Welcome to Monologue Mania- one new free* monologue a day- -and still going!
What did I do?
(He hangs his head and shakes it. Then takes out something from his pocket)
This is my son today......
(He holds out a photo)
He's 40 years old, and he is forever ten.....but he has many friends...... and I have......no regrets...
(He stands up straight and exits. The end.)
(This has two actors, both in their 70s. Laura is sitting, reading, when Amy enters.)
AMY - Laura? It's me, Amy.
(Laura puts down the book and looks at Amy, not recognizing her)
LAURA - Hello. Are you the new nurse?
AMY - It's Amy, and I have a new idea for this week.......
LAURA - Is it lunchtime? I think I'm hungry.
AMY - I believe lunch is over for today. We speak every day, Laura, and on the phone, you seem to remember my voice.....so that's why I brought you this....
(She hands Laura a phone, Laura looks at it, shakes her head)
LAURA - I can't use one of these, they call it a smart phone, but I'm not so smart anymore....
AMY - That's OK, if you hold it and turn this way.....
(She puts the phone to Laura's ear, and turns her away from Amy, as they speak, Amy stays away from Laura's field of vision)
AMY- Ring, ring
LAURA - Hello?
AMY - Hi, Laura, it's me, Amy....
LAURA - Hi, Amy, good to hear your voice!
AMY - Good to hear your voice, how are you today?
LAURA - Not too bad, I'm reading a good book.
AMY - Do you remember the name?
LAURA - Rebecca - I think I might have read it before, but it doesn't matter, I don't remember the end. Actually, I don't remember most of it. Did you ever read it?
AMY - Yes, I did. It's good.
LAURA - How are you doing? How're the kids?
AMY - Jesse's fine and the new grand baby's getting through the night...
LAURA - That's a blessing! My kids are around here somewhere.....but now that they're teenagers, I just worry about them coming home at night!
AMY - (Sighs) That can be a problem.....
LAURA - Hey, I got a letter the other day, from that girl we knew back in 6th grade, you know the bully?
AMY - Geraldine?
LAURA - That was it! Oh, was she mean!
AMY - Remember how she used to torment you?
LAURA - You had to go home early, and she would wait until you left, and then she would get her friends and they would surround me..... and they would stamp their feet and sometimes even pull my hair! And then one day....
AMY - You couldn't take it any more.....
LAURA - And I started punching her, hard!
AMY - Right in the stomach...
LAURA - Right in the stomach! And she just fell over and the other girls got scared and called for a teacher, and Geraldine had to go to the hospital! It was one of the best days of my life!
AMY - And then....
LAURA - Then she wanted to be friends! And you didn't want to be friends, but after awhile, you saw she wasn't so bad, and we stayed friends until now.....except, she doesn't call me anymore, like you call, every day.....
AMY - She doesn't call because she died three years ago, Laura....a massive heart attack on her 75th birthday. What a present!
LAURA - Oh, I forgot that part. I like to forget the unpleasant things....
AMY - That's the best way.....
(Laura suddenly turns to see Amy and is surprised)
LAURA - Oops, I can't talk anymore, there's someone here. Someone is always coming in to check on me, it drives me crazy! We can talk more tomorrow, bye!
(Laura looks at the phone, puts it down, looks at Amy)
LAURA - Who are you? Is it time for lunch?
AMY - Lunch is over, but I thought maybe you'd like to take a walk.
LAURA - That sounds like a good idea.
(Amy takes Laura's elbow and they head out)
LAURA - Are you new here?
AMY - Yes, I am. Every time......
LAURA - You'll like it, the people are nice, and the food is very good. It's almost time for lunch you know....
AMY - What would you like?
LAURA - A new book, I think I've read this one before......
(Laura turns to exit, but Amy runs back to get the phone)
LAURA - Oh, don't forget that! My friend will be calling any minute now. She calls me every day, we went to school together, her name is.....what is her name?
AMY - Amy, her name is Amy.
LAURA - You're right! How did you know?
AMY - Because my name is Amy.
LAURA - What a coincidence! Her name is Amy, too. We went to school together when we were younger.....
AMY - Laura, what if I told you that....I was Amy.....
LAURA - (Laughs) You're so funny! I know I get confused, but you're not Amy!
AMY - How do you know?
LAURA - It's simple - Amy is much younger!
AMY - And how old is that?
