the Lost Years

THE LOST YEARS


There is a rocking chair on the center of the stage and a man of about 70 is sitting on it. He appears to be asleep but it isn’t obvious as the chair is gently rocking.

Light fades in slowly s a young boy of 7 creeps into the stage and retrieves a box from behind a rocking chair. He’s very careful so as not to wake the old man up.

Just as the boy is about to make his discreet exit, the old man suddenly speaks.

Domingo: Little Diego. Diego, Diego, Diego. Didn’t your mother ever tell you that
      stealing is wrong?

Diego: Is it called stealing if it’s mine?

Domingo: And what makes that box yours?

Diego: Wasn’t this my Papa’s?

Domingo: Do you think that everything that belonged to Papa is legitimately yours?

Diego: What does that mean?

Domingo: What does what mean?

Diego: What does legimitent mean?

Domingo: Do you mean legitimate?

Diego: What’s that?

Domingo: It’s…it’s… (realizes he’s too tired and sleepy to explain) Have you not been
    attending your classes?

Diego stares at the floor and refuses to answer, avoiding Domingo’s gaze.

Domingo: Have you been skipping school?

Diego: (still silent)

Domingo: Why are you being so irresponsible?

Diego: I’m not po.

Domingo: You call not going to school responsibility?

Diego: Lolo, what if it’s not important to me?

Domingo: Punyeta naman, then what are you thinking? Is that how your father raised       
      you?

Diego: What if I don’t want to go to school anymore?

Domingo: How can you say that? Do you think you already know what you really
      want?

Diego: Why, Lolo? Do you think you know what’s best for me?

Domingo: What are trying to imply, hijo? Do you think I don’t prioritize the things that
      are good for you?

Diego: (shouting) Have you noticed that I haven’t been going to school for over a month?

Domingo: How dare you raise your voice at me?

Diego: What’s my favorite food?

Domingo: Can you repeat what you just asked?

Diego: What’s my favorite food?

Domingo: How is that relevant to our conversation? Are you trying to change that
      subject? Do you think that just because it worked on your father, it’s going to
      work on me, too?

Diego: What do you know about me?

Domingo: What do you expect me to answer?

Diego: Do you know that Papa used to take me to watch basketball every Sunday? And
that he used to cook my favorite food every Sunday?

Domingo: Did your father ever tell you that it was he who ran away? And for what? Just
      so that woman would leave him with a child?

Diego: Did you ever look for him?

Domingo: (Stalls. Looks around and notices the box again) What were you stealing?
      Don’t you realize how tiring this is for me? Changing the subject, are you?
          Did you really think it would work? Ignorante.

Diego is silent and refuses to move.

Domingo: Would you please just open that box?

Domingo: Why can’t you just follow my instructions?

Diego: Do you think you’re always right?!

Domingo: Danilo, what is this non-sense?

Diego: What did you just call me?

They are both surprised and silent.

Diego: Did you just call me by my father’s name?

Domingo is silent. Diego opens the box and they both look at the
contents. There are pictures and other memorabilia that belonged to Danilo.

Domingo: Were you afraid when your car got hit?

Diego: Why are you only asking me?

Domingo: Do you think there’s still any way that I can ask your father?

Diego starts to cry.

Domingo: Do you miss him?

Diego: Do you?

Domingo: Do you want to talk about it?

Diego is silent.

Domingo: Maybe tomorrow?

They nod at each other but they do not hug yet. Maybe tomorrow, they don’t know. They are both quiet for a while. Domingo gets back on his seat. Diego is about to exit when his Lolo stops him.

Domingo: So Diego, what is your favorite food?
End