THE SET-UP
Seth is a young Marine serving during wartime. Nicholas is his civilian longtime companion who waits back home. In addition to the strain on their relationship caused by distance and absence, they must hide their love for one another behind code words and secret identities because of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy barring gays and lesbians from serving openly in the United States military.
Seth’s mother Anne assists them by providing the cover of a woman’s handwriting for Nicholas’ daily letters, but Nicholas and Seth’s resolve is starting to weaken.
Jonas, another young gay Marine in Seth’s unit just coming to terms with his identity, forms an intense bond with Seth overseas.
Tyson, a former Army soldier who got fed up with “don’t ask, don’t tell” and didn’t reenlist, now works alongside Nicholas, providing temptation as well as a reality check.
When Seth returns home for an unexpected leave, with Jonas at his side, and post-traumatic stress following him from the battlefield, old relationships are tested, and new ones bloom.
For examples of Jonas and Seth’s connection, check the other scenes available here online under the titles:
Showers
Desert Night Watch
For examples of Nicholas and Tyson’s connection, check the other scenes available here online under the titles:
Crossword
Tyson Makes A Move
The scene just prior to this between Seth and Nicholas which sets up the concepts underneath this scene is available here online under the title:
Horrible Conversation
“OK, not that you’re not lovely and all but… he’s not dead, right?”
Emphasis shifts and
TYSON walks out of another part of the dark, in the present.
SETH recedes into the dark of Nicholas’ memory as NICHOLAS continues walking by Tyson’s side.
TYSON
I thought you’d be running full out by now, or at the very least skipping.
NICHOLAS
There’s no point in rushing home. Seth told me when he’d get in. He’s never early. Half the time, every time he’s coming home on leave, there’s some delay or other.
TYSON
You really could concentrate that last hour or so at work?
NICHOLAS
I’ve gotten remarkably good at distracting myself. Waiting at home, fidgeting, with nothing to do, that I’m still not good at.
JONAS appears, dressed in either a USMC T-shirt of some kind, or the C-Class uniform that Marines wear when visiting home – something other than his haircut that will clue other people in immediately to the fact that he’s military. He is preoccupied, distracted by his surroundings, doesn’t see the other two at first.
TYSON
Did you order up a spare Marine?
NICHOLAS
No.
TYSON
So I take it you don’t know this guy?
NICHOLAS
No.
TYSON
You know you shouldn’t be freaking out right now, right?
NICHOLAS
Right.
TYSON
He’s not in full dress. There’s only one of him.
NICHOLAS
There isn’t a van parked with the engine running.
TYSON
Breathe.
NICHOLAS
Could you ask him?
TYSON
Howdy, stranger.
JONAS sees them.
JONAS
Hi.
(recognizes NICHOLAS immediately)
You must be Nicholas.
NICHOLAS
Oh crap.
TYSON
Breathe.
JONAS
I’ve seen your picture. Seth told me all about you.
TYSON
OK, not that you’re not lovely and all but… he’s not dead, right?
JONAS
Dead?
TYSON
Seth.
JONAS
What? Oh God, no. Nothing like that. He’s just inside.
NICHOLAS
Good, ‘cause now I’m gonna kill him.
JONAS
Changing.
NICHOLAS
The one time I actually say out loud, “Oh, he never gets in early…”
TYSON
(to JONAS)
You do realize that a Marine waiting on someone’s doorstep is never a good thing. Except in a porn film.
JONAS
I felt weird hanging out inside someone else’s house. Sorry.
NICHOLAS
Before I pass out, someone should probably…
TYSON
Breathe.
JONAS
Seth!
SETH
(offstage)
What?
JONAS
They’re here!
SETH
(offstage)
Shit!
JONAS
I think you’d better — (get out here.)
SETH, transformation not completed, not quite military, not quite civilian, enters at a run, barefoot.
SETH
God, sorry. I really thought I beat you home for once and I could — (get out of this uniform.)
