Out of the Wings

Crecer (c.2008), Maxi Rodríguez

Growing Pains : SCENE THREE , SCENE FOUR , SCENE NINE , SCENE ELEVEN

Growing Pains, translated by Gwynneth Dowling

SCENE THREE

Context:

Adrian has just watched a DVD featuring Alex, his long-lost father. He is shocked to discover Pepe is not his father, and that his parents have kept this earth-shattering news from him.

Sample text

PEPE:: We were going to tell you when you were old enough.
ADRIAN:: When? I’m sixteen!!
PEPE:: When you were older.
ROSA:: What did he say?
ADRIAN:: He wants to see me.
ROSA:: What are you going to do?
ADRIAN:: I don’t know. Mum …
ROSA:: It’s your decision, okay?
ADRIAN:: Mum.
PEPE:: You’ll work it out.
ADRIAN: (To Pepe.): Dad …; Pause. The three of them notice that the word now sounds different. Aware of this, Adrian says it again, stressing it.
ADRIAN:: Dad. (Pause.) Were you friends?; Pepe appreciates the boy’s gesture and answers him, extremely tenderly.
PEPE:: Yes, son. Very good friends. The three of us.
ADRIAN: (Looking at his mother.): The three of you?
ROSA: (Putting her arms around him.): Yes. We were as thick as thieves.
ADRIAN:: So what happened?
PEPE:: You were an accident, see? They were very young. Alex got scared …; Adrian impulsively goes to leave, but before he goes out the door he turns round, confused.
ADRIAN:: What’ll I do?
PEPE:: We’ve said already.
ADRIAN:: What?
PEPE:: That you’ll work it out.; Pepe goes to put his arms around him, but this time Adrian rushes out, terrified. Darkness.
ADRIAN: (Off.): ‘You’ll work it out?’ That night I went to bed shattered, like I’d been run over by a heard of elephants. I felt so cheated! I love my parents to bits – I mean, Rosa and Pepe … the ones I’ve always had. But now I’d to work out whether I wanted to meet the DVD guy. It was my decision – at least, that’s what I thought …

Copyright

The above sample taken from the translation Growing Pains by Gwynneth Dowling is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

SCENE FOUR

Context:

Even though Adrian has not yet decided whether or not he wants to meet his biological father, his parents invite Alex round. They celebrate Alex’s birthday, and are magically transported back to when the three of them were young children.

Sample text

Pepe, Rosa and Alex sit around a birthday cake with two candles on it that make up the number 37. Filled with emotion, Alex tries to make some sort of speech.
ALEX:: I’ve come back. (He breathes in. Pause.) But, who am I?
PEPE:: The same guy as always. You’ll never change.
ALEX: (Obscurely.): Oh yes. I’m the lovable stranger that now stands before you. That stranger who Adrian, who you … (Pause.), and even I …; Pepe and Rosa look at him slightly bemused.
ROSA:: Alex, snap out of it!
ALEX:: Thirty seven. That’s a long way to come, right?
ROSA:: Everything’ll be fine. He’ll understand, you’ll see.
ALEX:: And so now the bus full of regrets stops here.
PEPE:: What bus? You going to blow these out or what?
ALEX:: What do I see when I look out the window? I had a son, I planted a tree that got overrun with ants, I never wrote my novel because I don’t even know how to …
ROSA:: Are you going to blow these out or not?
ALEX:: Thank you, my friends. Thank you for welcoming me back so warmly. Forgive me, Rosa. Forgive me for all the pain I caused. And you, Pepe, my dear, dear friend. My brother. What can I say?
PEPE:: You and your speeches, Alex!
ALEX:: You’re right. This is all I want. To blow out the candles and kiss my loved ones.
ROSA:: Here we go, another speech!
ALEX:: … although I’m wondering why birthdays have become synonymous with frustration and boredom.
PEPE:: Come on, let’s make a wish!; They all share a conspiratorial look.
ALL:: One, two, three!; ALEX blows out the candles. The stage goes dark as they all cheer. The light returns immediately after, accompanied by the strains of a children’s tune that transports us back in time. Rosa, Alex and Pepe remain seated where they are. But the ‘3’ has disappeared from the cake. Alex is about to blow out the candle, 30 years earlier.
ALEX:: I … I’m … you know, I’m going to be … When I grow up, I’m going to be … See, when I’m older, I’ll …
ROSA:: Come on Ale-Ale-Alex! Snap out of it!
ALEX:: I’ll have a bus. The best bus in the world! And you’ll both be there, right?
PEPE:: What bus? You going to blow these out or what?
ALEX:: And we’ll always be friends. Right? Even if we fight … I’ll … okay, look, when I’m older I’ll drive a bus and I’ll look out the window and …
ROSA:: Are you going to blow these out or not?
ALEX:: You’re both my bestest friends ever, right?
PEPE:: He’s giving a speech!
ALEX:: I’m going to blow out these candles then I’ll kiss you both. Right?
ROSA:: Ha! A great speech!; ROSA kisses him. Little PEPE is unhappy at this.
PEPE:: Rosa and Alex, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!!
ROSA:: Stop it!
PEPE:: Rosa and Alex! Rosa and Alex!; ROSA gives PEPE a kiss, which surprises him.
ROSA:: Rosa and Pepe, too.
PEPE:: Me too?
ALEX:: Yes. We’ll all be boyfriend and girlfriend. Right?
PEPE:: Is that allowed?
ROSA:: Yes, if we want to.
ALEX:: Right. So we’ll be boyfriend and girlfriend and friends our whole lives long. And we’ll always look out for each other. Right? Whatever happens …
PEPE:: Come on, let’s make a wish!; They all share a conspiratorial look.
ALL:: One, two, three!; Bright light. Adrian has arrived home unexpectedly and turned on the light switch, abruptly ending the flashback. The daydream dissolves in smoke. Now, there are only a series of tense looks between the adults and the teenager, who trembles slightly beside the light switch.
ADRIAN:: What’s the big occasion?; Darkness.
ADRIAN: (Off.): There he was. In my house. On my sofa. With my parents.

