(Lights up on a living room. There is a couch and several other typical living room furniture items, all under the light of visible stage lights (on the stage), like on the set of a sitcom. High schooler JASON DUNN enters his living room with an enormous knapsack on his back. Jason wears a stereotypical teenager\u2019s outfit- a bright jacket, jeans, and earbuds in. As he enters, he takes his earbuds out. His MOM enters from the opposite side of the room.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n (over-the-top, hammy)<\/em> (She runs in and gives him a tight hug. Jason drops his backpack on his foot and winces in pain. There is a huge thud. We hear a canned laugh track, sitcom-style.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have a surprise for you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is it a lighter backpack? Cause if I have to keep lugging this around all day, I\u2019m gonna feel as old as UNCLE SAM!<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Jason\u2019s uncle, SAM, who is in his 50s or 60s and in a wacky, colorful, outfit, enters, and watches him. Jason doesn\u2019t notice)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking of which, you\u2019ve been so down in the dumps lately I knew there could only be one thing to cheer you up!<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n No way\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s all this about feeling old?<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Huge applause and cheering from the audience- as if Sam is a celebrity guest star.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n Uncle Sam! You\u2019re back!<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n I sure am. And I brought you a souvenir!<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Sam walks of and then struts back on with a suitcase. He struggles to lug it across the stage.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let me help you with that-<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nonsense. You were just complaining about your heavy backpack. Plus, your arms are weak! All you kids ever do is sit there on those gizmos. I bet your arms are in selfie mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Laugh track. Mom laughs as well.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hashtag that was cold!<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Laugh track continues.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n How do the kids say it? Like the marshmallow? You just got roasted!<\/p>\n\n\n\n (The \u201caudience\u201d laughs harder and louder. Jason, to the audience, shakes his head, and then sits. Sam manages to drag his luggage far enough to where he is seated.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n So do you think you know what it is?<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n A book?<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n A book? From Florida?<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019d visit when I was little, you practically taught me how to read. The Little Engine That Could. That was my favorite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (The \u201caudience\u201d awws. Mom does as well.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n (chuckling)<\/em> JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course I did. \u201cI think I can, I think I can, I think I can.\u201d And then once he pulls the other train all the way up the mountain, he goes-<\/p>\n\n\n\n BOTH<\/p>\n\n\n\n -\u201cI thought I could.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n (They smile at each other for a moment, and then both forcibly laugh. The \u201caudience\u201d awws yet again.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n How was your cruise, Uncle Sam?<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ah, it was much too loud for my liking. Too many people. Gave me a headache.<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n How was the food, at least? The entertainment?<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Food was great- for it being a month old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Laugh track.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n But really, the dancing was exquisite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, now I know you\u2019re joking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Laugh track.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n No, seriously, it was fantastic!<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, hey! That\u2019s great-<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fantastic at putting me to sleep!<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Laugh track, harder.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n But that\u2019s enough about my cruise. How are you, buddy? How\u2019s school?<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n (unconvincingly)<\/em> SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n How are you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, I\u2019m the captain of the basketball team, class treasurer, and editor of my school\u2019s newspaper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (A pause. Sam narrows his eyes.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n No, no. How are you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Jason doesn\u2019t respond.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Come on, bud. You can talk to Sam about anything, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n (The sitcom lights get brighter. Jason looks up at them and squints his eyes.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n (hesitant)<\/em> MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh, don\u2019t be silly. The lights can\u2019t hear you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Laugh track.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n They\u2019re kind of giving me a headache-<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just say what\u2019s on your mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n I guess I feel overwhelmed. And tired. I have all these tests coming up, and I have to think about college-it\u2019s really stressful, Sam. My best friend had to leave cause he couldn\u2019t handle it, for his own health, and it just makes me so f-<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Laugh track. Mom forcibly laughs as well and puts her hand on his shoulder.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Frustrated? Dating? With girls? I know. It\u2019s hard-<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n No, Mom-<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n (chuckling)<\/em> (The audience awws.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not just that, Sam, it\u2019s that no one will listen. Not even you. I feel so fu-<\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n (overly cheery, nervously)<\/em> JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n (ignoring Mom, at Sam)<\/em> (He stops. Mom puts her hand on Jason\u2019s shoulder again, but with more force.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n (cautionary)<\/em> JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s heavy as f- as f-<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jason-<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m trying to say it but I can\u2019t, Sam, no one can hear me- I\u2019m struggling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Laugh track.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jason, I\u2019m gonna say it again. You\u2019re not struggling. Your little gadget\u2019s getting in your head. Your phone. I\u2019ve read articles about how those things make you think you\u2019re depressed, but you\u2019ve never had any real struggle in your life! You just need a little motivation to get you going. That\u2019s all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n I am struggling, Sam! I\u2019ve got a billion\u2026lights on me and I have to keep going, five in the morning to whenever I get back from extracurriculars, and everyone\u2019s looking at me but nobody sees me. They\u2019re watching me so they can yell at me if I mess up, but no one\u2019s ever there when I need them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019re gonna keep at it, Jason. Just like the little engine that could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n So what if you have a heavy load? So what if your friend\u2019s broken down. That little engine carried up his broken down friend with him. But no one\u2019s gonna do that for you, Jason. The little engine mustn\u2019t break down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (A beat.