kiddos

alrighty, here's my one act. it's super long. just try not to fall asleep while reading it (if you can).

Scene I
(A big room full of rows of cot-like beds. Jean, Gus, and Lizzy are standing in front of two empty beds. On each bed, there is a pillow sitting on top of a folded sheet and blanket. There are duffle bag, and two children’s backpacks on the floor.)

Jean: Alright now kiddos, it’s time to get out of those clothes and get ready for bed.

(Lizzy and Gus sit down on the floor and start to take off their shoes. Jean starts to unfold the covers and make the beds.)

Lizzy: I can’t get mine off. It’s stuck.
Gus: I’ll do it. (Lizzy puts her feet on Gus’ lap. Gus unties the laces and takes off her shoes.) See Lizzy, you have to untie your shoes first. That makes it easier.
Lizzy: But I don’t know how to tie it back. And if it’s not tied, my shoes will fall off.
Gus: I can teach you how to tie your shoes.
Lizzy: Uh uhn. I can’t tie my shoes.
Gus: Yes you can. I’ll show you how.
Lizzy: But it’s too hard. Mama, tell him I can’t do it.
Jean: That’s what you said when Gus taught you how to swing by yourself. But you learned, didn’t you? And now, no one has to push you when you swing.
Lizzy: But it’s different.
Jean: That’s right, it is different. Now, you’re bigger, and stronger, and smarter. So learning to tie your shoes will be a piece of cake. (Finishing making the beds) All finished. Lizzy, you’re sleeping with me, and Gus, you get a bed all to yourself. I want you both to practice your math for a little while, then I’ll read you a story before you go to sleep.
Gus: Mama? How come we don’t go to school?
Jean: You do have school. With me.
Gus: I mean real school. With real teachers. I miss my friends from my old school. How come I had to leave?
Jean: I know you miss your friends and your old school. But you have to have home schooling with me for a little while. Just until…things get settled.
Gus: I’m tired of moving. When do we get to go back home?
Jean: We’re not going back home, not to that home. We’re going to find a new one.
Gus: But we’ve been to a bunch of places already. Why can’t we stay in one of those?
Jean: Because those…they weren’t good enough. We’re looking for the perfect house. And when we find it, I promise, you’ll be back with your friends, in real school, with a real teacher. And you’ll have lots of real homework to do.
Lizzy: Mama. Where is Daddy? How come he doesn’t have to move like we do?
Jean: (slightly hesitant) Daddy is moving, too. He’s looking for the perfect house just like we are. He’s just looking in different places. If we split up, we can cover more ground, look at more houses.
Lizzy: How come we have to look with you? I wanna look for a house with Daddy.
(Jean is hurt. She doesn’t know what to say.)
Gus: Mama’s better than Daddy. Mama is nice. Daddy is mean. He’s always yelling at us. And ‘member that time I broke the plate? It was a accident, but Daddy got mad anyway and—
Jean: (Cutting off Gus, changing the subject) You know what, kiddos, you don’t have to practice math tonight if you don’t want to. Why don’t I just read you the story?
Gus: I don’t want you to read.
Jean: Alright. How about you read it? Lizzy likes that voices you do better than mine anyway.
Gus: I don’t want to. I want to go to bed.
Jean: Ok…Let just go to bed then.
Lizzy: Nooo. I want a story.
Jean: Lizzy, you’re brother’s right. We should get to sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow. Gus: Come on, Lizzy. Let’s go brush our teeth. (They both dig in their backpacks searching for their toothbrushes.)
Jean: Do you remember where the bathroom is? I can take you.
Gus: You don’t have to. I know where it is.
Jean: Okay. Make sure you brush well. I don’t want you getting any cavities.
Gus and Lizzy stand. Before they walk away…

Jean: Gus. Come here, kiddo. (Pause. Reaching for his arm, gently.) How’s your arm?
Gus: It’s fine.
Jean: All better? (He nods “yes”) Good. Good. Bet you’re glad to have that cast off. (Pause) Alright, go ahead and get your teeth brushed.
Gus: Mama.
Jean: Yeah, kiddo?
Gus: You can read us a story if you want.
Scene II

Some time has passed since the previous scene. It’s morning. Jean is holding Gus and Lizzy’s hands. The children have on their backpacks on. Jean is walking quickly, and the children are trying their best to keep up.

