ME IN MY MIND

You know Pastor Johnson was the best man I ever met, He had such a good heart.. ........     She was speaking of my father, the pastor of our church. She wasn't the only person with good things to say that day. One after the other they had gone up in tears and said the nicest things. They told stories of how he'd helped them and their children, of how many children in the community he had put through school, how he had reduced the crime rate in the community by reaching the youth. Someone called him a pillar in the community. They really were gonna miss him...   I wanted so badly to go up there and speak, I wanted to tell them of the pastor Johnson I knew, to tell my own stories of my father, to share some of the many memories I had of him.   I wanted to tell them of when I was five, how my father had come into the room and seen me in one of my moms shoes laughing with my sister, how angry he got, how he had beat me that day till I bled, how the first time I h...

Scene opens        ( Living room , low light )  James and Ally standing next to a framed picture of Jess . Saying goodbye to guests James: ( face full of sadness ) Thank you for coming Jess would really appreciate it.  Guest1 : you gotta be strong for your daughter. It's what Jess would want . James : thank you ( how dare you tell me what Jess would want )  Guest1: if there's anything you need, any help with ally . I want you to know my door is always open .  Ally:  Thank you so much . ( Escorts guest out ) That was the last person dad.  James: it's over ? Ally: I'm gonna make some coffee and clean up a little, do you want some . James : No I'm just gonna sit here a while.  Ally: ( worried ) Dad......... Dad ......... I love you.  James : ( flashes a dry smile ) Jess : you know you have to let me go at some point. I gotta say I love the dress you put me in.   James: it's my favorite you know.Do you rememb...

It was February 2007 ten years ago, Sunday afternoon. Mother was making lunch as she usually did Martha was playing in the grass as she did.     You see Martha was "special" as mother always said, she was different. Brian hated her, he blamed her for father, he looked at her with disgust wondering how someone could be so helpless. He hated the attention she got from mother. It was always Martha needs this and Martha needs that. Brian on the other hand had to care for him self.   One day they came home, Martha had just been rejected by another special school, mother was crying, money had become an issue, they couldn't afford to pay for special schools again or nannys or doctors, mother had to get a job, Brian couldn't get toys anymore, there were no Christmas mornings and the poor thing did not even know it. She was always happy, always running around and laughing. That day after dinner Brian sat at the window and watched his father go to the car lock it and shoot hi...