A CECADA DREAM

A MYSTERIOUS MAN RENTS A ROOM FROM A SINGLE MOTHER

 

A

CECADA DREAM

A ONE ACT PLAY

BY

MARK SLADE

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CHARACTERS

JEAN---STRUGGLING SINGLE MOTHER

SIMON---MYSTERIOUS BOARDER

EMILY---JEAN'S DAUGHTER

MARY----JEAN'S NEIGHBOR

NEW FAMILY

SETTING----JEANS FOYER AND DINING ROOM

TIME----PRESENT

 

 

Curtain rises.

The scene is Emily, a girl sixteen and her Mother Jean, and

the foyer that joins the dining room. Emily is in the foyer, Jean is in the

dining room setting the table for supper. Emily is rather tall for her age, often

mistaken for being in her early twenties. She has a kind face, very innocent looking.

Jean is in her forties, is in something of a depression since her second husband ran off.

She shows signs of not caring for herself because of the depression, often just wearing a slip, or bed clothes. Money is very tight, and the small house shows it.

Outside the CECADA , a type of locust, can be heard making quite a bit of noise. Emily sees one crawling on the door frame of the front door and smashes it with a hand.

EMILY

ANOTHER ONE, MOTHER.

JEAN

WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO ABOUT IT?

(Exits right)

EMILY

YOU COULD MOVE US OUT OF THIS PLACE.

JEAN

(Off stage)

AND WHERE IS THE MONEY COMING FROM,EMILY?

(Enters, carrying a loaf of bread and a skillet.)

I DON'T MAKE THAT MUCH MONEY AT

THOMPSON'S GENERAL STORE. YOU

THINK MONEY GROWS ON TREES. WITH, “MOTHER, I NEED A NEW OUTFIT.

MOTHER , I WANT SO AND SO'S NEW CD.” IF YOU ONLY

UNDERSTOOD HOW HARD THINGS ARE---

EMILY

ALRIGHT!

(Pause.)

I'M SORRY I MENTIONED IT.

I'M SORRY I WAS BORN.

(Sulking.)

YOUR ALWAYS BITING MY HEAD OFF.

JEAN

COME AND EAT YOUR SUPPER.

(Scooping out portions on two plates. Emily slowly eases to the table, sits carelessly.)

EMILY

(Making a face.)

FRIED SQUASH AGAIN?

JEAN

I CAN'T HELP IT, EMILY!

(Looks at her plate, disgusted.)

I DON'T GET PAID TILL FRIDAY.

(A knock at the door. Jean gets up from the table, opens the door.

Mary enters with her hands full, a shopping bag full of tomatoes. Behind her enters Simon.

Mary is their neighbor, dressed in a modest dress, but obviously doing better than Jean.

Simon is dressed in a black suit. He is clean shaven, strong chin, dark, mysterious features.)

JEAN

OH, HI MARY.

MARY

I BRAUGHT YOU SOME TOMATOES, JEAN.

AND SOMEONE WHO WANTS A ROOM.

(Jean realizes that a stranger at her door. She grabs a

coat hanging from the coat rack and covers herself. Embarrassed from

wearing next to nothing.)

JEAN

THANKS A LOT, MARY.

(To Simon.)

HELLO. I'M JEAN SANDS.

SIMON

HELLO. SIMON LAWRENCE.

(Pause.)

I ONLY NEED A ROOM FOR ONE NIGHT.

IT SEEMS, THE HOTEL IN TOWN IS BOOKED UP.

JEAN

WELL, WE HAVE A ROOM AVAILABLE.....

(Simon hands Jean a large roll of money.)

SIMON

MAY I BRING MY SUITCASE INSIDE?

(Mary and Jean stare at the money in Jean's hand)

JEAN

OF---OF COURSE.

(Simon exits through the door.)

MARY

THAT WAS A LOT OF MONEY.

JEAN

YES....IT WAS.....EMILY, GO FIX THE BED IN

THE GUEST ROOM. MAKE SURE THOSE BOOKS

OF YOURS ARE BACK IN

YOUR ROOM.

