A Little Intro-Thing
I have a favourite song by Sarah McLachlan called "Good
Enough." For a long time, I had no idea what the story was. I
only liked it because of its melody. It is such a peaceful song.
It soothes. One day, after buying the sheet music for her
"Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" album, I examined how it was written
out. I knew all the words, but I felt that I would understand it
more if I could see how it was written. A light shone. But, some
parts were still fuzzy. I realized that it had more than one
speaker. So, instead of waiting for a big sign to TELL me what it
was all about, I decided that I could write the story myself and
voila!, I ended up with "Where I Belong."
I read once, a short play called "The Psycho" by Michael
O'Donoghue, which was based on the song "My Funny Valentine." It
inspired me.
This play was originally written for a contest. The
requirement was that it had to be about five minutes long (no more
than ten).
Sarah McLachlan
"Good Enough"*
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hey, your glass is empty. /Who's there that makes you so
It's a hell of a long way / afraid?
home. /You're shaken to the bone.
Why don't you let me take you? /You know, I don't understand.
It's no good to go alone. /You deserve so much more than
I never would have openned up, / this.
But you seemed so real to me. /So, don't tell me why he's
After all the bullshit I've / never been good to you.
heard, /Don't tell me why he's never
It's refreshing not to see. / been there for you.
I don't have to pretend, /Don't you know that "why" is
She doesn't expect it from me / simply not good enough?
/Oh, so just let me try, and I
Don't tell me I haven't been / will be good to you.
good to you. /Just let me try, and I will be
Don't tell me I have never / there for you.
been there for you. /I'll show you why you're so
Just tell me why, / much more than "good
Nothing is good enough. / enough."
/So, don't tell me why he's
Hey, little girl, would you / never been good to you.
like some candy? /Don't tell me why he's never
Your mamma said it's okay. / been there for you.
The door is open, come on /Don't you know that "why" is
outside. / simply not good enough?
/Oh, so just let me try, and I
No, I can't come out today. / will be good to you.
/Just let me try, and I will be
It's not the wind that cracked / there for you.
your shoulder, /I'll show you why you're so
Or threw you to the ground. / much more than "good
/ enough."
--------------------------------------------------------------
*As I interpret it. It is separated by speaker.
Where I Belong
Characters:
Maggie - main character, mid-twenties
Barry - her boyfriend, late twenties
Young Maggie - Maggie at age eight
Clive - her father, late forties
Jacqui - woman, late twenties
Scene One
(The stage is set up
like a bar. Two people,
MAGGIE and BARRY, are
sitting at it. Other
people are sitting or
walking around.)
BARRY
You're done with yours already?
MAGGIE
Yeah, I guess.
BARRY
Why don't I take you back to your place?
MAGGIE
No, I can do it myself. Really.
BARRY
Look, it's on my way home.
MAGGIE
No, it's not. It's so far away.
BARRY
Not for me.
MAGGIE
No, really. I don't want you to go out of your way or
anything.
BARRY
It's not out of my way. Nothing we do is ever out of my way.
MAGGIE gets off her
stool.
MAGGIE
I have to go. Thanks for the drink.
MAGGIE turns towards
the door.
MAGGIE
I'll see you at the office tomorrow.
BARRY follows her.
BARRY
Hey, Mag, did I ever tell you why I like you?
MAGGIE
No.
BARRY
It's because I can be myself with you. You don't expect me to
be anybody else but myself. That's why I asked you out only a
few days after we met. I knew a girl like you was what I was
looking for. I've had to deal with a lot of really plastic
people. Real Barbie dolls.
BARRY hams up next line.
BARRY
Even though having Barbie dolls as girlfriends did have its
benefits.
MAGGIE does not laugh.
BARRY
What's wrong?
MAGGIE
I . . . I really have to go.
BARRY
Look, have I done something wrong?
MAGGIE
No, you never did anything.
BARRY
Then what's wrong?
MAGGIE
I'm sorry. It's not you, really. It's me . . . it's always been
me. I'll see you later. I promise.
(Curtain)
Scene Two
(Lights up to reveal
MAGGIE sitting on a
bench. Over speakers we
hear her thoughts.)
