So I posted a scene and a monologue I wrote for my theatre class and I kinda like where it is going. A part of my new years resolution is to write as much as I can, whether is daily journaling or even writing an entire play. So I decided to continue the build on the character I introduced a few posts ago. So here it goes... (F.Y.I the writing below is all from the top of my head...just pure spontaneous writing...)
to follow this scene, refer to the posts: Creative Works in Progress and Creative Works in Progress Continued. Suggestions are welcome!
The Dugout Act 1 Scene 1
Coach: You're going to stay in this dugout forever unless you don't protect your head. I'm not sending you out there unless your keep a better eye on the ball and you put your darn helmet on! You're lucky you just got a little bump on your head last inning, you could of came back to the dugout as a looney. So from now on you watch that head of yours, ya hear?!
Boy: Yes coach. How soon until I can play?
Coach: Not till the next game.
Boy:Aww, man, please!!
Coach: No I think we will just keep ya here...
Boy: For how much longer?
Crowd cheers as Boy's teammate hits a homerun and wins the game.
coach runs out of dugout to congratulate the kids. Boy sits in dugout, puzzled. Boy collects his gear and heads out of dugout to meet his parents. Parents notice the boy's disappointment.
Mother: Sorry, honey, about not getting to play. (hugs him, pause) Are you crazy or something?! Where was your helmet?! Do you know how much that stupid piece of plastic cost me?! (pause) There will be other baseball games, how about you phone up some of the other boys, maybe you all can play this weekend...just for fun.
Father: Yeah phone up the others, because you won't be playing for while...
Boy: What?! What do you mean?!
Father: You didn't tell him?
Mother: No, I thought you told him.
Father: Well, I obviously didn't. (notices the concern on his son's face) Great. He's going to cry.
Boy: Daddy, what are you talking about?
Mother: We're moving in a week son.
Boy: What?! No!! Thats when the last game of the season is!
Father: Too bad, we're leaving whether you like it or not.
Boy: You guys lied to me. There won't be another game! I hate you!
Father: Woah, watch your words buddy. We're just trying to help you. I mean you don't have the best hand-eye coordination out there, we are just trying to protect you. You've been hit so many times in the head and we wouldn't want you to become a looney.
Boy: I'm not a looney! (screams) Now I'm never going to be a professional baseball player, like Babe Ruth! I hate you both! (storms offstage)
Father: Whatever, we hate you too, you idiot!
Mother: Hey don't talk to him like that!
Father: What? He's not the brightest star in the galaxy and he should know. You wouldn't want the boy to live his life thinkin' he's the next best professional athlete when he's really just the next village idiot.
Mother: But do you really have to say in to his face?
Father: Yes, or else I'd be lying to the poor fellow.
Mother: Ugh, this family...is just so...
Father: Fucked up?
Mother: Excuse you!
Father: Well Its the truth.
Mother: You're fucked up!
Father: Right back at cha sweetheart! (opens a bottle of beer)
Mother: I can't stand you! I can't stand the boy! I can't stand this house, this town! ahHHH!
Father: Well, thats life for you...
Mother: Life is a piece of shit. (smokes a cigarette outside)
Father: Sometimes I wish I could be knocked on the head like that dumb boy.
Mother: (after finishing one cigarette, realizes there aren't anymore) Dammit!! Where are the cigs?! Have you been taking my cigs!?
Father: No, you dumb whore.
Mother: Shut the fuck up, you piece of shit.
(father storms off)
Boy: Mom, whats for dinner? I'm hungry.
Mother: I don't know! I don't care! Go make yourself your own damn dinner you piece of shit!
Boy (tears up and scurries off to side)
Mother: I hate this house! I hate him! I hate them! Fuck dinners! throws plates at the walls, fuck laundry! Fuck!!!!
Blackout on Mother. Spotlight on boy.
Boy: I hate my life. Maybe the dugout isn't such a bad place afterall. I mean its cozy and its the closest thing I'll ever get to the field.
Blackout.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
2010: My metamorphosis. 2011: My time to fly
Well, we made it past another year. Hooray! :D This new years in particular, I am reminded of the most prominent theme of my academic career: seeing life as both a creative and destructive entity. As this year is ending, a new one is beginning. I used to be bothered by life's dynamic rhythm, but my high school English teacher, the most influential and inspiring person in my life, taught me how to enjoy, rather than fight, the waves life throws at me.
