A BROKEN MARRIAGE By Noah Brown March 21, 2016 Twinfield Union School 133 Martin Meadow Rd Plainfield Vt, 05667 (802) 322­5059 [email protected] CHARACTERS: BRUTUS: ​BRUTUS is a hardworking inventor, working for a car company. He is a kind man, hardly ever gets mad, and handles most problems with ease. SHARON: ​SHARON is a stay at home wife. She spends her time drinking wine and doing the crossword puzzles in the newspaper, all alone. She has grown salty in her days spent all alone. SETTING:
Living room AT RISE:
SHARON is finishing up the crosswords and having her 4th glass of wine for that day, waiting for her husband to come home, so she can be ignored like always as he runs to his room to work on his invention. SHARON (Sighs deeply, flicks through the newspaper for about 10 sec) Two words that mean failure? My marriage. How about those? (BRUTUS bursts into the room. He goes to table with picture of his father.) (SHARON sits up hopefully.) BRUTUS Dad! Oh dad! We did it! They took the part. We made the world a better place. All I have been trying for finally accomplished! I hope you’re proud up in heaven. If you were around for just one more year, you could have seen it happen... (SHARON sits back, grunts disappointedly and angry) (BRUTUS walks over to SHARON.) Hey! The company took my part! They took it for a good sum of money! SHARON (Flicks through newspaper) Oh, that’s great dear. BRUTUS All of our dreams finally come true... After all of the work I have done.. I have been working for months on this nonstop. Are you even paying attention?!? SHARON (Calmly sets newspaper aside, and takes off glasses. Raises voice.) Am I paying attention? You’re one to talk. You have been off, sequestered in your work room. I have been trying to talk to you but it’s always the same. (Puts on mocking voice) Oh, I’m busy, Sharon; I’m busy, Sharon! BRUTUS Baby.... Where is this coming from? SHARON (Throws hands up in the air) Oh surprise, surprise! You don’t even know! Well, then, I won’t bother to tell you.. BRUTUS (Sits on the couch next to SHARON) No, tell me. Have I done something wrong? SHARON Oh, I don’t know Brutus, have you? BRUTUS Why are you attacking me like this? You’ve never spoken to me like this before... SHARON You’ve been ignoring me for months! Off in the shop, not talking to me, ignoring me in fact. BRUTUS I was trying to­ SHARON Keep your excuses in your head where they belong. Because that’s all that they are. Excuses. BRUTUS Sharon, I was busy preparing for our future! I was busy making sure we could live happy until the day we died. SHARON That doesn’t matter if ‘We” aren’t anything in the present! BRUTUS What does that mean? SHARON The first time you come in here and act like a human, it’s to talk to that stupid picture of your dead father. BRUTUS (Glares at SHARON) How dare you bring my father into this? SHARON (stamps foot) Your life is dedicated to realizing an old fool’s dream to make the world a (Makes air quotes with fingers.) “Better Place.” BRUTUS (Starts pacing back and forth.) Ever since I was a kid, this was our legacy. Mom left and it was just me and Pop, working in the shop to make his brilliant idea finally a reality. SHARON (Gets into BRUTUS’ face) There’s no point in creating a legacy if you can’t give me the kids I have always wanted. BRUTUS That’s a low blow, Sharon. (Bitter and angry) Would you even know how to be a mother, after you were raised by such a horrible woman? SHARON I would have been a great mother! BRUTUS Oh, I can tell. You’re so kind and nurturing. You truly make real pleasant company. SHARON You made me this way. You never gave me kids, you’re always working on some half assed invention that is always faulty and you ignore me for months. If you had given me kids, then I would have had something to do, and I would not just sit here on the couch doing puzzles; I would have a fulfilling life. BRUTUS You would end up like YOUR mother! Just a loser who has no idea how to raise a child! You don’t deserve kids! SHARON (Drops her cup) BRUTUS (Reaches in her direction) Sharon... I am so sorry, I really am. I love you... SHARON No. No, how DARE you?!? You know what, Brutus? FUCK you. BRUTUS Sharon, I’m sorry... SHARON (Angrily walks to table, grabs