EMILY

ALL YOU DO IS ORDER ME AROUND.

JEAN

DON'T START, EMILY.

( Jean and her stare down each other as Emily exits left.)

MARY

I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF MONEY, JEAN...

BUT......HE SEEMS ODD.

JEAN

HE WAS POLITE. WHY WOULD YOU SAY HE WAS ODD?

(Pause.)

MARY

I SAW HIM STANDING AT THE END OF THE ROAD.

HE HAD BEEN THERE FOR TWO HOURS.

JEAN

HE WAS LOST MAYBE. OR WAITING FOR A RIDE...

MARY

I WATCHED HIM FROM MY WINDOW.

JEAN

YOU NEED TO TO STOP SPYING ON PEOPLE.

MARY

LISTEN TO ME.

(Pause.)

SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT.

HE WAS TALKING TO HIMSELF....

JEAN

SO. MY GRANDMOTHER USED TO DO IT----

MARY

I WALKED UP ON HIM AND HEARD....IT WAS NO

LANGUAGE I'D EVER HEARD BEFORE.

JEAN

OH..AND SO YOU ARE AN EXPERT IN

FOREIGN LANGUAGES.....

(Uncomfortable silence.)

MARY

OKAY.....UM...I GUESS I WAS WRONG.

MAYBE HE JUST SEEMS... HES PROBALLY

OKAY.

(Simon enters. He notices that he was the topic of discussion. He stands

at the doorway, slowly closing it.)

SIMON

IT IS ALRIGHT FOR ME TO BE HERE.

(Mary turns her back to them, places the bag of tomatoes

on the dining room table.)

JEAN

OF COURSE IT IS.

SIMON

YOUR HUSBAND WONT CARE....WILL

HE...?

JEAN

I'M NOT MARRIED.

(Mary turns and gives Jean a look.)

AT THE MOMENT....

SIMON

(Smiles and nods)

AH.

JEAN

(Fiddling with her hair.)

IT'S JUST ME AND MY DAUGHTER, EMILY.

SIMON

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

(Pause.)

JEAN

I'LL GO....AND HELP EMILY.

(She exits.)

SIMON

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

(Mary nods. Silence for a beat.)

MARY

I HAVE TO ASK YOU....

SIMON

YES?

MARY

WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT

THE END OF THE ROAD FOR SO LONG?

SIMON

AT THE END OF THE ROAD..?

MARY

WHY WERE YOU STANDING THERE FOR TWO HOURS?

(Pause.)

SIMON

THOSE ARE ENTIRELY TWO

DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.

MARY

THEN ANSWER ONE OF THEM.

SIMON

I CAN ANSWER BOTH

OF THEM.

(Pause.)

MARY

WELL?

SIMON

I WAS LISTENING TO A SONG....

AND SINGING IT BACK.

MARY

(Dismayed)

WHAT?

(Jean enters, followed by Emily a second later.)

JEAN

ALL SQUARED AWAY.

(Jean notices the tension in the room. She looks at Simon, then Mary.)

MARY

I ---I HAVE TO GO.

JEAN

MARY.....

(Mary stops at the door.)

CAN'T YOU STAY FOR SUPPER...I CAN

COOK SOME EGGS TOO---

MARY

NO.

(Pause.

She forces a quick smile.)

I HAVE THINGS TO TEND TO.

THANK YOU.

(Mary exits through the door.)

(Jean and Simon stare at each other minute. Emily sits at the

table.)

JEAN

SHALL WE EAT?

SIMON

YES.(Pause.)

I THINK SO.

(He sits in the chair between Jean and Emily.

Emily is very uncomfortable with the situation and the looks Jean and Simon steal.)

JEAN

(Sitting, takes the coat from her shoulders. )

VERY HOT.

SIMON

(He smiles, eyes darting from Jean's breasts to her face.)

TOO HOT FOR A COAT.

(Pause.)

EMILY

(Shocked.)

MOM?

(Jean ignores her. She reaches over to fix a

plate of fried squash for Simon.)

MOM...? MOM? MOM?

(Jean hands Simon the plate.)

MOM!

