Monologue Mania Day #523 The Promise (from Promises Kept) by Janet S. Tiger July 20, 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 #523  The Promise (from Promises Kept) by Janet S. Tiger  July 20, 2015

        The first monologue from this one-act is below-  
                              
                                                     The Promise

                                    A monologue by Janet S. Tiger   © all rights reserved 2015                                                                                             tigerteam1@gmail.com

             (The man speaking is Franz Kafka, his friend is Max Brod.  It is the year before Kafka dies, and Kafka is suffering from tuberculosis of the throat, so he is in pain, and very thin.)

Thank you for your concern, my friend, but I cannot eat any more.  It's not that I am not hungry, I am hungry all the time.  But the pain of eating is so intense, I can barely drink anymore, let alone consider a meal involving any type of food that is not pureed.

But that is not why I wanted to see you.  I have something to ask you....a promise that I need you to make.....before I die.  Because I will die.  What day, I do not know, but the new year will not see my face in it.

Here....

            (He hands a suitcase to the other man)

These are the pieces I have worked on recently......I give them to you with the request, that....upon my death....you will burn them.

           (He waves the other man back)

Everything I leave behind me ... in the way of diaries, manuscripts, letters (my own and others'), sketches, and so on, is to be burned unread......(getting upset) do not argue!  Not now!  I have no strength to fight!  I must keep writing....until the end.  So I cannot be distracted with worries...the worries that my work will fall into the hands of those who would read it, analyze it....distort it.

I need to hear you promise.......

           (Listens, sighs)

 All right, I trust you.....to do the right thing......and I will be watching.....from wherever I go.

           (Turns to leave, stops, looks back)

Because even though I do not believe in God....there is always the chance I could be wrong....

           (Lights spot o them and freeze.  End of scene)

          
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Below is the monologue from
May 22, 2014 Day #99 by Janet S. Tiger  Promises Kept Monologue Mania
                                         Promises Kept     ©                                                    
                                   (from a one-act of the same name)                                         
                                                  by Janet S. Tiger                                                                                                                         (c) May 22, 2014     all rights reserved                                                                                                                     tigerteam1@gmail.com

            (A middle-aged man enters, holding a suitcase close to his chest.  He is slightly bent      over, and is dressed in a suit indicating the 1930s.  He is agitated, but trying to control           this.  He speaks with a slight European accent.)

Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.  I am only in New York City for a few days, but this suitcase is very important.

You see, it is part of a legacy, and I know the world is about to be engulfed in flames soon – I left the fire before it consumed me, you see – but these papers should never be destroyed.

            (Listens, thinks, answers slowly at first)

People ask strange things of others, especially when they feel death is near.  Tell me, does the knowledge of imminent demise endow the person dying with the right to ask others for things that are wrong?  Either legally….or, in this case, artistically?
(Getting animated) But what if he had asked me to kill someone?  Should I have done that?  Just because he was dying, unable to think clearly anymore…..not that he thought clearly when he was not sick, but you know what I mean!   
    
                (Opens the suitcase, shows some of the papers.)

Yes, that is correct.  The papers were part of the estate of my friend.  And yes, he asked me to destroy them.  (Gets very upset)  But I cannot destroy art!  It is a sin!  And even though he asked me to do this, even though it was a deathbed request, he also knew I would not do it, as I told him so…..he could have changed me for another executor, but he did not, so I feel, in my heart, he did not want these to be burned.  

And that is why I am here today.  To have you promise that these will be published properly, for I know your reputation, and I  believe you.

            (Listens)

Of course I trust you!  As I trust myself!

            (Listens)

Oh, but I did keep my promise to Franz!  He asked me to promise to burn his papers – but I never promised to burn his papers –I promised to do the right thing.
And so I ask you to do the same.  I thank you, and I must go, as there is much to do before I leave your city.  Here…..

            (Leaves the briefcase, turns to go, looks back, smiles)

In case you have some strange need to keep a promise I never made…don’t worry,.I made copies…             

     (He exits, end of scene.  This one-act is based on Max Brod, who saved the writing of Franz Kafka from burning after Kafka's death)