Dakota County | Craig Moeckly
Cast
Roy – Male
Eleanor – Female
Tom – Male
Setting
A room/porch in Roy’s house
Suggested Props
Chairs (3)
A book
Cans of beer (2)
Play opens to a dark stage
Roy sits in a chair with a book
Eleanor sits in a chair somewhere behind Roy
Light/spotlight on Roy only, rest of stage remains dark
Roy quietly reads the book
Light/spotlight on Eleanor (so now lights on both Roy and Eleanor while rest of stage remains dark)
Eleanor
You’re actually reading my book?
Roy is surprised
Roy
Oh, Ellie! Didn’t know you was there.
Roy chuckles
Roy
Yeah, guess you caught me. Seems like half the country’s read it, so figured maybe I should, too.
Eleanor
Half the country, Roy? I’m not sure half this country can even read, let alone read my book.
Roy looks at the front cover of the book
Roy
Over a million copies sold.
Eleanor
That’s hardly half the nation.
Roy
Guess I rounded up a bit.
Eleanor laughs
Eleanor
Oh, Roy. You could always make me laugh.
Roy
That so?
Eleanor
Well, maybe not always. But sometimes.
Roy
I’ll take that.
Eleanor
So what do you think?
Roy
About what?
Eleanor
My book!
Roy
Oh. It’s pretty good so far. But, uh…
Pause
Eleanor
But, uh, what?
Roy
It’s pretty much about life in Dakota County.
Eleanor
Well, that is the name of the book.
Roy looks at the front cover of the book again
Roy
Yeah, that is true. But some of this stuff actually happened.
Eleanor
It’s called subject matter and inspiration, Roy.
Roy
Well who the hell would want to read about all that?
Eleanor
Apparently over a million folks.
Roy and Eleanor both laugh
Roy
Ah shoot.
Eleanor
Yeah. Say, Roy.
Roy
Huh?
Eleanor
I need to tell you something.
Roy
What’s that?
Eleanor
It’s kind of important.
Roy
Ok
Eleanor
Hon, you should be with whoever you want to be with, and you should love whoever you want to love.
Pause
Eleanor
Did you hear me?
Roy
Yeah
Eleanor
It’s alright, Roy.
Roy
Ok then.
The light on Eleanor goes out. Only the light on Roy remains while the rest of the stage is dark.
Eleanor exits while Roy goes back to reading the book.
A knock is heard
Stage lights come up
Roy keeps reading
Another knock is heard
Roy puts down the book
Roy
Hello?!
Tom from off stage
Tom
Hello! Roy?
Roy
Yeah, come on in.
Tom enters
Tom
Hey there, Roy.
Roy
Well, I’ll be. Tom. Come on in here, grab ya’ a seat.
Tom
Thank ya’.
Tom sits down in a chair
Roy
Why, I ain’t seen you in a month of Sundays.
Tom
Yeah, I know. How you been, Roy?
Roy
Can’t complain, I guess. How ‘bout you?
Tom
Good, yeah, good.
Roy
Alright then. What brings you by?
Tom
Well, actually your son asked me to come by.
Roy
My son?
Tom
Yeah, Jacob.
Roy
I know his damn name.
Tom
Sorry, course you do. He just said that you, uh, sometimes, well…
Roy
Well what? Forget stuff?
Tom
Yeah, somethin’ like that. But, you know, we all…
Roy
Ah, hell, Tom. I don’t need your sugar coatin’. He’s right.
Tom
So, he didn’t say nothing about me stopping by?
Roy
I don’t know, he might have. Can’t recall. See?
Roy chuckles and then Tom chuckles
Roy
So why did Jake ask you to come over anyway? You gonna pay me the twenty bucks he owes me?
Tom
He didn’t say nothing about no twenty bucks.
Roy
Course not. He’s probably hoping I forget about it.
Roy laughs and then Tom laughs
Roy
Just like he’s hoping I forget how to play cribbage.
Tom
You taught that boy how to play.
Roy
Damn straight I did. He ain’t taking advantage of my handicap, and I got twenty bucks coming that proves it.
Tom
Ah, shoot, Roy. You’re too damn stubborn to let that happen. No, I think he’s feeling guilty he can’t get over here as much as he thinks he should. Probably doesn’t want you getting lonely.
Roy
Lonely?
Tom
Yeah, he thinks the world of you, you know.
Roy
I ain’t lonely.
Tom
Ok, that’s good.
Roy
Hell, I was just talking with Ellie.
Tom looks confused
Tom
You were just talking to Eleanor?
Roy
Yeah, just a minute or so ago.
Tom
Alright
Roy looks around
Roy
Guess she must’ve gone off to somewhere. Anyhow, why did Jake come bother you with all this?
