Thursday 21 February 2008

A play: Expensive Parenting (To Atusa)

(I took this photo in Cheshire, UK, 2007)

(Scene, A bedroom with a door at the back, on the right corner, leading to the hallway. On the same side there is a built in wardrobe covering the wall. On the opposite side, a double bed is positioned against the wall in the middle. Two small bedside tables, each with a lamp on, are placed on sides of the bed. In the left-hand wall a big window dressed with a pair of flowery pattern curtains meeting in the middle. An exercise bike is positioned next to the window and is covered with clothes. The floor is covered with a beige carpet partly covered with a small red rug in the middle. It is early morning.

The mother is sitting on the bed, resting her back against the headboard. On the bedside table near her there is a coffee stained mug placed in an empty plate. She is in her pyjamas and is typing away on her laptop which is placed on a pillow on her stretched out legs. Her eyes are red, she is yawning. A crying sound is heard from the hall way. Enters the daughter with tearful eyes, sobbing.)

MOTHER (with a worried look, whilst putting the laptop away) What is it? Are you hurt?

DAUGHTER MUM...! Tooth fairy has forgotten all about me!

MOTHER (she remembers) What? Oh God! Tooth fairy? I forg…Don’t cry (she seats her down beside herself on the bed). Maybe tooth fairy had too much to do last night? I am sure she comes tonight. You’ll see.

DAUGHTER No! No! You don’t understand. Tooth fairy always comes on the first night. Everyone knows that. She is not going to come. I am the only person in my class that she has forgotten about.

MOTHER (looking guilty) Don’t worry, honey. Not all tooth fairies are the same, just like humans, we are all different. This one might prefer to come on the second night. (She thinks for a second, her eyes sparkle) I know! Tooth fairy is waiting for you to wash your hands and face. I don’t think she likes to see children crying. Why don’t you wash your face and then recheck under your pillow?

(DAUGHTER looked puzzled, but leaves the room hesitantly)

(MOTHER in an anxious way, she looks around, throws a jacket on the floor and finds her hardback hanging from the handle of the exercise bike. She takes her purse out of the bag and empties its content on the bed, in a panic. She realizes that she has no coin. She grabs a £20 note and runs out of the room. A few seconds latter she is back. She looks pale and panting. She sits on the corner of the bed and starts putting the content of her purse away)

DAUGHTER (from outside the room she is shouting, YES, YES! She enters with a big smile on her face.) Mum you were right. Tooth fairy was waiting for me to wash my face. Look mum, look! She has given me lots of money, not coins like what she has given to my friends. Look!

MOTHER (sigh in relief, and hugs her daughter) I know honey, I know. I told you; this fairy is different!

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