TOW Something Bad Happens to Monica
5 years since Chandler was squashed.
Monica woke with a startle. Looking around the room from left to right, she absorbed her grim reality. She had been enjoying another dream about her former husband Chandler. She couldn't decide if they were a good thing because it gave her temporary happiness or whether they were bad because she always felt doubly worse when she remembered that he was dead. If only she hadn't gone to the circus that day, how different her life would have been.
Monica had been married for the last five years to CoCo the Clown. She was still unsure of his last name. During their marriage service, CoCo had refused to use his birth name, telling Monica that he had legally changed his last name to 'the Clown'. She didn't know what to believe anymore. Her life was full of deceit. What difference would one more lie make?
"Oh God, this is disgusting" Monica muttered while rising out of her bed, glancing at a heavily snoring CoCo. Her room was a wreck. CoCo awakened from his deep sleep. Empty wine and beer bottles haphazardly were thrown across the room. Monica had lost her interest in cleaning some time ago. Ever since CoCo had starting drinking seriously, it became harder and harder for her to cope. Circus attendances had been down for several years now and CoCo was only too keen to take his anger out on Monica.
"What are you looking at? Get outta here!" CoCo yelled at Monica. His face paint was smeared across his face, his bright green curly wig sloping at an odd angle, and his red nose hanging around his head by some lose string.
Shutting the door quietly, Monica began to think to herself.
"God, if 10 years ago, I'd have known that Chandler would be killed by an elephant and I'd end up married to an abusive, alcoholic clown, I'd have killed myself". She began to seriously contemplate that suggestion. She was no mother to Lily now. Cybil had left some time ago, apparently having moved to Nevada. Monica was seriously worried about her, having heard that she was already pregnant. But what could she do, there was no way in which she could contact her.
Walking downstairs, the phone rang; Monica reluctantly answered.
"Hey Mon, it's Rachel! I was wondering if you'd like to have lunch later? I'm in the area and would love to stop by".
"Ah, Rach, I'd love to see you but I don't know if today's a good time for me". Since Chandler's death, Monica had kept only perfunctory contact with Rachel who still didn't know about CoCo.
"No way. Come on. Me and Ross are really worried about you Mon".
"There's no need to be worried about me Rachel, honestly. I'm settled now. I re-married since Chandler's.death" Monica wondered why she was suddenly confessing this secret to her friend who she hadn't spoken to so long. She accounted it to their past familiarities but was relieved by the feeling that finally telling people about CoCo gave her.
"Who did you marry then? Is it someone we know?" asked Rachel excitedly.
"His name is CoCo".
"CoCo? What kind of name is that?" Rachel replied.
"This is why I didn't tell you people. CoCo is a wonderful man. Since Chandler's passing he's been there for me. His first wife was killed by Airy the elephant too. He related to me at a time when no-one else could. We had candlelight dinners, and sure people would stare at his clown outfits, but when I was with him, I didn't care" Monica's voice was full with emotion.
"Oh God. Look, sweetie, I have to go. But I'm going to call you soon I promise. Me, Ross and the kids will come visit, I have to now".
"Oh, OK. Great. Bye". Monica hung up. She didn't want Rachel to see her life as it was now. Telling her about it was one thing, but for her to physically see her unhappiness and misery was quite another.
CoCo came down the stairs so loudly Monica was shaking. His clown feet making an irritating flopping noise with each step. Looking at him she didn't want to know who she was more disgusted with: him or herself.
"I heard the phone. Who was it?" screamed CoCo
"It was no-one" replied Monica, trying to adopt a calm front.
"Was that the circus? Do they want another tour. Tell me!" CoCo threw Monica against the sink, smashing two glasses at the same time.
"It wasn't the circus, I promise" said Monica, mascara running down her face. CoCo stormed out of the house, barely remembering to pick up his pink satin overcoat and floppy hat.
"CoCo please, don't leave" she shouted although without any genuine feeling. The door slammed hard, shaking the entire house. Monica walked across to see CoCo leave, catching a glimpse of her pathetic self in the mirror, her aged face bruised and joyless. She was glad that her daugher Lily was staying at her friend's house so that for once at least, she would be spared seeing her father's rage. She hated the life that she had provided for Lily and Cybil. If only Chandler were here, how different things would be. Rachel's call had made her realise that her and CoCo were no longer fit parents. If they were no longer in their care, Rachel and Ross could give the kind of care that Lily deserved as she was rapidly approaching college age. With that thought in her head, Monica grabbed her car keys and left the house.
After a surprisingly short time, Monica pulled up at her destination. The big top. This place that had ended her first marriage, this place so full of former happiness. The area was deserted. She saw a bearded lady simply known as IT that wandered around the circus, looking aimless, quoting bizarre poetry. Monica avoided eye contact with her, and walked into the main circus area. There she saw the trapeze and remembered that night with Chandler five years ago, the happiness that it had originally created for them, and then the bitter misery that soon followed. Her life subsequently had been so unhappy. Lily was approaching the age when she would leave home like her sister Cybil and for the time being, Rachel and Ross could provide better care and support for her.
Monica walked up to the trapeze. She no longer wanted to live her 'life' with CoCo, seeing nothing but misery in her future. She slowly climbed the trapeze ladder, just wanting to end her pain, misery and suffering. Finally she reached the top, looking down at the empty arena. She exhaled deeply. And then suddenly she wasn't in control of her own body. Memories of happiness suddenly flooded her mind. Colors streamed into her consciousness. And then, silence.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
At Monica's now former residence, the telephone rang impatiently. For Monica's wayward daughter Cybil was desperate to return. She hated all that CoCo had inflicted upon her mother, the wreck that she had become, and would do anything to seek revenge. Anything.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
5 years since Chandler was squashed.
Monica woke with a startle. Looking around the room from left to right, she absorbed her grim reality. She had been enjoying another dream about her former husband Chandler. She couldn't decide if they were a good thing because it gave her temporary happiness or whether they were bad because she always felt doubly worse when she remembered that he was dead. If only she hadn't gone to the circus that day, how different her life would have been.
Monica had been married for the last five years to CoCo the Clown. She was still unsure of his last name. During their marriage service, CoCo had refused to use his birth name, telling Monica that he had legally changed his last name to 'the Clown'. She didn't know what to believe anymore. Her life was full of deceit. What difference would one more lie make?
"Oh God, this is disgusting" Monica muttered while rising out of her bed, glancing at a heavily snoring CoCo. Her room was a wreck. CoCo awakened from his deep sleep. Empty wine and beer bottles haphazardly were thrown across the room. Monica had lost her interest in cleaning some time ago. Ever since CoCo had starting drinking seriously, it became harder and harder for her to cope. Circus attendances had been down for several years now and CoCo was only too keen to take his anger out on Monica.
"What are you looking at? Get outta here!" CoCo yelled at Monica. His face paint was smeared across his face, his bright green curly wig sloping at an odd angle, and his red nose hanging around his head by some lose string.
Shutting the door quietly, Monica began to think to herself.
"God, if 10 years ago, I'd have known that Chandler would be killed by an elephant and I'd end up married to an abusive, alcoholic clown, I'd have killed myself". She began to seriously contemplate that suggestion. She was no mother to Lily now. Cybil had left some time ago, apparently having moved to Nevada. Monica was seriously worried about her, having heard that she was already pregnant. But what could she do, there was no way in which she could contact her.
Walking downstairs, the phone rang; Monica reluctantly answered.
"Hey Mon, it's Rachel! I was wondering if you'd like to have lunch later? I'm in the area and would love to stop by".
"Ah, Rach, I'd love to see you but I don't know if today's a good time for me". Since Chandler's death, Monica had kept only perfunctory contact with Rachel who still didn't know about CoCo.
"No way. Come on. Me and Ross are really worried about you Mon".
"There's no need to be worried about me Rachel, honestly. I'm settled now. I re-married since Chandler's.death" Monica wondered why she was suddenly confessing this secret to her friend who she hadn't spoken to so long. She accounted it to their past familiarities but was relieved by the feeling that finally telling people about CoCo gave her.
"Who did you marry then? Is it someone we know?" asked Rachel excitedly.
"His name is CoCo".
"CoCo? What kind of name is that?" Rachel replied.
"This is why I didn't tell you people. CoCo is a wonderful man. Since Chandler's passing he's been there for me. His first wife was killed by Airy the elephant too. He related to me at a time when no-one else could. We had candlelight dinners, and sure people would stare at his clown outfits, but when I was with him, I didn't care" Monica's voice was full with emotion.
"Oh God. Look, sweetie, I have to go. But I'm going to call you soon I promise. Me, Ross and the kids will come visit, I have to now".
"Oh, OK. Great. Bye". Monica hung up. She didn't want Rachel to see her life as it was now. Telling her about it was one thing, but for her to physically see her unhappiness and misery was quite another.
CoCo came down the stairs so loudly Monica was shaking. His clown feet making an irritating flopping noise with each step. Looking at him she didn't want to know who she was more disgusted with: him or herself.
"I heard the phone. Who was it?" screamed CoCo
"It was no-one" replied Monica, trying to adopt a calm front.
"Was that the circus? Do they want another tour. Tell me!" CoCo threw Monica against the sink, smashing two glasses at the same time.
"It wasn't the circus, I promise" said Monica, mascara running down her face. CoCo stormed out of the house, barely remembering to pick up his pink satin overcoat and floppy hat.
"CoCo please, don't leave" she shouted although without any genuine feeling. The door slammed hard, shaking the entire house. Monica walked across to see CoCo leave, catching a glimpse of her pathetic self in the mirror, her aged face bruised and joyless. She was glad that her daugher Lily was staying at her friend's house so that for once at least, she would be spared seeing her father's rage. She hated the life that she had provided for Lily and Cybil. If only Chandler were here, how different things would be. Rachel's call had made her realise that her and CoCo were no longer fit parents. If they were no longer in their care, Rachel and Ross could give the kind of care that Lily deserved as she was rapidly approaching college age. With that thought in her head, Monica grabbed her car keys and left the house.
After a surprisingly short time, Monica pulled up at her destination. The big top. This place that had ended her first marriage, this place so full of former happiness. The area was deserted. She saw a bearded lady simply known as IT that wandered around the circus, looking aimless, quoting bizarre poetry. Monica avoided eye contact with her, and walked into the main circus area. There she saw the trapeze and remembered that night with Chandler five years ago, the happiness that it had originally created for them, and then the bitter misery that soon followed. Her life subsequently had been so unhappy. Lily was approaching the age when she would leave home like her sister Cybil and for the time being, Rachel and Ross could provide better care and support for her.
Monica walked up to the trapeze. She no longer wanted to live her 'life' with CoCo, seeing nothing but misery in her future. She slowly climbed the trapeze ladder, just wanting to end her pain, misery and suffering. Finally she reached the top, looking down at the empty arena. She exhaled deeply. And then suddenly she wasn't in control of her own body. Memories of happiness suddenly flooded her mind. Colors streamed into her consciousness. And then, silence.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
At Monica's now former residence, the telephone rang impatiently. For Monica's wayward daughter Cybil was desperate to return. She hated all that CoCo had inflicted upon her mother, the wreck that she had become, and would do anything to seek revenge. Anything.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=