NEW YORKER IN TONDO

Characters: Kikay Tony, Nena & Totoy Mrs. M/ Aling Atang Settings: in the living room Mrs. M: Well Totoy? Well Nena? Good afternoon! Why are you two standing at me like that? Nena: Is that you Aling Atang? Totoy: Good. Good. It is Aling Atang Tony: Totoy, Nena.Aling atang now prefers to be called Mrs. Mendoza. Mrs. M: Oh Tony, you know its not I but Kikay prefers it. Oh and she said thank you for the flowers you gave her. Totoy: By the way, Aling Atang, do you still have that mango tree? Mrs. M: Yes, its still out there in our backyard. Totoy: Come on, Nena.. Lets steal their magoes. Mrs. M: Ahah. You just try! I still run as fast as ever. See if I dont catch you again. Totoy: Oh but were faster now, Mrs. Mendoza. Nena: Wait..ahm Aling Atang, dont you prepare anything for us. Mrs. M: its only some orange juice, Nena. I was preparing some for Kikay cause she takes nothing else in the morning. Come along. Tony. Exit Mrs. Mendoza and Totoy. Nena and Tony left alone in the living room. Nena: Well Tony? Tony: You shouldnt have come today. I havent talked with Kikay yet. Nena: You havent talked with Kikay yet. Oh Tony, Tony Tony: Oh Tony, Tony! Use your head, Nena. Whoever heard of a man breaking off his engagement with a girl? My God! Its not easy. Nena: Tell me, whom do you love? Is it me, or Kikay?

Tony: Of course its you Im engaged to you. Nena: Yes, you arebut youre also engaged with Kikay. How could you have the nerve to propose to me when youre still engaged with her? Tony: Nenayou know I only love you. And my engagement with Kikay was a year and I thought I didnt belong to her anymore. It was only a secret engagement. When she left for America and stop answering my letters, I considered myself as a free man again. Nena: And soyou proposed to me and asked me to keep our engagement a secret. Tony: Yescause its night after that I found out that Kikay was coming back. Nena: WellIm tired of being secretly engaged to you. So you should tell them. you better hurry cause Im getting impatient. Tony: Surebut promise me one thing, I will tell it to Kikay alone. Nena: ok, Ill take care of Totoy. Tony: Thats good. Mrs. M appears. Mrs. M: Well everybodyhere comes Kikay but she preferred to be called Francesca. Kikay: Oh well everybodyOh Nena, how cute youve become. Tony, my little pal, how are you? And Totoy! My! How! How ravishing you look. Oh mumsymumsy. Mrs. M: whats the matter now? Kikay: How many times I must tell you mumsy dearest, never to serve fruit juice in plastic glasses? Mrs. M: Its because I couldnt find those glasses you brought home. Kikay: Oh my poor lil mumsy! She is so clumsy no? But never mind dearest, dont break your heart about it. Here, sit down. Mrs. M.: NoI must be going to the market. Kikay: Oh mumsy dont forget my celeryI cant live without it. And remembera little bloom on the lipsand on the cheeks. Mrs. M: Ok. Mrs. M exits. Nena: So tell us about New York.

Kikay: ah New York, New York. Tony: How long did you stay there? Kikay: 10months, 4 days, 7 hours and 21 minutes. Totoy: And shes still there Kikay: Of courseI had lived there all of my life. But look around me. I realize that Im not there. Im here, here! My spirit aches for my true home. In New York, my own dear New York. Nena: I dont think we ought to be here at all. Boys, we shouldnt disturb her. Tony: Is that the girl we used to go swimming? We used to go climbing up the mango tree. Kikay: What tree? Nena: Our mango tree. Have you forgotten it? Remember, we were rolling in the ground because Tony dropped down while Totoy couldnt come down because he didnt have any pants on. Kikay: (Flatly) Oh that tree Nena: Yes, that treeI really must turn out to the background and say hello to it. Kikay: Dont be silly, Nena! Totoy: Look whos talking? Tony: Dont you feel the same emotion. You really changed a lot. Kikay: Oh you people cant understand at all. Tony: Of course, we cant. cause we never been to New York. Kikay: Thats exactly. Until youve been there, you cant understand.its really different. The tree there stand higher and finer things not kid stuff and for childish memories. Tony: I still prefer a tree that grows in Tondo. Totoy and Nena: We second the motion. Nena: If you dont mind Kikay, I must go and say hello to our tree. Kikay: Of course, I dont mind. Nena: Totoy, will you come with me. Totoy: Anywhere, dream girl. Anywhere at all. Kikay and Tony left. Tony: Kikay I have something important to tell you. Kikay: Just call me Francesca. Tony, can we just forget all about it? Tony: Forget? What are you talking about?

