A Time to Move Scene 2 with revisions

(The kitchen of the family home)

Beth: Lexi. Could you put your phone down, please?

Lexi: Oh yeah. Sorry, mom. Just getting our plans together for after work tonight. I’m going to hook up with Tonya and Janet tonight after work. We’re just going to chill at Janet’s.

Beth: That’s fine, Honey. But, before we all go off our separate ways tonight, I want to talk to you about what took me so long tonight.

Marie: What happened in there? Did you go get yourself in trouble again?

Beth: Mom, you know I’ve never gotten in trouble at any job I’ve ever had.

Marie: Well, then, what’s going on?

Beth: I got a job offer. It’s a great opportunity.

Lexi: New job? Hey, that’s cool, mom. Hate to rush it, but I’ve got to work tonight. Can we get dinner going?

Marie: It does sound interesting, Dear. Here, let me start dinner and you can tell us all about it. It’s about time someone sees your worth.

Beth: The reason Mr. Chastain called me into his office was because Jerry Lynch wanted to talk to me.

Lexi: Who’s he?

Beth: He’s a franchisee. He owns a bunch of Best Westerns in Wisconsin.

Marie: What could he possibly want from you, Dear?

Beth: Well, Here let me help you peel those potatoes, Mom.

Marie: Nonsense. You sit down and tell us what you’re so excited about. I’m sure we’ll both be happy for you, too.

(Lexi gets up and helps Marie with dinner, peeling potatoes the same way Marie does)

Beth: Well. Here’s the thing. I’m being offered a general manager position.

Lexi: GM? That Rocks, Mom!

Beth: Thanks, Honey. But, there’s a catch.

Marie: There’s always a catch. What did I tell you about big corporations? There’s always a catch.

Beth: Mom, you’re not making this any easier.

Marie: I’m sorry, Dear. I won’t steal your thunder. Go ahead. We’ll just peel our potatoes quietly.

Beth: Well, the position would be more than twice what I’m making now – as in, a lot more. You both know how hard it’s been lately trying to make ends meet. Lexi, I never wanted you to have to work while you were still in high school. I mean, I wanted you to learn responsibility, but I didn’t want you to have to work to get anything and everything you wanted.

Lexi: It’s cool, Mom. Fashion Bug rocks. That job is the shit… oops, Bomb. Sorry.

Beth: I know, but it’s not what I envisioned for you. And Mom, I know you were used to a different lifestyle when Dad was still alive. I want you to live comfortably in retirement. I don’t want you to struggle, either.

Marie: I’m comfortable, Beth. I really am. Yes, I wish your dad were still alive, that’s true. But after 47 years of marriage, it’s hard to let go, even after all this time. True, my life was different, but it’s not bad now. I am happy to hear about your raise, though. I think you deserve it!

Beth: Well, that’s the thing. The job is in Green Bay.

Lexi: Green Bay? What are you talking about? Moving? You’re not talking about moving? That’s ridiculous. I’m in high school! These are the most important years of my life, like, ever!

Marie: You can’t just go and uproot your whole family, Beth Ann! You can’t just move us halfway across the state!

Beth: I thought you might have some concerns…

Lexi: Concerns? I’m not moving! That blows!

Marie: Lexi! Watch you language. That’s no way to talk to your mother.

Lexi: She’s trying to ruin my life!

Marie: You life? It’s only just started. I’ve spent 68 years here!

Beth: Will both of you stop? Can we just talk about this like adults? It’s not like it’s the end of the world, for God’s sake.

Marie: Don’t take the Lord’s name in vein, Dear.

Lexi: Maybe for you it’s not, but for me it is. It’s the end of my world! This isn’t even fair!

Beth: Will you both just listen to me?

Lexi: No!

Marie: I don’t know what you’re thinking, Beth. You can’t just uproot us and move us across the state. It’s not just all about you. There are three of us here. I can’t just leave town, you know. I have responsibilities here.

Beth: I know that, Mom. I know. Please, will you just listen.

Lexi: I’m not listening. This isn’t happening!

Marie: I appreciate the fact that this is an opportunity for you….

Beth: You don’t appreciate anything! Neither one of you do! I break my back every day to keep a roof over your heads and food on the table, and you do nothing but take advantage of me. I finally get one break, one break in life, and neither one of you can even be happy for me!