Unlike most Americans, I was not at a racy new years party. I don't believe that you need to spend new years eve drinking till you pass out. New years eve should be a time of deep reflection and reminiscing. You can't exactly look back at the year if you are deeply intoxicated. Tonight, I stayed home with my dad; we played ping pong and watched our favorite movies. It reminded me of all the many other times I've stayed with him. As soon as he went off to bed, I thought about the year 2010. I thought about the people I've met, the places I've been, the challenges I've overcome,the success I've achieved and what I've learned from all the good and bad experiences I've had in three-hundred and sixty five days.
Luckily, I have kept a pretty extensive journal over the years. One glance at my journal and I was sent back to myself a year ago. I re-lived all of the emotions I felt as a senior in high school. I felt the stress, the fear, the confusion, and the anxiousness, and the happiness. I felt my impatience to get out of my small town, but also the fear of leaving it. I felt the stress of school work and college applications, but also the joy of acceptances and the happiness of friends and family. This is why I love journaling; it allows me to instantly return to past feelings and emotions. It is the closest thing humanity has to time traveling. If you want to time travel, well at least to the past, grab a pen/pencil and paper and start writing!
As I was looking back at my journal and I realized just how much I have progressed. When I glanced in the journal I re-visited a anxiety and stress prone seventeen year old. My journal entries were scribbled with my school fears: failing AP tests, not finishing papers in time, relationships, college rejections, tennis competitions etc. I always seemed to have something to rant about.Looking back at those entries, I feel silly for worrying about trivial things. I really had no reason to worry about those things. In the end I always achieved success: I scored 3 and 4's on my AP exams, I earned high grades on my papers, I dealt with relationships the best that I could, I was accepted to all of my colleges and am very satisfied with the one I am attending, and I did just fine at my tennis tournaments. I was a bit of a worry wart.
Now, I am journaling as more aware and relaxed eighteen year old college freshman. I realized I have no reason to constantly stress about school work. There are bigger problems in the world. There are bigger things I can be worried about. I proved to myself that school work and activities should not be something I have to worry about.
April 24, 2010 was the start of a more aware me. On that day, my car and another collided head on and I was plummeted into major revelation. On that day I was inches to death. After that moment, I realized that my school stress was pointless. It is silly for me to stress about a paper, when life itself is so fragile. After talking to my English teacher and engaging in deep contemplation, I vowed to fully live my life, and stop wasting my life away, rotting in pointless fear of failure. Perfection is impossible. It took a car crash for me to realize that simple truth. Life is never-ending roller coaster. There are going to be many high and low points. The key is to enjoy the ride, no matter how bumpy. With each bump, you have the opportunity to learn something new.
After reflecting on 2010, I have decided that during the year of 2011 and years to come, my main goal is to simply live. I plan on living each frame of life to the fullest. I want to be open to change and embrace new and different experiences. During future experiences, I plan on listening to my body, mind and soul, by deeply feeling every emotion and sensation in my heart and in my body. Once I have felt the variety of feelings my body produces, I will record it in my journal or on this blog. I will treat my body with respect by living a stress-free and healthy lifestyle, full exercise and meditation. Ultimately, my goal for 2011 is to enjoy my time at college and learn as much as can. I will open my perception to a wide range of possibilities and ideas in order to see the rainbow that life is.
Happy New Years Everyone! Hope you all have a wonderful year! 2011! My year of awareness and love. Peace, Happiness and Love to you all!
Unlike most Americans, I was not at a racy new years party. I don't believe that you need to spend new years eve drinking till you pass out. New years eve should be a time of deep reflection and reminiscing. You can't exactly look back at the year if you are deeply intoxicated. Tonight, I stayed home with my dad; we played ping pong and watched our favorite movies. It reminded me of all the many other times I've stayed with him. As soon as he went off to bed, I thought about the year 2010. I thought about the people I've met, the places I've been, the challenges I've overcome,the success I've achieved and what I've learned from all the good and bad experiences I've had in three-hundred and sixty five days.
Luckily, I have kept a pretty extensive journal over the years. One glance at my journal and I was sent back to myself a year ago. I re-lived all of the emotions I felt as a senior in high school. I felt the stress, the fear, the confusion, and the anxiousness, and the happiness. I felt my impatience to get out of my small town, but also the fear of leaving it. I felt the stress of school work and college applications, but also the joy of acceptances and the happiness of friends and family. This is why I love journaling; it allows me to instantly return to past feelings and emotions. It is the closest thing humanity has to time traveling. If you want to time travel, well at least to the past, grab a pen/pencil and paper and start writing!
