[yet another] small play
Venue: Landfill Neighborhood Theatre
Characters: Little Girl On Bike With Purple Helmet (LGOBWPH), Kayak Woman (KW)
Scene: KW chugging along through the schoolyeard in the late afternoon, her brain aswirl: “Will I get that gazillion page document published by this Frday?” “How fast can I put together a lasagne when I get home?” “Which horse will I pick in the Kain-tucky Derby?” “How will I ever get the Landfill Dungeon dredged out?” Etc.
Act I and Only
LGOBWPH [enthuiastically]: Hi!
KW [tentatively]: hi
LGOBWPH [more enthuiastically]: HI!!!!
KW [mustering strength and fortitude]: Hi!
LGOBWPH: I have my helmet on!
KW: Good for you! That’s a beautiful helmet.
LGOBWPH: (long confusing story about little sister and mom and “Rachel” and “Rachel’s dad”).
[KW scans the schoolyard for *any* adult that might be connected with LGOBWPH but only sees Neil and his dog and they are definitely *not* connected with LGOBWPH. Unless Neil has a secret family but KW highly doubts that.]
KW [tentatively, hoping she doesn’t have to get, uh, involved in helping LGOBWPH find her mom or her little sister or “Rachel” or “Rachel’s dad”]: Well, do you know where your mom is?
LGOBWPH [very enthusiastically]: YES!!!!
KW [convinced that LGOBWPH is not lost and therefore trying to make a quick escape]: Oh, okay then.
LGOBWPH [not finished with KW yet]: Are you here to exercise?
KW: !!!
THE END
P.S. I chose Atomic Rain for my horse. Why? Because I liked the name. I *almost* chose the name of the winner Mine That Bird. I chose my horse at 6:10 PM. It’s a good thing I never bet money on anything, isn’t it?
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Interesting that LGOBWPH was riding around all alone or at least it appears as though she was. When we were kids, we could go all over the place and grown ups did not think that it was unusual. Two of my grandsons live next to the school, and I have been told that the are not allowed (by law) to be in the school yard without a parent or guardian. I don’t think that it is a liability issue either. Just too many crazy people around. Well anyhow, I’m glad that you met a new friend that you can “exercise” with!
May 3rd, 2009 at 7:17 am
Yeah – a sad sign of the time, I’m afraid… I, too, used to bike all over the place (usually in the company of my best friend). Heck, we’d be waaaaay out in the “country” where it was all farm fields, then ALL over that booming burg of Essexville (LOL). AND without helmets (um, I don’t even think they MADE bike helmets back then!!).
Then again, traffic of the ’60s was a mere fraction of the volume of today… and what used to be farms & fields in the Township has all been (ahem) “developed”.
May 3rd, 2009 at 7:57 am
I didn’t *truly* believe the kid was lost. There was another little bike there that probably belonged to her sister, who was supposed to stay with LGOBWPH, according to one of the few parts of the long, confusing story that I understood. I had the sense that there were other people around where I couldn’t see them.
May 3rd, 2009 at 10:10 am
sometimes, regardless of how pushed, rushed, or loaded with things YOU have to do …………………… you just have to quit thinking and spend your time communicating with someone elses interests.
F
May 3rd, 2009 at 2:27 pm
I used to play in the woods by myself when I was little. (and ride my bike everywhere) I love the names of those horses, but I know nothing about horse racing so I would never bet either.
May 3rd, 2009 at 6:04 pm
My entire childhood was riding bikes and tromping through the woods — without parents really knowing (or caring!) where we were! It was just understood that we’d be home in time for dinner. What a difference it is now, and how sad. In many ways I feel like my kid was short-changed not having that care-free existence, and as parents we just had to be somewhat “over-protective.” Sigh.
I have ALWAYS scratched my head over the names of race horses. Just too weird. I mean, couldn’t they be a little weird but still clever in thinking up a horse’s name? I’ve been to the races once, and absolutely loved it. I have vowed to go again, but haven’t found anyone to accompany me and I wouldn’t want to go by myself. I have such amazing memories of that One Time I went (won a little, lost a little—but what an exciting experience!)