LAURA - Oh, that's tough, 26, 27? Same as me! It's so wonderful to have a friend you've known since you were little......
AMY - Yes, I know.......it is a gift......
(Lights dim as the exit.)
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 - 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 - 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 1220!
Get more great award-winning monologues - MonologueZone.com
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Thank you for your comments (below at the very bottom, click where it says comments) - and for liking and sharing this site. (If you have difficulty with leaving a comment or sharing, please email and I will send directions) Wishing you much success!
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Monologue Mania Day # 1221 Father's Daze by Janet S. Tiger (c) June 18, 2017
For my dad - and all fathers on Father's Day - thank you!
Father's Daze
by Janet S. Tiger
(c) June 15, 2014 all rights reserved
tigerteam1@gmail.com
(A man enters, he is in his 70s, but looks good for his age. He is wealthy, the money evident in his clothes, watch, bearing.)
Fatherhood.
They asked me to speak to you all today about a field that I know a very little about. I do have four children, but - as they all will be fast to tell you -that makes me far from an expert.
Money. That I understand.
I have understood money ever since I was a kid.
I earned it, and I invested in my first business - a lemonade stand run by my brothers and sister.
They did the work and paid me back with interest.
That did it for me. No work, just collect the money. I liked that. Now it took me awhile to find out that not every investment returns well - sometimes a sibling borrows, and never returns. But then, if you are wise, you have had a written agreement, and you end up with the sibling's bicycle, and that is worth more than what they owed you, so one way or the other, you come out on top.
(Takes a deep breath)
Money is easy. Children.......not so easy.
I mean, they are a necessity. Without them, no more humans.
So, we breed, and we procreate. But I think the pro is over-rated - at best I am an amateur at being a father.
Decisions. In business, the decision is usually obvious once you do the Ben Franklin list - pros, cons, simple.
My youngest son was born normal. Ten fingers, ten toes. Smiled, cried, walked, talked. Normal.
Until he wasn't anymore, and the doctors told us that he had....(hard to say)....a tumor. In his brain.
It was 30 years ago, chemotherapy was still hit or miss.
And the brain couldn't do the chemo they had then.
So, it was an operation .......where they would (sighs deeply) have to remove a large portion of his brain...his intelligence....the ability to grow past ten years old intellectually.......or, the other alternative...let him die.
Pros.
Cons.
I walked around in a daze for the next week. (Laughs) Father’s Daze. There was no emergency, the doctors told us, we had a bit of time to make, as the lead doctor said- this (says it with scorn) ...this difficult decision.
Difficult.
Difficult is when you have to decide to take on a larger debt in order to finance a new project when you are not sure your contractor can come in under budget.
Difficult is having to decide whether or not you should donate a million dollars to one charity with a purpose close to your heart, or another where the money is better spent because the head takes no salary.
(He takes out something from a pocket)
Impossible is a decision like the one we had to make about Lyle.
(He holds up a photo)
This is Lyle before all the .......trouble.
Handsome little fellow.
(He hangs his head)
My own son. They wanted us to choose.....it nearly destroyed my wife, and our marriage. How do you choose?
And then of course, there is the thought, the hope, the dream that maybe, just maybe the doctors are wrong, that your beautiful child will heal himself, that God will heal him, that time will heal him.....but ....he gets worse, and is in pain.
What would you do?
All the money I have, useless. For all my wealthy friends and connections could give me no solution, no help......what do I do?
And that, my friends, is my Father's Day advice. No matter how hard the choices you have when dealing with your children, there are some that are, without doubt, much worse.
Please keep that in mind when you spend time with your family on Father's Day.
(Turns to go, is walking off, when he hears something.)
(He hangs his head and shakes it. Then takes out something from his pocket)
This is my son today......
(He holds out a photo)
He's 40 years old, and he is forever ten.....but he has many friends...... and I have......no regrets...
(He stands up straight and exits. The end.)
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Inspired after reading an article in the Union-Tribune today -
This was first posted on Day #123 by Janet S. Tiger Father's Daze (c) June 15, 2014
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For those who read yesterday's post -Did a bit of a change on the last few lines - which do you think works better - yesterday's or today's (changes below in blue)
Monologue Mania Day # 1220 It's Good to Hear Your Voice by Janet S. Tiger (c) June 17, 2017
It's Good to Hear Your Voice
(not) a monologue by Janet S. Tiger
tigerteam1@gmail.com
(This has two actors, both in their 70s. Laura is sitting, reading, when Amy enters.)
