Unknown Runaway

(dramatic monologue for a girl age 13-17)

by Melanie White

Who am I?  That’s a good question – guess I haven’t quite figured that one yet.  What I will tell ya is that I left home right before my fifteenth birthday.  Didn’t really care where I was going – just wanted to get far away from home.  I didn’t like school, especially Algebra because nobody could explain why we were going to need that crap in life. I hated my new stepfather – he thought he was some military bigwig – ordering me around.  And my mother always took his side.  So I figured since my life pretty much sucked, I might as well head out to California and be discovered by somebody who would appreciate my real talent.

I hitched a ride with some pervert who wanted me to do stuff with him. So I high-tailed it out of there real quick.  Then I hopped a greyhound but only had enough money to make it to Tucson.  I tried to get a job to earn some money to get me the rest of the way.  But not too many people want to hire a high school dropout, and even McDonalds won’t take you if you don’t have an address.

That’s when I met this guy – said his name was Andy.  He had a way for me to earn some money – no questions asked.  Said all I have to do was to deliver some packages to people.  I figured it was probably drugs or something illegal, but I figured, what the hell?  I really didn’t have much to lose.  That’s when the cops got me.  They arrested me for distributing narcotics.  They tried to break me and make me tell ‘em who I was, but I wouldn’t crack even after hours and hours of no food, water, or sleep.  I just figured if I told them anything, they’d send me back, and I don’t want to go back.  I’d rather go to jail than to that prison called home.

So I guess that’s why they sent me to you.  Since you’re a shrink, they figure you’ll be able to get me to talk and tell you who I am.  Lucky for me,  I’ve never been in trouble before, so my prints aren’t in the system.  It’s kind of freeing, you know?  I can be anybody I want to be now.  I can start over and have a new life.  I know you guys can’t hold me forever, and at least in prison, I’ll get some food.  Plus since I’m a juvie, my record won't’ follow me once I’m out.  That’s the way I figure it anyway, so do what you gotta do, I’m not going to tell you who I am.