Character Study- Bill Fordham in August, Osage County

“Barbara's estranged husband and Jean's father, age 49. A college professor, has left his wife for a younger woman named Cindy, one of his students, but wants to be there for his family. His marriage is disintegrating and his patience is slowly running thin.”

This little snippet doesn’t quite tell the tale, although it is factually correct.

I was born in Saint Louis Missouri in 1969, after the strife and unsettled time of the 60’s.  My childhood in the 70’s was unremarkable as was the whole decade.

I went to school in the archdiocesan system there; parochial grade school and Catholic High School.  Since my parents weren’t all that well off, I went to South East Missouri State College in Cape Girardeau and finished with  Master’s and Doctor’s Degrees from the University in Columbia, Mo.  I immediately started teaching in the college and became an associate professor and finally a professor of Education at the University of Missouri-Saint Louis.

I met Barbara at a conference in Tulsa Oklahoma in1993, we were mutually attracted to each other right away.  It was a relatively fast courtship and marriage.  I noticed that her family was a bit on the eccentric side but she was considerably cool headed and sane.  We married in Oklahoma in 1995 and came back to live in Saint Louis County where I was now a tenured professor.

In 2015, when at age 46, I suddenly discovered that I was quite attractive to the younger females on campus.  They devised all sorts of fun little schemes to find themselves alone with me and often had their way with me.  I was a willing victim (?) and the, what I thought of as, peccadillos were many and often.

Then came along Cindy.  She was mature for her age and unfortunately for Barbara, we fell in love and I announced it to her and to the world.  Barbara and I split up immediately and now we are in the process of getting a divorce.  Cindy and I are living together in a small apartment near the school.

I received word from Barbara’s sister Karen that Beverly, Barbara’s father was missing in action and feared, perhaps, dead.  She thought it would be nice if I went to Oklahoma to be there with Barbara since it hasn’t been all that long since we split up and she, Karen, thought that Barbara would need some moral support.  I think highly of Barbara, still love her and want to be there for her if she needs me.  So I went.

Barbara’s mother, Violet, is the mother of the Weston family, aged 65. Undergoing treatment for oral cancer, she is addicted to several prescription drugs, mostly depressants and narcotics. The family's focus is keeping her clean. Despite her drug-induced episodes, she is sharp-tongued and shrewd; she is aware of the family's many secrets and not hesitant to reveal them for her own benefit.  She is Barbara’s nemesis and has an unwholesome influence on her.

The moment before this episode takes place, I have been re-reading a book of Beverly’s poems.  I close the book and say…

Character Study for Francis Hardy, Faith Healer

I am standing here before a full length mirror.  I am addressing an imaginary audience for whom I have performed acts of Faith Healing.  I am drunk and know that soon I'll be in the throes of death after a somewhat long life of 68 years; the past 30 or so years an alcoholic blur.  

I must say I never opened a performance, yes that’s what I called them, in a state of inebriation but I drank as soon as I came off the stage and until I could no longer stay awake.  And so it has gone on for a long time.  I had my reasons for it but even I am not sure of all of them.

My parents were carnival people, they had several shticks over the years and retired into oblivion after they wore out.  I was part of the act when I was little; then things began to change.

In one town, we were there at the same time as a tent revival was going on, on the other side of town.  Our crowds were the same people on different nights.

I went to the revival and caught the spirit of it into my very soul.  It was shortly after that when I did my first laying on of hands.   It was for one of the carnival people who’d come down with some sort of malady.

Word of my feat spread around the carny and it wasn’t long before I made my debut on a platform during a revival meeting.  I left the carnival, and my parents, shortly after that and made it on my own from donations given by appreciative people who were healed.

It wasn’t long before I was my own headliner; the signs said, “The Fantastic Francis Hardy.  Faith Healer.  One night only.”  

The one night only allowed me to get out of town before anything went wrong, if my healing wasn’t permanent; although, I didn’t have to skedaddle very often.  To my own amazement, it worked almost all the time.  And so it has gone on for more than thirty years now. 

The constant moving around and lack of any sort of anchor in my life led me to turn to the bottle for company; even after or because I began associating with my girlfriend who later became my wife.  We had a time of it.  She and I had some bitter words for each other, then we’d get drunk and reset the relationship until the next time.

There was a third person in the company, Teddy the manager.  He was the advance man, the stage manager, and the business manager.  It was his effort that kept the show moving through the country-side; schedules, locations, permits, signs, and settling up afterwards.  It was he that dispelled doubts, even when the wife had hers.  The three of us did well, financially, and were bound together as if with iron straps, like it or not.

My presence here tonight is to set the record straight; to tell my story, my doubts, my fears, and my apprehension of what I do.  I’m not sure I understand it any more or less than anyone in the theater.  I know that I am facing the final curtain and I don’t want to leave without stating my case.

How do I know I’m going to die?  The same way I know that what I do is for real; I just do.  And I want everyone here to understand me a little better. 

I’ve been putting my healing hands on people since I was very young.  At first I didn’t question the results, they were there for all to see and experience.  Later I began to wonder what enabled me, why me, was it me or was it they who invoked some mysterious quality that they already had but didn’t know it.

In the final analysis it will be up to you, after hearing all sides, to decide about me.  And what we all know is that no matter what you decide, it doesn’t make any difference.  Those that were healed are healed; those that believe, believe; and in 50 years or so, no one will ever mention me again.  But I have to go knowing that others know that I am not a fake, a charlatan, or simply a performer.

So…

Character Study Aaron McKinney of The Laramie Project

(I am Aaron McKinney, convicted murderer of Matthew Shepard 10 years ago in Laramie Wyoming, now being visited in prison by Greg Pierotti of The Laramie Project.)

A little bit of personal history: my father was a hard worker and we had a comfortable life.  I was always a troublesome kid, stole things and generally messed up.  My brother is totally different.

My parents divorced and when my mom died in 1993, I got a big cash settlement from the case.  I didn't have a lot of supervision; I started to live the high life. 

From then on I was on the fringe of the law, dealing drugs and doing "odd" jobs.  I dealt drugs and got into a lot of trouble because I just don't care about anyone or anything except me.  

Now I live in a cell here in prison and have for the past 10 years.  I am allowed out of the cell for one hour every day, that's all.

 

At the trial I was found guilty of killing Matt Shepard.  I didn't know him before that night at the bar.  I knew he was a homosexual just by looking at him.  I didn't like him right away.  

We wanted to rob him because we were looking for someone to rob and he didn't look like someone who would give us a lot of trouble. I beat him with my pistol because I felt like it; I was mad at someone or something and I took it out on him.  I'm sorry but not for that.

Now I'm talking to Greg Pierotti and I'm not really sure who he is but what the heck, I'll talk to anybody.  He's asking me a lot of questions about the case and my feelings.

We've been talking for quite a while now and he's asking me some great questions.  Now he says Russell Henderson, my accomplice, told the court he was sorry but I didn't make a statement; he's asking me if I have remorse.