As I was looking back at my journal and I realized just how much I have progressed. When I glanced in the journal I re-visited a anxiety and stress prone seventeen year old. My journal entries were scribbled with my school fears: failing AP tests, not finishing papers in time, relationships, college rejections, tennis competitions etc. I always seemed to have something to rant about.Looking back at those entries, I feel silly for worrying about trivial things. I really had no reason to worry about those things. In the end I always achieved success: I scored 3 and 4's on my AP exams, I earned high grades on my papers, I dealt with relationships the best that I could, I was accepted to all of my colleges and am very satisfied with the one I am attending, and I did just fine at my tennis tournaments. I was a bit of a worry wart.
Now, I am journaling as more aware and relaxed eighteen year old college freshman. I realized I have no reason to constantly stress about school work. There are bigger problems in the world. There are bigger things I can be worried about. I proved to myself that school work and activities should not be something I have to worry about.
April 24, 2010 was the start of a more aware me. On that day, my car and another collided head on and I was plummeted into major revelation. On that day I was inches to death. After that moment, I realized that my school stress was pointless. It is silly for me to stress about a paper, when life itself is so fragile. After talking to my English teacher and engaging in deep contemplation, I vowed to fully live my life, and stop wasting my life away, rotting in pointless fear of failure. Perfection is impossible. It took a car crash for me to realize that simple truth. Life is never-ending roller coaster. There are going to be many high and low points. The key is to enjoy the ride, no matter how bumpy. With each bump, you have the opportunity to learn something new.
After reflecting on 2010, I have decided that during the year of 2011 and years to come, my main goal is to simply live. I plan on living each frame of life to the fullest. I want to be open to change and embrace new and different experiences. During future experiences, I plan on listening to my body, mind and soul, by deeply feeling every emotion and sensation in my heart and in my body. Once I have felt the variety of feelings my body produces, I will record it in my journal or on this blog. I will treat my body with respect by living a stress-free and healthy lifestyle, full exercise and meditation. Ultimately, my goal for 2011 is to enjoy my time at college and learn as much as can. I will open my perception to a wide range of possibilities and ideas in order to see the rainbow that life is.
Happy New Years Everyone! Hope you all have a wonderful year! 2011! My year of awareness and love. Peace, Happiness and Love to you all!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
A work in progress
So this is a little something that popped in my head while I was at the airport...right now its a play, but it could turn into anything...give me ideas or suggestions please! Thank you!
John: Airports. The thing I hate most in this world. Even the joyous spirit of the holidays can’t overcome the filthy rotten hell hole. Just the smell of airports makes me want to create a perfume bomb just to give airports the explosion of cleanliness it needs. The foul stench of body odor, and grimy surfaces, suffocate my nostrils and clog my lungs. I feel fortunate whenever I reach my destination alive.
If you think this encompasses my hatred, think again. This is just the beginning.
My hatred for airports runs much deeper than unpleasant smells. The real odors airports give off are hypocrisy and ignorance. Our country claims to root itself in the ground of liberty, but this ‘guaranteed’ freedom advertised for centuries is taken away in an instant. Due to the ambiguous wording of our founding fathers, our right for privacy and independence are swiped as fast as a large tube of toothpaste is.
In case you’re wondering why I randomly discuss the issue between security and liberty: I’m a history teacher at the local high school. Unlike most teachers nowadays, I actually care about my subject matter and education. I surprisingly, don’t see my students as pesky rodents as most teachers in this atrocious school do. Those kids are all this country has. With every lesson I deliver, I feel as if soul of humanity became a little cleaner.
John: Airports. The thing I hate most in this world. Even the joyous spirit of the holidays can’t overcome the filthy rotten hell hole. Just the smell of airports makes me want to create a perfume bomb just to give airports the explosion of cleanliness it needs. The foul stench of body odor, and grimy surfaces, suffocate my nostrils and clog my lungs. I feel fortunate whenever I reach my destination alive.
If you think this encompasses my hatred, think again. This is just the beginning.
My hatred for airports runs much deeper than unpleasant smells. The real odors airports give off are hypocrisy and ignorance. Our country claims to root itself in the ground of liberty, but this ‘guaranteed’ freedom advertised for centuries is taken away in an instant. Due to the ambiguous wording of our founding fathers, our right for privacy and independence are swiped as fast as a large tube of toothpaste is.
In case you’re wondering why I randomly discuss the issue between security and liberty: I’m a history teacher at the local high school. Unlike most teachers nowadays, I actually care about my subject matter and education. I surprisingly, don’t see my students as pesky rodents as most teachers in this atrocious school do. Those kids are all this country has. With every lesson I deliver, I feel as if soul of humanity became a little cleaner.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Education is a Must!
