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UNIT3:The Generation Gap
Part I Pre-Reading Task
Listen to the recording two or three times and then think over the following questions:
. What sort of a song is it?
. Who should be sitting up and taking notice? Why?
. What does the singer think of his parent's way of doing things?
. Do you agree with what he says?
The following words in the recording may be new to you:
roam
vi. 漫游
drench
vt. 使湿透
prophesize
v. 作预言
senator
n. 参议员
heed
vt. 注意
stall
v. 拖延
rage
vi. 激烈地进行
Part II
Text A
This comedy centers around a proud father's attempts to help his children, attempts which somehow or other always end up embarrassing them. For the sake of fun it carries things to extremes, but nearly everyone can recognize something of themselves and their parents in it.
FATHER KNOWS BETTER
Marsh Cassady
CHARACTERS: FATHER; MOTHER; HEIDI, ; DIANE, ; SEAN, ; RESTAURANT MANAGER, s; MRS. HIGGINS.
SETTING: Various locations including a fast-food restaurant, the Thompson family dining room, and an office at a high school.
ATRISE: As the lights come up, HEIDI enters and crosses Down Right to the edge of the stage. SEAN and DIANE enter and cross Down Left to the edge of the stage. They listen as HEIDI addresses the audience.
HEIDI: My dad's a nice man. Nobody could possibly believe that he isn't. Yet he's... well, he's always doing these stupid things that end up really embarrassing one or more of us kids. One time, see, my brother wanted to buy this guitar. Been saving money for it for a long time. Then he got a job at this fast-food place, OK? Waiting tables. It was Sean's first actual job, and he was real happy about it. He figured in two or three months he'd have enough money to buy exactly the kind of guitar he wanted. Mom and Dad were proud of him, and well, OK, he's my big brother, and he's always pulling these dumb things on me. But, well, I was proud of him too. You know what happened? I hate to tell you because:
SEAN, DIANE and HEIDI: (In unison) Father knows better!
(The lights come Up Left on the fast-food restaurant where SEAN works. It consists of a counter and a couple of small tables. The MAN-AGER stands behind the counter. SEAN is busily cleaning the tables when FATHER walks in.)
MANAGER: Good evening, sir. May I help you?
FATHER: Good evening.
SEAN: (To himself) Oh, no!
(He squats behind one of the tables trying to hide from FATHER.)
FATHER: I'm looking for the manager.
MANAGER: That would be me, sir.
FATHER: I'm Sam Thompson. My son works here.
MANAGER: Oh, you're Sean's father.
FATHER: Yes. It's his first job, you know. I just wanted to check that he's doing OK.
MANAGER: Oh, fine. No problem.
SEAN: (Spreading his hands, palms up, speaking to himself) What did I do to deserve this? Tell me what?
FATHER: Hiring him was a good thing then?
MANAGER: Well, yeah, I suppose so.
SEAN: (Still to himself.) Go home, Dad. Go home. Go home.
FATHER: I'm sure he's a good worker but a typical teenager, if you know what I mean.
MANAGER: (Losing interest) I wouldn't know.
FATHER: He's a good boy. And I assure you that if there are any subjects that need to be addressed, Sean and I will have a man-to-man talk.
MANAGER: I don't think that will be necessary...
FATHER: Oh, no problem. I'm proud of my son. Very, very proud. And I just wanted you to know that I'll do anything I can to help him through life's dangerous sea.
SEAN: (Standing up and screaming) Aaaargh! Aaaargh! Aaaaaaargh!
FATHER: Son, I didn't know you were here.
SEAN: It's where I work, Dad.
FATHER: Of course. I mean, I didn't see you.
SEAN: I can't imagine why.
FATHER: Your manager and I were just having a nice chat.
(DIANE enters Down Left just as HEIDI enters Down Right. They look at SEAN and FATHER.)
SEAN, DIANE, HEIDI: (In unison) Father, you know better than that.
(The lights quickly fade to black and then come up a second or two later. SEAN stands alone at the Down Right edge of the stage. HEIDI and DIANE cross to Down Left edge of the stage.)
