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Changes to All

By: [1blankmind], Kelley Hiatt, Tatum Petersen McIntyre

Characters:
JACALYN: 28 years old transgender, recently went through surgery and has only recently been going out and interacting with people.
PHIL: 24 year old male ex-coworker of JACALYN. Hasn’t seen her since she left work and does not know she has a sex change.
MORTON: 42 year old male ex-coworker of JACALYN. Also hasn’t seen her since she left work and doesn't know she has had a sex change.

Time: Present day, Morning

Setting:
JACALYN sitting at a coffee shop. PHIL and MORTON walk in and sit down at a table across the room from JACALYN. They don’t notice her right away, but she has a clear view of them.

JACALYN (To herself): It’s the same tacky coffee shop, same bland coffee and cold pastries. The same mundane people come in and out of the shop ordering the same thing every time. No variation to their lives at all, but I have changed. I have changed completely and suddenly the world seems new. It’s brighter and more alive. I finally feel comfortable in my skin, like I’ve been reborn and have a completely new life to live. It’s wonderful and beautiful. Nothing could ruin my mood today!

(MORTON and PHIL walk into coffee shop wearing their work uniforms.)

JACALYN (To herself): (Sees MORTON and PHIL walk in.) Crap

MORTON: The look in his eyes, it… I don’t know how much longer I can do this ****.

PHIL: I’m sorry Mort. I’m sorry buddy.

JACALYN (To herself): Oh God please, not them, anyone but these two. They don’t... they won’t... No dammit this is my day! My first day out, my first day being new. No one is glaring at me, or judging me. I am what I wanted to be and I feel so good. Please don’t let them see me, don’t let them recognize me. I can’t stand to have them see me, to watch as their faces turn from surprise to disgust. Please not today, let me have today.

MORTON: Just let me be by myself for a bit. Please? I don’t think I’m gonna be on the force much longer. Lets change the subject this is too damn depressing.

PHIL: That chick over looks a lot like Jack Harris. Remember him?

MORTON: A totally bangable version of him.

JACALYN(To herself): Are they looking at me? **** they are.

MORTON: Go talk to her.

PHIL: No. I’m not in the mood

MORTON: Don’t be a wus. Go talk to her.

PHIL: Nah, she’s too engaged in her book. Plus she would never be interested in a ******* like me.

MORTON: Go or I will shoot you! Get out there you’re young!

PHIL: Fine! I’m going. Get your panties out a wad

(PHIL reluctantly stands up and walks over to her)

PHIL: Hey, what’cha reading?

JACALYN: Uh, book.

(Silence)

PHIL:What book? Who’s the author? Descriptive words are appreciated.

(MORTON is chuckling in the background)

JACALYN: Kurt Vonnegut. Cat’s Cradle.

PHIL: My name is Phil, what is yours?

JACALYN: Jack-- Jacalyn

PHIL: Book any good?

JACALYN: Yeah.

(Uncomfortable silence)

PHIL: Well... I’ll be going. Thanks for the riveting conversation. (Walks back to sit by MORTON.)

MORTON: Damn, that was painful to watch boy. I’ve seen walruses make better moves than... whatever that was. (Pause) Pitiful.

PHIL: Lay off, I didn’t want to go over there anyways.

MORTON: Hahaha. I’m sure you didn’t want to attempt to get a girls number and perhaps get laid for a change.

JACALYN (To herself): Oh God that was painful. Did he notice? Does he suspect? I didn’t talk at all I hope my voice didn’t give me away. Please, please, please, let them leave, let them not notice me. Just walk away, don’t come back. Leave me alone. Maybe I should just get up and leave. Leave this benign place filled with close minded people. I think it would be better than sitting here scared they will pick up on it.

(JACALYN gets up and goes toward the door.)

MORTON: She is leaving. Quick call her over while you still have a chance!

PHIL: No let her go.

MORTON: Nope. Hey, hey lady!Yeah you. Come back over here. I’m sorry my partner is slow, lets try this whole conversation thing again.