Today my friend came over to my house and as we were walking around my neighborhood we received an upsetting phone call from our good friend. This friend of ours has been having some parental problems and lately we have been disturbed by her mother's harsh words and decisions. The core of our disturbance is that her mother is severely limiting her education. Her mother is making her attend one of the local state colleges. Not only is her mother restraining her freedom, but also her education. This particular state school is, in my opinion, one of the worst colleges in the country for undergraduate students. It is located in a dangerous area in the town, and is the home for unmotivated and drug and alcohol plagued students. Our friend should not have to be forced to go to such a crummy school. This girl is smart,intellectually curious and inspiring. She has a tremendous amount of potential that would be best used at a out of state college. Unfortunately, her mother's overbearing nature isn't the only thing holding her back. She does not have financial liberties, but my other friend and I researched tuition costs and scholarships from other colleges and the possibilities aren't as small as our friend thinks they are.
What really ticks me off is that those less fortunate are severely limited in their college options. Brilliant people aren't just in the upper class. I am aware there are many scholarships out there, but sometimes they aren't enough. I cannot believe a decent education is still on the back burner for some people. All youth today should be able to go wherever their heart desires. I consider education to be a life necessity. Without education, society cannot progress. Many people my age would consider the lack of education to be a dream come true. Think about it: what would do if you didn't have to go to school? It would be more difficult to see your friends and seriously how many hours can you sit on your ass staring at the computer or TV screen? Eventually, you would be bored, at least I would. Instead of seeing homework as a pesky chore, try to see the beauty of it. In the process of completing homework, you are learning something new, making you an even more insightful person. Doesn't that excite you? It definitely excites me! I love learning something new; It fulfills me.
Education reform in this country is pathetic. I know this country has a lot of economic garbage on its plate right now, but I really wish the government would make it easier for my friend and many deserving others to attend the colleges they want to. I consider education as important as having food and water. What is quite depressing is that not everyone in the world possesses food and water. Food, water, and education should not be considered luxuries to anyone. It is baffling to realize that not everyone in the world has access to those three basic things. Teens across America take their education and living situation for granted. We are quite fortunate compared to many others in the world. I feel grateful that I have a roof over my head, food and water in my fridge and a strong liberal arts education.
So, take a look around you and see just how much you have. Be thankful for everything you have, because it is more than likely that you have more than a lot of people do in the world.
What really ticks me off is that those less fortunate are severely limited in their college options. Brilliant people aren't just in the upper class. I am aware there are many scholarships out there, but sometimes they aren't enough. I cannot believe a decent education is still on the back burner for some people. All youth today should be able to go wherever their heart desires. I consider education to be a life necessity. Without education, society cannot progress. Many people my age would consider the lack of education to be a dream come true. Think about it: what would do if you didn't have to go to school? It would be more difficult to see your friends and seriously how many hours can you sit on your ass staring at the computer or TV screen? Eventually, you would be bored, at least I would. Instead of seeing homework as a pesky chore, try to see the beauty of it. In the process of completing homework, you are learning something new, making you an even more insightful person. Doesn't that excite you? It definitely excites me! I love learning something new; It fulfills me.
Education reform in this country is pathetic. I know this country has a lot of economic garbage on its plate right now, but I really wish the government would make it easier for my friend and many deserving others to attend the colleges they want to. I consider education as important as having food and water. What is quite depressing is that not everyone in the world possesses food and water. Food, water, and education should not be considered luxuries to anyone. It is baffling to realize that not everyone in the world has access to those three basic things. Teens across America take their education and living situation for granted. We are quite fortunate compared to many others in the world. I feel grateful that I have a roof over my head, food and water in my fridge and a strong liberal arts education.
So, take a look around you and see just how much you have. Be thankful for everything you have, because it is more than likely that you have more than a lot of people do in the world.
