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Boxing 2000 by Richard Maxwell ©2000
(An outer-borough of New York City)
Scene 1:
Jo-Jo, Fred, and Promoter are talking.
JO-JO: Smell this....
FREDDIE: What’s that.
JO-JO: Terrible, right?
FREDDIE: Yeah.
JO-JO: Smells like licorice, right?
FREDDIE: What is that?
JO-JO: It’s for barf.
FREDDIE: Oh yeah, exactly.
(pause)
JO-JO: Fred, did you see that fight last night?
FREDDIE: The first round?
JO-JO: The whole thing.
FREDDIE: That was the whole thing.
JO-JO: No. Which fight?
FREDDIE: The first one.
JO-JO: No. Bro, I’m talkin’ about the second one.
FREDDIE: Okay.
JO-JO: The second fight, was better, even. The first round?
FREDDIE:
JO-JO: The guy was like, bowh!
(J swings at F)
Freddie and Jo-Jo are half–brothers. Jo-Jo, the older brother is training Freddie for an up-coming boxing match. Promoter has joined their conversation. Jo-Jo is having trouble deciding what to get their Dad for his birthday. And Jo-Jo points out the baseball diamond at the school is being torn down.
JO-JO: Look at that.
FREDDIE: What happen?
JO-JO: They tore down that ball field, Freddie.
FREDDIE: Uh?
JO-JO: Look...
FREDDIE: What’d they do that for?
JO-JO: I don’t know. It looks like they’re puttin’ it under construction.
FREDDIE: Yeah.
JO-JO: Right? DE-struction, even.
FREDDIE: Yeah. What are they gonna do though, for the nine year olds.
JO-JO: — you mean the diamonds?
FREDDIE: Yeah.
JO-JO: This year? I don’t know. I bet —... yeah... - I guess they’ll think of something...The big question is what are they gonna do about the gym. I mean who are they gonna give that to? They better not give it back to the high school. That would be terrible. You saw what they did with that. They did that with the lounge, even. They saw what could happen once the highschoolers get a hold of it.
But can you imagine what that musta been like when they built those diamonds? Way back when? The school? Can you imagine how they felt when they finished building that? I don’t know.
Mostly, kids is they have no respect for any program. You know? I mean these kids have video games, they have only games. Let me tell you something. If you want to get technical, these boys have got none of the things we had. They got none of the things mommy and dad had, even.
Fred, when Mommy was a kid it was like she had to go out to the farm to get her milk. It was like a farm, yo. They had it and they would milk it in the morning and bring it in and the people like Ma come in for the milk and the milk was still warm from that morning. So...That was a long time ago, but it wasn’t that long ago.
FREDDIE: Who knew that?
JO-JO: Who knew that. I knew that. You’re younger. You didn’t know my Mom. I knew Mommy and I remember it.
FREDDIE: I know. I know.
JO-JO: But I’m sayin’ that think how much things have changed since then. It’s like all games, now. Everybody’s playin’ games. That’s all.
Jo-Jo tells Fred a story of what happened at work, a job that Freddie had with Jo-Jo until he got fired.
JO-JO: Fred, did you work yesterday?
FREDDIE: No. Did you?
JO-JO: Oh, yeah. I forgot. You got fired. Ahhhhhhh!!
FREDDIE: Awwww.
JO-JO: No, I’m jokin’
FREDDIE: Shut up. It’s true, though.
JO-JO: I know but I’m still jokin’ little brother.
FREDDIE: You would, anyway.
PROMOTER: Did you get fired?
JO-JO: Yeah he did.
FREDDIE:
PROMOTER: I’m sorry about that, Fred.
FREDDIE: Why? You didn’t do it.
JO-JO: Did you hear about Stevo, though?
FREDDIE: No.
JO-JO: He was looking for a room number...And was like- I’m looking for 387. Does anyone know where 387 is. Oh yeah. 387. Angelo? Do you know where’s 387?
FREDDIE: Uh-oh.
