The Final Project

The Final Project

Monologues

Characters:

Joshua Bartlett - 24 years old, American college student.

Gabriel Johnson - Late forties, white. A legal advisor for Nike Incorporated. 

Teenage Boy - Boy, around 16 years old. Wears Nike shoes.

Pakistani Boy - Boy, around 10 years old, worker in Nike factory.

Pakistani Woman - Pregnant woman, maybe 6 or 7 months. Husband works in factory.

News Reporter - Female news reporter. (Only audio)

Scene 1

Male, probably around 23 years old. Standing with a camera pointed at him, obviously directing his attention toward the camera. Somewhat nervous but also excited.

Joshua

.. Uhm.. Hi, My name is Joh... Wait, Is it recording? .. Oh okay.. I just didn’t see the light, ya know... Let me start over then.. Uhmm… Are you sure? I still don’t see the light... Okay, Sorry, Dude, I’m just nervous.. Hooo. Okay… 

(say this very quickly) 

Hello, My name is Joshua Bartlett ah-and this is my documentary project for.. Damn! That was too fast… Okay. Seriously, I’m going to do it this time.. Hoo.. Okay.. Yo, I’m Joshua Bartlett and this is my fin... Did I really just say “yo”? Shit. Hold on.. Give me a sec, I got this 

(Stands up straight, straightens shoulders, smiles) 

... Hello, I’m Joshua Bartlett and this is my final project for world economics. For this video I’m going to attempt to discover the truth behind Nike’s labor conditions. And under my circumstances I’ve actually been able to travel to various places and countries to try to find answer from people who’ve dealt with this firsthand....

(Waits a few seconds then stands normally again)

 Whooo. That was good right? Woo!

(Jumps up, smiles. Quickly simmers down again though.) 

Oh, I mean .. Yeah. That was cool. Are we good? .. Thanks. So, we can use that?.. Great... Are you ready for this? Like we’re about to go to all these places. This is gonna be amazing. Seriously, amazing…

Scene 2

Nike Executive. Older, white, male in suit. Seems rather uninterested and is speaking frankly. He is alone behind a desk but apparently speaking to someone and answering questions. The name card on his desk says Gabriel Johnson. 

Gabriel Johnson

…Our code of conduct is accessible by anyone with Internet access and it states that Nike Incorporated will employ no one under the age of 16 or one who is unwilling to work. We do however employ contractors over seas to manage our factories. If you read our code of conduct, it says, word for word, that we expect the contractors to follow this code and it’s common knowledge that expectations are not always met. Nowhere in the code of conduct are the contractors required to truthfully report that the factory is following the code or to report that their employees are satisfied with their working conditions; though it is, once again, expected to be reported to Nike Incorporated openly. All businesses operated by Nike personally follow this code and that’s what it controls. Nike cannot completely control the foreign factories due to an issue that has already risen; the factories are not required to give employee reports and even if they did, there is no way for the reports to be proven legitimate.

(Pauses. Face changes to serious and interested. He moves to a position that seems less robotic and more like a person would naturally sit.)

Can I say something? Man to man?.. Okay. Personally, I mean just my opinion.. This is no way reflects the company but, I know what those contractors do and I’m not a fan. Kids shouldn’t work, trust me, I have 3 kids and I’d never want them to have to do anything like that. But.. This is my job. This company pays me to represent them when people like you wanna know why we employ these contractors. We do it because it cheap, but I’m not lying when I say we have difficulty monitoring them. Plus, you and I know that making sure they didn’t mistreat their employees would take money. And you really think the big execs wanna give up any of their money? No. They’ll do anything for that extra penny. I don’t agree with that, I know there’s more to life than money.. But I also know that I need the money they pay me to put my kids through school so they don’t have to work. So, no, I don’t agree with Nike’s decisions .. But I’m just doing what I need to do to get by…

 

Scene 3

Teenage boy in city setting. Happy, excited. Speaking to someone and answering a question. Standing.

Teenage Boy

…Oh, dese kicks? Oh yeah, dey nice right? I just got dese fo’ like 80 bucks, nice righ? ‘N’ since dey white I gotta, yuh know, keep ‘em poppin’. Yuh can’t step in puddlez erh nothin’. ‘N’ deff don’t be playin’ no ball wid ‘em. Cuz’ den dey’d get maaaddd dirty. Ya just gotta shine ‘em up when ya take ‘em off and these Nike’s … Dey’ll be poppin’ fo’ months… Huh? Why I got tah know who made dese? I don’t know but dese ahr nice shoez, man… Kids made dese?.. Well, why dat matter? It wadn’t in Americur, righ? Cuz’, now datd be drawin’. Buh, don’t dat only happen in dose pohr countrees? And dats jus dem kids tryin’ tah make a dime. Like, maybe dey shouldn’t have tah work like dat but.. If dey don’t work… Who gunna make mah shoes? 

Scene 4

Young boy in Pakistan. Speaks broken English with an accent. Works at a Nike factory. Was walking down a busy street but is stopped to talk to someone. Not very emotional but some distress can be noticed.

Young Pakistani Boy

Yes, I work at Nike factory. I make footballs. I need job becus Mama es dead. Papa es drinking. I leave home for safety. I need to leave. I be worse now if not... I work for dollhar for food and water. For evry day I werk I ghet 2 dollhars a day for work. 2 dollhars es not much bhut.. bhut it es better then nothing. Before I leave home, Papa send me to work. He say, “You man. Man work. If live here, you need pay for you. You pay for your food, I pay for my food.” I not want work then. I want play with friends at school... That why I leave. My 2 dollhars buy me no food. My 2 dollhars buy Papa drink... Work is difficult. Very tire. I sleep after, always...Hmm? Yers?... Yers... Ah! Yers, age. I 10 yers.  

