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Institutionalization By Darwin A.
Characters: HUEY the TIGER, male, 18 – brown tiger with black stripes BOBBY the TIGER, male, 19 – black tiger with brow stripes
Setting: On the inside of an old, worn out cage. There’s rusty but firm, still thick bars – thick enough to hold very smart and strong tigers down. The ground is filled with hay as to comfort the tigers. Just enough hay as to make the tigers believe they are still good. In this particular cage there are only two tigers, Huey and Bobby. At last, there’s an opening at the top of the 20 feet high cage. Through that opening a zookeeper is able to insert extra tigers, or food. The cage smells of raw blood, rotten! Wherever there’s dry blood a bunch of flies swarm around causing a cacophony of buzzing sounds around the cage.
Time: 7:00am on a summer morning.
At Rise: Huey is in one of the corners of the cage deep in thought about his plan to overcome the zoo-system, not just around him but in other zoos as well. He ignores Bobby who is roaming around the cage talking to Huey about their past days; remembering the good times they had while rockin’ together
BOBBY
So yeah, remember that one time we had to run that one Lion out of our section?! Talkin’ ‘bout he was king of the jungle. Sent him running back over them dusty roads.
HUEY
Bruh, do you remember how long ago that was?! You need to start letting go of the past. I mean, just look at where we’re at for doing stuff like that. BOBBY
Come on bruh, you startin’ to sound like some sort of square. I don’t know, but you been on some other lately.
HUEY
There’s a difference between sounding like a square and sounding smart. It wouldn’t hurt you to start expanding your vocabulary as well.
BOBBY
I ain’t worried about stuff like that. There’s only one thing runnin’ through my head right now.
HUEY
What is that?
BOBBY
You know damn well I’m after stackin’ steaks, and cookin’ chickens tryna get my eats.
HUEY
See, there’s your problem right there! First off, we’re locked down making it harder for us to get our eats. Second, you need to stop worrying about possessing possessions that possess you.
BOBBY
(Skeptically) Yeah, that made sense. Anyway… (Huey cuts him off)
HUEY
Third, we don’t even know when our next issue will be given to us.
BOBBY
Bruh, stop actin’ like you was never into stackin’ steaks and cookin’ chickens. You used to be into it more than me.
HUEY
Exactly, I used to be! I’m trying to have you look at life from a perspective like mine. I want you to start giving some value to your own life.
BOBBY
(Vindictively) Come on bruh, listen to yourself!
HUEY
No! You listen to me! We’re struggling right now Bo’. Not just us, but Tigers in other cages as well. Tigers in cages around the world are too!
BOBBY
I couldn’t care less, Hue’! Do you really think everybody else is thinkin’ ‘bout us too?! Not everybody on the same page as you.
HUEY
Right, there are only a few individuals that care about our breed. And we’re damn near the last of a dying…
BOBBY
Well before I die, I’m gone try to get rich.
HUEY
Trying isn’t a 100% guarantee. Trying is just going to be the death of you! I mean, it’s okay if you want to have steaks and all but getting it legitimately is where the value’s at. You need to stop falling victim to the steaks and the chickens that zoo-system’s throwing in cages. All you’re doing is hurting your loved ones, your people, and mainly hurting yourself. This addiction is holding you back from just being free.
BOBBY
(Disrespected) What is you sayin’? See you really trippin’ right now. I ain’t addicted to nothin’!
HUEY
Then apparently, you haven’t been listening to yourself lately. All the zoo-systems around the world are just setting our people up, setting you and me up, for failure. I’m telling you…
Huey is interrupted. The circular opening in the top of the cage opens up. They see a Caucasian human being – the zookeeper. He looks down, laughs a horrible, scary laugh and throws one steak into the cage. Not enough to feed both Tigers. They both stare at the steak hungrily.
HUEY
‘Bo, this is exactly what I was indicating – Zoo-systems just looking out for themselves. I know how it feels, trust me. It’s hard, but we need to not fall into the temptation. We could make it through this. It isn’t like we’ll die just waiting for more. Matter of fact we’ll probably end up getting another issue later on. Then we’ll both have something to eat.
BOBBY
You’re right it’s shady how I just had to experience that just to see what you was meaning. Yeah, it would be better if we just wait. That way we’ll both eat at the same time.
HUEY
If you really want to think back to the past, think about this: we’ve been experiencing this our whole lives.
BOBBY
You right bruh, I’m wit’ you all the way.
HUEY
I love you for that bruh.
As soon as Huey turns around Bobby goes in for the kill, he doesn’t give Huey a chance for defense. He gets rid of who he thinks is a threat to his plans. He takes the steak and takes life chances with the zoo-system.
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