What's Eating Dante?

What's Eating Dante?







The stage is dim as the curtain comes up to reveal an apartment with a couch, table and a chair. There is a door down center stage and a young man opens the door and walks to the lip of Center stage and begins to speak.


DANTE-
Hi! I’m Dante! I’m 23 year old right now…and I have cancer. I didn’t want to waste too much time so I thought I should get that out in the open right off the bat! I found out just about a week ago that I had it, and this has been one of the worst weeks of my life. (Short Pause) This is kind of funny. (Snickers to himself) Not the cancer thing! But about two weeks ago I decided to go on a diet because I was getting pretty portly. However as you can see I’ve already dropped a significant amount of weight and that’s not a good thing. I’ve been trying to eat everything in sight just to keep at a good weight but that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. Actually the main reason I wanted to diet was for my son. (Smiles Real Big) 3 months old today! I didn’t want to be the “FAT DAD”; you know the one all the kids laughed at and made fun of, but it doesn’t look like we’ll have to worry about that. The doctors only give me around 2 months to live. Pretty rapid cancer huh! Well, You’re probably thinking to yourself how did a 23 year old like me get cancer? Well that’s a very good question! Second hand smoke (Pause) My Dad smoked, my Mom smoked, basically our whole family smokes. I hate cigarettes! But not just for the obvious reasons. Don’t smoke! Okay?


DANTE walks over and sits on the couch as the lights come up on stage to reveal RENEE. RENEE is DANTE’S wife and she is a young very attractive girl with a great smile. DANTE and RENEE are fighting because it’s very late and they are both exhausted, they’re son has colic and he won’t go to sleep and he just keeps crying. DANTE is bouncing him on his knees in the car seat.


RENEE-
I have to be at work in about 4 hours can you please stay up and watch him for a few hours.

DANTE-
I’m just as exhausted as you!

RENEE-
But you’re off work today so you can rest all day.

DANTE-
Yeah, if he’ll sleep. (Pause) Fine! Go to bed.

RENEE-
Not if you’re going to be like that.

DANTE-
Renee!

RENEE-
Dante!

DANTE-
(Blurts out) I have cancer! (They both stand there and look at each other. The baby stops crying)

RENEE-
You….Um….You…..(She begins to cry)


The action stops and the stage lights go to black as DANTE walks back to center stage and begins to speak.


DANTE-
How do you tell somebody that you have cancer? I mean how do you work that into a conversation? Well, that pizza was great! I hope my cancer doesn’t eat all of it before my stomach gets a chance to enjoy it (Pause) or perhaps. Wow you look great today; by the way I have cancer! And to be honest with you I wish I could have told her in a little bit kinder way or at least not told her when I was so upset. Because she really is the best thing that ever happened to me. She is amazing! To explain just how amazing she is let me tell you this. (Pause) When we first found out that we were going to be parents we went home that night and we were talking. The subject came up “What if there were complications during the labor?” Meaning that if there was a decision that had to be made, her life or the baby’s life, what should I do? Without hesitating she said “Save him” and then she got sad turned away and started to cry. I asked her what was wrong (Pause) and I thought the answer was going to be I don’t want to die. But it wasn’t. (Pause) She said and I quote “I don’t want my son to grow up without a Mom”. Now that is an amazing woman! She’s not afraid that she might die, she is not afraid that her life would be cut short, she’s afraid that her son may grow up without a Mom. Then that puts me in the same situation I suppose. I’m not afraid because I’m dying. Not afraid of what I’m going to leave behind. Not afraid because I don’t want to die. I’m afraid my son is going to grow up without a Dad! That’s not the only thing I’m afraid of though. I’m afraid because I took out a life insurance policy about 10 months ago, and there is a clause in the contract saying that if I die within a year of the contract that the contract is void! I don’t want my family to have to be in debt! It’s not right. Always read the insurance companies fine print! No matter what they tell you it says…READ it anyway!


