first year - Feb. 13, 2014 - Feb. 12, 2015 second year - Feb. 13, 2015 - Feb. 12, 2016 third year - Feb. 13, 2016 - today! *********
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.
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.
If you just started this blog and want to read the earlier monologues- for a list of the titles and blurbs from each day, click here There are now over 960!
Get more great award-winning monologues - MonologueZone.com
Get more great award-winning monologues - MonologueZone.com
If you'd like to write your own monologues, I happen to have a book for that -
Thank you for your comments - and for liking and sharing this site. Wishing you much success!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monologue Mania Day #985 Hesitation by Janet S. Tiger (c) Oct. 24, 2016
Hesitation
Hesitation
a
monologue ....or not....by Janet S. Tiger
tigerteam1@gmail.com
© all rights
reserved March 19, 2009
This
monologue is designed for one actor – but it can be done with two. To differentiate the two characters when
they are played by a solo actor, suggest using a visual cue – a different hat,
jacket, something easy to change as you turn, because that is how fast the
change must be. If done with two actors,
the second actor will be behind the first and as the first turns, the second
comes forward, almost like a revolving door.
(The
young man comes onstage, starts by looking down at the floor, then slowly up,
almost as if to look at himself in a mirror)
I
always thought of myself as an honest guy.
When I was a kid, there used to be this ice cream truck that would come
around every day, and all the people on the beach would circle it like it was
the last chance for food before the big cattle drive! I used to watch these people push and shove. Most days, I couldn’t afford the ice cream,
but one day, I had the quarter, and I was waiting my turn and there was this
old guy and you could see he was never gonna get that ice cream – he was too
small, and too weak.
So,
I went over to him and asked if he wanted me to go up and get him the ice
cream. I’ll never forget his face, he
was so grateful. He gave me the quarter
and I pushed my way into the crowd. Even
though I was just a kid, I could do it.
And when I got there, there was only one ice cream left and I put out my
quarter and the ice cream guy – who liked me – gave me the last one.
And
I took it back to the old guy and he tried to give me a tip, but I said ‘no,
that’s okay.’ And even though I didn’t
get any ice cream that day, I really felt good.
It’s
easy being honest when it’s a quarter -
or when someone drops a fiver and you pick it up and say, ‘hey, buddy’ and you
give it back and they flash you a smile.
But
what if you have a chance for a lot of money….then it’s different…..
Mrs.
Davisen was a really crotchety old lady, but to me, she was nice. I think because I always had my counter very
neat and she liked neat. And I never
yelled at her because she couldn’t hear, I would just lean closer, like my
great-aunt Molly taught me to do cause she was pretty deaf.
And
she started to bring me stuff for the tellers – like really awful fruitcake at
Christmas. And some red, white and blue
licorice on the 4th of July.
Every
week she would come in with deposits – checks, and once every month, she would take out cash to pay everyone who
worked for her.
I
would put the cash into envelopes she would bring, and I don’t know, it was a
busy day, and she was rushing and I don’t know, one of the envelopes with $5000
was in her hands and I said goodbye and she walked out and when I turned back,
the envelope was stuck in the side of the window.
(He
illustrates by reaching out his hand)
and
it was enough money to help my brother.
He’d lost his job and he had two kids….and it was enough to make a
difference!
And
it wasn’t the same as someone dropping a fiver – she had plenty of money….and
so I hesitated….
(At
this, he turns around and he is himself – only different. Hat off, jacket collar up, whatever it needs
to see that he is a changed man.)
And
everyone know that he who hesitates….is lost.
So I made the decision….(he looks around) …the video cameras don’t cover that angle,
and I just….(shows us) ….scooped up the
envelope with the other trash –I like a clean counter!……and it was mine……
(As
if to a bank manager) Oh, no, Ms. Wharburg, I counted very carefully and
she had all the envelopes before she left – you can check on the cameras…..(to
the audience) and they did, and they
went through my bank account. But I was
smart. I had to be careful because I’d
never done anything like this before, and I knew that I couldn’t give it to my
brother right away….so I didn’t….I gave him some money to keep him going,
and
Mrs. Davisen kept coming in and ….it was difficult, and I don’t know if she
suspected me ever, but I was different….