JO-JO: You know? Hah! Where’s 387? 387 East Building. First of all, this guy doesn’t know where 387 East Building is. And Angelo says, I know where 387 is. Stevo goes-“Where is it?“ Angelo’s thinkin, Why are you not with the other job in West Building where I told you to go? But no, Angelo goes...“387. 387...Okay. I think I know where that is“ -And Angelo goes...Cos he knew Stevo was supposed to be on the other job in 113 and he’s - he goes — „This is 387.“ Ha! You know? He’s telling him that the room is 387...Hah! You know. Stevo: I can’t find it! I can’t find it! -He’s lookin’ for the number...Hah hah hah! Angelo says „Jimmy’s in there. Did you knock?“ Stevo: Yeah I knocked. I was banging. The guy wasn’t in there- Then Brett comes out. „Where’s my phone? Where’s my phone? Is that my phone?“ All this. „Did Fed Ex come?“ All this. ...you know?! And Stevo is like -“I don’t know where the hell is 387! Brett is like „What’s the problem over there?“ You know because he’s Vice-Principal now. Nobody answers. Angelo’s cryin’! Stevo is like- „I was banging! I kept kickin’ and I fucked up my foot.“ Yeah!..Hah hah hah. „Where’s 387!!“ And Angelo keeps sayin’ „That’s it! That’s 387!!“ Hah! Hah haa!
FREDDIE: Hah ha ha!
JO-JO: Ha ha ha haah!
Promoter is arranging the fight, but Freddie is not sure. Promoter asks him to be sure since he has gone to the trouble of arranging the fight.
Scene 2:
Freddie has a girlfriend, Marissa. Freddie goes to her house and asks to come inside. He tells her about his fight. She expresses disappointment in his choice of employment.
Scene 3:
The Party. Promoter throws a party the night before the fight. He explains to Jo-Jo that, while it might not seem important right now, it is essential to invest your money for the future. He asks Fred if he invests anything. Freddie says he plays the lottery. Promoter warns Freddie about being foolish with money. This gives Freddie pause.
PROMOTER: People like to say it’s brain surgery or rocket science but it isn’t. But are you a child? You’re not a child. If you have monsters in the shadows you could be afraid of the dark. Are you afraid of the dark? Just invest or whatever.
F: Is this what you learned in college?
P: Huh? Yeah. Some of it.
F: What you mean though about it going somewhere? Goin into what? Where do you put it?
P: Whatever. Put it into things.
F: What is it.
P: Whatever you want.
F: No, but what is it? What are you doing?
P: Huh? I put it into stocks and things. I have mutual fund, retirement, I got life...you’ll see what I mean. But put it away. Don’t spend it. I gotta pee.
(Promoter exits)
J: What’s goin on Fred?
F: I don’t know. I’m thinking a lot about what was said just now by him. You know what he said was true.
J: Yeah but he took so long...nobody takes that long to say something. That’s what college is.
Freddie asks Promoter about college, and Promoter tries to explain what is was like and what he liked about it.
”A lot of the social skills that I learned I learned in college and those social skills I wouldn’t have picked up anywhere else. And the people I met there are still some of my closest contacts. And the social life is great. I met a lot of great looking girls there. And it’s great because you can do anything you want. I felt like anything was possible.”
Marissa enters the party and she gets Freddie to dance with her. Freddie surprises Marissa with a ring he has bought for her. He tries to propose to her but she refuses:
MARISSA: Do you have any plan?
FREDDIE: Plan? What are you talkin about?
MARISSA: What is it. Tell me what the plan is.
FREDDIE: ...Get married.
MARISSA: That’s not a plan, Federico.
FREDDIE: Why not?
MARISSA: I’m sorry, Fred. But I realized something. I didn’t see it before. You have to look inside yourself and tell me. That’s the only way we can see this whole thing. You have to be honest with me and you can be honest with me you can be honest with yourself. Please listen to me. You have to look into your heart and the answer is there, all the answers are there. Can you do that, Fred? I can. I did. I mean I think I can. I’m willing to try. I need you to take a moment right now and look at what’s around you and take into account everything and look, look around you. There’s a well deep inside you and this is what you have to realize. That the answer is there. You have to go in and find it. Do you know? I have seen the truth now. Oh, I feel so much bigger now that I have seen the truth. I know what to do and this is so much better than you or me. I’m talking about something that puts things in their proper place. I’m talking about, I’m talking about how I found something and I can’t say what that is except that it feels close to God. It feels like close to Him. That’s what I feel now and that’s what it has to be because I’ve never felt like this. — Oh, I’ve lied to you before and I know you’ve lied to me but I don’t want this. I don’t want to do this to you anymore. I don’t want to do that to anyone...Fred. This is what I want from you. This is what I’m going to do. I found this place and I want to go there. Can you tell me? Please, Federico, please. I’m not tired anymore, I’m not afraid anymore, I’m just realizing what I’ve seen. I’ve only seen these things in dreams before, in my dreams, I looked for them in dreams, now I see them. I never understood them until now. Now I see...
