PLAYHOUSE OF THE DAMNED
"Mother’s Day"
by Richard Nathan
The spotlight is up on our host, GUS THE GHOUL, while a chair is placed on
the stage for the next story. Gus speaks to the audience:
GUS THE GHOUL
“M” is for the moldy thing she made me….
That’s right.
It’s time for our Playhouse
of the Damned tribute to mothers.
Some
of you, in the audience, probably had a
mother.
The rest of you, - not so much.
But I hope you all enjoy this story I call
“Mother’s Day.”
Gus exits. Lights come up on the MOTHER seated in a chair. Her
son SAM enters.
SAM
Mom?
MOTHER
Uhhhhh…
SAM
Mom, it’s me. Sam.
MOTHER
Hurts.
SAM
What hurts?
MOTHER
Everything.
SAM
Did you take your meds?
MOTHER
What?
SAM
Your meds.
Pills.
Did you take your
pills?
She looks in her hands.
MOTHER
I don’t have any pills.
Do you have
my pills?
SAM
No. The nurses
have your pills.
MOTHER
Why do they have my pills?
They’re
my pills. They should
give them to me.
SAM
They do. Three times a
day.
MOTHER
No. No one gives me
anything.
SAM
Yes they do. I’ve seen
them give
you your pills.
MOTHER
You must be thinking of someone
else.
SAM
I don’t know anyone else here.
MOTHER
Neither do I.
I don’t know
anybody. Do I know you?
SAM
I’m you son. Sam.
MOTHER
I thought you were dead.
SAM
No. I’m not dead.
MOTHER
Are you sure?
SAM
I’m sure. I’m not dead.
MOTHER
Am I dead?
SAM
No, Mom.
MOTHER
I didn’t think so. I
don’t think it
hurts this much when you’re dead.
SAM
If you’re in pain, they should give
you something.
MOTHER
No one gives me anything.
Everyone
ignores me.
SAM
I don’t ignore you. I
visit you three times
a week. I always bring
you something.
Today I brought you mints.
Your favorite
kind.
Here.
Have a mint.
He offers her a mint.
MOTHER
Is it poison?
SAM
No! Of course not!
MOTHER
I hoped it was poison.
SAM
Don’t say that. Don’t
you want
to live?
MOTHER
Not particularly.
SAM
Look at how sunny it is out here!
The air’s
so fresh. Can you smell
the flowers
blooming?
MOTHER
No.
SAM
Do you feel the warmth of the
sun on your face?
MOTHER
All I feel is pain.
SAM
I can’t believe they don’t do
anything about that! I
can’t believe
that they just let you suffer and
don’t give you anything!
MOTHER
You can’t believe it?
SAM
No! I can’t believe it!
MOTHER
You’re kind of stupid, aren’t you?
SAM
That’s a terrible thing to say to me.
MOTHER
I say what I think.
SAM
You don’t really think I’m stupid, do
you?
MOTHER
Maybe.
SAM
You hurt my feelings.
MOTHER
What are you going to do, kill me?
SAM
No!
MOTHER
Why not?
SAM
I love you. You’re my
mother.
MOTHER
I am?
SAM
Yes. I’m your son.
Sam.
MOTHER
I though you
were dead.
SAM
I
visit you three times a week.
MOTHER
No one visits me.
SAM
What do you think I’m doing
here?
MOTHER
I wish I knew.
Enter a NURSE. She walks over
to the Mother, paying no attention to Sam.
NURSE
Come on, Mrs. Burnstein.
Time
to take your pills.
MOTHER
That’s what he says.
The Mother gestures toward Sam.
The Nurse looks, but sees nothing.
NURSE
Who?
MOTHER
My son, Sam.
NURSE
Your son Sam passed away last
year.
MOTHER
That’s what I keep telling him.
But
he won’t listen. He’s
not very bright.
Blackout.
Sam, the Mother and the Nurse exit.
A spotlight picks up GUS.
GUS
I wonder, how many members of our
audience are just figments of Mrs.
Burnstein’s imagination.
THE END
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© 2007 by Richard Nathan.
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Send e-mail to the author at
Richard-Nathan@att.net.