Monologue Mania Day #123 by Janet S. Tiger Father's Daze (c) June 15, 2014

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Monologue Mania Day #123   by Janet S. Tiger  Father's Daze (c) June 15, 2014                     

                                              Father's Daze

                                                     by Janet S. Tiger

                                       (c) June 15, 2014 all rights reserved

                                                     tigerteam1@gmail.com

                (A man enters, he is in his 70s, but looks good for his age.  He is wealthy, the money evident in his clothes, watch, bearing.)

Fatherhood.

They asked me to speak to you all today about a field that I know a very little about.  I do have four children, but - as they all will be fast to tell you -that makes me far from an expert.

Money.  That I understand.

I have understood money ever since I was a kid.

I earned it, and I invested in my first business - a lemonade stand run by my brothers and sister.

They did the work and paid me back with interest.

That did it for me.  No work, just collect the money.  I liked that. Now it took me awhile to find out that not every investment returns well - sometimes a sibling borrows, and never returns.  But then, if you are wise, you have had a written agreement, and you end up with the sibling's bicycle, and that is worth more than what they owed you, so one way or the other, you come out on top.

            (Takes a deep breath)

Money is easy.  Children.......not so easy.

I mean, they are a necessity.  Without them, no more humans.

So, we breed, and we procreate.  But I think the pro is over-rated - at best I am an amateur at being a father.

Decisions.  In business, the decision is usually obvious once you do the Ben Franklin list - pros, cons, simple.

My youngest son was born normal.  Ten fingers, ten toes.  Smiled, cried, walked, talked.  Normal.

Until he wasn't anymore, and the doctors told us that he had....(hard to say)....a tumor.  In his brain.

It was 30 years ago, chemotherapy was still hit or miss.

And the brain couldn't do the chemo they had then.

So, it was an operation .......where they would  (sighs deeply) have to remove a large portion of his brain...his intelligence....the ability to grow past ten years old inellectually.......or, the other alternative...let him die.

Pros.

Cons.

I walked around in a daze for the next week. (Laughs)  Father’s Daze.  There was no emergency, the doctors told us, we had a bit of time to make, as the lead doctor said- this  (says it with scorn)  ...this difficult decision.

Difficult.

Difficult is when you have to decide to take on a larger debt in order to finance a new project when you are not sure your contractor can come in under budget.

Difficult is having to decide whether or not you should donate a million dollars to one charity with a purpose close to your heart, or another where the money is better spent because the head takes no salary.

               (He takes out something from a pocket)

Impossible is a decision like the one we had to make about Lyle.

              (He holds up a photo)

This is Lyle before all the .......trouble.

Handsome little fellow.

              (He hangs his head)

My own son.  They wanted us to choose.....it nearly destroyed my wife, and our marriage.  How do you choose?

And then of course, there is the thought, the hope, the dream that maybe, just maybe the doctors are wrong, that your beautiful child will heal himself, that God will heal him, that time will heal him.....but ....he gets worse, and is in pain.

What would you do?

All the money I have, useless.  For all the wealthy friends and connections could give me no solution, no help......what do I do?

And that, my friends, is my Father's Day advice.  No matter how hard the choices you have when dealing with your children, there are some that are, without doubt, much worse.

Please keep that in mind when you  spend time with your family on Father's Day.

            (Turns to go, is walking off, when he hears something.)

What did I do?

            (He hangs his head and shakes it.  Then takes out something from his pocket)

This is my son today......

             (He holds out a photo)

He's 40 years old, and he is forever ten.....but he has many friends...... and I have......no regrets...

             (He stands up straight and exits.  The end.)

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Inspired after reading an article in the Union-Tribune today -

Janet S. Tiger    858-274-9678
www.JanetSTiger.weebly.com
Member Dramatists Guild since 1983
Playwright-in-Residence
Swedenborg Hall 2006-8