Friday, July 31, 2015

Monologue Mania Day #534 Intro (for Crime) by Janet S. Tiger July 31, 2015

Welcome to Monologue Mania- one new free monologue a day- for a whole year-and still going!
                                                                    first year -  Feb. 13, 2014 - Feb. 13, 2015
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Monologue Mania Day #534   by Janet S. Tiger  July 31, 2015

      This is the intro to Day # 190 and 193 - Value
Other Crime monologues are on  Days 171-2, 219 - 223, 239, 320, 393, 409

                                  Intro
                                                 (for Crime)
               (Not really) A monologue by Janet S. Tiger   © all rights reserved                                                                                              tigerteam1@gmail.com
                  (The detective stands and looks at the crowd)

DETECTIVE - Murder, suicide, mayhem, death, accidents of every variety, rape, battery, assault, robbery, theft, vandalism.....I've seen them all.  Truth.  After looking at a lot of dead bodies, I guess you start to doubt.  And you start to wonder does anyone tell the truth.  The whole truth.....nothing but the truth.

I remember the first day we met.  It was a neighborhood you don't usually go to for a questionable death.....middle class, trimmed lawns.  But I'd been a detective long enough to learn death is a virus that can strike in any place, so when I arrived, I did what I usually did.  I parked off to one side, and I took a look at the crowd.  There's always a crowd.  People come like vultures when there's a death....or maybe flies to rotting meat.....who died?  Who did it?  Our neighborhood is no longer safe......there is gossip and worry, and, very often, if there is a killer, the killer is in that crowd.

So I watch. Who is standing to one side?  Who looks uncomfortable?  Who is very excited by all the excitement - and is anyone crying?  If someone is crying that tells me the dead person was loved by someone.  That's important to know.  Because often, we kill the ones we love.

And as I'm getting out of the car, along comes a lady.....

          (He indicates a woman in the audience, who comes up onstage)

She walks right up to me and says,

ERICA- Are you the detective on the case?  Or is he inside already?

DETECTIVE - 'Why would you ask me that?'

ERICA - Because you're not from this neighborhood - I know everyone here.  And you have on a suit, and.....I'm sorry, I thought you were the detective.......'

DETECTIVE -   I am.  Detective Joe Halton.

ERICA -  Mrs. Erica Walton

DETECTIVE -  So, did you used to work with a police department?

ERICA -  (Laughs)  Not exactly.  I was an archaeologist when I got married....so I've seen a lot of dead bodies......

DETECTIVE -  Did you know the lady inside?

ERICA-  Mrs. De Palma?  Yes.  She was a sweet lady, always gave the children good candy on Halloween.  Nice presents at Christmas.  A nice person.  Her husband died , oh, I think it was three years ago.

DETECTIVE -  Do you know the son?

ERICA -  Ricky?  (She is hesitant)  He's ...got some problems......drugs.....it's been worse since his father died.  Mr. De Palma could keep him in tow, since he died, well.....

DETECTIVE - (Thinks)  Do you have a minute, I'd like you to come inside, take a look around.....

ERICA-  Me?  Why?

DETECTIVE -  I dunno.  Just a feeling.  I've learned to go with my gut.

ERICA -  I suppose.....the kids are my husband.....I didn't think it was a good idea for them to see this....

              (He leads her over and points at the ground)

DETECTIVE -  You're right......if this bothers you....

ERICA -  Not really, it's a little fresher than I usually get, much more flesh.....

            (She looks around, he hands her gloves)

DETECTIVE -  The photos have been taken, you can touch with these.....

             (She kneels, pats the body)

ERICA -  She was a nice lady....

DETECTIVE -  Do you think....the son could've done this?

ERICA -  Oh, no, not at all.

DETECTIVE -  Really?

ERICA -  Well, she was hit from behind, and, my instinct tells me that, if he hurt his mother, it would have been in a rage, fueled by the drugs.  Face to face, he would hit or push.....and, it looks like the killer took money from her purse, am I right?

DETECTIVE -  Looks like it.

ERICA -  I think -  if he'd killed her -Ricky would have been too upset to think about money.  And if he took money, he'd have no need to kill her.  He did love his mother.  He may have hurt her in a fit of passion - which I doubt, too - but never from behind, and never to rob after.  No, I would imagine this was one of his meth head friends, and the friend will not care if Ricky gets the blame.....

DETECTIVE -  What if Ricky has confessed?

ERICA -  Then it was tricked out of him, he was never too bright, and the drugs helped his IQ......no, if he confesses, he's just feeling guilty, and he knows who did it, when he sobers up, he'll remember....

           (He watches as she goes to sit, he faces the audience again)

DETECTIVE -  Iit was good I'd talked to her, because Ricky had confessed, and if she hadn't explained, Ricky would've ended up in prison.....but because of her, we got the right guy.  That time.  But one time is all we have.  Each case is its own horror story for the family and friends.  You get it right, and.....it feels good.

So that's how an archaeologist got to be a police consultant.....and how I got a friend that has helped me figure out some very tough cases. So, with that very long introduction, may I present...Mrs. Erica Walton......

       (She comes onstage and they hug.  He turns to exit the stage, stops, looks back)

Why did I ask a housewife with no CSI experience to come into a crime scene?  Because the truth is - in all the years - before and since - she was the only who came up and knew I was the detective.

       (Spotlight switches to her, end of scene)
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Janet S. Tiger    858-736-6315
www.JanetSTiger.weebly.com
Member Dramatists Guild since 1983
Playwright-in-Residence
Swedenborg Hall 2006-8
 

1 comment:

Jennifer Silva Redmond said...

I could really see this one...very visual.