27 June 2015

PROMPT:  She was gone 19 days and when she got home she wouldn't tell anyone where she'd gone.

Steven Dietz, playwright/educator

Tom, 44, talks to his wife, Myra, 42.
TOM
What do you think we should do, Myra?
MYRA
What can we do?
TOM
We can ground her for the rest of her life.
MYRA
Unless you’re going to put her on a short leash...
TOM
(interrupting)
... and Child Protective Services is not likely to approve that.
MYRA
She’s sixteen.  If she wants to walk out the door...
TOM
We can’t watch her every minute.   She was gone nearly three weeks.
Silence.
MYRA
We don’t have to keep her.
TOM
She’s only been with us two months.
MYRA
Has it only been two months?
TOM
Besides the three weeks she was gone.
Silence.
MYRA
If she would have told us something...
TOM
Made some excuse... explanation...
MYRA
We may not have a decision to make.
TOM
What do you mean?
MYRA
CPS may decide we can’t handle her.
TOM
Can’t control her.
MYRA
They took Amanda away from our home.
TOM
And now she’s homeless.  What a good decision that was.
MYRA
They’re stuck, Tom.
TOM
I know.  If something happens...
MYRA
Sure, they’ll blame us, but CPS is ultimately responsible.
TOM
Yup.
Silence.
MYRA
What are we going to do about this one?
TOM
Give her a warning?
MYRA
CPS says we can’t tell her that if she does it again, she has to leave.
TOM
Fuck CPS.  We can’t live like this.
Silence.
MYRA
I really love her.
TOM
I know.  Me too.
End of play.