A Play by Omari M.
| CHARACTERS: |
HARDY the Hail Storm, age 7 SNOW, age 11, Hardy’s brother
|
| SETTING: |
SF Clouds, the sun is creeping around the corner.
|
| TIME: |
2:00 pm in the afternoon of Thursday the 12th of July. |
| AT RISE: |
HARDY is sitting on a fluffy cloud in deep thought with a twisted look on his face. He is waiting for his brother SNOW to come around the corner. |
HARDY
Bra, what’s up? Where you headed?
SNOW
(In a rush) No where. I’m just handling this business right now.
HARDY
Fa real! Let me role witcha bra.
SNOW
You don’t want to roll with me. I’m going to be running around doing this and that. You’re not going to wanna sit around and do nothing.
HARDY
Naw, I don’t mind. Maybe I can help? Plus, I want to ask you about your party this weekend.
SNOW
I ain’t got time right now. I gotta pick up some grape popsicles for the party. You know it’s a drought right now and it’s going to be hard to find some good grape popsicles.
HARDY
(Serious) Really, I don’t mind. I really need to talk to you. You my big brother and the only one I could talk to right now.
SNOW
Well, you look sincere. Come on and let’s roll. Grab your other boot. I’ll be waiting on the float mobile.
(HARDY grabbed his boot and hurried off to the float mobile. HARDY turned the satellite radio off and looked at SNOW)
SNOW
What’s up?
HARDY
Bra, I’ve been thinking about some stuff that’s been really freezing my heart.
SNOW
Like what? You always seem so cool when you’re with Thunder and them.
HARDY
Duh! That’s how I have to act around them. That’s the only thing I know. Can’t you see that I’ve been acting different lately?
SNOW
I thought you was nervous about the party that’s coming up this weekend and all the unique snow flakes that’s coming out for ya boy.
HARDY
I am nervous about the party, but not about the snowflakes. Thunder has been talking about party all month long. Do you know what we’ve planned to do at the party?
SNOW
Yeah, you guys better plan to have a good time this weekend.
HARDY
We do plan to have a good time. You know how you’re cool with everyone and you invited Sunny and his crew to the party?
SNOW
Yeah. Why, what’s up?
HARDY
Your cool with him and his crew, but Thunder has a big grudge against him.
SNOW
I thought you guys were cool with Sunny.
HARDY
We were cool with Sunny until he came around the way by Thunders cloud and shinned. He shined so bright that he almost burnt the light off of him. Thunder had to stay under the Golden Gate Bridge for over four weeks to recover.
SNOW
Sunny did that to Thunder?
HARDY
Yeah, and I’m scared!
SNOW
So what does he plan on doing?
HARDY
Thunder told me that as soon as Sunny walks out of the party, we were to make it pour no matter whose around.
SNOW
NO…NO… You guys can’t do that. Too many innocent clouds will be at my party, including the star police. Are you trying to make a death wish?
HARDY
That’s why I am coming to you. I figured you would know what to do since you use to live the same life style.
SNOW
(Replying with Regret) Don’t bring that up. I bitterly regret my past and I would not change back into those old ways for anything in the world
HARDY
So can you help me or not?
SNOW
Why are you just now asking me for help? You should have been asking me for help a long time ago. You know; I do not ever want to see anything bad happen around me especially if it has something to do with my little brother
HARDY
(Angry) I’ve been trying to talk to you for the last month now. Do you remember the beginning of June? I’ve tried to talk to you about life and how I’ve living mine. But no, you were too busy doing stuff for other clouds when your brother needed you the most. You really needed too, but haven’t been putting your family first bra!
SNOW
You betta pump ya brakes short stop. I am your big brother
(SNOW looks at HARDY like he’s thinking about slapping him in the face)
SNOW
Now what do you want to talk about?
HARDY
First of all, my life has been taking a major turn towards the deep end. I’ve been pouring down on innocent clouds left and right because I’ve had no one to talk to about my misfortune. You’re always happy. You make people feel good, but it seems like your giving me a rope to hang myself. I am turning really cold and I aint got too much more time before my inner sparkle freezes over completely. Then, I will never be able to see my family. I would totally be ice-so-lated and I would never have a chance to find peace within myself.
SNOW
Slow down, slow down. You are telling me your doing all of this nonsense because of me? No way, that’s what you’re choosing to do. You see me leading the right path and you should start following it.
HARDY
You don’t sound like the big brother you are supposed to be. And anyway, how in the hell am I going to just lead the right path? Hailing on clouds is in my DNA and I have to make changes.
SNOW
So why don’t you just change?
HARDY
(Sarcastic) Change takes time you mega moron! You just don’t say you wanna change then the next morning you wake up a different cloud. I have to behave differently and most of all change my outlook on stuff. You’re so smart that you’re stupid.
SNOW
Don’t get at me like that! I am not one of your homeboyz, I’m your big brother. If you know have to do all of those things then why don’t you just do it?
HARDY
I can’t just do it. I have to know how to change. Remember you were talking to dad about how to become more responsible?
SNOW
Yeah!
HARDY
Well, you just didn’t know how to be responsible. You had to learn.
SNOW
So why not learn?
HARDY
What do you think I am trying to do? I would not be having this conversation if it was that easy. (Pause) Matter of fact, if it was so easy then how did you change?
SNOW
First of all, you need to change the clouds you hang around. I know it’s not easy to just up and stop chillen with your friends but you have to really want to chan…
(HARDY cuts in on his sentence)
HARDY
I do want change!
SNOW
No you don’t! Look, your not even listening to me. You say you want my help, so now listen. (Pause) Now where was I? I got it; you have to change your attitude about how you respond to stuff. Change the way you see certain things. You’re becoming of age where you need to start thinking of your future. You have to be responsible. Do you know what being responsible is?
HARDY
Yeah, I know what being responsible is.
SNOW
Let me break it down to you; responsible is being able to respond. You have to have the ability to respond. You have to be able to think before you just do something. Education is the key.
HARDY
Thanks big bra. I really needed to have this conversation. I think I can make this happen.
SNOW
No problem little bro. But next time you need to talk about something that can change your life forever, make sure you let me know. No matter how busy I am.
HARDY
You can bet on that.
SNOW
So what is it going to be? You’re coming to hang out with your big brother at the party tonight right?
HARDY
I’m definitely gonna come and hang out with you. I wanna get a taste of the free world. I just gotta do the right thing.
SNOW
What’s the right thing to do?
HARDY
You’ll see soon enough!
TO BE CONTINUED….
