FEBRUARY 9, 2015
Two
women in their thirties enter. A beautiful child in tow, she holds the hand of the taller, blonder
woman. The child bears a striking similar to her. The mother removes her daughter’s coat
revealing a magical outfit. A unicorn on the front of the blue shirt, it's surrounded by an iridescent glow. A long, purple taffeta
tutu float over the matching leggings. Her long blonde hair hanging down her back
in waves, the seven-year-old looks like a princess out of a fairy tale. After the
two women buy their lattes, they take a seat at a table.
Little
Girl: Is daddy really coming?
Mother:
Yes, I’ve already told you he is. Now sit down and shut up.
Little
Girl: Daddy’s coming! Daddy’s coming!
Mother:
Didn’t I just say to shut up? *addressing woman* God, she’s so loud. All the
time, she just shouts. It’s so annoying.
Little
Girl: *in soft tone* Mommy?
Mother:
*ignoring daughter* I mean, I get a headache from her every single day. Why
can’t children just behave like adults? It’d be so much simpler. *laughter*
Little
Girl: *raising volume* Mommy.
Woman
#2: I suppose that would be easier. If they were adults, we could talk about plays—like
the one we just saw this weekend.
Mother:
Oh, my, that was good! The acting was superb and the music, well, I quite
thought that—
Little
Girl: *screaming* Mommy!
Mother:
Oh, dear God! Stop screaming! Now what do you want?
Little
Girl: When's daddy coming?
Mother:
*glancing at her watch* He should be here. *addressing second woman* He’s
always late! Always! If I tell him 5:30, he arrives at 6:00! Todd? Where are
you? We’re waiting? *pauses* Well, hurry up. *hangs up phone*
Little
Girl: Is he coming?
Mother:
I said YES, now shut up! Where was I, oh, the play … well, I think it should win the Tony this year.
Woman
#2: I think so, too. It’s undoubtedly the best play I’ve seen and—
Little
Girl: *escalating from soft to loud* Mommy? Mommy. MOMMY!
Mother:
Now what?!
Little
Girl: Can I have Minerva, please? *mother angrily digs through bag and shoves a
stuffed unicorn into her daughter’s arms.
Mother:
God, children are so annoying. I can’t wait until she’s in college! *more
laughter*
Little
Girl: Daddy! *she screams as she jumps up and runs to the tall, handsome,
suited man entering* *she flings out her arms to give him a hug and be picked
up* *he puts hands on hips and scrutinizes her instead*
Father:
What the hell do you have on?
Little
Girl: *looks down at shirt* *tugs on it and smiles* My magical shirt! See! It’s
got sequins!
Father:
Those are pajamas! PAJAMAS! You look ridiculous!
Little
Girl: *smile goes away* *looks down at floor* *becomes uncomfortable*
Father:
Who dressed you? Who put that on you?
Little
Girl: *whispers* I did, Daddy. I picked it out—for you. I thought it was
pretty.
Father:
I think it’s stupid and you look like a jerk, that’s what I think! Your mother
said it was okay for you to wear that out? *daughter is silent* We’ll see about
this. *grabs her by her hand and marches her to her mother’s table* What the
hell? You let her wear pajamas out? She looks like a clown! A fool! What kind
of mother lets there child wear pajamas outside?
Mother:
She said she wanted to wear them.
Father:
Well, she looks stupid! *kneels down, his hands smother his child’s small
shoulders* You want to look stupid, is that it? Well, you do! *laughs* What a
clown! *sits down at table* *addresses mother* Well, at least you two look
nice. Did you lose a little weight?
Mother:
Why, yes, I did. I’ve been going to the gym and—
Little
Girl: Daddy. Daddy? DADDY!
Father:
Stop screaming in my ear.
Mother:
I’ve told her to stop doing that. Maybe she’ll listen when she’s twenty-one.
I’ll just have to endure it until then.
Little
Girl: *in normal tone* Daddy?
Father:
What? What do you want?
Little
Girl: *takes paper out of pocket* I wanted to show you something I made in
school. It’s a drawing and—
Father:
I don’t want to look at a drawing—I want to talk to your mother. *father and
mother continue conversation about going to gym*
Little
Girl: *turns to second woman* Aunt Jane, can I show you?
Woman
#2: *smiles broadly* Sure, you can show me. Now let’s go to another table so we
can talk. *little girl smiles* *dances around as she’s led to empty table*
*they engage in animated conversation about picture*as divorced couple begin to bicker
