Thursday, June 9, 2011

THE FAYTS (Filipino American Young Turks)

AUTHORS NOTE:  THE KICKOFF SCENE IS DRAWN FROM MY PLAY-IN-PROGRESS TITLED "THE FAYTS".  IN IT, BEN ADAMA, THE PROTAGONIST,  GIVES HIS KICKOFF SPEECH AND REVEALS HIS CHARACTER TRAITS.    HE SHOWS HIS MASK, DESIRES, FEARS AND STRENGTHS.   THE SCENE BEGINS WITH JOHN, HIS CAMPAIGN MANAGER, INTRODUCING HIM.  MARA IS A CONSULTANT SENT TO HELP HIM RAISE MONEY AND ORGANIZE.

                                                              SCENE _____
                                                            THE KICKOFF

(A CROWD OF SUPPORTERS HAS GATHERED AT CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS.  CHEERFUL MUSIC PLAYS LOUDLY IN THE BACKGROUND.  IT IS LOWERED WHEN JOHN AND BEN SPEAK.    BEN GREETS PEOPLE.  HE AND JOHN ARE DRESSED IN SPORTCOATS.  MARA DRESSES SEXILY IN A SHORT, RED DRESS AND HIGH HEELS. SHE WEARS A PEARL NECKLACE.)

THE CROWD DRESSES CASUALLY. A SMALL TABLE WITH WINE AND CHEESE IS AVAILABLE.  PEOPLE STAND AROUND EATING AND DRINKING.   THERE ARE A FEW MEMBERS OF THE PRESS.  POLITICAL SIGNS DOT THE WALLS.  A WELCOME AND SIGN-IN TABLE AROUND WHICH A SMALL LINE HAS FORMED IS AT THE DOORWAY. THE TABLE IS STAFFED BY A FEW SUPPORTERS. AVA IS NOT PRESENT.  MUSIC LOWERS.)

                            JOHN

WELCOME TO THE KICKOFF FOR OUR FRIEND BEN ADAMA WHO'S RUNNING FOR STATE SENATE.   YOU'VE KNOWN BEN AS A FRIEND, A NEIGHBOR…A TIRELESS WORKER IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH AN ESTABLISHED RECORD FOR SUPPORTING EQUALITY, HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT.

BEN'S ONE OF US.  HE BRINGS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE DEVELOPING PROGRAMS.   HE'S DECIDED TO RUN FOR OFFICE.   WHEN HE WINS, HE'LL BE THE FIRST FILIPINO TO ACHIEVE THIS IN THE STATE.

(APPLAUSE AND NOISE FROM THE AUDIENCE.)

BEN WILL TELL US WHY HE'S RUNNING AND THEN TAKE QUESTIONS.    I GIVE YOU THE NEXT SENATOR FROM THIS DISTRICT….BEN ADAMA!

(MORE APPLAUSE, HOOTING.  SOME NOISEMAKERS.)

                           BEN 

THANKS, JOHN!   THANKS EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT.   SOMEONE ASKED ME WHY I WAS RUNNING.   (PAUSE)  THAT'S EASY…TO WIN!  (APPLAUSE.) 

SERIOUSLY, I'M RUNNING BECAUSE I CAN IMPROVE YOUR LIVES. I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO GROW UP WITHOUT HAVING OPPORTUNITIES.

I  GREW UP IN CHINATOWN.  MY FATEHR WAS POOR. MY MOTHER LEFT. WE LIVED IN A ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENT FILLED WITH COCKROACHES. DAD SLEPT IN BED AND I SLEPT ON THE FLOOR. THE COCKROACHES NEVER SLEPT.

I HAD TO GUIDE MY FATHER,  MAX  AROUND THE CITY. HE'D GONE BLIND WHILE BOXING. HE WAS ALL BUT FORGOTTEN EXCEPT FOR A FEW FRIENDS.

ONE DAY, I TOOK HIM TO HIS FAVORITE POOL-HALL.  DAD OVERHEARD A GUY BULLYING HIS FRIENDS.  HE SAID, "BEN, TAKE ME OVER AND STAND ME IN FRONT OF THE GUY.   I HELPED HIM OVER.  

HE ASKED THE GUY, “WHY DON' YOU PICK ON SOMEONE WHO ISN'T AFRAID OF YOU?”

THE GUY RESPONDED, “WHO'S THAT?  YOU?  YOU OLD BLIND MAN!”  JUST AS HE FINISHED, DAD HIT HIM  WITH AN UPPER CUT.  COLDCOCKED HIM.  DAD TURNED TO ME AND SAID, “BEN, WE GOT TO GET OUTTA HERE.  RUN.” WE RAN…DAD TAPPING WITH HIS CANE. TAP, TAP, TAP… ME, SCARED SHITLESS.  

A COP YELLED:  “MAX, STOP.  THERE'S BEEN SOME TROUBLE AT THE POOL-HALL.  SEE ANYTHING?  WHAT'S UP?”

DAD RESPONDED, “ME NO SEE NOTHIN'!”   HE LET US GO.  HE KNEW MY FATHER. I LEARNED: WE GET PLACES IN LIFE BECAUSE OF WHO WE KNOW."  
    
