We can change your circuitry by rewiring your brain.

In the comedy scene from play act Raison d’etre, Marlo talks to Sharon about how he believes he has the unluckiest life to ever exist.

Featured Scene – Raison d’être

MARLO: I am the unluckiest twig in the history of the world.

SHARON: You can’t prove that.

MARLO: It’s true. (Beat.) The other day I took a walk through the park. It was a breezy night and after being trapped in my apartment all week, it was time to feel some fresh air on my skin. I walked through the woods, as far as the water fountain, when I heard somethin’ rustling in the leaves nearby. At first, I didn’t think much of it. I figured it was some squirrel looking for a nut…but, I heard what sounded like breathing..it was a low, baritone breath. Caused the hair on my neck to rise. So, I looked into the woods and observed this jacked-up, angry ass dog, had no collar, no owner, growling, madly, as it began to move out from the shadows. That’s when I thought I was dreamin’ or I should say nightmarin’; its head, was a head the size of a monster truck with a dead squirrel in its jaws. I was hoping it didn’t see me, but when it dropped the squirrel, I quickly realized I was a goner. The beast zeroed in on me and BOOM, launched in full-bodied warrior charge! SO, I dove head first into the water fountain. Didn’t even blink. It was the only move I had. When the animal reached the perimeter of the fountain it went nuts, barkin’, growlin’, foaming. I ain’t ever saw such out of control savagery. The only saving grace I had, was that it wouldn’t dare enter the water. This went on for an hour, until finally it went back to its squirrel and returned to the woods.

SHARON: Did that really happen?

MARLO: What? Why would I make it up?

SHARON: You like to exaggerate and dramatize.

MARLO: (Stating.) Verbatim!

SHARON: You’re a survivor.

MARLO: Maybe that’s my raison d’etre.

SHARON: Your what?

MARLO: Reason for being.

SHARON: You survived and that’s positive.

MARLO: Cursed.

SHARON: No, I don’t believe you are cursed. I think you’re just overthinking, you’re attracting all the wrong kinda energy. Break the spell.

MARLO: (Thinking pause.) A spell must have been put on me.

SHARON: (Laughing.)

MARLO: Don’t laugh, I’m serious. Makes complete sense.

SHARON: Who would want to put a spell on you, Marlo?

MARLO: Myself.

SHARON: Huh?

MARLO: I know why…I was five years old…I fell down a flight of stairs, hence the scar on my head and it was then that I realized how unlucky I was and it was then that I accepted my fate of being unfortunate.

SHARON: That’s not a spell.

MARLO: But it is! In that moment I rearranged my brain circuitry to think ‘Unlucky’ and here I am before you.

SHARON: Well, dial it back.

MARLO: We’re talking years of getting kicked and shunned by all walks of life. Impossible.

SHARON: I once read that we have the ability to change our neurology, like, the way our brains are wired and stuff, we could tweak the connections for new connections and re-purpose our brain. So, whatever it was that you did when you were five years old, it can be altered.

MARLO: It’s not like I can go back in time, Sharon.

SHARON: Mentally, you can.

MARLO: I can’t go back to being five and change my life.

SHARON: Circuitry. We can change your circuitry by rewiring your brain.

MARLO: Are you nuts?

SHARON: RE-IMAGINE. Go back into your mind and re-imagine that what happened to you was simply an accident. It wasn’t the beginning of a long string of unlucky hits along your life’s journey. It was one incident, a stupid accident and that was all.

MARLO: But what about all the other sh’t that transpired after that day? I can’t go back and re-imagine everything.

SHARON: You don’t need to. It was the impetus.

MARLO: The who?

SHARON: That one accident that set you off on the wrong path. If you re-calibrate that, you might start living your life without thinking you’re the unluckiest guy in the world.

• To read the full ePlay Raison d’être, find purchase button below:

Scene Summary

In the one act comedy eplay Raison d’etre, while talking to his best friend Sharon, Marlo makes a major realization about himself and how he chooses to live out the rest of his life.

• Genre: Comedy
• Length: ~5 minute scene
• Characters: 1 woman, 1 man
• Themes: friends
• Best For: comedy scenes

FAQ

Related Comedy Scenes

• Build me a rocket ship.  – from Darling Face
• What do you do for a living? – from Over The Moon
• He goes on these tirades. – from Tirades of Pupeye
• People should treat you with kindness. – from Moments Notice
• We’ll have to come to some arrangement. – from Armed and Dangerous

Scene Source: Raison d’être

Raison d’être is a comedy play script by Joseph Arnone, 2026.