INSPIRATIONAL CHANGE

BY

MUONEKE CHIDIEBERE

08168473187

Chiboymuoneke@yahoo.com

Under Copyright 2012.






ACT ONE
The stage is arranged to suit a modern day sitting room.
There are couches, a center table, chairs and a fan attached to the ceiling of the stage where the play is being staged.

Mr. Jonathan, a tall, grey haired, heavy-set, with gruff voice, is sitting on a couch.
He is a successful businessman and his countenances shows that he is disturbed.
His Long time friend, Mr. Felix enters the stage.
He is an obese, bald, bright-looking man. He is the senator representing a senatorial district in________ part of Nigeria.
He drags a “Ghana-must-go bag” along as he walks to Mr. Jonathan.



MR. FELIX
(Grinning)
Good day, Mr. Jonathan.


MR. JONATHAN
Good day, Senator….what brings you to my home?


MR. FELIX
(Tugging the heavy “Ghana-must-go bag”)
I brought the quarterly revenue allocation for my senatorial zone….TWO HUNDRED MILLION NAIRA!


MR. JONATHAN
Wow, that’s a lot of money!


MR. FELIX
Indeed….indeed
(Beat)
Please, I want you to transfer them into that foreign account—


MR. JONATHAN
The Swiss account?


MR. FELIX
Yes…and our 70/30 ratio still holds. (Beat) Please conduct the transfer smoothly,
because those EFCC are lately sniffing around politicians these days….I will call you this evening.
(Mr. Felix smiles at Mr. Jonathan. He turns and tries to walk out of the stage)


MR. JONATHAN
(Calls calmly)
Mr. Felix. (Mr. Felix spins around to listen to him)I can’t—


MR. FELIX
(Drawing on a plastic smile on his face)
You can’t what?


MR. JONATHAN
I can’t transfer the money for you…..my conscience tortures me and weighs me down—


MR. FELIX
(Surprised)
How?


MR. JONATHAN
The state of the nation keeps deteriorating, haven’t you noticed?


MR. FELIX
(Makes a hand gesture)
Deteriorating, how?


MR. JONATHAN
Like going bad every day…..and you and I have been looting public funds constantly—


MR. FELIX
I don’t understand.


MR. JONATHAN
I can’t pay in this money for you into your Swiss account.


MR. FELIX
Please tell me you are joking, are you?


MR. JONATHAN
No, I am not…..my conscience tortures me.


MR. FELIX
But I always requite you well, don’t I?


MR. JONATHAN
Yes….but I can’t comply anymore.


MR. FELIX
(Shocked) what has come over you?
(Beat)
You have always helped me……..you are even my best friend, aren’t you?


MR. JONATHAN
I am your best friend quite alright, but people of the state are suffering—


MR. FELIX
Suffering? But I am not the president. I am just a mere senator…. I can’t do anything.


MR. JONATHAN
You can, of course…..you can do something…..Every day I drive through the street,
I see masses……the poor masses on the road looking awful, you know—


MR. FELIX
Awful, how?


MR. JONATHAN
They look like overworked jade horses dressed in rags—


MR. FELIX
Jade horses? What does that mean?


MR. JONATHAN
Like old, wretched horses who have worked from dawn till dusk—


MR. FELIX
But that’s not my fault
(Mr. Felix walks to the couch and sits)
I don’t see them.


MR. JONATHAN
Of course, you don’t, probably because they drive you around
in SUVs’ with tinted glasses and you don’t get to see the thick population out there—


MR. FELIX
Thick population?


MR. JONATHAN
Yes……Rising as though Nigerians have sex everyday


MR. FELIX
Oh! That’s because Nigeria women are fertile.


MR. JONATHAN
Yes, they are. But National Assembly has to do something about it.


MR. FELIX
Of course……They are trying to pass a bill, you know!


MR. JONATHAN
A bill?


MR. FELIX
Yes, a bill……that will see the federal Government
distribute condoms to everyone in Nigeria freely, especially the north.


(Frail barks are heard off the stage)


MR. FELIX
(Flinches; trembles)
What’s that?


MR. JONATHAN
Oh, my dog, Farouk—


MR. FELIX
Your dog?


MR. JONATHAN
Worry less about him…..he is subdued in his cage without food—


MR. FELIX
(Big breathe)
Umm, we have to be careful about animals,
especially dogs we keep in our houses these days.


MR. JONATHAN
Forget the dog.
(Beat)
Above all there are a lot of paupers living on the streets.
Each time the poor talk about their conditions in televisions, they croak like hopeless, old ravens!


MR. FELIX
So are we politicians the cause of their conditions?


