Monologue

Zo Friedman
1/5/15
Ms. Jeral
Green Group
Drama

(Phone rings)
Hi, darling, how are you?
PAUSE
Yes, Im good.
PAUSE
Yes, I miss you too, darling, but well see each other soon. When is your
winter break?
PAUSE
Oh, great, Ill see you then! I cant believe we havent seen each other in a
year! When I was growing up, in Rumford, Maine, I saw my family every
weekend. We used to have Sunday dinner together- me, and my 4 brothers
and 3 sisters, and all my aunts and uncles and cousins! Everyone brought a
different dish to share. My mother used to cook this delicious vegetable dish
with carrots So, I got to know my whole family. I mean, thats how we
communicated back then. In the 40s, we didnt have telephones, dear, like
you have now. Life was simpler back then. There was.togetherness.
People get mixed up in material things in the modern world. I guess
lifes changed over the years for the better- but I havent seen you in a year!
Lets ctch up now. What are you up to these days?
PAUSE
Uh huh.
PAUSE
Well, you are quite the dreamer! Youll do it though, honey, I know you will.
PAUSE
My dreams? Well, I want to remember my mother and father and all the good
things about them. They did so much for me, you know? And-it was hard
back then, too. I was the oldest of my 7 siblings. There were 8 of us, and
money was scarce during World War II. I never went on vacations like
mommy and daddy take you on. Youve seen so much and already been

exposed to different cultures. Did you know, Zo, I never saw an African
American until I was 25 years old and had married Jim!?
PAUSE
I know its crazy! Can you believe it? But, Rumford was a small town, you
knew your neighbors real well. You had to. You had to rely on each other and
help each other out. I remember standing in line with my neighbor to buy
meat during the World War II.
Oh, the war. It was hard on me. My uncle Fred, your great-great uncle, was
sent to Normandy. He got shot and got a lung replacement right there [point
to spot in space] on the battlefield. After, my uncle Fred couldnt lift me
anymore. I would sit on his knees, and he would rock me up and down, up
and down. Its all about family, dear.
PAUSE
What? Oh. I love you, too, dear. A yah. Bye, now.