A monologue from the play by Douglas Hill
JANINE: [Outraged] See? I knew you would do this. I knew you would have no reaction at all. The one thing that ought to matter to you—the one thing you have left and I can’t even get you to say a word. Maybe you’re just too lazy to care. Or too lazy to work up a response. Well, that’s been the problem all along. So this is probably for the best. Right? [Beat.] Well, let me spell something out for you. If you were worth more to this marriage, this marriage would be worth more to you. [She EXITS the bedroom. MATT remains looking after her. After a moment, he reacts as if he’s heard something. He listens intently. Then, from offstage:] I’m calling Marcy. She’s got an extra bedroom. I can spend the night there. I know you don’t care, but… [MATT pulls a suitcase from under the bed, opens it, and begins packing his clothes. From offstage:] Damn. It’s busy. [Silence as MATT continues to pack. Then:]
You ate the last of the salt and vinegar chips, didn’t you? You couldn’t go get your own bag from the store. You had to eat mine. –goddamnit. [The sound of a cupboard door slamming shut.] Those were mine, Matt. You don’t even like them. From now on, everything is either mine or yours. All right? From this point on, don’t take anything that doesn’t belong to you. Those were my chips and I was saving them for ME! [She appears in the doorway with an empty potato chip bag.] And I’m tired of saying it doesn’t matter when you take my things. Because it does matter. You just take and take and—And what the hell are you packing for? [He continues to pack the suitcase.] Matt! Would you answer me? Please!? [She wads up the bag and throws it at him.] So, you’re just going to go? Without saying anything? Is that what you want to happen? You don’t even have the— [She storms over to the suitcase and begins unpacking it. He repacks as quickly as she takes it out.] You are not leaving! Not without telling me! For once in this marriage you are going to talk to me about your plans before you leap into them. I don’t care that you want to go, but you are not leaving without telling me first. I want to know! [Resolutely, MATT continues packing in silence.] Oh, this is great. First you rob me of my food and then you sneak off—You are not taking that! [She reaches into his suitcase and pulls something out. She clutches it preciously.] This is how you end a four year commitment? Well—okay—fine—then, I guess if it wasn’t enough for me to hold down a job so you could lounge around all day in the apartment that I pay rent on and eat my food, then yeah, you should take back the only real gift I ever got from you and sell it for whatever the going price is and— [A sudden change of heart] No! No, you cannot have the ring. [Beat.] No. You figure out something else.
