CHARACTERS
MARCELO: second-year English major
ALARM CLOCK: 3 years old, made in China
Notes on MARCELO
MARCELO is a second-year and confused undergrad who can’t figure out how to identify himself after enrolling at UCR. MARCELO is a great planner, decent executor.
SETTING
The year is 2014, spring quarter. The story takes place in SOUTHRIDGE, a small neighborhood in the city of FONTANA, Calif. The town has seen better days, but on the bright side, a new Waba Grill is “coming soon” in the town’s only plaza.
DREAM 1
“Ideal”
(The time is 5:59 a.m. and MARCELO is sleeping and dreaming with a look of ecstasy. He smiles lightly. He is having a perfect dream about all the memories he has had with all his beloved friends over spring break. He dreams of the lakes he visited, the countries he explored, the newly found love of his life and future baby momma he found, the river he did that cool wakeboard thing on and most of all, the parties he attended in Mexico, similar to the SPRING BREAK edition of MTV.
At least, that’s how MARCELO envisioned the parties as a child during his grade school years, growing up with a remote in his hand.
From the ALARM CLOCK, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony plays in the corner of the room.)
ALARM CLOCK: Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! It’s the first day of sch — !
(Suddenly, the ALARM stops because the SNOOZE button has been hit by what sounds like THOR’s hammer. MARCELO wakes up slowly.)
MARCELO: Ugh. Already? Good thing I set my alarm a little early.
(MARCELO goes back to sleep, assuming he has plenty of extra time before the first lecture of spring quarter.)
DREAM 2
“Truth”
(MARCELO now sleeps with a strained look on his face. He seems to be experiencing what looks like the reality of his spring break this year. He is envisioning himself on the couch, watching THE WALKING DEAD, THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR, and POKEMON every night since it is finally on Netflix. He envisions that one mediocre attempt to go out on a “school night” with friends over spring break, which failed.)
ALARM CLOCK: (abruptly) Wake up! Wake up!
(Snooze button is pressed with force similar to the DEATH STAR in STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE.)
DREAM 3
“Hope”
(MARCELO starts to look discomforted as he dreams of all the difficult quarters of school he has had.)
MARCELO: The education was not difficult, I just know I have been lazy and have not dedicated my entire self to school yet. Maybe this quarter will be different. But that’s what I say every quarter.
ALARM CLOCK: Wake up!
(Snooze button is pressed with force similar to an alley-oop from Kobe to Shaq in 2002.)
DREAM 4
“Reality”
MARCELO: (half asleep and mumbling) “I don’t know if what I’m studying is to be rich or to be happy. I’m scared of my future because it doesn’t exist, yet. Being scared of my future is like being afraid of Godzilla, only I know for a fact that Godzilla is not inevitably going to become my reality. I don’t know why I am an English major, but I’m not going to lie to myself and be something I hate. My future will play itself out and my loans will be paid one day. I will be able to provide for my parents, family and friends and I know my God will bring me wherever He decides. I am hopeful. I am hopeful that my parents came to this country before my birth to assure this future I am now living. I’m just not sure if I’m doing my part. I don’t know what I’ll become one day and cannot show you my future W-2 forms, but I am young, I am smart and I will do things right this quarter. No more distractions. No more games. I will make my parents and loved ones proud. I’m pretty stoked about this quarter now.”
(MARCELO wakes up and checks the time on his phone. He has overslept and hit the snooze button 10 times. He has 10 minutes until his first lecture at UCR.)
FIN