(JACALYN stops, turns and slowly heads toward their table.)

JACALYN (To herself): ****, ****, ****. I can’t walk away now. It’ll seem rude. Why did I stop? I could have kept on and pretended I hadn’t heard them. Huh, no calm down. I know why I stopped. These men used to be my co-workers, my friends. They will figure it out, I just know they will, but I can’t stop myself all the same. (To PHIL and Morton) I have to go.

MORTON: No. Stay talk to us some more. I doubt it’s anything that important. Phil will let you hold his gun.

(JACALYN looks surprised and offended.)

JACALYN: What?!

PHIL: No, no, nothing like that. My literal gun. I don’t... I’m sorry it just my partner. Ignore him he is old and senile.

(PHIL holds up a gun and JACALYN laughs)

JACALYN: That does sound like fun but I really need to get going.

MORTON: Damn! You have a deep voice for a woman. Sexy, I like it better than those squeaky broads.

(JACALYN looks offended)

PHIL: I’m sorry for my friend… again! He’s…old.

MORTON: Sit down, you’re at least having a coffee with us. (Pulls over a chair from a nearby table.)

JACALYN: Ha, fine but only for one drink.

PHIL: Great!

(JACALYN sits down)

PHIL: So... what are you reading?

JACALYN: I think we’ve been over this once before.

PHIL: Oh, yeah, dammit. So what kind of music do you listen to?

JACALYN: I like the White Stripes and Pink Floyd

PHIL: (singing) So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell, blue skies from pain./
Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?/A smile from a veil?/Do you think you can tell?

MORTON: Oh please no, not singing.

PHIL: You think you can do better.

MORTON: A dead bird could do better!

PHIL: Show me!

MORTON: Movin' to the country,/gonna eat a lot of peaches/Movin' to the country,/Gonna eat me a lot of peaches/Movin' to the country,/gonna eat a lot of peaches/Movin' to the country,/gonna eat a lot of peaches

PHIL: Haha stop, for the love of God stop.

JACALYN: Try a real song.

MORTON: That is. It’s Peaches by Presidents of the United States


JACALYN: Ha, fine if you say so.

PHIL: How about you give us a song?

JACALYN: No, I’m not one for singing.

PHIL: Come on, gives us a lovely tune.

JACALYN: (Starts rapping Ice Ice Baby.)

(Silence)

MORTON: Damn I ain’t never heard anyone but Jack sing that excuse of a song.

(Uncomfortable silence)

PHIL: Why did Jack quit again Morton?

MORTON: He got one of those stupid...

(Silence. Both look at JACALYN.)

JACALYN: ...Surprise... Well I better get going. (Gets up and starts to leave.)

PHIL: No just hold on, hold a minute damnit! (Stands up and grabs her wrist) Sit down, you left the workplace too fast and now you are leaving here too fast. Sit down Jack.

JACALYN: It’s Jacalyn.

PHIL: Yeah, right. Jacalyn sorry.

MORTON: (Mumbles) Damn he-she.

JACALYN: Excuse me?

MORTON: Damn he-she.

JACALYN (To herself): ****. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it. What was I thinking? That they would understand? That I could be their friend again? I should have just left and saved myself the pain.

PHIL: (Punches MORTON in the shoulder) Shut up man.

MORTON: What don’t hit me. I’m just speaking my mind.

PHIL: You’re not helping. Jack-- I mean Jacalyn, Why?

JACALYN: I’m not sure why I have to explain myself to you two. You threw me out and rejected me.

MORTON: No one threw you out dumbass. You had a choice and you made it. You knew this is how people would react. No one ever reacts to this **** kindly or appropriately. No one. So don’t sit there and act like you’re the one who was shocked by how people are. The world is made up by two kinds of people. The nice one’s and the *******s. Cops are all *******s and you knew it. So when you go home, to your house made up of whatever transgender women are into you should look into the mirror and understand this. You made a choice, you knew the consequences.

