All Of You and Then Me
Lights are dim, hospital room scene.
Holly: (Hysterical) I am so sorry Lance.
Faint beeping in the background.
Holly: I don’t know what I was thinking. I had drank a lot and you showed up and you made me nervous, so I called my mom. Oh, Lance please come back to me.
Enter Bianca.
Bianca: What are you doing in here? Don’t you think you have caused enough damage?
Holly: Bianca, I am so sorry. We didn’t mean to hurt him, I-
Bianca: (Slaps Holly) Get the hell out right now.
Holly: (Hysterical) Please, Bianca let me stay.
Bianca: Leave.
Holly exits. Bianca makes her way over to the hospital bed.
Bianca: Hey there Lance. We really missed you at school today. (Grabs his hand) Well actually I really missed you at school today. This isn’t fair. (Crying) You and I were just figuring things out. Come back to me Lance, please... I can’t live without you.
Enter Mr. Robert Collins (Lance’s Dad)
Robert: Ah Bianca… not surprised. Don’t you think Lance has been through enough? Can you imagine what would happen to him if he woke up and saw your ugly smug looking at him?
Bianca: Mr. Collins.
Robert: I think it’s best you go.
Bianca: Actually, I think it’s best if you go. Why do you think Robert is here in the first place? If you would’ve just left him alone and not dragged your problems into his life, he wouldn’t be here.
Robert: (Slaps Bianca) How dare you!
Bianca: (Laughs, aside) Why the hell is everyone getting slapped. If he wakes up tell him I stopped by. (Starts walking out) Who am I kidding you won’t do that. Goodbye Mr. Collins.
Robert: (Smirks) Goodbye Suga-lips. Take care of those lovely legs.
(To Lance) Hey there kiddo. I don’t know if you can hear me, but if you are listening you better get it together. The team needs you here. States are coming up and you’re the star. Yes this is a setback, but I calculated it earlier and if you come back to us today, we have 3 weeks to get you back into shape. So, come on kiddo, be a man and come back. (Waits)
Yeah, you’ve never been much of man. Let me know when you decide to stop playing games, goodnight Lance.
Exit Robert.
(Spotlight hits Lance in bed, voice comes on in the background)
Lance: (Laying there motionless) I HATE YOU. Who do you think you are? I’m not much of a man? You’re the one that left me and Mom when I was only 6. Where’s Bianca? Why didn’t she come back? Where am I? Why can’t I move or open my eyes? What happened? Hello! Can anyone hear me?
Nurse enters.
Nurse: (To Lance) Hey there kid. There’s scientific research behind coma’s saying that the person who is in them is actually aware of what is going on around them-
Lance: (Voice) Well, I’m right here smarty.
Nurse:so, I’ve came to say hi and talk to you. You probably know, but you had lots of visitors today. It’s always nice to see visitors. You’re lucky some people have no one to visit them and wake up alone.
Lance: (Still motionless and unconscious) Wow you really talk a lot huh?
Nurse: I hope you wake up soon. This girl is outside who has been waiting since you’ve got here. She visited you once, but hasn’t made it back. She’s very nice you see and I think she may like you a bit.
Lance: (Voice) Bianca? No, it can’t be. She wouldn’t wait around. Who is it? Hello laaadddyyy. Why aren’t you answering anything that I’m saying to you? Who is outside? Hello?
Nurse: Sleep tight Lance, talk to you in the morning.
(Checks machines and medicine. Exit Nurse.)
Lance: (Voice) Hey! Where do you think you are going? Why aren’t you answering me?
(Lance’s voice stops. Lights close out.)
(Bright lights come on.)
Nurse enters.
Nurse: Good morning Lance! I hope you had a good night.
Lance: (Voice) Yeah great night! Had a rad party Ms. Nurse you totally missed out.
Nurse: Visiting hours open soon, you think people will come see you? I wish you could tell me if there was someone you didn’t want to see.
Knock on the door. Nurse opens the door. A group of young men stand there, all around Lance’s age.
Nurse: Hey guys. Come on in, he’s waiting for you.
23 guys walk into the room, all different shapes and sizes. Some tall, some short. They form a circle around the bed and begin to pray.
Michael: Our Father, who art in Heaven-
Lance: (Voice) Hallowed be thy name.
Pray continues with the boys and Lance’s voice in the background.
Enter Robert.
Robert: Isn’t that a pretty sight? You know boys prayer won’t get you to states, but that motionless supposed “man” (Uses hand to portray quotation marks) will. So, quit your nonsense and get back to the field and start practicing. Lance will meet you there.
