Apr 25, 2018

An Honest Answer

AN AFTERNOON ON THE DECK

A one-act (true) play

Cast

NICOLE, a mom - as herself

MEADOW, a daughter, almost three - as herself

HAAKEN, a son (in utero, one week from his debut) - as himself

JAZZY, a dog - as herself

GRANDPA - as himself

Setting

The sun is shining. JAZZY is lying on a final remnant of what was surely the last snowfall of the 10-month winter of 2017-18. She enjoys the throw rug-sized cool spot and watches as MEADOW picks up rocks and comments on each one: such as, “Look Grandpa, a big rock! A monster!” NICOLE relaxes, as her daughter and father afford her a brief break. Moments before, she asked MEADOW to not drop rocks into the fountain bird bath. MEADOW promised she wouldn’t drop rocks into the “drain” (to be fair, the long, hard winter has left the bird bath looking more like a drain than a fountain). HAAKEN is no doubt listening intently, studying the family dynamics. GRANDPA, full of love and pride, watches and listens and laughs …

Act I, Scene I

MEADOW: [Sweet, but firm] Go away Mommy.

NICOLE: [With mock pathos] You want me to go away?

MEADOW: Yes.

NICOLE: But why?

MEADOW: So you don’t see me drop a rock in the drain.

Exeunt.

Afterward

More time on the deck. At one point NICOLE says to MEADOW, “Maybe Grandma and Grandpa will take you to a movie sometime. Would you like that?” To which MEADOW replies, “Maybe Grandma too, she has hands and arms.” Later, inside, to the tune of the Jeopardy theme song, MEADOW sings, “Grandpa Grandpa, Grandpa Gramp. Grandpa Grandpa, GRAM-pa Gramp.”