Easy Does It

Episode 4

Act of Violence

by

Michael Beninate

INT.  STUDIO.  DAY

Diana, Roxy and Rustan enter the studio after having lunch continuing a conversation previously started.

ROXY
All I know is that if I hear about 
			or have to sit through one more 
			of those reality shows Alicia 
constantly watches, I think I’m 
going to be sick.

DIANA
			I know what you mean.  It makes 
you wonder what other situations 
they’re going come up with to pit 
people against each other to 
broadcast on national television.  

RUSTAN
			Oh, you can bet they’ll come up 
			with more.  It’s pretty ridiculous, 
			isn’t it?  But I do have to admit, 
			they’re one of those guilty pleasures 
			that I’d be lying if I didn’t say 
			I enjoy every now and then.  It’s 
			kind of like seeing a car accident.  
			You know you shouldn’t, but you 
can’t help but notice anyway. 

DIANA
			And have you noticed how they 
			always involve eliminating people?

ROXY
			Of course.  People want to see 
			other people fail.  They want to 
			watch other people make fools 
			of themselves.  I guess seeing 
			other people doing it makes us 
			somehow feel better about ourselves.  
			Besides, it’s just a lot of fun.   
			If not, they wouldn’t be so popular.

DIANA
			You’re right.  And, on the upside, 
			they do involve people competing and 
			winning.  I guess a lot of us enjoy 
			rooting for our favorite average Joe.

RUSTAN
			Yeah, well, I miss a good old 
fashioned well written script; 
shows that are composed and 
rehearsed.  I can’t wait till 
this fad is over and they bring 
back things like All in the Family,
Designing Women, Northern Exposure 
and Everybody Loves Raymond.   

Evan and Denison enter the studio continuing a conversation previously started.

DENISON
			No way, man.  The Saints actually 
might have a chance this year.  
Look at all the draft picks 
they got.

EVAN
			People have been saying that for 
			thirty-five years now.  They still 
			don’t have the defense.   

DENISON
			Just you watch.  You gotta have 
faith.

Telephone rings.

DIANA
			Bentley Internet Designs.  (pause) 
			This is she.  (pause, alarmed) 
Is he OK?  (pause)  I’m on my way.

Hangs up.  Grabs her purse.

ROXY
(concerned)
			Diana, what is it?

DIANA
(frantically)
			Elliot got in a fight at school.  
			He needs stitches on his face.
	
RUSTAN
(alarmed)
			Oh, my goodness.  
	
ROXY
			Come on.  I’ll drive.  Let’s go.  

Diana and Roxy leave in a hurry.  

EVAN
(humorously)
			What about the other kid?

DENISON
			Yeah.  He better need stitches too.

Long pause.  Rustan is giving them daggers.

RUSTAN
(astonished)
			What is wrong with you two?  
]			Diana’s child is bleeding and all 
you’re concerned about is who won 
the fight?

EVAN
			Chill out, Rustan.  Kids get in 
fights.  No big deal.

DENISON
			He’ll be OK.

RUSTAN
			I’m sensing that both of you seem 
			to be proud.  Are you proud of 
Elliot for getting into a fight?

EVAN
			I’d be prouder if he didn’t need 
			stitches.

DENISON
			Somebody should teach that boy 
			how to defend himself.

RUSTAN
			Shouldn’t you be more concerned 
			about ways of teaching him how to 
			handle disagreements without 
			resorting to violence?

EVAN
(insultingly, laughingly)
			Oh, go join the chorus!  (pause)
Oh, that’s right.  You did in 
high school.

Evan and Denison snicker.  Long pause.

RUSTAN
(angrily)
			That’s right.  I joined the chorus. 
			And it’s one of the few things 
that I remember with accomplishment 
about my school days.  While I 
was learning harmony and melody 
and pitch and artistic pride and 
everything else that goes along 
with it that you two are acting 
too dense to appreciate, you must 
have spent your time learning how
			to promote unnecessary violence. 

