- for a whole year!
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Note: A few words about 'free' - all these monologues are protected under copyright law and are free to read, free to perform and video as long as no money is charged. Once you charge admission or a donation, or include my work in an anthology, you need to contact me for royalty info.
If you just started this blog and want to read the earlier monologues, please
scroll down for the previous days or go to http://www.monologuestore.com/ -click on the Monologue Mania button please scroll down.
To start at the beginning - Feb. 13, - click here.
For a list of the blurbs from each day, click here
Help a playwright and get more great award-winning monologues - MonologueZone.com
Thank you for your comments - and for liking and sharing this site
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Monologue Mania Day # 223 by Janet S. Tiger Guilty as Charged Sept. 23, 2014
Guilty As Charged(part of CRIME)
A monologue by Janet S. Tiger © all rights reserved
tigerteam1@gmail.com
The professor explained how- during an earthquake - (she uses her hands to illustrate) the earth sheers off and I remember thinking even then, 'wow, I wish life was so clear'.
It isn't. (Gets angry) Everybody can make a mistake. Or worse. It wasn't like I killed anyone. I mean, not like I'm perfect. I have done some things I'm not proud of.....like in college. I hated math. I couldn't pass algebra- failed it two times. So, the third time, I sat next to a nerdy kind of guy and smiled at him, talked to him a little. I told him I thought he was cute. So when the time came to take tests, I looked over at his answers, and he saw me do it, and he didn't cover his paper. And I passed the test. And I got my degree. And I never used any of that math. Did I feel guilty? Never! Was I a cheater? Oh, yeah. Guilty as charged!
(Trying to get a hold of herself)
Can I help it if...if they'd checked it, that guy would've been hauled in (holding back tears) and maybe that other girl wouldn't have been....(can't say it) you know.
I need this job. I get retirement in three more years. I can't let this affect my work!
(Remembering something)
(The lights go up on a woman in her 40s-50s. She is smoking, she is irritated
at the lights on her. She takes a long drag of the cigarette)
When I was in college I took an elective in Geology because
I heard that the teacher was an easy grader and the field trips were a lot of
fun.
Just like a lot of things in life, half was true - the professor was a very hard grader, I barely got a C. But the field trips were fantastic. (Smiling as she remembers.) There was this overnight, and it was by a waterfall in the country, and some of the kids brought along beer and...(Stops smiling) Anyhow, on one of the trips, we stopped on the side of the road and when we got out, he pointed at this mountain, and it looked like it had been sliced off with a knife. That's the first time I ever saw fault lines.
(She walks around as if she is seeing the mountains and the fault line.)
Just like a lot of things in life, half was true - the professor was a very hard grader, I barely got a C. But the field trips were fantastic. (Smiling as she remembers.) There was this overnight, and it was by a waterfall in the country, and some of the kids brought along beer and...(Stops smiling) Anyhow, on one of the trips, we stopped on the side of the road and when we got out, he pointed at this mountain, and it looked like it had been sliced off with a knife. That's the first time I ever saw fault lines.
(She walks around as if she is seeing the mountains and the fault line.)
The professor explained how- during an earthquake - (she uses her hands to illustrate) the earth sheers off and I remember thinking even then, 'wow, I wish life was so clear'.
It isn't. (Gets angry) Everybody can make a mistake. Or worse. It wasn't like I killed anyone. I mean, not like I'm perfect. I have done some things I'm not proud of.....like in college. I hated math. I couldn't pass algebra- failed it two times. So, the third time, I sat next to a nerdy kind of guy and smiled at him, talked to him a little. I told him I thought he was cute. So when the time came to take tests, I looked over at his answers, and he saw me do it, and he didn't cover his paper. And I passed the test. And I got my degree. And I never used any of that math. Did I feel guilty? Never! Was I a cheater? Oh, yeah. Guilty as charged!
(She wipes her
hand over her face)
But...but this other thing..... that was different..... that
wasn't my fault!......maybe, if I'd known....I would've done something
different. Everyone has a moment like that!
(Calms down a little) I mean, it was a busy day, the day before
Thanksgiving. I always pick that day so I get my choice during
Christmas. Being in a police station there's a heirarchy, and I like to
get Christmas Eve, everyone understands. It was crazy (remembering) there
was a bank robbery, and not one but two cases of domestic violence, so when
that girl came in, I don't know. She was pretty calm, so I figured since
her purse didn't get stolen, and she hadn't been hurt bad, it was...(hard to
say) not that big a deal. (Defensive, fast) I mean I took the
notes, and maybe if I'd put down attempted rape, they would've taken the
samples and (hard to admit) run them right away...instead of putting them at
the back of the stack. Is it my fault there isn't enough money for all
the evidence kits to be checked for DNA within a day or two?
(Trying to get a hold of herself)
Can I help it if...if they'd checked it, that guy would've been hauled in (holding back tears) and maybe that other girl wouldn't have been....(can't say it) you know.
I need this job. I get retirement in three more years. I can't let this affect my work!
(Remembering something)
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot... she said she'd poked him
in the eye and I made sure to contact the local hospitals in case someone came
in with an eye injury....so I did my job. I did! I can't help it if
the guy didn't go to the hospital?
(Angry) Look, if you're going to point fingers...like that TV reporter....then what about the psychiatrist that let him go? Paroled him! After what he did to that first little girl.(Shudders, then angry again) ....and what about his mother? She let him stay in her place when she knew he wasn't allowed near a park with kids! So if there's blame.....at least be fair about it...that's all I ask.....
(Angry) Look, if you're going to point fingers...like that TV reporter....then what about the psychiatrist that let him go? Paroled him! After what he did to that first little girl.(Shudders, then angry again) ....and what about his mother? She let him stay in her place when she knew he wasn't allowed near a park with kids! So if there's blame.....at least be fair about it...that's all I ask.....
(She sighs heavily, turns to leave then stops, looks back)
Guilty. Am I guilty as charged?
Maybe....of cheating on a test, but this? I don't know.....this time, I
just don't know where the fault lines are…..
(She walks
offstage. Not the end of....guilt)
--------------------------------------
Janet S. Tiger
858-736-6315
Member Dramatists
Guild since 1983
Playwright-in-Residence
Swedenborg Hall
2006-8
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