MAGGIE'S VOICE
"I promise." How many times have I heard that one? "I promise."
"It's always been me"
(pause)
MAGGIE
It's always been me.
(Left we see YOUNG
MAGGIE'S fron door. A
little girl (YOUNG
MAGGIE) plays in the
sand. The door opens
and CLIVE comes out.
He has been drinking.)
CLIVE
Oh, there you are. . . Oh, so you're not going to talk to me now?
Do you tink I'm stupid? Huh? Do you? You are an ungrateful
daughter. Do you hear me? I do everything for you. I feed you.
I clothe you. I make sure you get an education. I do everything
to show how much I love you.
YOUNG MAGGIE bristles
CLIVE
And what thanks do I get? None! You don't answer me when I talk
to you. You know, I think you're the stupid one. You're the one
who sits there all day. Why don't you answer me back, Mag? Huh?
Did I hurt you this time? Huh? Did I? I'm sorry.
YOUNG MAGGIE starts to
whimper, softly
CLIVE
What are you crying about? I'll tell you: nothing! There's
nothing for you to cry over. You want to cry? I'll give you
something to cry about.
CLIVE slaps YOUNG MAGGIE
CLIVE
There. Now you have the right to cry. Ungrateful child.
CLIVE walks stage right
CLIVE
Don't wait up for me.
CLIVE exits. MAGGIE
glares as if he is there
in her world. MAGGIE
gets up and exits stage
right. JACQUI, a woman
in her late twenties,
walks past YOUNG MAGGIE,
sees her, and stops
JACQUI
Hello.
JACQUI kneels down.
JACQUI
What's your name? Well, mine's Jacqui. Pleased to meet you.
Hey, what's wrong? Here, do you want a lollipop?
YOUNG MAGGIE
No, thank you.
JACQUI
Oh, so you do speak. Oh, . . . oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it
to hurt you. Come here.
YOUNG MAGGIE
No.
JACQUI
Why not?
YOUNG MAGGIE
I . . . I can't.
JACQUI
I'm not asking you to come with me. I'm only offering a lollipop.
YOUNG MAGGIE looks at it
and takes it
YOUNG MAGGIE
Thank you.
JACQUI
You're welcome.
JACQUI indicates a large
bruise
JACQUI
What's that?
YOUNG MAGGIE
No . . . nothing.
JACQUI
Nothing? That's not nothing. That is one big bruise. It's the
size of my han - Oh, God.
YOUNG MAGGIE
It's nothing. Nothing.
JACQUI
Who did this to you?
(pause)
YOUNG MAGGIE
No one.
JACQUI
Are they here?
YOUNG MAGGIE
I . . . I don't know. No.
JACQUI
I'm not going to let this happen to you anymore. Come on,
you're leaving this place. We're going to my house. I'll show
you what it's like to live and not wonder whether you're going to
be smacked or not.
YOUNG MAGGIE
We can't.
JACQUI
Look, I'm going to make sure this does not happen to you again.
YOUNG MAGGIE
But -
JACQUI
No "but"s. You are not spending one more day with them.
YOUNG MAGGIE
But -
JACQUI
There is no good reason they've done this. Don't give me any
excuses, they're all baloney. Come with me.
They exit. Curtain.
Scene Three
(Lights up to reveal
MAGGIE seated at a table,
with a phone, dialing)
MAGIIE
Hello, Barry? Hi, Maggie . . . Hi. I just called to say I'm
sorry for behaving the way I did tonight. You've been very honest
with me since we started going out. I know I have been very
secretive about my past. Well, I went for a walk to think.
(Lights start to fade out,
completely dark by end of
monologue. Song starts)
MAGGIE
Your getting close and nice to me brought back a lot of memories.
I think you should know that I didn't treat you like that because I
don't like you. I just have a lot of . . . people who keep on
bugging me. They won't go away. Well, their memory won't. Barry,
. . . it's going ot take a long time for me to warm up to you. I
juts hope that you have the patience . . . Yeah, . . . yeah, I
think I can talk about it now.
(curtain)