Stop Interupting

A woman stands in her kitchen washing the counter. Her phone rings. She sighs, puts down her wash cloth and answers.

Woman: Hello?...Oh...no. No than...No I real...yes, fine go a hea...uh-huh...uh-huh...No. I don't think so...See I don't have the mon...no that won't be nes...Listen I'm trying to...I think you'd be better off calling some one else...Really I...Please, just...I don't want or need any of...I'm not going to buy, subscribe, join or listen anymore! Have a nice day! Goodbye!

She hangs up and sighs.

The tears of man will cease.

A young girl and her mother stand hand in hand in front of a monument with many names carved in it.

Young Girl: What are all these words?

Mother: Men's names. Ones who fought in a war.

Young Girl: Like Daddy?

Mother: Yes.

Young Girl: Will daddy get his name on a rock too?

Mother: I hope not.

Young Girl: Why not?

Mother: Because these men died.

Young Girl: Oh...[Pause] Why were the men fighting?

Mother: To make a change. For you. For me.

Young Girl: They didn't know me...

Mother: That's what makes them great, sweetie.

Cereal?

Two girls in their pajamas walk into the kitchen.

Jan: So...I have bagels, and cereal, and toast...

Fran: I like cereal.

Jan: Okay.

Jan goes to the cupboard and opens it while Fran takes a seat at the table.

Jan: So I have Honey Nut Cheerios...

Fran: Umm..I guess actually I'll have toast.

Jan holds the box of Honey Nut Cheerios and looks shocked.

Jan: Do you have a problem with honey nut cheerios!?

el concerto

Two students sit at a table. Fred is helping John with his Spanish homework. John slouches in his chair while Fred shuffles some flash cards.

Fred: Try them again. You have to know these by tomorrow.

Fred holds up the cards so that the English faces John.

John: El cereal.

Fred flips the card.

John: El meat.

Fred: No.

John: La meat.

Fred: No...

John: Well why not?

Fred: Not every Spanish word is made by putting an El or La in front of it.

John: It worked with cereal!

Fred: Well sometimes it works...

Could you help me, please?

A little sleepy eyed boy slowly peeks out his bed room door looking into the kitchen. He slowly walks into the kitchen and looks around he sees no one but sees the cookie jar on the shelf newly filled. he becomes excited and walks over to it. He reaches up but he is much too short. He looks upset. He looks around again, and still finds no one. He looks back up at the cookies. He Jumps and reaches but it far off. He tries again with the same result. And again. He becomes frustrated. He backs up and takes a running start and jumps but falls down and wines a little. He then gets up and pulls a chair over to the shelf. he climbs on to the chair and reaches but is still too short. He sits down on the chair with an impatient face and waits.

Aunts

First grade children playing outside at recess. Some commotion begins over in the dirt near the grass.

Long Haired Girl: Eeeewwww!!! I hate ants!! They are going to get me!

Nascar Shirt Boy: I'll get 'em!

He starts to stomp.

Buzz-Cut Light-up Shoes Boy: Stomp on their hill house. That'll get 'em good!

Long Haired Girl: Get them! There are so many!

Untied Shoe Pigtails Girl: STOP!

She runs toward the ant scene.

Untied Shoe Pigtails Girl: Stop stomping on those ants now! Ants are people too!

Nascar Shirt Boy: Ants aren't people!

Untied Shoe Pigtails Girl: Well stop stomping on them...or I'll stomp on you!

She raises her untied shoe up high. The Other children look slightly bewildered but walk away.

No...she wouldn't.

A young man walks down a path in a park, but ends up taking the same turns over and over again making a circle. He doesn't seem to notice. He mumbles to himself and walks at a fast pace.

Young Man: She wouldn't. She is too good for that...

He Changes direction but doesn't stray far from his circle.

Young Man: She wouldn't. We talk...she'd tell me if something...

He speeds up.

Young Man: She wouldn't. She is considerate and her reputation means something to her...She wouldn't.

Someone playing fetch with their dog throws a ball and it rolls right past his feet. He picks it up as the dog comes up to him. He holds the ball a little away from the dog and speaks reassuringly to it. Looking it right in the eyes and it looks back waiting for the ball.

Young Man: She wouldn't. She would not do that to me.

The dog cocks its head. Slowly the Young Man's shoulders drop. His face becomes soft and hurt. He hands the ball to the dog's mouth and the dog runs back to its master.

Young Man: She would.

I'm lost.