Do What You Love and Forget The Rest
"Live your heart's passion. Do whatever it is that excites your inner light and passion. Live exuberantly with purpose and excitement. TRULY MAKE YOUR DAILY LIFE AN ADVENTURE." -Henry Leo Bolduc
This quote was my friends status on facebook and really inspired me. Lately people have been confronting me about my career plans. It really bothers me. I'm not necessarily irritated with the people confronting me, but rather irritated with society's fear driven perspective. Due to the recent economic instability, if I don't say I'm interested in becoming a lawyer, a doctor, or a computer programmer, people assume I will be living a life in poverty. Although the careers above are important positions in society,I believe the most morally fulfilling and equally important career is teaching. Teachers instill vasts amount of knowledge to youth. Teachers are responsible for the intellectual growth and personal progress of millions of children. I personally do not know what I would have done without my teachers over my academic career, especially in high school. In high school, my teachers were mother and father figures to me. They spread more than just factual knowledge. I left high school with factual knowledge and inspiring advice that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. The most inspiring of my teachers, is my English teacher, because of his captivating lessons and personal journey, I want to be a high school English teacher. He showed me that teaching will not drive you into poverty, it actually is a morally fulfilling job. I have always loved helping people. It would make me happy to see an inspired student or just to see that I helped make a positive influence on a young person's life. The actions of today's youth will determine the future. I want to encourage youth to have a broad perspective and awareness about themselves and their world. In order to do this, I plan on becoming an English major and a theatre minor. Both English and theatre are mirrors of our world. They show us parts of our we necessarily don't want to see, but it is what we must see to progress.
As the quote says, I plan on living my heart's passion and making my life into the adventure is should be. No one should have to survive life. Life isn't a survival game, it is an adventure. Society's economic fear limits the possibility of career choices. Too many young adults have been pressured into getting a career that is economically sound, but only drives them into endless day dreaming behind a desk or cubicle. I don't want to be wishing I could be doing something I love, I want to do what I love. I plan on studying English literature and theatre arts and passing my knowledge on to youth to purify society. I believe that teachers are humanity's heroes. I want to save youth from ignorance and encourage them to see the world in many different lights and lenses. Narrow and fear clogged perspectives are what hold society back. I want to help break those boundaries and inspire today's youth to make the world a more accepting place. So from this day forward I am doing what pleases me, and forgetting the negative and fear driven opinions of everyone else. This is my life and I plan on making it the enlightening and exciting one it can be.
This quote was my friends status on facebook and really inspired me. Lately people have been confronting me about my career plans. It really bothers me. I'm not necessarily irritated with the people confronting me, but rather irritated with society's fear driven perspective. Due to the recent economic instability, if I don't say I'm interested in becoming a lawyer, a doctor, or a computer programmer, people assume I will be living a life in poverty. Although the careers above are important positions in society,I believe the most morally fulfilling and equally important career is teaching. Teachers instill vasts amount of knowledge to youth. Teachers are responsible for the intellectual growth and personal progress of millions of children. I personally do not know what I would have done without my teachers over my academic career, especially in high school. In high school, my teachers were mother and father figures to me. They spread more than just factual knowledge. I left high school with factual knowledge and inspiring advice that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. The most inspiring of my teachers, is my English teacher, because of his captivating lessons and personal journey, I want to be a high school English teacher. He showed me that teaching will not drive you into poverty, it actually is a morally fulfilling job. I have always loved helping people. It would make me happy to see an inspired student or just to see that I helped make a positive influence on a young person's life. The actions of today's youth will determine the future. I want to encourage youth to have a broad perspective and awareness about themselves and their world. In order to do this, I plan on becoming an English major and a theatre minor. Both English and theatre are mirrors of our world. They show us parts of our we necessarily don't want to see, but it is what we must see to progress.
As the quote says, I plan on living my heart's passion and making my life into the adventure is should be. No one should have to survive life. Life isn't a survival game, it is an adventure. Society's economic fear limits the possibility of career choices. Too many young adults have been pressured into getting a career that is economically sound, but only drives them into endless day dreaming behind a desk or cubicle. I don't want to be wishing I could be doing something I love, I want to do what I love. I plan on studying English literature and theatre arts and passing my knowledge on to youth to purify society. I believe that teachers are humanity's heroes. I want to save youth from ignorance and encourage them to see the world in many different lights and lenses. Narrow and fear clogged perspectives are what hold society back. I want to help break those boundaries and inspire today's youth to make the world a more accepting place. So from this day forward I am doing what pleases me, and forgetting the negative and fear driven opinions of everyone else. This is my life and I plan on making it the enlightening and exciting one it can be.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Creative works in progress continued...
The Dugout
Characters
Man: middle aged, dressed in rags, unshaven, and filthy, sitting in a red mobility chair sitting in a empty dugout in a local park
Father: Man’s illusion of his actual father. Real father is not actually present in scene. The character of Father is a figure of Man’s imagination. Man uses his perception of his father to create the character he is conversing with
(Two men sitting in dugout)
Father: What happened to ya son?
Man: What happened to me?! What happened to you?! What happened to us?! How did
we end up like this?
Father: Like what? I’m not the crazy one, you are.
Man: O…So I’M the crazy one!? It takes a crazy father to make a crazy son!