DENISON
			Calm down, Rustan.

EVAN
			Yeah, Rustan.  Get off it.  Don’t 
act like we’re so unusual.  We’re 
just like the rest of the whole 
world who doesn’t see anything 
wrong with kids getting into a 
good healthy fight.
 
(sarcastically)
Not all of us can be as sensitive
			and as enlightened as you.
							
RUSTAN
			I’d like to know what’s so good
and healthy about it.  And it 
doesn’t take sensitivity or 
enlightenment to understand the 
root causes of what creates a 
culture of violence. 

EVAN
So, now, I guess you understand 
the cause of violence in the world.

RUSTAN
I have a pretty good idea.

EVAN
(extremely sarcastic)
Pray tell, Rustan.  Enlighten us 
all.

RUSTAN
It seems plain to me that the 
parents who aren’t teaching their 
children conflict resolution are 
the ones that are raising bullies.  
And these are the people who grow 
up to become criminals.  And most 
of them go on to be the ones who 
are now terrorizing our cities. 
Some collars are white, some are 
blue, some are wearing judges robes.  
All I know is that with all the
violence that’s taking place in the
world today, I’m just glad that the 
modern countries have evolved enough 
to develop a system of civilized 
diplomacy which tries to avoid some 
of the horrors of our past.  Just
take a look at history.

DENISON
			What does history have to with 
fights in the schoolyard?

RUSTAN
			Are you serious?  What does history 
have to do with it?  Look at it!  
The progression of history is marked 
by events of extreme violence.  
The earliest civilizations all fell 
prey to marauding tribes of conquerors 
who couldn’t or wouldn’t peacefully 
coexist.  People like Attila the 
Hun and Genghis Khan are considered 
			great leaders.  It’s more accurate 
to describe them as murderers, 
			rapists, pillagers and thieves.  
			The Vikings were some of the most 
barbaric humans ever to walk the 
earth.  The Aztecs were so consumed 
with human sacrifice that they 
conducted a ritual bloodbath that 
lasted long enough to contribute 
to their own extinction.  The Romans 
were so bloodthirsty they elevated 
public execution to a theatrical performance.  All the roads that 
led to Rome were lined with corpses 
of the crucified.  The Crusades 
were nothing more than an attempt 
to eliminate Jews and Muslims from 
Jerusalem and elsewhere.  The Spanish Inquisition consisted of decades 
			of systematic, documented torture 
and murder of many thousands of 
so called heretics.  Countless women 
were burned at the stake as witches 
with no possible means of defense.  
The age of exploration saw witness 
to imperialistic domination and 
subjugation of native peoples all 
			over the world.  World War I left 
millions of people dead in its wake.  
Even in the modern era, Hitler’s 
Nazi war machine was the incubator 
of the Holocaust which annihilated
millons of European Jews just sixty 
years ago.  America’s attempt to 
stop the war ended with the 
obliteration of two Japanese 
cities of citizens by the dropping 
of atomic bombs.  Genocidal 
atrocities continue right up to 
the present with “ethnic cleansing” 
in Bosnia and in Rwanda.  Too many
men think that killing their partner
and sometimes their own children
is a reasonable solution to being
jilted.

Pause.

To me it’s just plain and simple.  
We will never be able to	consider
ourselves a civilized world until 
people somehow learn to peacefully 
coexist, develop a spirit of 
cooperation and finally denounce 
violence as unacceptable.  And if 
we don’t learn from the past, it 
is the future that is threatened.  
We’ve already acquired the capability 
to completely destroy ourselves.  
We owe it to our future generations 
to make world peace our ultimate 
priority.  

Pause.

(continued)
Does that answer your question?

DENISON
			It’s sad to say, but I don’t think 
			we’ll be able to consider ourselves 
			civilized any time soon.

