Scene 2: The Rooftop
<Frank and Jamie are on the roof over-hang outside their window enjoying the sun. Jamie is wearing an over-sized sunhat, and holding a pair of binoculars.>
Frank: Where did you get that ridiculous hat?
Jamie: Closet.
Frank: Like everything else in your life?
Jamie: I put Elsie’s stuff in there I wanted to keep.
Frank: You’re not going to get a tan like that.
Jamie: I don’t tan, I beige.
<Laurie emerges on the roof.>
Laurie: Any women?
Jamie: One.
Laurie: They must be hibernating.
Frank: Like bears?
Jamie: Oh no, the bears are out in full force. <Looks through the binoculars.> I feel like I’m in Jellystone park.
Laurie: What about this one?
Jamie: The rumours would run rampant, me and a corn-fed country boy? I model my life by Grace Kelly. It’s a prince or nothing for me.
Frank: Oh, and who raised you?
Jamie: Wolves. Laurie?
Laurie: My family all lives in Cape Breton.
Frank: That’s a shame.
Laurie: We don’t talk a lot. They’re not talkative people at the best of times. It makes it hard to connect to them.
Jamie: Well, you are a lesbian.
Laurie: And you?
Jamie: <dead pan> My mother got caught in a bear trap and had to gnaw her own leg off. My father was skinned by hunters and worn as a coat, at the age of 7 I was sent to live with my aunt a domesticated huskie living on Baffin island.
Frank: Where in Cape Breton?
Laurie: A little community on the water. The big dream was to move away and get out of the fish business, or win the lottery. I’ve accomplished the first one, working on the second. I never liked fish.
Jamie: How unexpected. Do you like tomatoes?
Laurie: Of course.
Jamie: Of course. <smiles>
Frank: We’ve all had our troubles.
Jamie: Oh please, there are people far worse off than us.
Frank: I was in grade four. I went to private school. I had a crush on a kid in my class. Innocent, totally innocent. I didn’t know what it meant or what a crush was supposed to be. He was friendly and handsome.
Jamie: That’s how people go to jail.
Frank: We were both in grade four! It was totally innocent. I wanted to be accepted and loved and when he pulled me aside in the schoolyard and leaned into me I went for it and he drew away. It was a trick.
Laurie: The oldest trick in the book.
Frank: That’s when I came out. Everyone already knew. They called my parents from the school, and it was awkward that summer but we never talked about it, it was understood. I stopped needing to lie about it and from that day forward I was myself, none of this fear bullshit.
Jamie: You came out in grade four?
Frank: Not totally, but I never denied it.
Jamie: Do you believe this? <Laurie shrugs> Out in grade four?
Laurie: They’re coming out younger and younger. They have moms pushing babies in pride parades now.
Frank: To be clear I was outed in grade four.
Laurie: Were you bullied into it?
Frank: They weren’t any bullies at my school. I was raised in a supportive environment. Look just because I didn’t suffer any hardships doesn’t make me a freak or anything.
Jamie: I’m proud of being a freak.
Frank: That’s not what I mean. I was never afraid of who I was.
Laurie: I think that fear is important.
Frank: Fear changes people for the worse. They become broken shells, they stop doing things for themselves and the worry about what others think of them takes over.
Laurie: You’re just saying that.
Frank: Fear ruins people.
Jamie: Fear is for horror movies, when it comes down to it people are cowards.
Laurie:: I’m sure you’d be real great if an axe murderer were after us.
Jamie: That’s why I don’t date lumberjacks anymore.
Laurie: Do you really think fear ruins people?
Frank: Yes.
Laurie: Do you see that woman there? The woman in the two piece business suit. She looks powerful, she holds her hands to her sides and her fingernails are well cared for. She has money, and knows how to spend it to look good. Her hair is going gray but it’s well cared for and smooth. How old do you think she is?
Frank: I don’t know. She looks the same age as my mom. I don’t know 50?
Laurie: Fine let’s say 50, she looks mid 40s to me, but you’re young and everyone looks old to you so let’s say 50. 25 years ago she was 25. It was the height of the AIDs crisis, before they really knew what was happening. People were dying and they weren’t sure why. She existed in a world where systematic discrimination against gay people was expected, she grew up without the government legislated equality, without gay marriage, where Pride parades were still a rebellion and had yet to become a chance for politicians to look sensitive and businesses to make a buck. Fear changes people for the better Frank, fear makes people strong. That’s why this community exists.