SETH tries to approach NICHOLAS.
NICHOLAS evades him a moment, wired.
NICHOLAS
Jesus!
SETH
Pup.
NICHOLAS
Give me a heart attack, why don’t you.
SETH
I’m sorry. Really, truly. I didn’t mean to — (frighten you).
NICHOLAS takes SETH’s face in his hands and kisses him.
The two of them show very little sign of coming up for air.
TYSON and JONAS figure this would be a good time to introduce themselves.
TYSON
Tyson.
JONAS
Jonas.
TYSON
Nice to meet you.
JONAS
Same here.
NICHOLAS and SETH surface for air.
SETH
Damn, I’m sorry. This is Jonas. He’s in my unit.
NICHOLAS
This is Tyson. He’s in my – library.
NICHOLAS and SETH start kissing again.
TYSON
And I think that’s my cue to —
JONAS
Yeah, Seth, your Mom’s setting up that room for me so I’m just gonna —
SETH
You guys don’t have to leave.
TYSON
Yeah, we do.
JONAS
Yeah. I know the way back. No worries.
TYSON
I’ll go with you.
JONAS
See you —
TYSON
Later. Much later.
TYSON and JONAS are gone.
NICHOLAS
How did you get in?
SETH holds up a key.
SETH
You still haven’t changed the locks on me.
NICHOLAS
You kept the house key with you.
SETH
All around the world with me. It’s the one little piece of you I don’t have to explain to anyone.
NICHOLAS
Why didn’t you tell me you were bringing someone with you?
SETH
I didn’t bring him. He just… came along.
NICHOLAS
Well there’s still plenty of time between there and here to pick up a phone, isn’t there?
SETH
I didn’t know how to bring it up.
NICHOLAS
Why? Any friend of yours —
SETH
I know. See, then you would have insisted he stay with us.
NICHOLAS
So? There’s plenty of room.
SETH
I don’t want to share you, or our home. Call me selfish.
NICHOLAS
So you told your mother.
SETH
Yeah.
NICHOLAS
‘Cause you knew she’d insist on having him stay with her.
SETH
Exactly.
NICHOLAS
Seeing that guy —
SETH
Jonas.
NICHOLAS
Jonas. It threw me. I thought for a second I’d lost you.
SETH
You don’t have to worry about other Marines.
NICHOLAS
Don’t I?
SETH
Not Jonas.
NICHOLAS
You never brought home strays before.
SETH
He has no family.
NICHOLAS
He’s an orphan?
SETH
They don’t accept him. Won’t accept him.
NICHOLAS
Not like you do.
SETH
Like we do.
OK, I can see the wheels turning up there. What’s that look all about?
NICHOLAS
Are you OK?
SETH
Of course, I’m OK. I’m here. You’re here. How else would I be?
NICHOLAS
You just seem…
SETH
Seem…?
NICHOLAS
Squirrelly.
SETH
Well it takes some time to adjust.
NICHOLAS
Right.
SETH
But…?
NICHOLAS
Nothing. You’re here. You’re safe. That’s all that matters.
SETH
All in one piece.
NICHOLAS
I plan to conduct my own full, personal inspection.
SETH
So we should probably get on that.
NICHOLAS
Yeah. We probably should.
You’re not going to critique the way I make the bed, are you?
SETH
If I have time to notice how you make the bed, you’re not welcoming me home properly.
NICHOLAS
You trying to give me a case of performance anxiety or something?
SETH
Shut up and kiss me.
SETH and NICHOLAS walk off together, hand in hand.
(photo: (left, couple embracing/kissing) Tim Schmidt as Nicholas (in white) and Nick James Parker as Seth (in uniform, back to us); (right, pair shaking hands) Bennett Smith as Tyson (in red) and Alex Carlson as Jonas (in uniform) in the 2008 production of “Leave” by AfterDark Theatre Company at University of Minnesota-Morris, and the Bryant-Lake Bowl in Minneapolis; photography by Alex Clark)
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