EVAN
			Rustan, you sure aren’t being very 
			respectful of all the Veterans who 
			fought and died to keep the world safe 
			and to provide you with the freedom 
			that you’re using right now to 
			speak your mind.

RUSTAN
			On the contrary.  I couldn’t be more 
			grateful and appreciative.  The Allies 
			responded to unprovoked aggression 
			that threatened the freedom of the 
			entire world.  I know a strong defense 
			is absolutely necessary in this world.  
			I’m talking about unnecessary violence.
								 				
DENISON
			I know that everything you’ve said is 
			true, but are you’re saying that if you 
			had a son, you wouldn’t teach him how 
			to defend himself from the bullies 
			on the playground?

RUSTAN
			If I had a son or a daughter, I would 
			teach them to respond to confrontations 
			with the use of well placed words.  
			Physical confrontation would be a 
			last resort response reserved for the 
			most extreme cases of self defense only.  
			In that case, then yes, I would have to 
			hire a coach to teach them how to fight.

EVAN
			So, you wouldn’t be able to defend 
			yourself in a situation like that?  

RUSTAN
			Evan, I’m you’re brother.  You know 
			me well.  Just picture how foolish 
			that scenario would be.  Besides, 
			I’m not a troublemaker.  I try to 
create an aura of peace around me.  
I’ve never been threatened or 
assaulted in my entire life.  
Although, I’m certainly not naive 
enough to believe that it could 
never happen.  If someone were
			threatening my life or the lives 
of any of my loved ones, I could 
blow their head off and go to 
sleep with a good heart.  

EVAN
			Blow their head off with what?  
			Words?  Let me tell you, little 
			brother; words can’t fend off
			weapons.

RUSTAN
			That’s a chance that I guess I’ve 
			chosen to take.  I highly respect 
			the concept of non-violence.  Jesus, 
			Ghandi and Martin Luther King all 
			couldn’t have been wrong.

DENISON
			Yeah.  And look what happened to 
them. 

EVAN
			Rustan, don’t think I don’t appreciate 
			what you’re saying here.  But if 
you had it your way, we’d be raising 
a society of wusses completely 
incapable of defending themselves 
and the country.  We’d be a huge 
sitting duck just waiting for the 
next hostile takeover.

RUSTAN
			You just heard me say I support 
a strong defense.  Sometimes I think 
you all don’t have problems with 
violence because, on some level, 
you just plain enjoy it. 

DENISON
			He’s got a point there.  I know 
a lot of guys who looked forward 
to going out, causing trouble and 
starting fights.  And, truth be 
told, I’ve gotten a pretty good 
			adrenalin rush from being in fights 
myself.  It’s like a rite of 
passage for men. 

RUSTAN
			Well then I guess that makes me 
not a man.  I’ve never gotten 
into a fight and I certainly don’t 
derive any pleasure out of seeing 
two guys make complete fools of 
themselves by physically fighting 
each other in public.  Unless its
on “Extreme Fighting.”  That is 
so hot!  I’ve always thought it 
an awful spectacle the way people 
crowd around and cheer on fights 
in public.  

EVAN
			Not only are you not a man, but 
you are completely out of touch 
with reality.  That is the way 
the world works, Rustan.  I think 
you’d better come to terms with 
			it or just get out of the way and 
hope you don’t get hurt.  

DENISON
			You are being very idealistic, 
Rustan.  And I don’t think you’re 
going to get much respect from 
people if you keep going around 
talking like that.

Rustan stands up abruptly pushing his chair back noisily.

RUSTAN
(slowly, threateningly)
			I’m going out for a drink.  And 
when I return, both of you had 
better be out of my way.

Rustan walks out.  Evan and Denison look at each other questioningly.

CUT TO:

The studio is empty.  Roxy and Diana carrying bandaged Elliot return.  

ROXY
			Come on.  Lay him over here.

DIANA
(laying Elliot on the sofa)
			Are you feeling OK?

ELLIOT
			Yeah, I’m OK.

DIANA
			Just rest, honey.