A young man walks into a shabby gas station and goes up to the counter looking a little sheepishly at the Counter Man who is wearing a too small shirt under a too small brown leather vest.

Young Man: Could you tell me how to get to the Pemberly Hall? I seem to have missed it...

Counter Man: Uhyupmer..Icnotat. Dowrn tird mrst steart, en..

Young Man: Excuse me?

Counter Man: Kerd. Dowrn tird mrst steart, en an tat righter dare en thener, fist oo, um, er...dorwn oo mlies er, an, ur dare.

Young Man: Uhhh thanks...

Young man walks out of the gas stasion looking back over his shoulder a couple times.

Oh my.

A woman stands washing a big picture window in her living room. All of a sudden a cat runs past outside. She only hardly notices. Then she notices a chicken run by outside. She looks and the resumes washing. Then two little chicks run along past. She smiles and continues washing. Three more chicks run past. She becomes a little more interested and puts her washing things down and looks out the window a bit. In a moment she begins washing again as nothing happened. immediately the cat runs past followed by the chicken chasing it. the woman drops her cleaning supplies and gets close to the window. All five chicks follow in pursuit of the cat. The chase goes on until finally the cat climbs up a tree. The Chicken and chicks bounce around the tree making loud clucking sounds until finally they walk off in single file. Woman slowly backs away from the window confused, yet amused.

Woman: Oh my.

Where is your heart?

A Guy and Girl stand together on a walk way leading to a restaurant. The Girl's arms are crossed and she doesn't look pleased but the Guy doesn't seem to be affected at all and looks like he's having a fine time.

Girl: You just really don't get it do you?

Guy: I guess not. What do you want me to get?

Girl: You don't know how to be serious do you?

Guy: Nah, who wants that?

Girl: You know what...just...I...Josh, where is your heart?

Guy: Well i think it is somewhere behind my ribs but...

Girl: You know what? Just nevermind.

Girl walks off to her car angry, upset and almost in tears. After a moment Guy looks like he has found his seriousness and looks regretfully after her. But she doesn't see.

I wish...

A full lunch room. A group of six students (SARAH, MOLLY, JOE, CHRIS, JULIE, TOM) fills a side table. They begin talking and eating.

JOE: I wish people would quit cutting in the lines.

MOLLY: Oh, I know! It is ridiculous.

SARAH: Julie! What is that you are eating?

JULIE: Turkey.

SARAH: I wish I had gotten that instead of grilled cheese...

JULIE: No. You don't. I wish we had better lunches here.

TOM: Nah, its alright, I just wish they gave you more, I mean, like, we don't all need to be on a diet.

MOLLY: Haha...yeah, but they need to give such small portions because of how much fat and calories are in them.

JULIE: Oh my word. Look. Teachers really need to think about the fact that they are teachers.

MOLLY: I know. I wish some of them would get over the fact that they aren't eighteen and dress their age.

Chris: I don't mind.

SARAH: Ew.

The bell rings and they start to get up, and clean up their things.

Joe: Already?

Chris: I really wish lunch was longer.

I miss you.

Mother holds Daughter's hand as she walks her down a walk way to a car away from a house were an older lady is waving. Daughter happily swings her and her mother's arm.

DAUGHTER: You came back a day early mommy!

MOTHER: I did. I missed you.

DAUGHTER: Why?

Mother is a bit taken aback and confused.

MOTHER: Well because you make me happy, honey.

DAUGHTER: Missing isn't happy, mommy.

MOTHER: Well...I guess...I miss you because you make me so happy that I can't be all the way happy without you.

Daughter smiles and Mother helps her into the car.

DAUGHTER: When you're gone I miss you too.

Mother touches Daughter's cheek and then climbs into the drivers seat.

Just don't tell please.

A girl and boy both stand outside a large building. It is cold. They are in coats and their faces are a little red. They stand a safe distance apart and do not look at each other. Both look like they are waiting for something or some one to arrive. Finally the girl turns toward the boy as though she can't take it anymore.

Girl: You know, maybe you should have just talked to me.

Boy: There is nothing to talk about.

Girl: Well it doesn't seem that way. You just had nothing to talk about with me, you had a lot to say to other people, even though it had to do with me.

Boy: It wasn't like that.

Girl: No?

Boy: No.

The boy looks as though he is finished with the conversation. The girl is hurt and trying not to cry, but her words come out a little aggressive in her attempt to not break down.

