Scene: Elevator, New Years Eve – 10 minutes till midnight. A man in a business suit stands on the left. After a moment, the elevator bell dings and another man gets on. The second man is dressed casually, with a long shabby coat. He has a scruffy beard, and his hair is mussed. The first man looks him over, trying not to stare. The second man notices this.

Man #2
Happy New Year.

Man #1:
You too.

The first man goes back to avoiding the second.

Man #2:
Could you hit six?

Man #1:
Hmm? Oh, it’s already pressed. I’m headed there myself.

Man #2:
Well, I guess the six floor is the place to be, then.

Man #1:
Yes, it appears that way, doesn’t it.

Man #2 (glances at watch)
About a half hour left.

Man #1:
Till midnight?

Man #2
Oh, no – it’s about ten till. In a half hour, I’m supposed to… meet someone.

Man #1:
I see.

Man #2
Are you heading up to a party? I noticed you’re dressed for the occasion.

Man #1
No, I’m just heading back from one, actually.

Man #2:
So soon? If you’d stayed another 10 minutes, you could’ve watched the ball drop. Hooted an hollered – maybe gotten a new years kiss from your sweetheart.

Man #1
No – no kiss from my sweetheart tonight. But I’m sure you’re not interested in that – I just got tired of pretending to be interested in what my drunken “friends” were doing. The party was about a 20 minute cab ride away, anyway, and I wanted to get home before the year turned. I like to spend the new year reflecting – trying to figure out a way to make my life better than it is.

Man #2
That’s what a man should do on New Years. Not what I’m doing – business.

Man #1:
What sort of business?

Man #2
Not the sort of business a fellow ought to be in – not during the holidays.

Man #1
What kind of business is that? Insurance salesman?

Man #2
Ha ha – no. (pause) You did hit 6, you said?

Man #1:
Yes – I pressed it when I got on.

Man #2
Try pressing it again. It must not have gone through – to the computer or whatever they have in elevators these days.

Man #1
Yes

The first man presses 6 three times. Nothing happens.

Man #1
Maybe it’s that Y2K bug – just a few years late.

The man tries pressing the “door open” button. Still, nothing happens.

Man #2
Stuck?

Man #1
It appears that way.

Man #2 (looks at watch again)
Hey! Happy 2004! Tweet (as if blowing a noisemaker)! Make any new years resolutions?

Man #1
One.

Man #2
What is it? Mine was “don’t get stuck in an elevator,” but I guess I blew that one. Ha ha.

Man #1
You want to know?

Man #2
We’re stuck here – might as well make the best of it, eh?

Man #1
My wife and I are… not getting along. She says I don’t pay enough attention to her – tho I have an idea that she’s really upset that I just don’t pay enough FOR her. I’m a medical engineer – I design different technical machines – cameras, mostly – for use in the medical field. It pays very well, but I’ve always had this plan to work hard until I reach 40, and keep my spending low until then, and then I’ll take all the money I have saved up and I’ll quit my job, and take my family all over the world. Just enjoy life, you know?

Man #2
Family? You have kids?

Man #1
I can’t have kids. I thought about adoption, but my wife didn’t. Recently I’ve decided that that’s a good thing; I wouldn’t want any kids to grow up with that woman. I’m sorry – I get a little upset when I think about my wife these past… few months, really. She’s been whining at me “we should get a new house, we need a new car, we need… DSL intenet” I don’t know everything she wants.

Man #2
Money tearing a marriage apart.

Man #1
I used to think she loved me. Now, she told me she wants a divorce, and half of what’s mine. I told her I wouldn’t do it – I’d rather die than give that woman half of what I earned – she was never into the marriage, I realize that now. I was so blind at first, but when I look back, do you know what I see? Its like, she told me what I wanted to hear so she could catch me, like an animal, and when she found out I wasn’t going to lay her all the golden eggs she wants, she’s going to break it off and take what she can steal from me.
Man #2
I guess it must be an epidemic. Of money, I mean. You know, I haven’t met one couple with money where it didn’t destroy the relationship? Of course, in my line of work, the only people I meet are torn apart by something.

Man #1
You never said what you do. I spilled my guts, now it’s your turn.

Man #2
Well… listen – anything said in this elevator doesn’t leave the elevator, NO MATTER WHAT. That means no telling anyone, no telling the police, no nothing, ok?

Man #1
I… guess so. Are you a drug dealer or something?

Man #2
No… nothing as nice as that. I’m… I’m an assassin. A hired gun.

Man #1
You’re a killer?

Man #2
No – I mean, yes. I used to be. But I hate it. I can’t stand it. That’s why I’m quitting tonight. After I meet this one last guy.

Man #1
When you say meet, you mean murder?

Man #2
I’m not a murderer. I only pull the trigger – whoever hires me is the murderer. That’s the way I reason it out. I don’t… It’s like with you – it’s money. Years ago – I mean YEARS – I got into some trouble, financially, with some guys you don’t want to owe money to, you follow?

Man #1
Yeah…

Man #2
So these guys, they gave me a choice – either they were going to kill me, or I could do them a “favor.” I chose the favor. That was my first. I guess I was good at it, so they gave me another job. I took it, because I still needed the money. And I guess I got stuck – I’ve been doing it ever since. But tonight is it – tonight once I finish this job, this lady’s going to pay me half a mill. Then I’m going to take the money, and start over. No more gambling, no more… you know.

Man #1
Yeah.

Man #2
Ha ha… I knew you didn’t want to hear it.

Man #1
I’ve never met a killer before. Or an ex-killer.

Man #2
Well, then, nice to meet you. (extends hand) The name’s Jason Golden.

Man #1:
Jason. My name’s Jamison – Alex Jamison. (extends hand)

Man #2 gets an odd look, and doesn’t shake Alex’s hand. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a crumpled piece of paper.

Man #2
Alex Jamison… that lives at 614 West Meeker?

Man #1
What’s that piece of paper?

Man #2
I’m sorry mate… I’m so sorry…

Man #1
What’s that piece of paper? Who are you supposed to meet tonight?

Man #2
I’m so sorry. It’s not me – I’m not a murderer. I’m only the one who pulls the trigger.

Man #2 Pulls out a gun and aims it at Man #1’s head. Scene goes black, and we hear a gun shot. After a moment, we hear the elevator start up again, and the ding of the bell as it reaches the sixth floor.

THE END