The Moment They Have You

(1.)

(A pinspot opens on JAKE, a punk. His bright pink liberty spikes shoot from the top of his skull. He’s plainly dressed in fatigue pants, combat boots and a white tee.)

JAKE

The moment you know they have you.

(A RECRUITER appears)

It’s not when you sit in the office signing your life to a piece of paper. The smiling man offers you the pen, claiming this is the best family you’ll ever now.

(pause)

It’s not when you sit on a bus, with a ticket they paid for, driving through the great nothing that is middle America. A steady ready death march going night and day with sad faces staring out windowsills -watching wheat field after cow pasture-losing count of all the states you barrel through.

(A SERGEANT appears)

And its not when Sargeant Spits Too Much is barking at you to get your “faggot ass off the bus.” To “file up”. “stand straight.” “arms at your side”. You look down the line and you see some porcelain toys already to crack. But that isn’t the moment.

(pause)

The moment you know they have you, is when you’re sitting in a chair. The chair.

(A BARBER appears)

He tells you to sit. He tells you not to move, which for a punk is damn near impossible. They love the kids who love their hair. Fucking sadists the way they are, they click the trimmers and they smile. Approaching you like some B-Movie Dracula, trimmer at the ready. You’re clenching the armrests, you’re clenching your teeth, you’re swallowing every ounce of urge to leap out of the chair grab the clippers and stab the fucker in the throat, running-screaming all the way back to Port! And just as razor skims your hairline... you lessen your grip. You sink. You conform. You let it happen.

(All but Jake disappear)

After it’s done-- He tells you this is the brand new “You”.

That’s the moment you know. They have you.

(Pinspot on Jake fades.)