Drama · 4 min · strong language

After Hours.

A man returns to the diner and the person he left behind, forcing both of them to sit inside the silence they never finished.

Longinghonestyearned vulnerabilityguardednessreunion

The roles

KHARI BANKS

Early 30s. Muscular, clean leather jacket, expensive watch. Drove in from out of state. Carries himself like someone who built an exterior and forgot how to take it off. Hasn't let anyone close in a very long time.

DEVON PRICE

Early 30s. Bought a diner from the old owner twelve years ago and never left. Easy smile, talks too much, fills silence because he's nervous. Hasn't seen Khari since they were teenagers.

After Hours · Drama side · memorlined.app

(A diner. Late. The OPEN sign has been flipped to CLOSED. One ceiling light flickers on and off. DEVON PRICE is behind the counter wiping it down with a rag. The grill is off. A radio plays low — between songs, just static and a voice. The front door opens. KHARI BANKS stands in the doorway.)

DEVON PRICE

We're closed.

(KHARI doesn't move.)

DEVON PRICE

I said we're—

(He looks up. Stops wiping.)

DEVON PRICE

Holy shit.

(KHARI steps inside. The door swings shut behind him.)

KHARI BANKS

Hey.

DEVON PRICE

Hey? That's— man. Get over here.

(DEVON comes around the counter. They stand facing each other. DEVON reaches out. KHARI accepts the hug, stiff. DEVON pulls back, looks at him.)

DEVON PRICE

Look at you.

KHARI BANKS

Yeah.

DEVON PRICE

You're like twice the size you were.

KHARI BANKS

I work out.

DEVON PRICE

I can see that. Sit down. You hungry?

KHARI BANKS

You said you're closed.

DEVON PRICE

I own the place. Sit down.

(KHARI sits at the counter. DEVON goes behind it. Turns the grill back on.)

DEVON PRICE

Same thing? Turkey club, no tomato?

KHARI BANKS

You remember that?

DEVON PRICE

I remember everything. You want coffee?

KHARI BANKS

Sure.

(DEVON pours coffee. Sets it down. The mug has a chip on the rim.)

DEVON PRICE

So how long's it been?

KHARI BANKS

Eleven years.

DEVON PRICE

Eleven years. That's crazy. Where are you now?

KHARI BANKS

Atlanta.

DEVON PRICE

Atlanta. What do you do out there?

KHARI BANKS

This and that.

(DEVON starts working on the sandwich.)

DEVON PRICE

You drive here?

KHARI BANKS

Yeah.

DEVON PRICE

From Atlanta?

KHARI BANKS

I had something in town.

DEVON PRICE

And you came here.

KHARI BANKS

You called me.

DEVON PRICE

Three months ago. I called you three months ago.

KHARI BANKS

I know.

DEVON PRICE

So it just took a while.

KHARI BANKS

I had stuff.

(DEVON puts the turkey on the grill. It sizzles.)

DEVON PRICE

You look different.

KHARI BANKS

You said that.

DEVON PRICE

I mean different different. Like somebody else.

KHARI BANKS

People change.

DEVON PRICE

Not that much.

(KHARI picks up the coffee. Doesn't drink it.)

KHARI BANKS

How's your mom?

DEVON PRICE

She's good. She asks about you. Still calls you by your—

KHARI BANKS

Don't.

DEVON PRICE

I was going to say your old nickname.

KHARI BANKS

I know what you were going to say.

(DEVON flips the sandwich. The radio plays something quiet between songs.)

DEVON PRICE

You know I've been here twelve years? Bought it from Sal when he retired. Same menu, same grill. I just kept it going.

KHARI BANKS

That's good.

DEVON PRICE

It's something. Not what I planned.

KHARI BANKS

What'd you plan?

DEVON PRICE

I don't even remember. Something bigger. Then Sal needed somebody and I was here, so.

(He plates the sandwich. Cuts it diagonal. Slides it across the counter.)

DEVON PRICE

Eat.

(KHARI looks at it. Picks it up. Takes a bite.)

DEVON PRICE

Good?

KHARI BANKS

Same as before.

DEVON PRICE

That's the idea.

(KHARI eats. DEVON wipes the counter again, though it's already clean.)

DEVON PRICE

So what's going on with you? For real.

KHARI BANKS

What do you mean?

DEVON PRICE

I mean I called because I saw your name on something online. A news thing. And then I couldn't find anything else, and I got—

KHARI BANKS

Worried.

DEVON PRICE

Yeah.

KHARI BANKS

I'm fine.

DEVON PRICE

You drove eight hours to sit in a closed diner.

KHARI BANKS

I said I had business.

DEVON PRICE

Okay. Sure. Business.

(The ceiling light flickers again.)

DEVON PRICE

I need to fix that. Been saying that for a year.

(KHARI finishes the sandwich. Pushes the plate forward.)

KHARI BANKS

Devon.

DEVON PRICE

Yeah?

KHARI BANKS

I don't really talk to people.

DEVON PRICE

Like—

KHARI BANKS

I don't. Talk to people. Not like this.

DEVON PRICE

Like what?

KHARI BANKS

Like sitting somewhere and being... normal. I don't do this.

(DEVON stops wiping.)

DEVON PRICE

At all?

KHARI BANKS

Not in a long time.

DEVON PRICE

How long?

(KHARI looks at the counter.)

KHARI BANKS

Since before.

DEVON PRICE

Before what?

KHARI BANKS

Before. You know.

(DEVON is very still.)

DEVON PRICE

That's a long time.

KHARI BANKS

Yeah.

DEVON PRICE

That's eleven years.

KHARI BANKS

I know how long it is.

(The radio switches to static for a second. Finds the station again.)

DEVON PRICE

You want more coffee?

KHARI BANKS

Sure.

(DEVON pours. His hand shakes a little. He puts the pot back.)

DEVON PRICE

Listen, I—

KHARI BANKS

Don't make it a thing.

DEVON PRICE

I'm not.

KHARI BANKS

You're about to.

DEVON PRICE

I was going to say the coffee's old. Should make a fresh pot.

KHARI BANKS

It's fine.

(KHARI wraps his hands around the mug.)

DEVON PRICE

You can come back. The diner's open Tuesday through Saturday. Six to eleven.

KHARI BANKS

I live in Atlanta.

DEVON PRICE

I know. I'm just saying. Whenever.

KHARI BANKS

Yeah.

(A timer goes off in the kitchen. DEVON looks toward it.)

DEVON PRICE

That's the fryer oil. I left it draining. Hold on.

(He goes through the kitchen door. KHARI sits alone at the counter.)

(DEVON comes back wiping his hands on a towel.)

DEVON PRICE

Sorry. You leave that stuff and it gets everywhere.

KHARI BANKS

I should go.

DEVON PRICE

Already?

KHARI BANKS

It's late.

DEVON PRICE

It's been late.

KHARI BANKS

I know.

DEVON PRICE

So sit for a minute.

KHARI BANKS

I'm sitting.

DEVON PRICE

Right.

(Pause.)

KHARI BANKS

The sandwich was good.

DEVON PRICE

Thanks.

(The diner is quiet. The radio has gone to a commercial. DEVON tosses the rag over his shoulder.)

DEVON PRICE

I'm going to finish closing up. Stay if you want. I've got twenty minutes of dishes.

KHARI BANKS

Okay.

(DEVON turns to the sink. Turns the water on. Starts washing dishes.)

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