Reflection

Briar Messer

Character List

Marron’s

SAM – mid 40s, Non-binary, ren of T and Jess, likes things neat and tidy. (ren is the gender-neutral term

for mom/dad, comes from pa(ren)t).

JACOB – late 40s, goes by Jake, dad of Ty and Jess, mostly chill but really defensive about his family.

TYLER – 15, prefers Ty, male, “angsty,”

JESSICA – 23, goes by Jess or Jessi, gay, female, senior in college.

Larrison’s

MR. LARRISON – mid 40s, homophobic and transphobic.

MRS. LARRISON – mid 40s, homophobic and transphobic - no lines.

NATHAN – 15, gay, but major internalized homophobia/transphobia from parents.

MADDISON – 22, goes by Maddi, gay, girlfriend of Jessica, junior in college.

(Ty is sitting in the middle of his bed scrolling through his phone. Sam walks in.)

Sam: (Exasperated, in a slightly raised voice but not yelling) What the fuck is this? (Gestures wildly around themself at the room)

Ty: Uh. A room?

Sam: A room. Yes, I can see it’s a room, but the absolute mess you call a room does not fly in this house. (Sighs and starts to walk out) This had better be in a decently orderly state by the time your dad and I get back.

(After Sam walks out.)

Ty: Ugh. (lays down on the bed. He calls his sister.)

(A light comes on on the other side of the stage, illuminating Jessi in a college dorm or at a desk.)

Ty: Jess! (groans) Ren’s making me clean my room again.

Jessi: And why are you bitching to me about it?

Ty: Because I don't want to do it. I know where everything is; they don’t live in here, why do they care?

Jessi: Because they do. Now leave me alone and go do it.

Ty: Fine. (Hangs up and throws his phone into the pillow at the foot of his bed.)

(Ty gets up and starts to clean, but soon gets distracted by a book he picks up. He starts reading it and the lights dim. The sound of the front door slamming shut jolts Ty out of his reading. Panicking, he starts throwing everything in the closet. In his rush to get everything away, he throws the pillow that his phone is on in the closet. He gets everything in the closet before the door opens and Sam comes in.)

Sam: (A bit surprised) Oh, it’s actually tidy. Good job.

(Ty’s phone starts ringing in the closet. He freezes and is wide-eyed. Sam walks over and opens the closet. Several items fall out. They rummage through until they find the phone, and answer.)

Sam: Hey Jessi, you’ll never guess where I just found Ty’s phone!

Jessi: Um, hi Ren? And where?

Sam: In the closet! The same thing you tried to pull years ago.

Jessi: Except I didn’t put my phone in the closet. I assume he accidentally threw it in there when he was panic clearing after you guys came home and he had spent the last few hours reading his book, didn’t he?

Ty: (sheepishly) Yes...

Jessi: (laughing) You’re so predictable.

Sam: Alright, just put everything away where it should be, and we’ll leave it at that.

End scene.

(School hallway. Not crowded but not empty. Nathan walks up to Tyler who is reading as he is walking to class. Nathan knocks the book out of Ty’s hands.)

Nathan: Oh, did you lose your page?

Ty: Fuck off, asshole.

Nathan: Ooh, we got a badass over here! Bet your mother wouldn’t want to hear you talk like that. Oh wait, you don’t have one.

Ty: No I don’t, they’re my ren. They raised me better than your mama did you.

Nathan: (scoffing) How can someone who doesn’t know who they are raise you better than a normal parent?

Ty: There ain’t nothing normal about yo’ mama.

Nathan: Yea, well... uh... yo’ mama’s... uh...

Ty: As I said, I don’t have one.

(Walks off.)

End scene.

(About 6 p.m. at the house. Jessica is home for the weekend from college. Sam, Jake, and Ty meet her at the front door.)

Jake: So good to see you!

Jessi: HI!!

(Everyone hugs Jess. They move to the kitchen where a meal is set on the table. They sit down and start eating.)

Sam: So, how’s the week been?

Jessi: Midterms are a bitch, but Maddi’s helped me study for some of them.

Sam: So you youngsters call it “studying” now, do you?

(Jake does a double-take, coughing, Ty just sits there, preoccupied.)

Jessi: (Flustered) REN!

Jake: (after partially regaining his composure) Why didn’t she come this week? She usually comes at least for Friday dinner.

