The Dog and the Train–Male Monologue 30s-50s

This monologue is about 2 minutes. I wrote this character in his mid-30s, but he could be older or younger. Actors feel free to use this. Let me know how it goes.

CHARLIE

You like this place?  You like the work you’re doing?  Fixing the place up and all?  Helping to make it productive again, maybe?  Good.  Good.  Think it’s a good thing?  Think you’re doing the right thing?  Jumping right in and saving the farm?  You know what this land is worth to developers?  My Ma could make a lot of money.  The money’s not important to you, I know. She don’t care either.  No, she was never one to think about the future. (Pause.) Did I ever tell you the story about the dog and the train?  I didn’t?  Well, I was down at the train station in Depot Town not too long ago passing time with friends when we heard these people yelling outside.  A train had just gone through, but you don’t pay attention to those things too much anymore.  These people come in saying we have to come and see this.  I start to hear this wailing.  It didn’t sound like any living thing I ever heard.  So we go.  These people are all incredulous, so I’m thinking this must be something.  We get out there and there’s this dog running around and these people are trying to catch it.  I’m thinking what’s the big deal?  As we get closer, I see it’s not a dog, but half a dog.  I shit you not.  Half a dog.  The train hit it and cut it in two just around the hips.  It cauterized it so it wasn’t bleeding or nothing.  This thing is running around screaming because these people are trying to help it.  All it wants to do is lay down and die and these people won’t leave it alone.  I kept saying, “Someone shoot the thing.”  They told me I was a cold hearted bastard.  And these good hearted people kept trying to help this half a dog.  After about an hour the thing finally dropped.  But it lived an hour of agony and terror it wouldn’t of had to go through if the people would have left it alone.  Let it die right where it should have. They had to agitate it.  Keep it going.  But the end was the same.  Only it could’ve been a whole lot more peaceful.  Do we understand each other?  Good.