Playwright — Michael Novak

I always thought I’d like to be a playwright. Ha. It is one of the hardest activities I tried. I’ve had some really fantastic instructors over the years and their mantras drift through my head - ‘Why this play, why now, what is the conflict, where’s the arch etc ect. I’m not sure I’ll ever make the mark (a few plays written) a few more to go. Here is a sample, a short ten minute play as an offering for you. Thanks for reading.

Michael Novak

LOVE YOU MOTHER

By: Michael Novak

TREATMENT

THOMAS has been caring for his Mother BERNADETTE for several years and is finally worn. He has been caring for his mother in his home thinking it would be ‘good’ for her. In a moment on this bright sunny day, he snaps and takes action that is unforgivable or is it. Although his action speaks loud the result is a muffled cry barely heard beneath the singing of the birds. When is too much too much?

Number of pages 8

CHARACTERS – TWO (2)

BERNADETTE – Mother of THOMAS who has suffered for many years with Alzheimer’s and is nearing the end.

THOMAS – BERNADETTE’S Son who has taken care, and the toll of, Bernadette for many years. He is exhausted, bitter, angry, and worn.

Love you Mother

(Lights come up on bedroom area with bed, nightstand and sitting chair. As the lights rise, we hear the chirping of birds. There is an oversized crucifix on the nightstand along with a stack of adult diapers).

(BERNADETTE lies still in bed with two or three ‘baby dolls’ with blankets. She wakes and ritualistically begins to fold and unfold baby blankets. She mumbles incoherently to the ‘baby dolls’ as she folds and unfolds blankets. After a while BERNADETTE starts to move out from under the covers of the bed eventually getting to a point where she has one leg hanging over bed when THOMAS enters room).

(THOMAS is disheveled and worn out. He is unshaven and his hair has not been combed. His clothes look as if he has been sleeping in them for some time. He is on edge from the moment he enters the room and is the picture of exhaustion. THOMAS carries a tray of food and medicine).

THOMAS

(THOMAS enters room and sees BERNADETTE attempting to exit bed. As soon as he sees’ BERNADETTE attempting to leave the bed he rushes to the bed a starts pushing the mattress back and forth with a foot to distract her and keep her in the bed).

No. No. Back in bed. Back in bed.

BERNADETTE

(Mumbles and reacts to pushing of mattress by halting her attempt to vacate bed. BERNADETTE is active throughout the play engaged with her ‘Baby Dolls’, speaking to various parts of the room, responding somewhat to THOMAS and the various circumstances but never in a connected sense).

THOMAS

Go on. Cover up. One day left. Back you go.

(The shaking of the bed finally distracts BERNADETTE sufficiently that she settles back in to bed).

(THOMAS moves to set down tray of food and medication on nightstand while keeping a close eye on BERNADETTE).

THOMAS

Okay. Let’s see. No. You can’t have that. Let’s just put it over here.

(Thomas moves to bed to remove a Madonna from BERNADETTE. The Madonna has a base that act as a container for holy water. He sits in chair and reads from a list of medications).

Artificial tears, Assure lance, Bacitracin, Bisacodyl, Calamine, calcium, dextromethorphan - guaifenesin .. Jesus Christ Almighty.

(THOMAS takes bottle of pills, takes a pill out of the bottle, places the pill in a small plastic cup and encourages BERNADETTE to place pill in her mouth by herself).

This will make both of us feel better.

(THOMAS struggles with plastic cup and in attempt to get pill from plastic cup into BERNADETTE’S mouth).

(Eventually the pill makes it from the cup into BERNADETTE’S mouth).

(THOMAS reaches for glass of water with a straw to give to BERNADETTE to sip).

Big sip.

(BERNADETTE does not cooperate).

Take a sip and swallow the damn pill.

(BERNADETTE reaches into mouth and takes pill out and throws it across the room).

That’s how you want to play huh.

(THOMAS flicks BERNADETTE in the head with his fingers and gets up to search for pill that BERNADETTE has just removed from her mouth and tossed across room).

You are going to swallow this pill. Do you hear.

(THOMAS is on knees searching the room for the pill. BERNADETTEstarts to exit from bed. THOMAS eventually sees BERNADETTE and rushes back to her to keep her in the bed. He forcibly pushes her back into the bed).

(The chirping of the birds has increased in volume so that the sound in overwhelming).

(THOMAS yelling at birds).

THOMAS

Shut up.

(THOMAS throws bottle of pills at window).

(Chirping stops).

