The Ordinary Life

TIMOTHY: 18 years old, dresses casually

MARY: Early 50’s

JESSICA: Early 20’s, dresses casually

 

Act I, Scene I

Setting: Small Town America, 1950’s, Outside

(Narrator enters stage right and sits on the ledge of the stage)

NARRATOR

 Here in Grovetown, MA we live simple ordinary lives. We don’t see many outside folk come around, and when they do we are always very welcoming. Not very many of us leave this town. We’re like a family in a way. Why look, here comes Mary and her son Timothy…

(Narrator Exits stage left)
(Mary and Timothy enter stage right)

TIMOTHY

 But Ma why do I have to come home so early?

MARY

 I don’t want you catching a cold you hear? There isn’t any reason that you be out late anyways….

TIMOTHY

Why is it that you must always be telling me what to do? I’m a man now; I should be able to make my own decisions.

MARY

 Timothy, I only want what is best for you. I don’t want you to wake up some day and realize that you made a big mistake.

TIMOTHY

But how is doing what you love a big mistake? A person is supposed to be happy with their lives. I want to become a writer; I don’t see what is wrong with that.

MARY

 I never told you that you couldn’t become a writer. I just wanted you to keep your options open. Your father has been very sick recently. What will happen to his business if you leave? He taught you everything there is to know about brick laying.

TIMOTHY

 What about my dreams? Can’t you take over the business? You know how it works just as well as I do.

MARY

I’m too old to be laying bricks you know that.

TIMOTHY

I can’t settle for this life. It’s not enough for me. I don’t think it ever will be.

(TIMOTHY walks off stage right)

MARY

But wait….

(MARY runs off after TIMOTHY)

End of Act I, Scene I

Setting: Grovetown, MA, Garden on the estate of JESSICA’S parents

(TIMOTHY appears exhausted after laying down bricks. He gets up and inspects his work. JESSICA enters stage left carrying a glass of water and hands it to TIMOTHY. )

Act I, Scene II
Narrator enters stage left and sits on a stool

TIMOTHY

 Thank you mam, I really appreciate the water.

JESSICA

 It’s the least I could do. You’ve been out here all day working on that brick wall. I don’t know how you do it.

TIMOTHY

 My father taught me. He was an excellent mason. When he passed away I took over his business.

JESSICA

 I’m sorry to hear about your father. At least you’re doing what makes you happy.

TIMOTHY

 I guess so….

JESSICA

 It doesn’t sound like you enjoy it.

TIMOTHY

 I don’t really; it’s what my mother wanted me to do.

JESSICA

Well you don’t have any other relatives that could’ve taken over the business?

TIMOTHY

I do but I know the business the best.

JESSICA

What did you want to do?

TIMOTHY

What any young man my age would want to do.

JESSICA

Which is?

TIMOTHY

I wanted to get out of this town and see the world! I wanted to go to college and get a degree in writing.

JESSICA

You made the right choice to stay here and run your fathers business.

TIMOTHY

I guess it was. What about you? Why did you and your folks move here to Grovetown?

JESSICA

We wanted to try something new. We wanted to get as far away from Chicago as possible.

TIMOTHY

Move away from the city? Why would you want to do that? There are so many opportunities there! So much area to explore!

JESSICA

The city isn’t as cut out as you make it out to be. I’m not saying that there aren’t many opportunities, it’s just very competitive. While in the city, both my parents found it very challenging to find jobs. When they did manage to find a job it was never full time. So that’s why we moved here to Grovetown to start a new life. A life that was within our means and that is ordinary. We would’ve preferred to stay in the city but that wasn’t possible.

TIMOTHY

You didn’t want to stay and try and find success?

JESSICA

Right before we left I begged my parents to allow me to audition for the 5^th symphony orchestra. Ever since I had been a little girl I had dreamed of auditioning. After days of pleading with my parents they let me go and audition. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a seat in the orchestra. I was shocked. I had thought that I had nailed my audition. I asked the conductor what I had done wrong. He told me I had done nothing wrong and that my audition was well done. I asked him if I did nothing wrong then why didn’t I get the part. He told me that my talent was just ordinary and that I’d have trouble finding success in the city. I told him that I didn’t want to settle for just an ordinary life. He then told me that sometimes the most extraordinary life is the most ordinary life. You don’t have to be rich and famous to be extraordinary. Being extraordinary is not about be the best or the worst. It’s about creating your own meaning through what you do and making the most of each moment you have on this earth. That’s why I came to Grovetown with my folks. I may not be in main stream music but I can still play it. People will still hear my music no matter where I go.

TIMOTHY

What if it is too late to become extraordinary in an ordinary life?

JESSICA

It’s never too late to live an extraordinary life. The truth is living the extraordinary life is always a conquest. You can always achieve more from where you’re standing. You don’t need to go out and see the world when the world is right in front of you. You just have to allow yourself to see it.

 End of Act 1, Scene 2

Setting: Household of TIMOTHY

(TIMOTHY is seen on the front porch looking out into the distance, watching the sunset. JESSICA enters carrying her violin)

TIMOTHY

That sunset sure is pretty.

JESSICA

Yeah it is.

                                                                    TIMOTHY

 Every day I watch as the sunsets and rises. It reminds me a lot of myself in a way.  I always ask it "Where have you been, where have you gone, where will you go?" And it will always responds "I'm right here with you." You see, no matter where I go in life the sun will always follow me. It will be my guardian. Yet when the day fades away I’m lost.

JESSICA

Well then follow the sunset until you’ve reached the horizon. Then turn around and see where you’ve gone. No matter where you go the sunset will always look the same. The sunset is the beacon of light that will always guide you back to what’s important.

TIMOTHY

Which is?

JESSICA

No matter where you are in the world, whether it is a thousand miles away from home, or just in the town over, home never leaves your side. Home is a place that never disappears; it is always with you when you need it most. It's a place where you are always welcomed, no matter what is going on in your life. For it is within your heart, that home lies, never to be forgotten nor lost.

TIMOTHY

Well then will you stay here with me? We can conquer the world from this very door step. I can write and you can play music. We can start a family and be happy. What do you say?

JESSSICA

When do we start?

(TIMOTHY and JESSICA take one last glance at the sunset and then walk into the house.)

End of play