(Jack, 20ish, younger of the two brothers, is sitting in his apartment watching television. A knock is heard at the door. Jack walks over and turns off the television. He then walks to his front door which is stage right.)
Jack: (opens door. Looks surprised.) Steven!?!
Steven: (Dressed in military fatigues with a ruck sack slung over shoulder) Jack! Guess what? My tour's over!
(Jack looks at Steven in stunned silence. Steps outside door and closes it.)
Steven: Well, stop gawking, little brother and invite me in. We have a lot to talk about.
Jack: (Not budging from the door) Don't call me your little brother! We share the same last name. That's it!
Steven: (Taken aback) What are you talking about?
Jack: Don't act so innocent.
Steven: I have no idea why you're so upset. Can I come in at least? It's been a long trip.
Jack: Yeah, sure, why not. (Opens door and goes in. Steven follows. He looks away from Steven, seething.) Just don't get too comfortable. You won't be here long.
Steven: (putting his ruck sack down) Is this some kind of joke? We don't see each other for three years and now I'm not your brother?! I've been in a d*mn war for Chrissakes. It's not like I ran off with the circus.
Jack: That's where you're wrong! You had everything-girls, grades, the love of Mom and Dad. That's 3 things I never had.
Steven: Excuse me, but I have been getting shot at for three years in a f***ing jungle and you want to argue over who our parents like best?! This is like some Smother Brothers sketch gone awry.
Jack: Don't look to me for sympathy. You volunteered for Vietnam. You left Mom and Dad. You left me.
Steven: I joined the army to serve my country not to leave anyone. I didn't know the difference between Vietnam and a dog turd then. H*ll, Ohio was the extent of my world then. I was 21, Jack!
Jack: (Mocking) I was 21, Jack! I don't care how old you were. You didn't have to go. You volunteered. You could have died; for what? Some silly police action! Our government didn't even have the guts to call it a war!
Steven: Don't mock me! Besides, you're a bit old for that, dontcha think?
Jack: You're not in charge of me! I'll do what I want. You broke Mom's heart. She just sat by the front window every day watching the street. Every time the mail came, she broke down thinking today was the day she'd get the news, the news you were killed.
Steven: (Silent for awhile) How is Mom?
Jack: (Tears welling up) How is Mom? You mean you don't know?
Steven: Know what?
Jack: She's dead, Steven, dead!
Steven: (Not wanting to believe Jack) C'mon Jack! This isn't funny. How is she, really? (Looking straight into Jack's eyes)
Jack: I told you already. She's dead, has been for about a year. She had a heart attack one morning right by the window. Dad found her on the floor when he came home from work. It was too late. She'd been dead for hours.
Steven: No! It can't be true! She was so young and healthy! Why? (He collapses on the couch)
Jack: We all wrote you constantly. We never got 1 letter. Three years. No letter. No phone call. Nothing. I thought you were dead. You might as well be.
Steven: (Silent for a while, then practically whispering) I didn't know.
Jack: Excuse me?
Steven: (Louder, clearing throat) I said, I didn't know. (Slowly) I was in combat almost as soon as I arrived in Vietnam. I had no idea what to expect when I got there. We'd be out on patrol in the middle of the jungle, weeds growing every which way. You were lucky to see your platoon during the day. At night, forget about it. It was so dark, I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face. We'd get lucky sometimes and nothing would happen for days. Then all of a sudden one of us would get fragged. God**mn Charlie! They'd just pop up out of nowhere like they were God**mn Houdidni or something! They had these frickin' tunnels all over the damn place. They'd come out of these holes when you least expect it like some kind of sadistic Bugs Bunny and we were Elmer Fudd. The first year there I was too scared to do anything but survive. I wanted to write but what was I gonna say. The truth? You think that would have helped Mom any! Yeah, sure, I could have made up something like I was at some kind of summer camp but I didn't believe anything I could come up with and I didn't think you all would either. So I just prayed the nightmare would end quickly and I could come home. There wasn't a day, not even a moment that I didn't think about and miss every one of you. I missed the silly things too, like the broken closet in my room that always falls out of the track or the little boy across the street that always throws rocks at our car and then hides behind a tree or even your attempt at cooking dinner.
Jack: That was the first year you said. Then what?
Steven: My platoon was out on patrol and got caught in crossfire. Our platoon leader was killed and we got lost trying to retreat. There were 5 of us then that managed to stay together. We didn't have a map or a radio. For nearly 2 years, we tried to stay alive, just living off what we could find in the jungle. We still had skirmishes and sometimes came across dead soldiers from both sides and scavenged what we could. 3 of us managed to last the entire 2 years though Bucky was wounded and died at the MASH unit shortly after we were rescued.
Jack: You shouldn't have been there. Period!
Steven: You are probably right. I had no idea. You think I didn't want to talk or see any of you for three years? You think I wanted to be scraping jungle rot off my buddy's a*s in the middle of a shithole like Vietnam? I never would have gone if I knew Mom was gonna die. I still can't believe it. Don't you think I've suffered enough?
Jack: Suffered? What about Mom? Dad? Me? Everyday I had to hear Dad talk about how great you were. Mr. Super-soldier! F**kin' Captain America! Fighting the Commie b**tards for the good ole' U.S.A. I got so sick of hearing it I even went to the recruiting office against Mom's wishes, half hoping I'd go to that stupid war and die just to spite him. But, no, I can't even do that right. They said with my fallen arches I can't handle all the marching. 4-F! For flat feet! I have to admit I was partially relieved but it only made me hate you more. Steven Hodge, perfect son, All-American boy wonder. Me, Jack Hodge-loser, pathetic wannabe, always in his shadow. In high school, I was nothing. I wasn't the jock; I couldn't get the grades, and to girls, I was just a laughingstock. You were the football star, quarterback, honor student, chick magnet. Me-I was a hemmorhoid on the a*s of society. I was something to be pitied, like some kind of social retard.