Jessi: (still glaring at Sam) Her family wanted her home this weekend.

Jake: Oh, you should’ve gone with her.

Jessi: I wish I could. She’s not out to them yet. They're really homophobic and she’s scared what will happen.

Sam: The Larrison’s, right?

Jessi: Yeah.

(Jake notices Ty is preoccupied and not really eating.)

Jake: Ty, what’s wrong?

Ty: Nathan said some things about ren again.

Jake: Nathan Larrison?

(Ty nods.)

Jake: Did you tell someone?

(Ty shakes his head.)

Jake: (sighs) I’ll go in and talk to the principal on Monday. Just ignore him for now.

Ty: I’ll try.

(Lights dim and switch over to the other side of the stage, where another dinner is happening. The Larrison’s, in fact.)

Mr. Larrison: What happened at school today, son?

Nathan: Not much. Oh. Tyler was being a little bitch, so I made some comments about his fake mom.

Mr. Larrison: Heh. And what about you, Maddi?

(Maddi stares at her food for a few seconds.)

Maddi: (voice rises as she talks, eventually yelling and crying) I’m gay. I’m tired of being quiet while you make homophobic and transphobic remarks about others when you don’t even realize they’re aimed at your own daughter. I don’t care what you think. I love my girlfriend and she’s the best person I know. You wanna know who she is? Jessi Marron. The one whose parent you all are making fun of.

(Maddi stands up abruptly and storms out of the house. The Larrison’s are left stunned. Lights dim.

A few seconds later, lights come on over the Marron’s table. Knocking at the door causes Jake to get up and walk over to open it.)

Jake: (Surprised) Maddi?

(Maddi is standing there crying.)

Jake: Oh, Maddi, come in, I’ll make some tea.

(After Jake says Maddi’s name, Jessi’s head whips up and she gets up and runs to the door. She hugs her and brings her to the table, where Maddi falls into one of the empty chairs. She’s sobbing uncontrollably while Jessi comforts her.)

Jessi: Babe, please. Drink some water.

(She hands Maddi her glass of water, which Maddi tries to drink shakily from. She gradually calms down but is still shaken. Jake brings some tea and sits back down.)

Jessi: What happened?

Maddi: I. I. Nathan. He said some things about your ren, and I j-just couldn’t take it anymore. -hic- I told them I’m gay and in love with you and that I won't stand by while they insult -hic- me or you or -hic- ren anymore, and I don’t care what they think and you’re the best person I know and— (starts sobbing again)

(Jessi hugs her and holds her.)

Jessi: Babe, it’ll be all right. Let's go to my room and you can rest there.

(Maddi nods and gets up, leaning on Jessi as they walk upstairs.)

(After a few seconds.)

Jake: Guess she’s staying for the weekend, then.

(Lights dim.

After a few seconds. Lights on over Nathan’s room. He’s sitting on his bed with his head in his hands.)

Nathan: (talking somewhat quickly) I can’t believe she’s gay. I’ve always looked up to her. Were there any signs? If she’s gay, am I gay?

(Nathan watches the following scene unfold, remembering what had happened: An actor wearing the same outfit as Nathan, but younger, maybe 12, walks across the stage in front of lockers and a boy the same age is looking at his locker. Nathan’s focus is on the boy, and his head turns to keep looking at him, causing Nathan to run into someone.)

Random kid: Hey! Watch where you’re going.

Younger Nathan: (shakes his head to “wake up”) Sorry. (half mumbling) I don’t know... wasn’t looking...

(Both kids continue going to the ends of the stage and behind curtain.)

Nathan: I...

(Nathan proceeds to cry with his face in his hands.)

End scene.

(Monday morning, in the school hallway. Ty is at his locker switching books for classes. Nathan walks up to him with his head hung.)

Nathan: Sorry for what I said about your ren. She—they're a better parent than both of mine. Friday, I found out my sister is gay, and I just got really thinking and stuff. And I realized I’m also gay. I’m sorry for everything I've done in the past. I just felt like I needed to tell you.

(Ty puts his hand on Nathan’s shoulder.)

Ty: Thanks. It means a lot.

Nathan: I’m not sure what to do about my parents. They’re still homophobic and I’m not sure how to deal with that now.

Ty: Maddi is still at our house tonight. You can come over and we’ll talk about it. She’ll be glad to know you’ve changed.

(They walk off to class together.)

Fin.