King of the Castle

What gets said instead of truth

Author’s Note: There’s no playlist to accompany this post. I got you next month!

The author and his Dad circa 2020.

“Untitled” Play Synopsis

An estranged family’s youngest sibling comes home to retrieve an heirloom and gets stuck due to inclement weather. Forced to stay the night with his brothers and step-father, they are all visited by a mysterious ghost whose powerful visions encourage the men to hold a seance. The results cause more rifts than they’re prepared for.

Chuckie’s Monologue - Snippet

[Scene starts immediately with the light change. Chuckie is seated in a sandy-brown recliner, with a paisley throw and bulky arm rests. The child sits on a couch facing the left side of the television set. It’s a terrible angle. The living room is the cleanest area of the house.]

Chuckie: Now don’t interrupt me while I’m trying to speak, damn! Man, it’s always something with you. I don’t even know why you’re still here. (deep sigh)

Your mother is the one that brought you here. I ain’t want you. Still don’t, but I love her so you’re here now.

But don’t think you’re mine, oh no!

You on your own, unless that piece of shit man down the road finally come handle his responsibility. This on you and him and your mother. I’m not part of that side of the family.

And I know all about that shit, some sides ain’t meant to be around each other for too long.

I got a side. You know I got my daughter Mimi from my first wife.

Yeah she grown because me and her had the baby young.

She pretty now and smart too. Why she don’t come around much I don’t know.

Probably because she sees I got a bunch of - ugh! (gestures at the child in a mean way) in my house, claiming to be under my care, my supervision, paying they bills and shit!

Nah, I did all of that with Mimi from my first wife.

Shit there was a time that I forgot her legal name, she’s just Mimi.

Tried to tell me I couldn’t call her that no more because of this-that-and-the-third. But that’s my Mimi!

Miranda, ain’t that some shit?! White-ass name.

Probably caught up in the moment you know, when she was being born and my first wife was pushing and breathing and stressing me out, I just signed the paper that was in front of me.

We been calling her Mimi since forever. What am I supposed to do if she won’t talk to me? Won’t come over and visit me.

I get it, I like to drink.

Not as much as I used to, not as much, man, because I gotta keep my job to keep a roof over all these sorry-ass people’s heads!

Matter of fact I gotta get up in the morning (he pauses to pick up the remote to turn the television back on to see the time. He raises his voice above the audio)

What am I supposed to do if I slip up and don’t call her ass, Miranda?

Lie, say I forgot? Piss her off and speak like one them people at her fancy job.

I move in them spaces around them people too much as it is. As it was.

Ain’t no real family back there for me no way.

You never wanna get separated like I did from my first wife. She turned her whole back on me, like our time together was nothing! We made Mimi in our image!

I’m sorry I wasn’t good enough.

She moved on too and had a baby soon after too.

We the same person pretty much.

Except she’s even lighter, her family thinks they better than me. Mimi probably wishes she was as light as my first wife and her family.

Could that be it? Clear as day, white as crisp sheets. Damn. (pause, sighs)

I think your mother is pretty for a dark skin woman. Very pretty.

When she get back, I gotta focus on her staring. The stare. She be looking deep at you, don’t she boy? Huh? Answer me!

(The child attempts to speak, croaks instead)

You don’t know nothing about women!

When they gone from you, it’s the coldest feeling in the world. That’s where the stare comes from, she looking to make sure you still there. In it, until death do us part

Your mother had a husband too, that mean old fool up in Buffalo.

Probably didn’t know how to take her overacting at every slight.

She be going on about disrespectful laughing and shit when her voice gets serious.

Yeah I heard you, it was funny how you said it that’s all!

You gotta take a woman a little at a time, that’s why a man needs a job so he can be away from his woman to appreciate her after a while. That fool never kept a decent job, never bettered himself or your mother… He ain’t as strong as me, as nice as me. (trails off)

Can’t stay up under a woman for long though, unless you be straight fucking! (laughs, coughs, drinks)

But that was back then, and I don’t want no more babies and I ain’t wearing no rubbers! You ever put on a rubber? You know what one is?

(The child nods)

How you know? One of your nasty friends at school told you? I know them teachers ain’t talking about no rubbers!

(The child croaks out the name of his health teacher, Chuckie gestures for him to speak up)

I don’t know that teacher, boy, shut up!

I’m just speaking to you (laughs, turns attention after a beat to the television)