(He turns around and is the
other ‘him’)
…and
I hesitated for just a moment – all I remember thinking – my whole life could
be different. That moment is frozen in
my head… and then….I called the bank manager, and we ran out after her and
showed her the envelope and she didn’t react much, said thank you..…and I got a
reward – 50 bucks…..and she brought me my own fruitcake…
I
wondered how things would have been if I had just kept my mouth closed. Kept the money. My brother and his family wouldn’t have been
kicked out of his apartment, and had to come live with me…
But
in some ways, that wasn’t so bad. I got
to know my nieces and nephews, and while their parents were working, I helped
them with their homework. And I liked
telling them the story about Mrs. Davisen.
They thought I was a hero, not an idiot. When I saw it through their eyes, I was a
good guy.
I
never told them about that moment of hesitation.
(He turns and is the other ‘him’)
I
helped my brother, and I always wondered if he knew what I did. Never told them about Mrs. Davisen and the
missing money, but he used to look at me different, I think. I don’t know. That moment changed my whole life.
I
quit the teller job after that. I
thought everyone was staring at me.
They probably weren’t, but that’s the way it felt. And I moved away. I wanted a chance to start over. So I picked a place in another state – where
no one knew me. Funny thing was, it
felt like everyone knew, so I just kept to myself.
And
when anyone tried to get to know me, I would move. Now I didn’t hurt anyone – Mrs. Davisen had
lots of money. That five grand – what
did it mean to her?
(He turns and the other ‘him’ is back)
The
funny thing is, I felt guilty even though I never took anything. But Mrs. Davisen was still nice to me. And one day she actually invited me to her
house. I checked with the bank manager,
and she said ok, so I went. Mrs. D
lived in this big old house, and she had her servants bring out like 57
varieties of fruitcake…..and most of her friends were pretty old,
too….(grinning) But Mrs. D had something
else, too, she had this beautiful granddaughter (smiling) ….and I felt a little
weird, but we started dating……
(Smiles as he turns, when the other
‘him’ comes forward,
scowling)
That moment is frozen in my brain. I see the envelope and I wonder what would
have happened in my life if I hadn’t kept that money – if I hadn’t hesitated.
We
think our lives are made of these big, giant events, like wars and earthquakes,
but now I believe that it’s made of moments that are small – very small. And we barely notice them, until years
later….when we’re alone and we wonder how things would have had a different
path, a different ending……Like snow, when it first starts, you barely pay
attention, but then, it gets really heavy.
I thought I had enough firewood.
(He turns and the other ‘him’ is back)
And
so I married Mrs. Davisen’s granddaughter, and Mrs. D gave me a job managing
her money. Before she passed on, she
talked to me, and I found out….(hard to think about this) ….that she had left the envelope on
purpose…..
(The other him is back around)
I
think maybe I didn’t have enough firewood on purpose….I mean I knew it was
gonna be a big storm….I went outside to cut some more….maybe I was looking for
trouble…..I got disoriented, and I couldn’t get back to my house……or maybe, I
was just tired of being me….
(He turns around to become the other
‘him’)
And
she had done that to see if I was worthy of her granddaughter – and her
family. She said she’d been watching me
for awhile….she wanted to know if I would do the right thing, even if it was
hard to do…..
Who
am I – the man who hesitated and then did the right thing?
(He
doesn’t turn now, but takes the hat/jacket and is both men at once.)
Or
the man who hesitated and did the wrong thing?
Can we live with ourselves when we make mistakes – can we live with
ourselves when do what we think is right?
So
perhaps, that moment of hesitation wasn’t so bad – maybe life is just a moment
of hesitation before we die…..or maybe- he who hesitates is found….
(He
takes the hat and throws it into the audience, then exits.)
The
end.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
Janet S. Tiger 858-736-6315 CaregiversAnon.org
JanetSTigerMonologueMania.blogspot.com
Member Dramatists Guild since 1983
Playwright-in-Residence
Swedenborg Hall 2006-8
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 comment:
Wonderful!
Post a Comment