Title: “For the sake of our son”.
Author: Silvina Carrasco
4 Characters:
- Agustín: He is a 6 year old boy.
- Alicia: Agustín’s mother.
- Manuel: Agustín’s father.
- Pediatrician: A 46 year old woman. She is a bit intimidating because of her serious and direct way of speaking.
ACT I
Characters that intervene in this act: Alicia, Manuel and Agustín.
Scenario: Entrance of a house.
Introduction: Agustín’s parents have been divorced for many years. Even so, the relationship between them is still very tense and with many grudges in between and that affects the child a lot.
During the scene Agustín says nothing. He only listens sadly while his parents talk.
(Alicia opens the door, Manuel enters and the three of them stay in the entrance).
-Alicia: Late again Manuel, an hour late.
-Manuel: I had a problem at work.
-Alicia: Yes, of course, the usual story. It’s been six years since you’ve had problems coming to pick up your son on time.
-Manuel: I’ve been listening to your complaints for six years and I still can’t get used to it. How do you always live so bitter, woman?
-Alicia: That’s none of your business. You’d better take care of what’s rightfully yours.
-Manuel: Thank God I don’t have to put up with you anymore!
-Alicia: Son, please remind your father that you have to be back by 8 o’clock. He probably forgets, as he forgets everything.
(Agustin bows his head.)
-Manuel: Come on son, for today you are going to rest from your mother’s bad mood.
(Manuel and Agustín go out the door).
ACT II
Characters that intervene in this act: Alicia, Manuel and the Pediatrician.
Scenario: Pediatrician’s office: a desk with a chair on one side and two chairs on the other side, a stretcher and toys in a corner.
(The Pediatrician is sitting in her chair, facing her is Alicia. Manuel knocks on the door and looks into the office).
-Manuel: Excuse me, excuse me, I came as soon as I could.
-Pediatrician: The father?
-Manuel: Yes.
-Pediatrician: Please have a seat.
(Manuel sits down.)
-Pediatrician: Well, then, was Augustín at home when he decompensated?
-Alicia: (Accelerated, speaking at full speed) No, he was at school. They called me from the school, they told me he had fainted and they had brought him here, I came here urgently, they told me he was fine but they were doing tests, I called his father who came when he could, because, as you can see, he is a very busy man.
-Manuel: I was working, i wasn’t hanging around.
-Pediatrician: He is fine. The studies are fine, but I seem to be starting to understand the situation. Are you two separated?
-Manuel: Yes.
-Alicia: Divorced… Legally divorced.
-Manuel: Happily divorced.
-Pediatrician: I understand. Well, the situation is this: According to the psychologist’s report and the symptoms he presents, what I see is that Agustín is under very high levels of stress and that is a bad thing in a child his age. When we are adults, we develop tools to cope with stressful situations, but at his age, Agustín doesn’t have those tools, (with a serious face) and he doesn’t have to have them.
(Alicia and Manuel listen, embarrassed).
-Pediatrician: It is your responsibility, as parents, and as adults, to give your child a healthy atmosphere in which to grow. I will tell you this as a pediatrician who has seen hundreds of children with stress come through his office: one of the most important things for children is to see a respectful relationship between their parents, whether they are together or divorced. Seeing their parents get along badly destabilizes them enormously.
(Alicia slyly wipes a tear from her face)
-Manuel: (Sorrowful) I understand, doctor.
-Alicia: (also saddened) Yes, I understand. Thank you very much.
ACT III
Characters that intervene in this act: Agustín, Alicia and Manuel.
Scenario: A square.
Agustín tries to fly a kite, running from one side to another; at a certain distance, Manuel observes him, sitting on a cement bench; far away from Manuel, Alicia also watches the boy play.
(Alicia looks at Manuel, walks a few steps in his direction and stands still. She continues to watch her son play. She walks back toward Manuel and slows down again. Finally, she approaches him and hesitantly speaks to him.)
Alicia: Shall we…let’s…talk?
Manuel: (Shyly) Yes. (He pulls his coat so Alicia can sit next to him)
Alicia: (sits down) Because obviously we have to talk. But I’ll start the conversation, because if I wait for you to do it… (stares at him, as if waiting for him to say something).
(Manuel just bows his head.)
Alicia: (More frustrated than angry) Oh God, when are you going to solve your communication problems!
(Manuel just keeps his head down, Alicia sighs).
Alicia: Here’s the thing: you can’t stand me, I can’t stand you and that’s not going to change, but we are going to be Agustín’s parents forever, and if one day they call me again from school to tell me that he fainted… (she starts to cry, covering her face with her hands)
(Manuel makes a gesture to hug her but finally stays still in his place)
Alicia: Besides… although you have been a disaster of a husband, you are a good father and Agustín loves you very much.
Manuel: You are also a good mother and I feel at ease that Agustín lives with you, I couldn’t take better care of him.
Alicia: We are not going to be friends, but for our son’s sake let’s try to put our differences aside.
Manuel: Yes, of course. We will do it for our son’s sake.
(Agustín approaches running, jumping, happy).
Agustín: Mom, mom, I discovered an anthill in the shape of a mountain!
Alicia: What a good discovery, my love!
Manuel: It’s getting late and they’re preparing delicious hamburgers nearby.
Alicia: Manuel! Hamburgers are not good… (slows down). Well, one once in a while won’t hurt.
Manuel: The three of us could go.
Agustín: Mom, are you going with us?!
Alicia: (looks at him with tenderness) Yes, my love, of course.
Agustín: Yes! Bravo! Mom will go with us! Mom will go with us!
The three of them start walking in the same direction. Manuel lifts Agustín on his shoulders. Agustín happily leaves singing: ¨I´m flying ¨ I´m flying¨.
THE END