Father: Me? Crazy?! Please, You’re so crazy that you don’t even know what crazy is!
Man: Yeah, ya know, you’re right. What is crazy? Am I crazy? I can’t tell. Thinking about being crazy or not makes me crazy. I’m not too sure who I even am.
Father: How do you not even know who you are? Are you that stupid?! Man, you must of taken one too many bullets to the head.
Man: You always put me down! The only reason I ever let those bullets in my head was to make you proud! That’s all I’ve ever wanted was for you to be proud of your son. You were the big hotshot army general. I wanted to be you. Can you just leave me alone?! Haven’t I done enough?! I sacrificed my life just to see you smiling at the sound of my name. But no, all that, and you still think of me as the family screw-up.
Father: Well that’s your own damn fault. Your hand signed the army contract not mine. This was your decision and you chose to fuck yourself up.
Man: Well, what was I suppose to do?! War seemed to be my only option. I hated school so I never bothered to get the grades, and you the rest of the stupid family kept pressuring me to be just like you.
Father: For crying out loud, I thought you wanted to go into the army, that’s why I pushed you so damn hard. You bipolar or something? You want to fight you don’t want to fight…so sissy of ya…just like your mother….wanderin’ around in every fuckin’ direction.
Man: Ya see that’s why I’m so messed up, because I had you and the bipolar woman as parents. Look where you’ve lead me in a fuckin’ dugout!
Father: Well what were we suppose to do with such an idiot! You said it yourself you were a complete screw-up in high school, so the best we could do is test you in combat. Now you know, you really can’t do shit.
Man: Why are you always putting me down?! I thought fathers were suppose to be loving? Look over there, ya see the Dad’s picking up their boys from school. They look happy. Why didn’t our family ever look like that?!
Father: Son, everyone’s got problems. We’re all screwed-up. Some more than others, but we’re all fuck ups. I fucked up, your mom fucked up, and you fucked up.
Man: Well, now what am I suppose to do?!
Father: I don’t know. Don’t ask me, I’m not even real.
Man: What do you mean, you’re not even real? You’re my Father for crying out loud! I know you don’t love me a whole lot, but you can’t even admit to being my own father!?
Why won’t you help me?
Father: You idiot! I’m just a figure of your imagination! I’m just a part of your messed up mind.
Man: No…you’re my father!!!
Father: No I’m just an illusion.
Man: So am I in a dream?
Father: No.
Man: So I’m in reality?
Father: Yes.
Man: So why are you here? Are you my Father’s ghost? Have you come back from the dead to rescue me?
Father: No, I just said I’m a figure of your imagination. Your Father is still tucked away in his grave, but you’re still here in this dugout, talking to yourself.
Man: How can I be talking to myself if I’m talking to you? We are both in this dugout talking.
Father: No, you are alone.
Man: But I don’t want to be alone.
Father: Sorry son, but you are.
Man: No, no, no, take that back! That’s not true! I’m dreaming, yeah, that’s right, this is just a bad dream. Wake up, wake up, (slaps his face)
Father: Hitting yourself on the face isn’t going to make things any better, you look even crazier.
Man: I need to get back to happy times, I need to get out of this dream.
Father: For crying out loud you’re not in a dream. This is real. You are living alone in a dugout.
Man: Shut-up!!!
Father: You’re alone, always will be, you’re trapped, always will be...
Man: Lalalala, I can’t hear you!!!!!
Father: You’re trapped, you’re alone, always will be…
Man: LA-LA-LA-LA I can’t hear you!!!!!!!!!
Father You always will be trapped and alone.
Man Shut the Fuck Up!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What’s wrong with you?! I thought you were suppose to be help me?
Father: You’re not listening to anything I say.
Man: You’re saying mean words….I don’t like mean words (rocks his body back and forth)
Father: You’re pathetic!
Man: You’re mean!!!!!
Father: You’re fuckin’ insane
Man: Go away!! You’re hurting me! Leave me alone, just leave me alone!!!!!!!!
(Man in fetal position in dugout)
Characters
Man: middle aged, dressed in rags, unshaven, and filthy, sitting in a red mobility chair sitting in a empty dugout in a local park
Father: Man’s illusion of his actual father. Real father is not actually present in scene. The character of Father is a figure of Man’s imagination. Man uses his perception of his father to create the character he is conversing with
(Two men sitting in dugout)
Father: What happened to ya son?
Man: What happened to me?! What happened to you?! What happened to us?! How did
we end up like this?
Father: Like what? I’m not the crazy one, you are.
