Coming Home
The play opens at a remote firebase in South Vietnam several hours after sunset. The set consists of a roll of barbed wire strong across the front of the stage. A wall of partially rotten sandbags has been piled up just to the rear of the barbed wire. An accompanying bunker complex has been constructed that is large enough to accommodate several men. Jungle night sounds are heard playing in the darkness before the lights come up on stage and continue throughout the rest of the action of the first act.
As the lights come up, BOBBY, an American soldier, is discovered seated on the wall of sandbags. He is clothed in a bush hat and wearing dirty jungle fatigues. Around his neck hangs a chain holding a peace symbol and a cross. A bush knife is strapped to his right leg. He is reading a letter and shaking his head in anger and disgust.
BOBBY
Dam! God dam it!
After several more seconds of reading, BOBBY throws the letter on the ground. Then he reaches into his pocket and takes out a bottle of pills. He opens the bottle and swallows several tablets. After he returns the bottle to his pocket, he jumps off of the wall and walks to the edge of the barbed wire fence. He stands very still for several seconds, listening top the jungle around him.
BOBBY
(Worried) It’s too dam quiet!
JOHN an Afro American soldier enters the scene from stage left. He is clothed in jungle fatigues. Around his neck hangs a black power symbol on a chain. He also sports a bushy Afro American haircut.
BOBBY pivots towards JOHN, weapon ready.
JOHN
Whoa, brother. I’m not Charley!
BOBBY
Step out where I can see you!
JOHN slowly walks forward. BOBBY relaxes and lowers his rifle.
BOBBY
Sorry, brother. You know how it gets.
JOHN
No sweat, brother.
BOBBY
What the hell are you doing out here, man. I’m not due to be relieved for another six hours.
JOHN
Something’s brewing, man. They’re beefing up the guard on the perimeter tonight.
BOBBY
What the hell for?
JOHN
I don’t know. There’s nothing on the grapevine. Just after we arrived on the chopper, the NCO just stormed into the barracks before we could even get unpacked and told me and a few of the other dudes to get the hell out here. This could be bad. Real bad!
BOBBY
Fuck! It’s probably nothing! He’s just as afraid of getting his shit blown away like the rest of us.
JOHN
I’m hip, brother. I’m hip.
BOBBY extends his hand
BOBBY
Bobby, man.
JOHN
John.
They exchange a peace clasp.
JOHN
How long have you been out here alone, man?
BOBBY
About three hours.
JOHN
How’s the situation?
BOBBY
Pretty quiet, so far. I’ve shot at a few strange noises, but nothing major.
JOHN
Maybe command is just being paranoid and it’ll be a mellow night. I could sure use one!
BOBBY
You aren’t the only one brother. You aren’t the only one.
BOBBY retrieves the letter that he previously threw on the ground. JOHN seats himself behind the sandbag wall. He unslings his rifle, ejects the magazine and checks to see that he has sufficient ammunition in the clip. He clears the action, sets the safety and then stands the rifle to his side. After BOBBY retrieves his letter he walks over and sits down beside JOHN. He begins to reread his letter shaking his head in anger and disgust. JOHN notices his anger.
JOHN
What’s wrong, man? Did you get a bum letter from home?
BOBBY
(Hostile) What’s it to you?
JOHN
(Backing off) Sorry, man. I’ll keep out of your head and you keep out of mine.
BOBBY
(Relaxing) Ah, it’s my mother. She’s always preaching.
JOHN
I dig it, man. I can see how that shit could get old.
BOBBY
(With bitterness in his voice) Ah, what the hell can you do? She doesn’t understand. Nobody understands what this place is.
The unit NCO enters stage right. He is dressed in clean jungle fatigues and sports a closely cropped hair cut.
NCO
Get up off those sandbags and get to your feet, soldiers. I’m an NCO. You’re supposed to snap to attention when I come onto your post.
JOHN
To hell with you!
NCO
What did you say, soldier?
JOHN
I said to hell with you. You are just an NCO. I don’t have to stand at attention for you.
NCO
That’s right. I am a Non Commissioned Officer and you will give me the proper respect.
JOHN picks up his rifle and places it between his knees.
JOHN
I’ll give you respect, man.
The NCO places his hand on the butt of the pistol that he carries at his side.
NCO
Are you threatening me, soldier?
BOBBY
Be cool man.
JOHN
I don’t have to take no kind of shit like this man. He ain’t no officer.
BOBBY
I dig that man, but this ain’t the right time to get in his shit. We got Charley out there watching us.
NCO
If you apologize soldier, I’ll forget that this incident ever happened.
JOHN continues to glare at him.
NCO
Stand up, soldiers. You’re on watch not at a picnic.
