11 June 2015

PROMPT:  A family is at the dining table. Someone comes to the door with a message that will change all their lives forever. 

Kent Cole, guitarist 

Jim, 45, and Katy, 45, sit on a sofa.  A car door slam is heard.
JIM
(standing)
That’s them.
Jim walks off stage.  A knock is heard.
JIM (O.S.)
Come on in, ya’ll.
Katy stands.  Randy, 45, comes in with a teenage girl, 15, Brittney.  She is wide eyed, clings to a stuffed animal and looks terrified.  Jim follows.  Randy and Brittney stop just after coming on stage.
RANDY
This is Brittney.
Jim steps over to Brittney and offers his hand.  Brittney takes a half step back behind Randy, but then shakes hands.
JIM
Brittney, I’m glad to meet you, my name is Jim.
BRITTNEY
(softly)
Glad to meet you.
Katy comes over and offers her hand.  Brittney and Katy shake.
KATY
I’m Katy, Brittney.  Welcome to our home.
JIM
(to Brittney)
Your home.
BRITTNEY
(to Randy)
Is this where I’m going to stay now?
RANDY
Yes.
JIM
Is Brittney’s luggage out in your car?
RANDY
Yes.
JIM
I’ll go get it.
Jim exits.
KATY
(unsure)
Um, Brittney, how old are you?
BRITTNEY
Fifteen.
KATY
And what grade are you in?
BRITTNEY
Ninth.
Jim reenters carrying two bulging black garbage bags.
JIM
(slightly incredulous)
Is this it?
RANDY
Yea.
Jim sets the bags down.
KATY
Would you like to see your room?
BRITTNEY
I have room?
KATY
Sure.  Let’s go see it.
Katy holds out her hand.  Brittney takes it.
BRITTNEY
Ok.
Brittney and Katy exit.
RANDY
(taking a large plastic ziplock bag out of the top of one of the garbage bags with three prescription pill bottles inside and handing it to Jim)
These are her meds.
JIM
Jeez, Randy.
RANDY
She’s got... issues.
JIM
Don’t we all.
RANDY
Serious issues.
JIM
If my mother and father didn’t want me, I’d have serious issues too, but why was she in a Residential Treatment Facility.
RANDY
Anger, defiance.
JIM
So... teenage stuff.
RANDY
Rage.  The last foster home she was in, she broke stuff, hit a couple of kids.  Since you don’t have any other kids...
Silence.
JIM
Trash bags?
RANDY
(sighing)
I hate it, but that’s standard foster care luggage.
JIM
Really bolsters their self image.
Silence.
RANDY
She wets the bed nearly every night.
JIM
(nodding and holding up the baggy of pills)
If I was doped to the gills, I’d probably wet the bed every night as well.
RANDY
It’s how the Residential Treatment Facilities maintain control of out of control teenagers.
JIM
(disgusted)
Yea.
Katy comes back in.
KATY
She’s rearranging the furniture in her room.
RANDY
Already?  Are you... okay with that?
KATY
The young lady hasn’t had control of anything in her life for a long, long...
RANDY
... years.
KATY
If rearranging her room gives her a little sense of ownership...
Silence.
RANDY
Anything else ya’ll need?
KATY
I think that will do it.
RANDY
I’m going to go say goodbye to her.
Randy exits.
JIM
It’s weird.
KATY
I know.
JIM
She could be one of ours.
KATY
Like one of our daughters got lost at birth.
JIM
Weird.
End of play.