SEAN: If that sort of thing happened only once in a while, it wouldn't be so bad. Overall, I wouldn't want to trade my dad for anyone else's. He loves us kids and Mom too. But I think that's sometimes the problem. He wants to do things for us, things he thinks are good. But he needs to give them more thought because:
SEAN, HEIDI and DIANE: (In unison) Father knows better!
(The lights fade to black and come up on the Center Stage area where FATHER and the three children are seated around the dining room table. MOTHER enters carrying a dish, which she sets on the table. FATHER quickly rises and pulls out her chair. She sits. The family starts eating dinner.)
FATHER: I have a surprise for you, Diane.
DIANE: (Knows it can't be good.) You have... a surprise?
MOTHER: Well, whatever it is, dear, don't keep us in suspense.
FATHER: Well, you know, Dan Lucas and I work together?
DIANE: Kyle's father?
MOTHER: Don't interrupt, dear, your father is trying to tell you something.
HEIDI: (Stage whisper to SEAN) Something Diane won't want to know, I'll bet.
SEAN: (Whispering to HEIDI) Whatever would make you think that?
MOTHER: Sean, dear. Heidi, sweetheart, don't distract your father.
SEAN and HEIDI: (Simultaneously) Sorry, Mom.
FATHER: Now then. As I was saying, I know how much you like young Kyle.
DIANE: Father!
FATHER: It's true, isn't it? Didn't I hear you tell your mother that you wish Kyle would ask you to the senior prom?
SEAN: Uh-oh!
HEIDI: Oops!
MOTHER: Please, children, please. Your father is trying to speak.
DIANE: (Through clenched teeth, the words are in a monotone and evenly spaced.) Yes-I-said-that-why-are-you-asking?
FATHER: Well then.
DIANE: (Becoming hysterical) "Well then" what?!
FATHER: What did I say? Did I say something wrong?
HEIDI: (To SEAN) Not yet, he didn't.
SEAN: (To HEIDI) But you know it's coming.
MOTHER: Children, please. Do give your father the respect he deserves.
HEIDI and SEAN: (Rolling their eyes) Yes, Mother.
FATHER: Well, today I saw Dan and asked if he'd like to go to lunch at that French restaurant on Third Street. You know the one, Mother.
MOTHER: Well, yes, I believe I do.
FATHER: My treat, I told him. And, of course, he was glad to accept.
MOTHER: Why wouldn't he be?
FATHER: (Somewhat surprised) Well, yes.
DIANE: What-has-this-to-do-with me?!
MOTHER: Diane, sometimes I just don't understand your behavior. I try my best.
DIANE: (Very short with her) I'm sorry.
MOTHER: Thank you, Diane. (To FATHER) Please do go on, dear.
FATHER: As I said —
HEIDI: We know what you said, Daddy.
FATHER: Er... uh, what's that?
SEAN: She said, "We know what you said, Daddy."
FATHER: Yes, yes, of course.
MOTHER: Do get on with it, dear. I've made the most glorious dessert. An old recipe handed down to me by my great Aunt Hilda —
DIANE: Mother, please!
MOTHER: Yes, dear?
(DIANE shakes her head and lets her body fall against the back of the chair.)
FATHER: At any rate, Dan's a nice guy. Never knew him well. Found we have a lot of the same interests. Our families, our community, global peace, human welfare.
HEIDI: (Mumbling to herself) That narrows it down, all right.
SEAN: Father?
FATHER: Yes, son?
SEAN: I do believe Diane would like to know the surprise.
DIANE: (Breathing hard as if exhausted, she turns to SEAN, nodding her head up and down repeatedly.) Thank you, Sean. I owe you one.
FATHER: Well, yes. Here it is then. I told Dan of your interest in his son.
DIANE: You what?
MOTHER: Diane, what has come over you? I just don't understand the younger generation. Why back in my day —
DIANE: Mother, please!
MOTHER: What, what? What?
HEIDI: Mother, I believe she wants Father to continue.
SEAN: (To himself) Get this over with, more likely.
