Notes from Today's Rehearsal (10/12)

- house. Cold. 2 sisters.

- memories, but times have changed.

- Malorie (French for bad luck) – outside sister.

- Abigail – shut-in

- Mollie (mother)

- Abigail plays house. Continues about menial daily tasks but in a childish way – plays games.

- Abigail – she must stay there. Malorie helps sustain her sister.

- “temptation of Adam”

- event happens (everyone knows what they did on that day) – Abigail runs out, gets a bunch of food/supplies, holes up in house.

- coincides with personal event. (Hurricane Katrina – keeps moving up floors).

- Malorie and Mother – good mother, something went wrong, became bad mother (Abigail to young to remember anything but the good).

Malorie:

Abigail was always’s Mom’s favorite. I think everyone knew except Abigail. I think its because Abigail only saw the best in people, same as my Mother. They only saw the best in themselves, too. My mother saw herself as a strong single parent, as a warrior, protector, provider. She was Rosie the Riveter and Martha Stewart and Elizabeth Taylor, all balled into one. She tactfully ignored her growing mound of bills and debt and dirty dishes.

When I was younger I only saw the best in her as well. But as I got older I started noticing the bills and debt and dirty dishes. I couldn’t believe in her fairy tale anymore. So I think she couldn’t believe in me. I moved out to go to college, and I never moved back. When I was on my own, I started sending money back to her and my sister. I loved and hated myself for doing it. I loved being able to keep the fairy tale together for my mom, to keep the bills, debt, and dirty dishes at bay. I hated that I was allowing her to live in someplace far away from reality.

Abigail grew up to be just like her. As more time wore on, my mother left our house less and less. She grew to prefer her imagined world to the real one. She kept herself busy with menial tasks all day, to give the appearance of normality. To give the appearance of togetherness. She sent Abigail out to do anything and everything that would require passing our front gate.

What if she finishes all her chores??? Will she know when its done?