Saturday, July 30, 2016

Monologue Mania Day #899 When Does the Day Begin? (revised for Caregivers Anonymous) by Janet S. Tiger (c) July 30, 2016

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Monologue Mania Day #899 When Does the Day Begin?  (revised for Caregivers Anonymous) by Janet S. Tiger (c) July 30,  2016

   For more monologues and scenes from CAREGIVERS ANONYMOUS, please see Days # 268  
 270,  271 ,273  284   285286 314, 317   380  412  444  454, 455456,   473  474  475, 476, 483  484   513 514  566  566  569  666  - 692  - 702  - 714  777   778  782 - 783  797  802  812  820  874  -881 -889, 893 and today's, 894

As I write Caregivers Anonymous, I have to do assorted monologues on characters who may or may not be in this version of the show.  This monologue is revised - the original post is below.  I think I can cut it more, but it will depend on where it is in the play.

 There is now a website for this play  .....CaregiversAnon.org

                            

                                                When Does the Day Begin?
                                                              (for Caregivers Anonymous)
                                                        by Janet S. Tiger  (c) 2015 all rights 
                                                                                      tigerteam1@gmail.com

         (The woman stands up, comes to the center of the stage, looks around)

You're right, I haven't talked in awhile.  Perhaps...I have nothing left to say?

          (She laughs and the others join in)

Okay, you don't have to laugh that hard! 

Whoo...what's happened since I last spoke?  Oh, my Uncle Ted is going into a home......that is new.  Of course, it could a year...and in a year, who knows?  Maybe he will get better....

           (She laughs)

I told you, you don't have to not laugh that hard!   Yeah, I have to go through the VA - what a joy!  First the people go through war, then they get old and go through hell.....am not sure which is worse.

Now everyone here knows, right?  That one of the signs for dementia and Alzheimers is not knowing what day it is.....but here's my question - what happens when you don't know WHEN the day begins?

..caregiving......24/7 means, there is no start..... or end ....to the day.

(Smiles, remembering)  After the kids went to college, before Uncle Ted moved in....and started declining.....boy I hate that term!.....before.....I had a fantastic job at....don't laugh!....Walmart.  I was a....greeter.  

I got there and punched in, and the job started.  I had specific breaks, and a whole half hour, uninterrupted!...for lunch!  It was like....a miracle job!

And, at the end of the day, I clocked out, and went home, and the job was off my mind until I clocked in again!  It was ....bliss!  
I loved it!  I had a demarcated job!
  No midnight calls, no midnight falls and trips to the hospital at 3 am......and every day, when I woke up, I knew that's when the day started.

Don't get me wrong, my Uncle Ted was always good to me.  He taught me how to play baseball when I was a kid, and when he moved to town, to be near me when my Aunt Muriel passed, he bought a van for me, to help out, with the kids, and it could carry his walker to start, then his.....wheelchair.

I used to remember when the others would complain about Walmart, and, I know, they had things to complain about, but all I know is, I wish....I wish I could work there again.....I wish....I could know, when the day begins......

          (She sits down.  Spot on her, then blackout.  End of scene)



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Original Post

            Monologue Mania Day # 412  by Janet S. Tiger When Does the Day Begin  March 31, 2015

                                                When Does the Day Begin?
                                                              (for Caregivers Anonymous)
                                                        by Janet S. Tiger  (c) 2015 all rights 
                                                     tigerteam1@gmail.com

         (The woman stands up, comes to the center of the stage, looks around)

You're right, I haven't talked in awhile.  Perhaps...I have nothing left to say?

          (She laughs and the others join in)

Okay, you don't have to laugh that hard! 

Whoo...what's happened since I last spoke?  Oh, my Uncle Ted is going into a home......that is new.  Of course, it could a year...and in a year, who knows?  Maybe he will get better....

           (She laughs)

I told you, you don't have to not laugh that hard!   Yeah, I have to go through the VA - what a joy!  First the people go through war, then they get old and go through hell.....am not sure which is worse.

Here's the funny thing, I realized that...everyone knows, right?  That one of the signs for dementia and Alzheimers is not knowing what day it is.....but here's my question - what happens when you don't know WHEN the day begins?

Sometimes people talk to me, and they find out I'm caring for someone with Alzheimers and I can see it on their face, that horror.  Some know from experience.....others just know.  But the thing they don't understand unless they've been through it is.....24/7 means, there is no start..... or end ....to the day.

(Smiles, remembering)  After the kids went to college, before Uncle Ted moved in....and started declining.....boy I hate that term!.....before.....I got a fantastic job at....don't laugh!....Walmart.  I was a....greeter.  People felt sorry for me at that job, too, but I loved it!  I had a demarcated job!

I got there and punched in, and the job started.  I had specific breaks, and a whole half hour, uninterrupted!...for lunch!  It was like....a miracle job!

And, at the end of the day, I clocked out, and went home, and the job was off my mind until I clocked in again!  It was ....bliss!

No one called me to ask my opinion on the color of the carts, and no one asked why I hadn't purchased the right crackers for Ted.....why I was late, or early, or what I was doing......and every day, when I woke up, I knew that's when the day started.  No midnight calls, no midnight falls and trips to the hospital at 3 am......

Don't get me wrong, my Uncle Ted was always good to me.  He taught me how to play baseball when I was a kid, and when he moved to town, to be near me when Aunt Muriel passed, he bought a van for me, to help out, with the kids, and it could carry his walker to start, then his.....wheelchair.

I used to remember when the others would complain about Walmart, and, I know, they had things to complain about, but all I know is, I wish....I wish I could work there again.....I wish....I could know, when the day begins......

          (She sits down.  Spot on her, then blackout.  End of scene)

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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
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