The Hate Vine

*Lights go up.  A girl is laying down stage right. A man has his back to her stage left. It is obvious there has been a fight, and that he has struck.*1

Man: I can't believe you!2

Girl: Well, you're the one who--3

Man: *Walks to her and picks her up violently.* Now, don't you go and try to pin this on me! *He slaps her knocking her down again*4

Girl: *Sobbing* I tried so hard, James. I tried to keep this marriage together.  Even through everything you've done to me.5

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Man:  Done to you!?  What I've done to you!?  *goes to center stage*  I have done nothing but give you--7

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Girl:  *gets up*  You have done nothing but beat me and cheat on me and beat me some more!  You killed the only good thing that would've come out of this marriage!9

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Man:  *still has back to girl*  I did not kill the boy.  You got the abortion all on your own.11

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Girl:  No, you lying fool.13

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Man:  *turns*  What did you just call me?15

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Girl:  I called you what you are.  You told me the abortion was the better choice for the baby and for us.  You, unknown to me at first, already made the appointment.  And furthermore--17

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Man:  *interrupts*  Good God, Mary--19

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Girl:  *unphased*  --while I was in the hospital, you were with that sleazy blond you met at the bar!21

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Man:  *softly almost chuckling*  You won't leave me.23

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Girl:  I have struggled to keep this marriage together for years.  I'm not sorry, James.  *Starts to walk past him*  Good-bye.25

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*Lights go out just as the man turns toward her and grabs her hair*27

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*Lights go up.  Mary is laying in a hospital bed surrounded by her parents*29

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Mother:  We thought James was so good for you.31

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Mary:  Mom--33

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Father:  He was a doctor!35

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Mary:  Dad--37

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Mother:  He could've killed you.39

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Mary:  He--41

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Father:  He better be glad he didn't!43

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Mary:  *Annoyed*  Guys!  He's going to jail for a very long time!  Calm down!45

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*Parents quiet down*47

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Mary:  When he stabbed me, he missed all the vital organs.  I'll be fine shortly.49

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*Lights go out.*51

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*Lights come back on.  A narrarator is standing in front of busy people.  The people act out the story.*53

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Narrarator:  We all rush about in our daily lives, trapped inside our own world.  Politeness is more habit than anything.  We bump a man accidentally and usher a hurried "Excuse me" and keep on going.  We bump another man, but we're in such a hurry--we're late to wherever it is--that we don't know.  He has had a horrible day adn takes it out on his son.  The next day, he is fired.  He again hurts his son before heading to the bar.  When he comes home, he is drunk and angry.  His son is five.  His son grows up wsith hatred being the only thing he knows.  He somehow becomes a doctor.  He marries a girl much younger than himself only for status.  Her parents are overjoyed because he seems to be a respectable man with a respectable amount of money.  They do not know that he continues to go to the bar and sleeps with countless women.  They do not know that he beats his wife and forced her to abort their son.  And when the young wife finally stands up for herself, he acts as if she was the guilty one--that he is innocent.  She confronts him.  She says that she is tired of being married to a bully.  In turn, he hits her, knocking her to the floor.55

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*People in the background are all gone except the man and the girl.  They freeze in the first position.*57

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Narrarator:  Mary has a chance to turn this chain around--to break away from it... She can choose to let the hatred her husband had grow inside her... Or she can learn from his mistakes... You also have that choice.59

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*Lights go out*61