(THOMAS shows pill to BERNADETTE).

Found it.

(THOMAS again places pill in small plastic cup and starts the routine of trying to move the pill from the cup to BERNADETTE’S mouth. He is not successful in moving the pill so he reaches into cup and grabs it with his hand and physically attempts to place the pill in BERNADETTE’S mouth).

(BERNADETTE bites THOMAS).

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. God damn you. God damn you. I didn’t mean that. I didn’t mean that. Mother you know I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry.

(Pause).

How ‘bout breakfast. Just like when I was a kid. Oatmeal with blueberries and cinnamon. Try some.

(BERNADETTE starts a conversation with something on the opposite area of the room ignoring THOMAS).

You have to eat. I don’t need my sister’s thinking I neglected you.

(THOMAS moves closer to BERNADETTE and tries to encourage her to eat the oatmeal. BERNADETTE continues to talk to opposite area of room. Thomas becomes more forceful in his attempts to feed BERNADETTE and BERNADETTE eventually swats bowl out of his hands knocking over the crucifix).

THOMAS

Hey.

BERNADETTE

(Makes a gasp upon realizing the crucifix has been knocked off the nightstand).

(She moves to opposite side of bed trying to get out of bed to go to crucifix. BERNADETTE does get out of bed while THOMAS cleans up mess and grabs crucifix. BERNADETTE mumbles to THOMAS while staring at the crucifix he holds. She moves toward him and the crucifix).

THOMAS

Hop in and I’ll give it to you. Hop in.

(BERNADETTE slowly climbs back in the bed. THOMAS hands her the crucifix and then covers her up tucking her in).

How 'bout a little sleep. Close your eyes. Sleep.

(THOMAS rubs BERNADETTE’S forehead and eyes and hums a lullaby. BERNADETTE is almost asleep).

(Doorbell rings).

THOMAS

Shit.

(BERNADETTE stirs and is agitated and again starts to pull the covers off her to get out of the bed. THOMAS looks around room and eventually grabs the Madonna and hands it to BERNADETTE).

Hold it tight. I’ll be right back. Seconds. Just take care of your babies. I’ll be right back. Stay here. Stay right there. Stay in bed. Stay. I’ll be right back.

(THOMAS exits quickly in response to doorbell. BERNADETTE vacates bed with Madonna. She stands at foot of bed, squats over the Madonna, and urinates).

(THOMAS enters while Bernadette is urinating).

THOMAS

Christ. Okay. Okay. Let’s get you cleaned up. Here we go. Here we go.

(THOMAS finds towel and cleans BERNADETTE to the best of his ability. He finds clean diaper and clean pajamas and helps her into them. THOMASplaces her back in bed to which she slightly struggles against. THOMASshakes bed to distract BERNADETTE in attempt to keep her under the covers).

(After THOMAS has finished cleaning and dressing BERNADETTE he takes the Madonna and twists the top off it and takes a deep swallow of the booze he has placed inside when he needs a respite).

(He vomits).

THOMAS

Ahhh. Shit. Ya Mom. It’s the cancer. The cancer not you. How does that happen. No family history. Oh ya. Ben and Jerry. Your family. Well you spared me the dementia. Won’t live long enough for that.

(THOMAS cleans up vomit).

THOMAS

I love you Mom. Never doubt that.

(BERNADETTE is lucid for one short moment and sits up in bed and makes the makes the following statement clear as a bell).

BERNADETTE

I love you too.

(The space goes deafly silent. The lights fade to dusk. BERNADETTEsnuggles with her babies’ and lies down on bed and goes to sleep).

(THOMAS places all her babies close to her tucks them all in and leaves the room and returns carrying spare pillows and blankets).

THOMAS

Right where you always kept them.

(THOMAS places the blanket and pillows on the chair. He crosses to place crucifix back on nightstand).

Love you Mother.

(THOMAS goes to chair and takes pillow from chair crosses to BERNADETTE and takes pillow and presses it over BERNADETTE’Sface).

(He holds it for a long time).

(Eventually a baby doll falls to the floor and he releases the pillow from BERNADETTE’S head).

(He takes the pillow and the baby doll that has fallen and moves to the chair where he sits and gets comfortable looking to sleep. Just before dozing off he speaks).

THOMAS

Be good now.

(BERNADETTE slowly sits up in bed and slowly removes bedding. She stares at THOMAS for a while then at the crucifix. She slowly moves out of bed and onto floor where she kneels on floor and crosses herself).

(Lights out).