It's A World of Dogs When Your Wealth Is Dying

[Monologue for men of any age - after all - you don't have to be old to have bad luck and go broke. All actors know that. This monologue is the first in a series of related monologues that are being broken down from a much longer single speech. Each of these pieces from the series can stand alone and be delivered as a single piece.]

When the economics of your life are dying – when you’ve lost your job and your wealth catches the disease of poverty – there’s a kind of stink of death that starts to surround you.

It’s the stink of failure – of the gangrene of poverty creeping up your financial legs. And if your body of wealth was big? Well then – pal, there’s all the more of it to slough off and die. And the more that poverty’s gangrene rots you – the more pungent the stench of failure.

You cannot see that stench wafting through the air – but it’s there, Believe me. It’s there.

And your friends? The people you hung with?– Your friends with money? – With -- with things? – With possessions? – Ho-ho --- they smell it before you do, pally-boy.

And suddenly – like all their things are a single bowl of dog food and you’re some hungry old mutt that’s wandered too close – they’ll smell you, man. The hair’ll go right up on their backs, the closer you come… And man – even if you aren’t hungry – even if you got a full belly that day – they’re still gonna smell that growing rot around you and they’re gonna start protecting their little bowls.

You can almost see their paws reaching out and pulling in the bowls tight to their chests. Then - as if you were going to lunge and grab a bite – their shoulders rise, their glances turn sideward. They can’t help it. It’s their instinctive response to your smell.

It’s nature’s way of telling you: “Don’t even ask!”

They’ll take you in with their sight my friend – but it’s only to keep an eye on you – and on your paws – and on their bowl. They don’t growl – but they might as well…..

They’re afraid, man – they’re afraid you’ll ask to borrow a little bite from their bowls…a little somethin’ to tide you over….And pally boy, that’s the day you learn a brand new meaning to the saying, “It really is a dog’s world.” And believe me, man, you’re living in a world of dogs.