A Raging "C"

by J’son M. Lee

Summary

Yolanda's life is out of control, but her mother - who has been there before - understands, and finds a way of reconciliation.

Scripture

Inspired by the parable “A Story About a Fruitless Tree” (Luke 13:6-9)

Characters

Yolanda C
Mother

Script

Yolanda C. :  (walking into her penthouse apartment very late…fumbling with keys…shocked and startled)  Mother, what are you doing up at this hour?
Mother:  (sitting in penthouse with lights out…sad)  Yolanda, look at you!  Your hair is disheveled…your make up is smeared…you smell like cheap booze…I know for a fact that you didn't have a show tonight!   (almost yelling)  What is going on with you?
Yolanda C.:    (angry)  What are you now, my agent?!  You manage your career and let me worry about mine, ok?! (walks into kitchen to get coffee in hopes of sobering up)
Mother:  (concerned…following Yolanda into kitchen) Yolanda, I’m just really worried about you.  I didn’t raise you to be like this…
Yolanda C.:  (insulted)  To be like what?  (arrogant and throwing her hair in a sexy manner)  The Diva that you see before you?  I have worked hard to get what I have.
Mother:  (getting angry)  Worked hard?  Worked hard?  You mean by sleeping with every Tom, Dick AND Harry that shows you any attention?  When are you going to realize that a man is not the answer to your problems?   (pointing to heaven) THE man is!
Yolanda C.:  (angry) You know what, I am so tired of you judging me!  You weren’t always perfect.  You weren’t always the famous poet we see before us at this moment.  If I recall correctly, as a young lady, you also sang in night clubs, slept around and even got pregnant out of wedlock.  Not to mention your little stint as an “exotic dancer”.  (arrogant…takes a sip of coffee with a sly grin on her face seeing her mother’s shock)  Oh, you didn’t think I knew about that, did you?  So don’t tell me that I’m not living right!  (accusatory) You seemed to have straightened your life out…
Mother:  (embarrassed, shocked and hurt, but strong)  Yolanda, I…
Yolanda C.:  (interrupting with arrogance) My name is Yolanda C.!
Mother: (humble)  Yolanda C., I have never professed to be perfect.  Yes, I’ve made some mistakes in my life.  Some I’m not so proud of.
Yolanda C.:   (interjecting sarcastically and turning her head)  Obviously!
Mother:  As I was saying, I’ve done a lot that I’m not proud of.  I can’t change my past and neither can you.  All we can do is ask God for forgiveness, forgive ourselves and move on.
Yolanda C.:   Move on to what MOTHER (stressing “mother” and heading to the door)?
Mother:  (following her daughter and grabbing her by the arm)  To a better life…  Remember when my first book of poetry was released?  (getting off track)  That book made me a lot of money.  It bought you a lot of nice things…
Yolanda C.:  (bored)  Your point?
Mother:  Well, one of the most important pieces I wrote was left out…a piece I had written for you…I knew at that time you were not in a place to receive it from me, but I think now is a better time than any.  Wait right here…(rushes to study and grabs dusty journal from bookshelf and comes back finding Yolanda seated at kitchen table drinking her cup of coffee)  Listen to this…
Searching for something…
or are you searching?
Giving yourself with nothing in return.
Sometimes taking what belongs to someone else.
But always taking what you can get.
Fully aware of the limits of what you will get
and being comfortable with that – because it’s safe.
Obviously afraid of being hurt.
Afraid to experience real love – God’s love
Because one is never enough.
Insecurity.
Your beauty is your control.
But, out of control!
Glitter, boas, sequins – a star?
Sure, you can dress it up, but tear it away
layer, by layer, by painful layer.
It hurts.
Tears of guilt; but you must forgive yourself.
He already has.
Tears of pain; acknowledging the truth isn’t always easy.
Tears of loneliness; know that He’ll never leave you.
Tears of solitude; its’ during these times that
you experience the feelings which prompt your actions.
More pain; but healing is on the horizon.
Finally, tears of Joy!
You’ve torn away all the layers and subjected 
yourself to yourself.
You’ve faced the truth.
Part of the truth is knowing that you are not perfect
and that God knows this.
Doing what’s right is more of a conscious
effort for you, but we all have our demons.
Continue to search for Him and what you know
you deserve – not what you know you can have.
Experience the calm…
Yolanda C.:  (crying) You wrote that for me?  You really do know me…
Mother:  Yes, I do…and now its time for you to know yourself…the real you…the person you can forgive and proudly look at in the mirror…(embrace)

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© J’son M. Lee, 2002, all rights reserved
This play may be performed free of charge, on the condition that copies are not sold for profit in any medium, nor any
entrance fee charged. In exchange for free performance, the author would appreciate being notified of when and for what
purpose the play is performed. He may be contacted at: jmccoylee@yahoo.com