JOHN
(Beginning to rise) Man, I’m going to kick your ass.
BOBBY grabs him and forces him back to his seat.
BOBBY
Brother, get your shit together. Don’t hassle him no more. I’m too short to wind up in the brig.
JOHN continues to give the NCO a venomous glance but be finally shrugs agreement and says:
JOHN
I dig it, man. Why make this hellhole any worse than it already is.
Both rise from the sandbags but do not stand at attention.
NCO
Night recon has spotted concentrations of Viet Cong troops massing within five miles of this base. We’re going on high alert for the rest of the night.
BOBBY
Jesus, no!
JOHN
Just what we need!
NCO (To John)
Soldier, you need a haircut. I could write you up for that. Now, both of you, look alive!
I don’t want to get my ass blown away in this hole. I’m making combat pay and I want to live to spend it.
The NCO turns and exits stage right.
BOBBY
Hassle. Hassle. Hassle! Why don’t they ever leave us alone? This place is bad enough without all of this petty bullshit.
JOHN
I don’t know, brother, but they sure enjoy seeing you squirm. They have the power of life and death over you – and they want you to know it.
BOBBY
Do you think that he will hassle you any further.
JOHN
No sweat. I’ll get a light trim to keep him happy but he needs a witness to make anything serious stick and he knows it.
JOHN suddenly becomes alert. He grabs his rifle pivots towards the fence and fire one quick shot. BOBBY also grabs his weapon and comes on guard but he does not fire.
BOBBY
Did you hear something, man?
JOHN
I think so. There was a strange noise about ten yards out.
Both stand silent and alert, listening.
BOBBY
I don’t hear anything!
JOHN
It could be just nerves!
Both continue to remain alert. The JOHN relaxes and lowers his weapon.
JOHN
I think its cool.
BOBBY
Yeah.
Both lower their weapons and return to their former positions on the wall.
BOBBY
What rotten luck. An alert! There goes our mellow night!
JOHN
I dig it, brother. An attack wouldn’t even be cool. Before I got sent here I spent sixteen hours dragging bodies out of a swamp so they could do their stupid body count. I’m so tired that I can hardly lift my rifle, let alone fight off a battalion of Viet Cong.
BOBBY
I didn’t get much sleep either. After I came in from patrol I got put on detail. Then I got sent out here.
JOHN
Soldier, do not ask why.
BOBBY
Dig it, man. Dig it.
Both men fall into an angry silence.
JOHN
I sure wish that I had some good uppers. It’s going to be a long night. BOBBY reaches into his pocket and takes out a bottle of pills. He offers the bottle to JOHN.
BOBBY
Here, man. Have some of mine. This will keep you going.
JOHN
Hey, far out brother. Thanks!
JOHN takes the pill bottle from BOBBY and then opens it. He takes out several pills and then ingests them washing them down his throat with a drink of water from the canteen at his side. He then returns the container to BOBBY.
BOBBY
What a night for an alert! Tonight of all nights. I’m so short. So short.
JOHN
How short, man?
BOBBY
I’m leaving at the end of this month, I hope.
JOHN
What the hell are you doing on perimeter guard? You know that regulations say that you can’t pull this kind of duty during your last month in country.
BOBBY
Brother, what do regulations mean? The NCO doesn’t like me. He wants to give me as many chances to die as he can.
JOHN
Why, brother?
BOBBY
I hassled him once. Asked him why we were in Vietnam and the rest of it – you know. Ever since then he has had me on his hit list.
A siren sounds in the distance. Both men become alert.
BOBBY
Shit! Charley is going to play games tonight.
JOHN
(Fearful, worried) I just hope that he isn’t just softening us up for the kill.
Both men scramble for the cover of the bunker. An incoming round detonates as they reach the entrance. Both men fall to their knees, shaken by the concussion.
BOBBY
Jesus, that was close!
JOHN
Yeah, man. Too close!
Both men recover and move to the rear of the bunker. They rest their weapons against it’s side walls and then seat themselves against its rear wall. Both continue to listen in tense, fearful silence. A thirds round hits further away.
BOBBY
(Relieved) Charley’s aim is sure getting bad. That one missed by miles.
JOHN
I just hope that it stays that way!
Both continue to listen for the sound of any more incoming rounds. Then BOBBY relaxes slightly and assumes a more comfortable position.
BOBBY
Well, brother, it looks like we’ll be in here for a good part of this night. We might as well get mellow.
BOBBY reaches into his pocket, takes out a joint. Lights it and takes a big hit. He then offers it to JOHN.
JOHN
No thanks, brother. I’ve got my own bag.