Kikay: Our engagement that was a year ago. And thats what we cannot do Tony anymore. Tony: Why not? Kikay: Cause you got engaged to a girl named Kikay and that girl doesnt exist anymore. Im now Francesca. Were now different. Imagine a New Yorker marrying a Tondo boy. Tony: so youre insulting me. Kikay: Hushlets just be friends. youll find somebody else, someone more proper to you. Totoy and Nena wil appear. Totoy: Are you two quarrelling? Kikay: No, were not. We have just decided to be just friends. Nena: Is that true? Now, we can tell them Tony. Kikay: Tell us what? Nena: That Tony and I are engaged. Kikay and Totoy: Engaged? Nena: Yes, weve been engaged for a month. Kikay: a month? Why? (Tony) Youyouyou unspeakable cad. Tony: Im trying to tell you but Kikay: Shut upYou Nena: Hey, careful there. youre speaking to my fiance. Kikay: Hes ot your fiance. Hes engaged to me and I havent released him yet. you should be ashamed of yourselfstealing a man behind my back. Man-eater!!! Nena: What did you say? Shameless hussy!!! (They grapple and stagger. Then Nena slacks Kikay) Tony: How dare you to sock her? Look what youve done. Nena: What? She hits me first. Are you trying to defend her? I hate you. I hate you! Tony: Shut up!!! Totoy: Hey, dont talk to Nena that way. Tony: You stayed out of this. (Totoy will punch Tony.) Totoy: Youve insulted the woman I love. Nena: Oh TotoyYou loved me? Why have you never told me? Totoy: (shyly) Well, now you know. Tony: Socongratulations.

Nena: Lets go darling. I dont like the smell here. And I dont want to see him again. Tony and Kikay are left. Tony: Now. Youve ruined my life. Are you satisfied? Kikay: I have ruined my life. Noyouve ruined mine. Tony: What you need is spanking to stop you from dreaming. Youre not in New York anymore. Kikay: Dont come near me, canto boy! Tony: dont worry, I would not touch you. I wouldnt dare to touch you. Just one year in Tondo and you forget everything especially your friends. Kikay: Just one yearand what did you do? I thought you will wait for me. And I believed you. (She begins to weep.) you fickle fickle. Tony: What are you crying about? Be braveforgetthats the New York way. And besides, there could be no more engagement. Imagine a New Yorker girl marrying a Tondo boya canto boy. Kikay: Oh tony! Ive been such a fool. Im so sorry. Tony: Well, Im glad I found out what kind of person you are. Kikay: Oh Tony, youre wrong. Im not that kind of person. That was Francesca saying all those silly things. The girl standing in front of you is Kikay. A little girl who fell in love with her Tondo boy. Tony: Well..wellwell. Kikay: its true, Tony. Im Kikayremember me? We used to go swimming together when we were kids. Ive come back. Tony: If my memory is right, I was engaged to a girl named Kikay. Kikay: Yes and youre still engaged to her. Tony: Welcome home, Kikay! How was the trip? Kikay: Horrible. I dont want to get back there anymore. Tony: By the way, why didnt you answer my letters? Kikay: Francesca wouldnt let me write. Tony: That was a nasty girl. Im glad shes dead. (Offstage Mrs. Mendoza is leaving, calling Francesca. Then she appeared in doorway.)

Mrs. M: Oh Tony, youre still here? Francesca dont be angry but I couldnt find any celery. Kikay: Never mind, Inay. I hate celery. Mrs. M: Hate celery? Why you said that you couldnt live without it? Tony: That was Francesca, Aling Atang. And Francesca is dead. The gir standing before you is Kikay. Mrs. M: but Kikay is Francesca. Kikay: Oh no, Inay. Im not Francesca. Im Kikay. Mrs. M: (Throwing her hands up.) I GIVE UP! (Exits) (Tony and Kikay burst into laughter. Then they turned on the radio. Its playing their favorite song) Kikay: That song. What memories it brings back! Tony: Uhhuh. Kikay: Sorry, darling. May I have this dance with you. Tony: Delighted, Madame. (Curtain falls.)