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A MOTHERLESS LION BY JAVARIEA B. CHARACTERS: TYSON, THE YOUNG LION LUCIOUS THE LION, HIS FATHER
SETTING: IN AN AFRICAN JUNGLE, NAMED CONGO. 12 OAK TREES SURROUNDING A CAVE. THE CONGO RIVER RIGHT OUTSIDE THE CAVE TO THE LEFT. INSIDE THE CAVE THERE IS A PORTRAIT OF LUCIOUS AND TYSON TO THE RIGHT AS YOU ENTER. THE PORTRAIT IS MADE OF DEAD FISH AND ARMADILLOS. TYSON AND LUCIOUS HEAR THE RUNNING WATER OF THE RIVER WHICH SOOTHES THE TENSION IN THEIR HEARTS. THEY ALSO HEAR WOLVES SPEAKING TO THE MOON. TIME: MIDNIGHT, CHRISTMAS EVE. 12/ 24/ 2056 AT RISE: TYSON IS PACING AROUND OUTSIDE THE CAVE.
TYSON I miss my mother. I’ve been looking for her for at least two days. The only memory I have of her is her light blue eyes. It really just hit me, the reason I miss her is the motherly love that I so desperately need. She left when I was six or seven months but…I think my Dad did something. (LUCIOUS roars from inside the cave) LUCIOUS TYSON !!! Get in here. TYSON Here I come. (under his breath) Oh my god; what does he want?
LUCIOUS Sit down. I want to tell you something important. TYSON Ugh. Yeah, what is it Dad? It’s getting late. I’m tired. LUCIOUS You need to get ready – because – TYSON (cutting him off) Ready for what? LUCIOUS We have to leave son. TYSON (shocked) Leave to where? And why? LUCIOUS We are going to Washington, D.C. TYSON (shocked) Dad, we can’t go to D.C. (stalling) I can’t leave Jackie behind. LUCIOUS I know he’s your best friend, but you need to become a grown lion. TYSON Dad, when are you supposed to leave? Because I might need your help with something! LUCIOUS We are leaving tomorrow, and no, Jackie is not coming Tyson. (waves his index claw) TYSON It’s not about Jackie. See you never listen to what I have to say. LUCIOUS I’m listening right now, but I’ve already decided for both of us. TYSON So my feelings don’t matter is what you’re saying. LUCIOUS Not in this argument. TYSON So it doesn’t matter that I’m not going to D.C. either. LUCIOUS (gets angry) Oh yes you are. I’m your father. You must obey me. (Lucious moves to strike Tyson with his paw) TYSON You think hitting me is going to make me come with you but it’s not. I will stay here until I find my mother. LUCIOUS (taken aback) What are you talking about? Your mother left us. TYSON (crying) Dad, I recently was dumped by my lioness because I don’t know how to treat a lioness, and you can’t help me with that. Only my mother can. LUCIOUS Hey, don’t blame it on me cause you need help. You never ask. TYSON Dad, can you just give me some details please, so I can find her. I wanna know the whole story about why she left. LUCIOUS I already told you why Tyson. She left us when she found another lion. She doesn’t care about you.
TYSON I don’t believe it. LUCIOUS Tyson, the story will never change because it’s the truth son. TYSON No, it’s not. I know something else happened and you don’t wanna tell me. LUCIOUS Tyson, you can’t handle the truth yet. TYSON (raising his voice) Yes I can Dad. I’m a grown lion. LUCIOUS Tyson, let’s play let’s make a deal. TYSON I’m not in the mood for your game. Just tell me what I wanna know. LUCIOUS Tyson, please just listen to me on this. You don’t wanna find her. We have to leave. I want us to be famous. TYSON Famous? What are you talking about? LUCIOUS About two months ago I saw these men with big cameras watching us. Then about a month ago I got us a deal with Animal Planet. TYSON OK That’s good for you, but that’s not what I want. (yells) I want my mom. LUCIOUS OK. Now this is where we make our deal, Son. TYSON Just tell me what I need to know. (gives him the evil eye) Lucious, I need to find my mom. LUCIOUS Who do you think you’re talking to? I’m your father; I brought you into this world and I can take you out. But here’s the deal. I tell you what you want and you come with me to D.C. TYSON O.K. I just need to meet my mom. (aside) He really thinks I’m gonna leave. Pssh. I love it here and I’ll tell him anything to meet my mom. LUCIOUS Are you sure you want the truth? Because the truth can hurt. TYSON Who would the truth hurt? Me or you? LUCIOUS Both of us Son. But I just want you to know I love you from the bottom of my heart.
TYSON Dad, I know that. But I also wanna know that my mom loves me too. LUCIOUS OK Tyson, but when I tell you this we have to get ready. Animal Planet will be here at 8:30 a.m. TYSON Gosh dang it Dad. Why can’t we stay here. Why do you want to be famous anyway? LUCIOUS I want to get famous so no lion will attempt to hurt you, and if they still attempt to hurt you we will have protection everywhere we go. I’m doing what’s best for you Son. TYSON What’s best for me is staying here with lions I love, and to find my mom, not to be in a different country. This is my home. I’m not in any danger.
(LUCIOUS walks over and sits next to TYSON) LUCIOUS OK Son, you want the truth. TYSON Yes. That’s what I’ve been asking for.
LUCIOUS Son, the part about her leaving when you were a cub is true. TYSON That’s the only part of the story I believe. LUCIOUS Son, your mother is the most beautiful lioness of them all. She has light blue eyes, long pretty eyelashes, and a nice rump too. TYSON That gives me a little help to find her, but why did she leave? LUCIOUS There’s no good way to say this, but I had the affair. Not your mother. TYSON Why? LUCIOUS (getting it off his chest) It was two days before your seventh month, so we both went out hunting. But I got back before your mother, and I saw Betsy (the oak tree). Jackie’s mom. I was losing interest in your mom, so me and Betsy started to do the do, and your mother walked in on us. Your mom would still come around until we found out me and Betsy had planted roots together. TYSON (tears fall) Are you saying what I think you’re saying? LUCIOUS Yes, son. Jackie is actually your brother. TYSON Why haven’t you told me this? LUCIOUS Let me finish. So your mom gave me an ultimatum of either give you to her, and I could see you anytime I want, or she was never coming back, and you see which I chose. TYSON No she didn’t say that. You’re lying. She loves me. LUCIOUS Yes, she did. You can go ask her. I know where she lives. TYSON Where is she? Why didn’t you start off with that? LUCIOUS She lives two trails down, one trail to the left, first cave on the hill. (TYSON gets up and paces around) TYSON Well Dad I thank you for this and I just want you to know I love you.
LUCIOUS Why are you talking like this? TYSON Dad I just need some time alone. LUCIOUS OK son I love you.
(TYSON walks outside of the cave) TYSON That was hard. I got what I wanted but it shook my world. My dad had an affair. (TYSON roars at the top of his lungs) Jackie is my real brother. I wonder if he knows, but at this point I’m worried about what to say to my mother when I go see her in the morning. I feel excited and also nervous at the same time. I want her to teach me the true meaning of love, family, and the big factor and the most important thing of all is just to have my mother.
END OF PLAY
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