Hu Re Lun 胡瑞倫

Childish

Characters

Mom – a housewife, 35 years old

Dad – an engineer of a computer company, 37 years old

Jacky – a student, 9 years old

Baby – a newborn baby

Curtain

(It is a small and lovely house.  On the stage, in the left are a kitchen and a dining table; in the right is a living room with sofas and a television.  Between the dining table and the living room stands a fish tank.)

(Lights on the side of the kitchen and the dining table.)

(In the kitchen, Mom is preparing for dinner.  Dad enters the stage from the right side.  He just comes home from work.  Little baby is sleeping in the basket beside the dinning table.)

Mom  Hey, honey.  Thank god.  You’re finally home.  It’s almost six.  I have called you so many times.  Why didn’t you answer the phone?

Dad  (Looks tired, laying the suitcase on the sofa.  He goes into the kitchen and takes a look at the baby.)  I was driving.  (He lifts his head up, looking at Mom.)  You’ve got all dressed up.  What’s special today?  Are we going out for a meal?

Mom  No, you’re not.  You have to stay at home taking care of children.

Dad  Why?  (Makes a cup of coffee, sitting at the dining table.)

Mom  We have discussed this the other days.

Dad  Where are you going? 

Mom  (Still busy in fixing the dinner.)  Emma’s wedding anniversary.

Dad  Which Emma?

Mom  The one with red glasses and red hair all the time.

Dad  Oh…. That red Emma.  (With a despising expression on his face.)

Mom  Don’t laugh at her.  She is a nice person.

Dad  Yeah, and always popular with freaks.  I remember she once wore socks and shoes all in different colors.  She is such a strange human being.

Mom  I don’t want to continue this topic.  I’m kind of in a hurry.  Don’t forget to take a shower for the baby.  Dinner is well prepared on the table.  Use the microwave when you are hungry.  And remember to check Jacky’s assignment before he goes to bed.  I’ll come back at about nine thirty.  If you have any problem, call me.

Dad  Dinner, baby, shower, and ….  (Confused and trying hard to memorize all the stuff.)

Mom  And the dishes.  You are supposed to do the dishes this week, but you haven’t done any.

Dad  Do the dishes?  (Glances at the sink.)  All of them!  Could I make Jacky do that?  He is mature enough to share responsibility for housework.

(Hearing a car’s horn, Mom looks out through the window.)

Mom  OK, I’ve got to go.

Dad  Who is picking you up?

Mom  Landy.

Dad  Landy is also going to the party.  Does freak Emma invites all her classmates?

Mom  Maybe.

Dad  Then Kevin is also on her invitation list?

Mom  Maybe.  Why ask?

Dad  You mean Kevin, the guy who hung out with you in senior high, will be at the party as well?

Mom  I don’t know.  Despite so, it’s no big deal.

Dad  (Speaks sensitively.)  You just said “no big deal?”  You guys hung out together.  And now you say that it is no big deal?

Mom  I don’t get your point.  There is nothing between Kevin and I.  Besides, now I am your wife.  Relax, OK?

(Jacky enters the stage from the right side.  He comes home from school.)

(Soft lights on the living room.)

Jacky  Daddy, Mommy, I’m home.

(Dad leaves the dining table to the living room with some cookies in one hand.)

Dad  Hi, my good boy.  Cookies?

Jacky  (Gets the cookies.)  Daddy.  Where is Mommy?  I want to watch the cartoon.  I have missed it last week.  Can I watch TV?

Dad  Sure.  But promise me that you will finish your homework before dinner.
Jacky  Yes, sir.  (Cheerfully.)  Hurray!

(Mom comes out, seeing Jacky watching TV.)

Mom  Jacky.  How many times have I warned you?  Not to watch TV before you finish today’s homework.

Jacky  Daddy say I can watch TV before….

Mom  (Turns to Dad.)  Why do you always let him have his own way?  (Dad does not pay much attention to what Mom says.  Mom becomes a little annoyed and turns to Jacky.)  Turn off the TV and do your homework.

Jacky  But ….

Mom  (Gets irritated and yells out.)  RIGHT NOW.

(Jacky reluctantly turns off the TV and starts to do his homework.)

Dad  You really don’t have to get so mad at the kid.

Mom  Never try to blame on me.  Think about yourself.  You are the father.  You should teach him to do the right thing at the right time.

Dad  Me?  Why not think about yourself?  Being a mother, you should not leave your children at home and go to a party and have fun.

Jacky  (Doing his homework.)  F-I-G-H-T, fight!

Mom  DO your homework.  Not READ.

(Jacky then keeps quiet with an innocent face.)

Dad  Here comes again.

Mom  What?  (Impatient.)

Dad  You like to make everyone and everything under your control.  Everyone should follow your orders and rules.  Once we do things in our own way, you accuse us of not doing the right thing.

(Little baby starts crying.)

Jacky  Mommy, Mommy, Baby is crying in the kitchen.

Mom  OK, then, as you want, I will do nothing.  I’ll leave it to you, and we’ll see how you handle all the stuff in your own way.

Dad  Wait.  The baby….  You can’t….  (Tries to cover his worry.)

Mom  I’m going to the party.  Landy has waited for me for a long while.

Dad  Alright.  Go and date with your dear Kevin.

Jacky  Who is Kevin, Daddy?

Mom  It’s not your business.  DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

Dad  (Imitates a tender voice of women.)  Kevin. 

Mom  Stop talking in that way.

Dad  (Still imitating the voice.)  Dear Kevin.

Mom  I don’t want to talk to you anymore.  You’re so childish.

Dad  (Imitates the way Mom talks.)  You’re so childish.

Mom  No.  You are.

Dad  No.  You are.

Mom  Not me.  You are.

Dad  Not me. 

Both  (Yells to each other.)  YOU ARE.

Jacky  (Doing his homework.)  C-H-I-L-D-I-S-H, CHILDISH.

(There is silence at the moment.  Mom and Dad turn to Jacky and stare at him.  The baby is still crying out loud.)

(Lights fade out.)

Curtain

(Lights fade out.)

Curtain