"Reliability Monologues" created by S. Spachman (version up-dated 12-02)

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 \Read each of these monologues.  Then decide whether or not you can trust (a.k.a. rely on) what the narrators say.  Finally, explain why you can or cannot rely on that narrator.  Here’s the trick though: You must be SPECIFIC with your explanation AND you cannot repeat your reasons—you must have a different explanation for each monologue.  So pay attention to the details each narrator gives you… they are important.

 1.  Brandon

Well, today’s the day.  I have to break up with her.  I’m getting kidded all the time by the guys.  They say she’s not cool enough for me.  Just because she dresses a little differently and is so involved in school.  And I like her.  A lot.  She’s so smart!  But I can’t stand the kidding.  I’m afraid everyone will start to think I’m not cool enough for them.  I’ve got to keep up my reputation.  Anyway, they’re right.  I should be going out with someone who has more time for just me.  She’s always busy with studying, or swim practice, or getting petitions together about school policies.  So I’ll just have to tell her I can’t see her anymore.

2.  Shannon

I’m telling you that girl had no business getting into my business.  Did you see what she did?  She came right on up to me at my locker with her bleached out hair asking me how it felt to be dumped by Reggie Miller, her ex-boyfriend who she dumped—like I’m the fool for taking her leftovers.  But you know she got it all wrong because she got her information from Reggie’s cousin.  So I tell her that she’s ignorant, that she shouldn’t believe what some haters are willing to invent, that I dumped him for being a cheating fathead, and that she should get out of my face.  I mean what nerve, especially after what Takiesha told me about her—you know that she’s pregnant and doesn’t even know who the father is!

3.  Veronica

I can’t believe that cop!  Arresting my baby just like that in front of his own home!  Doesn’t he know that that boy is my son?  My son!  And the stuff they’ve accused him of… well, it’s just ridiculous.  How could they say that he stole that man’s car and then led the police on a chase down Lake Shore Drive?  My baby’s only 14.  He doesn’t know how to drive!  And he’s the most angelic boy, not like my sister’s child who talks back with a mouth worse than a sailor.  No, sir, my boy, he’s respectful.  Why, just last week when he was leaving the house after dinner, I reminded him that he needed to take out the garbage (because he’s always forgetting things like that).  And he did it, no grumbling, no eye rolling, he just did it like the sweet boy he is.  And he’s always been like that, like looking after me when my feet were acting up and I could barely walk.  He was always ready to fetch me some water from the kitchen when he was around and not out with his friends.  So sweet, telling me that he loves me, that he couldn’t have any better momma in the world.  My baby’s no criminal!

4.  Tony

There is no way I deserve this grade!  My mom’s gonna hyperventilate when she sees this.  I don’t deserve no F in History!  I know anything you could ask me about history.  That grade I got on the Columbus test was bogus, man.  That teacher hates me.  You know I got that stuff right!  Like you quizzed me, right?  So when I got that question on the ships that Columbus sailed on, I wrote it all out just like it in the textbook, because I know this stuff:  Columbus sailed on the Piñata, and Bam! When I got that test back, it was wrong!  Or like, “Where did Columbus land his ship?”  In India!  Everyone knows that!  I mean where did the name “Indians” come from, eh?  Bogus, man.

5.  Maria

So you’re going to transfer?  To what school?  Kennedy?  Wow, you sure you want to do that?  I don’t know.  Kennedy isn’t as nice as this place.  Not like this place is perfect.  But Kennedy?  I hear they’ve got all kinds of gang problems over there.  I’ve never been there though.  And isn’t transferring in the middle of the year a hassle?  I mean, I’ve stayed in the same schools for years, never transferred, but I bet you that you’re going to have problems fitting in over there, right?  Think about all the friends you’ll be leaving, and you’ll be going in there and the girls are just going to act all snobby like you’re nothing.  I mean, I wouldn’t do that, but I bet they would because that’s how girls are.  I’ve been lucky and never left my school, always had my friends around me, but I bet you’re going to hate it. 

6.  Stella

I can’t believe my mother!  She’s such a control freak.  She never lets me do anything that I want to do.  That’s why I’m thinking about moving out.  Today was the last straw.  See, my boyfriend just got this apartment and he said I could stay with him.  I could get more hours waitressing at my job because I’m not just going to mooch off my boyfriend.  I’m going to pay my way.  She just doesn’t get it, that I’m old enough to deal with life.  As it is, I already take home a good bit of money from tips and what I get out of the register when the manager isn’t looking.  I can handle it.  I’m gonna be great making it on my own.

7.  Frankie

Ha!  That kid was scared, wasn’t he?  The coward, but he’s right to run, after trying to mess with me.  You know I just benched 100 the other day?  Just feel my muscle, feel my muscle.  That’s right.  Like a rock, isn’t it?  Haha, he’ll think twice before coming my way again.  What?  You didn’t see what he tried to do?  He came on up to me, acting like he was all that with his boy and all, acting tough, just bumped on into me, didn’t even say “Sorry, man” or nothing.  I could have ripped his arm off!  But I played it cool and turned around and said, “You want a piece of me, ese?”  He just sort of smirked like I was full of it and I was going to go after him, for disrespecting me like that.  I swear I was going to take off my Tommy jacket and untuck my shirt and get busy messing up his face, but then I saw this cop just hanging out on the corner, so I had to let him live.  But I know he was scared.

8.  Alma

See that girl down there?  Yeah, the one with the long black hair?  She’s been making moves on my boyfriend.  I see her talking to him all the time in biology.  No, I’m not in that class, but I go by that room everyday when he’s there to wave at him and see what he’s doing.  And most days she’s busy talking to him when I walk by.  He tells me they’re lab partners, but come on!  Sometimes I stand there and watch them for minutes at a time, and she leans over the lab report or shares her notes with him.  I was going through his folder again the other night and I found this photocopy of notes from her with this message, “Here are the notes you missed for that lab we need to finish.”  Of course I put it back before he saw that I’d gone through his stuff.  But you see, I just know she wants him.  Also, yesterday, I followed him out after lunch (after we said good-bye).  I sort of hid behind that row of lockers there to watch, and guess who just happened to come around the corner?  Ms. Thang over there.  I’ve got to keep my eye on her.

9.  Vincent

All I got to say is that I’m not going to let my little brother, Daniel, grow up to be a free-loading buster.  And I can see it now.  He’s doing it already.  The report card he brought home the other day had nothing but a couple fair grades on it—three C’s, two D’s, and the rest F’s!  Who does he think he is, like he’s getting all ready to flunk himself out of high school and be a burden to my mother, who, Lord knows, has been through enough!  I keep telling him he’s got to wake himself up, get his stuff together, because Mom ain’t gonna be taking care of him forever.  I should know.  She won’t even let me stay in my room no more unless I pay up for some of the groceries.  It’s hard hustling that money!  Sometimes I even have to mess with that old blind guy on the corner, you know the whiny one with the little tin can and the “Veterans” sign around his neck.  You know, like I pretend I’m putting some money in when really I’m taking it out.  Anyway, it’s a big old cruel world out there and that brother of mine needs to shape up!  I know that he’s just gotta make something of himself.