Characters:
Mandela the Basketball, Male, Age 27
Mee-Lo the Soccer Ball, Female, Age 19, his girlfriend
Setting:
Los Angeles General Hospital, a nice remodeled hospital specifically for sports items.
Time:
12:00 pm, churchbells are ringing. It’s spring, mid-March.
At Rise:
Mandela sitting with MeeLo as she is in her hospital bed drinking a soda.
Mandela:
You look so much better than you were a week ago, so much progress! (MeeLo with her ball patches all healed.)
MeeLo:
Too bad I can’t be able to bounce around and walk again due to this paralysis.
Mandela:
It’s ok darling you’ll be fine and you’ll be able to do something you love again.
(There is an awkward silence in the room.)
MeeLo:
Well…I guess…I mean it’s not like there aren’t other opportunities out there in the sports biz ya dig?
Mandela:
Yea, that was clearly my point. (he says jokingly) I think you’re just a lil slow.
MeeLo:
Haha very funny (she says sarcastically)
(MeeLo and Mandela continue to argue like little kids.)
Mandela:
MeeLo I’m going to leave for a second and grab a bit to eat.
MeeLo:
Don’t take too long!
Mandela:
I’ll take as long as I want! I literally been with you the last 5 days straight. Jesus Christ you’re so clingy!
(Meelo then blushes in embarrassment.)
MeeLo:
Chillout dude, I didn’t mean it like that.
Mandela:
I’m tired of hearing your voice!
MeeLo:
But I…
Mandela:
No buts, no nothing, can you just be quiet and be happy you’re still alive?!
(MeeLo starts to tear up and cry. At this moment Mandela knows that he has crossed the line and he storms out the room. Mandela then thinks to himself.)
Mandela:
That was kinda messed up of me to do that. I should go apologize, MeeLo is prolly crying her eyes out. I don’t know why I did that, I don’t like to trust anyone because what happened to Cody how my parents abandoned me, but I’m just tired of her bossing me around constantly telling me what to do. (Then he goes back to MeeLo’s room.) Hey, MeeLo I’m sorry I didn’t mean to say something that mean. You know I love you. I’m tired of you just treating me like a pet.
MeeLo:
Well, I’m sorry if you feel that way, but you know I want you with me because I feel safe around you! Especially bcause I’m in the hospital.
(Mandela then thinks about what she’s saying, then no one says a thing for a quiet minute.)
Mandela:
Okay…But there’s something I have to tell you. I can’t be with you every time you want me to. I have things to do too. I have a life as well. I still have a future ahead of me.
MeeLo:
I understand. I will try my best to be by myself when I can, I’m sorry Mandela. But I’m in the hospital! You’re not! I’m paralyzed! You’re not! There are many differences between me and you since I got hit by that bus.
Mandela:
Okay…
MeeLo:
You act like I don’t want a future too. I still want to manage or be in a professional team organization. Just because I’m disabled doesn’t mean I can’t accomplish my dream. I know I can. And I will prove to everyone when I do! My sisters always think I’m the one person that won’t make it. My father is always traveling and watching my sisters. You think that’s cool?! It sucks. I want the attention from my father like my sister’s get, ok! So stop whining about how your life sucks. You haven’t even got a glimpse of mine! (shouting letting her emotions out). (Mandela is then so quiet he doesn’t want to say nothing.) Didn’t mean to get at you like that, but I wanted you to know what I’m going through.
Mandela:
Yea, yea, yea I knew you would say that.
MeeLo:
Well at least you can bounce around and roam around. I can’t!!
Mandela:
Obviously but I need to have a break from you that’s all I’m trying to say.
MeeLo:
Why Mandela? I need you in my life. Sometimes I feel like dumping your sorry butt, but then I think about all the good times. I know we have a future together, you just don’t realize it.
Mandela:
Well I don’t, you’re kinda getting irritating.
MeeLo:
Oh my God you’re acting so rude. What is the matter with you. Is this why you blow me off when we schedule plans?
Mandela:
….Yessir
MeeLo:
Well how about this, let’s make things work out. You do you and I do me, but I still want to see you, I love you.
Mandela:
I do too but I think…I like that idea.
(Then the nurse walks in and tells MeeLo that she’s ready to leave when she’s ready. The nurse then exits.)
Mandela:
You see what I want to achieve is to help other youth sports items in things I never had growing up. My parents abandoned me when I was born until a young man names Cody came and fetched me out the dumpster.
MeeLo:
(in shock)…what…really?
Mandela:
Yea, you see me and Cody grew a great bond. He was always taking care of me. We would always go to the gym and would be killing the opponents whenever we played with each other. Cody was my best friend!
MeeLo:
Man—dela you never to-told me this.
Mandela:
Yea I know I don’t really tell people. But one day I got flat and Cody went to the local Dicks Sporting goods to buy a pump to pump me. But as he was crossing the street, BOOM!! A bus hits him, and he’s dead. Dat quick. That’s Heavy Baby.