Lizzy: Why are we walking so fast?
Jean: I don’t want you to be late.
Gus: Late to what? Where are we going?
Jean: It’s a surprise.
Lizzy: Are we going to see the doctor? Last time when we went, I got a shot, and I didn’t even cry. And the doctor, he gave me a sticker because I was a big girl. Remember that Gus? And they took your cast off. And you got a sticker, too.
Gus: We’re not going to the doctor. This isn’t where the doctor is. (Pause. He looks around and realizes where they are). We’re by my school! Mama, are we going to school?
Jean: (smiling) Maybe.
Gus: We are! Lizzy, we’re going to school!
They reach the front of the school and stop walking. Jean kneels to speak the Lizzy and Gus. She fixed their clothes, hair, etc. as she speaks.

Jean: Alright, kiddos. You two be good at school. I talked to your teachers. So they know why you’ve been absent, and they know you’ll be back today. After school, meet me in our old meeting place. Do you remember where that is?
Gus: At the bench by the front door.
Jean: That’s right. The bench by the front door. I’ll be waiting there when you get out.
Gus: Mama, since we’re back in real school, does that mean you found the perfect house?
Jean: Not yet, kiddo, but we’re close. Hopefully, we won’t have to move around as much anymore, though.
Lizzy: What about Daddy? When do we get to see him?
Jean: You will. You’ll get to see Daddy again. Just, not yet.
Gus: Do we have to live with Daddy? Can’t we find our own house? And Daddy find his own?
Jean: We’ll talk about it later. Okay? You should get inside before the bell rings. (She kisses them both on the forehead) Be nice. Learn a lot. Have fun. I’ll see you later, kiddos.
Scene III
The following take place simultaneously on different parts of the stage. Jean is sitting across a table or desk from Phoebe. Gus and Simian are sitting in chairs facing each other. Phoebe and Simian both have a notepad, a folder, and a pen. During their conversations, they occasionally take notes.

Simian: Hi Gus. My name is Simian. Do you know why you’re here with me? (Gus shakes his head “no”). I want to ask you some questions about things at home.
Phoebe: La Casa de las Madres is different from other women’s shelters. We allow you to live here for up to four months. We offer services that help you find permanent housing. We also have workshops for women like yourself who’ve been out of the workforce for some time and are trying to re-enter. We also help you enroll your children in schools in the area. Let’s see, you said you’ve been homeless for four months? Have your children been out of school that whole time?
Jean: They have been, but I took them to school today. It’s their first day back.
Gus: The last time me and Lizzy went to school before today was before winter break. I remember because on the last day of school my teacher let us have a party. Then it was break time. And then, a little bit after Christmas, we moved from our old house.
Simian: And where did you go when you moved?
Jean: I left my husband just after Christmas. We’d been married eleven years. It was great at first, but then…I just couldn’t do it anymore. I had to get my children away from him.
Phoebe: Do you plan on returning to your husband?
Gus: We’re going to live with my Daddy again. Mama said that when she finds the perfect house, we’re gonna live with Daddy again.
Simian: Tell me about your dad. Do he and your mom get along?
Jean: I just want to get away from him. Take Gus and Lizzy and start over.
Simian: What about you and your sister? Do the two of you get along with your dad?
Gus: Sometimes. Lizzy likes him. But sometimes he’s mean to me.
Simian: How is he mean to you?
Gus: I don’t know…Like this one time, I was helping Mama with the dishes, and I dropped a plate. It was a accident. I said I was sorry. Mama said it was okay. Daddy got mad at me anyway.
Simian: Did you get in trouble?
Gus: Yeah. He hurt my arm. Mama told him to let me go, but he didn’t listen. I had to get a cast. It was a green one. Green is my favorite color. The only people that signed it were Mama and Lizzy, though. I was gonna have my friends at school sign it, too. But we didn’t go back school.
Jean: That was the last time he was going to hurt any of us. I packed our bags, and we left the next day.
Phoebe: Leaving is always the hardest part, and you’ve done that. You and your children want to start over. That’s exactly what we’re here to help you do.
Jean: Thank you so much. The past few months have been so hard. It’s such a relief not to have to worry about where we’re going to sleep the next night.
Phoebe: It’s no problem, really. We’re here to help. If you’re ready, I can show you to your room.
Scene IV
School office. There is a counter but no one behind it. It is after school, a while after the final bell has rung. Jean enters worried, impatient, and slightly irritated.

