Wandering Dialogue Rendition

I hated this dialougue when it only said He, She, and Him and had no direction.  I tried my best to make sense of it.  This is my first rendition of it.

Scene 1


Son walks in
Mother walks towards son as she says her line

Mother: Where have you been?
Son: Wandering around.
Mother: Wandering around. I don’t know why you can’t be a man; you just wait till the army gets a hold of you, young man.
Father: They’ll make a man of you.
Mother: Straighten you out.
Father: A little regimentation.
Mother: Regulation.
Father: Specification.
Mother: Indoctrination.
Father: Boredom.
Mother: You’ll get up and go to bed.
Father: Drill, march.
Mother: Take orders.
Father: Fight.
Mother: Do what they tell you.
Father: Keep in step.
Mother: Do your part.
Father: Kill you a man.
Mother: You’ll be a better person to live with, believe me. As a matter of fact your father
and I are getting tired of having you around.
Father: Looking after you.
Mother: Making your bed.
Father: Keeping you out of trouble.
Mother: How old are you, anyway?
Son: Sixteen
Father: Sixteen, well, my goodness.
Mother: Shouldn’t you be drafted before long?
Son: Two years.
Mother: You just better toe the mark.

Scene 2

Recruiter walks up to Candidate who walks up to Recruiter


Recruiter: How long at your present address?
Candidate: Six months.
Recruiter: Any previous experience as an apprentice?
Candidate: No sir.
Recruiter: Where did you live before that?
Candidate: I was just wandering around.
Recruiter: Not good enough; draft status?
Candidate: Well, I haven’t been called but...
Recruiter: We like fighters on our team, fellow.
Candidate: Well, I’m a conscientious…


Scene 3

Nurse grabs Candidate and pulls him down to sit on the chair


Nurse: Sit down. Roll up your sleeve. Take off your shirt. Stick out your tongue. Bend over, open your mouth, make a fist, read the top line. Cough. (Candidate coughs) Very good.
Candidate: Thank you.
Nurse: Perfect Specimen. Nurse looks down at writing pad and checks off acceptable and faces away
Candidate: I do a considerable amount of walking. Stands proud but relaxes and sits down for next line


Scene 4


Both men sit casually

Friend: I don’t follow you.
Man: I don’t believe in war.
Friend: There’s no danger of war. Our country is never an aggressor.
Man: But armies, see, I don’t believe in it.


Scene 5


Both men stand abruptly

Recruiter: Do you love your country?
Candidate: No more than any other, the ones I’ve seen.
Recruiter: That’s treason.
Candidate: I’m sorry. He sits down ashamed
Recruiter: Quiet all right; we’ll take you. He turns away


Scene 6


Son stands up and walks away angry as he says his line

Son: I won’t go.
Father: Service is compulsory. Turns to face son
Son turns around to face Father
Son: It’s my right.
Father: You’ll learn.
Son: I don’t believe in killing people. Points to his chest and takes a few steps towards his father
Father: For freedom? Takes a step towards son
Son: No.
Father: For love? Takes a step towards son
Son: No.
Father: For money? Takes a step towards son
Son: No.
Father: We’ll teach you. Stops looking at son
Son: I know, but I won’t. Takes a step towards father
Father: You’ll learn. Walks away from son
Son: I won’t! Takes another step towards father
Father: You’re going. Turns in rage towards son
Son: I’m not. Crosses arms and looks at back wall with chin up
Father: You’ll see. Glares at son
Son: I’m sure. Looks confident
Father: You’ll see. Glares and walks towards son
Son: I’m flatfooted. Looks like he’s thinking and trying to get out of trouble
Father: You’ll do. Walks towards son
Son: I’m queer. Does a valley girl stance with wrist up
Father: Get lost. Dismisses son and walks to far right side


Scene 7


Woman is looking for her way to the train station. Woman turns and walks towards Man

Woman: I’m lost. She looks lost and sweet
Man: I’m sorry.
Woman: Aren’t you lost?
Man: I wasn’t going anyplace in particular.
Woman: That’s unnatural.
Man: I was just wandering.


