a Little Brother and a Big Brother

Ent. Small house in south Boston, midnight. 
Donal enters quietly through the front door.  He looks around for a moment, and then attempts to make a dash for his bedroom down the hall.  Mr. Aberdeen enters from the kitchen.  He’s still dirty from his day at work, and is drinking a warm beer.  Mrs. Aberdeen follows timidly behind him.

Mr. Aberdeen
Where the hell is your brother?

Donal
I don’t know.

Mr. Aberdeen
What do you mean you don’t know?!

Donal begins to try and head towards his room, walking backwards anxiously as Mr. Aberdeen beings to descend upon him.

Donal
I told you, I haven’t seen him.

Mr. Aberdeen
Well where were you?

Donal
I was working, I told you I had to work.

Mr. Aberdeen
Working? You call what you do work?

Mrs. Aberdeen
Come on now, Patrick, Donal works very hard.

Mrs. Aberdeen came over from Ireland when she was ten years old.  She still has a think accent.

Mr. Aberdeen
Sweeping up in some bar is not work. But I guess it’s more than I can say for that good for nothing brother of yours. 

Donal
I’m going to go-

Mr. Aberdeen
Not so fast.  Where is Eamon?

Donal
I told you-

Mr. Aberdeen
You what?

Donal
I don’t know! I don’t know! I haven’t seen him since this morning!

Mr. Aberdeen
And you expect me to believe he didn’t tell you where he was going?

As Mr. Aberdeen comes closer and closer to Donal, Donal retreats further and further into the corner. He winces slightly every time his father’s voice raises.

Donal
He didn’t- He didn’t say anything to me.

Mr. Aberdeen
You’re a liar! 

Donal
I’m not lying! He doesn’t tell me where he is going!

Mr. Aberdeen
Think you’re a tough guy huh? Think you can protect your big brother, do you?

Donal
I’m not trying-

Mr. Aberdeen
See how tough you are when I ship you back to Ireland.

Donal
Dad, I’ve never been to Ireland-




Mr. Aberdeen
Smart guy huh?  Yeah well you think the blokes down at the bar are tough here, you can’t even image how tough they are back in the old country, they’ll knock you out just for lookin’ at them funny.

Donal
You want me to go find him? Is that what you want?

Mr. Aberdeen
You’d love that wouldn’t you?  Give you the chance to run around town havin’ a good laugh at your old man’s expense?

Donal
What? But I-

Mr. Aberdeen
You are going to tell me where he is-

Donal
I told you I have no idea where he is. He is nineteen he does what ever he wants.

Mr. Aberdeen
I’m giving you one more chance, boy! Tell me where he is!

Donal
I don’t know, I don’t know-

Mr. Aberdeen suddenly grabs Donal by the collar and shoves him against the wall.

Mrs. Aberdeen
Let him go, Patrick, let him go.

Mr. Aberdeen stares at Donal for a moment and then releases him and goes to put on his jacket. Mrs. Aberdeen walks over to her son.

Mrs. Aberdeen
(as she straightens Donal’s collar)
I want you to know that your father is just trying to look after you, and your brother.

Donal
I don’t know where he is-
Mrs. Aberdeen
I know you don’t.  Your father just thinks that… well because he told his younger brother everything, Eamon must tell you everything.

Mr. Aberdeen
(as he is leaving though the front door.)
I’m going to find him.  You better start packing your bags, boy.

Donal
Eamon isn’t anything like dad.

Mrs. Aberdeen
Maybe not.

Mrs. Aberdeen stares at Donal a moment.

Donal
What?

Mrs. Aberdeen
Nothing, nothing.  You go to bed now dear.

Donal
In a minute.

Mrs. Aberdeen gives him a pat on the cheek and then goes to bed.  Donal watches her go and then stands in silence for a moment.

The front door opens, and Eamon enters.  He smiles at Donal.

Donal
Where were you? Dad was giving me the third degree.

Eamon
(clearly untroubled by this)
Yeah? What’d you say?

Donal
What could I say? I told him I didn’t know where you were.

Eamon reaches into his pocket and pulls out a half empty pack of cigarettes.  He puts one to his lips before pausing and looking around.


Eamon
Where’s mom?

Donal
Asleep.

Eamon
Good.

He lights the cigarette with a match and then sits back and studies Eamon.

Donal
Dad’s out looking for you right now.

Eamon
(with a slight laugh)
He probably got side tracked at the bar.

Donal
So…?

Eamon
So what?

Donal
Where were you?

Eamon
Out.

Donal
Don’t be a jack ass.

Eamon
You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Here take this for your trouble.

He hands Donal a crisp twenty dollar bill.  Donal stares at it a moment.

Donal
Where the hell did you get this?



Eamon
I got it while I was out.

Donal
Eamon.

Eamon
What?

Donal
Are you…?

Eamon
Am I what?

Donal
Are you prostituting yourself?

Eamon
(bursts out laughing)
You’re an idiot! Really where the hell do you come up with this stuff?


Donal just looks at him. Eamon rolls his eyes and pulls out a crinkled piece of paper from his pocket.  It’s a flyer, advertising a concert, one night only, headlining Eamon Learned.

Donal
Isn’t Learned mom’s maiden name?

Eamon
Good memory.

Donal
Wait this is you?

Eamon
Uh...yeah.

Donal
But… but you don’t sing. When do you sing?



Eamon
Almost every weekend, some where or another, sometimes on Wednesdays too.

Donal
For how long?

Eamon
I guess it’s been about a year now.

Donal
Where?

Eamon
Mostly local stuff.  I did a show out in Chicago a few months ago though.

Donal
You… what? When did you go to Chicago?

Eamon
A few months ago, I don’t remember, just for a couple of days.

Donal
This is ridiculous. You’re kidding me right?

Eamon
Yes, I’m kidding you. I’m really a fucking faggot prostitute.

Donal
Really?

Eamon
No, Donal, not really.

Donal
But… you don’t sing! When do you sing?