Water! A Short Play and analysis

Scene: Sunday evening, breakfast table, dinner has been served

Players: Ingrid (picking at second dinner), Jack (devouring Jasmine rice and chutney), Joe and Sally

Sally: And then, we'll work on alliteration until Wednesday... (Walks to kitchen and turns on faucet to get something to drink.)

Joe: (Pretending to listen to lesson plan discussion) Oh.

Jack: (Looks up from meal to mom at kitchen sink.) Water!

Sally: You want water? Okay!

Joe: Get him some water!

Sally: (Hands Jack water.)

Jack: (Drinks thirstily.)

Sally: Wow! Did you hear that?

Joe: I did! He asked for it all by himself.

Ingrid: I want water, please.

Sally: Yay! (Gives Ingrid water.)

Jack: (Makes eye contact with Sally and hands her his cup.) More water.

This play is based on a true story of tonight. My cousin's daughter Emily asked me at the Monroe reunion how to talk to Jack. "If he doesn't know how to talk, how do we talk to him?" Well, my answer fumbled around with learning language, etc. "Like Helen Keller?" she asked. Emily is smart. And this short dinner play tonight made me think we might be getting to some pretty exciting The Miracle Worker moments with Jack.