JEAN

(Angrily at Emily.)

WHAT?

EMILY

YOU DIDN'T ANSWER ME EARLIER.

JEAN

ABOUT WHAT?

EMILY

THE SCHOOL DANCE.

JEAN

(Watching Simon eat.)

WHAT ABOUT THE SCHOOL

DANCE?

EMILY

SAUL.....HE WANTS TO TAKE ME.

JEAN

(Turning to Emily.)

I THINK I TOLD YOU NO.

(Pause.

Emily bites her lower lip.)

NOT GOING WITH A GYPSY, LET

ALONE A JEWISH GYPSY.

EMILY

(Faintly)

HE'S NOT A GYPSY.

JEAN

THEN WHAT IS HE?

YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT

WHOLE TRAILER PARK

ISN'T FULL OF GYPSIES.

(Pause.)

EMILY

YOU NEVER LET ME DO ANYTHING.

JEAN

I DO WHAT I HAVE TO DO TO PROTECT YOU.

EMILY

(Quietly)

YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE LIED ABOUT DAD.

JEAN

I DIDN'T LIE!

EMILY

YOU TOLD HIM YOU WERE NOT MARRIED.

JEAN

I'M NOT!

(Pause.)

IN MY MIND, WE'RE NOT.

SIMON

(Taking a break from eating.)

THIS..IS VERY GOOD.

EMILY

(Under her breath.)

YOU LIED.

JEAN

IT'S NOT YOUR PLACE TO SAY SO.

EMILY

I LIVE HERE. I HAVE A PLACE! YOUR ALWAYS

BRINGING IN WEIRD GUYS WHO

STAY A FEW WEEKS AND LEAVE YOU HIGH AND DRY!

(Stands, bangs her fist on the table.)

I'M SICK OF IT. YOU CONTROL

MY LIFE AND LIVE YOURS

UNCONTROLLABLE.........

(Emily fumbles the last words. She shakes violently,

eyes rolling in the back of her head. She falls forward, hitting her

head on the table. Jean screams, rushes to her. Simon stands, watches the events in

fascination.)

JEAN

EMILY! OH GOD, THIS HAPPENS TOO MUCH.....

(She tries placing a spoon in her mouth, but Emily is shaking too much,

causing difficulty.)

EMILY! STAY STILL!

(Simon approaches slowly, stands over them.

He crouches, moves a hand over Emily's face.

Emily stops shaking. She looks around, confused. Jean helps Emily up,

in awe of Simon. Simon stands, goes back to the table. He begins eating again.)

EMILY

WHAT---WHAT HAPPENED?

JEAN

(Sighing.)

YOU HAD ANOTHER FIT.

EMILY

MY HEAD HURTS, MOM.

JEAN

YOU SHOULD GO TO BED, HONEY.

IT'S BEEN A STRESSFUL DAY.

EMILY

OKAY, MOM.

(Jean helps Emily, they exit left. Simon continues

eating. A few seconds later Jean

enters. She clears the dishes and skillet.)

JEAN

SORRY YOU WITNESSED

ALL OF THIS. IT'S NOT ALWAYS LIKE THIS.

SIMON

(Holds up a hand)

PARENTS AND CHILDREN

ARGUE, AND DO SO INTO

OLD AGE.

(Jean goes to kitchen offstage.)

JEAN

(Offstage)

WE'RE usually a lot calmer.

(Renters)

A LOT MORE CIVIL TO EACH OTHER.

SIMON

I'M SURE YOU ARE.

JEAN

(Sitting.)

MY HUSBAND....

SIMON

(Nodding)

YOUR HUSBAND.

JEAN

HE'S IN JAIL.

SIMON

AH.

JEAN

YES. JAIL. NOT HERE ANYMORE.

(Pause.)

SIMON

I WOULDN'T CARE IF HE WAS.

(Looking at each other intently. Simon smiles.)

JEAN

WHAT KIND OF BUISNESS ARE

YOU IN, MR.LAWRENCE?

SIMON

I'M IN REALESTATE. I'M HERE

LOOKING AT PROPERTY

FOR CLIENTS.

