American Son

(Larkin turns to go.)

I'm sorry...

Ma'am... I'm just doing my job.

I'm sure you are.

(Beat, he turns to go)

He has work.

Sure

I'm sayin'- this isn't like him.

Ok, thats very--

Plays the guitar. Especially likes blues and rock.

Excuse me?

Please, go. go find my son. Find Jamal. Find Jamal.

I completely understand your concern.

Respectfully, officer.... I don't think you do.

Right. (Beat) So (sorry). Does he have any visible... you know...

Scars?

Keloids. Right.

No.

E-R. C-O-N-N-E-R

Oh, jesus. You said ER, I just thought-- No. O-R. C-O-N-N-O-R.

Sorry, I'm sorry.

GODAMNIT

Ma'am?

Go

Probably not, I was just...

It's from surgery. When we was a baby. From pyloric stenosis. He inherited it from his father.

OK. OK. (Beat). Listen. As soon as Lieutenant Stokes gets here, we're gonna find out where Jerome is, / and we're gonna see that

Jamal. Jamal.

Excuse me?

I'm sorry that's not acceptable.

It just-- was logged in somehow. From... an incident. Coulda been stolen. Coulda been towed, coulda been vandalized...

But Jamal-- my son-- he was driving it.

Lieutenant Stokes. Look I'm pretty new here, so I don't know him, OK? They told me he's been paged to come down immediately, but...

But he might not get here for another 2 hours or so.

I don't...I mean, I hope not.

But that's when he normally gets in.

Look...Ms Conner,

Conner-Ellis

OK... but just in case he might have been printed for... (I don't know)... or had a warning issued, or...

A street name?

Ok, there was an incident. The car was-

An incident?

Names

I'm sorry...

It shows up in the system. That's all we really know right now.

Shows up... Shows up how?

Even juvy?

Sorry?

We don't know that

Still- isn't that enough?

Ma'am. I understand that you're upset. I understand that this is a very tense situation.

Stop telling me you undetstand.

Does he have any...you know. Street names. AKA's.

Street names.

Uh-huh. Weight?

203. Glasses. Cornrows. Light green eyes.

Ma'am, listen

And stop calling me Ma'am.

If you'll let me... There was an incident. We don't know what. The car was stopped and there are Black male suspects in custody.

Black male suspects?

Oh sure.... no, I am.

But I mean... now.

Right. But I gotta go check with intake, get the night log, yadda, yadda, yadda...

But I... I was just at reception.

Ma'am

But he's all Eric Clapton and Van Halen.

Oh. shit. Yeah. right- you said...

Dickinson

Ms Conner-Ellis...I'm doing the best I can to help figure out where ..

Do you have a teenage black son?

I don't think that has / anything to do with

Do you have any Black sons who might just be sitting in police custody at four oclock in the morning?

Ma'am- I...I have kids too, ok?

Do you?

Well, both I guess. Yeah.

Does this matter?

E-R

E-R...?

Right.

He hasn't come home. He's a responsible kid. His car was stolen.

No.

He might be.

Uh-huh

He really shot up this year.

Not even trespassing... resisting without, petit theft.

He's never so much as torn the tag off a new mattress, Ok?

I do.

How old are they?

Ma'am. It is what it is.

I get a call at 3 oclock in the morning that my car's been found.

Yeah...

I mean she had... she had a computer. She couldn't find out if he was in the system.

Just / shows up as

I mean what's the- how does it end up coming to the attention of... you know...

We don't know much, no.

I sat out in that lobby for almost half an hour before I even got to speak to you.

Okay.

It's not from a gang fight.

No I mean can it be seen? Does he get those... (what's the word)... big, thick..

Keloids?

Right.

Like Peanut, or Black, or Pookie?

Ma'am-- no disrespect, but I don't wanna just be running down rabbit holes if there's no reason to... Look--

Listen- I may seem paranoid. But he's not home. His car is... showing up on your radar... Humor me. Please?

Ma'am...

Look, can't you just... Can't you do a missing persons report...something?

Not your car.

My son's car. My son's missing. Now you're telling me he's in custody.

Yes?

No I just... I'd still appreciate it if you'd...

I need to know ma'am.

No. It's not an "alias". Its not a "street name." It's what I use to call him when he was little. It's what I call him now when I want to knock the cool outta him in front of his friends. Look, can you please just find out where he is and why he's here

Yeah. Scars.... tattoos... gold teeth?

No. No tattoos. No golds. His only scar's on his stomach right here.

Right.

Not acceptable.

Yes.

Not if his shirt's on.

