first year - Feb. 13, 2014 - Feb. 13, 2015
I've continued with a monologue a day until the spirit moves me to stop, so if you have any ideas for a monologue you want me to write, please let me know at tigerteam1@gmail.com.
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Monologue Mania Day #611 Before the Dance (for Seeds of Doubt) by Janet S. Tiger Oct. 15, 2015
For other work from Seeds of Doubt, see Days # 598, 599, 600, 603, 604, 608 and today's 611
Before the Dance (continued at the bottom of this in bold)
(for Seeds of Doubt)
a monologue by Janet S. Tiger
© all rights reservedtigerteam1@gmail.com
(Ly -the teenage girl first seen in Day #598 -is seen running around looking for something. She is all dressed up, very pretty, and is holding a bag of make-up in her hand)
LY - Where did my purse go? I never can find it, grandma is always putting things away, why does she do that? Nothing is where I ever put it! I\ll never be ready in time.....
(The front door opens and her grandmother Kim-Ly - see Day # 604- enters, arms full of items from the bakery. When she sees her granddaughter, she stops and stares)
KIM- Why you all dressed up?
LY - Grandma, you never remember anything! I told you there's a dance tonight! And I'm late! I have to get going right now and I can't find my purse!
KIM - Stop! Where your purse supposed to be?
LY - On the nail behind my door!
KIM - Did you look there?
LY - Of course I looked! It's not there!
KIM - When did you look, yesterday? I put it back! You never put anything back!
LY - I like my purse by the door! So I can grab it when I leave!
KIM - Look messy, don't want anyone seeing mess when they come to house....
LY - No one ever comes here! Because we are always at the bakery! And I don't...
(She has now run to her room and returns with the purse)
KIM - Was it on back of door - where it belong?
LY - (Sullen) Yes.
KIM - You could say thank you, appreciate grandmother work hard!
LY - (Sullen) Thank you.
KIM - You could sound like you mean it.
LY - (Quiet) I don't mean it.
KIM - What?
LY - (False smile) THANK YOU!
KIM - That better! Not much better, but at least you try....
(Ly runs past, but Kim stops her, looks very closely)
KIM - (Honest, reverent) You look....very beautiful.....
LY - (Embarrassed, no longer sullen) |Thank you....
(She gives her grandmother a fast hug and tries to leave)
KIM - Who is boy?
LY - (Not honest) I told you, it's a dance, not a date....
KIM - But there is boy....I can tell, was young once!
LY - (Joking) Really?
KIM - Maybe long time now, but......girl look pretty go to dance to meet boy, but when girl is....what is the word?.....con dom dom....
LY - (Embarrassed) Grandma! Condom is not the word!
KIM - What problem? Nice words! Condom dom! You don't remember do you?
LY - Vietnamese has a lotta words I don't remember!
KIM - It mean....bug whose tail glow in dark....
LY - (Horrified) I look like a bug that glows in the dark....(remembers) glow worm! Ok, I got it.....
KIM - You ...glow! And that not from dance....that from boy you already know....what his name?
LY - There's no....
(Her grandmother gives her a look and she stops)
LY - Trevor.
KIM - (Tries to pronounce it with a Vietnamese twist) Tray Vanh?
LY - No.....(slowly) Trevor.....His name is Trevor....
KIM - (Annoyed) So he not one of us...
LY- No, grandma, he's from Texas...
KIM - What he doing in Long Beach?
LY - His father is in the Navy...
KIM - (Upset) Oh, no, you no wanna be with Navy guy!
LY - Trevor is in high school! His FATHER is in the Navy...he's lived all over the world!
KIM - Even worse! Soon as problem, run away!
LY - He's just a boy! We are only dating, grandma! He's a nice boy, you know him!
KIM - I know him? How?
LY - Through the bakery...
KIM - What you talking about? No one work at bakery not Vietnamese!
LY - He delivers the cookies.....
KIM - You going crazy - we got no delivery service!
LY - He has a business! He takes orders from older people who can't get out, and he shops for them, and they give him a few dollars each time he delivers! He's a smart guy! Like you said my daddy was.....
KIM - Don't bring up honored ancestors! This is nobody!
LY - He's not nobody, he's my friend! And whadda you care, anyway? You don't ever want to hear about my life, what I wanna do!
KIM - Busy with bakery....keep house clean....
LY - I know, I know! You're too busy, too tired!
KIM - But not too tired to put away purse from girl who never put anything away!
(Ly throws up her hands in exasperation and runs out of the house.)
KIM- (Shouting) Don't stay out late! Don't forget to call when you coming home so we watch for you! Be careful!
(She waves)
KIM - (A little sad) Have a good time!
(Lights start to go down as we see Big Grandma -from Day # 603 - come into the room)
BG - She good girl....why you talk to her like that alla time?
