BLOCKTALK

PRISON

Concrete building; connected to concrete building; connected to concrete building. Miles from civilization.

ROMELL (voice-over, intense) In partnership with National Public Radio, California’s Measure OG, and the Drought County State Penitentiary. This is a live radio broadcast from the incarcerated community of America.

RADIO STUDIO

ROMELL (the “O” is long), ERNESTO, and JOHN, all sit at a metal table behind studio microphones. All three all heavily muscled and tattooed.

SHANNA, a young woman, stands off to the side. She looks like a graduate student.

ROMELL I am... Romell Marcus Deshante Hightower. To my left is... Ernesto Joaquin Angel Caldones... To my right is... John Jack Jonjackski Jr.... To my left but further, is... our program supervisor, counsellor, mentor...

Shanna smiles patiently.

ROMELL Legendary radio producer --

SHANNA I’m just a graduate student.

ROMELL Legendary graduate student... Miss Shoshanna Yael Rosenbock Hyphen Glatt.

SHANNA Shanna is fine.

ROMELL Shanna is fine. Although seated with multiple, unrestrained, violent offenders, Shanna has earned our trust, by making it possible, to share our voice, and spirit, with the free community.

SHANNA (nudging) We gotta start the show.

ROMELL We have earned the privilege, to produce this show, through exemplary behavior while incarcerated, and, a commitment to overcoming our circumstances with, an impeachable work ethic and, positive relationships.

SHANNA (more stern) You have 4 minutes until the news, Romell!

ROMELL It is Sunday, 3:55am and 51 seconds...

Shanna yawns.

ROMELL ...This. Is. BLOCKTALK.

ERNESTO/JOHN (hard) BLOCKTALK!

Shanna jumps.

ROMELL Talk one. John’s new program.

JOHN That’s right, Romell. I felt like I could make better use of my time while incarcerated. So I came up with a new program. This is it... I get up at 2:14am. I meditate for 23 minutes on the taste of air. I drink three cups of water and one instant coffee. I have three bowel movements of equal size and consistency. Please excuse my vulgarity Miss Shanna.

SHANNA That’s fine.

JOHN I do 437 pushups and 1,323 squats. I disinfect my cell, twice. I repeat these steps until I pass out.

Romell and Ernesto nod.

ROMELL John, do you think this program is on par with the programs of free people who succeed?

JOHN Umm... we’re talking about the free people... So obviously they do more pushups, and squats. And are more committed to self-improvement…

Shanna raises an eyebrow.

JOHN But I think I’m close.

ROMELL I agree. Talk two. Ernesto wrote a letter to his girlfriend.

Ernesto pulls a rolled-up piece of paper out of his nose and clears his throat.

ERNESTO Camilla... It’s my mind... The isolation has made me twisted, perverse. I have obsessions, 24 hours a day. I’m afraid to talk about it... I’m afraid they will lock me up forever if I do, but I have to tell someone. I have to tell you… Every minute, of every day, I think about hugging. I want to hug women, all the women. I want to hug men. All the men. I want to hug multiple men and women at the same time in both the front and back hug positions. I want to hug laying down. Upside down. I want to hug the legs while someone hugs my legs. I want to hug underwater and in a hot tub. It’s all I think about. I know free people do not think about such perverse things. I fear my mind is ruined forever.

Shanna seems even more confused now.

ROMELL This place really fucks with your head doesn’t it?

ERNESTO Yes it does.

ROMELL Talk 3... I want to talk about the politics in prison. In this facility, it’s very difficult for different peoples to mix. There’s this deep seated distrust of peoples that look different. I believe it causes this cycle of violence, a cycle that’s nearly impossible to escape within these walls. But each of us, through our rituals, and programs, and becoming open to our emotions... we are able to resist this violence. We have moved forward while incarcerated. And we do so, knowing, that outside these walls, we will not be divided by how we look. That free people do not perpetuate this distrust… That they are better at resisting violence than we are. Isn’t that right Miss Shanna?

Shanna takes a moment to think.

SHANNA I mean... There’s still a lot of problems outside of prison, Romell.

ROMELL It’s not peaceful?

SHANNA Not exactly.

ROMELL But they resist violence?

SHANNA Not always.

Long beat as Romell seems to recall a distant memory.

ROMELL I’ve… been here so long… That I forgot about that.

JOHN Yeah.

ERNESTO Yeah.

SHANNA Yeah...

Romell pulls a shank from the back of his pants and stabs John through the hand. John pulls the shank out of his hand and tries to stab Romell, but Romell ducks. John ends up stabbing Ernesto in the shoulder. Ernesto pulls the shank out of his shoulder and crawls up on the table. Ernesto tries to stab John, but slips on his own blood, and accidentally stabs Romell in the chest.

Romell, Ernesto, and John all struggle to retake their seats.

Shanna is in shock.

ROMELL (strained) Thank you for listening to BLOCKTALK.

ERNESTO/JOHN (more strained) BLOCKTALK.