MR. JONATHAN
Yes, of course
(Beat)
it’s like we are sweeping away their dreams and aspirations like they are piles of dusts.


MR. FELIX
But you can’t blame me alone….most leaders had seven….some eight and…..some even twelve years.


MR. JONATHAN
We know those previous leaders were hopelessly lazy lazy…..lazy like frogs!


MR. FELIX
Jonathan, you are making me feel bad—


MR. JONATHAN
Am I?


MR. FELIX
Yes.


MR. JONATHAN
Sorry if I do. (Beat)
but not only politicians should feel bad, even pastors—


MR. Felix
Pastors! How?


MR. JONATHAN
In Nigeria, Pastors have combined evangelism with predicting football matches
(Beat)
Arsenal would win champions league and they own more planes than Virgin Nigeria—


MR. FELIX
Oh, that’s true! (Beat) I feel so ashamed of myself.


MR. JONATHAN
I feel bad also.
(Beat; then speaks with tinge remorse)
Do you know that I have been running unusual business in town….houses of prostitutions of young girls
and housewives who can’t make ends meets for fifteen years now or something close to that?


MR. FELIX
Prostitutions of young girls and house wives?


MR. JONATHAN
Yes and most recently some Chinese girls—


MR. FELIX
Oh, sweet Jesus that makes you a foreign sinner!


MR. JONATHAN
My friend, there are no local sin or international sin….a sin is a sin.
(Beat)
I had a deep thought last night and early this morning—


MR. FELIX
Why? What could have been the reason?


MR. JONATHAN
…we are sinking into a terrible age where terrorism has taken a better part of the world………


MR. FELIX
You speak as if life these days has a cruel look—


MR. JONATHAN
Yes…….yes like has a zombie look.


MR. FELIX
(Shrugs his shoulders)
I am feeling hot. The weather burns!


MR. JONATHAN
Hot?


MR. FELIX
(Wipes his brow with a finger)
Sweaty and extremely hot. Please turn on the fans or air-conditioner……please.


MR. JONATHAN
No electricity
(Beat)
I wonder why Nigeria don’t have steady power supply—


MR. FELIX
Perhaps, because we are nearer to the sun—


MR. JONATHAN
What’s that suppose to mean?


MR. FELIX
We are close to the sun and sun is a natural source of light—


MR. JONATHAN
Is that a political reason?


MR. FELIX
Yes, probably P.D.P’s reason.


MR. JONATHAN
That’s a cheap reason.


MR. FELIX
You speak deeply like occupying a political office is EVIL!


MR. JONATHAN
It’s not…..we have failed.


MR. FELIX
So what are you suggesting we should do?


MR. JONATHAN
Me and you?


MR. FELIX
Yes.


MR. JONATHAN
I had thought deep in my sleep—


MR. FELIX
And what did you conclude?


MR. JONATHAN
Suicide!


MR. FELIX
That’s madness…..sheer madness!


MR. JONATHAN
We have indirectly killed.
(Beat)
Killing myself doesn’t scare me one bit
(Indicates a half inch on his finger)
One bit!


MR. FELIX
But I have a son—


MR. JONATHAN
Yes and he is serving sentence in China prison….. Accused of drug trafficking—


MR. FELIX
What about your daughter Amara? Has she stopped using drugs?


MR. JONATHAN
No., my dear daughter is useless.
Our children are no benefit to us.
What do we have to live for?


MR. FELIX
Sex! Sex lightens all problems, you know.


MR. JONATHAN
Sex is just a mortal thing…there is much more to life than sex—


MR. FELIX
Like what?


MR. JONATHAN
Like eternity.
(Beat)
There might even be reincarnation—


MR. FELIX
(Puzzled look)
Reincarnation! What does that mean?


MR. JONATHAN
Reincarnation means something coming back to life again—


MR. FELIX
Like Buhari or something like that?


MR. JONATHAN
No, not political reincarnation. But physical and spiritual reincarnation…..


MR. FELIX
Right now. It seems to me that I am Judas Iscariot.


MR. JONATHAN
(Makes a gesture to indicate him and Mr. Felix)
We are just like the two thieves, aren’t we, Mr. senator?


MR. FELIX
The two thieves in the bible?


MR. JONATHAN
Yes. The two rogues nailed with Jesus on the cross…..


MR. FELIX
…..But I heard that one of them was forgiven because he repented before his death—


MR. JONATHAN
Yes…. Yes one of them was forgiven…because he repented at the last minutes of his life.


MR. FELIX
What should we do?


MR. JONATHAN
Pray and poison ourselves—


MR. FELIX
If we do that would God forgive us and welcome us to heaven, will he?


MR. JONATHAN
I think so.