Jamie: That sounds like something a lesbian would say. Fear gnaws at you Frank. It gnaws at you and it destroys you.
Frank: Exactly.
<Frank takes his shirt off.>
Laurie: What am I talking about? 25 years ago you weren’t even a sperm.
Jamie: We all get old Laurie, that’s the only truth that wins out. 25 years ago that woman was beautiful and young and had her whole life ahead of her. Let’s even imagine for argument’s sake she had good taste back then, little did she know the path that lay ahead ugh pantsuits. <Notices Frank.> You shouldn’t suntan like that.
Frank: What?
Jamie: You can get away with it now, you’re young, but it will catch up with you quickly and it’s bad for you.
Frank: It’s hot. I don’t hate the sun like you do.
Jamie: I don’t hate it, we’re just not on speaking terms right now.
Frank: I’ll put on sunscreen if you’re concerned.
Laurie: I think he would prefer to do that for you.
Frank: Oh?
Laurie: Don’t play naive. You’re young and good-looking. I’m a lesbian, I’m not blind.
Jamie: Certainly not, you have such good taste in older professional street women.
Laurie: Didn’t your mother teach you manners?
Jamie: Never. Here’s the sunscreen. You can put it on yourself.
Frank: I’m surprised no one else is on the roof.
Laurie: Maybe they have day jobs.
Jamie: Or they’re old and inside hiding from the heat.
Laurie: It feels hotter inside. There’s a breeze out here.
Frank: Jamie can you do my back?
Jamie: <Looking at Laurie.> What? He asked.
Laurie: They’ve almost totally destroyed that park across the street. Why doesn’t anyone care?
Jamie: Mmm. Construction workers. Soon it will be all business casual on this street.
Frank: There’s no need for a village anymore.
Laurie: What about ‘Little Italy’ or ‘China Town’? Cities need cultural ghettos.
Frank: The culture of gay is changing.
Jamie: It’s always been changing. It used to be a subculture but now we’re a “culture.” It was easier when we were the rebels at least then we all looked out for eachother. There, finished your back.
Laurie: Can you do me now?
Jamie: Frank would be happy to.
Frank: Thanks.
Frank: Where did you get that ridiculous hat?
Jamie: Closet.
Frank: Like everything else in your life?
Jamie: I put Elsie’s stuff in there I wanted to keep.
Frank: You’re not going to get a tan like that.
Jamie: I don’t tan, I beige.
<Laurie emerges on the roof.>
Laurie: Any women?
Jamie: One.
Laurie: They must be hibernating.
Frank: Like bears?
Jamie: Oh no, the bears are out in full force. <Looks through the binoculars.> I feel like I’m in Jellystone park.
Laurie: What about this one?
Jamie: The rumours would run rampant, me and a corn-fed country boy? I model my life by Grace Kelly. It’s a prince or nothing for me.
Frank: Oh, and who raised you?
Jamie: Wolves. Laurie?
Laurie: My family all lives in Cape Breton.
Frank: That’s a shame.
Laurie: We don’t talk a lot. They’re not talkative people at the best of times. It makes it hard to connect to them.
Jamie: Well, you are a lesbian.
Laurie: And you?
Jamie: <dead pan> My mother got caught in a bear trap and had to gnaw her own leg off. My father was skinned by hunters and worn as a coat, at the age of 7 I was sent to live with my aunt a domesticated huskie living on Baffin island.
Frank: Where in Cape Breton?
Laurie: A little community on the water. The big dream was to move away and get out of the fish business, or win the lottery. I’ve accomplished the first one, working on the second. I never liked fish.
Jamie: How unexpected. Do you like tomatoes?
Laurie: Of course.
Jamie: Of course. <smiles>
Frank: We’ve all had our troubles.
Jamie: Oh please, there are people far worse off than us.
Frank: I was in grade four. I went to private school. I had a crush on a kid in my class. Innocent, totally innocent. I didn’t know what it meant or what a crush was supposed to be. He was friendly and handsome.
Jamie: That’s how people go to jail.
Frank: We were both in grade four! It was totally innocent. I wanted to be accepted and loved and when he pulled me aside in the schoolyard and leaned into me I went for it and he drew away. It was a trick.