FREDDIE: ...What happen?
MARISSA: I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.
Freddie takes the ring back. After dancing with her one last time he leaves the party.
Scene 4:
The day of the fight. Jo-Jo complains to Promoter about being nervous. Promoter complains when Jo-Jo forgets the keys for the gym.The challenger shows up, and we learn that the Promoter is a friend. Promoter asks where he was the night before:
KID: I was doin’ laundry.
PROMOTER: Haaah!
K: I was! I was doin laundry with old ladies. Would you believe it? I was out late. I got home at eight o’clock. Huh? I couldn’t sleep so I went and did laundry. I was trashed with these old ladies doing my laundry on Sunday morning...
The fighters are introduced and Kid informs Freddie that since the commission isn’t aware of the fight, it won’t mean anything. A scuffle ensues and they are weighed in. Promoter gives a speech explaining the need to celebrate the resources that the community can share like the boxing ring.
PROMOTER: Alright, Blue!...Welcome to the fight. We have a great fight lined up. Please know that these fighters have trained a long time for this fight and they are going to give it their all. I will be watching the fight from uphere, but I will also tell Blue to call the fight if somebody is really hurt bad. Yes, we have quite a fight lined up for this evening. I want to thank all of you for coming. Now this fight wouldn’t be possble for me if itweren’t for a few key players, so please show your support. If this ring wasn’t here, we wouldn’t be able to have these events, so please continue to support these events....The program has been a continuation of the school board in cooperation with the community and this is all about joint usage. And we thank the kids and the parents just like we thank the fighters, and the promoters. This gym was moved here so the youngsters are now able to use this facility again. They were without this ring for many years, they don’t remember it ever being here. But I look out at all the fathers here and I know they remember. But this fight I hope draws attention to the need and how a community can share the value and resources that exist here. And that they exist for everyone. And we can celebrate together it’s return to its proper place.
So...let’s get set for fighting!!!
Marissa unexpectedly shows up and tells Freddie not to fight, saying he can find something beautiful. Jo-Jo tells her to get lost. After a listless round one, Freddie and Jo-Jo’s father arrives, where he proceeds to confuse Freddie for Jo-Jo, and rails against his poor performance.
D: Jo-Jo! Jo-Jo! Mira, esta no es suficiente. You gotta fight harder! Entiende!...This guys gotta month on you.
FREDDIE: Dad, it’s me. Freddie.
JO-JO: This is Freddie. I’m Joe, Dad.
DAD: Listen...You’ve got skills, yeah you got skills. You’re fast. You’re a natural. Pero es nuevo. It’s raw. I want you to decide something...I need you to decide something. I need you to take initiative. If you decide that this is what you want to do, then this is how it’s going to be. If you decide, you will be the greatest fighter...No duda. Tu seras campeon. Yo te voy hace campeon.
Round 2 is confusing and dismal for Fred. But after a pep talk from his Father which angers him, he summons the will to fight, knocking Kid out in the final round. His father congratulates him, but Freddie is looking for Marissa, who has left.
Scene 5:
Promoter sings a song about his job:
When you’re takin’ it in
What’s the worst thing that can happen
Well just Big Bird or Jamie Levin
Get mad at me
Slip a cap in me
People ask me how it’s done
Gamblin’ on a buck-toothed son-of-a-gun
I’m a gambler
And a rambler
Smoke a little bit
Get a little lit
Don’t fuck with me
I’ll smack you down
Don’t mess with me
I’ll take you out
Jo-Jo comes on wondering where Fred is. We learn that Fred has his old job back, and when he enters, Jo-Jo asks him what happened to Marissa. Freddie doesn’t know and asks Promoter if the fight was fixed to which Promoter says no. Jo-Jo shows Fred what he has chosen for their Father and they embrace. In the final moment, Jo-Jo points out that the baseball diamonds he thought were being torn down, are actually being improved.
(NOTE: Please keep the Spanish as is.)
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