Goodbye Daddy
Scene: A girl, mid-20’s, with her long time boyfriend is standing outside her father’s hospital room. Her father is about to die and is hooked up to life aiding machines. Lighting should be very minimal, possibly low lighting over the bed, and having some brighter light everywhere else. A partition can separate the room from the hallway, the hallway should have chairs and a stool with magazines, maybe a nurses station almost off stage.
Boyfriend
You know you don’t have to do this. You can just let him go in peace.
Girl
I know, but I have to. I have to tell him some things. (Pause) Even if it is too late for it to change anything.
Boyfriend
OK. I’ll be right here if you need me.
Girl (stalling)
Thank you for coming with me, it means a lot. You never even met him.
Boyfriend
Don’t worry about it, just tell him what you need to. I’ll be right here when you’re done.
(They embrace, she enters the room, looks at her father for a little while, turns back to her boyfriend, he signals for her to go on.)
Girl
(She clears her throat) Dad? (Pause) Dad, I have to tell you something whether you can hear me or not. (Pause) I still hate you Dad. I hate who you are, and the way you are, or were. I hate what you did to mom and me. And mostly I hate you because you never thought you did anything wrong. Or at least you didn’t remember you’d done anything.
(A nurse comes in, she stops talking. The nurse is checking his vitals. She is trying to be cheerful.)
Nurse
Are you his daughter?
(No response)
You’re the first person, I’ve seen, to visit him. I was beginning to think he was all alone.
(No response)
I didn’t think he was old enough to be all alone just yet, I knew he just had to have some family out there that cared about him.
Girl
Yeah I guess that would be me then. I am his daughter, but I can’t say that there is anyone out there who cares about him.
Nurse
(Awkwardly)
Oh, I see. Well then, I’ll just leave you to your…um, with your…I’ll just be leaving now.
(The girl nods, and the nurse exits.)
Girl
How could you have been so stupid? We all knew you had a problem. And we tried to help you, but you wouldn’t let us. And now you’re lying here dying! You never cared if you knew me or not, but I did! Dad, I cared about knowing you. It’s an important thing for a girl to know her father. I mean, you’re supposed to care about your little girl right? (Pause) Do you even know, or care, that I’m in college now? I make good grades too.
(She turns and looks at her boyfriend again.)
I met a guy. He’s a Com. Major. He’s a really good guy, nothing like you. You should be proud. I really think we could go somewhere. And you know what? You’ve never even met him, never even knew he existed. And now you’re not even going to be around to ignore me anymore. (Pause) I really would have liked the chance to get to know you. The real you. Not the depraved asshole who would only be home on the weekend, and even then you’d be drunk. Only to leave Monday mornings and send her flowers and chocolates.
(She stops, catches her breath, looking down.)
You know I don’t even know when your birthday is? And we never celebrate Father’s Day either. I think that ones in the summer, I’ve seen the commercials on TV. (Pause) Do you remember anything? Remember when I broke my arm in third grade, and mom had to call you to bring her car back home so she could drive me to the doctors? And you were so pissed because you had to leave the poker game early. Did you know that the summer mom finally called the ambulance for that I had lost my virginity and I was in the middle of a pregnancy scare? Did you even know I had been seeing anyone?!
(She begins sobbing, her boyfriend sees this, and comes into the room, he comforts her as she cries. The nurse sticks her head in to check on things, looks questioningly at the boyfriend, he nods, the nurse leaves.)
Girl
(Wiping her eyes) I’m OK now, thanks.
Boyfriend
Are you sure, do you want to leave now?
Girl
No, I have one more thing to say, OK?
Boyfriend
That’s fine. I’ll be right outside.
(She nods, he leaves the room)
Girl
I just wanted to tell you…I used to love you. I remember sitting at the front door to watch you leave, and just wait for when you’d wave your arm out the window at us. The way you used to dance al crazy, and play the music so loud I would come out of my room to watch you dance around. And that one time you tried to teach me to play spoons! I never did catch on to that art. I cared so much what you thought of me. I thought that if I was good, and if I’d get better that you would stop being mean to mom and you’d get better for us. All I wanted was for you to notice me and love me. I think you used to once. You must have. Now I’m all grown and we know nothing about each other, and it’s too late. I don’t think I will ever be able to forgive you for what you’ve done. I never got to have a daddy like all the other kids; I had the father who was never there when it mattered and was drunk when it didn’t. (Pause) I just wanted to tell you that I turned out OK, in spite of you. You had nothing to do with the way I turned out. After I leave here today, and after you’re gone, I will never think of you again. I have said what I needed to say to you, and now I’m done. The part of my life that you affected is now over, and I can start again, fresh and without having to worry about what you would think of me because you’ll be gone.
(She turns to leave, he raises his hand toward her, but it drops. At the door she turns to look at him)
Good-bye Daddy.
(She exits the room, the boyfriend joins her, she exits in his arms, the father raises his arm out again, it drops off the bed. The nurse re-enters, checking his papers, puts his arm back on the bed and tucks him in.)
Nurse
She seems like a really nice girl. And that boy she’s with is a good looking boy, too.
(No response)
She must have been a handful growing up. I’ve heard girls are what every father wishes for. You must be very proud.
(No response.)
Nurse
Well I’ll just leave you to your thoughts then.
(The nurse considers him a moment then exits. Lights come up more on the bed, the father is shaking as if crying, lights fade to black.)
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