The stage lights back up and DANTE’S best friend MIKE is sitting on the couch and DANTE walks over and sits on the chair opposite of him.


DANTE-
You ever wonder why God does things Mike? You ever just sit in a room and think about the reasons why people have to go through trials in life? Why God takes those who are most precious to us? (Pause)

MIKE-
Everybody does.

DANTE-
Every think about what’s around the next curve in your life?

MIKE-
Sure.

DANTE-
Are you scared of it?

MIKE-
What are you trying to say?

DANTE-
(Lowers his head) I have cancer. Only have about 2 months to live.

MIKE-
Cancer? How?

DANTE-
Lung cancer.
MIKE
You don’t smoke.

DANTE-
I know.

MIKE-
Then how did—

DANTE-
Second hand (Pause) My family


MIKE stands up and walks over to DANTE and wraps his arms around him and hugs him. MIKE starts to sob as the lights go to black and DANTE walks back to center stage.


DANTE-
Telling Mike that I had cancer was really difficult. We’ve been friends since 6th grade. He’s more like a brother to me than a friend; he stayed really strong that day and that really helped me. Other people in our family said some of the strangest things after I told them. Maybe it was because they were in shock, but after the initial bout of crying after I told them, they said some very odd things. My Mom said, “It wasn’t my fault was it?” My Dad said, “Does your insurance cover that?” My Aunt said, “Do you need any money?” My employer said, “What ever you need. We’re here for you!” and apparently they meant it. The day after I told my boss he told me to go home and be with my family, and that he would pay my salary up until a month after I died. I couldn’t believe that they would do that, but I’m sure glad they did. You never know about people until the…Well…Well for the lack of a better word...Until the shit hits the fan.


The lights on stage come on as DANTE walks over and sits on the couch next to his wife. The baby is in the car seat next to them on the floor. They are watching TV cuddling and enjoying there time together.


RENEE-
I’ll miss this.

DANTE-
(Smiles) Me too!

RENEE-
Doesn’t seem like much, but it’s ours.

DANTE-
Yep.

RENEE-
Why do these things happen?

DANTE-
Wish I had an answer for you.

RENEE-
Maybe if we knew the reasons it would make it easier.


DANTE-
Or it might just make it more difficult, then you would know exactly why these circumstances come to fruition and maybe it wouldn’t be what you wanted to hear! Then your mind can’t trick you into thinking that it couldn’t possibly be for that reason…Because you already know it as fact. Get it? (RENEE shakes her head” No”)(DANTE grunts and doubles over in pain)

RENEE-
Are you all right?

DANTE-
(Squints in pain and begins to moan)

RENEE-
I’m taking you to the hospital.


The stage turns to black and DANTE comes to center stage again and begins to talk.


DANTE-
You go your whole life not knowing what’s going to come from day to day, and yet we still seem surprised when strange events occur. We know in our minds that anything can happen and often will, and yet we always seem to be in shock when something unexpected happens! (Pause) The doctors now say I have less time than they first thought. The cancer is spreading! What a surprise. You can never tell what tomorrow may bring. (Pause) So live! Live! Live Like there is no tomorrow. No Last Chapter. No third act!


The lights come up and RENEE is sitting in the chair reading something. DANTE is facing the audience like he is looking out a window.


DANTE-
Don’t you ever want to make a difference in this world?

RENEE-
What? (She puts down the book)

DANTE-
I mean instead of just leading our lives day-to-day, paycheck-to-paycheck. Isn’t there a purpose? Now maybe it’s just because I’m dying but it seems like we should be doing something for the good of the community. How come we never do that?

RENEE-
I don’t know. What did you have in mind?

DANTE-
I’m not sure. But I would like to apologize.

RENEE-
For what?

DANTE-
No. To the all the people I can think of that I’ve treated wrong in my life.

RENEE-
Are you serious?
DANTE-
Yeah, why not?

RENEE-
Seems a bit morbid.

DANTE-
I’m dying of cancer. I think I’ve reached the bottom of the barrel on what is morbid. I think I can only go up from here.

