Whisky on the Run

By David Serafino

Whisky on the Run is a companion play to Traders on the Border and is significantly shorter. It is essentially the story of Jock MacKenzie and Tobias Epp, during the years that the war raged on the Niagara Frontier – (the period that was leaped over in Traders). Jock is running the Queens Tavern and providing whisky to both British and American troops, depending on whichever is the dominating force at any particular time. Tobias is a trader from Pennsylvania who continues to supply goods to the communities in the frontier. He is a pacifist who has never held a gun and is concerned mainly with turning a profit. With this in mind he and Jock enter into an understanding for mutual benefit. The British commanders believe him to be a traitor and perhaps Jock as well. Compounding their dilemma is Little Hawk, a young brave who leads a band of renegade warriors and who demands both whisky and rifles, badgering both Jock and Tobias respectively for each.
In this play, Jock and Tobias and Little Hawk are fictional characters. Others are characters of history and called by their real names, whether portrayed or merely referenced. Of notable interest is the character Lorna Seeward who is a fictional characterization of a real local heroine of the time, but with a much-altered demeanor. The dramatic ending answers an unknown that was presented in the first scene of Traders on the Border; and though revisited in the last scene as well, was never resolved.

• Language: English
• Publisher: David Serafino
• Release date: Jul 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005559946

David Serafino

David Serafino was born in 1947 and grew up in Niagara Falls Ontario but has lived almost all of his adult life in the historic town of Port Dalhousie, now a suburb of St. Catharines Ontario. He began writing while a young adult, contributing to local publications and attempting a first yet-to-be published auto-biographical novel. In 1997 he began publishing Dalhousie Peer Magazine which ran for 14 years and 150 monthly issues. He is a published author by virtue of having a short story adjudicated for inclusion in a Canadian literary journal in 2009. In 1997 he co-authored and printed a history book of Port Dalhousie titled “A Nickel a Ride” In 2020 he produced, published and co-authored a more detailed and complete history of Port Dalhousie titled “Port Dalhousie: An Intimate History. Serafino has also written a series of five plays based on the War of 1812 and two children’s plays, some of which were performed locally and in New York State. He has also published two novels and a book of short stories & poems as eBooks. He is an amateur musician who uploads self-produced music videos of original songs to YouTube. Together, with his wife Lana, they have built an off-grid, solar-powered retreat in Central Ontario where they spend much of their summer. Since retirement in 2010 they have spent part of their winters in Latin America.

Book preview

WHISKY ON THE RUN

A TWO-ACT PLAY

(historical satire)

by DAVID SERAFINO

ISBN: 9781005559946

Copyright © 2012

David Serafino

Dalpeer Productions

6 Pine Street, St. Catharines ON L2N4T1

905-934-9676

[e-mail]

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal. This play may be performed for free by any school group or not-for-profit community theatre group with permission from the author.

ACT I

Scene I

Setting: Mid February, 1813, mid-day at the Queens Tavern. A musket hangs behind the bar on the wall along with a calendar.

At Rise: Jock MacKenzie stands behind the bar reading a newspaper. A young Native, Little Hawk, walks in brushing snow off his sleeves.

JOCK

Ah! Little Hawk. Can I get you some hot apple cider?

LITTLE HAWK

Whisky!

JOCK

(lets out an exasperated sigh)

We’ve been through this before. You know I can’t give you whisky. Two Moons would cut off the hand that served it.

LITTLE HAWK

(looks around)

Do you see Joseph Two Moons in this room? Is he hiding behind the bar? Maybe under a table. I have money. Give me whisky.

JOCK

I wish I could. I don’t mind taking your money but I do mind losing a hand.

LITTLE HAWK

Be my friend barkeep and give me whisky. Do you think I would tell Two Moons? Are all white men as easily frightened as you?

JOCK

Some are just sensible. We pick our battles wisely and some we avoid completely.

LITTLE HAWK

And some you get the red man to fight. If it were not for our warriors the Americans would have defeated you already. We were the ones who drove them into the river at Queenston after your General Brock was shot dead.

JOCK

And I’ll thank you for not scalping them like your brothers at the River Raisin?

LITTLE HAWK

My Shawnee brothers had no cages to keep them nor food to feed them. And we