| General Script posted February 21, 2023 | Chapters: |
Prologue 1 -2- 3... 
|
  |
A family gathers to celebrate a father`s life
A chapter in the book The Farewell
The Farewell II
by Kaiku
SCENE II
(In Scene I the eldest daughter Peggy is the first to visit her father) Setting: Master bedroom. Room is spacious and comfortable. King size bed against the far wall from the entry door. Nightstands on either side with reading lamps. A Lazy Boy positioned at the end of the bed facing the entry to the room. There is another chair, folding, that rests directly opposite the Lazy Boy so that both parties in their respective chairs would be facing each other. A couple feet from the two chairs is the entrance to the master bath. Along the near wall closest to the door sits an extensive dresser and bureau and just past the bureau is a walk-in closet. Various pieces of artwork hang from the open spaces on each of the four walls. One in particular is a painting of the man sitting in the Lazy Boy. It`s an action painting of the man highlighting his career as a professional basketball player.
The man has three days left in his life. He is home, in his room preparing to die from congestive heart failure. His nine kids have come to say their goodbyes, one-by-one.
LIGHTS COME UP
Without a knock, the door opens and in walks Mike.
Door closes behind him. FATHER sitting, hands on knees, comfortable
HELLO THERE KEMOSABE MIKE a strong pace, he sits facing his dad
HOW`S THE LONE RANGER DOING TODAY? FATHER smiling
ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, NOT TOO BAD A short pause as they both adjust their sitting postures. Father takes a deep breath (medical condition) and Mike is trying to find the right posture
FATHER
HOW´S JULIE AND THE KIDS? HOW ABOUT YOUR WORK? GOVERNOR BREWER STILL HAPPY WITH YOU AT THE VA?
MIKE nodding with a deep breath
GOOD DAD, GOOD More silence, 30 secs or so
FATHER almost apologetically
SON, I KNOW WE`VE HAD OUR DIFFERENCES OVER THE YEARS… MIKE abruptly
DAD, IT`S OK… FATHER quickly interjects
LET ME FINISH, IT`S IMPORTANT. I CAME DOWN HARD ON YOU. YOU DIDN`T LIKE ME MUCH…FOR A LONG TIME. I UNDERSTAND,
BUT I WOULDN`T HAVE DONE IT ANY OTHER WAY.
A short pause
IT WAS TOUGH ON ME. MY BROTHER JACK WAS YOUR BEST FRIEND
AND I WAS YOUR FATHER. IT PAINED ME FOR A LONG TIME.
A short pause
NOW, I SEE THE MAN IN FRONT OF ME. I COULDN`T BE PROUDER. A VETERAN,
A FATHER, A WORLD CHAMPION IN KARATE. MY SON.
A short pause
SON, MY FRIEND, I WANT YOU TO SPEAK FOR ME AT
MY SERVICE. IT WOULD MEAN THE WORLD TO ME.
MIKE now sitting very tall
AN HONOR DAD, IF YOU`RE SURE? FATHER grinning
DO I LOOK LIKE I HAVE A FUNNY FACE? MIKE with an air of confidence
NO, YOU DON`T HAVE A FUNNY FACE. IF YOU DID, WHAT DO YOU THINK I`D LOOK LIKE.
Both sit and feel very relaxed. Nothing is said.
LIGHTS FADE END OF SCENE II
FATHER- 82, former professional basketball player, college All-American, great all-around athlete, businessman, devoted father and husband. Logical, understanding and a disciplinarian. Sung in the church choir.
MIKE- 57, strong, powerful, a bad ass that you didn`t cross. Married (high school sweetheart), three children, trade school, Vietnam Vet, working for the AZ VA under Gov Jan Brewer. World Karate Champion in Shuri Ryu, runs his own Dojo. Number 3 in the line-up of nine.