Tom
I don’t know. Guess he figured us retired farmers got nothing else to do. It ain’t no bother. I’ve been wanting to come over anyhow, just wasn’t sure when would be a good time. So, he didn’t have to ask me twice.
Roy
Yeah, ok. It’s awful nice of you, I’m glad you’re here.
Tom
Me, too.
Roy
I don’t recall the last time we spoke.
Tom
Uh, would have been at the funeral.
Roy
The funeral, huh?
Tom
Think so.
Roy
Hmm, ok. Was that Earl’s funeral?
Tom
You mean Earl Fenn’s funeral?
Roy
Yeah, Earl Fenn.
Tom
Roy, Earl died about 5 years ago now.
Roy
Been that long already?
Tom
Yeah
Roy
Hmm, ok.
Tom
I meant Eleanor’s funeral, Roy.
Pause while Roy thinks
Roy
Ok then.
Pause
Roy
You know, she caught me reading one of her books.
Tom
Eleanor did?
Roy chuckles
Roy
Yeah
Tom
Ok, which one?
Roy holds up the book
Roy
This one.
Tom
Oh, that was her bestseller.
Roy
Yeah, I guess it was.
Tom
Is that one your favorite?
Roy
Favorite? I don’t know.
Tom
She was such a good writer, I s’pose it’s hard to choose which one you like best. I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t read them all myself yet.
Roy
Well, you’re ahead of me.
Tom
How’s that?
Roy
This is the first one I’ve tried to read.
Tom
Really?
Roy
Yeah
Tom
I guess that surprises me.
Roy
Well, I never wanted to read any of them before. I ain’t proud of that now. I dunno, I guess I was jealous, or envious. Maybe both.
Tom
Jealous and envious of what?
Roy
Of her success.
Tom
Her success?
Roy
Yeah, I ain’t never had anything like that.
Tom
What are you talking about? You were the best farmer in the county. You and Earl. Hell, you two was the best in the entire tri-county area.
Roy
I dunno about all of that.
Tom
You don’t? Every year all the other farmers wanted to know what you and Earl was planting. All I’d hear at the diner come March/April, “what crops are Roy and Earl putting in this season?”
Roy
Hmm, that so?
Tom
Why do you think all those folks brought you over their best cornbread every spring? And brought Earl their best apple dessert?
Roy
Guess I never really thought about it. Figured they was just being neighborly.
Tom
They was being nosy is what they was doing. What’d you all talk about when they came over? If you don’t mind me asking now.
Roy
Guess I don’t really remember. Guess maybe crops mostly, yeah.
Tom
There you go.
Roy
Hmm, guess I never really thought about it.
Tom
Well there you go.
Roy
You know what?
Tom
What’s that?
Roy
I think Earl got the better end of the stick on that one.
Tom
How’s that?
Roy
I never really cared that much for cornbread.
Tom laughs
Tom
You kidding me?
Roy
Nah, I liked Ellie’s. Hers was always nice and moist. Most folk’s cornbread is far too dry.
Tom
That’s why you put that fresh sweet butter on it.
Roy
Hell, there ain’t enough sweet butter in Dakota county for most folk’s cornbread.
Tom chuckles
Tom
So then what’d you do with all that cornbread.
Roy
Fed it to the dogs and chickens mostly.
Tom and Roy both laugh
Tom
That’s funny, Roy. That’s funny.
Roy
So how’s Dale doing these days?
Tom
Dale?
Roy
Yeah. Kinda surprised he didn’t come over with you. Seems like I used to never see one of you without the other.
Tom
Right. Uh, Dale died, Roy.
Roy
No
Tom
Umm, yeah.
Roy
No one tells me nothin’. When did all that happen?
Tom
Over two years ago now.
Roy
Two years? My gosh already. And here I sit not knowing nothing about it.
Tom
You and Ellie was at the funeral, Roy.
Roy
Is that right?
Tom
It is. You all bought a beautiful bouquet for the service.
Roy
Hmm, ok then.
Tom
It was all much appreciated.
Roy
Ok then. So how you doing?
Tom
Oh, I’m getting along. Get a little bored sometimes. You know me and some of the other old guys got a weekly poker game going down at the Legion. You should join us.
Roy
Don’t know nothing about poker. Ellie never let me play.
Tom
Oh yeah? Well, it’s pretty fun. I can teach you. See, the fun thing is you can win a hand even when you got nothin’ yourself. Just last week…
Roy
I meant, how you doing with Dale being gone?
Tom
Oh
Roy
I know you two was pretty close. You lived just ‘cross the road from each other.
Tom nods his head
Roy
Now, after his Renee died you two farmed together, didn’t you?
