Tom monologue from Fat Pig

Tom’s monologue

I’m weak. That’s what I basically learned from our time together. I am a weak person,

and I don’t know if I can overcome that. No, maybe I do know. Yeah. I do know that I

am, and I can’t… overcome it, I mean. I think you are an amazing woman, I honestly do.

And I really love what we’ve had here. Our time together… But I think that we’re very

different people. Not just who we are- jobs or that kind of thing- but it does play into it

as well. Factors in. We probably should’ve realized this earlier, but I’ve been so happy

being near you that I just sorta overlooked it and went on. I did. But I feel it coming up

now, more and more, and I just think- No, that’s bullshit, actually, the whole work thing.

Forget it. (Beat.) I’m just, I feel that we should maybe stop before we get too far. It’s

weird to say this, because in many ways I’m already in so deep. Care about you a lot,

and that makes it superhard. But- I guess I do care what my peers think about me. Or

how they view my choices and, yes, maybe that makes me not very deep, or petty, or

some other word, hell, I don’t know! It’s my Achilles flaw or something. It doesn’t

matter. What I’m sure of is this- we need to stop. Stop seeing each other or going out or

anything like that. Because I know now how weak I am and that I’m not really deserving

of you, of all you have to offer me. I can see that now. Helen… things are so tricky, life is.

I want to be better… to do good and better things and to make a proper sort of decision

here, but I… I can’t.

Excerpt for study and audition practice. Read the full play for context.