AMY - Laura? It's me, Amy.
(Laura puts down the book and looks at Amy, not recognizing her)
LAURA - Hello. Are you the new nurse?
AMY - It's Amy, and I have a new idea for this week.......
LAURA - Is it lunchtime? I think I'm hungry.
AMY - I believe lunch is over for today. We speak every day, Laura, and on the phone, you seem to remember my voice.....so that's why I brought you this....
(She hands Laura a phone, Laura looks at it, shakes her head)
LAURA - I can't use one of these, they call it a smart phone, but I'm not so smart anymore....
AMY - That's OK, if you hold it and turn this way.....
(She puts the phone to Laura's ear, and turns her away from Amy, as they speak, Amy stays away from Laura's field of vision)
AMY- Ring, ring
LAURA - Hello?
AMY - Hi, Laura, it's me, Amy....
LAURA - Hi, Amy, good to hear your voice!
AMY - Good to hear your voice, how are you today?
LAURA - Not too bad, I'm reading a good book.
AMY - Do you remember the name?
LAURA - Rebecca - I think I might have read it before, but it doesn't matter, I don't remember the end. Actually, I don't remember most of it. Did you ever read it?
AMY - Yes, I did. It's good.
LAURA - How are you doing? How're the kids?
AMY - Jesse's fine and the new grand baby's getting through the night...
LAURA - That's a blessing! My kids are around here somewhere.....but now that they're teenagers, I just worry about them coming home at night!
AMY - (Sighs) That can be a problem.....
LAURA - Hey, I got a letter the other day, from that girl we knew back in 6th grade, you know the bully?
AMY - Geraldine?
LAURA - That was it! Oh, was she mean!
AMY - Remember how she used to torment you?
LAURA - You had to go home early, and she would wait until you left, and then she would get her friends and they would surround me..... and they would stamp their feet and sometimes even pull my hair! And then one day....
AMY - You couldn't take it any more.....
LAURA - And I started punching her, hard!
AMY - Right in the stomach...
LAURA - Right in the stomach! And she just fell over and the other girls got scared and called for a teacher, and Geraldine had to go to the hospital! It was one of the best days of my life!
AMY - And then....
LAURA - Then she wanted to be friends! And you didn't want to be friends, but after awhile, you saw she wasn't so bad, and we stayed friends until now.....except, she doesn't call me anymore, like you call, every day.....
AMY - She doesn't call because she died three years ago, Laura....a massive heart attack on her 75th birthday. What a present!
LAURA - Oh, I forgot that part. I like to forget the unpleasant things....
AMY - That's the best way.....
(Laura suddenly turns to see Amy and is surprised)
LAURA - Oops, I can't talk anymore, there's someone here. Someone is always coming in to check on me, it drives me crazy! We can talk more tomorrow, bye!
(Laura looks at the phone, puts it down, looks at Amy)
LAURA - Who are you? Is it time for lunch?
AMY - Lunch is over, but I thought maybe you'd like to take a walk.
LAURA - That sounds like a good idea.
(Amy takes Laura's elbow and they head out)
LAURA - Are you new here?
AMY - Yes, I am. Every time......
LAURA - You'll like it, the people are nice, and the food is very good. It's almost time for lunch you know....
AMY - What would you like?
LAURA - A new book, I think I've read this one before......
(Laura turns to exit, but Amy runs back to get the phone)
LAURA - Oh, don't forget that! My friend will be calling any minute now. She calls me every day, we went to school together, her name is.....what is her name?
AMY - Amy, her name is Amy.
LAURA - You're right! How did you know?
AMY - Because my name is Amy.
LAURA - What a coincidence! Her name is Amy, too. We went to school together when we were younger.....
AMY - Laura, what if I told you that....I was Amy.....
LAURA - (Laughs) You're so funny! I know I get confused, but you're not Amy!
AMY - How do you know?
LAURA - It's simple - Amy is much younger!
AMY - And how old is that?
LAURA - Oh, that's tough, 26, 27? Same as me! It's so wonderful to have a friend you've known since you were little......
AMY - Yes, I know.......it is a gift......
(Lights dim as the exit.)
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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
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Janet S. Tiger 858-736-6315 CaregiversAnon.org
Member Dramatists Guild since 1983
Playwright-in-Residence
Swedenborg Hall 2006-8
1 comment:
You amaze me!
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