Tom
That’s right, we did. You remember that.
Roy
You two done pretty good, too, if I recall.
Tom
Yeah, we did alright. We did alright.
Roy
So sad.
Tom
What’s that?
Roy
His Renee. Too soon.
Tom
Yes, yes it was.
Roy
You know, that never sat right with me.
Tom
What didn’t sit with you?
Roy
Way she died. Just didn’t make sense to me. Falling off a windmill?
Tom
You remember that too, huh?
Roy
I do, like it just happened last week or something. You ever known any other farmer’s wife, or any woman for that matter, climb up top a windmill for something?
Tom
No, can’t say that I have.
Roy
Me, neither. So why the hell was she up there in the first place?
Tom
No idea.
Roy
Never seemed right to me.
Tom
So what are you saying?
Roy
I’m saying it don’t seem like it was some accident.
Tom
Hmm. You said you’ve been reading Dakota County for the first time, right?
Roy
Huh?
Tom
Eleanor’s book, you’ve been reading that?
Roy
Oh, yeah. That’s right. Why?
Tom
Wondering if maybe you just read that part in the book so it’s fresh in your mind.
Roy
What part?
Tom
Part where the wife is found on the ground next to the windmill.
Roy
I ain’t read that part, where’s that?
Tom
Oh, I don’t recall, I read that book long time ago now. Maybe halfway through?
Roy
Nah, I’m only a few chapters in. She put that in this book, huh?
Tom
Yep, it’s a big point in the story. Guess I just ruined it for you. Actually, caused quite a stir in the area when that book come out. Several folks were none too happy about it. Especially Dale. You don’t remember all that?
Roy
Seems like there was something with one of her books. I don’t know. I don’t remember none of that, plus as I said I never paid much mind to any of her writing anyhow.
Tom
Hmm, that’s interesting.
Roy
How’s that?
Tom
How that’s all still fresh in your mind after all this time.
Roy
Yeah, I remember stuff from way back pretty good still. But other stuff…
Roy shakes his head
Tom
Did you ever tell anyone how you felt about all of that?
Roy
Nah, just Ellie.
Tom
Oh yeah?
Roy
Yeah, she and I talked about it quite a bit after I told her it all just didn’t seem right to me.
Tom
Hmm
Roy
What?
Tom
I’m curious now for you to read the rest of that book.
Roy
Why’s that?
Tom
You might have written a lot of that without even knowing it.
Roy
Ah, hell, Tom, don’t know about all that.
Tom
We’ll see.
Roy
Such a pretty little thing, though.
Tom
Who’s that? Your Eleanor?
Roy
Nah, Renee. And boy, could she cook.
Tom
Is that right?
Roy
Well, yes. I remember one Thanksgiving they had us over ‘cause they didn’t have no family coming. And, my gosh, the spread. You could smell it as soon as we drove up and stepped out the truck. And I tell you what, you talk about Earl’s wife’s apple dessert? Renee’s cobbler was the best I’ve ever had.
Tom
That so?
Roy
I mean the best! But don’t tell that to Ellie.
They both laugh
Roy
I never could figure out why she never took it to the fair. She would have won a blue ribbon easy, every time. Guess it wasn’t in her nature.
Tom
You know, Roy, I should tell you something.
Roy
What’s that?
Tom
That cobbler? It wasn’t Renee’s.
Roy
How’s that?
Tom
Dale made the cobbler. It was his recipe.
Roy
You don’t say.
Tom
Yeah, he was a wonderful cook. In fact, I imagine he made most of that Thanksgiving feast you enjoyed.
Roy
You don’t say? I had no idea.
Tom
Nobody did. Dale didn’t want nobody to know.
Roy
Except you.
Tom
Yeah, right. Except me.
Pause
Tom
Dale was a very special friend. I really miss him.
Roy
I bet. So, do you go look in on his widow?
Tom
Who’s widow?
Roy
Dale’s
Tom
Dale didn’t have a wife, Roy.
Roy
He didn’t?
Tom
No
Roy
But, I thought…
Tom
Not after Renee.
Roy looks confused
Roy
Ok then.
Tom
You know, I think that’s plenty of talk about the past. I’m here to see how you’re getting along and if there’s anything I can do for you. Maybe you got some chores need to be done, or you want to try your luck with me in cribbage…
Roy
Did you ever feel fenced in?
Tom
Fenced in?
Roy
Growing up and living ‘round here? Living the way other folks wanted you to live?
Tom
Where’d that question come from?
Roy shrugs
Roy
Don’t know. Just wondering.
Tom
Well, since you asked, actually yeah. For a long time, I did.
Roy
That so?
Tom nods
Roy
But not anymore?
Tom
I guess Dale helped me a lot with that.
