A drug-addicted woman tries to extract a happy memory from her dementia-suffering mother.
The Closest Distance
By Terry Dugan
© 2008
This play can be performed royalty-free. As a courtesy, please contact the author.
Cast of Characters
MYLA, a woman with dementia
ALIENA, drug-addicted daughter of MYLA
JACOB, friend of ALIENA
HILLA, older sister of MYLA
SCENE: MYLA’s home, where one often finds here sitting at a dining table next to a small kitchen. Characters also go through front and bedroom doors.
SCENE 1
MYLA’s home. It’s compact, with a small kitchen, a dining room and living room all in the same open-space room. There’s a front door and a door that leads to the bedroom. There is also a window. MYLA, wearing a house dress, is sitting at the table. ALIENA is talking on the phone. You can hear a faint, constant cry from a baby.
ALIENA
I said you can’t come! Leave us alone! (Ends call) Hilla’s never going to tear us apart. She wants to lock you up with crazies, forget about you. I’ll never lock you up with crazies because I care. (No response from MYLA.) Are you ready? Let’s practice signing your name.
MYLA
My name?
ALIENA
Practice signing your name. (MYLA doesn’t move) Hold on. (Walks away from the table) Where’s that check? Where’s the God damn check? (Finds it by the phone) Oh. Oh, here it is. Here it is. Oh are you ready!
MYLA
Ready. (ALIENA grabs her hand.)
ALIENA
Myla. E-t-e-r- …the R’s are hard to make… n-e. There you go. You did so good, such a good mommy for helping her girl.
MYLA
Do you know my girl?
ALIENA
I’m your daughter, sweetie.
MYLA
You? No! (Picks up a picture) My daughter wears a hat. See, she wears a hat.
ALIENA
That’s you in that picture, mommy. I’m your daughter.
MYLA
No. My daughter went away a long time ago.
ALIENA
She was a bad girl. (MYLA slaps ALIENA and is shaken by it.)
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