Swimmin'

SCENE 1.

MISCELLANEOUS PRISON NOISES: THE SOUND OF SOLID METAL DOORS SLAMMING. A MAN CALLS OUT FOR A DOOR TO BE UNLOCKED AND A BUZZ. A DOOR OPENS AND IS SLAMMED SHUT. FURTHER CALLS AND BUZZES IN THE DISTANCE AS THE DIALOGUE BEGINS. CASEY SPEAKS WITH A STRONG LOUISIANA ACCENT. JIMMY'S ACCENT IS LESS PRONOUNCED. THE SOUND OF A LIGHTER BEING LIT AND CASEY INHALES A LIGHTLY CRACKLING CIGARETTE. CASEY TAKES DRAGS ON THE CIGARETTE THROUGH THE SCENE.

CASEY: They say the governor's on his way to the Commissioner's Ball.

JIMMY: Good for the campaign.

CASEY: Is he wearing black, still?

JIMMY: He wears a pin these days. A black rose.

CASEY: Marie'd want a red rose. (PAUSE) He acts like he knew her. (BEAT) He didn't know her. Their side of the family was too good for hers. Marie was pond scum (BEAT) till he wants re- election. Now he can use her...

SHE EXHALES AND SNIFFS A LAUGH. AN EXTENDED PAUSE WITH PRISON NOISES.

JIMMY: Okay?

CASEY: Okay.

JIMMY: Good to continue?

CASEY: Sure.

THE SOUND OF A CASSETTE RECORDER BEING ACTIVATED.

JIMMY: We're good...

CASEY: So, Pa left to go to his bowling night. Ma was over at Kenny's house with the kids while Kenny and Audrey went- went somewhere, I don't know where. Nobody ever said that. Ain't that something? No one ever said where Kenny and Audrey went. A meal? Dancing? (BEAT) Sword fighting on a cliff somewhere? Yeah... I have no idea. They had a night off and that's good enough for me. The little one has that autism. He's a handful at times. The biggun, well he thinks he owns the town and all its horses. (BEAT) Yeah. He's gonna get in lot's of trouble. I can see that. Just keep him out of this place is what I teld Kenny last time he wuz here...

JIMMY: Okay...

CASEY: Okay... so, we had corn on the cob that night. (SHE IMITATES HER EXCITED CHILDREN) “Swimmin' in butter, momma.” Too much butter for me. Makes me yack. (PAUSE) But, you know, I'd eat all the butter in the world, just to see... (PAUSE) Corn Sticks is what they call them. Cody does. Little Kate follows suit. Always follows suit. She loves her big brother. It's gonna stay that way. I'll make sure of it. Jenna came over about seven and I went out.

JIMMY: Who's Jenna?

CASEY: Jenna. (PAUSE) Your niece.

JIMMY: I mean for the record, Casey.

HE LAUGHS BRIEFLY WITHOUT HUMOUR.

CASEY: Oh, yeah, right... she's the babysitter. Cute little thing. Pigtails... the works! Keep an eye on her too, cos she's gonna keep you up nights when those boys gets the eyes for her.

JIMMY: We'll do that, Casey. She's a pretty thing.

CASEY: Cody likes her. Says he wants to marry her-

SILENCE. DISTANT BANGING AND A YELL.

CASEY (CONT'D): Four hours later Marie and me is on our way back. Humid. We's sweating. All sortsa bugs flying round. Getting in your face. Your ears. Your eyes. (PAUSE) Damn Stink Bug. You ever had a Stink Bug go up your nose, Jimmy?

JIMMY: Can't say I have.

CASEY: God. damn! It got right down the back there and I'm blowing hard but it won't budge, but do you know what those stink bugs do?

JIMMY: Stink?

CASEY: Damn straight. This bug, he got real angry back there and he's squeezin' one out for all he's worth and shoot (BEAT) that stuff is going right down my throat and I can taste it. The kinda taste that won't ever leave- it goes so far back.

SHE SMACKS HER LIPS AT THE BAD TASTE.

CASEY (CONT'D): I can taste it now.

JIMMY: I can believe that, Casey. Old Nero got it in his head to chew on one one time when he was still young enough to be chasing after such things – hardly moves now – old bones. But when he chewed that thing-

HE WHOOPS AS THOUGH IT WAS SOMETHING NASTY

JIMMY (CONT'D): He never did it again. Barks when he sees anything flying round the house. He's like a- (PAUSE) You know (BEAT) I'm recording this. Sorry, Case. Keep going.

