The Driver

(Single spot up on a woman dressed in prison orange) 

WOMAN

Sand in an hour glass moves slowly, making one think that time is slow.  But in life, time moves against you, it’s fast and you never seem to have enough time to do what’s important.  On death row, time moves like sand through an hour glass.  You go from meal to meal, wondering if the next is going to be your last.  One mistake ages ago, can put you away.  Although, my mistake was huge.  I was drunk, I was driving, and I killed an entire family.  It was already life in prison...but I already had three prior convictions on my record.  All three reckless endangerment with a vehicle.  This time, it was late.  I had been fighting with my husband.  I had decided that I was going to commit suicide.  I was driving to the bridge, and stopped to get more vodka.  This was my second bottle, and I knew it was going to be a long night.  I knew the guy behind the counter, and he knew I was drunk.  He shouldn’t have sold me the bottle, and he’s told me so since.  But he did, and I drove.  I drank my second bottle of vodka, and contemplated life after death.  I wonder how much it was going to hurt to jump from the bridge, how much pain my husband and family would feel.  I stopped paying attention to the road.  In fact, I forgot I was driving all together.  I felt more like I was on a ride at an amusement park than driving my own car.  Then it hit me.  Hard, solid, crunching, metal on metal.  Then the screams and the heat from the flames woke me.  I knew something wasn’t right, but I still wasn’t totally conscience.  I was sober for the first time in months.  You know that accidental sober, like when you where 16 or 17 and had to go home after a night of partying, and your parents were waiting up.  You sober up instantly.  No one would ever know that you had been drinking, except for the awful smell of your breath and clothes.  I fought my way out of my car, but it was too late.  The other car exploded, and I was conscience.  I knew what was happening.  I screamed at the gods.  I wanted to die, not to kill someone else.  As the sirens grew closer, I knew what I had to do.  I stood on the edge of the bridge and looked down at the concrete below.  I thought ‘one, two, three jump.’ Like you did as a kid, to help build the courage to do something, but I couldn’t jump.  My legs wouldn’t work.  So I stood there, a failed mother, wife, and daughter.  I waited for the cops, and in those next few seconds I knew that I had not only ruined my life but I had ruined the lives of those around me.  I knew nothing would be the same and that the gods would not allow me the easy way out.  I would have to live to feel the pain of what I had done.  I had to repent, and serve my time.  Now I sit here while time drips by and I wonder what happened to the days when I was happy and sober and free.  The times before I knew what vodka tasted like.

                        (As lights FADE to BLACK)

MALE VOICE OVER

Lights out!

                        (BLACKOUT)

END