ScriptWorks 30/60/90 - 8 August 2013

Prompt:
Choose a character that interests you.  Write down something the character has never done.  Ask the character what s/he does next by saying "What comes next?" out loud.  Write down the answer.  Repeat 20 times, asking out loud each time, and trying not control the answer.-Katie Pearl, writer/director/performer

Response:
An 18 year old, Hispanic woman, JOSEFINA, sits on stage in an old dining chair at an old dining table.
She takes her phone out of her pocket.  She looks around and then dials.

JOSEFINA
Hey, girl, what’s up?

She listens an nods.

JOSEFINA
I can’t. I’m grounded.

She listens.

JOSEFINA
Shoplifting.

She listens.

JOSEFINA
I know it was stupid.  I went with my sister.  She called me a chicken.

She listens.

JOSEFINA
Well, I got caught... No, no.  They didn’t arrest me.  They just gave me a ticket.

CARLA
(off stage)
Josefina, are you on the phone?!

JOSEFINA
(shouting back)
No, ma.

CARLA
(off stage)
You think I can’t hear you talking to Rita?

JOSEFINA
(whispering)
Gotta go.

CARLA
(off stage)
I told you, you couldn’t talk on the phone.

JOSEFINA
I’m bored!

CARLA
(off stage)
Good.

JOSEFINA
What am I supposed to do?!

CARLA
(off stage)
Sit there and think about what you did.

JOSEFINA
I know what I did!  I stole some stuff!

Silence.

JOSEFINA
Why can’t I at least go to my room?!

CARLA
(off stage)
Your computer is in your room.

JOSEFINA
So!?

CARLA
(off stage)
I may not be the smartest mother on the planet, but I know you can chat with your friends on your computer.

JOSEFINA
I promise, I won’t.

CARLA
(off stage)
And I’m just supposed to trust the girl who tried steal a hundred dollars worth of tee-shirts for Hot Topic.

JOSEFINA
It was only ninety dollars.

CARLA
(off stage)
Well, then, I don’t know what I was thinking.  Let me get the car keys and drive you back to the mall!

Silence.

JOSEFINA
You’re just being mean!

CARLA
(off stage)
No!  I’m being a mother!

Silence.

JOSEFINA
I’m hungry!

CARLA
(off stage)
Dinner will be ready in an hour!

Silence.
Josefina squirms.

JOSEFINA
(quietly)
Would you like some help?

CARLA
(off stage)
What?!

JOSEFINA
(louder)
I said, would you like some help?

CARLA
(off stage)
You want to help?!

Josefina rolls her eyes.

JOSEFINA
Sure!

Silence.
CARLA
(off stage)
I’d love some help.

Josefina gets up from her chair and exits.
Curtain.