I Remember

by Joanne Miller

Summary

A young wife puts up decorations for Father’s Day.  Each one holds a memory for her of her own father.  Ends with her announcement to her husband that he is going to be a father.

Characters

Kate – wife who is determined to remember her own father
Dan  - Kate’s husband

Script

(Kate walks into living room carrying a large box.)

Dan: What do you have there, hon?

Kate: Oh, it’s the Father’s Day decorations.

Dan: I think we’re the only house in the world that decorates for Father’s Day.

Kate: I know.  Isn’t that sad?  A lot of people decorate for other days, like Valentine’s Day or St. Patrick’s Day.

Dan: Or Halloween.

Kate: Exactly.  But not when it comes to celebrating our dads.

Dan: Well, you certainly do it up right.  Let me see if I can remember what some of these things are.

Kate: O.K.  How about this.  (Pulls out toy firetruck)

Dan: That’s from the 25th anniversary of your father’s service to the Town of Greece Fire Department.

Kate: Right.  He was so proud of being a fireman and serving the community.  But that one was kind of easy.  How about this one.  (Pulls out 1 small mitten.)

Dan: Boy, I know you told me about this.  Wait, wait.  Let me think. (Paces as he thinks.)  It’s your mitten from when you were little.

Kate: Obviously.

Dan: I know!  It was from when you were a baby and your parents took you to get a Christmas tree.  You came back with one mitten and one nearly blue hand.

Kate: That’s right, and…

Dan: And your dad felt so bad that he didn’t notice you had lost a mitten.  From then on he would pin your mittens to your cuffs.

Kate: Of course, I was just a baby and I don’t remember that, but I do remember Dad telling me that story many, many times.  I think he still felt bad, even when I was all grown up.

Dan: What else do you have in there?

Kate: This. (Pulls out a garland)

Dan: I think I’m stuck on this one.  I have no idea.

Kate: This is from a New Year’s Eve party that my parents had at our house one year.  My dad did all the decorating, and there were garlands like this all through the house.  This one was in my room when I woke up on the day of the party.

 Dan: He put it up while you slept?

Kate: Yes.  I was so surprised and delighted.

Dan: He had a way of making you feel special, didn’t he?

Kate: Yes, he did.  He never let me feel left out.

Dan: Tell me again about the party.

Kate: You know how it is for kids on New Year’s Eve.

Dan: Yeah, it’s not really for children, is it?

Kate: Well, that year my parent’s threw a kid’s party.  All my cousins and all the neighborhood kids were invited.  We had a great time – playing games, eating and using the noisemakers.

Dan: Sounds like fun.

Kate: I think my dad had the most fun of all.  He won the apple-dunking contest.

Dan: What about this?  It’s just a bunch of safety pins.

Kate: I don’t usually put those out.

Dan: Why not?

Kate: Those are from our wedding day.

Dan: Our wedding day?

Kate: Yes.  (She takes the pins from Dan)  We had just 20 minutes before we were supposed to be at the church, and Dad noticed my hem was coming down on my wedding dress.

Dan: So he pinned it up?

Kate: Yes, he did.

Dan: And you kept the pins?

Kate: It’s one of the last things that I know my dad touched.  Not only did he touch them, but also he was helping me – AGAIN.

Dan: I’m sorry your dad isn’t with us any longer, hon.

Kate: Me too.  That’s why it’s really important to me to celebrate the memories I have of him.

Dan: Well, I’m glad you do.  I didn’t know your dad too long, but he was a great guy.

Kate: He sure was.

Dan: This is something I haven’t seen before.  What’s this?

Kate: That’s new this year.

Dan: New this year?

Kate: That’s right.  It’s a Congratulations banner and I’m hanging it up for you.

Dan: For me?

Kate: Yep.  Because by this time next year you’ll be holding our baby.  Happy Father’s Day, Dan.  (They embrace.)

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Copyright John & Joanne Miller, all rights reserved.
This script may be performed free of charge, provided no charge is made for entrance or for programmes. In return, the authors would like to be notified of any performance. For further information regarding performance rights, they may be contacted at: joannesmiller65@gmail.com.