A series of mini-dramas based on public conversations, as overheard and rewritten by local playwright/director Aurora Stewart de Peña.

Overheard on the Subway, Westbound at St. George.

Michael, 34, is dressed in tight grey jeans, a parka, and high topped sneakers. Next to him is Jamal, 7.  He carries a knapsack and a drinking box full of apple juice.

Jamal: Well, he had to stay inside for last recess.

Michael: That’s it?

Jamal: By himself.

Michael: That’s all?

Jamal: Well, we all got to go outside. And he had to stay inside.

Michael: I don’t think you can just let that be that, Jamal. The matter’s not finished. He tries to mess with you like that in front of everybody–he can’t do that. He can’t put his hands on you. You can’t let matters like that lie. It’s not over.

What are you going to do when you see him tomorrow?

Pause.

Jamal: I don’t know.

Michael: He disrespected you.

Pause.

Jamal: I know.

Michael: You can’t let a kid like that give you attitude in front of everybody. You can’t let him get away with that. It’s going to come back to haunt you.

Jamal takes a long sip of apple juice from his drinking box.

He embarrassed you.

Pause.

Where were your friends?

What did your friends do when he put his hands on you?

Your friends should stand up for you in that situation.

They need to have your back.

Jamal looks at Michael, then at his hands.

Where were your friends?

Pause.

Huh?

Jamal drains the last juice from his drinking box. He crushes the empty container into a small rectangle. A bit of juice squirts on to his mitten.

Jamal: I don’t know.

I don’t know where they were.

____

Aurora Stewart de Peña is half of the theatre company Birdtown & Swanville (the other half is Nika Mistruzzi). You can follow her on Twitter at @Aurorahhh.

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