Mornings After the Dream

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Two Excerpts from
"Mornings After the Dream."

#1

(About 3:15 p. m. School is out. Nicole Enters from the front door. As she does, the phone is ringing. She dumps what she is carrying, and answers the phone)

Nicole. Hello?

(Terry on the other end advises he needs money)

Nicole. What do you need money for?

(Terry on other end says he needs money for bail)

Nicole. What do you need bail for?

(Terry on other end advises they are holding him on burglary charges)

Nicole. For burglary of what?

(Terry advises they are holding him for the Burglary at St. Pat’s)

Nicole. Why’d you burglarize a church? Don’t you know your mamma works at a church?

(Terry says he didn’t burglarize mom’s church)

Nicole. What difference does it make if it wasn’t mamma’s church? How much bail do you need?

(Terry advises it’s a $20,000 bond)

Nicole. Mamma hasn’t got $20,000.

(Terry advises that he only has to post 10%)

Nicole. Mamma doesn’t have $2000 either.

(Ethel enters from front door)

Nicole. Manna. It’s Terry. He’s in jail, and he want you to put up $2000 bond so he can get out.

Ethel. (She crosses to phone. Nicole counters above chair) What are you in jail for? (Terry says for burglary)

Ethel. Burglary of what?

(Terry says he’s charged with burglary of the television from St. Patrick's)

Ethel. What’s wrong with you? Father O’Rourke’s a friend of mine. Why would you steal from a friend of mine? Is that the way I raised you?

(Terry says, he needs her to post $2000)

Ethel. I’m not posting $2000 so you can steal from my friends. You are where you belong. You’ve done the crime; now do the time. (She hangs up)

Nicole. Aren’t you going to bail him out?

Ethel. He can bail himself out. He can use all that money he’s been making selling grass.

Nicole. That money’s gone.

Ethel. Where’s it gone to?

Nicole. He blows it on his girl friend - ”his woman.”

Ethel. Then she can bail him out. As far as I’m concerned, he’s right where he belongs.

(She takes a step toward kitchen, but is stopped by a knock on the door)

***********************************************

#2

Terry. (Entering from DSL) The man is home!

Nicole. (Seated on sofa) What are you doing here? How’d you get out?

Terry. My woman sprung me. (Alluding to Ruby who is entering as he speaks)

Nicole. (She rises in place, speaking to Ruby) What did you do that for, girl?

Terry. ‘Cause she loves me.

Nicole. (To Ruby) I asked you a question. Why did you do that?

Ruby. What was I supposed to do? Leave him there?

Ethel. (Entering from DSL) Why’d you bail him out? So he can steal more televisions? Sell more weed?

Ruby. I got him out because I loves him.

Ethel. And you don’t think we do?

Ruby. If you do, you have a funny way of showing it.

Ethel. Did it ever occur to you to discuss it with me before you stuck your nose where it doesn’t belong?

Ruby. I happen to think when my man’s in jail, it does concern me.

Terry. I gotta use the john. (He exits SR) You ladies, fight it out.

Nicole. (A step to Ruby) And is it gonna concern you if he gets busted again while he’s on bail?

Ruby. What makes you think he’s gonna get busted again?

Nicole. Because he hasn’t learned his lesson yet.

Ruby. How do you know that?

Nicole. I knew it the minute he came in the door.

Ruby. How?

Nicole. By the swagger. By the attitude!

Ruby. He promised he’d behave.

Nicole. And if he doesn’t?

Ruby. He promised.

Nicole. And he promised Mamma here last night that he’d get that television out of here. Why do you think he’s gonna keep his promises to you, if he doesn’t keep them to his Mamma.

Ruby. ‘Cause I got what he wants.

Nicole. So does every other girl in the west end. You’re just more convenient right now.

Ethel. (Ethel crosses to, half way to Nicole. Ruby counters L) Daughter, I didn’t raise you to say things like that. Apologize to Ruby right now.

Nicole. Mamma ...

Ethel. Right now, Nicole.

Nicole. (Without great conviction) I’m sorry, Ruby.

Ruby. You should be.

Ethel. And now Ruby, you owe us an apology.

Ruby. Why do I owe you an apology?

Ethel. Because we made a decision that it was best for my son to spend a few months in jail, and you interfered.

Ruby. I don’t agree with that.

Ethel. Whether you agree or not doesn’t concern me. You haven’t had to try and raise him by yourself.

*********************************************

    MORNINGS AFTER THE DREAM

                                                    Synopsis

Ethel Jones, a single mother who works as a church secretary, keeps a home were she resides with her teen age son and daughter. Ethel’s husband was shot dead when the children were small during an attempted armed robbery. Her son, Terry, is a prejudiced, surly teen age boy. He has begun to repeat the mistakes of his father. He has dropped out of school and is selling cannabis on the street. The play begins when he brings home an expensive television set, and pits Ethel and the police against her disrespectful son, his girl friend and his new attorney.

                        Cast Requirements and Running Time

Cast of 8. 1 Male, 3 Females, & 4 “Eithers.” The play runs 30–35 minutes. The set is designed to be “minimal” to facilites shifts between venues (scenes).

  Cast List

   (1 male and 7 females.)

(Note: one or both police officers, the Assistant Public Defender, and/or the Minister could be males.)

Nicole Jones. Daughter of Ethel Jones

Terry Jones. Son of Ethel Jones

Ethel Jones. A middle-age church secretary

Lt. Mary Jackson.   A municipal police officer

Sgt. Jane Jefferson. A municipal police officer

Ruby.   Terry’s girl. An “enabler.”

Jeanette Hoffman. Assistant Public Defender

Rev. Sarah Black.   Pastor of Ethel’s church

                                      Don’s Other Plays

    Free previews of all of Don’s plays are available at his web site: http://www.osheasplays.com/

Don’s plays with other publishers can also be previewed as well as purchased at their websites:
Theatrefolk                                https://www.theatrefolk.com/
Big Dog Plays                                    http://www.bigdogplays.com/
Brooklyn Publishers                        https://www.brookpub.com/
Norman Maine Plays                     http://www.normanmaineplays.com/
Drama Source                                     http://www.dramasource.com/
Pioneer Drama Service                     http://www.pioneerdrama.com