RENEE-
(Pause) You better make a list.

DANTE-
Yeah! A list. Can you hand me that piece of paper honey? (He walks over to the coffee table and sits down on the floor and RENEE hands him a pen and paper) Let’s see….


The lights go to black and DANTE walks to center stage and begins to talk.


DANTE-
You ever wonder how many people will be at your funeral? If you were to die tomorrow, who would show up next week at your funeral? Small procession or huge congregation? You need to think about these things, there important. You can’t lead your life like you don’t have a care in the world. Instead you need to lead your life caring for everyone in the world. We are all stuck here together and there is nothing we can do about that! So don’t go around hating everybody! Now I’m not trying to act like I’m Mr. Perfect here, I’ve made and continue to make mistakes. But I often thought about whom would be at my gravesite to pay there respects and it always made me think about how I should act towards people. I didn’t want only my family to be there, I wanted to touch so many people’s lives that it was standing room only. Guess I don’t have to wait very long to find out exactly how good or bad I did. So I made a list! A list of people to apologize to, and sadly the list…(He pulls out a piece of paper and it opens into a very long piece of paper falling off stage and rolling into the first row of seats)...Is very long. And it could take me awhile to say I’m sorry to all these people.


The lights come back on as DANTE walks over to center stage and the phone is ringing. He picks it up and begins to talk…


DANTE-
Hi! Steve, yeah I called and left a message (Pause) Well, yeah. It has been awhile (Pause) Uh Huh! Listen the reason I called was to say I was sorry (Pause) For being rude to you in high school (Pause) I know I just never got the chance to apologize! (Pause) You don’t remember what I did!? (DANTE snickers) It was a lot of stuff man (Pause) You want me to tell you! All of them? (Pause) Umm, all right! (DANTE flops down on the couch) You don’t need to go to bed early tonight do you?


The lights go back down and DANTE walks back to center stage and starts talking…


DANTE-
That took much longer than I expected. One week, two days and a lot of phone calls, but I do feel much better! And I’m assuming they do too! It was hard to tell because most didn’t even remember what I did. So where do you go from something like this with only about a month to live. Security! My family deserved to be secure even if I couldn’t give it to them! Deserved not to have to worry about my medical or death expenses. How do you make sure your family is secure even when your six feet under? How do you show that you loved them enough to make sure they were taking care of?
When they aren’t going to be taking care of! When they stand there at the grave sobbing over my death and also sobbing over the fact that they have to figure out a way to pay for everything. It’s not a position I ever wanted to be in…Even in death!


DANTE walks back over to the couch as the lights come back on to reveal MIKE sitting on the chair next to the couch.


MIKE-
Rob a bank? (Laughs) Are you sure you just have cancer? I think you’ve lost your mind too!

DANTE-
It’s totally can be done. With all the movies I’ve watched—

MIKE-
(Interrupting) MOVIES! Hello! Listen I’m your best friend and I consider you my brother, but this is ridiculous.

DANTE-
I’ve been going to banks all week and it can be done (Pause) Easily! But I can’t do it alone.

MIKE-
Dante! This is not going to work.

DANTE-
Saturdays. They have the bank locked down. No guard. No tellers. No customers. If we can find a way to bypass the cameras and the alarm system, then were in!

MIKE-
And you think that’s going to be like baking some cookies or tying your shoes?

DANTE-
No, but I’ve downloaded these plans off the Internet about alarm systems and I know these guy who can get us the camera and building layouts.

MIKE-
You’ve really thought about this haven’t you?

DANTE-
And if we just get in there and get out (Pause) We can both be set for life. What little life I have left anyway!

MIKE-
Dante. You know I would do anything for you, but dude. This is life in prison, getting man handled by some guy named Lance or Bubba. Why do you want to do this so bad?

DANTE-
I don’t want my family to be broke when I die. Would you want yours to be?

MIKE-
No! But there are other ways.