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Life isn\u2019t a cruise ship in Florida, it\u2019s a tough little train going up a hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Audience awws.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n You already said that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hey, Sam never gave you your souvenir, did he?<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n Can we just turn the lights down a bit? My head\u2019s killing me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Mom goes over to Sam\u2019s suitcase and pulls out a small toy train.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n I figured you\u2019re so hung up on your phone gizmo that you don\u2019t ever play with toys anymore-<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n Uncle Sam, I\u2019m seventeen-<\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shhh! Chugga chugga chugga chugga-<\/p>\n\n\n\n (She drops the toy in Jason\u2019s hand.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Choo choo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (A beat.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. Come on. All you need is some motivation, Jason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (The audience awws, then silence. Jason smiles, looking at the train, which is short lived. He then throws it on the ground. A beat, then another laugh track. Jason sits, and puts his head in his hands. The audience continues to laugh as sitcom playoff music begins to play, and the lights begin to dim, very slowly. Mom and Sam anxiously look at the stage lights, and then they brighten a bit. The playoff music halts. Mom walks over to Jason.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n (gently)<\/em> JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n (muttering, head still down)<\/em> SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n (grinning at the audience, through clenched teeth)<\/em> (Jason keeps his head in his hands.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pick your head up, Jason, and smile. You\u2019re okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n (mumbling)<\/em> MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make them think you\u2019re okay, then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Jason does nothing.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Say it and smile!<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Jason does nothing.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n PICK YOUR HEAD UP AND SMILE, JASON!<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Sam yanks Jason\u2019s head up and out of his hands, and holds it to face the audience.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n (smiling unconvincingly)<\/em> SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n LOUDER!<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n (breaking down)<\/em> (No reaction from Mom and Sam.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026DEPRESSED!<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Mom and Sam look around, panicked. Sam looks up at the stage lights. The lights go down around Jason, and intensify on Mom.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n (high-pitched, desperate)<\/em> (Silence.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n (with growing confidence)<\/em> (The audience cheers. Mom and Sam breathe a sigh of relief.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n And he\u2019ll grow up fast and\u2026and happy! He\u2019ll be our happy son. He\u2019ll never break the rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n He\u2019ll never say bad words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bad, sad words. Never.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Jason tries to step into the light of Sam and Mom.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mom?<\/p>\n\n\n\n MOM<\/p>\n\n\n\n (while pushing him out of the light, not looking at him)<\/em> JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mom, listen to me-<\/p>\n\n\n\n (She doesn\u2019t face him. Jason runs to Sam, who also pushes him out of the light without facing him.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sam, please-<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n (quietly)<\/em> JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n Please, just listen-<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n I think you can, I think you can, I think you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n JASON<\/p>\n\n\n\n I-<\/p>\n\n\n\n SAM<\/p>\n\n\n\n I knew you could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (The lights fade, and the \u201caudience\u201d cheers one last time.)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Alethea Shirilian-Howlett, ’20<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"full-width-single-post.php","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[31,41],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jdlitmag.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jdlitmag.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jdlitmag.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jdlitmag.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jdlitmag.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=216"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/jdlitmag.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/216\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jdlitmag.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=216"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jdlitmag.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=216"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jdlitmag.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Hi, sweetheart!
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I didn\u2019t think you remembered that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Okay. Can we turn the lights down a bit?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Listen, Jason. It\u2019s those phone doo dads that are making you all tired. And lazy, too. When I was your age, I worked a job. And then right after high school I did service for my country. In fact, most of my life I was working and serving and I had to keep pushing. Life isn\u2019t a cruise ship in Florida, it\u2019s a tough little train going up a hill. I had to work hard, for me, for you, for your Aunt Patty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Functional! Dang, I knew bringing Sam in to help would make you feel better, Jason! I\u2019m so glad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My friend Max, he had a literal mental breakdown, and no one cares. Everyone knew, but no one who could help said anything about it. No teacher said anything about it. It was just left to the students to whisper rumors about it and up to me to add all my worries and my stress about it to that backpack that\u2019s heavy as fu-<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We don\u2019t say that-<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now come on, Jason. Forget about the train. Just pick your head up. I think you can, I think you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think I can, I think I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Say it and smile, now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m not okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think I can, I think I can-<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN- I CAN\u2019T! I\u2019M..I\u2019M FUCKING\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m pregnant!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He- he\u2019ll be a boy! It\u2019s a boy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll have a new baby brother. Won\u2019t that be nice?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You know the rules, Jason. The little engine mustn\u2019t break down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n