Post Secret: We talk, but no one listens so we buy pets.

Lights come up on MOM watching soap operas, sitting on a futon in couch position. MOM eats triscuits out of the box with canned squirt cheese. MOM is drinking a two liter of Sams Cola. Five year old ELLIE enters bursting through the door she takes of her shoes hurriedly and her back pack, she is about to run over to MOM, but pauses to set her shoes neatly next to each other, and her back pack next to them. ELLIE runs over to MOM and stands in front of the television

ELLIE
Mom! You won't believe what happened in school today! Mrs. McNealy got cray fish, and we have them in a tank and everything! We have 8 boys, and ten girls! Mrs. McNealy says that some of the girls have eggs on their swimmeretts.

MOM
[not really paying attention]
Thats nice. Can you move, I can't see the T.V.

ELLIE moves to the side.

ELLIE
and mom! Today on the playground Tyson fell of the monkey bars and broke his arm! He had to go to the hospital and everything! Mrs. McNealy says he will have to get a cast, and that maybe when he gets back he will let us write on it. Isn't that cool mom?

MOM
Mhmmm, sure.[MOM tries to squirt cheese onto her cracker, but nothing comes out] Hey El, can you get me the other can of squirt cheese? its in the cupboard next to the stove.

ELLIE exits a little sadly, lights fade.

Lights come up on MOM sitting on the futon, in couch position watching Survivor. ELLIE enters carrying a book.

ELLIE
Mom?

MOM doesn't answer

ELLIE
[a little louder]
Mommy?

MOM
[not looking away from the T.V]
Yeah?

ELLIE
Can you read me a bedtime story?

MOM doesn't answer

ELLIE
Mom?

MOM
Oh, uh, not tonight Ellie, I want to see who gets voted off. You should be in bed anyway, its past your bed time.

ELLIE
Will you tuck me in?

MOM
Um, yeah sure. As soon as a commercial comes on.

There is silence and all that can be heard is the television. ELLIE exits sadly carrying her book, MOM doesn't notice. Lights fade.

Lights come up on MOM on the futon, in bed position, with the back propped up, she is watching soap operas and is eating pretzels from a bag, and dipping them into mustard. She is drinking Arizona Iced Tea. ELLIE enters bursting through the door she takes of her shoes hurriedly and her back pack, she is about to run over to MOM, but pauses to set her shoes neatly next to each other, and her back pack next to them. ELLIE runs over to MOM and stands in front of the television.

ELLIE
Mom! Sarah's cat just had kittens! She told me on the bus! Isn't that cool Mom?

MOM
[trying to see around ELLIE, not really listening. That's nice, Ellie I can't see.

ELLIE steps out of the way.

ELLIE
[cautiously]
So mom, you know how my birthday is in April?

MOM
Mhmmm.

ELLIE
And right now its march?

MOM
[paying a little more attention]
Yeah?

ELLIE
[rushed]
Well, Sarah said that her mom won't let her keep any of the kittens, and they have to give them away, and they will be ready in a few weeks, so can I have one for my birthday? Please mom? I promise I'll take care of it, and feed it, and empty the litter box and everything. Please mom?

MOM
Oh, I dont know El. A pet is a lot of responsibility.

ELLIE
Please.

MOM
I guess so [rushing to stop ELLIE from speaking] But you have to take good care of, and clean up after it. And you have to train it to use the litter box, it wont just use it on its own.

ELLIE
[hugging MOM]
Thank you mom!

MOM
[turning back to the T.V.]
Your welcome.

ELLIE exits excitedly, lights fade.

Lights come up on MOM watching soap operas eating a frozen pizza. FLUFFY (the kitten) is playing with a ball of string. ELLIE enters bursting through the door she takes of her shoes hurriedly and her back pack, she is about to run over to FLUFFY but pauses to set her shoes neatly next to each other, and her back pack next to them. ELLIE runs over to FLUFFY and scoops her up ans snuggles her nose into her. FLUFFY purrs

ELLIE
Hi Fluffy, I missed you so much! You will never guess what happened at school today. [begins to exit] Tyson just got his cast off yesterday, and today, he fell of the monkey bars again and broke his other arm! [lights being to fade] He cried a lot, Susan said that Billy pushed him, but I don't think Billy would do that. I hope Tyson is okay. [pause, lights fade more] Oh, and did I tell you? One of the cray fish pinched Mrs. McNealy! She didnt cry though, she didn't even need a band aid, but she said a bad word. I won't tell you what she said though. Did mom feed you today? Probably not. Well, I'll feed you just in case, and then I can read you a book. I got it from the library, its called "cat world" its about all kinds of cats from around the world, isnt that cool? [Lights fade completely to black] Your getting really big Fluff. Pretty soon you will be able to have kittens of your own, but don't worry you will always be my favorite. I love you Fluffy.

End