Man: O…So I’M the crazy one!? It takes a crazy father to make a crazy son!
Father: Me? Crazy?! Please, You’re so crazy that you don’t even know what crazy is!
Man: Yeah, ya know, you’re right. What is crazy? Am I crazy? I can’t tell. Thinking about being crazy or not makes me crazy. I’m not too sure who I even am.
Father: How do you not even know who you are? Are you that stupid?! Man, you must of taken one too many bullets to the head.
Man: You always put me down! The only reason I ever let those bullets in my head was to make you proud! That’s all I’ve ever wanted was for you to be proud of your son. You were the big hotshot army general. I wanted to be you. Can you just leave me alone?! Haven’t I done enough?! I sacrificed my life just to see you smiling at the sound of my name. But no, all that, and you still think of me as the family screw-up.
Father: Well that’s your own damn fault. Your hand signed the army contract not mine. This was your decision and you chose to fuck yourself up.
Man: Well, what was I suppose to do?! War seemed to be my only option. I hated school so I never bothered to get the grades, and you the rest of the stupid family kept pressuring me to be just like you.
Father: For crying out loud, I thought you wanted to go into the army, that’s why I pushed you so damn hard. You bipolar or something? You want to fight you don’t want to fight…so sissy of ya…just like your mother….wanderin’ around in every fuckin’ direction.
Man: Ya see that’s why I’m so messed up, because I had you and the bipolar woman as parents. Look where you’ve lead me in a fuckin’ dugout!
Father: Well what were we suppose to do with such an idiot! You said it yourself you were a complete screw-up in high school, so the best we could do is test you in combat. Now you know, you really can’t do shit.
Man: Why are you always putting me down?! I thought fathers were suppose to be loving? Look over there, ya see the Dad’s picking up their boys from school. They look happy. Why didn’t our family ever look like that?!
Father: Son, everyone’s got problems. We’re all screwed-up. Some more than others, but we’re all fuck ups. I fucked up, your mom fucked up, and you fucked up.
Man: Well, now what am I suppose to do?!
Father: I don’t know. Don’t ask me, I’m not even real.
Man: What do you mean, you’re not even real? You’re my Father for crying out loud! I know you don’t love me a whole lot, but you can’t even admit to being my own father!?
Why won’t you help me?
Father: You idiot! I’m just a figure of your imagination! I’m just a part of your messed up mind.
Man: No…you’re my father!!!
Father: No I’m just an illusion.
Man: So am I in a dream?
Father: No.
Man: So I’m in reality?
Father: Yes.
Man: So why are you here? Are you my Father’s ghost? Have you come back from the dead to rescue me?
Father: No, I just said I’m a figure of your imagination. Your Father is still tucked away in his grave, but you’re still here in this dugout, talking to yourself.
Man: How can I be talking to myself if I’m talking to you? We are both in this dugout talking.
Father: No, you are alone.
Man: But I don’t want to be alone.
Father: Sorry son, but you are.
Man: No, no, no, take that back! That’s not true! I’m dreaming, yeah, that’s right, this is just a bad dream. Wake up, wake up, (slaps his face)
Father: Hitting yourself on the face isn’t going to make things any better, you look even crazier.
Man: I need to get back to happy times, I need to get out of this dream.
Father: For crying out loud you’re not in a dream. This is real. You are living alone in a dugout.
Man: Shut-up!!!
Father: You’re alone, always will be, you’re trapped, always will be...
Man: Lalalala, I can’t hear you!!!!!
Father: You’re trapped, you’re alone, always will be…
Man: LA-LA-LA-LA I can’t hear you!!!!!!!!!
Father You always will be trapped and alone.
Man Shut the Fuck Up!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What’s wrong with you?! I thought you were suppose to be help me?
Father: You’re not listening to anything I say.
Man: You’re saying mean words….I don’t like mean words (rocks his body back and forth)
Father: You’re pathetic!
Man: You’re mean!!!!!
Father: You’re fuckin’ insane
Man: Go away!! You’re hurting me! Leave me alone, just leave me alone!!!!!!!!
(Man in fetal position in dugout)
Creative works in progress
During my first semester at U.P.S I developed an interest in play-writing. I was fortunate to take a class that incorporated play-writing in the curriculum. Here are some samples of theatrical work I produced during the first semester. It is pretty raw, but I would love suggestions or comments to improve it. Thanks.