ROXY
(noticing the emptiness)
			Where is everybody?  Rustan? 
Evan?  Denny?  

No answer.	

DIANA
			It’s just as good they’re not here.  
			I’m not looking forward to hearing 
			what any of them have got to say.  

ROXY
			What makes you think that?

DIANA
			Oh, come on Roxy.  You know how 
			they are.  Something tells me that 
			Evan and Denison will have something 
			to say about me and Johnny not making 
			a man out of Elliot and I know for 
sure that Rustan is going to lecture 
me about non-violence and the future 
			of our children.  I don’t need to 
			hear any of it right now.  

ROXY
			Don’t worry about that now.  
Anyway, hey’re not here.  And 
what does it matter what they say?  
			Just relax and take it easy.

DIANA
			This has gotten me so upset.  
			I do my best to be a good parent.  
			Maybe there is something I’m not 
			doing or something I’m not saying 
			or teaching.  I certainly don’t 
			condone fighting.  I never have.  
			Neither does Johnny.  I still 
don’t want my child getting beaten
by bullies.  Maybe my brother Andy 
is right.  Give him a shotgun and 
this whole thing goes away.

ROXY
Diana, if you want your child to 
grow up to be a decent man, to treat 
women, everthing and everybody else 
with respect, than you’re doing 
the right thing.  
 
DIANA
			I know.  You’re right.
							
CUT TO:

Rustan is sitting in a Warehouse District bar by himself having his third drink.  Several rowdy men are nearby playing pool.  One of the men approach him.

MAN 1
			Say, man.  You look like you’re 
from here.  Where do a bunch a’ 
guys like us go to find fine women? 

They all stop playing and look toward Rustan.

RUSTAN
(friendly)
			Go to Bourbon Street.

MAN 2
			Can’t you be more specific?

RUSTAN
			I don’t know.  Maybe you should 
			ask someone else.

MAN 3
			Why don’t you know?  

RUSTAN
(irritated)
			What decade is this?  

MAN 4
			Maybe he doesn’t like women.

RUSTAN
(aggrivatedly)
			Thaw out of the glacier, dude.

The men surround Rustan and push him up against the bar.

(holding his hand up, intensely)
			Stop!  Right there!

BARTENDER
			Alright!  That’s enough!  

Evan and Denison rush into the bar.

EVAN
			Don’t even think about touching
him!

MAN 1
			Who are you?  His lover?

Evan and Denison move in on them.

EVAN
(slowly, methodically)
			I’m his brother.				

MAN 2
			And who are you?

DENISON
(deliberately)
			I’m his ... apprentice.

MAN 3
			His what?

RUSTAN
(pause, through his teeth)
			Look it up.

Evan, Denison and Rustan leave the bar.

CUT TO:

Evan, Denison and Rustan enter the studio and sit. 

Long pause. 

DIANA
			What?  No one’s got anything to 
say?

Pause.

DENISON
			How’s Elliot?

DIANA
			He’s fine.  He’s sleeping.

Pause.

EVAN
			How many stitches did he need?

DIANA
			Four.

Pause.

ROXY
			Rustan?

Pause.

RUSTAN
			I want a gun.

Pause.

DIANA
			No, you don’t.

Pause.

Roxy, sensing his sorrow, goes behind him, puts her arms around his neck and gently lays her chin upon his head.  He begins quietly crying.

ROXY
			It’s alright.  Easy does it.  Easy
does it.  

START:  “What’s Going On?” by Marvin Gaye

VIDEO MONTAGE.

END.

What’s Going On

Mother, mother
There’s too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There’s far too many of you dying
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some loving here today

Father, father
We don’t need to escalate
War is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know you’ve got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today

Picket lines and picket signs
Don’t punish me with brutality
Talk to me so you can see
What’s going on
Tell me what’s going on

Mother, mother
Everybody thinks were wrong
Who are they to judge us
‘Cause our hair is long
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today