SHE SNIFFS A LAUGH.

CASEY: You know, Jimmy, for a moment there, I was outta this cell and back in the real world. Why'd you have to bring me back?

THEY BOTH LAUGH WITHOUT CONVICTION.

CASEY (CONT'D): So I'm screaming, 'KILL IT! KILL IT!' and she's swiping at it – I'm swerving 'cross the road. S'a good thing there weren't no traffic coming the other way- one of those big-rigs, or we'd both be- (BEAT) we'll we'd both be together now. Not just her gone on her own.

SILENCE FOR A MOMENT. SHE MAKES A SOUND OF DISTASTE: 'YAH'.

JIMMY: What happened next, Casey?

CASEY: The clumsy fool slapped me straight in the face as she swung for the thing... scraped me round down here. See that?

JIMMY: I see it. There's a pink line going from under your left eye... it's about (BEAT) an inch... and a half long.

CASEY: Fourteen months and eight days.

THERE IS MORE QUIET, BROKEN ONLY BY PRISON NOISES.

CASEY (CONT'D): They found her two days later. One of those clitches- that how you say it?

JIMMY: Clitches? You mean ditches?

CASEY: No. Foreign sounding word. Clishes. Like when a stupid thing happens a lot, like over and over again.

JIMMY: 'Clishes'... you mean 'clichés'?

CASEY: 'Clee-shays', yeah, that's right. (BEAT) Sounds like a Creole word. (PAUSE) That where it comes from?

JIMMY: Could be, Casey. Has that sound to it.

CASEY: Yeah- clee-shay. Man with a dog – that's how (BEAT) bodies are found. Looked like she was crawling out the water with empty lungs. One of those marathon swims. (PAUSE) Wan't able to swim though, was she? She got no eyes. No tongue. Hair pulled out in big clumps. That's why they say a woman did it. Cat fight.

THE SOUND OF HER SUCKING HER TEETH.

CASEY (CONT'D): Animals went for the soft parts of her first. (PAUSE) Yep.

SHE TAKES A LONG DRAG OF THE CIGARETTE. THERE'S A SILENCE. JIMMY SUPPRESSES A COUGH.

JIMMY: Sorry. Go on.

CASEY: Known each other since we were pups. Best buds in high school. Fell out – as teenage girls do at sixteen. She stole my boyfriend. I stole him back. He got her pregnant. She miscarried. I was the only one'd help her pick up the pieces. (PAUSE) How old am I now- thirty-one?

JIMMY: Born April 8, 1945. That makes you thirty-one.

CASEY (SMILING): Look at you. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were sweet on me. Pro-bono n'all.

JIMMY (LAUGHING): All in your file, Casey. I know you better than you know yourself by now.

CASEY (GIGGLY): Bet you do. I bet you used to watch me in between classes too, right? An older girl...

JIMMY: Young boys, Casey. You know what we're like.

SHE LAUGHS AND MAKES A FAST, REPETITIVE SLAPPING SOUND ON HER THIGHS

CASEY: Ooh-ee! (SHE SINGS) Ca-sey and Jim-my sittin' in a tree...

JIMMY LAUGHS. CASEY'S LAUGH DROWNS HIS OUT. SHE FINALLY CALMS DOWN AND BECOMES VERY SERIOUS AGAIN.

CASEY (CONT'D): They used that against me (BEAT) her miscarriage. The boyfriend snatching. Few other things about lending n' borrowing. Said I never forgive her, is what they said. Said me and her had been fighting too and she'd struck me across the face. I'd got her down on the ground and pulled at her hair. Said I'd used it to strangle her. You ever see the size of Marie?

SHE COUGHS A GUTTERAL COUGH AND GOES QUIET.

CASEY (CONT'D): And now this weasel, piece of (BEAT) 'you-know-what', is 'running' on me. (BEAT) Ree-election. (BEAT) Yep. (SHE IMITATES A POMPOUS MALE VOICE) 'This woman will fry for what she done', ain't that what he said? 'We're sending a signal that the great state 'Louisiana does not tolerate this kind of inhuman cruelty to'rds...' (BACK TO HER OWN VOICE) Yeah... yep, I'll tell you what...

