Understand Austin's Mom

One act

Scene 2

Austin's dad: (talking to austins mom) Where's Austin at???

Austin's mom: I think he's at his girlfriend- I mean- friend's house.

Austin's dad: confused face, but with furrowed eyebrows to look angry What did you just say?

Austins mom: sigh His girlfriend's house. He has a girlfriend. But, its okay because she’s a very nice and sweet girl. 

(Austin Enters)

Austin: Hey

Austin's mom: Hi Austin, how was school?

(they argue) 

Austin: What's wrong with that?

Austin's mom: Austin… don’t start please.

(they argue more)

Austin's dad: You have got to be fu-

Austin's mom: (Austin's mom pushing Austin's dad back or covering his mouth) Ohhhhkayyyyyyy. Lets not, alright??? Austin you need to go to your room and chill out. 

Scene 3

Austin: Bye hangs up

(knock knock)

Austins mom: (from offstage Austin, can I come in?

Austin: Yeah mom sure.

Austin's mom: Honey, are you okay? I'm sorry he lashed out on you like that. (hugs austin)

Austin: hugs back Yeah, I'm fine. This whole thing is just annoying.

Austin's mom: I know, I'm sorry. You both just don't understand each other. You grew up differently and you're both different people which is okay. You both need to learn to accept that. He's frustrated, not at you, he’s frustrated at the situation.

Austin: It seems like he's frustrated at me though…

Austin's mom: Honey, he's not. Trust me. We just don't want to see you get hurt. 

Austin: But it shouldn't matter to you guys whether I get hurt or not. That's between me and Claire, or me and whoever I’m in a relationship with.

Austin’s mom: I know to you it seems crazy, but it absolutely does matter. We don't want to see our baby boy getting hurt. Dad has felt so much heartbreak and hurt from this world, and he wants to do anything in his power to stop you from feeling the same sadness he felt.

Austin: By hurting me more? By making me feel like a stupid child? By not letting me make my own decisions?

Austin's mom: No, that's not what we're saying. We're saying that we want to protect you until we are forced to let you spread your wings. We aren't just stupid old people with no brains, we have a reason for what we are doing. 

Austin: But-

Austin's mom: No buts. Look, we love you so much, and you know that. We wouldn't be doing these things if we didn't love you. We see how these things have hurt us and affected our lives and want to try everything in our power to have you not feel that same way, your dad even more. His intention isn't to hurt you or belittle you. It's just us trying to save you from the pain and suffering that could come. Who knows? Maybe Claire could be your future wife, but what about the possibility that she's not? 

Austin: No but-

Austin's mom: (sternly) Austin.

Austin: Sorry. Continue.

Austin's mom: sigh I guess all I'm trying to say is please try to see it from his perspective. Try to understand where he is coming from. 

silence*

Are you gonna say anything?

Austin: Oh sorry i didnt know if i was like allowed to talk again

Austin's mom: Austin….

Austin: Sorry sorry. Okay what I was thinking was I try to understand where he's coming from, but how am I supposed to understand him if he REFUSES to understand me? 

Austin's mom: That's the problem. Don't expect sympathy when giving sympathy. You're no better than him when you do that. Just try to sit and think about how he's feeling.

Austin: Okay….

Austin's mom: I love you. So does dad. You know that. 

Austin: I love you too. I know he does, it's just hard to believe that when he does things like this…

Austin's mom: Austin, don't say that. It may not seem like it to you, but this is his act of love towards you.

Austin: I know, I know..

Austin's mom: But do you?

(silence)…

It's okay if you don’t understand now, but all I ask is that you put yourself in his shoes to see how it must feel to see the possibility of your son getting hurt. 

Austin: Yeah, I guess I understand a bit. I still don't understand why he's just being so weird about it. 

Austin's mom: I don't know either. Have you tried talking to him about it, like asking why?

Austin: No….

Austin's mom: Well no wonder why you both aren't understanding each other. 

Austin: I don't think just talking to him will stop all of this though.

Austin's mom: You don't know if you don't try.

Austin: Okay, fine. I'll talk to him later.

Austin's mom: Good. That's good. I think that's what's best. I'm sorry honey.

Austin: It's okay.

(she hugs him and he hugs back) (end scene)

Scene 4

(unfreeze)

Austin's dad: head in hands I don't get it. Why is he mad at us??

Austin's mom: It's because it feels like you're not listening to him and that you don't want him to live his life.

Austin's dad: I am listening to him. And of course I want him to live his life, I just want him to live it without a girlfriend. Or without relying on someone. I'm not saying the girl is a horrible awful person, i'm just saying I want him to live his life on his own. Why is that so difficult for him to understand?

Austin's mom: I…I have no idea honey. I'm sorry. It'll be okay (freeze)

Austin's dad: No, it's not okay. It’s just disrespectful at this point. He knows this is not what he's supposed to be doing. Why does he continue to do it???

Austin's mom: He's not doing it on purpose. He's growing. He's just a kid making stupid mistakes. 

Austin's dad: The mistakes sure are stupid.

Austin’s mom: Honey, I know you're just trying to protect him and keep him safe but he's really not doing this on purpose.

Austin's dad: I know he isn't, but it feels like he is. He's a kid and he's making stupid mistakes, but he doesn't think about what those stupid mistakes will do to him, or even to us. I just need to talk to him. 

(freeze again) (done until bows)