The Last Call: Episode 4
an audio play series by Ernio Hernandez ©2017
VOICE: 911. What’s your emergency?
MAYORCA (through phone) I need an ambulance!
VOICE: Is someone hurt?
MAYORCA Yes, yes… Please send an ambulance.
VOICE: What’s your name, ma’am?
MAYORCA Maya, sorry it’s Mayorca. I’m at the Vista Maya on 3rd.
VOICE: Mayorca, is the person hurt conscious? Are they breathing?
MAYORCA I don’t know, I can’t see. Please send someone…
VOICE: Dispatch is sending help. Are you in any danger? (pause) Mayorca? Hello, are you there?
SKY Hey, honey, you lost again?
NEMA Oh. No, I’m okay.
SKY Ladies’ room is on the other side of the stage. This is performers only.
NEMA Oh. Okay.
SKY Too much to drink tonight?
NEMA Yeah. Sorry. Thanks, darling.
SKY Mm-hmm.
SOUND: Footsteps. Two knocks on a door and door opening.
SKY Ahote, you almost ready?… Oh Tate, didn’t know you were in here.
TATE Hey, everything all set with Vy?
SKY Yep.
TATE Did she ask you about Ahote or me?
SKY Uhh, mostly about Ahote. Why?
TATE No big deal, just have her talk to me if she asks about us.
SKY Okayyy. Ahote, the natives are getting restless.
AHOTE No offense taken.
SKY Maya said she’s got some brandy if it’ll help.
AHOTE No thanks. I’ll be fine.
SKY See ya out there.
SOUND: Door closing.
AHOTE Look, brother, can we finish this later.
TATE I’m trying to help you.
AHOTE I know, I get it. I just don’t want to record anymore and I don’t want to put out some shitty album.
TATE We’re out of money, Ahote!
AHOTE WE are?
TATE I told you the settlement wouldn’t last forever. Your little problem in Reno didn’t help us much either.
AHOTE How many times are you going to hold that over my head? Like you’ve never made mistakes!
TATE Look, it’s done. We dealt with it, but we can’t get that back.
AHOTE So I’ll find some other gig.
TATE I’m just saying, we need this.
AHOTE Okay. Whatever.
TATE You gave me shit about the commercial, you gave me shit about all the recording, but the company paid us for that studio time. And the paycheck will cover the costs of…
AHOTE I said OKAY! (sighs) Can you give me a minute to myself before I have to go out there and sing my fuckin’ swan song.
TATE Fine.
SOUND: Door opening and closing.
VY (into phone) RJ, I had no idea it was his last night. I stumbled into it. That alone piqued my interest, I mean, he’s just starting to get some attention and now he’s… I don’t know, but there’s more. I just don’t have it yet. Something is off. The owner doesn’t know where he’s going and he’s been playing here for years. And she laughed when I mentioned his brother was his manager. His brother just seems to be feeding me the party line to spin a feature.
SOUND: Steps on stage. Applause. Guitar strums.
VY I’ll get it.
AHOTE (into microphone) Thanks for sticking around.
VY Let me get back to you.
TATE (to Maya) My head is spinning. Can I get some ginger ale?
SOUND: Pouring.
MAYORCA Here you go.
TATE I found a photo of Ahote and had him sign it for your friend. Where’d she go?
MAYORCA That I don’t know.
MUSIC: Strumming underscoring.
AHOTE This will be my last night here. So I figured, in some cosmic circle way, I’d take it back a bit to the first song I ever played here. The voice ain’t what it used to be, so forgive me for taking it down a notch.
SOUND: Tambourine.
AHOTE (to backup guy) You ready? (into microphone) Special thanks to my “spirit animal” here backing me up. And to Vista Maya, thank you for letting me play this long.
SKY Go to Hell!
AHOTE (laughing) Soon enough, Sky. Tip your waitress, everybody.
MUSIC: “Blood Heart”
SOUND: Applause.
NEMA Ahote! I love you, restless one.
SOUND: Gasps, a shriek, crowd shouts (“Oh my God” “AHH”).
VOICE: Gun!
SOUND: Two gunshots.
TATE Ahote! NO!
NEMA (shouting) You’re going to be famous! Hear me!
SOUND: Two gunshots.
NEMA I’m going to make you famous!
VOICE: The Last Call is an audioplay series written by Ernio Hernandez, produced and featuring music by Michael Aquino. Full series at ernio.com/audioplays. Voices featured include Michael Aquino, Gus Ibranyi, Christine Mariani, Marilyn Muñoz Ricco, Salvador Navarro, Dania Ramos and Lou Ricco. Special thanks to Kate Hernandez for continued support, Dania Ramos and listeners like you. Cheers.
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All episodes available at Drama Club.
🎧 Listen to the full theme song, “Blood Heart,” by Michael Aquino
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