Scene 8


Wife argues with husband as he is sitting down watching tv. Mood is anger


Wife: What will become of you?
Husband: I hadn’t thought of it. Her voice is irritating him so he tilts his head away
Wife: You don’t believe in anything. She raises her hands in frustration and walks to the left and stand still for next scene


Scene 9


Therapist sits in chair far from Patient to observe. Patient is sitting relaxed with body down and head in his hands. He says his line as he looks up a bit.


Patient: But you see, I do.
Therapist: I see.
Patient: It’s just that no one else seems to believe – not really.
Therapist: I see. Stands and rubs chin as he stares out of a window
Patient: Like this pride in country.
Therapist: I see.
Patient: And this pride in blood.
Therapist: I see.
Patient: It just seems that pride is such a pointless thing; I can’t believe in killing someone for it.


Scene 10


Husband has hand in pants and is watching tv again


Wife: Oh, my goodness, honey, it isn’t killing; it’s merely nudging out of the way…
Husband: But we don’t need it.
Wife: Think of our position, think of me, think of the children. She’s nagging
Husband: I am. He’s tired and annoyed
Wife: You’re shiftless, is what it is. She’s calling him lazy
Husband: I’m really quite happy; I don’t know why. He says first line content and looks at her a little disgusted for the second.
Wife: Well how do you think I feel? Says line with attitude and then faces away
Husband: Not too well really. He is disappointed with himself


Scene 11


Boss has fallen over and has chest pain. He is on floor on all fours. As he gets up he is holding his chest in pain but is trying to play it off that he’s ok. His assistant is worried but believes him.


Secretary: Where does it hurt?
Boss: Nothing to worry about.
Secretary: Yes sir.
Boss: Thank you.
Secretary: And that’s all for the morning; Mr. Trader is on line six.
Boss: Thank you; send Wheeler in.

Scene 12


Man is now in the hospital dying. Doctor and wife walk in to check up on him. He sits up straight with legs straight as if sitting in a hospital bed.


Doctor: How are you, old boy?
Man: Not well, I'm afraid.
Wife: Don't be, it isn't serious.
Doctor: Just been working to hard.
Wife: Why don't you lie down? She helps him lay down. He sits straight but comfortably
Doctor: Best thing for you.


Scene 13


Man sits completely straight with arms across chest


Widow: I know, but he was quite handsome; a gentle man.
Friend: Bit of a radical though; not good for the family.
Widow: I know.
Friend: You're better off. He wraps his arms around her to console her
Widow: I have a life of my own now. She's thinking
Friend: You have a life of your own. He holds her head down to his chest and brushes her hair
Widow: He was such a lost lamb. Sad and almost crying
Friend: Never agreed with anyone. Looks up shaking his head no
Widow: Arguments everywhere we went. She looks up at him
Friend: What kind of disposition is that? Pulls her away by the shoulders to look into her eyes
Widow: I don't know what I ever saw in him. She looks back at him realizing he's the one she has always loved
Friend: You need someone who knows his way around. Looks at her begging with his eyes


Scene 14


They look deep into each other's eyes holds hands and say


Bride and Groom: I do.


(PAUSE 1, 2, 3, 4) when practicing say: pause-one-two-three-four ...out loud, for now


Scene 15


They turn to speak in his ears as he sits and starts going crazy listening to the voices in his head


Mother: I don't know why you can't be a man.
Father: Keep in step.
Mother: Toe the mark.
Recruiter: Draft status?
Nurse: Stick out your tongue.
Father: You'll learn.
Wife: What'll become of you?
Therapist: I see.
Wife: Think of the children.
Doctor: Best thing for you. Steps forward as he says line
Bride: I do. Steps forward as she says line


(PAUSE 1, 2, 3, 4) when practicing say: pause-one-two-three-four


Scene 16


Mother: Where?
Son: Wandering.
Therapist: I see.
Son: They'll believe anything anyone tells them.
Therapist: I see.
Son: I mean, that can't be the way people want to spend their lives.
Secretary: That's all for the morning. Turns to face "He"
Son: Quite happy.
Doctor: Best thing for you. Turns to face "She"
Bride: I do.
Groom: I do. Stay in that position staring deeply into each other's eyes for a count of
one, two, three, four


Scene 17


Mother: Where have you been?


PAUSE-one-two-three as "Him" looks down

Scene 18


"Him" looks up slowly and asks: Can it?


We all stay frozen in position for a count of 4 or until teacher stops us