The New Soul of the Heart

A Play by Antonio V.

How you do this morning Mom?

I’m doing good, son.  Did you clean that damn room like I told you to do yesterday?

Yes, Mom.  DAMN.

What you say, boy?

Mr. Love
Nothing, Mom.  Nothing, Mom.

Miss Love the Mom
I’m getting tired of you mouthing off to me when I ask you to do something.  You don’t mouth off to them damn people on the street when they ask your ass to do something with yo black ass.  Wyant you go get a job or go to school, cause I’m tired of seeing yo ass five day a week from 6:00 o’clock in the morning to yo ass come back in the house at 12:00 o’clock with your eyes low to the earth off that damn plant that make you high, looking like your ass haven’t slept for weeks.  Take your ass upstairs and wake up you brother for summer school.

You always coming at me like that way.  Your never have anything good to say about me.  If it ain’t one thing, its another.  Plus – when I turn 18, in the end of this year in December, I don’t have to hear your no good comments.  You’ll be here arguing with your self like you always do when I’m not in the house.  Like when the neighbors heard all that damn noise from the house.  They thought we were fighting – they came over to see if everything was alright, til they look in the window and saw you at the dinner table, arguing with your self like you was damn crazy with nobody else in the house with you.  You have your nerve to talk about me. 

Miss Love the Mom
Boy, the reason why I stay on your case , cause somebody have to do it.  Cause your damn dad ain’t around to play his part he supposed to.

Mr. Love
(madly)  I told you about my damn dad, Mom.

(He punch the dining room window.)

Miss Love the Mom
Boy, I’m tired of paying for all these window our ass always punching out.

Mr. Love
So what.  You always talking about my dad like you wants to get back with him, which I think you do.  Plus, I need him.  Anyways, he probably the reason why I acting this way.

Then wyant you go find him then.  And don’t come back til you do.

Mr. Love
(madly)  I will then.  Like I don’t know where to find my dad.  (He put on his coat.)  I’m out of here by the way.  Wyant you go wake up Andre for summer school yourself.  (He walks out the door.)

Mr. Love
(Aside)  I’m walking down the street.  (He see one of his friends.)What’s up with you, Phil? About to halla at my dad real quick.   I see you when I come back. 

(After twenty minutes of walking, he finally get to his dad.)
Dad, I need to talk to you.  See, me and Mom’s having these problems day by day.

Andrew the Dad
So what problems are you having with your mom, Love?

Mr. Love
See, every time she get mad at me or if we argue, she always put you in it when you aren’t even at the house with us.

Andrew the Dad
See, she your mom.  Since I’m not there, she have to play two parts of your life, Love.

Mr. Love.
I understand, Dad, but I know Mom.  She need you back home with us, but she don’t want to admit it.

Andrew the Dad
What you want me to do?

Mr. Love
I want you to come back home with me so we can be family again.  I really need you home with me.  You the reason why I always feel depressed, and have so much anger in me.  So Dad, can you do that for me?
                                                
Andrew the Dad
Yes, I will.  Why have you been comin up to me and let me know I’m the reason why you feeling depressed and the problem with your mom?

Mr. Love
Let’s talk more while we on our way back to the house.

(They finally made it to their house.  [They knock.]  Knock – knock.)
                                                Miss Love the Mom
Who is it?

Mr. Love
It’s me, Mom.  Open up.

                                                
Miss Love the Mom
Boy, have you found your –

Mr. Love
Mom, he right here.  We all have a lot to say, so let’s get to it.  Come on, Dad.  Mom, why are you still standing there like you seen a ghost?  Mom, close the door and lets talk.

(Mom and Dad take their seats and just sit there with nothing to say.)

So, since y’all want to look at each other like y’all don’t have no mouth to talk out of, I start.  Mom, I was telling Dad about our problems.

Miss Love the Mom
OK, keep on.

Mr. Love
And I told him reason why we fighting so much.

Miss Love the Mom
And why is that?

Mr. Love
I don’t know what’s your reason, but I think I have a clue.  I think you miss Dad and you wish Dad was here for me like he has been back in the day.  See, have he reason why he left the family, so with all that said, I’m going let Dad tell you how he feel.

Andrew the Dad
See, Babie, the reason why I left is we had the same problems you and my son having and I feel since I’m not here, you taking it all out on him.  He don’t have any control of what me and you had back then, Babie.  So can we let the past be the past?  Can we?
                                                
Miss Love the Mom
Yes, I can.  But I have something to say  –  what makes you come back  to us?
                                                
Andrew the Dad
See, I finally want to be a dad for my son and be a husband to my wife, but for me to do that, I have things inside myself I have to take care of first, Babie.

Miss Love the Mom
I understand.  So when do you want to start fresh over?

Andrew the Dad
Babie – today.

Miss Love the Mom
Love, son, let me and your dad talk.  Go upstairs or outside a minute.

Mr. Love
Yes, Mom, but first I have to say something to my dad –  since you back in my life, I feel it will help with me and Mom’s problems.  I’ll start going to school and stop smoking that plant that make me high – for my stress problem I have inside.  And thank you for coming back in my life. (He walks out the door.) 

The End