Family and Politics

A Play by Devin O.

DARREN
The only possible solution to this problem is, one of us is going to have to drop out of the campaign –

STACY
Well, I’m not the one under pressure.  I have the population vote in my favor, so it looks like I’m going to win.  So I don’t have to do nothin’.

DARREN
This is not even your dream.  You’re just so arrogant and stubborn that you can’t see past the mistake you’re making.

STACY
Well, if you wasn’t so influential on my decisions we probably wouldn’t be here right now –

STACY
(She laughs.)  It’s nothin’ personal, Darren, it’s just politics.   (To the audience)  By the way, for you guys that’s wondering what we’re campaigning for, it’s to be the governor of the great San Francisco Library.

DARREN
You are really working my last nerve on this issue.

STACY
Wow – Mr. Big, Bad Therapist can’t read through his sister.  Princeton musta not been that good.  (Pause.  Laughs.)  Oh, by the way – send my nieces and nephews to Harvard – look how I turned out. 

(DARREN leaves the bookshelf and goes to another room.)

STACY
(Turns to the audience) That always gets to him.  (Laughs) (To Darren as he is leaving)  I still love you, but prepare for me to be governor.

DARREN
(To the audience)  G-d dammit!  She is really working me – All my life I’ve been the best brother I can be to her.  All I’ve tried to do is protect her and care for her.  It’s like she’s just purposely trying to ruin my career –

DARREN
(To himself)  What is she thinking?  Our mother’s in the other room running out of pages, and I know she does not want to end her career with her children destroying their reputation and personal relationship. 

                        (He turns around and goes back in the room.)

(To Stacy)  What are you doing?  Our mother’s on her last page – and this is how you want her to see us before she ends?  Self-destructing our careers?  What has gotten into you, Sis?

STACY
You know, if you could have used your therapeutic abilities to help me when I was down and out, we probably wouldn’t even be in this predicament.

DARREN
Stacy, you’re going no where with this.  I don’t even recall what you’re talking about.
            
STACY
Huh – Sudden memory loss?  Amnesia?  I have it all the time – it runs in the family.
      
DARREN
Why have you always been so damn stubborn?  Wyant you just get to the point and tell me what’s been your motivation behind this?

STACY
(Yelling)  Well, if you would have been the brother that you are supposed to have been, I wouldn’t have this hatred in my heart for you!

DARREN
What the hell are you talking about, Sis?  Wyant you just get to the damn point?

STACY
You know what I’m talking about – You took the side of a copyrighter rather than your own sister – I’m your ink dammit!  (Emotional)  When I was robbed of my bookmarks, you took the side of the copyrighter- You told me the reasons why he did it, instead of coming with me and reporting it to the librarian.  This is why I want all copyrighters in storage!  Because of the harm that was done to me and how you justified it!  I just want you to apologize.  Knowing that you wasn’t there for me when I needed you the most- !  
            
DARREN
Well, there’s nothing I could really say in defense of myself, Sis.  Except, I apologize for me not being there for you when I shoulda been.  Sis, I swear that I didn’t mean for this to happen.  Why have you held this back from me, Sis?  Why haven’t you told me about your true feeling?

STACY
I didn’t know how to approach the situation and I didn’t know how you was going to react.  You hurt me that bad – I just wanted to forget it.

DARREN
Since the election is tomorrow, Sis, and I owe it to you to let you win because of my mistakes – and I think you’d be best for the position.

STACY
(Sadness in her voice)  This isn’t even my dream.  I wanted to build a community center to help young, troubled paperbacks.  I just took the position to get revenge on you and make tougher laws on copyrighters – to have them put away in storage.  I really think that Mom would like to see you be the new governor – because of how hard you worked in your career to get there.

STACY
(Pulling herself together, wiping her tears and fixing her book cover.)  I accept your apology and forgive you.  I ‘m gonna call my campaign manager and tell him that I’m dropping outta the race.  It’s all yours, Brother.

DARREN
Thanks, Sis.  

(They hug.)

(Six months later, Stacy is living her dream of building a community center and helping young, troubled paperbacks. Darren is securing his position as governor for years to come.)