Author:  Michael James Allen

Name:  The return of a son

Characters

Antonio Verseti:  Antonio is a 55 year old man and owns a fruit farm; his sons are completely oblivious of the fact that it is a front company and is in fact a member of the mafia.  He has an understanding of the underworld and the way the world is run.  Antonio is a typical Sicilian and believes in honour and respect.

Michael Verseti:  Michael is in his late 20’s and only knows the family fruit farm.  He goes to market with his father every year to sell the harvest for that year.  He trained to be a lawyer behind his father’s back. 

Carlo Verseti:  Carlo demanded his share of the farm and left ten years ago to live it up in the world.  He spent all his money and returned to the farm to work for his father.  Antonio has now put him back into the will.  Michael hasn’t heard the news of his Carlo’s return.

Scene

The scene starts with Antonio sitting behind a desk looking at some figures for this year’s crop.  Michael walks in from the left and walks up to the desk.

Michael Verseti:  Here are the figures for this year’s crop father.

Antonio Verseti:  Thank you son.

Michael Verseti:  I hear that we will make quite a lot of money this year with the frost

                             affecting the other farms.

Antonio Verseti:  That’s true.

Michael Verseti:  You look happy today father, has something happened?

Antonio Verseti:  I received a visitor today that made me feel so happy!

Michael Verseti:  Really?  Who would that be?

Antonio Verseti:  Who do you think it could be?

Michael Verseti:  Is the bank manger is offering you a special deal on a loan?

Antonio Verseti:  No.

Michael Verseti:  I don’t know.  You only seem happy when you’re making money.

Antonio Verseti: (shouts) Carlo!

Carlo knocks the door three times and enters from the left of the stage

Michael turns towards him with an expression of shock

Michael Verseti:  Spent all your money then?

Carlo Verseti:  Why do you say that?

Michael Verseti:  You wanted to see the world remember!

Carlo Verseti:  That is true.

Michael Verseti:  Well, you must have spent all your money then; otherwise, why  

                             would you come back here?

Carlo Verseti:  Let me tell you my story before you scold me.

Michael Verseti:  (folds his arms) I’m listening!

Carlo Verseti:  I have wasted my share of the money our father gave me and I didn’t

                         know what to do.

Michael Verseti:  That’s because you’re an idiot!

Carlo Verseti:  Be that as it may; I came back to work for my father but he took me

                         back as his son.

Michael turns towards Antonio

Michael Verseti: (shouts) What!

Antonio Verseti:  He is my son and I was so glad to see him that I made him and  

                              heir to the farm again.

Michael turns towards Carlo

Michael Verseti: (shouts) Is this true?

Carlo Verseti:  It is true.  I told father to just employ me but he wanted me to be his

                         son.

Antonio Verseti:  Isn’t it a wonderful day; your brother has returned.

Michael Verseti:  (Shouts) I have no brother!

Antonio Verseti:  He is your brother and you will accept my decision.

Michael Verseti:  (shouts) Why?

Antonio Verseti:  Stop shouting

Michael Verseti:  I worked my fingers to the bone for twenty years and this piece of

                              shit just leaves to go and see the world and I’m meant to be OK  

                              about it?

Antonio Verseti:  He is my son and I love both of you.  If I can forgive him, can’t you?

Michael Verseti:  I will never forgive that son of a bitch

Carlo Verseti:  (Shouts) How dare you call me a son of a bitch!

Turns towards his father

Michael Verseti:  If he has been accepted back, how does that affect my inheritance

                             of this farm?

Antonio Verseti:  This farm is worth a fortune; you can share with him can’t you?

Michael Verseti:  Why should I share with someone who has spent his share

                             already?  He didn’t even have the decency to wait until you were

                             dead.

Antonio Verseti:  I know; I know; but I want him to be looked after as well.

Michael Verseti:  I’ll look after the bastard.  I’ll kill him myself.

Antonio Verseti:  How can you say such a thing?

Carlo Verseti:  Don’t you think

Michael Verseti:  I would keep my mouth shut if I were you Carlo, or I will

                             permanently shut it

Michael Verseti:  I worked my fingers to the bones for this farm and you will let the

                              piece of shit just stroll back after all these years and act as is

                              nothing has happened?

Antonio Verseti:  Who do you think you are, talking to me like that?

Michael Verseti:  I am the fool who gave his life for something that you thought was worth while.

Antonio Verseti:  What do mean…  Something I thought was worth while…  Don’t

                              you like working here?

Michael Verseti:  I did it out of the respect and honour I had for you father, nothing

                             more.  I hate this life style.

Antonio Verseti:  Do you still respect me?

Michael Verseti:  If you accept this person (pointing at Carlo) back, I will neither

                             respect you nor honour you. 

Antonio Verseti:  If you don’t respect me, then maybe you should leave.

Michael Verseti:  Maybe I should.

Michael Verseti:  You don’t know this but I have completed a law degree and have

                              been offered a job in London, England.

Antonio Verseti:  You trained to be a lawyer?  When?

Michael Verseti:  Do remember me reading books all the time after work?

Antonio Verseti:  I do.  I did thick it was a waste of time.

Michael Verseti:  Well, it wasn’t a waste of time after all was it?

Antonio Verseti:  If you leave, I will never speak to you again, after the way you

                              spoke about my son. 

Michael Verseti:  Do you think I give a shit what you think?

Antonio Verseti:  If you were any other man other than my son, I would kill you for

                             what you’ve said.

Michael Verseti:  Well father, you won’t have to see me any longer.

Michael Verseti:  I’m taking that job

Antonio Verseti:  What will do for money?

Michael Verseti:  That’s never bothered you before!  You paid me shit wages and

                              took half of that back for living here.

Antonio Verseti:  I thought you would be happy to see your brother.

Michael Verseti:  I can’t even stand to look into his eyes!  If he stays, I will leave.

Antonio Verseti:  Why?

Michael Verseti:  If I stay, he will have an accident and everyone will know who did it.

Michael walks to the left side of the stage and turns his head

Michael Verseti:  You treated me like a cow and used me like one to plough the

                              fields whilst this thing went away and enjoyed his life.  (Shouts) I

                              gave you everything… Everything…  and this is how you treat me.

Antonio Verseti:  I treated you fairly didn’t I?

Michael Verseti:  I have no brother and if he stays here, I will have no father either. 

                             What is it going to be?

Antonio Verseti:  He is my son and I will not turn my back on him

Michael Verseti:  Then you no longer are my father

Carlo runs over to Michael and grabs his shoulder

Carlo Verseti:  I know I have not been a good brother but can’t we work this out?

Michael Verseti:  (shouts) Take your hand off me, or do you want me to break it off?

Carlo slowly backs away

Michael Verseti:  You have made your bed and you will have to sleep in it.  I have a

                              life waiting for me and you will be not part of it. 

Michael walks of the stage to the left

Carlo turns to Antonio

Carlo Verseti:  What can we do to stop him?

Antonio Verseti:  What have I done…  My first born son returns and now I

                              have lost a son too!

The end