Sketch summary: A lady in her 40s is sitting in a rocking chair sewing. In walks Sonny possibly her husband. He’s wearing a hunters cap and a traffic safety vest and carrying a bag of chips and beef jerky.
The lady asks about his day and he describes how he has fun messin’ with people while directing traffic. After a short pause he asks “Where did I come from?” She replies, “You are getting so forgetful. Why, you just came from the kitchen.” He says “No. Where did I come from?” with emphasis on his question. She then gets a shocked look and calls out “Henry” while leaving the room.
We now hear the conversation between her and Henry and discover that Sonny is their adult son. Ma wants to know if Pa has had the talk with Sonny yet. Pa replies that he was waiting until there was a need for it. Ma tells him to get out there and give him the talk now.
Pa begins his talk with “Let me tell you ‘bout the birds and the bees, the flowers and the trees and the moon up above and a thing called…” Sonny interrupts and it is now that we find out he is wondering about his heritage. Pa give him some information but then tells him he’ll have to ask his Aunt Tammy if he wants more information and that she is all into that “gynecological” stuff.
Ma returns and asks if Pa answered his questions. Sonny says yeah, “but if I want details, I’m going to have to talk with Aunt Tammy.” Ma hollers for Henry and rushes off stage.
Author's Notes: When I first wrote the sketch, I thought I did a fairly good job with it. It wasn’t until Sunday morning when Steve, playing Sonny, wondered if it would be okay to add some lines to his part. It was then that the sketch really began to come across as a good sketch. Thanks Steve and Nina for taking an okay sketch and making it a great sketch.
The reference to Aunt Tammy in the sketch was a reference to Tammy Gregory who is into genealogy.
References to Edmund Littlefield, Lucy Whitefield and Tichfield Hamshire England are all from my family tree.
Cast:
Ma – Nina Welding
Sonny - Steve Matteson
Pa (Henry) – Harold Rodgers
Credits:
Director - Harold Rodgers
Author – Harold Rodgers with additional lines by Steve Matteson
4 comments:
I'm experimenting this time with posting the sketch.
[Lights up on Ma sitting in a rocker knitting. Sonny enters with a bag of chips, sits down on the couch uses the remote to turn on tv and begins eating the chips.]
MA
How was your day honey?
SONNY
Same ole, same ole.
[Using motions we realize he works a road construction crew directing traffic.]
Slow. Stop. Slow. Stop. Slow.
The only thing I enjoy about this job is messin’ with people.
There was this guy comes drivin’ up real fast, suit, power tie, talking on a cell phone obviously in a hurry. Just as he got to me, I make him stop and just smile at him.
Then there was this lady who comes creepin’ on up hoping to get to stop so she could paint her face. Unh uhh, you keep on coming. She had to put her makeup on while driving.
Good times.
MA
You are so bad. How is the work coming on State Road 23?
SONNY
I think we’ll be able to stretch it on into 2009. Maybe even 2010.
[Ma continues knitting, Sonny eats a few chips.]
Where did I come from?
MA
You are getting so forgetful. Why, you just came from the kitchen.
SONNY
No, where did I come from?
MA
Oh?! OHH!! Henry!
[Ma rushes off stage where we hear her conversation with Pa.]
Henry, your son is asking where he came from. Didn’t you have “the talk” with him?
PA
I’ve been waiting until there was a real need for it. Hasn’t been any girls that have taken an interest in him, and he hasn’t taken an interest in girls.
MA
Well, he’s out there asking “Where’d I come from?” I’m not about to be the one to tell him. You get out there and have “the talk”.
PA
Can’t I wait till the race is over?
PA
Now Henry!
PA
Yes dear.
[Pa enters and has a seat on the couch with Sonny.]
Sonny. I’ve been meaning to talk with you for some time, but I’ve just been putting it off. I guess now is as good a time as any. Let me tell you ‘bout the birds and the bees, the flowers and the trees, the moon up above and a thing called...
[Sonny interrupts him]
SONNY
What in the world are you talking about?
PA
Well, ma said you asked where you came from.
SONNY
Yes. I did. Where did I come from? We’re obviously not American Indians. So, where did we come from? Ireland, England, France?
PA
Ohhh. Whew! [To the audience] Dodged that bullet. [back to Sonny] Well, your [counts each of the greats on his fingers] great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather Edmund Littlefield married Lucy Wakefield in Tichfield Hampshire England. Or was it Edmund Tichfield, Lucy Littlefield in Wakefield? You’re going to have to ask your Aunt Tammy. She’s all into that gynecological stuff.
SONNY
I think that’s genealogical dad.
PA
Whatever. If you want detail, you’ll have to ask your Aunt Tammy. Ok?
SONNY
Kay.
PA
[As Pa exits he calls out to Ma]
Ma!
[As Ma enters, he high fives her.]
Got ‘er done.
[Ma sits back down in the rocker.]
MA
So Sonny, did Pa answer your question?
SONNY
Well, sort of. He said if I wanted details I’d have to talk with Aunt Tammy.
[Ma shocked since she still thinks it’s the birds and bees talk.]
MA
Henry!
[Gets up and rushes off stage. Lights out.]
There were a number of kudos on this sketch. Both services responded well to it. Harold did get hassled a bit for wearing an Alaska cap rather than a NASCAR cap.
The drama on Sunday was one of the best in Stir Fry history! Very funny (and creative) stuff!
I like the longer narrative version of the sketch. It is much more meaningful, since I never get to see skits performed live. Congratulations on the kudos. You are apparently maturing nicely as writer and a director. I am looking forward to your next posting; that is, if you are not a member of the Writer’s Guild, which is on strike. Break a leg, as they say. What a silly superstition? I feel more comfortable saying: Peace and best wishes…
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