MR. FELIX
Are you sure?


MR. JONATHAN
Yes…..sure.


MR. FELIX
Do you have a poison in your house now?


MR. JONATHAN
Yes!


MR. FELIX
What are you waiting for? Bring the poison, let us drink and sail to heaven
(Beat)
I can’t wait


MR. JONATHAN
Okay.
(He rushes off stage and come back quickly with a bottle of poison)
This is it.


MR. FELIX
The poison—?


MR. JONATHAN
Yes……but we have to pray first—


MR. FELIX
Yes, yes.


(MR. JONATHAN and MR. FELIX sit abreast each other and hold hands. They murmur words inaudibly. MR. FELIX concludes the whole ritual saying ‘AMEN’)


MR. JONATHAN
Who drinks first?


MR. FELIX
You—


MR. JONATHAN
Me?


MR. FELIX
You…..Because you own the poison…..and you are also older, aren’t you older?


MR. JONATHAN
Okay, then
(He drinks the poison and hands the bottle of poison to MR. FELIX. Mr. Felix gulps the poison)


MR. FELIX
(Looks at MR. JONATHAN)
Umm…..the poison is sweet…..and tasty


MR. JONATHAN
I know….let’s wait for some seconds we will be dead….and we will be in heaven and see God.


MR. FELIX
Okay.
(There is big pause between both of them. They stare at each other steadily and not speaking to each other for few seconds)


MR. FELIX
Are we dead?


MR. JONATHAN
Are we?


MR. FELIX
I guess so—


MR. JONATHAN
Do you see God?


MR. FELIX
(Gloats)
Yes—


MR. JONATHAN
How is he?


MR. FELIX
(Staring directly at MR. JONATHAN)
He is standing in front of me. He has grey hair and speaking to me.
(Beat)
Seems like God has your face, Jonathan—


MR. JONATHAN
Where is he?
(Jonathan turns his neck abruptly, looks behind his back)
Where? Where is he?


MR. FELIX
It seems like God is you—


MR. JONATHAN
(Furrows his brows)
shut up!
(Beat)
Are we dead?


MR. FELIX
I think so—


MR. JONATHAN
But can you see anything apart from me?


MR. FELIX
I see, um, furniture…tables, chairs….and even a lighting bulb—


MR. JONATHAN
Don’t you see clouds or birds?


MR. FELIX
No…..I see…..I see
(Shoots a finger to the ‘Ghana-must-go bag)
I still see the money, are there “Ghana must go bags” in heaven, Jonathan?


MR. JONATHAN
No, forget the money for now…..Can you check the window and look outside?
(MR. FELIX rushes off stage; we hear sound of window being opened)
What do you see, Mr. Felix? What do you see?


MR. FELIX
(Standing at the right end of the stage)
I see bad roads—


MR. JONATHAN
Bad roads? Are there bad roads in heaven?
(Mr. Felix walks back to the stage dejected. He sits on the couch)


MR. FELIX
(Speaks weakly) No……we are still in Nigeria
(Beat)
Seems like we are refused passage into heaven because we are black—


MR. JONATHAN
Why?


MR. FELIX
Because posters of Jesus we have in our houses are all white—


(REBECCA enters. She is MR. JONATHAN’S wife)


REBECCA
(See MR. FELIX and her husband, Mr. Jonathan)
Good afternoon!


(No response)


REBECCA
(Greets again)
Good afternoon…


(MR. JONATHAN and MR. FELIX stares at Rebecca in bewilderment)


MR. FELIX
(Stares at REBECCA, glances quickly at MR. JONATHAN, and then back to his REBECCA, and then stares at MR. JONATHAN) Is your wife dead, too?


MR. JONATHAN
(Shocked)
I don’t know…I am surprised like you, too.


REBECCA
(Puzzled look)
What’s going on here?
(She sees the bottle on the table)
Are both of you drinking the bottle of syrup I bought this morning?


MR. JONATHAN
Syrup?


(MR. FELIX and MR. JONATHAN stare at REBECCA with large, widened eyes)


MR. FELIX
Syrup? So we aren’t dead.


REBECCA
(To MR. JONATHAN) Yes, syrup I bought for my cough.


MR. JONATHAN
What? What of the other bottle?


REBECCA
That acid? You mean the diluted acid in a bottle?


MR. JONATHAN:
Yes…..the other bottle?


REBECCA
I threw the bottle away—


MR. JONATHAN
You threw it away? Where?


REBECCA
(Surprise)
Outside…and it broke—


MR. FELIX
Broke?


REBECCA
Yes, broke.
(Surprised)
Why?


MR. FELIX
The bottle could have given us eternal life!


