The play is set in a Christian College in the Midwest, much like Cornerstone. The protagonist is a a 5th year or 6th year senior, much like myself. The story comes from his journey through the year. His struggles he encounters being relatively old in an undergraduate program, his issues with personal identity, his relationships, a lack of post-graduate plans, and others.
It's just an idea, but you never know what might come out of it.
This scene in particular is set in an all guys Freshmen Dorm room (Quincer). It's late and Andrew - yes, I'm naming the protagonist after myself for now - is getting ready to leave to go home for the night. He's tired. He's worked all night, and he has class in the morning. He's in the dorm of a friend, and a bunch of freshmen are hanging out in the room. One of the freshmen - one he doesn't know all that well - has just asked why one of Andrew's close friends is such a dick all the time. This is Andrew's response (in the perfect world, where the perfect monologues just come to us).
Andrew:
You’re right. Carl can be a dick sometimes. You can chalk some of that up to the fact that that is just his sense of humor. He gets under your skin to get a reaction, and he gets sweet, sweet satisfaction out of it. You can also chalk up some of his dickishness to the fact that he is, in fact, sometimes a dick. He can be hard to be around. He’s easily irritated, he has a short fuse, he lashes out. He recognizes it as a fault, and he’s working on it. But I will say this about him. For all of his shortcomings and all of his immaturity, he’s smart, he’s honest about the way he feels, and he’s one of the best judges of character that I have ever met, and I know tons of people. So perhaps instead of asking yourself “Why is he picking on me?” you should instead look in the mirror and ask yourself, “Why is he picking on me?” Maybe you deserve some of the shit coming your way. I don’t know. I don’t know you -
Offending Freshmen: (interrupting)
But -
Andrew:
Shut up -
O.F.:
He’s -
Andrew:
Shut UP. Something tells me that all of my words are lost on you. You’d rather feel as if you’re some innocent recipient of undue persecution. It’s certainly easier to go through life thinking that. That certainly makes sense. I see it now. When you were asked why he’s a dick you weren’t actually interested in the answer, you just wanted the rest of us to know that you thought he was a dick. Listen up freshman. You’re entitled to your opinion as much as the next man, but this is college. If there is any justice, you better know that when you ask a question, you’ve got an answer coming your way, and how much you like the answer is arbitrary. (to the rest of the room) And that goes for the rest of you. I’ve been in University too long to stand for pointless posturing when I don’t need to. You start out going to college not knowing anything. Hopefully by the time you’ve hit Junior year you’ve applied yourself enough to actually contribute. Before then, you’re just wasting everybody else’s time.
Sophomore:
Is that what you think you're doing now? Contributing?
Andrew:
Only in the way that weeding a garden can sometimes contribute.
1 comment:
Andrew, yes. I love you. Thank you for writing again. I suppose there are also things we older must learn from the freshman, but i've had a little time enjoying your anecdote.
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