The Sparrow Act 2

MR. CHRISTOPHER (cont’d). Emily, are you doing that?

EMILY. Yeah.

MR. CHRISTOPHER (cont’d). Those were some slick moves

there, Ginger Rogers.

EMILY. I’m so sorry.

MR. CHRISTOPHER. We haven’t had that much excitement

since Louie Nash’s presentation on the fallopian tube.

You all right?

MR. CHRISTOPHER (cont’d). I heard “reimbursed.”

EMILY. I’m embarrassed.

Mr. Christopher, I didn’t mean to—

I didn’t mean for that to happen.

MR. CHRISTOPHER. Can you not control it?

EMILY. No, I can control it.

I’m in control. It does what I

tell it to do, I just ...

Sometimes

if I get overwhelmed or over

excited,

it can get a little ...

MR. CHRISTOPHER. Out of control?

EMILY. Unmanageable.

MR. CHRISTOPHER. And just now in class ...

EMILY. I got excited.

MR. CHRISTOPHER. OK.

The first thing I want to tell you, Emily, is that I think you’re

wonderful.

Absolutely.

Completely apart from the fact that you have

astonishing magical powers,

you’re smart, and funny ...

you’re pretty.

You’re dark and mysterious in a kind of...

Well I just think you’re the cat’s pajamas.

You’re a catch.

But I’m not the guy that you should be ...

EMILY. I know.

It’s just that it’s not easy to be here.

But you—

MR. CHRISTOPHER. Emily ...

EMILY. Everybody looks at me like

I’m a—

MR. CHRISTOPHER. A super hero?

EMILY. But you understand and

you make me feel normal

and special at the same time.

I feel like I can just be myself with you

and like I belong here.

MR. CHRISTOPHER. I’m glad about that, Emily.

I put a lot of thought into trying to be

that cool teacher, you know?

I mean, hey—I remember when I was your age...

Mrs. Durkin? Freshman economics teacher?—I mean, she—

Whatever.

The point is, it’s OK to acknowledge what you’re feeling.

There’s nothing wrong with feeling ... things.

It’s just a matter of what you do with it.

We, all of us, just have to be responsible with our feelings.

We have to stay in control.

Tell me you’re going to the dance tonight.

EMILY. I don’t know.

MR. CHRISTOPHER. Of course you are.

You’re gonna cut some rug, slow dance with a boy—

You know ... a cute boy, without a receding hairline.

And have some fun.

We’ll leave the dancing on the dance floor

and the biology in my classroom

and we’ll be all set.

EMILY. I’m sorry.

MR. CHRISTOPHER. Stop apologizing, Emily.

You’re late for history.

EMILY. Thanks, Mr. Christopher.

ALBERT. ...

Hi.

EMILY. Hi.

ALBERT. You’re reading.

I’ll just ...

...

What are you reading?

EMILY. Just

Poetry.

ALBERT. Oh.

...

How is it?

EMILY. It’s OK.

ALBERT. That’s good.

EMILY. What is that?

ALBERT. That’s for you.

That’s a—

Here.

That’s a corsage.

It’s, uh, it’s for your wrist.

I thought you could ...

If you wanted to wear it

tonight, for the dance,

that’s what we used to ...

If it’s not too corny.

EMILY. I’m not going to the dance.

ALBERT. Oh.

OK.

EMILY. Thanks for the ...

It’s beautiful.

ALBERT. ...

Listen.

Emily.

I’m glad you’re here and...

...

I’m glad you’re here and I hope you feel like you’re home because

...

I feel like you’re home.

EMILY. ...

ALBERT. I’m glad you’re home.

I didn’t think I’d feel like that

so I haven’t been very ...

But I ...

You make this feel like home.

OK.

EMILY. Thank you.

Thank you for the corsage.

ALBERT. You know, you oughta put on a dress and

go down there and just

have a good time and

dance with everybody and—

It’s the homecoming dance, you know?

And you’re home ...

So ...

How’s that poetry?

EMILY. ...

ALBERT. And Margaret Rosenthal talked me through that

corsage deal.

And if you don’t use it,

I’ll hear about it.

And Joyce was hoping you’d get your picture taken

in a dress and

that’s a picture I’d like to have in the house.

EMILY. OK.

MR. CHRISTOPHER. Emily.

(cont’d). Is he OK?

EMILY. What are you doing here?

MR. CHRISTOPHER. I don’t know.

That wasn’t supposed to happen.

Jenny was feeling ...

She came in there

and I was trying to ...

She needed someone.

She needed me to be

there.

And she looked at me like

she ...

I said all those things to you today about

being responsible

and being in control.

I believe those things I said

and I didn’t

think that was going to happen

but I let it happen.

I could see how it

...

I could see how it was about to go

and I let it go.

How does that happen?

When you see it coming

and you know you’re about to hurt someone

and you let it happen?

EMILY. I don’t know.

MR. CHRISTOPHER. I know I hurt you too, Emily,

But I’m glad you were there.

I don’t know what else—

EMILY. Is Jenny’s face OK?

MR. CHRISTOPHER. What?

EMILY. Did I hurt her?

MR. CHRISTOPHER. I don’t

No.

You didn’t hurt her.

EMILY. What are you going to do?

MR. CHRISTOPHER. ...

I should tell someone.

It was my fault.

I should stay here and—

I have a responsibility to ...

...

I’m a good person.

I should tell everyone.

EMILY. Who are you going to tell first?

MR. CHRISTOPHER. ...

I wish I could tell my wife.

EMILY. Why can’t you?

MR. CHRISTOPHER. ...

EMILY. You should tell her.

MR. CHRISTOPHER. My wife is dead, Emily.

I thought you

remembered that.

EMILY. What do you mean?

MR. CHRISTOPHER. My wife was driving the bus.

(cont’d). I’m sorry.

I thought you—

(cont’d). Are you OK?

EMILY. I’m in control.

PRINCIPAL SKOR (cont’d). Students, let’s quiet down.

You’ll know more when I know more.

Ms. McGrath, take your seat please.

EMILY. Jenny, I didn’t say anything

JOYCE. Come here, sweety.

It’s OK. (Holds EMILY.)

Emily?

Did you kill my daughter?

(cont’d). Answer me.

(cont’d). Say it.

Say it.

EMILY. I didn’t mean to.

(JOYCE gasps. She slaps EMILY.)

(cont’d). I didn’t know it was going to happen,

I couldn’t stop it.

JOYCE. You lied.

You lied to me.

EMILY. I was scared.

JOYCE. Liar!

You came into my home.

And you lied!

EMILY. I ...

I’m sorry.

JOYCE. I want my daughter back!

EMILY. ...

DRIVER. Hello there, Emily.

You’re grandma’s told me a lot about you.

EMILY. ...

DRIVER. It’s a very special school, Emily.

The other children are all very excited to meet you.

EMILY. I didn’t mean to do it.

DRIVER. ...

I know you didn’t.

You have nothing to worry about Emily.

EMILY. I don’t want to go.

MR. CHRISTOPHER. It’s true, isn’t it?

EMILY. They’re looking for me.

MR. CHRISTOPHER. Where are you going?

EMILY. I don’t know.

...

Mr. Christopher—

MR. CHRISTOPHER. I don’t want to hear it.

EMILY. ...

MR. CHRISTOPHER. Take my ticket.

Go to Chicago.

Don’t come back.

Take it!

EMILY. She was always very nice to me.