JEAN

I THOUGHT THE REALESTATE BUISINESS

WAS IN SHAMBLES.

SIMON

NOT THE KIND I'M IN.

VERY FURTILE.

(Jean laughs.)

JEAN

WHAT A WAY TO PUT IT.

(Pause.)

SIMON

(Very serious.)

NO OTHER WAY TO PUT IT.

(Jean stops smiling. She shivers.)

ARE YOU COLD?

JEAN

I DON'T KNOW WHY I DID THAT.

IT'S VERY HOT.

SIMON

I CAN SEE THAT. YOUR DRENCHED.

JEAN

THAT I AM. WITH WHAT'S HAPPENED AND ALL.

SIMON

OF COURSE.

JEAN

YOUR NOT SWEATING AT ALL.

SIMON

(Matter of fact)

I DON'T SWEAT.

JEAN

YOUR EYES.....

(Pause.)

THEY HAVE STRANGE RED

GLOW TO THEM.

(Long pause.)

SIMON

IT'S JUST THE LIGHTING

IN HERE.

JEAN

(Manages a nervous laugh.)

OH, OF COURSE. OF COURSE.

(Cecadas can be heard getting louder. Simon closes his eyes for a moment.)

JEAN

THOSE THINGS ARE GETTING LOUDER.

SIMON

RATHER BEAUTIFUL, DON'T YOU THINK?

JEAN

NO.

(Pause.)

THEY ARE ANNOYING.

THANK GOD THEIR TIME HERE IS ALMOST

OVER. ANOTHER WEEK OR SO.

SIMON

(Smiling.)

IF YOU SAY SO.

JEAN

I HAD THIS DREAM A FEW NIGHTS AGO.

SIMON

OH YEAH?

JEAN

IT WAS TERRIBLE.

(Pause.)

ONE OF THOSE HOT NIGHTS...SO MUGGY.

SIMON

I HATE THOSE.

JEAN

COULDN'T SLEEP MOST OF THE NIGHT.

FINALLY, I MUST'VE DOZED OR

SOMETHING.

JEAN

I WAS AT THIS WAREHOUSE OF SOMEKIND,

TURNED INTO A BAR. I WAS A HAT CHECKER GIRL....YOU KNOW?

SIMON

NO....I DON'T KNOW.

JEAN

YEARS AGO, IN CLUBS OR UPSCALE BARS, THEY GIRLS

THERE WHO TOOK PEOPLES COATS AND HATS, GAVE THEM A

TICKET. WHEN THEY LEFT THE BAR OR CLUB, THE PEOPLE GAVE

THE CHECKER THE TICKET AND THE CHECKER GAVE THEM THEIR HAT OR COAT.

SIMON

OKAY.

(Pause.)

JEAN

WELL, ANYWAYS.

(Giggles.)

IT'S A WEIRD DREAM.

I TAKE A LOT PEOPLES HATS AND COATS, AND IT BUILDS UP

IN MOUNDS. I MEAN A LOT OF IT.....TURNING INTO SOMETHING

OF A HILL....THEN A SMALL MOUNTAIN.

(Simon nods.)

I START PANICKING .

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. MORE AND MORE PEOPLE

COME INTO THIS PLACE. EVERY ONE OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE RED

GLOWING EYES. SO....WEIRD.

(Pause.)

THIS REALLY TALL MAN COMES IN.

HE'S WEARING A BOWLER----

SIMON

A WHAT?

JEAN

A BOWLER.

SIMON

WHAT IS THAT?

JEAN

IT'S A HAT....THE ENGLISH USED

TO WEAR IT.

SIMON

AH.

JEAN

YOUR NOT VERY CULTURED ARE YOU?

SIMON

(Shrugs.)

I GUESS NOT.

JEAN

(Laughing.)

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

WELL, THIS GUY IS ALSO WEARING A FUR.

LOOKS LIKE A BLACK BEAR FUR.

SIMON

YOU SAID IT WAS A CRAZY DREAM.

JEAN

WAIT.....IT GETS CRAZIER.

(Pause.)

