Kkk: A Play in Three Acts

By Constance McCutcheon

Kitty, 91, and Chester, 89, are trying to get themselves up to an assisted-living community while they can still walk, but without getting married, because as Kitty explains to Kathryn, her 55-year-old daughter, we dont want to, get married, that is. However, the greatest obstacle turns out to be financial: Kitty cannot afford the community's monthly service charges if she continues to support Kathryn. And she insists on doing that. She has always supported her daughter and will not let her down now. Chester tries talking sense to Kittygently, but firmlyand gets a glimpse into a peculiar family dependency that, on second glance, looks downright unsavory.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 5, 2013
• ISBN: 9781479795444

Constance McCutcheon

Constance McCutcheon received a Masters degree in writing from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. She has worked as a journalist, technical writer, and freelance writer and is currently employed as an editor for a large software company. She resides in Munich, Germany. Visit cmccutcheon.com to take on Ms. McCutcheon’s Web essays and short stories.

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Copyright © 2013 by Constance McCutcheon.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Rev. date: 02/26/2013

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CONTENTS

Cast Of Characters

Act I, Scene 1

Act I, Scene 2

Act I, Scene 3

Act I, Scene 4

Act I, Scene 5

Act II, Scene 1

Act II, Scene 2

Act II, Scene 3

Act II, Scene 4

Act II, Scene 5

Act II, Scene 6

Act II, Scene 7

Act III, Scene 1

Act III, Scene 2

Act III, Scene 3

Dedicated to my great friend, Frank, who never got this far.

Grateful acknowledgement to Andy McCutcheon, whose attentive suggestions helped me get further with this text than I would have been able to go alone.

Many thanks to Vicki Guy, who generously permitted me to use her portrait Hollie Reclining for the cover art.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

KITTY BRUCE, 91

CHESTER MACFARLANE, 89, Kitty’s companion

KATHRYN ACCETTULLA, 55, Kitty’s daughter

KAREN ACCETTULLA, 38, Kathryn’s daughter

TOMMY, late 50s, a workman

(The following 5 roles can be played by Chester and 1 extra.)

WORKMAN 1

WORKMAN 2

MED 1

MED 2

POLICEMAN

Time: June 2010

Location: Suburban Pittsburgh

Setting

The stage is occupied by a two-level wire oval with outer walls that resemble a wire basket or bird cage. Lower-level center is CHESTER’S household. When action occurs there, pale chartreuse lights illuminate the space. The living area of KATHRYN and KAREN occupies a narrow periphery a level above. When action takes place here, pale orange lights illuminate the area and the silhouette of a hill, a tent, and a rickety, old windmill becomes visible in the background.

ACT I, SCENE 1

Evening in late Spring. ACCETTULLA home. KAREN ACCETTULLA, dressed in a bathrobe, stands in glassed-in mudroom called the vestibule and looks out window. In background a dog whines, scratches, barks. Slowly she shrugs off top part of her bathrobe to reveal her upper body covered with nothing but scores of strands of turquoise, coral, amber, lapis lazuli. Noise is heard. KAREN starts and pulls bathrobe about her. KATHRYN ACCETTULLA enters, a short, plump woman with plain but pleasant looks and a childlike aspect about her.

KATHRYN

I thought I heard somebody out here and had an inkling it just might be you.

KAREN

Getting a little cool air.

KATHRYN

It’s always so much fresher out here. And that view. Look at it. The world looks so clean from here it sparkles. It gives me a lift every time.

KAREN

I’m just on my way to bed. I’ve got a pretty big day ahead of me tomorrow. And not pleasant.

KATHRYN

Every day’s a big day for you. I have little days. I can hardly fit into them.

KAREN

Oh, Mom. Good-night. See you in the morning.

KATHRYN

Sleep well.

KAREN exits. KATHRYN lingers to stare unhappily out window.

