This is the third scene from Lucy Thurber's play Monstrosity and the third and final posting of the play. Scenes one and two can be found below.
Scene Three
Michael’s office. Sarah sits at his giant desk looking at his papers. She opens a file and reads. Michael enters.
Michael
What are you doing here?
Sarah
Reading. (Referring to the file.) More new arrivals-lucky you or should I say lucky us? “The voice of the youth”, it’s ironic father because you’re so far from young yourself.
Michael
Again, what are you doing here?
Sarah
I mean looking at you objectively, you are still a handsome man-
Michael
Powerful men are always handsome-
Sarah
But you’re shriveling Father, you’re getting smaller.
Michael
If you like.
Sarah
You’re getting old, too old to be Youth’s Speaker.
Michael
Then lucky for me it was a life-time appointment.
Sarah
You appointed yourself.
Michael
I serve the people.
Sarah
I know what you fantasize about Father. I think you imagine all your little students, during your moving speeches, writing down your words in their little notebook so they can read them later and masturbate to them in private.
Michael
Sarah, get out of my chair so I can sit down, I’m very tired. And please try to watch your mouth, despite what you think, it doesn’t make you interesting.
Sarah
Most of the time I can’t believe you mean all that shit you say-
Michael
But?
Sarah
But you write down the same shit that constantly dribbles out of your mouth. (Gets out of her chair and marches around the room.) I am my brother’s keeper, my best is your best father and all my power belongs to you.
Michael
Not clever or cute, more self-pitying, railing against authority, it’s unoriginal even for you Sarah. (Crossing to his desk and sitting down.) Now could you please stop marching? You’re giving me a headache.
Sarah
(Stops marching) Father-
Michael
Daughter.
Sarah
It’s about Silvia-
Michael
Aww the bunny-
Sarah
It’s a just a nick name, you shouldn’t-
Michael
Shouldn’t I?
Sarah
It’s cruel that the other kids-
Michael
From what I’ve seen it’s-
Sarah
Not everybody can be-
Michael
She’s frightened of every thing-
Sarah
She has other values-
Michael
Really what?
Sarah
She’s valuable to me.
Michael
Is she?
Sarah
She’s been given three red marks.
Michael
And?
Sarah
Excuse her from the test.
Michael
That’s impossible-
Sarah
Every morning they march her out to that damn cliff and wait for her to jump into the water and then at sunset they march her back, three days in a row, three red marks, two more and-
Michael
She’ll be dropped down from Elite to Moderate and you won’t see her any more.
Sarah
Yes-
Michael
You always favor the weak. It disgusts me. If you weren’t my daughter, I would-
Sarah
But you couldn’t, I pass all your stupid tests. In fact if you check your files, you’ll see I jumped off that stupid cliff in record time.
Michael
You’re lazy. You’re only operating at half your potential.
Sarah
Yes, and I still beat over half of your Elite cadets-
Michael
That’s not the point-
Sarah
Then what is?
Michael
You and your fucken girls-
Sarah
There’s just this one-
Michael
Just one this year-
Sarah
What does that mean-?
Michael
Shall I list the others, you’ve asked favors for-?
Sarah
Being your daughter must have some advantages-
Michael
She has to jump, everyone jumps-
Sarah
She is not everyone, she is mine.
Michael
Yours?
Sarah
Yes and you will let me have her or I will take something that’s yours.
Michael
What could you take? Everything you see belongs to me.
Sarah
So what if she’s afraid. Being afraid to jump off a cliff into freezing cold water is not cowardice it’s good sense. Why must she be punished for having good sense?
Michael
You always love the weak ones-
Sarah
No Father I just like the ones that think for themselves-
Michael
Everybody jumps or they get dropped down to a lesser form. And if you love her so much why don’t you go up there with her tomorrow morning and push her off?
Sarah
Because she trusts me-
Michael
Then she’s a fool and so are you. There will be other girls Sarah-
Sarah
Fuck you Father.
Michael
And the same back to you daughter.
(Thomas enters with Tierney and Patrick. Thomas stands at attention. Patrick and Tierney are dressed in uniforms now, but they stand awkwardly not sure what to do. Michael stands up and comes around and leans on the front of his desk, he picks up a folder)
Michael
Welcome, welcome…(He opens the folder and looks in it for a moment.) Tierney and Patrick Morgan, is that right?
Tierney
Yes that’s right.
Thomas
Sir, when you answer him you call him Sir.
Michael
It’s all right Thomas, they’re new here they can’t be expected to know everything the first night, can they?
Thomas
No Sir.