JIMMY: He's-

CASEY: Brought my date forward. (SHE LAUGHS WRYLY AS SHE SPEAKS) S'unheard of. Unconstitutional. 'Right to appeal'. (SHE IMITATES HIM AGAIN) 'That woman in there forewent her raats the day she...'

SILENCE. PRISON NOISES.

CASEY (CONT'D): I deserve it. Was me that killed her. I let her out of my 'Gee Dee' car, didn't I? (SHE SCOFFS A LAUGH) Decided she wanted some fresh air before she got back home. Wanted to 'walk off the booze'. Can you believe that? Walk off the booze. And by golly, I let her out. Din't think nothin' of it. Thought it was a good idea, I'll tell you what.

JIMMY: Were you there when the life left her body, Casey?

CASEY (BITTERLY): Was I there...? Boy, that's a good question. I wish I was. Could've helped h-

SHE GOES SILENT. A BUZZER SOUNDS AND A DOOR IS OPENED. IT CLOSES AGAIN

HANK: (OFF) B door closed.

WE HEAR RUBBER-SOLED FOOTSTEPS GETTING CLOSER.

CASEY: That's Hank, Jimmy. Tell Kenny to allow the kids to stay up late tonight and have corn sticks. They love corn sticks. Swimmin' in butter. Swimmin'. You got that? They start eating at five-to. Five-to.

JIMMY: Yeah, I got-

THE SQUEAK OF RUBBER-SOLED SHOES TURNING ON A WELL-SHINED FLOOR AND THE SOUND OF KEYS JINGLING AND TURNING IN A LOCK AS CASEY SPEAKS. THE DOOR OPENS.

CASEY (INSISTENTLY): You promise me. They start eating at five-to nine. I want them to be eating their corn when...

JIMMY: I promise. Five-to nine. (PAUSE) Swimmin' in butter. Gravy?

HANK: Time-

THE SOUND OF THE TAPE RECORDER BEING STOPPED AND PICKED UP.

CASEY: No! No gravy! You make sure you tell Kenny. They don't like gravy with their corn, okay? They won't eat 'em if they think they've been near gravy. They'll screw up their faces-

JIMMY: Okay. No gravy.

CASEY: Okay. That's good. It'll be good. They'll enjoy that. Make them happy.

HANK: Okay, Mr Prince, time's up.

JIMMY: Okay, thanks.

THE SOUND OF JIMMY STANDING AND STRETCHING

JIMMY (CONT'D): The Governor?

HANK: I believe he's onto his fourth Jack and Coke right now.

CASEY LAUGHS

CASEY: While I'm flyin', he'll be swimmin'.

HANK: Like a fish, they say. Doing backstrokes.

CASEY (DRYLY): Bet they do. (PAUSE) Right, you be off now, Jimmy. We ain't huggin'. You ain't takin' none of this out with ya. I'm good now.

JIMMY: Okay. Okay. You're gonna be okay, Casey.

CASEY: That's a silly thing to say, Jimmy. They're gonna kill me in something over three hours time. I'm gonna be anything but- (BEAT) hey it don't matter. You go now, Jimmy and tell my babies momma loves 'em.

JIMMY: I will, Casey. It's... yep...

HANK: I'll be back in thirty minutes, Casey, with your food.

FOOTSTEPS LEAVING THE CELL. THE HEAVY DOOR CLOSES FIRMLY AND WE HEAR FOOTSTEPS WALK AWAY. SHE TAKES A DRAG OF THE CIGARETTE AND COUGHS.

CASEY: Damn things. Be the death of me. (PAUSE) Hey, if I can get you in the sink from here, I'm gonna get a pardon.

THE SOUND OF HER FLICKING IT AND IT LANDS IN THE SINK WITH A SINGE.

CASEY (CONT'D): Three points! I'm saved!!! Oh, Lord, thank you. (PAUSE) Yeah... Nope, you can keep it. Just let me see them smiling, Lord. That's all I want. (LOW) That's all I want...

SOMBRE MOUTH-ORGAN TUNE.

FADE.

SCENE 2.

CASEY IS HUMMING A SOULFUL TUNE. RUBBER-SOLED FOOTSTEPS GET CLOSER. A RUBBER-SOLED SQUEAK. KEYS JINGLE AND THE HEAVY METAL DOOR OPENS.

HANK: Casey.

CASEY: A reprieve. At last...

HE LAUGHS BRIEFLY.