DANTE-
Not when you only a month left to live. (DANTE starts to get upset) I’ll I’m asking you to do is help me! (Stand up) We can do this Mike! You don’t trust me; you don’t think I know what I’m talking about! You think I would put your life in jeopardy!

MIKE-
Something like this…You would have no control over the situation. I trust you, but this is stupid! I’m telling you as a friend.

DANTE-
So now I’m stupid!

MIKE-
The plan, the plan is stupid, YES!

DANTE-
I don’t need you then. I’ll do it myself and I’ll keep ALL the money.

MIKE-
DUDE!

DANTE stand up to walk out and the stage goes to black as DANTE walks to center stage.


DANTE-
Don’t ever do something as stupid as robbing a bank. There are so many things you have to take into account. I actually went down to the bank to attempt my heist. I arrived across the street in my getaway rent-a-car. Then I stopped and I thought about it. What would you think of me? How would that make you feel when you find out what I had done? Would you be able to have an open life if I were to do something like that? You need to have someone you can look up too, even if it is literally! You stopped me that day. You and only you! Your smile, your eyes, your laugh, your future. So I turned the car around and I headed home. That was a very long drive home you can trust me on that, but I somehow felt at peace with the world, even if it was for just a short time.

DANTE walks back over and lies on the couch and starts coughing violently.


DANTE-
Renee! (Cough) Renee!

RENEE-
(RENEE comes running in) Honey what’s the matter?

DANTE-
(Coughs Violently) I don’t know, something's not right!

RENEE-
Do you want me to call an ambulance?

DANTE-
No! I just want you to hold me. (They embrace)




The lights go black as DANTE walks to the center stage, this time he walks with a bit of distress.


DANTE-
Find someone you can love. Someone you can hold when times get rough, when you think that no one cares or that you are all alone. It’s something that every life needs (Pause) Love! Unbridled perfection, unwavering love, unconditional love and a nice rack! (Chuckles) Life can be very difficult at times, but when the worst circumstance in your life pops and smacks you in the face, you can go to her. Or him! But hopefully her! Happiness in love is like standing on a cliff that is crumbling beneath your feet. Everything is steady for a short period and then you feel that shift, the ground is changing but you’re not sure why. Something is different here; something isn’t like it used to be. Then you take a few steps back and realize that no matter how fast you move you cannot out run the change; and you eventually fall. But what you need below the cliff is someone standing there to catch you and vice versa. Not to say that someone like that is going to be easy to find, but you can trust me on this one (Pause) it is well worth it! So don’t close your heart off to the world, you need make sure that you are always open. Because as soon as you close yourself off she is going to walk up to the door and try to get in, but it’s too late and you’ll hit the ground. No safety net, no back-up Quarterback, no spare tire, no understudy, no extra pair of underwear, no fallback plan, no auxiliary missile, no reserve chute, no unused joke, no saved game. (Pause) You get my point!


DANTE hobbles back as the lights come back on and DANTE lies upon the hospital bed and closes his eyes. RENEE and MIKE are standing by the bed talking.


RENEE-
Not good. (Long Pause)

MIKE-
How can it be spreading so fast? (Long Pause)

RENEE-
Nobody knows (She get teary eyed)(Long Pause) Nobody knows!

MIKE-
Standing here over my best friends bed like this isn’t right. I don’t have a family! I’m not anybody important; he is no different than me! Why isn’t it me? (Long Pause)

RENEE-
(Sobbing MIKE puts his arms around her) Day by day you wonder how these things could possible have a point? How they could be in a bigger skim of things? Why the only man I have ever loved is going to be taking away from me? Our son will never know him! He will never know how funny he was, or how he would get frustrated at the silliest things. How he would go out of his way to make us laugh. But he…But...(RENNE and MIKE Sob uncontrollably)


DANTE gets out of the bed and hobbles to center stage as the lights come back up.


