Francis monologue from Osama The Hero

Francis’s monologue

I’m gonna tell you a story about my dad. This one time I brought home a dog, scruffy little mongrel, half staff, my dad never trusted staff, I’m about eight, never ever trusted staffs, found him up the field, brought him home and my dad says - that’s a staff: that’s a staff, that’ll turn - but I begged and begged to keep that dog and he says - alright - because he loved me, Gary - alright, you can keep that dog but if anything happens - and he didn’t finish his sentence, just if anything happens and that’s it. Week later that dog tears into my sister, tears into her, you can still see the scar, you ask her, in here on her upper arm, you ask her, blood... blood... takes her up the hospital, carries her up the hospital, and I’m at home, hours going by, fucking shitting, dog as well, both shitting it. He comes home, says nothing. Gets the dog, gets me, gets a knife. Goes upstairs. Into the bathroom. Dog in the bath, shaking. Takes my hand, puts it on the dog’s jugular, says - feel that pulse? - puts the knife into my other hand. Blood hits the fucking ceiling. Took me forty-five minutes to cut the head off. Another hour to cut the legs off, through the bone. Put it in a beanbag, took it up the field, chucked it in the lake.

My dad loved me. He loved my sister. D’you understand that? Gary? Do you understand?

I’m my father’s son. Don’t ever doubt me. Don’t ever doubt my ability.

https://youtu.be/Lp9FRW_VPmA

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