REBECCA
Eternal life? Did the bottle drop from heaven?


MR. JONATHAN
No, sweetheart
(Beat)
you won’t understand—


REBECCA
What is wrong with both of you right now? I assumed that, the liquid in that bottle was harmful.


MR. JONATHAN
How? How did you know?


REBECCA
How did I know?


MR. JONATHAN
Yes. Did you drink it?


REBECCA
No.


MR. JONATHAN
So how did you know?


REBECCA
I was sickened with cough this morning
and I needed a cough syrup to drink so I found your bottle in our bedroom…….in your cupboard.
I wondered what it was…..doubted if it was syrup or a hair dye. So I carried my experiment on a passing housefly—


MR. FELIX
Housefly?


REBECCA
(Nods her head)
Yes, housefly…..I tested the content of the bottle on a housefly—


MR. FELIX
That’s brutal—


MR. JONATHAN
That’s inhumane—


MR. FELIX
Rebecca, you killed an active thing —


MR. JONATHAN
(Jiggles his head)
Life is vain upon vain—


REBECCA
(Stares at both of them; shakes her head)
what’s wrong with you two….


MR. JONATHAN
Sweet heart, you just said you killed something—


REBECCA
Yes. I drizzled the contents of the bottle on a housefly and the housefly dried out….. Shriveling up like it was placed in fire—


MR. FELIX
That barbaric!


MR. JONATHAN
That’s insanity! My wife is so heartless—


REBECCA
How?


MR. JONATHAN
You took away the life and the dreams of that poor creature—


MR. FELIX
You ended the poor creature enthusiasm to live—


REBECCA
(With an enigmatic smile on her lips)
Umm….
(Sees the Ghana must go bag)
What’s in the bag?


MR. FELIX
In what?


REBECCA
In the bag?


(MR. FELIX and MR. JONATHAN looks at the bag and remembers there is money in the bag)


MR. FELIX
(looking the bag)
Oh, the bag?


REBECCA
Umm-hmm!


MR. FELIX
Money!
(He looks at MR. JONATHAN and raises his forefinger like he has a genius plan)
Jonathan! Jonathan, I have an idea—


MR. JONATHAN
(Highly interested)
what’s it?


MR. FELIX
I am going to boost employment with this money—


MR. JONATHAN
Boost employment?


MR. FELIX
Yes
(Flicks a bright smile)
Yes—and thereby reducing the number of poor people with dried lips and milky eyes!


MR. JONATHAN
Indeed, a very ingenious plan….A perfect idea!


REBECCA
Yes, indeed.


MR. FELIX
And that money I own in Swiss bank.
I am going to withdraw them and start a charity home for homeless kids……God has touched my soul today…


MR. JONATHAN
Yes. I am going to do the same, too. I am going to do something for Nigeria…..I am going to turn a new leaf—


MR. FELIX
Yes…..we are both changing our ways and uprooting the trees of greed in us!


MR. JONATHAN
Yes


(MR. FELIX glances at his hand watch sharply, looks at MR. JONATHAN)


MR. FELIX
I have to go now.


REBECCA
(To JONATHAN)
Please, Senator, wait a bit let me prepare something for both of you.


MR. FELIX
Sorry I have to leave now
(Beat)
most of the youths and graduates need to be employed and empowered—


MR. JONATHAN
Yes…..indeed
(Beat)
Senator, I am going with you—


Mr. FELIX
Thanks. Welcome on board! Let’s go and provide employment for the youths—


REBECCA
(To MR. JONATHAN)
My husband, are you not eating now?


MR. JONATHAN
Not yet…...until youths on the streets have food on their tables to eat.
(MR. JONATHAN and MR. FELIX stand from the couch)


MR. FELIX
(To JONATHAN)
Yes, it’s time to provide employment for youths and reduce the misery in Nigeria—


MR. JONATHAN
Yes, the time is now!


(They shake hands and exits)


REBECCA
Umm…..God is always with us and never sleeps (She smiles)


(THE CURTAIN FALLS)

Lol@ d heading of ur post...anyway, dis is at least better than 'ARRANGED MARRIAGE' but u av to work on the things i pointed to in ur first post. d dialogue still doesnt sound realistic to me( in my opinion bro). for xample, where mr. jonathan was talking nd said 'we've looted this country's fund or smth'....in real lyf...i doubt if d conversatn wud go dat way. but lol@ d 'farouk' dog. i rily admire d way u describe ur characters but wat makes dem distinct is d way u develop dem...thru d words they use in dialogue. nd d.storyline seems okay.
if i may ask, is dis written for stage or for film because it seems more of d former...dnt mind me...am also an up-and-comin scriptwriter lyk u. GOD help.us.