DANTE-
(DANTE is extremely angry) You want to just reach out and make them feel better! You want to take their pain deep into you, even though you are lying in that bed dying. You raise your hands to the sky and you cry your last tear. You scream at the top of your lungs as the sound of no one listening echoes strongly back. Sometimes there is nothing you can do! Sometimes you just have to look into their eyes and with a single glance you let them know you are still there. You still can hold them just as they hold you! You let them know that even after you are gone, you will still be with them. Don’t cry! Don’t hurt anymore on the inside because it is almost finished, I’ve reached my destination and I will now take all the pain.


DANTE hobbles back over to a chair next to the bed and he sits down. RENEE is looking out the window off to the left of the stage.


RENEE-
It’s raining again.

DANTE-
I love the smell of rain and...(RENEE cuts him off)

RENEE-
I know, and they should have used your idea of the cologne that smells like rain.

DANTE-
Exactly! It would have sold millions.

RENEE-
Maybe as an air freshener, but not as cologne! No woman wants a man that smells like he has just being rolling around in a puddle.

DANTE-
Unless she is was originally from Seattle.

RENEE-
(Laughs) That might be a bit of a limited market.

DANTE-
Nonetheless!

RENEE-
Are you hungry?

DANTE-
I don’t feel like eating.

RENEE-
You need to eat something Dante.

DANTE-
I’ll eat something in the morning; maybe I’ll have one of those muffins again.

RENEE-
You only ate one fourth of that on yesterday.

DANTE-
But it was good. (RENEE just smiles) You need to eat too you’re losing too much weight.

RENEE-
Well, thank you but it was only five pounds.

DANTE-
It shows! You’re sexy! (Pause) Why don’t you come over here and well (Pause) You know!

RENEE-
Anybody could walk in.


DANTE-
That makes it even that much more fun.

RENEE-
You need to rest.

DANTE-
(Laughs)

RENEE-
You need to sleep!

DANTE-
(Laughs)


DANTE stands up as the lights go to black. He slowly hobbles to center stage.


DANTE-
What is sleep to a man who has a deadline? What is the point? That is one more second that I can’t see her face. One more minute that I can’t hear your laugh. Lost time that I can never get back, lost time that I just cannot afford on losing at this point. I would give up sleep for the rest of my short life if I could play with you for ten more minutes. I need to rest! I need to sleep! I need to conserve my energy so that my body can battle the cancer that has invaded my body. The cancer that has ravaged my lungs, my heart and my immune system (Looks up into the sky) I don’t want to go to SLEEP! You here me! You give me that at least, you give those few hours that you have taking away from me. All I want to do is look into her eyes and kiss her lips one more time! One more stroke of her hair! You give me this time to say another unanswered prayer! You’ve taking all this away from me and there is nothing I can do about it! (Pause) You don’t need eight hours sleep, you don’t need six and you might not even need five. Take sleep very seriously! That is a lot of time that you may never ever get back. The average person in a lifetime will sleep for 25 years of their life. Can you believe that!? I’m only 23 and I’m going to die soon. I didn’t even make it to 25, so some people will have slept for more time in their life than I was actually on this planet. Amazing. So take your sleep into account when going through your life, I would hate for you to miss something, because you were asleep!


DANTE walks back over to the bed and RENEE is lying on it asleep. He stands over her as the lights come back on.


DANTE-
(DANTE is stroking here hair)(DANTE starts singing Eric Claptons “Tears in Heaven”) Would you know my name, if I say you in heaven? Would it be the same, if I say you in heaven? I’m must be strong, and carry on. Cause I know I don’t belong here in heaven. Would you hold my hand, if I saw you in heaven? Would you help me stand, if I saw you in heaven? I’ll find my way, through night and day. Cause I know I just can’t stay here in heaven. (DANTE starts to break down and cry)


DANTE slowly walks to the center of the stage. Each time he comes up it becomes more difficult.

