started at wide receiver. I used her rape to skip out of exams and get more play time...� �But those three guys should have gone to jail, and they didn�t.� �I believe with all my heart that Coach Stockwell had something to do with her death. It was three years later, but she had finally hired a lawyer, and all the shit was really just about to hit the fan... I know I was scared enough to get the hell out of ECU!� Brian picks up the envelope and turns it over and over. �Being able to play football was all I had, Claire. It was who I was. Now, I have nothing. I can�t fucking understand why I did... What was so fucking important about playing football that I sold my soul to do it?� Taking a deep breath, Brian rips open the envelope. Only 8x10 photos are inside with a note, �Thought I should share these with you.� The pictures of the touch football game. The first photo is of a happy Brian carrying Justin slung over his shoulder up the sidelines. The second is of Justin pulling Chris� flag. The next is of Brian making a one handed catch, and one of Brian playing quarterback. Then there is a photo of the alumni huddle. �Claire looks over the photographs. �Wow, those are pretty good. I like this one best.� She points the photo of Brian and Justin. �It�s like were born to play football. Look how happy you are here.� Claire studies Brian�s confusion. Brian leans back in his chair and stares at the ceiling. |
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