Nothing?

Nothing

Ma'am, I'm going to. I just need to make sure I have all the correct information so I don't... y'know... (Beat) Six foot two you said?

Six three. Maybe a little taller since last time we measured him.

Sure. I'm going to. Ok? OK?

Sure

"It is a far, far better thing I do than I've ever done. / It's a far far better...

That's Charles Dickens.

Right...

The lady there...

No, Ma'am. I have two young daughters. White daughters.

Then let's skip the empathy tactic, Ok? Cause believe me you got no idea.

It's not the same comp-- look-- / I'm just gonna step out for a minute

This can't be that hard. Either he's in it, or he isn't.

Let me see what I can find out. Ok? I'll be right back.

Unbelievable.Hey. You on your way down here, I hope? Oh, OK. (Beat) Not yet. (Beat) I don't know. (Beat) Scott-- I said I don't know. I'm trying to find out. (Beat) Well... 'cause they're being very evasive. (Beat) I have no idea, I just-- well... that's not true. I have some idea. (Beat) I am keeping my cool, but it's not helping. That's why it'd be nice if you were here. (Beat) Well I called you almost an hour ago. (Beat) I am keenly aware of what time it is. (Beat) Yeah? Well maybe if you were home in your own bed, you'd be able to-- (long beat) Sorry. Sorry. I'm not startin'... I said I'm not-- Hey! I said I'm sorry, OK? (Beat) In a waiting room somewhere in the back. When you come through the entrance, turn left and park in the main parking lot in front. Go to the info desk. Ask for Officer Larkin.- It's Mama again. Baby, I know you're upset, but I'm worried about you. Please call me.// So?

We don't know that yet.

Well, we really don't know anything yet, do we?

Yes Ma'am

hmmm...June bug

We don't really use that term. That's the movies.

"Something bad". Whatever.

Right, but-

I tried to turn him into funkadelic and DeBarge but

Uh huh?

For half an hour.

Well...Like I said, the uhh... we have the car... you know

No, I know, you have the car

No juvenile record at all?

No.

Sorry?

Now. I wanna know now.

That's his alias? June Bug?

Oh jesus

Ma'am-- I told you, Lieutenant Stokes will be here any minute / and all information is supposed

Oh, jesus lord...

OK-- I thought you told me he you weren't really sure / whether or not...

Ok-- yeah. I didn't see him drive away in it. I did not actually see him get in the car. Correct. But the car's not in our driveway. And he's been gone since eight o'clock last night. Going on eight, nine hours. He said he'd be home by midnight.

Really, I'm just looking for--

Old 70s and 80s bands

Does he go by any other names?

Any other...

O-R. Got it. And I got the DOB. Any prior arrest record?

No.

What?

Nothing. No. No arrest record. At all.

Sure

Can recite almost any Emily Dickenson poem,.

Is June Bug his street name?

For real?

Not for 48 houts, no. If there's evidence of, y'know..

Foul play?

Sorry?

Well-a-a- An internship. Jamal has a very prestigious-- He's got someplace to be this morning.

If he was taken into custody under a different alias... Gave a different... you know... different from some other time... is all I'm sayin'...

I told you, he's never been arrested.

Got it....// Look.

I'm sorry. Why are you still here.

That's all I can tell you. The public affairs liaison officer a... (checks his notepad) Lieutenant Stokes... he doesn't normally get in 'till six and I've been instructed that all information needs to go through him.

I'm sorry.. who?

I'm sorry?...

Is either of them black?

ok. good. visible?

Is the scar visible?

Do you remember what he was wearing when you last saw him?

Officer... respectfully....are there that many 6 foot 3 inch black boys in glasses in custody tonight you gotta know the details of their belly stigmata? - Probably jeans and an H&M Shirt I don't know.

Look, I-

Where is he?

Ma'am

Ya'll got computers and cell phones and police radios- you mean to tell me you cant walk out that door in five minutes and find out where my son's at?

He's probably out on South Beach. Or (and I know you probably don't wanna hear it) but hooking up with some girl or doing what teenage boys do...

Yeah.. Yeah...

Look... he's a teenager...yes?

Yeah...

Who just graduated from high school a few weeks ago?

Yeah...

Last name Conner?

Yes

You sure?

Yes

Wow... we're really gonna go there, huh?

Yes, officer we're gonna go there.

Help yourself. I'll be right back.// Oh-- and just to make sure... It's Jamal. J-A-M-AL. One A?

Yes.

Great. Great. And that's from...? // The scar. It's from... When did he get it.

You mean How did he get it?