(Beth storms out of the house. Lexi is crying and Marie gets up and walks to the opposite window)

Marie: Maybe she’s right. Maybe I am being selfish. I just wasn’t ready for this. I’m too old to move. Everything I know is in this one little town. It hit me like a lead weight when Beth said we would have to move for her to take this job. I know I don’t often show it, but I’m very proud of her. I shouldn’t have been so hard on her. It’s just that I’ve never thought of moving before. I’ve always had everything I needed right here. Then again, I’m not young anymore. I don’t have the ambition that I used to. I wish Lexi felt better about it. There’s no doubt, if she was more accepting to the move, that Green Bay would offer her so much more than Rhinelander ever could. I shouldn’t have been so harsh. Beth deserves to better herself. I just don’t know that I’m willing to move at this stage in of my life.

Lexi: How can Mom just expect me to move? My friends are here. My school is here. I know she works hard – too hard. I just don’t want to leave. Why can’t she just get a better job here in town? I know it’s not like she hasn’t tried. She tries all the time. I wish she knew how much I get it. I get it that she does all this stuff for me. I just wish life was different. I wish it was all different. I hope she knows that I love her and I’m proud of her for everything she does. Really, she’s a really strong woman. I can’t imagine raising a kid all by myself and still doing as well as she does and stuff. I know I’m lucky to have a mom like her. I know some kids at school whose parents don’t even give a crap. They don’t care what happens. They just want to be left alone. Tonya’s mom and dad. Ugh. Now there’s pair. They think Tonya’s an inconvenience. That’s why she spent all of last summer with us. I’m really going to miss her, And Brad. I mean, I know Brad and I are going to go our separate ways after high school, but that seems like forever away. It seemed like we’d still have forever to hang out, go to the movies and spend our summers at the beach. Now it’s all changed. It’s all going to be different. I wish I had more of a say in all of this. If mom’s really that great, then they’ll offer her another position later, right? I mean, like, once I’m out of school? Why is all of this happening to me? Why now?

(Marie turns from the window to face Lexi)

Marie: Honey, I think you were a little hard on your mom. I know you don’t want to move. I don’t, either, but maybe we should at least consider….

Lexi: Gram! You don’t want to move, either! Why are you sticking up for her all of a sudden? Are you both trying to ruin my life?

Marie: I’m not happy about it, either, Child! And don’t think you’re the only one whose life would change drastically if you mom decides to take this job.

Lexi: Really? You can just move into the Rhine Haus. You can stay here. You’d be with Beulah, Dolores, and all the rest of your friends! You can stay here! I can’t! I can’t move in with my friends. I have to go with mom if she moves. It’s just not fair!

Marie: Honey, you know I’d be no happier there than I would be if I moved. Community living is not for me. It’s fine for those two. They sit in the commons area and gossip all day. Now, mind you, I do love them like sisters, but sometimes they drive me crazy.

Lexi: Yeah, I know. (laughs) Sometimes Tonya and Jamie make me crazy, too. They’re so caught up in high school crap… I mean, stuff. It’s like they think that everything they do, everyone they’re seen with.. like that will all matter later, ya know? Seriously? I mean, college, now that’s the sh… stuff, you know? That’s what matters. When I get into college, that’s when life….. well, that’s when life really means something, you know? I have to get into design school.

(silence comes over the scene for a minute)

Lexi: And, Gram?

Marie: Yes, Honey?

Lexi: I just can’t go without you. I mean, you’re what got me interested in designing clothes. Remember when I was little and you would let me pick out the patterns from that catalog? And then you’d let me pick out the material? And you even let me help you pin it and get it ready to sew. Oh, Gram. You’re what got me into designing clothes to begin with. I just can’t go if you don’t go.

Marie: I remember your first pattern, Sweetie. Remember that little sun dress? And that material! Only you could pull off that combination of colors and make it work. You really do have a knack for it. I can’t imagine being away from you and not seeing your next creation come to life.

(Lexi goes back to the table and takes her computer out of her backpack)

Marie: What are you doing, Sweetie?

Lexi: Just firing up my laptop. I thought I’d check out Green Bay. You know, just to see if there’s anything there that’s interesting.

Marie: Well, obviously, the Packers are there.

Lexi: Wouldn’t that be cool? To see Lambeau Field?

Marie: It sure would.

Lexi: Too bad there’s none of this cool stuff up here, huh, Gram?

Marie: There are plenty of interesting things to do up here, Sweetie.

Lexi: Maybe for retired people.

Marie: I loved growing up here. This is a great town to grow up in.

Lexi: Yeah, everything I know is here. I mean, I might want to move some day, but my whole life is here.

Marie: Hey, what was that you just passed over? A dinner theatre? Wouldn’t that be sublime?

Lexi: Oh, Gram! You’re so old-fashioned.

Marie: Maybe because I’m old, Sweetie.

(the two continue to look at the computer, pointing at the screen and laughing as the lights go down)