Ducky, the lost Ducky

A Play by Rodolfo

CHARACTERS:	DUCKY, the DUCK, male, 4. He is a lost ducky who has survived three years by himself. Never met his family. RIVER, the RIVER, male, 68 years old. OLD!!! He is very stubborn in the beginning, he’s not helpful, got a   moody attitude.
SETTING:	Lots of water, lots of mud. Also, it looks like a swamp. It’s a very large river, it’s lonely, scary, dangerous. It smells dirty. The water is half clean, half dirty, very dark at night time, very hot during the day. Lots of noise, lots of alligators, snakes, birds, lots of trees, mud, and fish.
TIME:	8:00 pm, summer, night.
AT RISE:	Ducky is out on his last late night looking for his family.   He’s on the river by himself, very aware of his surroundings. River is watching him.

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DUCKY Oh man, I can’t find my family. They’re far away. I haven’t seen them in a long time, since I got lost in that storm. I almost drowned, the river took me away. I miss them. I don’t want to spend no more day in this dirty river. I need help to find them. River, can you help me find my family?

RIVER I can’t help you. I got problems for myself.

DUCKY Come on, River. I know you can help me. There’s a lot of places I haven’t gone to on your streams, but I know you know who lives on them.

RIVER My memory is not too good. My mind is somewhere else. I’m getting old. And I do not know your family. So, how am I gonna know who you’re looking for?

DUCKY Do you know what the importance of family is? Imagine you without your family. Never be able to see them again. How would you feel?

RIVER True, true, kiddo, you’re right, but I don’t know what to do. My days to death are getting closer. I could die tomorrow. And yes, I do know the value of family. I miss mine too. They are long gone, so stop bothering me, kid.

DUCKY I just need one favor, that’s all I’m asking for. Why can’t you just help me find my family? And I’m sorry about your family, but I don’t want the same thing to happen to mine without them even knowing me or me knowing them.

RIVER I gotta go, kid, I don’t got time. (RIVER is flowing away fast, without looking back.)

DUCKY No, wait!! I need your help, I really do. Just one favor. I’ll do anything if you help me.

(RIVER slows down and turns back around.)

RIVER Tell me this, kid, where did you last see your family? Why do you need my help now when you could’ve been asking for help. Why are you asking me now?

DUCKY I actually enjoyed my freedom of doing whatever I want, but yet not one day did I stop thinking about my family. I never asked because I never thought you might help me, because of your rudy attitude.

RIVER Then just stay. Stop making it difficult.

DUCKY I’m not making it difficult. My mother’s days are coming to an end too and I wanna see her and tell her that I’m alright and that I love her before she dies.

(RIVER is being thoughtful.)

RIVER You know, you remind me about myself, how I never met my family. I grew up by myself and it hurts, so you just touched my heart. But I do not know where your family is at, so how can I help you?

DUCKY I’m very sorry to hear about your family. I’m sure they’re in the right place now, but I don’t want the same thing to happen to me. I wanna hug ‘em and tell ‘em I love ‘em. This is very important to me because I never had love in my life. It’s not my fault.

(RIVER is a little teary right now.)

RIVER I can understand how you feel, but like I told you, I don’t know how to help. I’m a little sick right now, I can’t think, I can’t eat and my water is drying, so lots of animals are migrating and there is so many of them. I regret never seeing my family, but I couldn’t because after I was born, my mother died. I became what I am now, a big river. That’s why I’m always moody. I used to be strong and I was able to do anything and it was great, but yet I never had love, so all this power didn’t mean anything to me. The only source for love is family. But you’re right, it’s not your fault you don’t have a family. You need your family.

DUCKY Can you help me, please, before it’s too late for both of us. Lead me away to another river so I can search for my family there.

RIVER I cannot go that long since I’m drying away and my streams are not long enough.

DUCKY So, you gonna help me or not?

RIVER That’s no way to ask someone.

DUCKY Can you help me, please? Look, you’ll feel much better if you help me knowing that you did me a favor. And don’t worry, rainy season is coming and maybe you’re not gonna dry away. So, please, just help me, I’m begging you. I know a faster way to get to a different part of another river.

RIVER Alright, kiddo, I’ll help you, but we don’t have much time left.

DUCKY(excited) So, is that a yes? RIVER Now, don’t push it, kiddo, but I’mma help you because I don’t want what happened to me to happen to you.

DUCKY Yes!!

END OF STORY