Laurie: The oldest trick in the book.
Frank: That’s when I came out. Everyone already knew. They called my parents from the school, and it was awkward that summer but we never talked about it, it was understood. I stopped needing to lie about it and from that day forward I was myself, none of this fear bullshit.
Jamie: You came out in grade four?
Frank: Not totally, but I never denied it.
Jamie: Do you believe this? <Laurie shrugs> Out in grade four?
Laurie: They’re coming out younger and younger. They have moms pushing babies in pride parades now.
Frank: To be clear I was outed in grade four.
Laurie: Were you bullied into it?
Frank: They weren’t any bullies at my school. I was raised in a supportive environment. Look just because I didn’t suffer any hardships doesn’t make me a freak or anything.
Jamie: I’m proud of being a freak.
Frank: That’s not what I mean. I was never afraid of who I was.
Laurie: I think that fear is important.
Frank: Fear changes people for the worse. They become broken shells, they stop doing things for themselves and the worry about what others think of them takes over.
Laurie: You’re just saying that.
Frank: Fear ruins people.
Jamie: Fear is for horror movies, when it comes down to it people are cowards.
Laurie:: I’m sure you’d be real great if an axe murderer were after us.
Jamie: That’s why I don’t date lumberjacks anymore.
Laurie: Do you really think fear ruins people?
Frank: Yes.
Laurie: Do you see that woman there? The woman in the two piece business suit. She looks powerful, she holds her hands to her sides and her fingernails are well cared for. She has money, and knows how to spend it to look good. Her hair is going gray but it’s well cared for and smooth. How old do you think she is?
Frank: I don’t know. She looks the same age as my mom. I don’t know 50?
Laurie: Fine let’s say 50, she looks mid 40s to me, but you’re young and everyone looks old to you so let’s say 50. 25 years ago she was 25. It was the height of the AIDs crisis, before they really knew what was happening. People were dying and they weren’t sure why. She existed in a world where systematic discrimination against gay people was expected, she grew up without the government legislated equality, without gay marriage, where Pride parades were still a rebellion and had yet to become a chance for politicians to look sensitive and businesses to make a buck. Fear changes people for the better Frank, fear makes people strong. That’s why this community exists.
Jamie: That sounds like something a lesbian would say. Fear gnaws at you Frank. It gnaws at you and it destroys you.
Frank: Exactly.
<Frank takes his shirt off.>
Laurie: What am I talking about? 25 years ago you weren’t even a sperm.
Jamie: We all get old Laurie, that’s the only truth that wins out. 25 years ago that woman was beautiful and young and had her whole life ahead of her. Let’s even imagine for argument’s sake she had good taste back then, little did she know the path that lay ahead ugh pantsuits. <Notices Frank.> You shouldn’t suntan like that.
Frank: What?
Jamie: You can get away with it now, you’re young, but it will catch up with you quickly and it’s bad for you.
Frank: It’s hot. I don’t hate the sun like you do.
Jamie: I don’t hate it, we’re just not on speaking terms right now.
Frank: I’ll put on sunscreen if you’re concerned.
Laurie: I think he would prefer to do that for you.
Frank: Oh?
Laurie: Don’t play naive. You’re young and good-looking. I’m a lesbian, I’m not blind.
Jamie: Certainly not, you have such good taste in older professional street women.
Laurie: Didn’t your mother teach you manners?
Jamie: Never. Here’s the sunscreen. You can put it on yourself.
Frank: I’m surprised no one else is on the roof.
Laurie: Maybe they have day jobs.
Jamie: Or they’re old and inside hiding from the heat.
Laurie: It feels hotter inside. There’s a breeze out here.
Frank: Jamie can you do my back?
Jamie: <Looking at Laurie.> What? He asked.
Laurie: They’ve almost totally destroyed that park across the street. Why doesn’t anyone care?
Jamie: Mmm. Construction workers. Soon it will be all business casual on this street.
Frank: There’s no need for a village anymore.
Laurie: What about ‘Little Italy’ or ‘China Town’? Cities need cultural ghettos.
Frank: The culture of gay is changing.
Jamie: It’s always been changing. It used to be a subculture but now we’re a “culture.” It was easier when we were the rebels at least then we all looked out for eachother. There, finished your back.
Laurie: Can you do me now?
Jamie: Frank would be happy to.
Frank: Thanks.
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