In normal news, freelance projects aren't firming up, loans aren't coming in, so stress is starting to build. I need to move, too.
Here is the second scene of a short play I wrote. The first part and explanation of it is one entry back. There is one more scene after this.
This play originally was going to be part of a larger piece put on by a collaberative play group I go to, but it hasn't materialized. I think they wanted something a bit more POW!
Superhero Drama, Scene Two
Inside the room. Dad sleeps as Helen watches over him.
DAD
(wakes) Margaret?
HELEN
It's Helen, Mr. Snow. Helen.
DAD
I remember. (pause) I had a dream. About Margaret. She was such a good woman.
HELEN
I met her. When I first met Jeff.
DAD
I remember.
HELEN
It was at that picnic... with the... what where they again?
DAD
The Billy Jacks. Those guys... and their karate kicks. They knocked that apple off Jeff's head... with just that side of their foot.
HELEN
(pause) Yeah. I remember. (pause) Mr. Snow?
DAD
I'm awake. Helen? Why do you still call me Mr. Snow? I've know you for... since you were... little.
HELEN
I don't know. I just do. I can't really call you The Owl. I don't even call Jeff that. Well, except when we're engaged...
DAD
Engaged?
HELEN
In combat, Mr. Snow. Not the other way. It's... engaged... is what the media training makes us call it. Instead of a fight, I guess. Instead of calling it 'getting these teeth my parents paid so much money to straighten out, kicked in' (she laughs lightly)
DAD
I thought you were engaged for a second.
HELEN
I know. Why would you think... (pause) I'm seeing this boy. A new boy, I guess.
DAD
Who was the last boy? Prince Valiant?
HELEN
Naw, we were just... friends. I haven't been seeing anyone... steady. I haven't been seeing a boyfriend. (pause) But now I am.
DAD
Good for you. Does Jeff know?
HELEN
How long where you and Margaret married, Mr. Snow?
DAD
Goodness. I'm not sure I remember. We met in World War Two. She was the original Betty Rocket Pack. We fought the Axis... separately at first.
HELEN
That must have been fun. Those were the Golden Years.
DAD
Margaret was in Japan for awhile... fighting the Hopping Vampire Clan.
HELEN
Those guys were sinister. I read about them in history.
DAD
Margaret was an original. A blond bombshell. She kicked Go-Zu Oni's butt all over Tokyo.
HELEN
Oh, I saw a picture of that! I always thought it was a minotaur.
DAD
No. Just a good old-fashioned bull-headed evil spirit. She got shipped out after that to the western front... were we met.
HELEN
(light) Battling the Nazi!
DAD
(pause) Cleaning up at Dachau.
HELEN
Oh. Yeah. I forgot... I guess... well... not forgot...
DAD
I remember.
HELEN
Mr. Snow... where were you... where were the heroes... when that was happening? Dachau.
DAD
Ah, you know, we have debated and argued and apologized a hundred times over. The truth is, you just can't be everywhere at once. And you can't anticipate man's capacity for evil.
HELEN
I guess that was like us on Sept 11th.
DAD
Do you know that the Department of Defense used to be called the Department of War?
HELEN
Really?
DAD
Sure. They changed it in the forties or fifties, I forget when. Defense is more media friendly.
HELEN
Did you and Margaret get married right after the war?
DAD
I think so... it's been so long. Who's this boy? You're seeing? Is it Jack Lantern?
HELEN
Jack Lantern? He must be forty, Mr. Snow. I mean, I've slept with older men, but he was married...
DAD
So was I!
HELEN
I know.
DAD
Betty Rocket Pack! Helen Moore!
HELEN
Margaret... Margaret Moore, Mr. Snow.
DAD
Margaret Moore! Betty Rocket Pack!
HELEN
I know.
DAD
Jeff was by here earlier. I think he asked abou --
HELEN
His name is Brian.
DAD
Brian. The older man you slept with?
HELEN
My boy. Boy friend, I guess. His name is Brian. He's not a hero. He's an art student. (pause) I bet your wedding was wonderful, Mr. Snow. I bet the sky was still blue and the air still smelled like hope.
