2025 Playwriting Every Day in November - Day 3

Prompt: Closing Time, a Rivalry, and a Car Accident

[In an empty truck stop diner south of Chicago (so Southern Illinois to those from the city) ZACH wipes down the counter]

ZACH

[badly and loudly]

I know who I want to take me home. I know who I want to take me home I know who I —

[THEO enters picking up where ZACH left off, louder, slightly better]

THEO

Take me home! 

ZACH

You done in the kitchen? 

THEO

No thanks to you. How long does it take to wipe down the counter? 

ZACH

About as long as it takes to deep clean the fryers. 

THEO

Right. Because there were so many customers and they were so messy. 

ZACH

Mmhmm. 

THEO

Dude. 

ZACH

Dude. 

THEO

Forget it, let’s just get out of —

[just then a car drives through the front window]

Damn. I’ll call Diane. 

[due to the broken window, cars pulling in to the lot can be heard. There’s a lot of commotion and it’s becoming clear that maybe it’s not a reckless driver so much as someone fleeing pursuiters. MAGGIE EVERS dressed incognito ducking to avoid the paparazzi that ran her off the road stumbles out of the car. This all happens while THEO makes the following call]

Hi, Aunt Diane. I’m calling because we have a bit of a situation here at work. Someone drove through the front. 

(Is anyone hurt?) 

Zach and I are fine. Not sure about the driver… woah, there are news vans pulling in. 

(I’m on my way over but if the driver is hurt don’t wait for me, call 911)

Okay yeah. 

ZACH

Dude. 

THEO

Hold on, my aunt is —

ZACH

No, dude, look. 

THEO

As long as no one is hurt dude let me — 

MAGGIE

Um, hello… do you have a back exit by chance? 

THEO

Dude. 

2025 Playwriting Every Day in November- Day 4

Playwriting Every Day in November - Day 2