ACT I, SCENE 2

Late morning a few weeks later. ACCETTULLA front yard. A hot, dry day. Sound of dog whining and barking heard from inside house. An unhealthy truck engine is heard offstage, a yelp as it seems to explode, then silence. TOMMY and WORKMAN 1 enter, wheeling on hand carts stacks of new roof tiles. They unload them beside the house. WORKMAN 2 appears, heads straight for the last section of gutter and downspout on the house, removes it, and exits with it. House now stands gutterless.

TOMMY

(to WORKMAN 1)

Hold it. I’m going to need somewhere to throw down the old shingles. Stack those over there, will ya? I’ll get them when I need them.

WORKMAN 1

You sure about that?

TOMMY

Pretty sure.

WORKMAN 2 enters and helps WORKMAN 1 move tiles to one side of house. WORKMAN 1 returns with length of gutter in his hands.

TOMMY (CONT’D)

(looking up)

Well, I’ll be.

WORKMAN 1

What?

TOMMY

Plain as day.

WORKMAN 1

What?

TOMMY

Old Man Joe’s. And my tent right beside it. It sticks out like a sore thumb.

WORKMAN 1

(holds up old gutter)

Where you want this?

TOMMY

You can get rid of it.

WORKMAN 1

Hey, they got a dog in there?

TOMMY

I’m pretty sure it’s a dog.

WORKMAN 1

It sounds pretty vicious.

TOMMY

They keep it confined. I’ve never seen it.

WORKMAN 1

So why keep it?

TOMMY

To protect the ladies from testosterone-driven honchos like us.

WORKMAN 1

(bows towards house)

I accept! Thank you, ladies. Thank you.

(exits)

WORKMAN 1 and WORKMAN 2 enter with lengths of copper gutter and exit with pieces of old gutter.

TOMMY

This is going to look good. Nice little house. Good angle to the roof. A dormer window smack in the middle. Everything layered over with Roman tiles finished off with a really slick gutter. A little masterpiece. Good advertising. Business at last.

WORKMAN 1

(approaches with folder and electronic delivery device)

Ever do tiles?

TOMMY

I’m taking a master class from an Italian guy. He’s an expert.

WORKMAN 1 hands TOMMY device and electronic pen. Tommy signs. WORKMAN 1 gives TOMMY packet of papers.

WORKMAN 1

You working alone?

TOMMY

Yep. Is the bill in here somewhere?

WORKMAN 1

You better believe it.

(reaches over, pulls out bill, and puts it on top)

TOMMY

This goes elsewhere.

WORKMAN 1

We service, you know.

TOMMY

I don’t figure I’ll need it.

WORKMAN 1

You’d be done quicker and no mistakes. It ends up being a lot cheaper for the paying parties.

TOMMY

If I get in trouble, I’ll let you know expedic.

WORKMAN 1

You’ll let me know what?

TOMMY

Expedic. Latin. Right away.

WORKMAN 1

Gotcha. By the way, you gonna tie these things down?

TOMMY

Don’t need to.

WORKMAN 1

They can walk. Problem is, you don’t notice at first.

TOMMY

I’m watching this place like a hawk.

WORKMAN 1

From up there?

TOMMY

It’s a great spot. Fresh air. Birds chirping. Moonlight. How often do you look at the moon? Seriously. How often do you watch the moon? Sitting out there all alone in the middle of the night watching the moon. And then, you know what you get in the morning? A sunrise. Every time. It’s great.

WORKMAN 1

Whatever it takes, I guess.

WORKMAN 1 and WORKMAN 2 exit, sound of engine revs then fades.

TOMMY

(calls after them)

I’ll call you if I need you.

(looking up towards windmill)

And that goofy windmill squeaking all night long. If it’s the windmill. It may be the rabbits. If they’re rabbits. What made me think I’d be able to see anything up there in the dark?

ACT I, SCENE 3

About noon a few days later. MACFARLANE kitchen. KITTY BRUCE is seated at kitchen table surrounded by shoe boxes filled with papers and heaps of loose papers. A bill is in her hand.

KITTY

(talking into cell phone)

Kathryn, this is your mother. It is eleven fifty-two Friday—just a minute—June eighteenth. I was led to believe your gutter