An experimental theater piece to test the Theory of Purposefully Divided Attention to Fend Off Meltdowns.
Cast: Grandma (G), Adult One (1), Adult Two (2), Adult Three (3), Small Child (Small)
Setting: Dinner table
G: Why is your hairdresser your hero?
1: She’s a real bootstrap entrepreneur. She’ll try anything.
G: Is that a blackberry in your popsicle?
Small: No, a blueberry.
2: Well, when you have kids, you can’t participate in every charity event or random partnership.
3: You have to prioritize, be strategic. Know when to say no.
1: But she has a great community reputation. She’s so upbeat.
G: I really think that’s a blackberry. Like Mrs. Rabbit’s in Peter Rabbit. Supporting everything in the community can add up.
1: It rolls up.
3: But you can waste a lot of time.
2: And energy.
G: People are grateful, though. If you’re strategic, you miss the kind of opportunities that you have no idea where they will lead. I like the way that popsicle drips right into the holder. It’s less messy.
Small: Do you want one?
G: I don’t want to take your last popsicle.
Small: We can make more.
G: Maybe after dinner.
Small: Let’s do it!
G: Careful — the juice is spilling. One and one and 50 make a million. It’s good to be open to serendipity if you possibly can.
2: There are only so many hours in the day.
3: Numerous small investments can’t get what one big investment would.
G: Do you want a napkin?
Small: I got a green popsicle at Whole Foods, but it dripped all over my dragon shirt. It was green.
G: There is nothing like a reputation for being upbeat and cooperative. I know where we can pick blackberries for the next batch of popsicles.
Small: But you have to add juice so it sticks together.
1: We now trade services. She does that with almost everyone. I feel like she could teach a class in entrepreneurship.
G: Teach one together, how about?
Small: Do you want a popsicle? Do you want one now?
G: Maybe after dinner. Look, that’s a raspberry. Or do you think it’s a strawberry?
Small: Do you want a popsicle now? I can go get it. We can make more later. Yes or no?
G: OK. Yes.
Small: Say, Please.
G: Yes, please.
You made my day……..I can follow the whole scene
You made my day by saying so. The dialogue made sense to me, but I began to worry after I wrote it that it would be unclear to other people.
Oh, this is fun! Did it really happen? I think this is exactly how conversations go when there’s a little kid around–you captured it so well!
It did really happen, only a few words changed. I was testing the premise that if I addressed the small person directly every few sentences, I could forestall those over-the-top demands for attention that can completely disrupt the dinner. I think it worked pretty well.