Royro Royro
by bkMarcus
Characters
* Bobby, 7-year-old boy (offstage)
* Phil, father of Bobby, mid 30s
* Dana, early 30s
Props
* 2 folding chairs, across a table (or stool)
* 1 corduroy hat with pink fuzz, on table (or stool)
Phil is sitting at his kitchen table, looking out the window (at audience).
Dana enters from behind.
Phil does not acknowledge her.
DANA
[smiling]
What's that?
PHIL
It's a hat.
DANA
I can see it's a hat, but what is it doing there.
PHIL
[shrugs, speechless]
DANA
Phil?
PHIL
Yeah?
DANA
Whose hat is that?
PHIL
It's Royro's hat.
DANA
Royro?
PHIL
Royro.
DANA
Who's Royro?
PHIL
Royro is Bobby's new friend.
DANA
Bobby's home already?
PHIL
Yeah, they sent him home early.
DANA
Is he suspended?
PHIL
[sighs]
DANA
Phil? Did the school suspend Bobby again?
PHIL
I didn't ask.
DANA
You didn't ask why the school would send him home early on a school day?
PHIL
I'm guessing it has something to do with Royro.
DANA
What?
PHIL
[speechless]
DANA
Phil? Where are they?
PHIL
They're playing outside.
DANA
[looks out the window (at audience) -- scans yard for Royro]
[pause]
Um, Phil?
PHIL
Mmm?
DANA
Phil, I see your son running around by himself out there.
PHIL
Yeah.
DANA
Yeah?!
PHIL
Yeah. Yes. That's what I see too.
DANA
You see your son is by himself.
PHIL
When I look out the window I see Bobby laughing and playing and talking to someone, but I don't see the someone he's playing with or talking to.
DANA
[straining patience]
So this "Royro" is imaginary?
PHIL
That's one hypothesis.
DANA
So your son got sent home from school for playing with an imaginary friend? There must be more than that, don't you think?
PHIL
I'll ask him later.
DANA
When?
PHIL
After Royro leaves.
DANA
[sighs]
[looks at hat]
I think he must have found this in a dumpster. It's filthy. What's this pink stuff?
PHIL
Looks like fluff from an old pink boa.
DANA
So Royro's been hanging out at the burlesque?
PHIL
[laughs]
Yeah, that's exactly what I thought.
DANA
So what are you going to tell Bobby?
PHIL
I'm going to tell him that he needs to be careful about Royro.
DANA
Careful?
PHIL
I'll advise him against playing with or talking to Royro among strangers--
DANA
I beg your pardon?!
PHIL
I said I think it's a bad idea for Bobby to talk to Royro in front of people.
DANA
[disbelieving]
He shouldn't do it ... in front of people?
PHIL
Well, not most people.
DANA
You're not going to tell him that Royro isn't real?
PHIL
Why would I presume to tell him that?
DANA
Phil, I think you're trying to avoid something here and I think it's going to be harmful to your son if you don't confront it.
PHIL
Oh? What am I failing to confront?
DANA
I think you're failing to confront the fact that Bobby still hasn't gotten over Brenda's death. He's acting out.
PHIL
[holding back]
It's only been a year.
DANA
That's almost a 7th of his life. Maybe you're still mourning, but you have to help your son move on!
PHIL
Bobby still asks questions about his mother, but I haven't seen sadness in him since last summer.
DANA
Maybe not, but he's clearly directing it elsewhere.
PHIL
Oh? And where is that?
DANA
What do you mean Where? Look, your son -- who is much too old to still be playing with imaginary friends -- is having disciplinary problems at school because he's acting crazy.
PHIL
[shirks at the word 'crazy']
That's quite a conclusion to draw from so little evidence.
DANA
[pause]
Wait! Are you saying you don't think he was sent home from school because of his imaginary friend or are you saying you're not sure his friend isn't real?
PHIL
Of course I'm not sure he isn't real. Do you know for sure what is and isn't real?
DANA
He is out there ... playing by himself!
PHIL
[calmly]
He's out there playing. We can't see anyone else playing with him.
DANA
So, what, you believe this Royro is an invisible kid?
PHIL
Why do you assume he's a kid?
DANA
Oh, right. I forgot -- he's been hanging out in burlesque houses!
PHIL
Maybe Royro is a kid, but I don't see too many kids wearing old corduroy Andy Caps like that.
DANA
And you don't see too many kids ... who you can't see at all!
PHIL
[slowly smiles]
DANA
[turning away]
You're playing mind games with me.
PHIL
I'm going to let my son tire himself out in the yard. And I'll wait until he tells me that Royro has gone home --
DANA
[interrupting:]
--I wonder what he'll do with his hat--
PHIL
--and I'll explain to him that you and I can't see Royro, and that I wouldn't be surprised if his teachers and classmates can't see Royro, and that it would be smart for him -- that it would help him stay out of trouble -- if he were more aware of how his perspective differed from the perspective of those around him.
DANA
[turning back]
Jesus Christ, Phil! He's not a dissident! He's acting out!
PHIL
Do you disagree with anything I just said?
DANA
You can't encourage him to do that kind of me-against-everyone-else thinking. That will just make things worse.
PHIL
It's not against anyone. I just want him to develop a sense of how to function in a world that doesn't see things--
DANA
[interrupting:]
--Why do you insist on talking as if this Royro is real!?
PHIL
I'm not insisting on anything.
DANA
Do you believe that Royro's real?
PHIL
I don't believe anything.
DANA
[pause]
He isn't real, Phil. Your son is playing with someone who isn't real.
PHIL
Why are you so upset about this?
DANA
[trying to calm down]
Look, I care about Bobby. And I care about you. And I'm scared of what I'm seeing here.
PHIL
I understand.
DANA
Will you please let me have a word with him?
PHIL
[pause]
[sighs]
Tomorrow.
DANA
Tomorrow?
PHIL
I want to talk to him first.
DANA
[seems to think about it]
[touches Phil, who doesn't move]
OK. I can see you're upset. I shouldn't have pushed it. I'll talk to you tomorrow, OK?
PHIL
Yes, OK.
DANA
[exits]
PHIL
[pause]
[looks up and smiles]
Yes, sweetheart, I know.
[pause]
No, I agree completely. Very sure of herself.
[pause]
I know she means well, but that's not an excuse ... telling us how to raise our son ...
[Lights go out.]
The End
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