Scene 5

Joshua sitting casually at a table. Josh is speaking casually to camera man(not seen).

Joshua

Dude, some if this stuff is .. it’s crazy. Like that uhm.. What was that guy’s name? ..The Nike guy... G something... Gabe! Right, Gabriel Johnson. Yeah, that was so weird, like, he was telling us all this bullshit and then he just.. Told us.. everything, kinda... That’ll be great for the project... haha, that kid was so hype about his shoes. That was funny, dude..

(Glances at watch)

Shit! We gotta go. I asked this one woman if we could talk to her.. Apparently her husband works at one of the big factories..

Scene 6

Pregnant woman in Pakistan who speaks broken English. She sits in front of fireplace. She’s tending the fireplace but her attention is divided between it and someone who she’s talking to. She’s talking casually. 

Pregnant Woman

...No, I do not work. Most work is difficult because of this.. 

(lightly pats belly and smiles.)

I like work.. It’s not fair. I sit and my husband works.. I want work too.. We need it, he does not get paid many at factory. Only 3 dollhars American for his work a day... And his work very long.. Dinner es cold when he home... 

(tone starts to shift into a more annoyed/uneasy tone.) 

..It bothers me much. I worry for him. He work many hours at factory. When he get home he pass out. Not even get in bed... 

(aggravation/distress is clearly noticeable now)

..Why do they treat  people bad? These are people. They are trying to make dollhar for families.. How we gohin’ live wif 3 dollhars?!

Scene 7

Joshua is walking on a crowded street in Pakistan. He is making his way through the people while talking to who’s holding the camera. Mostly in a venting type way.

Joshua

This is ridiculous! Actually ridiculous! How could people act like that? Just treating people like shit? Just because they want another 10 dollars to go with their 10 million?! Like what the fuck is that? … You know what.... We’re going to the factory. We’re going right now. 

(starts walking vigorously. He sounds determined.)

... No, but we’ll find it. Ask people or something. I don’t know! But we’re going there! Someone needs to stop these assholes! They can’t just do this. Who do they think they are? Don’t they realize these people have families? These people are children. These are people. People... What the hell does all this civil rights shit mean if these Nike can treat these people like slaves?!.. I don’t know, dude. But we gotta do something. We can’t just sit here. There are hundreds of people who might die because they can’t afford a bowl of rice because some greedy CEO’s want all the money they can get their grimy hands on. I’m not about to just sit back and watch it happen! I’m not!... 

Scene 8

Joshua is yelling at someone through a door. He is furious and bangs on the door in frustration.

Joshua

Let me in! Open the fucking door! I just want to fucking talk to someone!

(Hits door)

Let me in!.. I have the right to talk to you! Open the god damn door! … 

(Walks a few feet away from the door, hands on hips looking down, extremely frustrated. Then suddenly turns back around and runs at the door. Hits it again.) 

You’re breaking the law! Let me in! These are fucking people, not useless pieces of shit. Why?! Why are you treating them like shit?! They’ve been in there for fucking hours, no breaks, no water, and for what? Three fucking dollars?! You want money for yourself?! 

(Takes out wallet, pulls out a few bills, and throws them at the door)

Here! Take the fucking money. Don’t you feel anything? These people are dying in there.... You know what? Just fuck it.. 

(Begins to walk away, looking defeated, walks off stage, lights slowly dim but suddenly flash back on fully when Joshua runs back and rams the door with his shoulder, door opens and Josh runs through. Stage black.) 

Scene 9

Newscaster reporting story is heard. Three chairs, one small stool, on the stage. (One is a big comfy chair, good condition, next is a small stool, next is an old folding chair, last is a lazy-boy type and worn condition) One TV in the center/front of stage, facing the chairs. Light is only on the TV.

News Castor

Breaking news from Pakistan today with reports of a riot in a factory, allegedly owned by Nike, that lead to 5 deaths and several other injuries. 

(Light on the small stool, now occupied by the pregnant woman, intently watching) 

One of the 5 people who died in the rally gone wrong belongs to an American citizen,

(Light shows on big, worn chair with the boy sitting in it. He’s not paying attention and it wiping off white shoes with a napkin.)

 Joshua Bartlett, 24, who happened to be filming a project on the labor conditions of Nike factories

(Light on first chair, where Gabriel Johnson is now sitting, leaning forward in his chair, intently listening). 

He went to the factory in search of answers, only to find the working conditions worse than expected. Enraged, Bartlett began yelling and eventually coerced the workers to rebel against their supervisors in an attempt to secure their rights as human beings. The rebellion turned violent as the upper management had weapons and turned them on the workers. 

(Light on the folding chair, empty at first but then an obviously inebriated Pakistani man plops into it, holding a bottle on liquor. He stares at the screen with a glazed look)

Also among the deaths were two adult men, one woman, and a young boy, all workers at the factory. Most of the battle was caught on camera by a young man traveling with Bartlett, who was only injured. This footage only confirms previous rumors of Nike’s mistreatment of workers in the third world and a law suit is expected in the upcoming months...

In other news, a fi...........

(Trails off, still heard at a low volume.)

Once there is silence, the American boy finishes wiping off his shoes, put them on and walks out. Lights out on his chair. The pregnant woman just blankly stares at the television as tear silently fall from her face and she rubs her pregnant belly. Lights out on her. The drunken man is obviously sleeping, snoring loudly. Lights out on him, he’s silent. Gabriel Johnson stares at the television. Fists and jaw clenched. He stands up goes to the TV and turns it off. Walks off stage. Lights out.

The End

Video of Scene 1: