Prompt:
"We're having this family meeting because Mom..."-Kristen Gandrow, dramaturg/arts administrator
Response:
RICKI (RICHARD), 23, sits in a small chair in the corner. JESSE, 25, his sister enters.
JESSE
I can’t believe you!
RICKI
(refusing to look at Jesse)
What can’t you believe?
JESSE
That you’re still a baby.
RICKI
I’m not a baby.
JESSE
You are a baby.
RICKI
Not!
JESSE
Are!
Ricki turns his back on Jesse. Jesse sighs and goes over to Ricki. Jesse squats down next to her brother.
RICKI
I know you’re not a baby anymore.
Ricki rests his head on Jesse’s shoulder.
JESSE
You know what this means?
RICKI
It could be something else.
Ricki takes his head and gives Jesse a look.
RICKI
(insisting)
It could be!
JESSE
When else have we had...
(air quotes)
...”family meetings.”
RICKI
When you got caught sneaking into our neighbor’s daughter’s bedroom.
JESSE
I was fourteen.
RICKI
When you got caught smoking weed in the basement.
JESSE
You just didn’t get caught.
Silence.
RICKI
You know I’m right.
JESSE
(quiet, sad)
I know.
A knock on the door.
RICKI
Come in.
MAJOR THOMPSON, 48 enters. She is a handsome woman with ramrod straight posture, wearing the Army Majors uniform.
When Jesse and Ricki see Major Thompson, they stand up and stand at attention.
Major Thompson stops when she enters the room and sees Ricki and Jesse’s attitude.
MAJOR THOMPSON
(joking)
At ease.
Ricki and Jesse don’t move.
MAJOR THOMPSON
(softening)
You’re not soldiers in my company, your my children.
JESSE
And we know the drill, Mom.
RICKI
We know what it means when you call a family meeting.
JESSE
How long til you deploy?
Silence.
MAJOR THOMPSON
Three weeks.
RICKI
Shit!
Silence.
MAJOR THOMPSON
Yea. Shit.
JESSE
Where are they sending you?
Major Thompson fidgets. Ricki shakes his head in frustration.
RICKI
Afghanistan again?
MAJOR THOMPSON
I can do good there.
RICKI
You can get killed there!
JESSE
Ricki! You promised!
Silence. Ricki looks sheepish.
MAJOR THOMPSON
What did ya’ll promise?
Silence.
MAJOR THOMPSON
That you’d never mention that you knew I could get killed?
Jesse and Ricki nod.
MAJOR THOMPSON
We’re all adults here now...
JESSE
Everyone but Ricki.
Ricki pushes Jesse teasingly.
JESSE
Alright, maybe even Ricki.
MAJOR THOMPSON
We need to be honest with each other.
Ricki and Jesse look at the floor.
MAJOR THOMPSON
Even about our fears.
Ricki and Jesse look up at their mother. They are tearing up. They run to Major Thompson and cling to her like little children.
MAJOR THOMPSON
I’m scared too.
Hug.
Curtain.
No comments:
Post a Comment