Two Person Conflict Play

Am I Cinderelly?

(THE SETTING is a fourteen-year-old boy’s bedroom. There is a bed, a desk, and a dresser with neatly piled and expensive comics of all kinds on it. THE BOY who lives in the room enters and slams the door behind him.)

MOM
(Yells from off stage)
Dougie! Don’t slam the door!

DOUG
(Yells)
Fine!
(Mumbles)
And don’t call me Dougie damnit.

MOM
(Yells from off stage)
Don’t yell! Oh, and before I forget, the trash needs taken out before dinner!

DOUG
Do this. Do that. Take out the trash. Do the laundry. When do I have time for me? Just me. Is there anything around here I can do?

MOM
(Yells from off stage)
Dougie!

DOUG
(Yells)
I’m coming!
(Mumbles)
Not like you care anyway.
(Pacing)
Why would you? You haven’t called me Doug since before dad died. It’s always “Dougie” this and “Dougie” that. I’m the live version of Cinderella in this house.
(Sings to the tune of “Cinderella Work Song”)
Dougie, Dougie, Dougie, Dougie, night and day it’s Dougie, Dougie.


MOM
Dougie! Trash! Dinner!

DOUG
(Yells)
Screw you!
(Puts his hand to his mouth and opens his eyes wide)
Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. Damn it. Damn it Damn it!

(DOUG pushes his comic books onto the floor. Pounding footsteps can be heard from offstage. They get a little louder with each stomp indicating that they are getting closer to the bedroom. MOM throws the bedroom door open wide.)

MOM
(Shouting in anger)
What did you say!?

DOUG
Uh, sorry.

MOM
(Sees the mess and points at it)
What’s that? Your going to pick those up and then your going to go empty the trash like I told you to.
(DOUG starts to leave)
You’re lucky I don’t make you stay in here for the rest of the day without any dinner.

DOUG
(Turns to her in anger and says lowly)
If I were sent to my room, the dinner wouldn’t get done. I’m the maid around here remember. I serve you.

(MOM slaps Doug across the face. DOUG looks at her in shock. MOM covers her mouth and widens her eyes in the same way Doug did earlier. DOUG leaves the room without saying another word. MOM quietly cleans up the comic books and puts them back on the dresser before sitting on the bed and crying. After a few moments of silence a loud bang is heard from off stage. MOM looks up sharply, but doesn’t move. A few more moments pass. DOUG appears in the doorway. MOM sees him. They stare at each other for a few long moments.)

MOM
Doug I-

DOUG
Don’t say anything. Just go.

(Mom leaves the bedroom. The curtains close.)