Copyright

The above sample taken from the translation Growing Pains by Gwynneth Dowling is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

SCENE NINE

Context:

Adrian explains to Danny how Alex’s presence at home is having a strange, but not entirely unpleasant, effect on his parents. Alex turns up in the park. His behaviour is childish and slightly embarrassing.

Sample text

DANNY:

And how’s things at home?

ADRIAN:

I dunno. Good.

DANNY:

Good?

ADRIAN:

Yeah, it’s weird. There’s a lot of fun. Too much.

DANNY:

Too much fun?

ADRIAN:

Yes. I don’t know. They’re all friends together now, you know? There’s a lot of laughing and joking about

DANNY:

Joking about’s great! Totally different than my old man. He’s always getting at me, I can’t stand it.

ADRIAN:

It’s weird. I don’t know … they’re always trying to make me laugh.

DANNY:

Always?

ADRIAN:

I swear. They put stuff on their heads.

DANNY:

Stuff?

ADRIAN:

Yeah, stuff. Things that aren’t hats.

DANNY stares at ADRIAN a little confused. Suddenly, ALEX arrives. The boys are surprised to see him.

ALEX:

Hey!

ADRIAN AND DANNY:

(Slightly stand-offish.) Hey.

ALEX takes a banana out of a bag and puts it on his head.

ALEX: (Theatrically.)

Say hello … to Mr Banana!

The boys look at him like he’s from another planet. They don’t know what to say.

ADRIAN:

This … erm, Danny … this is my …

DANNY tries to offer Alex his hand. But Alex threatens him with the banana.

ALEX:

Hands up! (Danny glances at his friend out of the corner of his eye, as if to say ‘what the hell’s this guy up to?’. When he decides to go along with the joke he puts his hands up, but ‘Mr Banana’ shoots at his feet.) Great socks, partner! (Confidentially.) You know what? Until I was your age, I slept with my socks on.

The boys are confused.

DANNY:

Oh, okay. Why?

ALEX:

Why d’ya think? The mice bite your toes! (Adrian is embarrassed. He doesn’t know where to look.) What’ll we play? Want to climb trees?

ADRIAN:

Leave us alone, will you? Maybe another day.

ALEX:

Okay. Another day. (He puts the banana on his head and once again adopts a funny voice.) Farewell to Mr Banana! Farewell, farewell! (He skips away.)

Copyright

The above sample taken from the translation Growing Pains by Gwynneth Dowling is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

SCENE ELEVEN

Context:

Alex and Pepe have both visited Adrian’s teacher to demand the boy’s mobile phone back. The next day, Adrian is mortified to find out that his fathers have embarrassed him in this way, and sits them down to tell them off. He is angered by their extremely childish behaviour

Sample text

The next day, Adrian waits anxiously beside Rosa. Living room.
ADRIAN:: Where are they? Where’ve they got to?
ROSA:: Here they come now.; Pepe and Alex arrive on a skateboard. Adrian can’t believe his eyes.
ADRIAN:: This is unbelievable!
ALEX:: I’ll give you a ride on it later, right? But only if you’re careful with it.
ADRIAN:: Sit down. Both of you.; They sit down with their arms folded, looking for all the world like two children about to get a telling-off.
ROSA:: Adrian’s very angry. And rightly so.
ADRIAN:: What’s happening in this house? Can anyone explain to me what’s happening here?
ALEX and PEPE:: Nope. Nothing. Nothing’s happening.
ADRIAN:: What am I going to do with you? Can you tell me? What am I going to do with you?
ROSA: (To ALEX and PEPE.): You’ve gone too far this time. Adrian’s right.
ALEX and PEPE: (Sulking.): We were only trying to help.
ADRIAN:: So now I’m public enemy number one in class and I’ve been told to keep an eye on you two! Yes, that’s right, you two! They must think I live in a madhouse or something.
ROSA: (To the adults.): You just go too far. You get carried away and it all goes too far.; Awkward pause.
PEPE:: Is that it?
ADRIAN: (Confused.): What?
ALEX:: Go on, Adrian. Shout at us a bit more.
ADRIAN: (Jumping up.): What the hell? No. Absolutely not. (Pause.) You’re the parents here, not me!
GRANDFATHER: (Off.): Daddy! Daddy!
ALEX and PEPE: (Bursting into laughter.): Haha! Great timing!
ADRIAN: (Grumpily. Shouting.): Shut up!! (Silence. Realising that he is shouting, he lowers his voice.) I don’t like shouting. Don’t do this to me, please …
ROSA:: He’s right. You’re acting like children.
GRANDFATHER: (Off.): Daddy! Daddy!
ROSA:: I’m going to see what’s bothering him. He’s been unsettled ever since he came back here. (She leaves.)
ALEX:: It’s true. Rosa’s right. We’re all children.
ADRIAN:: What?
ALEX:: Yeah, we are – you, him, her, me … All of us. All that’s happened, Adrian, is that some of us have been here longer than others.
ADRIAN:: Where?
ALEX:: Here, living. Get it?
ADRIAN:: Let’s not get started …
PEPE:: What Alex means to say, is …
ADRIAN: (Losing his patience.): Pepe! Take that dummy out of your mouth!

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