PARC is pleased to announce the winner of the 2024 Fall Student Monologue Contest: Bailey Nash!
Bailey is a fourth year student at Dalhouse University, where she’s studying theatre. You can read her winning monologue Goodbye Charlie below. Congratulations!
Curious about future competitions and playwriting resources for playwrights of every experience level in Atlantic Canada? Stay tuned for opportunities in the new year such as the PARC U-Compete in spring!
Goodbye Charlie by Bailey Nash
You’re wrong! I can’t go home, and it’s not a sob story like you assume. No one hurt me, no one kicked me out. I had a great childhood. With a big yard. And this massive tree, dead center. And every autumn, I would watch the leaves change colours and fall. Dead.
You know, the first time I ever raked leaves was with Charlie. He was young, we both were, but he was still growing into his body, all clumsy-like. My mom told me this was a ‘big kid’ job and sent us outdoors. At the time, seeing the million dead leaves, I was a soldier. With my weapon of choice, a plastic blue rake. This was the biggest battle I had ever faced, and Charlie was my brother-in-arms. Except he wasn’t very good at it. For every pile I struggled to make, Charlie would run right through it, chasing birds or butterflies, tripping over his own two feet. And obviously, I was like, “Charlie! Knock it off!” Taking my mission seriously. He halted, tilted his head, and looked at me with those beautiful, dumb eyes as if he were saying, “Who me?” All innocent. So, obviously, I threw the rake aside to chase him. Then I collected leaves by hand, ’cause let’s be honest, I had no clue how to use that fucking rake, and we both jumped into massive piles. When Mom finally realized how long it had been, it was dark out, and the yard was worse than when we started. I was shivering so badly, convinced she would be mad at me. Cause I failed. But Mom bundled us up in a blanket, and I was allowed to have ten whole marshmallows with my hot chocolate. I spent the night with Charlie by my side, wagging his tail wildly as I pet him. He was the best dog in the world, my Charlie.
But now, he’s gone. I’m freezing, and he’s not there to warm me. I know it’s stupid. He died of old age, after a long and happy life. And I barely saw him anymore. I live in another city and only go home for Christmas, but how can I ever go back? I can’t walk through that door and not hear his little paws scratch the wooden floor as he scrambles to his feet to grab the nearest toy. He won’t come to greet me at the door, tail wagging like a helicopter blade, with his eager eyes and–
He lapped me. We grew up together, but I blinked, and now he’s an old man. I mean, he was. Was an old… all grown up. How did he grow up so fast? He was just a puppy. A baby. I’m supposed to be grown up and deal with this like an adult, but I don’t feel like an adult yet! I mean, Jesus, I don’t even know where I should buy a rake, let alone where you’re supposed to throw out all the leaves. I don’t even know how to do anything. I can’t go home, I can’t. I’m not ready to say goodbye.