The Dugout
The Dugout
Man dressed in rags, unshaven, and filthy, sitting in a red mobility chair sitting in a empty dugout in a local park
Man: I hear you! I hear you! That’s enough already, geez, will you cut it out ?! Ugh, My stomach has been growling at me for weeks. It just doesn’t ever seem to shut up. You know you’re so demanding, its not like I can get you food anytime you feel like it. Just because my shirt is stained doesn’t mean I’m a chef. I really don’t want to think about food right now, so it would be nice if you would stop asking me to feed you. I feel weird digging out of the trash, that’s why I hardly ever go trash digging. I would rather sit in the baseball dugout and sleep, that way I’m in the shade and away from the sun. Since you are being extra obnoxious today I guess I will just have to look through the garbage.
Man makes his way out of the abandoned dugout and to the nearest trashcan
Man: Hey look a coffee cup! Yes! It actually has coffee in it still. Usually when I find the coffee cups they’re empty so I ended up drinking flat soda. I haven’t had coffee for so long, but I have never really been a big coffee fan, but I always loved meeting the guys in the local coffee shop and sipping in fresh brewed memories. But lately, I’ve been taking some time for myself and takin’ it easy. Hopefully the guys and I can catch up one of these days over our luxury drink. During those seven years, a cup coffee was like eating mom’s homemade pecan pie. But now that I’m back its become a bittersweet brew for me; it always depended on how well we ran around the horrors of it all, and how many lumps of sugary memories we could dump into the bitter experience. When I look down into the brownish liquid all I see is the dark jungle that I lived in for seven years. I see thick overgrown vines and the paranoia. Now, everyone around me is out there grooving to the disco and tripping into waves of color and light, while I spend my evenings in the dark dugout.
Man: It wasn’t all bad, I mean, Vietnam exempted me from college papers, and a hefty tuition and gave me what any teenage boy would want to do: just sit on your ass. As much as don’t like to go out to those crazy night scenes, I’ve always wanted to try out the latest fad, dancin’ around the colorful checkerboard floor. It’s harder to see the crew when they are all out in the clubs, they wouldn’t want to be seen with a cripple. So I’ve just been waitin’ for more coffee talks.
Finishes the coffee, as he puts the cup back into the trashcan he notices a receipt from the year 2000
The millennium?! Already?! What the Fuck?! Year 2000! Is this some kind of joke. Maybe this is a misprint, yeah, It can’t be year 2000 already. The clock wasn’t ticking this fast, last I checked. I could have sworn it was 1975.
Man wheels himself across the street to the nearby school and looks at a calendar on the reception desk, sees that it is in fact the year 2000.
Time has really changed I guess. Where have I been all this time? Did the dugout freeze me? But it’s not cold in there. Hmm that’s strange. Is this real? Maybe I’m in a dream, I spend my days sleeping, so I’m probably in a really vivid dream right now. Maybe if I close and then open my eyes I’ll really wake up from the dream.
Closes his eyes for about ten seconds and only sees that he is in the same exact position and place.
What? I didn’t move, I’m still in the dream. I thought dreams end when you wake up? Maybe I’m still asleep? Or what if I’m dead? Was I shot?
Checks around his body for wounds, sees that he is fine
I definitely didn’t get shot, so I’m alive, that’s good. What a peculiar dream I’m in. But this dream is exactly like my reality. I can’t tell them apart. Everything seems to be the same except for the fact that it is supposedly year 2000. The one thing that will definitely indicate the year I’m living in is the children. Yeah I’ll go look at the children. Children signify the present right? Sure they do, they’re young and hip they know what’s going on.
He wheels himself over out of the reception area and outside the cafeteria building full of children aged 11-14, sees them in through the window playing with Nintendo Gameboys.
Look at those kids with their gadgets, investing their time in a screen. Why would they want to remove themselves from reality?! WHY???!! Don’t they want to not know who they are and where they are? Why would they purposely trap themselves in a fantasy world, staring into these little handheld prisons. I don’t even know what happened to records. Where are my records?!
Speeds away from the school back to his dugout and starts frantically looking around for his records, but tilts to one side and tips his chair over and falls to the ground.
FUCK! My mind is just as shriveled up as my useless legs! Where I am?! Who am I?! Fuck this chair! Fuck Vietnam!!!!!!!!! Where is reality?? Is it in the deepest part of the jungle? Is it in the in the children? Is it now, with me on the ground? Is life living in the muck and grime? Is there anything better for me? Will I ever make it out of the ground, will I ever see out of the grunge and into the glory I once had? I won’t ever know, will I?! I’ve been living a fuckin’ dream all my goddamn life! Fuck you America!
Throws flag attached to scooter in the dirt, struggles to get back in his chair, cursing to himself.
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