KIM - You know why, gotta be careful.
BG - You know you got nothin to worry about with her......maybe worry a little more about brother....
KIM - He a good boy, too....
(Big Grandma nods, but is quiet, then she goes over to her daughter)
BG- Maybe do it over, do it right.....
(She waves her arm and the scene restarts as we see Ly coming back into the room looking for her purse.)
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LY - Where's my purse? Where could it be?
(Kim enters, arms full, Ly goes to help her)
LY - Grandma Kim! Let me help you!
(She helps with the packages)
LY - Have you seen my purse?
KIM - (perfect English accent) Oh, my lovely girl! I saw your purse and put it on the back of your door....
LY - (Overjoyed) Oh, thank you, Grandma Kim! You are so wonderful to me! You always help with putting my things away! How can I ever thank you enough?
(She bows and Kim touches her shoulder)
KIM - There is no need to thank me, you are my only granddaughter, and I love you! Let me look at you.....how beautiful you are tonight!
LY - Thank you, I am going to a dance....with a nice Vietnamese boy named Trey Vanh....from a very good family.....
(At this point BG starts to laugh and Ly freezes)
BG - You so funny, Kim! You talk like Americans!
KIM - Not American...British! Much better! They sound like queen!
BG - So now you queen! Daughter you are so funny! And make boyfriend into one of us....also funny.....when you do scene over, need to stick to truth a little!
KIM - You may be mother, but you act like one of them!
(She points to Ly who smiles at her grandma)
KIM - (Annoyed) No move! Is my fantasy! You do what I say in fantasy!
(Ly is struggling to hold still and BG comes over to her)
BG - Don't worry, she always little crazy this time of month.....specially now she never know when this time of month is gonna be!
(BG and Ly hug and start to walk off)
BG - Like new song I hear on country station....
(She takes earpieces out of her pocket and gives one to Ly)
BG - About girl who doing wash, just leave with boyfriend......go to Las Vegas!
KIM - Don't give her any more idea! She no need more idea!
(BG Dancing to music with LY)
BG - They shoulda see it coming - only matter of time!
Plenty old enough - can't stop love!
(They look back at Kim who is shaking her head)
BG - Maybe you better listen to more country music - have good help for all people!
KIM - Get out of here! You can't spoil my fantasy!
BG - You spoil own fantasy! You need to tell Ly she look good, because she does....
Tell her why you afraid when she look so good.....
KIM - (Hard to say) I don't know.....
LY - (Herself) Tell me what, grandma....
BG - Tell her other story about boat.....one you never tell....
(The sounds of the boat are heard again and the sails are visible)
KIM - She know about diaper story, good story....
LY - I must've heard that story a hundred times.....
KIM - This was....after they stole everyone money and then gave us the diapers.....(Thinking, remembering) There was a woman on board.....she very beautiful, even after on boat many days, still beautiful....no babies to take care of.....still look good.....hair long, all men like, but she have husband, very jealous.....when pirates come on boat, husband try to hide her, because pirates .....(takes a deep breath)....like women for themselves......not want to tell rest....
LY - (Kind) I know what you're talking about, grandma, I'm not a kid anymore.....
KIM - I know, I know.....story still hard to tell.....(sighs).....pirate see her hiding, pretending to be sick, take scarf off face......he like.....and he grab her arm and pull her away....husband try to stop him, he pushes husband back, husband fall, pirate take woman......but husband have knife hidden and he jump......but not at pirate....because he know there are too many pirates.....he jump at wife.......(almost in tears)...and he slit her throat......
(BG goes over to her and touches her shoulder)
KIM - Then pirate very mad and kill man........and something happen to everyone in boat, they get mad at pirates, start hitting pirates with hands, feet, everything! And pirates see they might have problem, so they leave......and we bury man and wife at sea......as sun come up.....
LY - Thank you for telling me, grandma....I know it must hard to remember all this.....I'm going to the dance now.....I'll be careful....I'll call when I'm coming home because I know you wait up for me....
KIM - (Quiet) Have a good time........Ly....
(Ly takes her purse, goes to Kim and hugs her, exits. Kim watches her leave, BG is watching her)
BG - Why not tell whole story? Why not tell that beautiful woman was.......
KIM - Not yet! Not now! I tell her when time is right.....
BG - Guess time never right for truth in this house....
(Kim turns away and BG watches Kim, then laughs and turns to exit, putting on the player again and dancing out singing)
BG - And you can't fence time......and you can't stop love.....
(Lights dim on Kim. End of scene)
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The song being mentioned is Sara Evan's 'Suds in the Bucket'
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Janet S. Tiger 858-736-6315
JanetSTigerMonologueMania.blogspot.com
Member Dramatists Guild since 1983
Playwright-in-Residence
Swedenborg Hall 2006-8
1 comment:
Wow. Beautifully written.
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