DAD
I remember. Her dress. Her dress was red and blue. With tiny little... tiny little white stars, sewed all along the... bow... bow...
HELEN
Bodice?
DAD
Yes.
HELEN
That sounds wonderful. She must have looked beautiful.
DAD
She did. Her paper covered it on the front page... she had taken a job as a reporter by then.
HELEN
Margaret Snow, Pulitzer Prize winning reporter and National Book Award winner for her first novel 'Earthbound'. She was quite a catch, Mr. Snow.
DAD
She was too good for me.
HELEN
Jeff still talks about her. He misses her.
DAD
She died of a stroke, you know. Several strokes, to be exact.
HELEN
I remember.
DAD
In her prime, she could lift a jeep! Betty Rocket Pack! Zoomed down and BAM! a left and POW! a right, and down goes Jimmy Horse! Down goes The Italian Hook! Margaret always had the wittiest one-liners.
HELEN
My favorite was against Fraulein Destruction... 'Das Boot to the Head'; right before she pushed U-73 over onto her.
DAD
SLAM! a foot to noggin and down goes Thunderbolt Sam Duncan!
HELEN
She was amazing, Mr. Snow. You must have loved her a lot.
DAD
She could lift jeeps once. She could lift... her... she had a stroke.
HELEN
I know, Mr. Snow. I'm sorry.
DAD
She would walk around the house. Lifting the sofa. Lifting the fridge. Straightening her awards she couldn't remember winning. Her body was strong. She never played football.
HELEN
I don't understand.
DAD
She never played football, but she couldn't remember what the word for car was.
HELEN
Car?
DAD
'Take me driving', she would say. 'Please take me driving in that thing... we drive in... with the wheels' she would say. And we would go along the ocean, down the coast. And she would call out 'Mustang! Ford! Dodge!'. But she couldn't remember the word 'car'.
HELEN
I'm sorry, Mr. Snow.
DAD
And everyday she would forget another word. Until all that was left was pointing. Pointing and grunting. 'Look', she would say... 'I won that'. 'Look!', she would say and point to her Pulitzer Prize.. 'I did good, honey'.
HELEN
She was a remarkable woman.
DAD
Jeff came by earlier.
HELEN
I know.
DAD
He wanted the feathered scepter, I think.
HELEN
He'll be back later. He just needed to rest. He's been pulling double duty lately.
DAD
Is your art student handsome? Are you in love?
HELEN
I have a crush. Time will tell if it's love.
DAD
Margaret and I met in... 1946, I think. Or was it 47? Her wedding dress had little white stars on it. Like a moonlit sky.
HELEN
I think I'm going to go get a cigarette, Mr. Snow. I'll be right back. (moves to exit)
DAD
I gave her golden armbands and a brand new Rocket Pack. She gave me a feather scepter. A magic wand.
HELEN
(stops. pause) What? What did you say? Who gave you...
DAD
(wistful) Margaret... Betty Rocket Pack...
HELEN
Margaret? Mr. Snow?
DAD
Yes? Helen?
HELEN
I thought Athena... you always said... Did Margaret give you the feathered scepter?
DAD
She was too good for me...
HELEN
I'm sure she was fine.
DAD
You know how... how you see people. We dont really look at people... clearly. We make assumptions. We blur our vision or we glance around. We never look at someone.
HELEN
I don't understand.
DAD
Once you see someone... you shorthand them from then on. The picture in your mind makes it so you don't have to look at them... like before. I was always afraid...
HELEN
Afraid of what?
DAD
There are two faces... the faces we see... the faces in our head, that we see... and the faces we really are. I was always afraid Margaret would focus her eyes one day. And see the face I really was.
HELEN
Did she give you the scepter, Mr. Snow?
DAD
The feathered scepter? (pause) I don't remember. I'm sorry. I don't...
DAD looks like he falls asleep, but he has died.
HELEN
Mr. Snow? (shakes him lightly). Mr. Snow?