Jean: Excuse me! Is anyone here? (A secretary walks out.) Excuse me, sir. I’m looking for my son and daughter. They were supposed to meet me outside after school. I waited, but they never came out. I checked with their teachers, and apparently they were both called to the office and never went back to class.
Secretary: What are your children’s names?
Jean: Lizzy and Gus.
Secretary: (Looks through papers, finds their names) Gus and Lizzy Brooks? Is that them?
Jean: Yes. That’s them. Where are they?
Secretary: Just a moment ma’am. (The Secretary exits and then returns) Someone will be out in a second to talk to you.
The Secretary exits. Simian enters. Reaches to shake Jean’s hand.
Simian: Hi. Are you Jean Brooks, Gus and Lizzy’s mother?
Jean: Yes. Who are you?
Simian: I’m Simian. I’m with Child Protective Services. Do you have a moment to talk?
Jean: Where are Gus and Lizzy?
Simian: We can talk about Gus and Lizzy. If you’d like to sit— (she doesn’t sit)
Jean: Tell me where they are.
Simian: Mrs. Brooks, some things have been brought to our attention, and we’re concerned about the welfare of your children.
Jean: They’re fine. I take care of my children. I don’t need anyone checking up on me.
Simian: You’ve been homeless for the past few months. Is that true?
Jean: Yes… I left my husband. Since then we’ve been moving around a lot. But I’ve found a place for us to stay.
Simian: Will you be staying with your husband?
Jean: No! I’m not going back to him.
Simian: You children seem to be under the impression that you are.
Jean: I’m not. I just haven’t told them yet. I mean, how do you tell your children that they’re never going to see their father again? (pause) The place we’re staying is called La Casa de las Madres. It’s a shelter. They’re going to help me find a house. And I’m going to find a job.
Simian: You’re unemployed?
Jean: Well, yes. After I had Gus, I took time off work, and then Lizzy was born. I always planned on going back to work. I just haven’t yet.
Simian: (sensing Jean’s uneasiness) Mrs. Brooks. You can relax. Maybe you’d like to sit now. (Simian goes to a chair and sits. Jean hesitates and then sits in a chair next to Simian.) It’s not my job to scare you. I can see that you care about Gus and Lizzy and that you’re looking out for their best interest. I talked to them, and they’re both bright kids. I just wonder what this kind of life will do to them.
Jean: What do you mean? I told you already, I’ve found a place for us to stay.
Simian: Another shelter.
Jean: (getting angry) So what if it’s another shelter? It’s better than living in the streets or with their father.
Simian: All I’m saying is that kids need a home, a stable environment where they can grow up.
Jean: I know what my children need. And I think I can handle raising them.
Simian: I’m sure you can. But it’s important that your children be safe—
Jean: Do you have children?
Simian: I have a nephew.
Jean: I didn’t ask that. I asked if you had children. A son? A daughter?
Simian: No.
Jean: I didn’t think so. And I don’t expect you to understand, well, anything. Do you think I wanted this? I left my husband with nothing and with nowhere to go. I didn’t plan it out. We just left. I thought it would be easier. I’m a mother with two children. Who would deny me help? Well, I quickly found out the answer to that question: friends, family. So we went from shelter to shelter. Most of them were no place for women and children, but we had no choice. Sometimes I held Gus and Lizzy’s hands while they slept. It was like I didn’t want them get away. Other times, I’d stay awake and watch them as they slept, just to make sure nothing happened to them. (Pause) I don’t want this for them.
Simian: Mrs. Brooks, I’ve heard a lot about La Casa. Apparently it’s a really good place. I’m sure they’ll help you get your life together. Lizzy and Gus will be fine, and it seems like they’re in good hands. I asked them to wait in an office in the back. It’s always better if I can talk to parents without the children around. I’ll go get them.
Jean: Don’t get them. They’re not coming with me.
Simian: (realizing what she means) Mrs. Brooks, I’m not here to take your children from you.
Jean: No. You were right. This kind of life isn’t for them. They deserve better.
Simian: I can only imagine how difficult life must be right now, but things will get better as soon as you’re settled.
Jean: And as soon as I’m settled I’ll take them back. I want to make sure I can provide for them the way that I want to. Until then, just tell them I’m still looking for the perfect house.