Family Forgiveness (2008)
A Play by Antonio G.
CHARACTERS:
Rocky, a Jaguar, age 18. Blacky, a Jaguar, age 44, Rocky’s mother.
SETTING:
In the tropical forest in the middle of the day. A lot of animals around. Plenty of trees. A few rivers
TIME:
Afternoon in the summer
AT RISE:
ROCKY is getting ready to have the war between him and his brother Shadow, and walks forward and backward thinking for a strategy.
ROCKY
Man! I can’t wait to fight Shadow!
(Rocky roars out loud full of anger)
I need to get prepared and gather everybody.
BLACKY
(Blacky is sitting down) Rocky, why are you walking backwards and forward for? What are you thinking of?
ROCKY
Oh nothing, Mom. Just really bored.
(Rocky sits down on the ground)
BLACKY
Well you don’t look bored. You look suspicious. What are you nervous about?
ROCKY
I already told you, just tryin’ to think about something Mom.
BLACKY
What, and you can’t tell me what you’re thinking of?
(Blacky gets up)
ROCKY
It’s not that, Mom. I just don’t feel like telling you what I’m thinking of.
BLACKY
Don’t tell me. You’re thinking about the war against you and your brother.
(Blacky walks to Rocky’s face)
ROCKY
Mom, I don’t feel like talking right now.
BLACKY
You don’t feel like talking to me. Why not?! I’m your mother! What’s so important that you can’t tell me?
ROCKY
It’s nothing important. It’s just you are annoying me.
BLACKY
I’m getting annoying. I’m worried about you, that’s why.
ROCKY
Well you shouldn’t be worried! Because I’m right here and I’m okay.
BLACKY
Well, I will stop worrying if you tell me what your trying to do!
ROCKY
You wouldn’t understand, Mom.
(Rocky turns away from his Mom)
BLACKY
What will I not understand? Is it about your brother?
ROCKY
Yeah it’s about my brother Shadow, are you happy now?!
BLACKY
Why didn’t you tell me that in the first place then?
ROCKY
Maybe ‘cause I didn’t want you to Mom. I didn’t want you to worry.
(Blacky walks toward Rocky again.)
BLACKY
I worry regardless. Why are you doing this? Do you really want your brother dead?
ROCKY
Yes I do want my brother dead! Well, not exactly, just want him to surrender.
BLACKY
But why is that so important?
ROCKY
Because it’s important. Why isn’t it important he killed my Dad?! He betrayed the jungle! He treats his own family like garbage! He’s just so selfish! He always wants it his way! See, I knew you wouldn’t understand.
BLACKY
Rocky, I understand. I know what you’re going through right now, but how do you think I feel?
ROCKY
You don’t understand, because if you did understand you wouldn’t be getting in my way.
BLACKY
I’m getting in your way ‘cause I don’t want you to end up dead like your father. I have too much to lose. Why can’t you just let it go?
(Blacky walks away and sits down.)
ROCKY
Let it go?! What do you mean, let it go?! After all I been through, you just want me to let it go!
BLACKY
What about me?!
(Blacky walks toward Rocky)
What about what I’ve been through? That’s my husband that just died, my son doesn’t like me anymore, and you just want to end your brother’s life for blaming him for you father’s life.
(Rocky turns away)
ROCKY
Yes, that’s true. I do want my brother to pay his life for my father’s death!
BLACKY
Rocky, I don’t want to lose you guys. I already lost my husband and I want my sons alive. It really hurts me when you want to do an evil thing to your brother. What if we can work it out? You know – me, you, and your brother Shadow.
ROCKY
There’s no talking about it. I will not accept his forgiveness. It’s too late for that, Mom.
BLACKY
Why not? You won’t even do it for your mother? We need to talk this out, Rocky. Why can’t you give your brother a chance? Everybody deserves a second chance.
ROCKY
No! I have too much to lose. How do you know he won’t try to fool us or trick us? I can’t trust him.
BLACKY
Why can’t you just give it a try? I beg you. Please.
(Rocky sits down)
ROCKY
No! Mom, I can’t trust him. He will just try to pull a fast one on us, or probably lie to us. And I don’t want to risk that chance. It’s too dangerous for that chance.
(Blacky sits down next to Rocky)
BLACKY
Just try and think about it, Rocky! I know you don’t want to do this to your brother. You love him too much to kill him.
ROCKY
How do you know that, Mom? You don’t know nothing about me.
BLACKY
Trust me. I can see it in you. That’s why I don’t want you to hurt yourself by killing your brother. ‘Cause you love him too much to do that. You know it will hurt inside if you did.
ROCKY
Mom, you know I will always love my brother, but I won’t forgive him for his mistakes he has committed. He got no Respect, or Love for the family.
(Blacky hugs Rocky)
BLACKY
I know how you’re feeling, Rocky. I’m not happy either, ‘cause he has hurt the family a lot. But if you think about it, Shadow probably didn’t want this either for the family.
ROCKY
Do you think he didn’t want this either?
BLACKY
Of course he didn’t want this. He probably didn’t even want to betray us, or the jungle. He probably felt like no one loved him. He thought it was all about you. I hope you realize now what I’m trying to tell you. It was basically all about you, Rocky. He never was talked about in the family or in the jungle. It was all about you. He just wants to be loved. And right now, I want you to make a choice. How would you feel if you were in his position, Rocky?
ROCKY
I never knew that was going on. I never thought it was all about me. I wouldn’t like that either. It must have been really hard on him.
BLACKY
Yeah. A little too hard on him, but you know, he probably still loves you.
ROCKY
But what about Dad? Shadow killed him! I can’t just forget about that.
BLACKY
But it was an accident like he said. You just didn’t believe him ‘cause he was constantly lying, but I don’t think he would lie about a serious thing like that. And don’t forget it’s really hard on him too. It hurts him that his father ain’t there no more for him, and also you.
ROCKY
Yeah, you’re right Mom. I was too hard on him. Now I’m realizing the situation. I think it was really an accident. I guess he left because he thought we would all hate him forever, and we wouldn’t want him anymore. And he didn’t want to feel like the bad one.
BLACKY
See, now you’re realizing it. So will you forgive him? ‘Cause that’s really up to you, Rocky. That’s something I can’t do. So what’s it going to be?
ROCKY
You know what, Mom? I think everybody does deserve a second chance, ‘cause really, I couldn’t live without him. I guess we can talk about it, Mom.
BLACKY
Rocky, thank you for choosing the right decision. Now we can be a family again. We can work this out, trust me. It’ll work out fine.
THE END
