Our kids have taken to putting on shows for us in our basement. They take turns choosing the plot, often involving a pirate queen, the Incredible Hulk, and either a cowboy or sheriff or good pirate or Star Wars character (take your pick). There is always some battle involved and there is always some mid-scene break from character during which one of my children will protest or give another child their next line.
Lydia is loud and uses a gravelly pirate voice to announce each character, including herself. Elvis is the director and producer. Beware taking any liberties with his script; he has in mind exactly what is supposed to happen next. Henry generally just wants to smash and tackle things. Take a guess which character he is.
Last night, they introduced commercial breaks between scenes, which were solo performances by Lydia, singing along to a band called One Girl Nation. We hear her yell-singing the lyrics in the basement through the floorboards throughout the day.
“Okay, commercial time!” Lydia shouted, in her gravelly pirate voice. The boys skittered off to change costumes. Lydia pressed play on her CD player and stood on her mini-trampoline, pigtails in her hair, hairbrush microphone in hand.
You heard me say my first words
Watched me crawl before I walked
I grinned and wept, of course.
“Bahhh, bahhh, bahhh, bahhh,” Elvis and Henry chanted.
Lydia turned to them in exasperation and tried to keep singing.
People say I have your eyes
But I’ve always wanted to have your heart
“Bahhh, bahhh, bahhh, bahhh,” the boys continued. To be fair, it was right to the beat.
“Guys, stop,” I pleaded.
“We’re singing along!” Elvis giggled.
“You’re ruining it!” Lydia cried, near tears, turning off the CD player.
Sigh. On to the next scene.
It takes so long to learn how to love each other well, doesn’t it? How to cooperate, to lead, to follow, to serve, to take direction, to give over the spotlight, to discover our roles and how they work with everyone else’s, to take turns on the stage, to make space for each other in your basement theater. I know my role down there: I am the audience. I throw my bouquets of bravos, my kisses, my applause, and cheer my three actors on in their beautiful roles. Become who you are made to become, darlings.
Me, I couldn’t handle much more of One Girl Nation’s song, “Daddy’s Girl,” sung with such sincerity and passion by my sweet daughter. My cup overfloweth, and with all this rain we’ve been getting lately, I don’t think our basement sump pump could handle all of the overfloweth coming from my cup.
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| My three thespians |
Sarah Marie Wells 