Thursday, August 24, 2017

Monologue Mania Day # 1288 Until by Janet S. Tiger (c) Aug. 24, 2017

Welcome to Monologue Mania- one new free* monologue a day- -and still going!
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Monologue Mania Day # 1288 Until by Janet S. Tiger (c) Aug. 24, 2017          

      
                                                         Until      
                                               by Janet S. Tiger  (c) 2014 all rights reserved 
                                                             tigerteam1@gmail.com
                                 

            (A woman comes out onstage.  She is sweeping and she is cheerful – her age is unimportant, but it is clear that she is no longer young.)

(Happy)  I’m having such a good time!

My mother used to tell me that you have to get something done before you can play.  Her exact words….(imitates a mother, but not harsh)  ‘Sue Ellen Wilkins and Harold Jonathan Wilkins, you may not go and play UNTIL you have finished your chores’

And I would have to make my bed, and either wash the dishes or sweep the floor.

I hated washing the dishes, so I would switch with my younger brother, Harold, and I would sweep and he would wash and we would talk a bit until we were both done, and then we could run out and he would play ball with his friends, and I would go to my best friend Sally Ormand’s house and we would play with her dolls for hours, until it was time for dinner.

And then, after dinner, (imitates mother’s voice) ‘No dessert UNTIL we finish cleaning up!’

It was a very simple thing I learned.

And so I sweep.

I also learned that if I did the same thing with all the parts of my life, my life was also simpler.

            (With each upcoming idea, she will make a new ‘sweep.’)

I would not feel that I was ready for the test until I had gotten an A.  And I was not happy until Edward Carruthers asked me to marry him, and then I would not feel secure until escrow closed and we had the house.  And I would not feel fully successful until the children were in school.

And I would worry until they had graduated from college, and gotten married, and I would not rest until I had taken care of Edward, and he was all healed…..(quieter) or buried….. and -of course -all the dishes put away.

And I would not feel that everything was all right until I got all my affairs in order before I died.

(Happier again)  And now, I know that I will not be ready to go back to earth until I have finished cleaning this big mess up here in Heaven, because, even though they say things are beautiful, and …..

            (She looks up)

I am not complaining, God, just commenting!  Because it is truly beautiful here, but someone has to pick up after all those angels!  And I actually found out, that when I have an ‘until’ – I am most happy – and since I had a whole lifetime of ‘untils’ – I was really happy for every day of my life.

            (She looks around, takes a deep breath and smiles, taps her broom on the floor)

So, please – (shaking a finger at the audience)  PLEASE - don’t trek in any of those clouds here, please, I just swept!  And, until it’s all cleaned up, UNTIL it’s absolutely spotless, I will be watching you!

            (She smiles and waves, sweeping off the stage, we hear her humming…..’Happy trails to you, UNTIL we meet again….. The end.)


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First posted Apr. 30, 2014 Day #77   Until
And for those wondering why - after 1288 days! - I am still writing these monologues (and revising the old ones)..... using the above monologue here's the answer.....I'm going to keep doing this UNTIL I don't want to anymore!  Thanks for reading and commenting and sharing!
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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:

Jennifer Silva Redmond said...

And I won't stop reading them UNTIL you stop writing them!