The Crazed Library Patron

Dramatis Personae

Brian Brown, Branch Manager, Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library

Bill Decosta, Assistant Librarian, Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library

Brian's Mother

Brian's Father

Scene: The home of Brian Brown.

BRIAN'S MOTHER: So what's the matter with this Gary Freedman guy?

BRIAN: He's got like a chemical imbalance. He needs to be on medication.

BILL DECOSTA: Oh, yeah, yeah. He's after Brian now.

BRIAN: Bill!!

BRIAN'S MOTHER: He's what?!

BRIAN: He's joking.

BRIAN'S MOTHER: He's after you?

BRIAN: Nooo.

BRIAN'S MOTHER: Why is he after you?

BRIAN: He's not after me.

BRIAN'S MOTHER (to Brian's father): Do you hear this? Some crazy guy is after Brian.

BRIAN'S FATHER: I'll make a few phone calls.

BRIAN: Who you gonna call?

BRIAN'S FATHER: What are you worried about?

BRIAN'S MOTHER: I want to know what you did to this guy that he's after you.

BRIAN: I didn't do anything.

BRIAN'S MOTHER: Well, you must have done something.

BRIAN: No, he just doesn't like me. He's very lonely. He wants to be my friend. He thinks I'm ruining his one chance for friendship in life. So he doesn't like me.

BRIAN'S MOTHER: Doesn't like you? How could anyone not like you?

BRIAN: You know it seems impossible.

BRIAN'S MOTHER: Doesn't - doesn't like you? How could that be?

BRIAN: Ma, I know this may be hard for you to understand but I am sure there are many people who do not like me.

BRIAN'S MOTHER: Huh, Brian, don't say that.

BRIAN: It's true.

BRIAN'S MOTHER: No, it isn't! It's not true. You're a wonderful, wonderful boy. Everybody likes you. It's impossible not to like you. Impossible.

BRIAN'S FATHER: Maybe some people don't like him. I could see that.

BRIAN'S MOTHER: Bill?

BILL DECOSTA: Yeah, I like him.