JOHN reaches into his pocket and takes out a syringe, a dose of heroin and a small length of rubber tubing. He pours the heroin into the syringe and then adds a little water from his canteen. Then he reassembles the hypo and offers the tubing to BOBBY.
JOHN
Would you tie me off, man?
BOBBY
Sure, brother. Sure.
BOBBY ties the rubber tubing around JOHN’S arm. JOHN then shoots up the heroin.
JOHN
Break it, man.
BOBBY unties the rubber tubing. As the heroin takes effect, JOHN becomes lost in the rapture of the drug. He begins a series of rhythmic but uncoordinated movements, swaying, rocking his head up and down and from side to side.
JOHN
It’s good, man. Good! Wow, man! Wow! It’s good! Good!
BOBBY
I can dig it, brother. I’ve been there before.
JOHN continues to mumble. Then the immediate rapture of the drug passes. JOHN gathers up his paraphernalia and returns it to his pocket.
JOHN
Now I could use a little of that smoke. After this scag, it would set my head just right.
Two more incoming mortar rounds hit.
BOBBY
(Fearful) God, they are getting close!
JOHN
You’re freaking out man!
BOBBY begins to pound the bunker floor.
BOBBY
War! War! Goddamn war!
JOHN
What’s wrong, man?
BOBBY
I’m going home this month. Going home! What if I don’t make it. O God. To die in my last month. My last goddamn month.
JOHN
Be cool, man. Be cool! You made it for a year. You can make it for one more month.
More incoming rounds hit.
BOBBY
(The fear in his voice intensifying) I’m not going to make it! I’m not going to make it!
JOHN grabs him.
JOHN
Godamnit, man. Stop wrapping that shit. You’ll make it. Look at me for Christ’s sake. I’ve still got six months to left to serve in this hell. You are home free, man. Home free.
BOBBY remains tense and fearfull for several seconds but then appears to relax. He tries to smile.
BOBBY
Thanks, brother. It’s cool. I’ll be all right now.
JOHN releases him. He sits back down and then reaches into his pocket and takes out another joint. He looks at it and smiles.
JOHN
And if I die, I’ll die high…….
BOBBY
Hurry up and light that joint. I need it!
JOHN lights the joint and both take a couple of hits in silence.
JOHN
Where’s home, man?
BOBBY
Chicago.
JOHN
I’ll bet that you are glad as hell to be so short.
BOBBY
Yes and no man. I made it. I want to go home. But to go back to America, a land that sent me, it’s native son to the slaughter and grew fat off of my blood….. I don’t know man. It could be freaky.
JOHN
Hey, I’m hip brother.
BOBBY
How about you, man? Where’s home?
JOHN
Harlem.
BOBBY
The slums?
JOHN
Yeah, man. Sorta.
BOBBY
Sorry, man. I’ve gotten down with a lot of brothers. I can dig what it must be like to live in that rotten hole. How can a country that claims to be civilized even allow such a place to exist?
JOHN
Don’t sweat it man. I don’t hate you because you are white. It’s all the same. If my people were in power we would still be here. You would be in my place and I would be in yours. Nothing would change.
BOBBY
There it is, brother. There it is!
BOBBY takes another joint out of his pocket.
BOBBY
Want some more smoke?
JOHN
I think that I’ll snort a little more scag but my head doesn’t need anymore weed. Sometimes it makes me real paranoid.
BOBBY
Okay, man.
BOBBY lights up his joint and begins to smoke it. He makes himself more comfortable.
BOBBY
Damn! It’s going to be a long night!
JOHN takes out another deck of heroin from his pocket. This time he snorts up its contents and begins to sway slightly from side to side, lost in the rapture of the drug.
BOBBY
(Softly, to himself) Go away. Go away! Don't come back. I don't want to remember.
BOBBY’S face appears strained, as though he were trying to drive something from his mind. He clenches his fists tighter and tighter.
BOBBY
Go away. Go away! I don't want to remember.
Suddenly he stands and faces JOHN.
BOBBY
(Agitated) Man, I need to rap.
JOHN
(Very stoned, half in a daze) What, man?
BOBBY
I need to rap! This smoke, it's, it's, it's bringing something back. Something really bad.
JOHN
(Not quite comprehending) Rap? Rap about what?
BOBBY
Some really bad shit that happened to me in Tay Ninh. This little girl....
JOHN stands.
JOHN
(Becoming angry) Handle your own bummers, man. I don’t want to hear none of it.
BOBBY
But I need to rap……….
JOHN
(Becoming angrier) Goddamnit, man. I said to forget it. You’ve had your bummers in this place and I Had mine. Mine are enough for me to live with. I don’t need any of yours.
BOBBY
But I need………………
JOHN
Fuck you! I don't want to hear it!
JOHN picks up his weapon.
