MOTHER
(Distraught) We are leaving!
FIERCE
(Puzzled)WHAT?
MOTHER
You heard what I said. I don’t need repeat to repeat myself.
FIERCE
But mom, all I wanted to do was work everything out and you came at me with this?
MOTHER
I’m the mother and you’re the cub. So we’re leaving.
(MOTHER begins to walk away from FIERCE until Fierce says)
FIERCE
(Under his breathe) Mother, what the hell do you know about being a mother?
MOTHER
Excuse me?
FIERCE
You heard what I said.
MOTHER
No I didn’t, why don’t you repeat yourself?
FIERCE
You want me to repeat myself? Ok. What the hell do you know about being a ma…
(Before FIERCE can finish his sentence, MOTHER struck him with a fierce blow of her own)
MOTHER
You better give me the respect that I deserve.
(FIERCE is teary eyed from the blow)
FIERCE
Why would you bring me into this world if you thought more about caring for your own reputation then taking care of your own son?
MOTHER
Fierce, you better watch what you say to me.
FIERCE
That’s the problem; I have been watching what I have been saying to you. Because I didn’t want to hurt your feelings in the same way you’ve done mine.
MOTHER
Explain to me how I have hurt your feeling?
FIERCE
Where do you want me to start?
MOTHER
Start from the part where I haven’t been a so called “good mother” to you
FIERCE
Ever since I was young you gave me the sense that you cared for me. But as I got older, I started sitting back watching and comparing our family to other families. Seeing how they treat each other versus how WE didn’t treat each other.
MOTHER
STOP! (Under her breath) That’s what I was afraid of
FIERCE
Afraid of what? (Pause) What are you talking about?
MOTHER
That’s why I want us to leave because you are being pulled into this illusion of how a family is supposed to operate. (Breath) Your not seeing the full picture, your only seeing the front and not the reality behind it.
FIERCE
What do you mean; all the families look as if they live so peacefully.
MOTHER
You got a lot to learn. Those families are destroyed just like us. It’s just they have an extraordinary way of covering it up
FIERCE
Yeah, we may be honest about how our family isn’t all together, but why can’t our family be like them, just without the make up?
MOTHER
It’s not a perfect world Fierce. Not all birds flock together.
FIERCE
Why couldn’t you and father stay together?
MOTHER
We were 2 different animals, but we came together to make a special 1.
FIERCE
If I was so special, why couldn’t you and father stay and raise this “special” one? (Pause) Do you even know what special means? It means “A particular kind that’s distinct from others.” You know how I know this, because people other than my family let me know that I’m special.
(Mother has a stunned look on her face)
MOTHER
What do you want me to tell you? I messed up. Every parent messes up, some more than others. I had you at a young age, the age when I was at my prime. Even though I wanted a cub I didn’t want to lose my innocence in the process.
I tried to keep it as long as I could
FIERCE
While you were keeping your innocence all these years, I’ve been struggling to have someone to love me. There are a few female panthers that have been treating me special. And they know what the word “special” means. There is this
one panther that catches my heart when she tells me “I’m special,” and that’s the reason I want to stay.
MOTHER
Even though it seemed as if I wasn’t paying you no mind, this whole time I didn’t do half bad. You treat all the other female panther cubs’ right. And that was my plan for you not to be like your father.
FIERCE
What do you mean by better? All I did was make one better decision then him.
MOTHER
It’s the principle about it. That one decision is mandatory in a family
FIERCE
So now what?
MOTHER
We can make this right by leaving and starting over.
FIERCE
But why can’t we do it here? All my friends are here and all I’ve ever known is here.
MOTHER
I’m sorry, but I can’t take being here anymore.
FIERCE
Well, I can’t take leaving here.
MOTHER
Why are you afraid of change?
FIERCE
(ASIDE) Am I afraid of change? (Back to mother) No, I’m not afraid of change. It’s just I want to stay and start another family.
MOTHER
What are you saying? This family ain’t good enough for you?
FIERCE
I just want to have something I’ve never had “A Real Family.”
MOTHER
I am not going to argue anymore. I’ve said all the sorry I could Fierce. So either we’re leaving together or I am leaving without you?
FIERCE
I just want you to be happy.
(MOTHER kisses FIERCE and walks away)
THE END
