ENTANGLEDD- (:

Exercise: Writing Dialogue
The Scenario:
- A middle-aged man returns home from work.
- He stopped for a few drinks with his friends and forgot to phone his wife to tell her he’ll be late.
- The dinner is ruined.

The Exercise:
- Write a short scene composed of dialogue between husband and wife.

Man: Dear, I’m back… (drowsy and scratching head)
Woman: (sit infront of the tv, keeping quiet)
Man: Dear, I said, I’m back!
Woman: (continue to keep quiet)
Man: Dear…
Women: Where have you been? (angry tone)
Man: I…
Women: (walk towards the man and realise that he had the smell of liquor)
Woman: What?! You went to drink?!
Man: I just saw some of my friends when I’m on the way home. So…
Woman: (interupted) So you went have a drink with them and totally forget about me?!
Man: Sorry dear. My phone ran out of battery…
Woman: Oh? Ran out of battery? Why can’t you just go to the public phone and call me?
Man: I…
Women: Speechless?! You’ll sleep in the living room tonight!
Women: (Went back to her room, slam the door and lock it.)

Exercise: Writing Dialogue
ROLE-PLAY:
- 2 students to play the roles from the stories.

THE REAL EXERCISE:
- repeat “the experiment” but:
- husband and wife are YOUR own parents.
- get two people to read the dialogue.
- record the reading
- post it to your blog (using youtube, multiply, etc.)

Husband: I’m back.
Wife: Third time.
Husband: Huh?
Wife: This is the third time in this week you are coming home so late! Work is real busy huh?
Husband: Oh yah. It’s so busy that I have to stay back to finish it up. Sorry dear.
Wife: Hey, stop lying. I just called your office and James said that you already left the office at 6pm. Look what’s the time now! 11pm! Where were you in the past few hours? You need so long to come home one meh? Office at America ah?
Husband: Erm…
Wife: Wait. You smell of beer! You went to drink?! You went to drink and forgot about me? Forgot that I am still at home waiting for you? You are too much!
Husband: Hey, I just went for a drink. That’s all. What’s the problem with you?
Wife: Who were you drinking with?
Husband: My old friends. On my way home, I saw them down my office. It had been a long time since I saw them. That’s why we went for a drink. That’s all!
Wife: Who are they?
Husband: You don’t know them one lah. They are my secondary school friends.
Wife: Oh? Female huh?
Husband: They are guys.
Wife: Oh? Then why didn’t you call back to inform me?
Husband: I forgot.
Wife: Just an “I forgot” and everything will be ok? Look at the table! Look! I have cooked so much food and what now?
Husband: Just leave it to tomorrow.
Wife: Leave it to tomorrow? Still remember that time you complain about the food which taste sour? It’s all because you want me to leave it to tomorrow and so the food turns bad. And now? You still want me to leave it to tomorrow? Later I leave it to tomorrow and you complain again. I don’t care. You better finish the food up.
Husband: Hey, I am really very tired. I have no mood to quarrel with you.
Wife: Wait. So you think I enjoy quarreling with you? I have been doing all the housework, cleaning the house, cooking for you. And now? You don’t even appreciate the food I have cooked. Waste my time!
Husband: Fine! So you think it’s a waste of time huh? Then don’t cook! Your food taste bad anyway.
Wife: Ok. So now you are complaining about the food I have cooked for the past few years? Fine. Since you hate it so much, I shall not cook! You go and settle your own meals yourself! I am not going to cook for you anything anymore!
Husband: Fine!
Wife: Fine!