Paradise Diner
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Scene II
(Developers Todd and Reese Hering are standing in front of curtain.)
Todd: Now remember, do everything like I said! (irritably) And don’t talk!!
Reese: I remember, I remember! Geez, don’t get your hair tied up in a knot...Todd: (looks at his brother with confused irritation) “Hair tied in a knot? Hair tied in a knot?” Who says “hair tied in a knot?”
Reese: (looks kind of hurt but tries to be tough) I’ve heard lots of people say it…
Todd: JUST do what I say, okay, Reese? Don’t talk! I don’t want you to ruin another deal for us.
Reese: Is this about Santa Laura again?
Todd: When a quote unquote “concerned citizen” stands up in the middle of the room and asks for everyone to raise their hand who wants to preserve the land for an animal sanctuary, YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO RAISE YOURS!!
Reese: (looks pouty ). I couldn’t help it...they had all those pictures of cute bunnies and foxes and that little baby deer standing by its mommy…(Excited) Do you know those dots they have are like camouflage so they blend in with the spots of sunlight that comes through the trees onto the forest flo-Todd: REESE!! Shut up!
(Chris Camello enters)
Todd: Chris, my man! What’s up big guy!?
Chris: Hi Todd. Reese. (Shakes their hands.)
Todd: (Looks out as though surveying a field and sweeps his hand across) ...so I think we’re looking at a request for 113 at this point...
Chris: (surprised) 113? I thought you were going to ask for 62. It’s only zoned for 48...
Todd: Chris, you and I both know that it’s just a matter of time before the public water and sewer come in–growth is inevitable. Growth is good...
Chris: Yeah, but 113...
Todd: C’mon my friend...this area needs to modernize in a big way–you’ve been living like dinosaurs out here...concerned public representatives like yourself–along with innovative companies like Hering Brothers–why, we’re putting Johnson City on the map!!
Reese: You know our motto–Hering Brothers: Building The Future. Todd paid someone $1000 to come up with that! So we’d sound like nice people!!
Todd: (Laughs tightly and shoves Reese away, Reese nearly falls over. Turns back to Chris with a tight smile.) My brother’s quite a kidder! Oh, I almost forgot...my Dad wanted me to give you these tickets–seats on the 50 yard line!! He’s flying his plane down there for the game next week and he’d be happy to taxi you along–bring your kids...your little boy will probably double over when he hears his old man got tickets to the Cowboys next home game–eh? (nudges Chris, who smiles slowly.) And, there’s a little something extra in there for your time today. These 113 houses are nothing Chris. We’ve got an even bigger deal in the works. Are you ready for it?
Reese: I am!
Chris: What is it?
Todd: The New Main Street! It’s a shopping area all fixed up to look like a charming, small town main street, but then the storefronts open up into these outrageously giant mega-stores!!
Chris: But, we already have a real main street….with charming little stores…
Reese: That’s true, Todd, they do-oo…
Todd: (elbows his brother while still looking at Chris.) Buddy! Your Main St. is a joke—lots of sad little stores run by sad little people. We’re gonna bring in all the biggest stores with the things people want! Big chains you can find everywhere--except here!
Chris: Well, where do you propose to build this “New Main Street”?
Todd: We’ve already made an offer to Jess Monroe, who is ready to sell us his entire 200 acres. The only thing that stands in the way is the little diner that sits back on that patch practically in the middle of where we’re going to need to run all the gas and sewer lines.
Chris: Paradise Diner?
Todd: Yeah, that’s the name of it. Looks like something caught in a time warp, right Reese? (laughs sneeringly)
Reese: Yeah, a time warp. Like Captain Kirk….Captain’s log…stardate 4321…I’m caught in a time warp and I don’t know how to get out…
Chris: I’ve known the owners of the diner all my life, Todd. I don’t think they’re going to want to move…
Todd: Not move, Chris. Retire! In style! Why, we’ll buy ‘em out and they’ll never have to work another day if they don’t want to! This is about growth big guy…and growth is always good!!
(Sings Growth is Always Good while hypnotizing Chris with money. Reese also goes into a bit of a trance.)
Growth is Always Good
Gro-owth, gro-owth, gr-owth, gro-owth,
gro-owth, gro-owth
Growth is always good my friend, growth is always good
you can’t stop it, don’t bother, it’s a matter of time
nothing or nobody should
gro-owth, gro-owth gro-owth, gro-owth
the people who couldn’t see this before will now change their point of view
they’ll climb right on board with our development plan and embrace what is dazzling and new
gro-owth, gro-owth
but still there are enemies out there my friend we’ll have one or two little scrapes
they’ll quibble and squibble and cry in their soup but remember it’s all sour grapes
gro-owth, gro-owth gro-owth, gro-owth
growth is always good my friend, growth is always good
you can’t stop it don’t bother it’s a matter of time nothing or nobody could
gro-owth, gro-owth
the people who just won’t see that’s it’s so will cry about nature and land
but we won’t listen we’ll turn a deaf ear and all of our lives will be grand
gro-owth, gro-owth gro-owth, gro-owth
Gro-owth, gro-owth
growth, growth, growth, growth, growth--growth is always good!!
Todd: So, Chris, buddy, I defy you to name one time when there hasn’t been something good that has come from growth!
Reese: (snaps out of his stupor) I know! Cancer!!
Todd: (Todd turns to his brother, his eyes bulging, giving him a death stare. Turns back to Chris with a smile) Look, we’ve got to run (puts his arm around Chris and pulls him along as they start to walk)...listen, don’t sweat the 113 houses or the Main Street–Hering Brothers is willing to take the risk–we see potential here in this area. And we’ll get the other two supervisors behind us. The most important thing is that we’re all helping Johnson City to grow, right?
(Chris glances down at the envelope, then looks around to see if anyone is watching them).
Chris: Sure, Todd. (Grasps envelope more firmly in both hands.) I’m with you…
(The three walk off the stage, Lara and Oswaldo enter from the other side.)
Oswaldo: (in Spanish) Lara! A letter from Mom!
Lara: (Spanish) Let me see...
Oswaldo: Read it in English...
Lara: No!
Oswaldo: English. Practice your English.
Lara: Okay...Dear Lara and Oswaldo...How is everything? I want to write...tell you I got the $500 you send. You are very good son and daughter....thank you for the hard work you doing...we use the money for the medicines your grandmother need...she is having...perturbacion?
Oswaldo: Difficult...
Lara: Difficult walking...the medicine helps...she is not so...vertiginoso?
Oswaldo: I don’t know...spinning?
Lara: She is not spinning so much...I wish you could come see me...I understand you afraid to come home...you think you lose your place maybe...Aunt Miranda say you are a big help with the little ones...you care them...thank you...thank you for everything...(she gets a little choked up. Oswaldo puts his arm around her.) I want my mother...(starts to laugh a little) I am too old to want my mother, eh?
Oswaldo: I want her, too.
(They walk off stage right.)