JOHN
(Hostile) Don't bum me out man. I have enough trouble with my head. I don't need anymore.
JOHN angrily exits the bunker. He seats himself close against it's outside wall, weapon across his lap. He takes out another joint and lights it with a vengeance.
JOHN
Goddamnit! I don't need his hell! I have my own.
BOBBY stands alone in the bunker. He appears tormented, confused. He clenches his fists tighter and tighter.
BOBBY
Go away! Go away! I don't want to remember!
Suddenly his face changes. He appears as one possessed. He picks up his rifle and falls into a crouch as though he were back on patrol, listening for the slightest sound, alert for the barest hint of movement, weapon ready to annihilate anything that threatens him. He exits the bunker and walks in a crouch to the center of the stage.
JOHN
Man, what the hell are you doing? Get down! Do you want to get yourself killed?
BOBBY pivots to face JOHN. JOHN stands.
JOHN
Goddamnit, man! Don't aim that weapon at me!
BOBBY
That village! That village! So quiet it was! Quiet!
JOHN
Jesus, man. What's wrong with you? Put that weapon down.
BOBBY
That village. So quiet it was. quiet! No contact. No hassle. Everything quiet. Everything cool.
JOHN
John, wow, you are really freaking out! Put that weapon down! Don't kill me!
BOBBY
Beautifull she was. So beautifull! A little girl walking up to me with her cigarette tray. Innocent she was. So innocent! She couldn't hurt me. Wouldn't hurt me!
JOHN
Jesus!
BOBBY
Walking up to me with her cigarette tray. She wouldn't hurt me. Couldn't hurt me!
BOBBY pauses and stares about wildly.
BOBBY
Walking up to me.... (His voice begins to mount into a scream) A machete! A machete from nowhere! Ten inches of razor steel flashing at my guts, calling me to die screaming, die begging to die! I can just.......
BOBBY jumps backwards, trying to escape the imaginary machete, rolls and recovers on his knee. He begins to fire at an imaginary girl near the bunker wall, screaming:
BOBBY
Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!
He stands and begins to fire at an imaginary figure on the floor, still screaming:
BOBBY
Kill her! Kill her! Kill them all! Kill them all! He raises his weapon and begins to fire at imaginary villagers.
JOHN rushes BOBBY. They struggle. JOHN disarms him and pins BOBBY to the ground.
BOBBY
(Struggling to get free) Kill her! Kill her! Kill them all! Kill them all!
JOHN
Snap out of it, man. Snap out of it!
BOBBY continues to struggle. JOHN slaps him. His struggles then begin to diminish.
BOBBY
(Becoming more rational) I'm, I'm sorry, man. Sorry. I lost it. Lost it all. I, I....
JOHN
Don't sweat it, John. Just try and get it back together. I've lost it before, too. I shouldn't have gotten angry. I should have listened when you needed to rap.
BOBBY
I think I've got it pretty well together now.
JOHN releases BOBBY. BOBBY gets up on his knees and kneels for several seconds trying to regain his orientation.
JOHN
(Listening) It sounds like Charley is through playing games for the moment. We better get back on post!
BOBBY nods agreement. Both stand and face the barbed wire fence, weapons ready.
JOHN
It seems pretty quiet.
BOBBY
That could be good, could be bad.
Both continue to listen in silence.
JOHN
I think that we are off of the hook.
BOBBY
At least for the moment.
Both relax, lower their weapons and return to their former positions on the wall.
BOBBY
Man, about what happened....
JOHN
Forget it! Were're in this together! They again clasp hands.
BOBBY
It seems pretty quiet. I could dig another joint. How about you?
JOHN
That's cool, brother. It could be a long night.
JOHN reaches into his pocket and takes out a joint. He lights it, takes a hit and then passes it to BOBBY. Both smoke in silence for awhile.
JOHN
(Reflective) Brother, do you think that peace will ever come?
BOBBY
No way, John. The good men of the world don't have the courage to join hands and attain it! The siren begins to sound in a series of pulsating blasts. Both leap from the wall, weapons ready.
JOHN
The overrun siren! Were're going to get it!
BOBBY
We've got to stop them!
Both brace for the attack. Shots are heard. Both return the fire. A bullet strikes JOHN.
He screams, pivots from the impact, and falls sprawling over the wall.
BOBBY casts a quick, frantic glance at his fallen comrade. Then he turns towards the advancing enemy.
BOBBY
I'm not going to make it! Not going to make it.....
BOBBY turns to his rear to face the advancing enemy. Then, as they are upon him, discharging his weapon at full automatic:
BOBBY
(Abject terror) Nooooooooooooo..........
The stage goes dark. The siren continues in the darkness, slowly diminishing in intensity. Then, silence.