MeeLo:
Awww…Mandela I’m so sorry. Is that why you don’t trust no one?
Mandela:
Yes. (Awkward silence)
MeeLo:
…Well you see, me growing up with 2 sisters wasn’t all easy on me. You see when I was 7 my father was pushing me and my sisters hard in soccer he wanted us to be the best in the world. You see my sister Zee-Lo Ball was a high prospect in high school. She was killing the game. Then there was G-Lo, she was good too but not as good as me and Zee-Lo. My father wanted us to play Division 1 at UCLA, we all committed there as soon as we got offers. ZeeLo’s freshman year was amazing she was an absolute monster on the field. Which really got me jealous. What if I’m not as good as ZeeLo! My father showed her so much love and attention it made me feel like I wasn’t in the Ball family no more. My dad got famous all over ESPN for talking hella shit about current Pro players and saying on national TV that ZeeLo was the best in the world. He ended up launching a brand called the big-baller-brand. It started off as sweaters but went on to shoes and every clothing item you think of. It made me mad because all this was for ZeeLo, which made me want to be better than her you see until I got hit by a bus. Aghhh it makes me angry.
Mandela:
Wow hell of a story eh… (aside) You see sometimes I don’t feel like being with her but then I think about the good old times I had with her.
MeeLo:
(shows a grin) Yea well I just wanted to let you know where I was coming from.
Mandela:
You know let’s just put this whole thing to the side. I’m sorry for the way I was acting. At least we got to talk out and, now we know what we both want from each other.
MeeLo:
Yea…
Mandela:
Come on MeeLo, get up, let me take you home. Screw this damn hospital it gives me bad memories.
MeeLo:
Yea let’s go baby I’m ready.
(The leave the hospital and go home.)
3 months later, Mandela is doing what he loves and he started a foundation on helping orphaned sports items which raises money to help get these kids homes. MeeLo is an Assistant Manager for the Los Angeles Shakers working side by side with her sister ZeeLo. Everyone is living happily ever after.
THE END
Mandela Monologue:
My closest relationship was this human named Cody. When Cody found me it was just some chemistry between us. At first I didn’t really like Cody. But the more times I started to play ball with him our bond just kept growing. Cody was by best friend up until he went to go get a ball pump to pump me up and got hit by a bus. I never saw Cody again. I wasn’t even able to go to his funeral which sucks. Too bad Cody died we would of made a great pair on the court. I love you Cody. But what happened to Cody motivated me to do what I love and what I really love’s Basketball. I then went on and played professionally and after seasons of doing great I started to think that Cody’s spirit was with me. So to this day on everything I do on and off the court is for my dead homie Cody. But nowadays I’m trying to teach younger sport items the importance of sports and how they changed my life. I’m also trying to donate from time to time wherever I got a chance. I want to help others because I grew up with nothing, no parents nothing. I was left in a dumpster. So I know there are others with a sotry similar to mine. I don’t want to see others go thru what I went thru, which motivates me into donating and helping others. There’s this girl I met a couple years back. At first I thought she was just a typical girl trying to use me for my money and fame. But then I started to catch feels for her. I didn’t think I would be with her for so long. I then realized she is my rider for life. But sometimes being with the same girl for so long gets annoying, boring. There are ome days I don’t really want to be with her. But it is what it is. She thingks we are married or something which we are not. I’ve literally explained this to her over and over again jeez! But then I start think about the good old times with her. The point she’s my girl and I love her. But she’s getting in the way of me trying to help others, constantly calling me to hang out or showing p to my place without telling me, it’s just certain limits in a relationship. She has to let me do what I want and not constantly get in the way bugging me with her issues. It makes me feel very irritated by MeeLo sometimes.
MeeLo Monologue:
My closest relationships are my sisters and my dad. Me and my family have been thru a lot over the span of my lifetime. As you guys are all aware my father pushed me and my sisters to be the best our whole lives. I guess it has somewhat paid off because my oldest sister ZeeLo plays in the ros and I’m pretty close as well. A couple years back I ment a guy named Mandela. He was such a sweet nice basketball who I feel like I had a strong connection with. Although Mandela never really showed me lots of attention in the past, I know he at least cares about me. You see I got in an accident that changed my life about 4 months ago. Mandela has showed me so much love and now I feel like he doesn’t want to lose anyone he loves. I really care about Mandela. My father loves him and so do my sisters, not because he’s famous or anything. What I’ve really been trying to achieve before the accident was become a professional soccer ball just like my sister. But now I don’t really think I can do that anymore because I was diagnose with paralysis. But that doesn’t stop me from being a par t of a professional organization. I’ve come all this way in the sport, and to see it all end due to some stupid accident really bums me and my family out. It is what it is and I’m going to have to get thru it with Mandela and myself. I’m going to have to achieve my dream by having my sister help me out and pull some strings to help get into the organization.
