Brian+F.

Tupac Amaru Shakor By Brian Fargen

(Sitting in a chair at center stage, a young man at seventeen smokes on a Swisher Sweet Cigarillo. His face has a look of distress and a tear rolls down his face. He puts down the blunt cigar as he ties a blue bandana around his head. He then continues to smoke, as he appears to be in deep thought about what the future may hold for him. He roaches his blunt and rubs his face in his hands as if it will alleviate the pressure caused by stress.) What do I do? Where do I go? Can I still make it? I got suspended from school again. I ain’t going home to Mama cause she’ll put me in the grave fo’ dis. Man, I need another one to smoke. (He leans to one side to make room enough to get a small baggy out of his pocket and then leans to another to get a pack of Swisher Sweet Cigarillos out of the other. He started breaking up the marijuana) My life is over. I’m broke. Dis is the last of my sack. I need money but won’t nobody hire me. I guess I’m a have to be a fool and get on. I’ll get this man to front me some crack and I’ll make some bread. I just feel like dying but I gotta move on. I know there is a reason I’m here, I just gotta find it. I feel bad cause crack killed my family but my mama’s welfare check bought the dope man chrome wheels. (He splits the cigarillo and dumps the tobacco in a cup and begins rolling a blunt.) I could make it like the dope man. I know as soon as I get my first break I’m gonna buy Mama a diamond necklace. I ain’t even worried about the bills. The thrills and dividends will keep my head up until the end. (He finishes sticking the last part and pauses a moment to marvel at his perfection. He leans over to get out his lighter and sparks the blunt.) What good is gonna arise from this? (He puffs on the blunt.) I could have handled that situation differently and stayed in school, but I didn’t. One day I’m gonna be the greatest hustla of all times. Everyone is gonna want to be me. Maybe I can teach my people how to live. But, how? I gotta tell the world my story. Maybe the music. I can freestyle my life. There is no reason for young black males to live in hell of a land of crack sales and jail cells. We need to help our children so there can be a better tomorrow. It ain’t gonna be easy, but then again life was never meant to be easy. A thug’s life isn’t meant to be enslaved by drugs, or wasted away through various versions of violent crimes. It’s meant to be used for the common good, and just because majority says it’s wrong, it doesn’t mean it is. So I’m gonna smoke what I smoke and drink what I drink, and let my paper stack until it is time. Only God can judge me now. I will probably be discriminated and prosecuted for my life but my life is not that of this world, nor is my judge. Disciples of my Lord have had it worse than me. All I can do is try, and this is my one true desire. I wanna reach out a helpin’ hand for my brothers and sisters. I’m sure of my purpose. (He puts the blunt in the ashtray about halfway, leans back and falls asleep in the chair.)

Kyle -- It was really good. The one thing I'd change is the way he speaks make it a little more understandable, other then that it's really good.

Arlena- Your piece was well written. Also you made the character seem realistic and had good stage directions.

Ryan W.-- Your piece was good. Well written. Good stage directions.

Ms. Schoen -- well done. I like it. :-)

Akmyrat - Cool, I don't really know anything about grammar and stuff, but the story make very clear and good sence to me, even if English is not my native language :P

Jules- Nice, i really liked it! I understood it easily, but it didnt seem detailed enouigh but still good!