(LAUGHTER FROM THE CROWD AND LOTS OF APPLAUSE.)

THIS STORY REMINDS ME OF MY ROOTS AND WHAT SO MANY  FILIPINOS EXPERIENCED.   DAD WAS A FIGHTER.  WHEN HIS DAYS IN THE RING ENDED, HE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.

HE WAS POOR...ABANDONED...UNRECOGNIZED.  I DETERMINED THAT I WOULDN'T BE FORGOTTEN.  THAT WOULD NOT HAPPEN TO ME.  I WOULD MAKE MY MARK.

I WANTED TO MAKE DAD PROUD.  SHOW HIM I'M A FIGHTER TOO...SHOW HIM THAT FILIPINOS COULD CONTRIBUTE AND ACHIEVE IN AMERICA...AND PROVE TO HIM I  COULD WIN.

I HAD FRIENDS GOING TO A CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL.  I THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE A WAY OUT.  I DIDN'T HAVE MONEY FOR TUITION.  I GOT A JOB IN A RESTAURANT AFTER SCHOOL.  SUMMERS, I WORKED IN A GAS STATION.  I EARNED MONEY AND PAID TUITION.   I GOT INTO THE SCHOOL AND GRADUATED.

I JOINED THE MARINES AFTER AND SERVED.  WITH THE G.I. BILL, I COMPLETED COMMUNITY COLLEGE.  I MET MY WIFE AND STARTED A FAMILY.  SHE'S HOME WATCHING THE KIDS SO I COULD BE HERE.

I CAME BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY... OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.  I IMPROVED YOUR HOUSING.  BUILT A FOOD BANK.  ORGANIZED A TUTORING SERVICE FOR YOUR SCHOOLS.  I BELIEVE IN GIVING BACK...IN GIVING YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN OPPORTUNITIES THAT WEREN'T AVAILABLE TO ME.  I WANT YOU TO HAVE A CHANCE TO IMPROVE YOUR LIVES THE WAY I IMPROVED MINE.

I'M RUNNING BECAUSE I'LL DO THE JOB IN THE STATE FOR YOU.  I'LL GET YOU WHAT YOU DESERVE.  DAT THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO EARN RESPECT AND BECOME PART OF AMERICA.  WE ALL DESERVE THAT.  I'LL MAKE HIM PROUD.  I'LL MAKE YOU PROUD.  WE CAN BE PART OF AMERICA.

YOU KNOW ME AND YOU CAN TRUST MY WORD!

(PAUSE.  HUGE APPLAUSE AND CHANTS: "BEN! BEN!)


I'VE KNOWN POVERTY AND ROSE ABOVE IT.  IF I CAN DO IT, YOU CAN TOO.  IN THE MARINES, WORKING TOGETHER MADE US STRONGER.  EVERYONE WAS IMPORTANT.  NO ONE WAS LEFT BEHIND.  WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!  I'M NOT PART OF THE POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT LIKE MY OPPONENT, RUBY REILLY.  WE ARE NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS.  DAD TAUGHT ME TO BELIEVE AND TRUST IN FRIENDS...THE PEOPLE WHO STAND WITH YOU AND GET YOU THROUGH TOUGH TIMES.

HE TAUGHT ME A FEW OTHER THINGS. (PAUSE.)  FIRST, YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOUR GUT, NO MATTER HOW GOOD SOMETHING SOUNDS.  THE SECOND IS THAT YOU'RE BETTER OFF STICKING WITH WHAT AND WHO YOU KNOW.

I TRY TO LEARN FROM THE PAST, BUT PLAN FOR THE FUTURE BY FOCUSING ON THE PRESENT.

WHAT SEPARATES WINNERS FROM LOSERS IS HOW A PERSON REACTS.  WHEN SOMEBODY CHALLENGES YOU, FIGHT BACK.  WE CAN WIN TOGETHER. LET NO ONE FORGET US.

YOU ASK:  WHY AM I RUNNING?  I'M RUNNING BECAUSE I'M YOU.  WE OWE OURSELVES A BETTER LIFE.  WE GREW UP TOGETHER.  WE WALK THESE STREETS TOGETHER.  I RUN TO REPRESENT YOUR HUNGER AND YOUR HOPES.

I'LL FIGHT FOR YOU....FOR YOUR DREAMS.  I'LL MAKE GOVERNMENT LISTEN.  I'LL TAKE MY LIFE LESSONS AND EXPERIENCES TO THE STATE.  YOU WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN.

(CROWD CHEERS MORE LOUDLY.)


I BELIEVE IN YOU.  JOIN ME IN MY CAMPAIGN.  I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT.  BELIEVE IN ME.

YOU KNOW ME AND YOU CAN TRUST MY WORD!

THANK YOU.

                        AUDIENCE

(WILD APPLAUSE. SHOUTS OF MABUHAY, ADAMA!  VIVA, ADAMA! MABUHAY, ADAMA!   OTHERS CHANT:   MALAWAK!    BEN!  BEN! BEN!)

                         

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