Stage Play / Mother
(In a restaurant)
(Jane sits at a table center. She is fidgety, nervous. She ruffles through her pocket and pulls out a crumpled piece of stationary/paper. She smooths out the note on the table and reads aloud)
Jane: “Dear Jane…to meet you…You don’t know me but I’d like to help….Cassio’s Restaurant down on 6th….at 6 PM…”(Pause)Well, I’M HERE! (Takes out cigarette and lights up) Where is he?
Brian: (Enters, and aside. He speaks on a cell phone, possible spot to indicate aside) I just….I can’t do this Tom….What do you mean, “Just do it! Be like Nike!”? I can’t!!....Oh yeah Tom…I’m just gonna come up with some ruse to the reason I pulled her here and then slowly ease her into the fact that my mom ruined her life. The poor girl doesn’t know me, she doesn’t know anyone….Fine!...Yes, I’ll do it!...Alright, I’ll call you if anything happens….(Hangs up, crossing to Jane. Leans on the chair, hesitant.) Hi….are you…Jane?
Jane: Ugh….Yeah….And you are?
Brian: I wrote you the letter, (chuckles) My name is Brian, I’m a writer for the post…(Sits)
Jane: Okay…What would you want from me then? Why would you want to talk to someone like me?
Brian: Well…Why don’t we order some drinks? (Stuttering) O…on me? (Calling) Waiter!, Waiter!....(To Jane) Hmm…Hold on one second, I’ll-
Jane: Brian, can I call you Brian?
Brian: Of course!
Jane: Brian, I need to know why you wanted to meet me. This is…well…some random guy doesn’t just write me and call me out to some “emergency” lunch. Don’t you know who I am?
Brian: Well, I found your name at the orphanage you grew up in. I’m writing a story about orphans; How they cope and what they do during Christmas time….Can you just wait a second? I’ll explain further in a second, I just…I really need a drink. (Motions to exit)
Jane: Umm…sure, whatever.
Brian: (Exits, pulling out his cell phone and dialing Tom) Hello!...Tom?...Tom…I can’t do this. I just…I can’t! She doesn’t believe me. She knows something’s up. I just….I can’t turn her life upside down like this. I can’t! Maybe I shouldn’t do this, maybe I should just…fake an interview?.....I know that you’re my brother…I know that this needs to get done too….I KNOW!!! Well, maybe if YOU had come I wouldn’t be in this predicament….I’m leaving…No…No…I need to do this….Yes…I’m going to tell her. (Hangs up) I’m going to tell her.
Jane: Um…What’s going on? What aren’t you telling me?
Brian: Well…There’s a reason that I um….Asked you to come here…
Jane: Yeah, I realize that. Now, tell me the god damn reason.
Brian: A..Are you hungry? How bout some food? I’m starving! Let’s eat and then we’ll talk. (Waving to waiter. Off)
Jane: Well, I can’t pass up a free meal.
Brian: Wow, the service here is horrible. I can’t believe that waiter will NOT come over here! I’m serious, all I want is some damn food and-
Jane: Okay, look. I got a life to live. I don’t got time for this bullshit. (Begins to exit)
Brian: Wait!!
Jane: What?
Brian: Look, just..just sit down. I’ll tell you everything, just please, sit down.
Jane: Look, what do you want from me? I don’t have a happy story to tell some guy I don’t even know! I grew up in a dump of an orphanage, knowing how to take care of myself. But, see, I just knew how to raise myself from the beginning. I have no memory of a mother, no father, no brother, and no sister. No home…Just a big room filled with kids just like me with no…anything! I never even knew my grandmother! In fact, I never even knew what grandparents were until I turned 17. No one ever tried to reach me. Let alone send me a Christmas present. Instead, I was given a name, they carved it into my arm. (Indicates) J-A-N-E. Jane! That’s all. Four putrid fucking letters is all I’m left with…to start a life…without a family. Four tiny, insignificant reminders that I don’t have anybody to love. I don’t know how to love anymore. I never felt loved. I don’t have anybody but me. Me and this scar. So, if you’re looking for a Christmas miracle, or my salvation, or a good long story about how I “Cope”, I don’t have it. I don’t have friendship to offer you. I don’t have money. I don’t have love. So, good bye, Brian. Merry Christmas.
Brian: I’m your brother, Jane…(Takes picture out of wallet) This is our mother. You look just like her…see? She had you when she was fifteen years old….she was doing a lot of…(Hesitates)
Jane: (Not understanding) W..What…
Brian: Drugs, Jane. She was taking a lot of drugs…she didn’t want to have a child she couldn’t take care of. The reason I couldn’t tell you straight out is because…
Jane: (Enraged) Why?!
Brian: Because…
Jane: Why?! Why?! I wanted to know for my whole life!...Why? Did she give you up too? Leave you in the cold like she left me? Out in the back alleys of New York?! Did she?!
Brian: No, she raised me. She raised me and three other boys. Thomas, Jacob, and Joshua.
(Long Pause)
Jane: (Choking) What was her name?
Brian: (Hesitating, then finding the word) Her name was….Jane.
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Overall this is very dramatic, possibly a little bit too dramatic. I would consider lengthing this also. Do you want this to be just a short thing or a whole one act play? Characters are very good, dialouge wonderful, however it just seem like there is a little too much drama. Why was he nervous? It seems like there is a good reason why he is nervous about telling her- maybe their mother needed a kidney transplant and he was asking her for her kidney- but in the end, it seems like he could of just came out and said it.
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well understood like the way it is wrote
This is a nice slice of life. it is intriguing and admirable for a writer of only 16. Good luck to you. I definitely want to see more.
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