DIANE: Daddy, please, tell me. Now. Right away. What did you say, Daddy? Please. Tell me, what did you tell Mr. Lucas? Tell me, please. Please, tell me.
FATHER: Well, now, isn't this nice. It looks like my little scheme is a success. You're so eager to find out... makes a man feel as if it's all worthwhile.
HEIDI: (To SEAN) Can you believe this?
SEAN: (To HEIDI) Oh, sure. Can't you?
FATHER: Yes, well, I told him how much you liked young Kyle, and how you'd been wishing he'd ask you to the prom.
DIANE: You didn't! Tell me you didn't!
FATHER: Oh, yes. Anything for my children.
DIANE: (Swallowing hard) And... and —
MOTHER: Diane, are you all right?
DIANE: (She juts out her chin at MOTHER and quickly jerks her head around to face FATHER.) Well... what did he say?!
FATHER: Well, of course, being the sort of man he is — frank, understanding, he said he'd speak to the young man, insist he give you a call.
DIANE: (Angry scream!) Whaaaaaat!
SEAN and HEIDI: (Together) Father, you know better than that.
FATHER: I do? Yes, yes, I guess I do. I've... done it again, haven't I?
(The lights quickly fade to black and then come up a second or two later. DIANE stands alone at the Down Right edge of the stage. HEIDI and SEAN enter Down Left and cross to the edge of the stage.)
DIANE: Can you imagine how humiliated I was? An honor student, class president. And Father was out asking people to have their sons call and ask me to the prom! But that's dear old dad. Actually, he is a dear. He just doesn't stop to think. And it's not just one of us who've felt the heavy hand of interference. Oh, no, all three of us live in constant dread knowing that at any time disaster can strike because:
DIANE, HEIDI and SEAN: (Shouting in unison) Father knows better.
(The lights fade to black and quickly come up again Stage Left where there is an executive-type desk and chair and two other chairs. Behind the desk sits MRS. HIGGINS, in charge of admitting new students to Benjamin Harrison High School. HEIDI and FATHER sit in the other chairs.)
MRS. HIGGINS: So this is our new student, is it?
FATHER: That's right.
MRS. HIGGINS: What's your name, young lady?
HEIDI: HEIDI Thompson.
MRS. HIGGINS: I'm sure you'll find the students friendly. And the teachers more than willing to answer questions.
FATHER: She is an exceptional young woman, you know.
HEIDI: Daddy!
FATHER: Very, very bright.
MRS. HIGGINS: Yes, now if we can get you to fill out —
FATHER: Don't know where she got her brains. Her mother, I suppose. Oh, I was bright enough. But nothing like HEIDI. All her teachers have told Mrs. Thompson — that's her mother — and me that she was just about the brightest —
MRS. HIGGINS: (Interrupts as she loses her patience, though trying to be pleasant) As I said, if you have proof of vaccinations —
FATHER: (Interrupts, carrying on with his line of thought) Besides being bright, she's very, very talented.
HEIDI: (Twists her hands over and over in front of her chest.) Please, Daddy, don't do this.
FATHER: Well, of course I will, darling. I'm proud of you. Your mother and I are proud of you. (Turns back to MRS.HIGGINS.) Why just last year, in her last year of junior high school, before we moved, Heidi placed first in the county in the annual spelling bee! Isn't that wonderful? And she plays the piano like an angel. An absolute angel.
HEIDI: Daddy, please. Please, please. Daddy, I have to go to class. I want to go to class. Please let me go to class.
FATHER: See what I mean? Such an eager learner. I can't imagine anyone's being more eager for knowledge than my Heidi. My little girl.
MRS. HIGGINS: Yes, well, be that as it may —
HEIDI: Aaargh! Aaaaargh! Aaaargh!
(DIANE and SEAN enter Down Right. They look at HEIDI, FATHER, and MRS. HIGGINS.)
HEIDI, DIANE and SEAN: (Shouting in unison) Daddy, you know better than that!
FATHER: Er, uh, I do?
(Curtain)
(1912 words)