Michael
Tierney and Patrick, you have obviously met Thomas and this young woman here is my daughter Sarah. Sarah these are our new arrivals Tierney and Patrick Morgan.
Sarah
Hello.
Tierney&Patrick
Hello…
Michael
You’re both right, calling her Sir wouldn’t really fit the bill. What shall they call you Sarah?
Sarah
Sarah is fine. Plain and simple Sarah, it suits me doesn’t it father?
Michael
(Checking his watch) Yes plain and simple does suit you and if you don’t hurry you’ll be late-
Sarah
For what?
Michael
Your appointment-
Sarah
I have no appointment Father. (She exits.)
Michael
Lovely isn’t she? So you both must be so excited! Recruited into elite.
Tierney
Yes, Sir.
Michael
I want to take a good look at you.
(Silence. Tierney and Patrick stand uncomfortably.)
Michael
They say the son always resembles the father and the daughter the mother but in your case it’s the opposite. Tierney you look exactly like your father, even down to the expression around the eyes. He used to stand around and eye me much the same way you’re eyeing me now. We were students together you know?
Tierney
Yes Sir.
Michael
And Patrick you’re the pretty one, just like your mother. She was always a pretty one. You didn’t think your mother was pretty son?
Patrick
I thought she was beautiful, Sir.
Michael
(He opens his file and reads.) I see you’ve been paired with Simon and Charlie, good thinking Thomas.
Thomas
Thank you Sir.
Michael
(Still reading the file.) Those boys have so much potential. It’s a shame we’ve never found a leader for them. Maybe those two will finally find some direction. It could make a very good team potentially…
Thomas
I thought so too Sir.
Michael
(Closing the file.) Good, good, everything’s in order. You can go Thomas.
Thomas
Yes Sir. (He exits.)
Michael
Now, would you two like to sit?
Tierney
We’re fine thank you Sir. I get the feeling nobody sits in your presence Sir.
Michael
It’s true no one does. But it never prevents me from sitting. (He moves back behind his desk and sits.) Aren’t I the lucky one?
Tierney
Yes Sir.
Michael
Now, you know why you’re both here?
Tierney
Our parents are dead.
Michael
I know.
Tierney
They were killed in a car crash two months ago.
Michael
Yes. But do you know why you’re here?
Tierney
We needed to go somewhere.
Michael
This isn’t somewhere. This is the most exclusive training program in the country. The best families put their children’s names on my list at their birth in the hopes that I will accept them when they are old enough to attend my school.
Tierney
Yes Sir.
Michael
I when I was appointed Speaker for The Youth I pledged to myself, to this country, that I would eradicate sloth. Each student in their level, each student striving for their best. Competition is the road to success as long as each student is where they belong. Your parents didn’t think much of this country did they?
Tierney
I don’t know what you mean Sir.
Michael
Don’t lie, it doesn’t become you.
Tierney
Sir, you’ve only just met me, I don’t know how you’d know what becomes me and what doesn’t.
Michael
Fair enough. Let’s be straight shall we?
Tierney
Yes Sir.
Michael
Your test scores?
Tierney
Yes?
Michael
They are more than above average. They are exceptional.
Tierney
Yes.
Michael
If anyone besides your parents were aware of them I would have recruited you years ago.
Tierney
Yes Sir.
Michael
They took from this country its greatest asset by taking you away.
Tierney
Yes Sir.
Michael
Selfishly hid you away, keeping for themselves something that belongs to us all.
Michael
But now they are gone and you are with me.
Tierney
We know that Sir.
Michael
Good.
(A beat.)
Michael
We’re building something new in this country. It was selfish what your parents did. You belong to this country, you don’t just belong to them. You are their son and daughter yes, but first and foremost you are members of a community.
Tierney&Patrick
Yes Sir.
Michael
Because your home, this land, this country is in your blood and your parents blood. We are a peace loving people but at the same time we are courageous. We are an honor loving people and we must be taught honor from your earliest childhood. We are a proud people, we must be taught pride. We are obedient, we must be taught obedience. We must be soft and yet hard as steel. We must be gentle yet fierce as…as…?
Tierney
Fierce as fire Sir?
Michael
Exactly. Exactly, fierce as fire. You both have suffered a great loss, the pain you must be feeling is well…it is…
Tierney
Overwhelming Sir.
Michael
Yes, overwhelming. But we are here, your community is here, and you will never be alone again.
Tierney
Thank you Sir. (Nudging Patrick.)
Patrick
Yes, thank you Sir…
Michael
You’re both welcome. You’re both very welcome.
End of Scene
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