Who Will Listen To Me?

 Who Will Listen To Me?

A play by;

Timmy Poet

Based on a poem "Sunset In My City"

Produced by;

The Kreatives' Parlor Association

Performed by;

Parlor Actors

CAST:

Ekoku: A student. About 17 years of age. He is caring and does anything to justify life.

Ganja:  A companion to Ekoku. He's too irrational and believes in thug life.

Snoopy: A young obedient man of about 18 years. He comes from a humble background. He trades with the locals outside the school to get money to maintain his being at school.

Askari: A less educated man. About 45 years of age. He is submissive to his authorities and believes in sincererity.

Mr.Ogolot: He is the Principal. Also the head of the school disciplinary committee. He is an old man who is always fixed to his word.

Ma' Agnes Muyondo: She is next to Mr. Ogolot in authority at the disciplinary committee. She's an arrogant woman of about 40. She is one of those administrators who are hard to crack.

Member 1 and Member 2: A man and a respectful old lady respectively.

Act One

Scene 1

(It is night; about 2 pm past midnight. At the school fence; several metres away from the clearer side. It is a usual illegal get-in and get-out point. Three silhouettes appear. They stagger, trying to get support from each other. They carry two backpacks.)

Ekoku: It's easy Snoopy. Okay... here!(extending his right hand for him to step on). Hold your breath for a moment! The three are dead drunk; they try composing each other unaware of the other's state. After several attempts, Ganja jumps in,followed by Ekoku. Snoopy from the other end of the fence staggers; grabs the fence; hesitates; pauses, bending down over his knees!

Ganja: Man, I told you not to overdose yourself to this! Now look at your life!(Snoopy groans and spits as if to disapprove Ganja. He clutches the fence once again,this time determined. He gives one swing over the fence,then getting caught by the waist on the sharp edge of the wire fence,he hangs with head downwards)

Ekoku: Oh! Oh! Shhhh!( He runs to his aid. Commotion intensifies in the atmosphere. Snoopy groans as the sharp edges dig into his skin. Suddenly,a flash of light floods the arena; followed by heavy steps hastening towards the scene.)

Askari: Hey! You, stop! ( The old raspy voice breaks the tension. Ekoku and Ganja grab the bags and flee full speed to the opposite direction. They rush into and past the urinals,behind the old ablutions towards the kitchen. They hide within the nearby bushes until it was all still. They then creep into their dormitory where all boys lay dead asleep.)

Scene 2

(A Monday morning. Snoopy is summoned to the school disciplinary committee. He had spent the previous night inside the school "reflection room" His eyes are red and swollen. He limps as he walks. He is being led by Askari who salutes on seeing Mr Ogolot who sits in front of a tiny table, he wears tiny transparent glasses that contrast with his large round face. He keeps peeping above it's brims to take close observations. Just next to his left sits Ma'Agnes Muyondo who looks serious as hell. She keeps moving her mouth in a disgusted way. Infront of the two sit the other members. As Snoopy walks in,a reeking smell of fresh alcohol fills the atmosphere. Ma'Agnes moves to hold her nose with her two tiny fingers.)

Mr. Ogolot: So, here's the boy Madam Agnes.(Ma'Agnes makes a disgusted flinch while extending her head backwards as if it were a rotten rat she had been presented with) Askari, you can first tell us what exactly transpired the previous night.

Askari: Sir! Sankyu... yesterday. It is night. Me was where. Me was here sleep...No! Moving... moving...so I move. Then eh! Pipol was talking! I move...slowly.Pipol was talking ba...I said eh, but pipol talking. Other pipol sleeping! I hear fence shake..and "Ayi! Akakeju!" I light torch deya..pipol two run! Him deya legs up fence,hands down like a monkey.

Ma' Agnes Muyondo: Thank you Uncle. You said there were two others who ran away.

Askari: Yes Ma'am.

Mr.Ogolot: Now, Snoopy you're well aware of Rule No.7 subsection b(11) of the school rules and regulations. Escaping out of school, vandalizing school property (fence) tantamount to change of learning environment.

Member I: We could as well hear what he has to say.

Ma' Agnes Muyondo: There's nothing to negotiate about here! He's a national level criminal and must go away!( Ma' Agnes gets up as if to expel the boy physically there and then. She's rage and fumes wildly.)

Member II: It's well.. whatever happens after,he still has a right to speak Ma'Agnes!(A tense moment of silence settles in the atmosphere as Snoopy is given chance to speak. He supports himself up,unaware of his next words But would anyone even listen to him? Would anyone accept the fact that he had gone to do some transaction outside just to clear his fees balance and pocket money.)

Snoopy: The principal and members present. I greet you (He clears his failing voice) My name is Snoopy Kaine.(He pauses for a while.)

Member II: Yes,Kaine. Tell us why you put yourself into this situation?( An older woman in the committee argues him on)

Snoopy: (He wipes a tear) I'm so sorry. It was not my wanting. But I had to! Everything was pushing me to this end. At school here,I'm my own parent. I've never been visited. I come from a poor family far away from here. If I don't find ways of completing my fees balance,no one will do it for me! This is the only way I justify life here. It's not the first or the second time I've done this. I've been doing this several times! I buy and sell groceries.....

Ma' Agnes Muyondo: And alcohol! (The arrogant lady chimes in; swapping hair from her nose in disgust)

Snoopy: No Ma.

Ma' Agnes Muyondo: Liar! Is there any evidence heavier than this you carry( she says moving her hand as if to measure his height) And those bags they...by the way! You must tell us those other boys who ran away! 

(Snoopy sat down. Over his dead body would he mention names! He knew no one was saving his situation at the moment. No one was willing to listen to him.)

Mr.Ogolot: Tell us who you were with the previous night (Snoopy stares down without producing any sound)

Without wasting time,the principal picks a pen from his table and starts to scribble on a plane sheet of paper.

Member II: For how long are we going to draw this line of indifference between the boy-child and the girl-child? If only he felt the care and love,would Snoopy really leave school to go out into business? Who knows what will become of him after here? Who's blame does it become? It links back to us, to them and to those who say "Educate the girl-child,Educate the nation!" Which nation? If man was the first creation?! Let's all stand up and save the setting sun on the boy-child!

*END*