Roy
That’s good.
Tom
Yeah, helped me to understand that it was alright to be what I wanted to be, or to be who I really was, I guess.
Roy nods
Tom
Happiest times of my life. But you know about that, I s’pose. That’s why it’s so hard when they’re gone.
Roy
When who’s gone?
Tom
Eleanor and Dale, Roy.
Roy
Hmm, ok.
Roy gets out of his chair
Roy
You know, I always done what Eleanor wants. Married her because that’s what she wanted. Figured it was the right thing to do. Built her this house, as she wanted. Spent my money on what she wanted. Served on town council and was a lay leader at church ‘cause she wanted to be proud when she was out. Always correcting my talking. Made me wear a damned girdle when I went to town! No one’s gonna think I’m married to a fat ignorant man, she’d say. If a man ain’t got self-respect, how can anyone else respect him, she’d say.
Tom is stunned
Roy
I tell you one thing, Tom. I ain’t wearing that damned girdle no more!
Tom
Ok…
Roy
Only good thing ever really come out of that woman was Jake. Certainly wasn’t no book.
Roy picks up the book and throws it to the rear of the stage
Roy
And sometimes, sometimes I just had to get out. I had to get out or else I would have burst! So sometimes I went to the city.
Tom
You went to the city?!
Roy
I had to. I had to get out!
Tom
When did you ever go to the city?
Roy
Once a year, when I said I was going to the farm convention.
Tom
Really? And Eleanor never found out?
Roy
No, but I think she might’ve known. Yeah, think she probably did.
Tom
What the hell did you do there? If you don’t mind me asking.
Roy
Oh, I went to places I shouldn’t have gone. Did things I shouldn’t have done. But, you see, I was gonna burst if I didn’t.
Tom
I know the city. Dale and I would go. What kind of places?
Roy
Back-alley places.
Tom
You mean the casinos?
Roy
No, no. If I’d have lost a bunch of money Eleanor would have known for sure and probably shot me dead. Ah hell, I shouldn’t be talking to you about all this…
Tom
Do you mean the ones on Castro Street?
Pause
Roy
You know about those?
Tom nods
Tom
Dale and I would stay at the Fairoaks there. Did you ever stay at the Fairoaks, Roy?
Roy
You see, I was just gonna burst. But I always made it up to Ellie after I come home. I’d bring her back something nice and I’d tell her to make a list while I was gone. To make a list of extra things she wanted done around the house. I always made it up to her.
Tom
You know, Roy…
Tom stands up and starts to walk towards Roy as Roy continues to talk
Roy
I did, I always made it up to her.
Tom
Roy, it’s ok. You can be who you want to be now. And…
Roy
I just, I just would have burst.
Tom
I can be a very special friend to you.
Roy
Just would have burst.
Tom
Would you like that Roy?
Roy
Like what?
Tom
A special friend.
Roy
I, I don’t know.
Tom suddenly kisses Roy.
Tom ends the kiss and Roy steps away from him.
Tom waits for Roy’s reaction
Tom
Roy? Roy, say something.
Pause
Roy
Ok then.
Tom
Ok then?
Roy
Yeah, ok then.
Tom chuckles
Tom
Well ok then.
Roy laughs, then Tom laughs
Tom
Say, I could use something to drink. You want a beer?
Roy
Yeah, that actually sounds pretty good.
Tom exits stage as Roy sits back down
Eleanor enters stage behind Roy. She picks up the book that Roy threw and walks over to him.
Eleanor
You dropped this.
Eleanor hands the book to Roy
Roy
Oh, Ellie. I didn’t know you was there. Say, I’m gonna make it up to you. Just like I always done, I’m gonna make it up to you.
Eleanor
Roy…
Roy
Now you make a list and I’ll get to it. I will now…
Eleanor takes Roy’s hand
Eleanor
Roy. You don’t have to do that anymore.
Eleanor holds Roy’s face and kisses him tenderly. After the kiss Eleanor starts to walk away, then stops and turns back to Roy.
Eleanor
You never did.
Eleanor exits stage
Roy opens the book and starts reading
Tom enters stage carrying two beers
Tom
Alright, cold beer coming right up for you.
Roy is startled
Tom
Decided to give that book another try, huh?
Roy
Geez, Tom! I ain’t heard you come in.
Tom
Oh sorry, Roy. Didn’t mean to give you a start.
Tom hands Roy a beer
Roy
It’s alright. Thanks for the beer.
Tom
Sure thing.
Roy
Hell, I ain’t seen you in a month of Sundays. What brings you by?
END
About the Author:
Craig was born in Iowa. He now lives in Minnesota with his wife and two daughters. Occasionally, during the long winter nights, he writes.