The Pipeline Monologue Project

Posted by Betty Louis in World History - Block on

Introduction
For this project it was first shown to us a couple videos that give us a brief summary of what the keystone pipeline was about. Then after it was instructed that we explore more about it ourselves, done our own research, wrote down some notes and interesting facts that we found out on a table and share/discuss it with the class. Once we all shared and gained a full understanding of what the keystone pipeline was about, its pros and cons, and the background of it our teacher decide it was time that we create our own monologue from three different perspectives of characters that have an involvement with the pipeline. If working alone we were to pick three different characters (it could be anything you wanted.. ex. a teacher Australia, student in Kansas, a beaver up on a tree..exc.) that we would want to write about. My choices was a man named Maxwell a construction worker working on the actual pipeline, an unemployed autistic male named Sammy trying to make a living in this world for him and his kid daughter Alice, and my last character is a teenage girl named Kelly Stone who's mother is an environmentalist working on protesting against the pipeline. While doing this project I learned about a pipeline that is acting happening right now and this pipeline can affect the lives of many people in many different ways and perspectives. I enjoyed exploring those many different ways.

Monologue #1: I could say yes or no.
(The scene is maxwell coming to work signing in, taking to his co-workers, drinking coffee, then getting right down to business) he has flashbacks about the nes he had watched earlier with his wife about the pipeline, did a little research on it himself...)
(sits inside the machine while having his right hand on the lever) 
What am I doing? This isn’t in my decision to make. I could chose to move my hand up or down, continue on with the construction for this pipeline or not, lose my job and suffer or fight for what’s right. Right. What is right in this? I need my job for I have a responsibility to my wife and my kids but doing this will also affect the lives of many people and some don’t even know it.
(talks with anger)
What angers me is the fact that the people doing this don’t even care! Money, Money, and more Money is probably all they think about. Heartless bastards and I’m forced to follow orders or else. Else..
Nicole my gorgeous wife is probably watching the news right now seeing the this bulldozer knowing that I’m in it and to my left seeing the bunch of protesters by the gate chanting, forcing the words, “End The pipeline now or that means game over for the ozone” into our heads until it might actually find its way down our throats convincing us that this is wrong!
Alisha is probably in class learning about this in history; embarrassed to have me as a father... and my son sean as little as he is doesn’t even understand what’s going on.
Oh man, this is overwhelming! One push or pull of my hand can do so much I’m not sure if I can.. If I can
(stops and looks out the window)
Yeah, I’m alright. Yeah I’ll get to it. I think I drank some bad milk.
(covers mouth and pretends to burp)
But alisha, sean, and nicole. My family is all I have and jeopardizing their future is not an option. The thoughts of the risks of destroying their future probably is my bad milk that I “drank”. Well my decision has been made. I’m left with no other choice.
(yells out the window)
Ok. Lets get to it guys.
(pushes the lever)

Monologue #2: Sammy
(The scene is Samuel at work and is soon called in my the boss and is fired. He’s laided off. sitting on the couch sees a picture of his daughter and tears of the changes of losing will bring. His daughter Alice’s works on her homework with the other neighbors kids and he sits on the couch depressed, watching tv.)

(sits down on the couch looking at his daughter’s picture)

Got the eyes of her mother and my smile. Why has it come to this? Why me? I did nothing wrong. I followed orders. It’s not what people say a piece of cake finding a job when your autistic.

(looks aways from frame)

Dr. Browne is the only one who understands me. Yet she promised if I just followed the rules and look like everybody else everything would be fine. I did that. I know I did that.

(look back at frame)

Alice is all I have and all I want is to make her happy. I love my little pumpkin pie too much. I remember finding her on my doorstep with the letter her mother left. Sound asleep looking like an angel sent from God. God. I been so good. Now what am I going to tell her when she comes home from the neighbors. Um.. Hey honey, daddy doesn’t have a job right now. He didn’t do anything bad, he just had to be let go for a while. But don’t worry sweetheart everything is going to be alright ok? No, she’s only 8 and she doesn’t deserve that.

