a stinging affair tasmin jahan, british bangladeshi dramatist playwright, born in UK

~~ Scene One ~~

Excerpted from A Stinging Affair by Tasmin Jahan.

Piercing screams and agonizing yelling only audible and visible to MICHAEL, a tall, dark, slim, pale-looking, slightly dishevelled young man, of 34 years. He is seated with a glass in his hand. EMILY's harsh voice echoes continuously.

EMILY: (Starts with echoing, gradually becomes clear) I am never wrong. Never. I know what this is, you're treating me like shit so that you can sleep with some ugly brainless bitch. You're more of a twisted and horrid bastard than I thought!! Don't you dare cross me again. Who the bloody hell do you think you are? I don't know why we're together! What is the point of living like this? I was the stupid one to marry you. I should have known it was a mistake from the start. I'm so sick of this relationship. All I do is give and give and give and I get nothing in return. The least you could've done was been born with money. You certainly don't have any qualities. You have no desire to make me feel special. I give you the best possible gift in the world, our children, Jason and Sarah and what have you given me? A load of crap!! I knew you would be selfish. You only loved me because my father had tons of money. I should have stuck with my parents' choice, Tony Rochdale, now he was a man with great qualities and so much potential. He had money up to his eyeballs and he was very handsome. A saint compared to you. That's all women dream about, money and looks. In this day and age you need them both otherwise you're going to find yourself at the bottom of the scrap heap. Unwanted, unloved and mistreated. Just like me. If I knew in advance that my life was going to turn out like this I would have committed suicide back then. You know Michael, I have dreams too. When I enter a room I want everybody to look at me and think 'who is that beautiful woman?' I want people to come up and greet me, to welcome me, to feel extraordinary when they get to know me. Endless parties and fashion shows and go shopping any time I like. If my father had anything to do with it, I would be able to spend as much money as I wanted to. Now you don't even let me see Daddy, he's ever so ill, especially with his memory problems. Now I have to watch my pocket because my husband doesn't have the capacity to look after me and my children properly. My pitiful husband only earns £20,000 a year. How is that an adequate amount? It doesn't even scrape the bottom of the barrel. I knew you weren't making enough for us to have children, let alone two. I don't know why I'm even telling you all this. You don't deserve to be a man. Your brain must feel wasted in there.

Suddenly Michael drops his glass. (Sound effects) There is a great amount of laughter, music, buzzing of conversation and many are crowded around the in-house bar. MICHAEL feels out of balance and trips. A YOUNG WOMAN comes to the rescue.

YOUNG WOMAN: (Grabs his arm) Are you all right? You almost went then.

MICHAEL: I'm fine. I just felt a bit dizzy. Need to get some air.

YOUNG WOMAN: Don't you want to join in the can-can?

MICHAEL: No thank you. I don't like that sort of thing.

MICHAEL walks out