Stefanie: (one act play)

Rose (Stefanie): a 25 year old prostitute from LA who recently moved to New York City

Denny: a working class wife and father of two who has been working in the city his whole life

Denny had made an “appointment” for Rose to meet up with him at the Trump Towers at 2 A.M on this Saturday night. His wife and kids are away on a camping trip. It is fifteen past two and rose had just arrived, she sits at the edge of the bed.

Rose: So I basically charge about a hundred an hour depending on your…well your needs. So you can either pay before or (she pauses and looks up at Denny who is nervously twiddling his thumbs) Sir, are you alright?

Denny: What? Oh yeah I’m fine I just (he continues to twiddle his thumbs and look down upon her nervously) Can you give me a moment?

Rose: You gotta wife?

Denny: Ex-excuse me? Why does that matter? ( he gives her a glare like she’s meaningless)

Rose: Just wondering if you gotta wife is all, but I can tell you do. (Denny becomes quiet and stares down at the comforter which he is standing over) You love er?

Denny: Of course I do, she’s my wife.

Rose: Then why ya here? (she gives him a scolding look) Don’t tell me you got kids.

Denny: (lowers his head ashamed) I have two children, two girls. Fifteen and seven.

Rose: And they’re out of town right? They have no idea you’re here. You said you got some business to do while they go and have fun, but little do they know they’re hard working papa is just with some..

Denny: (cutting rose off rather angrily) Who are you to say anything? You’re nothing but some prostitute I found on craigslist. You don’t mean anything nor do you know anything. So why don’t you shut up before I take my money and go.

Rose: (quietly but with much force) Those little girls, I was them and my father..(she pauses briefly and appears to collect herself) I just know more than you think.

Denny: Look I am sorry about what you father did but my wife and I we don’t get along very well, at least not lately. She is always saying I need to spend more time with the family, but whenever I’m home she’s complaining we don’t have enough money for vacations and clothes. You know, it’s like I’m never good enough for her.

Rose: But you’re plenty good enough for someone like me right? Trash.

Denny: (looking down at his thumbs which are no longer twiddling) No not trash, just I don’t know. What’s your name anyways?

Rose: Rose on the job, Stephanie when I’m not.

(Denny’s phone begins to ring with his wives contact name and tears form in his eyes which he quickly wipes away)

Denny: You gotta husband? Kids?

Rose: Husband died few years back, he made the money. I have one son, Mason, he’s fourteen. (she cups her face in her hands and begins to sob) If he knew this is what I did, this is what I’ve become he would never forgive me. (she shakily lights a cigarette and takes a big puff)

Denny: You don’t have to be Rose tonight, how does that sound Stefanie?

Stefanie: What do you mean?

Denny: Well I’ll still pay you and all, but we don’t have to do anything, in fact I don’t want to. We can just sit here and talk, that way I won’t be cheating on my wife and you don’t have to be Rose tonight. Okay?

Stefanie: Well I mean, I guess that sounds alright. (she leans her head back against the head board and pulls out another cigarette) Want one?

Denny: Oh well I don’t.. well sure why not.

They both sat there all night, talking and puffing cigarette smoke. They talked about their kids and their spouses, anything there was to be talked about. They talked about Stefanie, not about Rose once that night.