Girl: Well maybe if you had talked to me about it before, you wouldn't bee thinking what you are now, and we wouldn't be acting like this. Or we could at least be clear with each other.

Boy: You have no idea what I'm thinking. You can't assume you know what I think and why I do the things I do.

Girl: Well maybe you should think about what you just said and take it to heart instead of thinking you know why I act and think the way I do. Maybe before you decide to make decisions about my thoughts and feelings. That is why I wanted to talk. So you could actually know and so could I.

Boy doesn't acknowledge her. Girl walks off into the wind pulling her hood up over her head.

Cover your ears.

Two boys, Joey about 10 and Ralph about 5 lie in a bunk bed. Joey on top and Ralph on bottom. The room is dark except for a tall dim lamp that reaches up to where Joey is lying quietly. Both boys are awake but still. The door leading out of their room is closed but a crack of light is visible bellow. There is arguing outside the door and occasionally a shadow marches past the door. As the arguing escalates into yelling Ralph begins to cry quietly. Neither boy moves.

Ralph: Joey?
Joey: Yeah?
Ralph: When are they going to stop?
Joey: I don't know...[pause] Try and sleep.

Ralph tries to stop crying but he continues quietly. Joey speaks in an attempted reassuring voice.

Joey: Just cover your ears Ralphie.

Still crying a little Ralph takes his pillow and puts it over his head. Joey leans over and pulls the switch on the light. The room goes black except for the crack of light under the door. The arguing continues, eventually a door slams and it is silent.

Angela came early so she could see you and me before she left.

Samantha about 18 is bending over the kitchen table writing on a piece of paper. The kitchen is dimly lit. It is early morning. She finishes and straightens slowly, and then picks up her coat which had been laying on the table and proceeds to carefully and quietly put it on. She picks up a pair of shoes that were on a chair and places them on the floor beginning to put them on her feet, then thinks better of it stops and undoes any progress she has made with the shoes. She quietly walks down the hall and softly opens up a door into the bedroom of Jeanie about 11 and Sarah about 8. She walks to Jeanie's bed and carefully leans over her and kisses her on the top of the head. She Then moves to Sarah's bed and touches her arm looking at her, kisses her head and walks back to the door. She looks back in on them and whispers "I love you" and then softly closes the door. She walks down the hall back into the kitchen and puts on her shoes. She walks to the door that leads out of the house, takes a deep breath and walks out closing the door behind her. It is silent.
A soft rustling is heard and then Sarah peeks out of her bedroom door.

Sarah: Sammy?

Being around you makes my period come.

A girl Holly between 11 and 12 walks quietly down a hall in her pajamas carrying her clothes in her hands. a board creeks and she tops short and looks to the door she has just passed. Jess about 17's voice is heard from behind the door.

Jess: Oh no you don't!

Jess' door flies open and Holly sprints down the hall with Jess on her heals. Holly flings the bathroom door open and slams it shut just as Jess grabs the door nob. Holly locks the door and Jess pounds on it.

Jess: Holly come out here! I need to first!
Holly: I got here first!
Jess: I'm older! Come on Holly. You're hair takes you like two minutes, and it looks the same weather you shower first or last, so why can't you just let me go!
Holly: Leave me alone I got here first I'm going first.
Jess: You are such a pain.
Holly: Whatever.

Jess stands there for a minute and then walks back in to her room closing the door. In a minute Holly is heard from the bathroom.

Holly: Mom! [Pause] MOM!
Jess: [Yelling from in her room] She already left for work, this is her early day stupid!

There is a silence.

Holly: [From the bathroom] Jess!
Jess: [Opening her door and leaning out irritated] What?
Holly: Jess, would you please just come here?

Jess sighs and walks to the bathroom door.

Jess: What?
Holly: Come here.

Jess tries the door and it is still locked.

Jess: The door, Holly.

The sound of the door being unlocked is heard. Jess enters. Holly sits on a stool.

Jess: What?
Holly: I...I think I...

A look of understanding and sympathy crosses Jess' face.

Jess: Oh, Holls, did you...?

Holly nods a little. They both just look at each other. Then Jess sits on her knees on the floor.

Jess: Well...do you know what you're doing? [Holly looks uncertain and shrugs] Well here, I'll help you out. [Jess opens a cupboard looking for something] Well first of all make sure you always have supplies with you at school. It is no fun to be caught unprepared...

Jess smiles encoragingly at Holly.

I had the strangest urge to play the singing cow.

