Black Parade - A One-Act Play

Scene 1

(Lights come up on MICHAEL's hospital room. He's alone and sitting up in bed drawing.)

(A few beats.)

(The door opens. SEXY NURSE comes in with Michael's father, then leaves with a passing comment that he's here to visit.)

(There is a long moment of silence. Michael doesn't look up from his notebook once he realizes who it is.)

Father: Kale.

Michael: What do you want, Adam?

Father: C'mon, don't be like that. I came all this way to come see you.

Michael: (mumbling) You were probably in town anyway.

Father: Hey. (He sits on the edge of the hospital bed) I know I haven't- I know I haven't been there for you... in the past. But I'm here now. Talk to me.

Michael: (sarcastically, still not looking up) Oh, goody. Nice to know all I had to do to get dear old dad's attention was be two weeks out from actually, literally dying.

Father: Kale, go easy on me. I had things at work.

Michael: You mean like you've conveniently had "things at work" for the past seven years?

(Beat.)

Father: I'm sorry.

Michael: Too little, too late.

Father: This is the best I can do, Kale.

Michael: It's Michael.

Father: When you were younger, you // used to love that nickname.

Michael: Yeah, well, I'm nearly an adult now. I've grown up. Maybe you should too.

Father: You'll always be my boy, though.

Michael: I don't belong to you.

(Long beat.)

Michael: Just leave.

Father: I'm not gonna leave yet. I just got here.

Michael: I'll use the nurse call button. They'll // make you leave.

Father: No! (Beat.) No. No, don't. Please.

(Michael finally looks up from his notebook.)

Father: ...You don't have to forgive me. You probably never will. But- if I'm- if you- (Beat.) I'm not letting you... pass on, without at least trying to mend things.

Michael: Yeah, well. It's not happening. (Returns to notebook.)

Father: Ka- Michael, I'm // sorry.

Michael: I don't want to hear it.

(Long beat.)

Father: I'm not saying I know what you're going through-

Michael: (an explosion) No! You don't! (pointing with his pencil/pen) You don't know!

Father: (getting frustrated) Obviously. But I'm saying that this is hard for me!

Michael: (sarcastic) Oh, really? It's hard for you? Here I was thinking I had it the worst, // but Adam over here-

Father: I'm losing my son, Michael. Obviously it's // going to be hard-

Michael: I'm dying!

(Long beat.)

Michael: But tell me again how this is so hard for you.

(Another beat.)

Father: Sam said // you made peace with it.

Michael: Ugh, you talked to Sam?!

Father: (Beat.) Yeah. Yeah, I wanted to see how she* was taking it.

Michael: She's* taking it just fine. I'm sure you just messed things up like you usually do.

Father: I'm not so sure about that. Maybe you should talk to her*.

Michael: She* doesn't want to see me. And- I might've... lied. To her*. I don't want to talk about it.

Father: You don't have to. But you can.

(There is a very long pause. During this, Michael returns to his notebook. After a moment, he decides he is dissatisfied with his drawing, rips it out of the notebook, balls it up, and throws it towards the garbage can near the door. It doesn't go in. He doesn't attempt to start his drawing again. He just stares at his notebook for a long time, trying not to cry.)

Michael: (shakily) It's scary.

Father: ...I know.

Michael: No. You don't know.

(A beat.)

Michael: (finally cracking) It's scary, and I'm 17, and I'm dying, and you decided now was the best time to reconnect, and I don't even have the energy to actually be mad at you anymore because I'm so tired, all the time.

Father: I know.

Michael: I didn't want- I didn't want to get carted off to Aunt Marie's house. I wanted a dad. I wanted you. Garrett ended up doing all the things a real dad was supposed to do. Then he moved out, and- (He cuts himself off.) Y'know, he taught me to ride a bike.

Father: I heard.

Michael: He taught me to tie a tie, and grill vegetables, and helped me with my English homework.

Father: ...I heard.

(Beat.)

Michael: Just leave. I wanna be alone.

(There is a very long silence.)

Father: ...I'll come back tomorrow.

(Father stands up. Michael watches him leave.)

Michael: (intended to be a warning, but sounding more sad than he anticipated) Don't make a promise you're not gonna keep.

[Lights down]