Pay It Forward2000

Arlene McKinney:
Do you look down on me?

Eugene Simonet:
What?

Arlene McKinney:
Do you look down on me?

Eugene Simonet:
No.

Arlene McKinney:
'Cause I don't talk like you. I haven't read the stuff you read.

Eugene Simonet:
What are you talking about? That's not pertinent, and you know it.

Arlene McKinney:
Don't talk to me like that!

Eugene Simonet:
Well, I'm sorry, but that's the way I talk, you know. Words are all I have.

Arlene McKinney:
Why? Why? 'Cause you think you look like sh*t? Is that it? I don't care about your burns, Eugene, if that's even what they are. Is that what they are?

Eugene Simonet:
Yes.

Arlene McKinney:
Okay, well, whatever happened to you, you look good to me. [A beat.]

Eugene Simonet:
You look good to me, too.

Arlene McKinney:
Okay. So? [A beat.]

Eugene Simonet:
So, I've never been here before. [A beat.]

Arlene McKinney:
Okay. So, you're scared. I'm scared, too. Listen. Bad things have happened to me, okay? I can't take my shirt off with a guy without five beers in me, but I want that with you. More than I'm scared, I want that.

[Eugene walks away from Arlene and turns to try saying something to her. He then turns off the music on his stereo. A beat.]

Eugene Simonet:
You don't see me. [A beat.] All right? My life . . . my life is familiar. My life is . . . it's manageable. It's manageable. Everyday . . . I have a thing I do everyday. It's all I've ever known. And it's a routine and as long as I have that, as long as I have that, I'm okay. I'm okay. If I don't have it, I'm lost.

Arlene McKinney:
So, is that all you want? Your goddamn manageable day?

Eugene Simonet:
It's what I have.

Arlene McKinney:
No, it isn't.

Eugene Simonet:
It is what I've always had.

Arlene McKinney:
Is it what you want?

Eugene Simonet:
Yes, it's what I want!

Arlene McKinney:
I don't believe you.

[She tries kissing Eugene, but he rejects her advances. A beat.]

Arlene McKinney:
Okay. If that's the best I got.

[She starts leaving.]

Eugene Simonet:
It's not about you.

Arlene McKinney:
Yes, it is! Something's been offered to you here, and you don't want it! Maybe you're scared to get rejected. Well, I can't reject you! You're too quick for me!