RESIGNATION

RESIGNATION

INT: A SMALL HOME
Peter enters, looking utterly(ˈətərlē) exhausted(igˈzôstid) and beaten(ˈbētn)-down. He is speaking to his wife.

PETER

(bracingly(ˈbrāsiNG))

Helen(ˈhelən), you might want to sit down for this.

(He sits down and stares(ste(ə)r) at his hands, hesitating(ˈheziˌtāt) and fidgeting(ˈfijit))

I, um(əm), well, I resigned(riˈzīnd) today. I know, I know it wasn’t what we talked about, but I can’t be a whistleblower(ˈ(h)wisəl ˈblōər), Helen, it’s just not in me.

Every day I watch that man lie(lī) to people. I watch him pay off inspectors(inˈspektər) and falsify(ˈfôlsəˌfī) safety reports and he shouldn’t get away with it, I know that. I know it.

(Looks up at her)

But then I was reading about Deep Throat(THrōt) and Edward(ˈedwərd) Snowden and I just…I have you and the kids to think about, don’t I? I mean, what is my main(mān) priority(prīˈôrətē) supposed to be? A man can’t be thinking about the safety of-of sweatshop(ˈswetˌSHäp) kids in Asia(ˈāZHə) if it means he can’t feed his own family, right? I mean, do you want to lose(lo͞oz) the house? Do you want to have to move? To-to Switzerland(ˈswitsərlənd) or something?

(Dropping his head into his hands)

Please don’t look at me like that. I am trying. I’ll find a new job that won’t make me choose between a paycheck(ˈpāˌCHek) and my conscience(ˈkänCHəns). I’m sorry.

(She stands and walks away and he gets up abruptly(əˈbrəpt),

kicking(ˈkikiNG) back the chair and making a half-hearted step toward her)

Don’t, please. I did everything I could. I know I didn’t have the courage(ˈkə-rij,ˈkərij) to blow(blō) the whistle(ˈ(h)wisəl) or the moral(ˈmär-,ˈmôrəl) blindness(blīnd) to stay and keep my head down, but I did what I could! I gave what I could.

(She’s gone. He drops his hand and speaks to himself.)

All I had left was my resignation(ˌrezigˈnāSHən).

https://www.instantmonologues.com/preview/Resignation