DANTE-
She lies there sleeping and I just watch her. I come into your room and I stand over you watching your small stomach raise and lower. I pull up a chair and sit there just watching you for hours. I have places to go, bills pile up, the phone keeps ringing, someone is at the door and the cancer spreads. It’s not that I have nothing better to than sit here and watch you both sleep; no it’s not that at all. I would much rather be here than in where else in the world. It’s so peaceful, it’s just right. Do you dream? And if so then what is it about? Tears well up in my eyes as I think about you. Your baseball games, your math quizzes, your unruly behavior on class, your choice in life decisions, graduation, wedding and the birth of your first-born. It all just slips away, it all is gone without a second thought or second glance. Someone will take my place; there will be another someday! And that’s the way it should be; she deserves to be happy. So don’t hold that against her. (Pause) She is more precious than she even knows! She deserves to be happy too!


DANTE slowly walks back to the bed and lies on it. The lights come up. RENEE is standing over him and MIKE is sitting in the chair writing.


DANTE-
I want and open casket so people can come by and see my handsome face. It’s a face of ages you know! It’s like Brad Pitt, Young Brando, The Rock and Tom Cruise combined.

MIKE-
It really is (Pause) but they didn’t mix very well apparently.

RENEE-
The Rock?

DANTE-
Well, I just through that in there because I’m so buff.

RENEE-
(Laughs) Buff huh?

MIKE-
So what else?

DANTE-
After the preacher speaks over my body, I would like Mike to give the Eulogy. And be funny, don’t be sad! I don’t want the people that come to my funeral to be all depressed. They need to laugh. Tell a few embarrassing stories and tell them how mad I used to get at Reality shows. Then after that I want a song to play over the loud speakers.

RENEE-
Which one?

DANTE-
“I’ll be mellow when I’m dead” by Weird Al.

RENEE-
(MIKE laughs) What? No!

DANTE-
Why not?

RENEE-
That would be totally inappropriate!
DANTE-
It’s my funeral and I picked the song. Just tell them before it plays the Dante picked this song especially for this occasion. They can’t be pissed at the dead guy.

MIKE-
You’ve got a point.

RENEE-
Okay…

DANTE-
And last I want a great buffet! I mean the best kinds of food you can get. I want there to be Salmon and Steak and lots of rare cheeses! Man I wish I could be there to eat up on all that food. It’s going to be a feast that no one will ever forget.

RENEE-
Okay, and then there is one more thing.

DANTE-
What else could there (Starts coughing) be (Coughs Harder) I (Keeps coughing as RENEE and MIKE get distressed and call for the doctor)


The lights go black as DANTE makes it center stage.


DANTE-
This is it! The last time you will ever hear my voice. It’s so close I can feel it surrounding me as we speak. The darkness is something we will all find someday. You can’t hide; you can run but you’ll only die tired. Live your life like there is no tomorrow, live like you don’t have a deadline. Time is so limited. Tell people you love them! Tell them loud and tell them often. Kiss your kids every morning when you leave for work and hug them when you get home. A car on the way to work may hit you; you could have a heart attack while sitting in a meeting; you might get caught up in a bank robbery while you are depositing money into your daughters sixteenth birthday car fund. You could be sitting in your nice corner office on the seventieth floor as you watch a 747 coming straight at you. Or you could find out that you have rapidly spreading cancer just after your 23 birthday. It could happen anytime at any place. Be prepared for life by being ready for death. The choices that you think are small may cause a ripple effect that could change your life and the life of people around you. Think before you speak. Now that won’t make you always say the right thing, but at least you have a much better chance of getting it right. Don’t get stapled down into a job that you are not happy with. That won’t do you any good and it won’t do your family any good, it will make you and everyone around you miserable. Now you need to do me a personal favor. Take care of your mother. Since I won’t be around it will be your job to watch over her and make sure she is okay. She is a very strong woman, but we all need to be held. We all need to know that there is someone out there that loves us deeply. You may not always agree with what she does, but know that she does everything in your best interest. It’s going to be hard for her, being a single mother and everything that comes along with that. Life is hard, but know that I will always be watching out for you. I will always be with you. I’ll be helping keep your bike steady when you first ride a bike. I’ll be guiding your razor when you shave yourself for the first time. I’ll be standing in centerfield when you hit that game winning home run. I’ll be sitting in the front row when you get your diploma. I’ll be standing next to you during your wedding. (Pause) And (Pause) I’ll be holding you up when you are watching your wife give birth to your daughter. I’m the wind that comes in through your window on a musty summer night. I’m the movement you just thought you saw in the corner of your eye. I will always be here for you in your heart and in your life. Good luck in life and (Pause) Goodbye (Long Pause) I Love You Son!