Michael: What the hell is wrong with you? Your son is in a coma! He’s not a supposed “man” (Mimics quotation marks) He is 10x more of a man than you will ever be. He had to put up with you for the past 18 years and God knows how he did that.
Robert: Get the hell out. (Pause) All of you, get the hell out of here right now. If you don’t Lance won’t be the only one in a coma.
One of the players: Man, you got issues.
Multiple voices: Bye Lance… See ya later man… Feel better bro… See ya on the field…
Lance: (Voice) No please come back. Don’t leave me in here with him. Nurse! Where are you Ms. Nurse?
Robert: All right, listen to me Son. This is your last opportunity to wake up. If you don’t I’m leaving and not coming back. I can’t deal with you embarrassing the family like this.
Enter Nurse. Stands in the corner listening to the conversation.
Robert: So, are you going to be a man and wake up Lance? I didn’t raise you to be this weak you know. I’m so disappointed in you, you’re nothing, but a disgrace to this-
Nurse: Excuse me, I need to ask you to leave. I have tests to do.
Robert: Yea he’ll probably fail them, just like he failed me as a son.
Nurse: Now.
Exit Robert.
Nurse: (To Lance) Sorry about that kid… I hope you weren’t listening to that. Your dad doesn’t seem like the nicest man, maybe he will leave you alone now. He seemed pretty serious when he left. Ah, you’re better off without him. I’ve never met you before, but I feel like you’re a good kid. Your friends seem to think so too. You’ve got some good teammates too; I hope you all make it to states, you deserve it. Bianca hasn’t stopped by today yet, don’t let it bother you though, I’m sure she will. I wonder where your Mom is? I saw your Dad had a wedding ring on, but I’m too sure if that’s with your Mom. Do you have any siblings? I want to learn about you Lance, so do me and everyone else a favor and wake up. If not now, then later. Don’t feel pressured, just do it at some point.
Exit Nurse. Lights close out. Change scene to the Nurses station.
Nurse: I don’t know girls; he doesn’t seem like he’s going to wake up any time soon.
Nurse 2: Ann, don’t give up on him. Everyone else has, stay strong for him.
Nurse: (Now called Ann) I’m not, but usually there is some sort of brain activity by now.
Nurse 3: (Scoffs) There’s no hope, pull the plug. (Walks away)
Nurse Ann: What’s up her ass?
Nurse 2: (Laughs) I don’t know, but she’s been like that all day. Ann, do me a favor?
Nurse Ann: Yeah?
Nurse 2: Don’t get too attached. He’s just a kid and if he doesn’t wake up you’ve done all that you can.
Nurse Ann: He’s not just a kid and he will wake up! (Ann walks away)
Stage is completely dark. Lance’s voice comes on.
Lance: I’m tired of this, this black world that I’m living in. No one can hear me and no one is paying attention to me. Nothing is worse than seeing my lifeless body lay in that hospital bed, mocking me. I’m awake! I’m alive! I’m here. I promise you. I want that Nurse to just pick me up and make me stand. I feel like I could run a mile. Why can’t I move? That beeping nose is bothering me. Why does it smell so weird in here? It’s cold too, can I have another blanket? Oh, God who am I kidding, no one can hear me. Where is Bianca? Why hasn’t Holly come back? I’m so happy I don’t have to deal with my father anymore, but I wish my boys would come back. Prayer always helps, especially before a game. Lord, if you can hear me please help me wake up. I’m ready.
Spotlight goes on Nurse praying in the hospital chapel.
Nurse Ann: Dear God. I know I don’t come here much, but I have a favor to ask of you. See, there’s this boy that I’m taking care of and he has a lot of people that care for him, especially my daughter. Her name is Holly and I picked her up from a party the other night and I didn’t see him chasing after the car or getting hit moments later. It wasn’t our fault, but we still feel bad. That’s why I’m doing everything I can to help him, but it doesn’t seem like it’s working. I just want him to be okay. So, Lord if you can hear me please help him wake up-
Doors fly open. Bright lights come on stage.
Nurse 2: He’s awake Ann! He’s awake.
Nurse Ann: Oh thank you God.
Change scene to Lance’s hospital bed. Enter Nurse Ann.
Nurse Ann: Well hello there Mr. Collins, nice of you to come back to us.
Lance: (Grabs Ann’s hand) I heard you, I heard everything. Thank you… thank you so much
Nurse Ann: (Tears in her eyes) It was all you Lance, you’re a very special boy. I have someone who wants to see you.
Exit Nurse. Returns with Holly.
Holly: (Blushing) Hey Lance
Lance: (Laughing) Hey Holly. It’s good to see you, take a seat. Stay a while.
Exit Nurse.