SCENE – 2B
(Eight children are gathered in the living and dining rooms, Mike is with his dad)
Setting: Living room, rather square in size but spacious. Leather couch against the front windows of the house, a tri-level. Half wall on the staircase side with a couple sitting chairs, lamp and small round table stand with flowers and knick-knacks. Opposite wall is a recliner and cabinet with glass doors. Cabinet holds crystal and other family items i.e. pics of the grandkids etc. In front of the couch is a 60`s style coffee table with snacks and other edible items that the children are sharing. An open space connects the living room and dining room. Artwork adorns all the walls where there is room. Nothing cramped or ostentatious. Kids are scattered about, some standing, some sitting both in the living room and dining room.
Their dad has three days left in his life. He is home, in his bedroom preparing to die from congestive heart failure. The nine children have flown in from around the country to say their last goodbyes. Siblings are commiserating, waiting for their turn with Dad.
LIGHTS COME UP
Mike is with his father. All are gathered around Peggy to get a sense of how their dad is feeling and his clarity. His deterioration continues as death draws ever closer. Mother has moved to the kitchen and out of the scene.
There is a knock on the front door and it opens with a “Hello” as Linnea Chap enters the house. Linnea is Dan`s wife, a world renowned Oncologist, and just flew in from Los Angeles. She wants to be with Dan and the family and to assist with any medical
questions. Linnea will administer the morphine during her father-in-law`s final hours and sign the death certificate. Recognizing the voice, Dan greets Linnea at the top of the stairs with a surprise look on his face. DAN.
LINNEA, WHERE`D YOU COME FROM? LINNEA sheepishly.
SORRY DAN. I JUST COULDN`T STAY HOME. I HAD TO BE HERE. DAN moving to hug Linnea and says happily.
DON`T BE SORRY. I`M…WE`RE GLAD YOU`RE HERE. MIKE IS IN WITH DAD. WE`RE EACH GOING TO HAVE A PRIVATE MOMENT. big breath I`LL GET YOUR BAGS. EVERYONE`S HERE AND I`M SURE YOU CAN BE A BIG HELP WITH THEIR QUESTIONS. Linnea joins the others with group hugs taking place. Small chatter,
then Martha and Janet pull Linnea aside. MARTY amazed and a little shocked. LINNEA, YOU JUST GOT ON A FLIGHT AND CAME HERE? LINNEA not paying attention searching for Nancy.
WHERE`S NANCY. I WANT TO SAY HELLO. She sees Nancy in the kitchen and leaves Martha and Janet abruptly. MARTHA a little put-off.
WELL, OK THEN. LIGHT FADES and COMES UP on Peggy and Marianne
PEGGY sweetly
SO NICE TO SEE LINNEA. WHAT A PLEASANT SURPRISE. MARIANNE approvingly
OH YES! LIGHT FADES and COMES UP Carol, Kevin and Tim.
KEVIN purposely
GLAD LINNEA`S HERE. THESE PAMPLETS THE HOSPICE NURSE GAVE US ARE A LITTLE OVERWHELMING. LINNEA CAN CLEAR A BIT OF THIS STUFF UP FOR US. CAROL half joking
YOU THINK? THIS STUFF GIVES ME A HEADACHE. TIM and Kevin nodding in agreement.
Mike is seen leaving his father`s bedroom. Marianne
heads in just as Martha was turning in that direction. LIGHTS FADE
END SCENE
Eight children and Dan`s wife: Peggy- 60, Marianne- 58, Janet- 56, Martha- 54, Kevin- 52, Carol- 51, Daniel- 47, Timothy- 42, Linnea- 47.
Forgive the use of CAPS. Lots of side commentary I didn`t want confused with the dialogue.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Mike was bitter toward his dad for many years. In the end, he came to appreciate his father. Stage is a dual stage to accommodate two different scenes so that conversations between siblings and father and between themselves can be seen alternately. 
|
© Copyright 2024. Kaiku All rights reserved.
Kaiku has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
