Danny Jones

A written ensemble experiment about friends, love and jealousy.

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RITA: I didn’t mean for it to happen, I swear I didn’t...

JIMMY: But it did! (a beat) How could you do this? Why? I loved you. I thought you loved me...

RITA: (as if she’s been waiting to answer this one) No, you don’t!

JIMMY: Yes, I do. I’ve done nothing but love you, from almost the moment we met-

RITA: You don’t even know what love is! You think love is just taking care of something...handling it, petting it...like you own it! That’s not love!

JIMMY: I have never treated you like I owned you. I loved you. I wanted to be with you. I’ve always-

RITA: If you loved me so much than how come you still keep pictures of your ex-wife around the house, tell me that?

JIMMY (warning) Do not bring her into this.

RITA Why do you always talk about her as if you wish she was still here, huh?

JIMMY: This has nothing to do with her...this has to do with you fucking somebody else! I did nothing to make you do that!

RITA: No! You know what you did? You lied to me and to yourself from the beginning! Me and you? It’s not real! It never was! You didn’t want me! You wanted another Amy! I got the feeling...so many times...that all I was to you was someone you were trying to make something up to, someone you were trying to prove yourself to! Well, I am NOT Amy! And I never will be!

(Jimmy pushes the chair aside and goes at Rita, out of control.)

JIMMY: Shut up! Just shut up!

(Jimmy stands trembling with anger over a cringing, crying Rita, who covers her head looking scared to death)

JIMMY: I have never done anything but try to love you the best way I

know how. Everything I am I’ve given you.

RITA (more quietly) No...no, Jimmy...that’s not really true. I know that’s what you think you were doing. But, what I really got from you was all the little broken pieces of what she left behind. Well, I’m sorry...that wasn’t enough. I can’t...I won’t live like that.

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