JACALYN: Oh I knew the consequences. I knew I would be hated. What I didn’t expect was my friends to kick me to the curb. For my partners to shudder at the sight of me. To have them be repulsed and refuse to work with me. To have them avoid contact with me like I’m contagious, like what I have is some terrible disease that they could catch. You were my friends and you left me.

MORTON: You’re telling me that you didn’t expect that? Jack, you’re a lot dumber than I ever thought

PHIL: Shut your mouth Morton!

MORTON: You don’t get to tell me what to do boy.

PHIL: I can when you’re being an *******.

MORTON: Two types of people. I am an *******.

JACALYN: You were my friend first. Why can’t you still be?

MORTON: It ain’t natural. You should have stayed as you were, not go off under the damn knife and change yourself, trying to be something you can never truly be.

JACALYN: I wasn’t comfortable before, now I am! Is it really so bad that now I’m happy?

MORTON: You don’t have ovaries, you can’t have a child, a period, you went against god. You are missing all the things that make you a woman. All you’ve done is change the image that god gave you. That god blessed you with. You speak of being comfortable but can you truly be I don’t want a god who does not allow for change. You’re stuck in your little world and too afraid to come out and see that not everything is unchangeable.

PHIL: Stop, stop, stop. I didn’t hold Jacalyn here so you could preach at her. Jacalyn calm down, you know how easily Morton gets riled up, don’t egg him on.

JACALYN: Fine why was I stopped then? What could you possibly say to me that would make this better? It hurts losing your friends Phil.

PHIL: Will you go out with me?

(Silence)

MORTON: What the hell is wrong with you!


JACALYN: You speak on behalf of your religion but it is not something that I myself follow.

PHIL: Not a goddamn thing Morton. I always liked Jack. He was a good guy. Jack was a man. Jacalyn is a woman. I don’t see the problem. Most of my relationships start out as just friends. Why does it have to be so different here?

(Silence)

MORTON: I can’t stand for this ****. I’m leaving. (walks out)

(Silence)

JACALYN: Thats going to make working with him pretty awkward.

PHIL: He is leaving the force soon. Work is getting tough and he has been having trouble handling it lately.

JACALYN: Oh

(Silence)

PHIL: So… about my offer?

JACALYN: It... it’s kind of unexpected. I thought the both of you completely hated me. It’s nice to hear (Pauses, sighs and continues) Yes, yes I would like to go out with you.

PHIL: Well we are at a coffee shop so technically we are already on a date.

JACALYN: Ha you aren’t getting out of this that easily. If you are serious, then I want a real date, but are you sure? You really want to try to get to know me again? We don’t have to date we can just talk.

PHIL: No I want to try this whole dating thing.

JACALYN: Time and place.

PHIL: Here and now. We’ll just say we started a bit bumpy.

(JACALYN laughs)

JACALYN: You surprised me with how understanding you have been.

PHIL: You surprised me with how hot you are.

(JACALYN laughs)

JACALYN: I still live in the same place. Pick me up at eight. Does eight work for you? Or do you need a different time?

PHIL: No. Eight works.

JACALYN: Ok. I do need to go.

PHIL: See you.

(JACALYN leaves)

PHIL (Takes his phone out): Hey, Morton. I’m going out with her at eight. I was wondering if I could borrow your baseball bat? And do you want to come?

Tristan_Geoff

What. That last line.

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What about it?

Tristan_Geoff

It was touching. This isn't that bad actually.

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Key

This is beautiful.

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Uh... Seriously? The dialogue is awkward, unrealistic, and ridiculous. Each character resembles an autistic 17 year old kid. Not a full grown adult.

Key

Exactly why I love it.

Tristan_Geoff

So? As is most every paper written in high school.

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Emo/Pop Punk Journal

Techno Journal

Blank.

My friends always told me that I'm really talented with writing but I'll never be successful cause I'm too hard on myself.

The main reason I don't like it is the issue it tackles, isn't the issue I wanted to talk about.

Tristan_Geoff

Do you support transgender rights?

__________________
YW Fam: All MB Music Projects Under One Roof

Emo/Pop Punk Journal

Techno Journal