End Scene Two
Here is the second scene of a short play I wrote. The first part and explanation of it is one entry back. There is one more scene after this.
This play originally was going to be part of a larger piece put on by a collaberative play group I go to, but it hasn't materialized. I think they wanted something a bit more POW!
Superhero Drama, Scene Two
Inside the room. Dad sleeps as Helen watches over him.
DAD
(wakes) Margaret?
HELEN
It's Helen, Mr. Snow. Helen.
DAD
I remember. (pause) I had a dream. About Margaret. She was such a good woman.
HELEN
I met her. When I first met Jeff.
DAD
I remember.
HELEN
It was at that picnic... with the... what where they again?
DAD
The Billy Jacks. Those guys... and their karate kicks. They knocked that apple off Jeff's head... with just that side of their foot.
HELEN
(pause) Yeah. I remember. (pause) Mr. Snow?
DAD
I'm awake. Helen? Why do you still call me Mr. Snow? I've know you for... since you were... little.
HELEN
I don't know. I just do. I can't really call you The Owl. I don't even call Jeff that. Well, except when we're engaged...
DAD
Engaged?
HELEN
In combat, Mr. Snow. Not the other way. It's... engaged... is what the media training makes us call it. Instead of a fight, I guess. Instead of calling it 'getting these teeth my parents paid so much money to straighten out, kicked in' (she laughs lightly)
DAD
I thought you were engaged for a second.
HELEN
I know. Why would you think... (pause) I'm seeing this boy. A new boy, I guess.
DAD
Who was the last boy? Prince Valiant?
HELEN
Naw, we were just... friends. I haven't been seeing anyone... steady. I haven't been seeing a boyfriend. (pause) But now I am.
DAD
Good for you. Does Jeff know?
HELEN
How long where you and Margaret married, Mr. Snow?
DAD
Goodness. I'm not sure I remember. We met in World War Two. She was the original Betty Rocket Pack. We fought the Axis... separately at first.
HELEN
That must have been fun. Those were the Golden Years.
DAD
Margaret was in Japan for awhile... fighting the Hopping Vampire Clan.
HELEN
Those guys were sinister. I read about them in history.
DAD
Margaret was an original. A blond bombshell. She kicked Go-Zu Oni's butt all over Tokyo.
HELEN
Oh, I saw a picture of that! I always thought it was a minotaur.
DAD
No. Just a good old-fashioned bull-headed evil spirit. She got shipped out after that to the western front... were we met.
HELEN
(light) Battling the Nazi!
DAD
(pause) Cleaning up at Dachau.
HELEN
Oh. Yeah. I forgot... I guess... well... not forgot...
DAD
I remember.
HELEN
Mr. Snow... where were you... where were the heroes... when that was happening? Dachau.
DAD
Ah, you know, we have debated and argued and apologized a hundred times over. The truth is, you just can't be everywhere at once. And you can't anticipate man's capacity for evil.
HELEN
I guess that was like us on Sept 11th.
DAD
Do you know that the Department of Defense used to be called the Department of War?
HELEN
Really?
DAD
Sure. They changed it in the forties or fifties, I forget when. Defense is more media friendly.
HELEN
Did you and Margaret get married right after the war?
DAD
I think so... it's been so long. Who's this boy? You're seeing? Is it Jack Lantern?
HELEN
Jack Lantern? He must be forty, Mr. Snow. I mean, I've slept with older men, but he was married...
DAD
So was I!
HELEN
I know.
DAD
Betty Rocket Pack! Helen Moore!
HELEN
Margaret... Margaret Moore, Mr. Snow.
DAD
Margaret Moore! Betty Rocket Pack!
HELEN
I know.
DAD
Jeff was by here earlier. I think he asked abou --
HELEN
His name is Brian.
DAD
Brian. The older man you slept with?
HELEN
My boy. Boy friend, I guess. His name is Brian. He's not a hero. He's an art student. (pause) I bet your wedding was wonderful, Mr. Snow. I bet the sky was still blue and the air still smelled like hope.
DAD
I remember. Her dress. Her dress was red and blue. With tiny little... tiny little white stars, sewed all along the... bow... bow...