picture frame and throws it against the wall) And FUCK your stupid father. He was an idiot that made ridiculous inventions just like his mistake of a son. BRUTUS (Raises his hand is if to slap her.) (BRUTUS AND SHARON ANGRILY STARE AT EACH OTHER) SHARON (Puts her hand on her face in horror.) I­ BRUTUS (Turns away.) SHARON You don’t know how HARD it is to be your wife! I’ve felt unloved for so long... I don’t know how long I can continue living like this! BRUTUS You don’t have to... Not like you have been, I am done with work. We are rich now. SHARON (Looks away from BRUTUS.) BRUTUS, there is no we. Not anymore. I would have tried to work things out with you, but I don’t think you care about me anymore. You are so damn distant. I have never felt this unloved. BRUTUS I have been trying to set up our future! How many other people do you know that are retired at 37? SHARON That’s not the point. BRUTUS I worked so damn hard to do all of this. And to just have you...you... cast me off like I am nothing? It hurts. I thought we were done with arguing about kids, but no. I just find it funny how you never wanted kids until your sister had some and rubbed it in your face. And even if I did want to have kids I couldn’t, It is not my fault that I am infertile. SHARON We already talked about this, we could adopt. BRUTUS Well, maybe I am SCARED to be a father! Have you ever thought of that? Being responsible for another life? That much responsibility is A LOT of weight to bear. And the thought of putting a kid through the pain I am in, after losing my father? I just can’t do it. SHARON (Gets flustered.) I­ Yo­ Brut­ You never said... You denied me kids, all these years, just because you were... Scared? Un­Be­Lievable. I really can’t believe you... After all this. (voice trails off) BRUTUS Baby, I can change, you just have to give me a chance to make it right. We have the rest of our lives. SHARON There is no “We,” Brutus. I am leaving you. Maybe I will find someone that will give me what I need to be happy. BRUTUS Sharon, baby... No! I love you! SHARON Goodbye, Brutus. (Leaves the scene) BRUTUS (Sinks down on floor and covers head.) No... Sharon, no... You’re my everything.. I did this all to you... I need you… (Sharp intake of breath.) I’VE GOT IT! (Takes out phone, and looks up a number, mumbles the word adoption.) SHARON (offstage) Where are my damn keys? (Enters scene, stays on edge) BRUTUS ( dials number.) Yes, Hello. I would like to set up a meeting to adopt a child. What was that? Oh, I am 37. Yes, I can provide for a child. Yes, I am married. Yes, next Friday would work for me. Yes, ma’am. A nice day to you as well. SHARON Brutus... BRUTUS (Jumps in surprise of SHARON’s voice.) Oh! Sharon... I thought you’d lef­ SHARON You really think, that after all of this, adoption will fix everything? Do you really believe that they would give us a baby when you don’t work with me and when you don’t try to work with me. BRUTUS B­but that’s what you want... I can make you happy. I love you SHARON You say you love me, but what do you love about me? You love the IDEA of me, you don’t know me anymore, it’s going to take much more than a child to fix this. It’s clear to me we have many more problems than I realized. You say you were doing it for us, for OUR future, but you were just doing it for your father all along. BRUTUS I guess I was working so hard... I let things just slip away. I spent so long thinking about me and Dad’s dream I guess I sort of incorporated you into it. You’re right ,Sharon. I don’t know you anymore, but I am willing to learn. I am willing to try, are you? SHARON Brutus, we aren’t the same people that fell in love in high school. People, and circumstances change and sometimes people become incompatible. BRUTUS I’m rich now, we can travel, and do whatever it takes. SHARON Ha! Yeah right, when we get divorced half of the money is mine. I can travel with anyone I want, and not have to deal with any of this anymore. Now I just forgot my keys, so I’m gonna go. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer soon. (Leaves scene) Brutus (covers head) The best day or your life can turn into the worst in ten minutes... (Looks at phone) I guess I have a few more calls to make.... END.