Hunting the Road Kill Moose, Act II, Scene 1

ACT II

SCENE 1

The Mission kitchen. A counter with moose meat is in the center. DICK is at the counter cutting the meat from the road kill into stew meat. JAKE enters.

DICK

Hey, m’man. How goes it?

JAKE goes over to the refrigerator and gets out a half-gallon of orange juice and fills a glass he takes from a cabinet. He takes a big drink from the o.j. before he talks to DICK.

JAKE

All right. How much meat did we get out of that moose?

DICK

Seven hundred pounds or so with the bones.

JAKE

Pretty good, do you think?

DICK

Pretty darn good.

DICK laughs.

DICK

(Continues)

I would have said pretty damn good, but seeing’s how you’ve moved up in the world and got religion, I’ll bridle my tongue as the good book suggests.

JAKE laughs and walks over and pats DICK on the back and then leaves his arm draped around DICK’s shoulders.

JAKE

(Continues)

Don’t go getting goofy on me now, buddy. We bunked together long enough before I took this job on.

DICK jabs JAKE playfully in the ribs with his elbow. JAKE drops his arm off DICK’s shoulders as he bends over I mock pain.

DICK

Yah, well, I know my place and it ain’t in Mission management. But I gotta hand it to you, ol’ buddy, it seems to sit well on you.

A pause

DICK

(Continues)

Seems you made quite an impression on our boy Peter.

JAKE

When did you talk with him?

DICK

He came around here just now. Said you’d turned his life around.

JAKE

He did, did he?

DICK

Yessiree, Jake, those were his exact words, Getting to know Jake has turned my life around.

JAKE

I think God had a lot to do with it, and Chaplain Stokes.

DICK

Don’t go getting modest on me. Nurturing young’uns can be pretty satisfying.

JAKE

Yes, well, I feel good about setting a good example and having a positive influence fro a change, and being part of spreading the Gospel and sinners, especially young ones, getting saved.

DICK

When you’ve been around missions as long as I have, from my end of things, let’s say I’m a wee bit more skeptical about Peter’s getting religion than you seem to be. But maybe I’m jealous. I like the kid, that’s for sure.

A pause

DICK

(Continues)

Hell, I don’t know, Jake. He’s all happy to be saved. Kinda like you were, when was it? August? Now Peter’s after me to get saved like you were. I’d like to see ‘em walk the walk a ways down the road before I put too much into their talking the talk.

A pause

DICK

(Continues)

You know, like you’ve done.

A pause

DICK

(Continues)

Oh yah, Peter was pretty excited about meeting Sarah. She’ll sure enough test his religion.

DICK shakes his head a couple of times.

DICK

(Continues)

That she will.

DICK sighs.

DICK

(Continues)

Don’t get me wrong. Sarah’s good people and Ann’s a saint in my book. Sarah’s maybe had a little too much freedom, but then she hasn’t had a father around. Who knows?

A pause

DICK

(Continues)

Christ, I’m getting old.

DICK chuckles.

DICK

(Continues)

Maybe it’s time to cover my bets and get religion.

JAKE

It’s never too late.

DICK

So if it’s never too late, maybe it’s always too early.

JAKE laughs.

JAKE

You’re not as old as me and I thank you for your insights, my friend. But you have to admit, God provided a lot of meat for the Mission.

DICK

Yah, well, you think He could of done it without killing the old couple.