HANK: Sorry, Casey. Here it is- your- your meal.

CASEY: Thanks. I'll have it later. Don't feel like eating right now.

HANK (AFFECTIONATELY): Caseyyy...

CASEY: Aww. you always laugh at my jokes, Hank.

HANK: I do. But not today, I don't think.

CASEY: Shoot. Today of all days. I need some cheering. Are they hot?

HANK: Yeah... they're hot. The way you like them... extra butter.

CASEY: That's right. The way I like 'em.

RUBBER-SOLED FOOTSTEPS TO THE DOOR AND THE DOOR IS CLOSED.

FADE.

SCENE 3.

A BUZZER. A DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES AS HURRIED FOOTSTEPS GET CLOSER. RUNNING FOOTSTEPS SQUEAK TO A HALT AND A BREATHLESS YOUNG MAN ENTERS.

HANK: - I'll secure her wrists while-

YOUNG HOWIE: Here, Hank. The Governor's on the news.

THE RADIO HISSES SLIGHTLY AS THE REPORT COMES IN.

ANNOUNCER: (D) -victed murderer, Casey DuPont is just fifty-nine minutes from execution. He said, in an interview exclusive to LSR, how he felt, less than an hour ago.

GOVERNOR: (D) This is a day when Louisiana should be proud of its justice system. A cold-blooded killer – who has never admitted to her heinous crimes – is about to feel the full weight of southern justice. You demanded it when she took that girl's life. My cousin's only child. There will be no stay of execution. None. She's gonna find due process, courtesy of Louisiana Electrics and Mains. Now, if you don't mind, this is an evening that should not be sullied by talk of such indecencies. I'm here at the Commissioner's mansion, the President of Vitco Oils and Pharmaceut-

ANNOUNCER: (D) That was Governor Malmort speaking not-

THE RADIO CLICKS OFF.

HANK (ANGRILY): God! damn it! You pompous, ignorant, son-of-a...

HE STRAINS. WE HEAR A CUP SMASHING AGAINST A WALL.

FADE.

SCENE 4.

THERE IS A HUMMING SOUND OF STRIP LIGHTS. THE WARDEN'S VOICE FADES IN.

WARDEN: ... the Lord have mercy on your soul. Amen.

CASEY: 'Kay, let's get on with this cliché.

HANK: Gonna put the hood on in a moment, Casey.

CASEY: Thank you, Hank. Don't want none of you good boys to see what's going on under here. None of your concern. (PAUSE) You been good to me, Hank. All of you.

WARDEN: Do you have any final words before you depart 'the ever-lasting, Mrs. DuPont?

CASEY: Yeah, you can pucker your lips and kiss my butt. Tell that fat, bloated hog that Marie never liked him. Do your business, Hank.

THE WARDEN CLEARS HIS THROAT. HARD-SOLED SHOES STEP AWAY. THERE IS THE SOUND OF A CLOTH BAG BEING POSITIONED AND FASTENED OVER CASEY'S HEAD. CASEY HUMS A SOULFUL TUNE WHILE HANK DOES THIS.

HANK: Gonna miss you, Casey. You take care.

CASEY: (LOW) Hank?

HANK: Yes, Casey.

CASEY: What's the time? Exactly?

HANK: (BEAT) It's thirty seconds before nine, Casey.

CASEY: You gotta be quick, Hank. Don't waste time, now.

HANK: I will, Casey.

CASEY: They'll be smilin', Hank.

HANK (CONFUSED): Who, Casey?

CASEY: Cody and Little Kate.

HANK (REASSURINGLY): They'll be fine. (PAUSE) Gonna make this quick.

RUBBER-SOLED FOOTSTEPS MOVE AWAY.

CASEY: (CLOSE) I'm gonna see their faces again, real soon. They're gonna be smilin' (BEAT) cos they're eating corn sticks (BEAT) swimmin' in butter.

HANK: Everyone in their positions. CLEAR.

CASEY: (CLOSE) Swimmin'...

HANK: ALL- CLEAR.

CASEY: (CLOSE) Swimmin...

HANK: (CLOSE) Contact.

CASEY: (CLOSE, PAUSE) Swimmin-

THE CLUNK OF A HARD, INDUSTRIAL BUTTON BEING PRESSED.

CUT.

PLAY OUT WITH A SOMBRE MOUTH-ORGAN TUNE.

END.