Steven: You think it was all so easy for me. Yeah, maybe I was a football star and got good grades but it wasn't what I wanted. I had to please Dad. I would have loved to have traded you places. You got to live, exist, without pressure. Dad didn't make you study constantly; push you into sports. I had to do that or feel like a failure. You were allowed to just be.
Jack: Please! Dad didn't push me because he had you. He just gave up on me. I was considered a failure before I even had a chance. Dad broke his back for you and gave you everything. If I wanted anything I had to earn it.
Steven: You seem to be doing okay. Hey, I know things might have been a little unfair at times but I didn't ask for it. I always stuck up for you and you know it. When Tommy Langston tried to kick your a*s, didn't I kick his?
Jack: Thank you for making my point! There you were, Mr. Perfection again saving his pathetic little brother.
Steven: You're not pathetic and you never were. Just because you're not as athletic as me, you're still just as good. You were always a much better artist than I could ever dream of.
Jack: Oh yeah, chicks love a guy who can draw pretty pictures.
Steven: Well, some do certainly. You're not in high school now. You're a man. It's not the same. I'm not king of the hill like I used to be. I was floundering until I joined the army. I had no place and no clue as to what to do or where to go. Most of my friends were either in college, the army, or working in some job pursuing their goal. I was still a bag boy at the A & P. I was living the dream there bro.
Jack: You know Dad would have gotten you a cushy position at the factory if you wanted.
Steven: Yeah, great, standing on an assembly line for 30 years, at least when not on strike. You think I wanted that? To be like Dad, doing a job I hate just trying to survive each day until I can get to the bar?
Jack: Well, at least it was an option. He didn't want his sissy son working with him. He never said that directly but I knew he thought it.
Steven: Dad loves you, Jack. You know that. He's just not that great at expressing it.
Jack: He has no problem expressing it about you! My boy Steven-you shoulda seen that pass he made, he's doing so well in school, he's in the army now. Steven this. Steven that.
Steven: (shaking his head) I don't know what to say to you. Why are you so angry with me?
Jack: (Bursting out) Because you took Mom from me. She was the one person in this family who understood me. She loved and supported me. She still favored you, partially to appease Dad, but she was more even-handed about it. When I went by to visit, Dad would always talk about you and wondered what you were up to. Mom at least would ask me how my day was going, what was new. She tried to put on a brave face. I was there for her when you weren't. Now she's gone.
Steven: (Sighing) I know how close you were. I loved her too. I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say except I'm sorry.
Jack: I'm sorry too. (Silence. Sits down on the couch.)
Steven: I'm afraid to ask now but how's Dad doing?
Jack: He's alive at least. He retired a few months ago. He tried to keep working but he said, “What's the point anymore?” He piddles in the garden and hang's out at Ray's quite a bit. Basically he's just a shell.
Steven: Jack, I know you're upset with me. I understand that. Please understand how much I'm sorry. I love you, Jack.
Jack: (Quietly) I know. I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have lashed out. I know it's not your fault Mom died. Things happen. You just don't know how it's been. You were always there for me growing up. I could talk to you about Dad, girls, whatever. You always made me feel better. I missed you. I've never had a lot of friends like you. I haven't had anyone to talk to.
Steven: I've missed you too, Jack. (Hugs Jack)
Jack: Welcome home, brother!
(Both are choked up)
Jack: (Composing himself. Getting up from the couch) Would you like a beer or anything?
Steven: Yes, please. Whatever you're having.
Jack: (Goes to the fridge. Pulls out two beers. Gets out a bottle opener and opens the bottles.) You want any chips or a sandwich or something?
Steven: Well, considering what I had to eat in ‘nam I will take you up on that sandwich if it's no trouble.
Jack: Well, it's some trouble but for my long-lost brother, I don't mind. Bologna and cheese alright? You still hate mustard?
Steven: Still, yes, though would have preferred that to snake and tree bark.
Jack: (making sandwiches) Snake? Yuck!
Steven: You don't really have a McDonald's in the middle of a jungle. You'd be surprised at what you'll consider eating when you are hungry.
Jack: Well, if you're that adventurous, I have a container of something furry that's been here for months.
Steven: Thanks, but I am eager to adjust back to more civilized fare.
Jack: Suit yourself. (Tosses container into trash. Finishes sandwich and takes beer and sandwich on plate to Steven.)
Steven: So what are you doing now?
Jack: I went to this technical school and do drafting and design now.(Goes into kitchen to get his beer.)
Steven: Really. Where are you working?
Jack: I work at Kimco, an office furniture manufacturing company.
Steven: Really? Sounds exciting.
Jack: Not really but it pays pretty well.
Steven: So how long you been there?
Jack: Going on 6 months now. I just graduated in February.
Steven: (Sets his plate down and spills his beer) Oh s*it! I'm sorry! You got a towel or something?
Jack: (Getting up quickly) Yeah, hang on! (Looks frantically in kitchen for a towel) Hang on! (Runs to bedroom and comes back with a t-shirt) Here! (Hands shirt to Steven) Sorry. It's all I had. I'm a bachelor.
Steven: (laughing) It's okay. (Wipes up spill)
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