I TAKE HIS HAT---

SIMON

A BOWLER----

JEAN

YES!

(Laughs.)

SO, I TAKE HIS BOWLER.

PUT IT ON THE HAT RACK.

THEN, HE HANDS ME HIS

COAT.

(Pause.)

I THROW THE FUR COAT MADE OF BLACK

BEAR ONTO THE MOUNTAINOUS PILE.

I LOOK UP.

(Pause.)

(OUTSIDE THE SECADAS GROW LOUDER.)

JEAN

I SEE HIM MAKING HIS WAY TO THE BAR, WHERE

OTHER PEOPLE ARE. HE HAD NO HUMAN SKIN.

HE WAS A SKELTAL BODY, COVERED IN SECADA.

THOSE HORRIBLE BUGS, WITH THEIR RED GLOWING

EYES AND LONG WINGS, WERE CRAWLING ALL OVER HIS BODY,

FORMING HIS NECK,ARMS, CHEST, LEGS......

HE LOOKED BACK AT......WITH OMNIOUS RED EYES GLOWING.

(Long pause. The sound of the SECADA is almost unbearable.)

JEAN

(Looking at Simon, embarrassed.)

STUPID DREAM.

(Simon leans in, kisses Jean with ease. A kiss that last thirty

seconds or more. Simon pulled away gently. Jean makes a face.

A terrible taste is left in her mouth. She licks her bottom lip,

makes another face.)

SIMON

JEAN?

JEAN

(Bewildered. Still trying

to rid that awful taste in

her mouth.)

YES?

(Pause.)

SIMON

I WANT YOU TO CLOSE YOUR

EYES FOR ME.

JEAN

I---I DON'T KNOW.

SIMON

DON'T YOU TRUST ME?

JEAN

WELL....UH...I GUESS.

SIMON

(Smiling.)

THEN.....CLOSE YOUR EYES.

JEAN

(Faintly.)

okay.

(Jean slowly closes her eyes. As she does so, the lights

on stage fade to darkness. The sound of the SECADA has

increased more. A woman's scream echoes.

Hold the lights a bit longer.

The lights slowly return.

Simon is standing at the front door. At the table

is a man, a woman, and a teenage boy sit.

They are pale white, large black circles under their eyes.

There is a knock at the door. Simon looks at the new family first,

then opens it.

Mary appears.)

MARY

HI, SIMON. IS JEAN AROUND?

SIMON

NO.

(He manages a smile.)

MARY

WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO?

SHE LIVES HERE. HER CAR IS OUT FRONT--- WHO ARE THOSE PEOPLE---

SIMON

SHE'S NOT HERE.

(Pause.)

SHE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE.

MARY

(Disbelieving, irritated.)

THEY JUST PACKED UP AND LEFT

OVERNIGHT, IS WHAT YOUR SAYING.

SIMON

(No longer smiling.)

IN A MATTER OF SPEAKING.

(Mary feels a chill. She backs away from the door.)

MARY

YOUR EYES----ALL OF

YOUR EYES-----ARE GLOWING.....

SIMON

MARY, I THINK MAYBE....

(He looks at the new family, then at Mary.)

WE SHOULD VISIT YOU IN A FEW YEARS.

(Pause.)

HOW'S THAT?

(Mary is speech less, begins walking

backwards.

Simon closes the front door.

The curtain falls)

THE END

Reviews

[Legacy]

mark slade,

Very interesting an mysterious, the only distraction was (besides not reading screenplay alot) was the long spaces in between scenes.

I only thought for a moment after this girl kills the (secada or cecada?) that they will come back and get her. Then I got past that until the bugs got louder and she noticed the red in his eyes, glowing.

It was as if I couldn't stop once I started reading, so I you must have done well to hold my attention (at first the dining room and foyer scene description had given me perception of this being a much larger place). Then, given the info that this was a small place, my brain was a bit confused... next scene even more so, because this guy needed a room and there was one for him. (This is the only part that confused my senses and made me slightly off balance.)

Other than that, this read was intriguing and well worth the time and effort it took to create.

Have a wonderful day,

Legacy