DANTE turns around and walks back and gets into the coffin that is on the stage now. MIKE and RENEE close the casket and MIKE begins to speak.


MIKE-
In closing I’d like to tell this story about Dante. Dante always had a way of saying what was on his mind. He would spout of something to somebody and he could always back peddle and get out of any confrontation. Dante and I where waiting in line to see Scream 2, now we had already seen it the night before. We saw it on opening night, but we liked it so much we wanted to see it again. So we already knew whom the killer was. Well, a couple of guys walk out of the movie as we are waiting. And they start yapping about the movie trying to give away the ending. So Dante looks over towards the two people as they are passing and he says, “You’re an idiot!” he said it fairly loud. The two guys turned around and headed back toward us. But there was a third to this group that was just in front of them and he was huge. So all three of them come back and say, “Who said that?” Dante looks around at the people around us and says, “what”? The guys look at each other and say, “Somebody called us idiots” so Dante says, “Nobody said that”. The big guys are getting furious at Dante and he says, “Somebody said something and I want to know who”? So Dante denies it for a little bit longer and the three of them finally get discouraged and turn around and walk off. By this time nearly everyone in line realizes what is going on and they are all just waiting for a fight. Well, As soon as Dante turns back around the guy behind us asks what Dante said and Dante says, in such a nonchalant way that only Dante could pull off “Oh, I called them idiots!” the entire line goes crazy as the three guys are walking off. The big guy turns around and wants to come back but the other two persuade him not too. Dante was a great friend, a great husband and a great father. All of you that got to spend anytime with him I’m sure realized that. (Pause)(MIKE gets chocked up) Now it is time for a song that Dante picked out himself to be played after his eulogy. (I’ll Be Mellow When I’m Dead starts playing on the sound system. It plays for about a minute then…)


The lights go to black as RENEE walks to center stage.


RENEE-
There were 275 people at your Daddy’s funeral today. People from work, people from high school, people from college and even people from the hospital. Your dad was a great man and he touched a lot of peoples lives. He was funny, he was witty and he always seemed to say the right thing. He could always make me laugh no matter what the circumstances. His family was the most important thing in his life. He would have giving up everything if it meant he could go to the park and spend time as a family. Your dad would come into your room late at night and sing you lullaby’s when you couldn’t sleep. The night we brought you home from the hospital he told me to go to bed and get some rest; he said that he would take care of you and stay up all night if he had too. He stayed up all night holding you in his arms and you didn’t cry one time. You knew that the man holding you was a man of strength, a man of love and a man that wouldn’t let anything happen to you. And you are so much like him already it’s unbelievable at times. Your dad didn’t make it long enough for the insurance to cover everything. (Pause) But your father set up a website two months ago. It was called “Family Man: A Life Without Daddy” he set up away on this website for anybody who wanted to could donate money to help us along the way. It was a direct deposit system that allowed people to send money right into this bank account. We could not touch the money until your Father passed away. Apparently, people that never even met your Father loved him. People around the world donated around 1.3 million dollars in just a month and a half. I couldn’t believe it when the lawyer told me. (Pause) He loved us more than I think we will every know. (Pause) The screen is blinking end of tape so I think I need to rap this up. I hope this tape gave you an insight into who your father was and who your father is. He didn’t want you to go through life wondering exactly what he was all about. For the good and the bad. (Pause) Your Father loved you very much, and I love you very much too, son. I guess I just hit the red button again…

The lights go to black.

THE END