A woman stands bending over pulling weeds in a garden. Thomas almost 2 sits just outside the dirt of the garden on the grass. A couple yards away is a fenced in pasture where a few cows are grazing. Thomas soon becomes bored with just sitting and carefully stands up. he totters over to the fence and stands leaning with his hands on the lowest rung.

Thomas: Cow! [He points] Cow!

Thomas giggles and puts his hand back on the fence and watches the cows. In a few moments a cow leisurely walks closer to the fence. Thomas becomes very giddy.

Thomas: Cow!!! Moooooo! Moo!

The Cow stops about two feet from the fence facing Thomas and lets out a loud "Moo!" Thomas falls on to his bottom laughing. The cows stops and begins eating grass again. Thomas gets up and totters clumsily back toward the garden.

Thomas: Mama! Cow!

I'm sorry.

A little boy is walking through the park a little ways off from his parents. As they stroll along the paths they walk past a man blowing up balloons and tying them into different shapes (he is not a clown). The boy is very interested in the balloons.

Little Boy: Mommy can I have a balloon? Please?
Mother: No sweetie, mommy already bought lunch and I left my purse in the car.
Little Boy: Aww man...can I watch?
Mother: For a minute.

The Little Boy walks up to the balloon man and the crowd of people waiting for their balloons. He has trouble seeing the process and so squeezes his way through some people to get closer. He ends up however in a spot where he has a clear view but of the back of the balloon man. The balloon man finishes a balloon and takes a step back to get another balloon. As he steps back he steps on the Little Boy's toes a bit.

Balloon Man: Oh dear! I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?
Little Boy: Oh, no I'm sorry. I'm okay.
Balloon Man: Well here.

The balloon man takes a balloon and blows it up shaping it into a airplane and hands it to the Little Boy.

Balloon Man: Here you go.
Little Boy: Aw gee! Thanks!

The Little Boy is very happy. He skips off to his mother. Making swooping motions through the air with his balloon airplane.

I'm going to follow you, because none of my friends are here yet.

Two lines of kindergarten students file out of a school and on to a playground for recess. Jana is in the middle of her line and once outside she stops and waits while the other children disperse to various places on the playground. The second line comes to an end with Cody bringing up the rear. Once outside he begins to walk toward the swings. Jana follows him at a trot her curly pony tail bouncing. Cody climbs on to a swing and starts to swing. Jana goes to sit on the swing next to him but another child takes the spot, so she stands and watches instead. Cody begins to notice her watchful eye and slows down his swing. He gets off the sing and goes the the sand box, while Jana follows. Cody sits in the sand and uses a truck. Jana sits down too and smiles. She finds a truck and uses it. Cody looks uncomfortable. Jana smiles. Some boys on the other side of the playground in the grass call to Cody and ask him to come play football with them. Cody looks relieved. Jana's face falls. Cody gets up and starts to walk over Jana following with her eyes until the boys call back that they don't need him after all. Jana brightens and gets up to follow Cody again. Cody walks at a fast pace to the monkey bars and begins to climb them. Jana gets to them and looks nervous but after a moment she tentatively starts to climb up them again. Cody gets all the way to the top and looks scared that Jana will continue up, but she has frozen half way up and looks petrified. She tries to take a step down but can not make herself. Cody looks relieved for a moment and then begins to look guilty. In a minute or two Cody has climbed down to beside Jana and he starts to climb lower, and slowly she follows. Once on the ground Jana stares at Cody with pure admiration while he stands looking awkward. Just seconds after they have reached the ground the bell rings and Cody looks as though he were just saved and sprints back to the school.

I didn't see you.

In a room with little dainty tables and a buffet to one side men and women meander about in cocktail type dresses and suits. In a back corner almost hidden by being mixed into a group of people a Man is flirting around with a Young Woman. The Young Woman has a champagne glass in one hand and seems to have a bit of a buzz but is not drunk. A Woman begins to approach. They continue obviously flirting and step out into an adjoining hall as Woman comes closer. When she sees that they have stepped out she quickens her pace and turns into the hallway to see Young Woman and Man giggling and kissing a little. Man notices woman first and looks ashamed and doesn't know what to do. Young Woman stands looking dumb founded. In a moment Woman has shoved the wine glass she had been holding into Young Woman's hand and reached into Man's pocket. She pulls out the keys and speaks with a serious and disgusted face and tone.

Woman: I'm taking the car. Have fun.

She turns around and marches out of the room.