HELEN
Bodice?
DAD
Yes.
HELEN
That sounds wonderful. She must have looked beautiful.
DAD
She did. Her paper covered it on the front page... she had taken a job as a reporter by then.
HELEN
Margaret Snow, Pulitzer Prize winning reporter and National Book Award winner for her first novel 'Earthbound'. She was quite a catch, Mr. Snow.
DAD
She was too good for me.
HELEN
Jeff still talks about her. He misses her.
DAD
She died of a stroke, you know. Several strokes, to be exact.
HELEN
I remember.
DAD
In her prime, she could lift a jeep! Betty Rocket Pack! Zoomed down and BAM! a left and POW! a right, and down goes Jimmy Horse! Down goes The Italian Hook! Margaret always had the wittiest one-liners.
HELEN
My favorite was against Fraulein Destruction... 'Das Boot to the Head'; right before she pushed U-73 over onto her.
DAD
SLAM! a foot to noggin and down goes Thunderbolt Sam Duncan!
HELEN
She was amazing, Mr. Snow. You must have loved her a lot.
DAD
She could lift jeeps once. She could lift... her... she had a stroke.
HELEN
I know, Mr. Snow. I'm sorry.
DAD
She would walk around the house. Lifting the sofa. Lifting the fridge. Straightening her awards she couldn't remember winning. Her body was strong. She never played football.
HELEN
I don't understand.
DAD
She never played football, but she couldn't remember what the word for car was.
HELEN
Car?
DAD
'Take me driving', she would say. 'Please take me driving in that thing... we drive in... with the wheels' she would say. And we would go along the ocean, down the coast. And she would call out 'Mustang! Ford! Dodge!'. But she couldn't remember the word 'car'.
HELEN
I'm sorry, Mr. Snow.
DAD
And everyday she would forget another word. Until all that was left was pointing. Pointing and grunting. 'Look', she would say... 'I won that'. 'Look!', she would say and point to her Pulitzer Prize.. 'I did good, honey'.
HELEN
She was a remarkable woman.
DAD
Jeff came by earlier.
HELEN
I know.
DAD
He wanted the feathered scepter, I think.
HELEN
He'll be back later. He just needed to rest. He's been pulling double duty lately.
DAD
Is your art student handsome? Are you in love?
HELEN
I have a crush. Time will tell if it's love.
DAD
Margaret and I met in... 1946, I think. Or was it 47? Her wedding dress had little white stars on it. Like a moonlit sky.
HELEN
I think I'm going to go get a cigarette, Mr. Snow. I'll be right back. (moves to exit)
DAD
I gave her golden armbands and a brand new Rocket Pack. She gave me a feather scepter. A magic wand.
HELEN
(stops. pause) What? What did you say? Who gave you...
DAD
(wistful) Margaret... Betty Rocket Pack...
HELEN
Margaret? Mr. Snow?
DAD
Yes? Helen?
HELEN
I thought Athena... you always said... Did Margaret give you the feathered scepter?
DAD
She was too good for me...
HELEN
I'm sure she was fine.
DAD
You know how... how you see people. We dont really look at people... clearly. We make assumptions. We blur our vision or we glance around. We never look at someone.
HELEN
I don't understand.
DAD
Once you see someone... you shorthand them from then on. The picture in your mind makes it so you don't have to look at them... like before. I was always afraid...
HELEN
Afraid of what?
DAD
There are two faces... the faces we see... the faces in our head, that we see... and the faces we really are. I was always afraid Margaret would focus her eyes one day. And see the face I really was.
HELEN
Did she give you the scepter, Mr. Snow?
DAD
The feathered scepter? (pause) I don't remember. I'm sorry. I don't...
DAD looks like he falls asleep, but he has died.
HELEN
Mr. Snow? (shakes him lightly). Mr. Snow?
End Scene Two
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Thank YOU for participating in the thread tho. I know its certainly a very otuchy subject and everyones opinions matter and are greatly appreciated, even if they dont neccesarily agree with mine.