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Night Shift
Len has worked the register at a gas station convenience store for twenty years. At quarter to three a calm woman walks in with a young man who will not meet anyone's eye. Len has to decide what he is looking at, and what he is prepared to say about it.
Characters
- LEN - 60s, night cashier. Slow to speak, misses nothing, has a paperback and a lot of patience
- ROSE - 40s, a customer. Pleasant, unhurried, never raises her voice
- CALLUM - late 20s, with Rose. Jittery, pale, trying to say something without saying it
Setting
The convenience store of a 24-hour gas station on a quiet road, two forty in the morning.
A 24-hour gas station convenience store. Fluorescent hum. LEN sits behind the register reading a paperback.
A bell. ROSE enters first, calm, a coat over her arm. CALLUM follows, hands in pockets, eyes everywhere.
LEN
Evening. Or morning.
ROSE
Morning. Pump four. And whatever he wants.
Callum goes to the cooler. Stands there without opening it.
LEN
Forty-two on four.
ROSE
Card.
She taps her card. Len watches Callum.
LEN
Door sticks if you stare at it, son. You gotta pull.
CALLUM
Right. Yeah.
He opens it. Takes a bottle of water. Comes to the register. Puts it down. His hand shakes.
ROSE
Cold night.
LEN
It is.
CALLUM
You got a bathroom?
ROSE
We're not staying.
CALLUM
Two minutes.
ROSE
(pleasant)
We're not staying, Cal.
Beat. Len catches it.
LEN
Around the side. Key's on the hook by the door. You'll need it. It locks behind you.
Callum looks at the hook. Looks at Rose.
ROSE
Go ahead, then. Two minutes.
Callum takes the key. Goes out. Rose does not turn around. She looks at the paperback.
ROSE
Any good?
LEN
Not really. I've read it before. I know who did it.
ROSE
Then why read it?
LEN
Something to do with my hands.
ROSE
Quiet out here.
LEN
Mostly. Trucks till about one. Then it's just me and the coolers.
ROSE
You don't get nervous? All by yourself.
LEN
Nobody robs a place with one old guy and a book in it. Nothing to prove.
ROSE
That's a nice way to look at it.
LEN
It's the only way to look at it, three nights a week.
Silence. Rose picks up a pack of mints. Puts it down.
ROSE
He's my nephew. Bad week. I'm driving him to his mom's.
LEN
At three in the morning.
ROSE
She's an early riser.
LEN
There's a bruise coming up under his ear. Fresh one.
ROSE
He fell.
LEN
People do.
Callum comes back. Puts the key on the counter. He is very pale.
CALLUM
Thanks.
LEN
No problem.
Rose picks up the water. Turns to go.
LEN
Forgot your change.
ROSE
I paid by card.
LEN
Did you.
(beat)
Doesn't matter. Take a mint. On the house.
He slides the mints across. Callum reaches for them. Len keeps two fingers on the pack a second too long. Eye contact.
LEN
The key. Did it stick?
CALLUM
(understanding)
Yeah. Yeah, it stuck.
LEN
That door's had a problem all week. I keep meaning to write it up.
ROSE
Come on.
She takes Callum's arm. Not hard. Firm.
LEN
Camera on that bathroom door feeds to the office. Not just here. The main office in town. They keep it live after midnight. Insurance.
Rose stops.
ROSE
Is that so.
LEN
Three minutes of it now. Him going in. Him coming out. You not turning around.
ROSE
That's not a crime.
LEN
No. But it's a face and a time and a license plate on pump four. And I've been standing here twenty years. I know what a kid looks like when he wants to say something and can't.
Rose lets go of Callum's arm.
ROSE
(to Callum, soft)
Get in the car.
Callum does not move.
LEN
He can wait in here. Warmer. You go sit in your car and think about which one of you drives off.
Rose looks at Len. A long look. Then she puts the water bottle back on the counter.
ROSE
Keep it.
She goes. The bell. Callum's knees give a little. Len puts the paperback down.
LEN
Sit there. I'm calling it in. Then you can tell me who she really is.
End of script