(looks around)

This little apartment is our life. All of our memories all started by that door

(looks at the door and back to the picture)

but this picture … this picture was taken on her 5th birthday and I promised her that I’d be there if she ever needed anything and I can’t fail now.

(sigh)

But what am I going to do?

(covers face and soon flips channel)  

Oh. the news -.- the channel on tv where people sit and tell you where you’re living sucks! Tell me something I don’t know

(listens closely for he hears sirens)

Example A, police sirens.

(shakes his head and looks back to the tv for he hears a word that catches his attention)

.. What?

(turns up the volume)

Keystone creates new job! and may destroy.. Whoow wait a minute, wait a minute! Create new jobs? *takes phone & dials* Doctor! Doctor! Can you please turn your tv to channel 6. Yes. Can you explain to me what are they talking about? Something about more jobs? The keystone pipeline? What’s that? What?! create 20,000 jobs in the U.S?! Well Dr. thats, thats a big number! But what? Can hurt the environment? They’re debating about whether to approve it or not. But those job can help the people. What’s the environment without helping the people in it first?

(looks at the picture and sighs)

We’ll find a way.. I promise ..

(listens back to what Dr.Browne is saying)
(Check the bottom of the page for the video of this monologue.)

Monologue #3: A new connection
(the scene is kelly in her room and flips the channel to new where it is said that the pipeline is being done in the area where she lives and is interrupted by the sound of her mothers downstairs. her mother is speaking to her associates about the pipeline on the phone kelly sits on the stair well and silently listens on.)
(In her room laying down when she hears voices)
What’s going on? Sounds like a crisis that needs to be saved? Wait.. I’ve never heard my mother so loud...
(moves and coches down to the stairwell and listens closely)
Let’s see. Might have to move? What?! No!!
(whispers to herself)
Oh, crap! I’m caught. Uh, hi mom. How’s .. you know.. stuff..
(sighs)
Are you okay?
Yeah, I figured. What’s wrong? The keystone pipeline? A little bit. I know that its a pipeline and that it can help create new jobs but at the same time hurt the environment. Its sounds pretty cool but I know since there’s an environmental issue that’s a big No No from us.  Oh wow, destroy. well thats a big difference from hurt. Well how? Wait, wait mom you’re talking way too fast! So, the mining of tar sands will worsen global warming, more polluted air and water, poisoned ground, a terrible climate, and extraction of our resources? But wait, if you’re aware of these things I’m sure the government is too so why are they still making this pipeline? Money! Of course! Like any of the other decisions made by the government didn’t involve money. Said to make many new jobs in construction? But only to polluted and hurt the people more right? There’s more? They’re mining it here?  Houston, Texas? Is that what you meant by us might having to move if things don’t work out? But that can’t be! Its not fair! ..  Oh Lord.
(walks over to statue and cracks as she begins to talk)
Dad’s dream was for us to live in a place that we can call home and not have to move around like he had to when he was child. He died working for us to have the “American Dream”..
(she pauses as she takes one last look at the birthday present statue that was given to her from her father and speaks with more strength within her voice
And we cannot fail him now!
(sighs and looks back to her mother)
Mom, I know I’m not usually all about the environment and your actions to pursuit its safety but this is much bigger than I thought.. So what can I do to help?
Appendix:
Some cool interesting fact about this pipeline is that it
-can help create 20,000 new jobs in the U.S.
- create a terrible climate
- create more pollution
- the oil that is being transmitted into that pipeline is tar sand oil which is the dirtiest oil of them all
- the U.S. is getting the oil from "a friendly neighbor" (Canada)
- It will be "game over for the ozone" when/if it is completed
-can help the jobless and unemployed but destroy the environment.  

This is my bibliography: 




Sammy from Betty Louis on Vimeo.

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