18-year-old Vanessa Is going through one of the most difficult moments in her life trying to figure out how to maneuver grief. She shares stories of the relationship that she has with her family but especially the bond that she has with her abuela. It is because of her grandmother that she is able to have her dream 18th birthday party. It has everything that Vanessa has ever dreamed of, and it is topped off with a beautiful dress, a strawberry cupcake, in the presence of all of her friends and family. What could go wrong? But what we soon learn is that Vanessa false prey to yet another random shooting and yet another random place where yet another set of innocent people are killed. There is nothing fair about gun violence in America, nor does it feel like there's any way to keep yourself safe from it. Vanessa tries to put the pieces of her life together and move on as she attends the funerals of the people that she loves the most who died while celebrating her birthday. This is a story about how normal people are when they wake up in the morning on a day that will change their lives forever. They are unknowing participants in someone else's tragic form of pain. But through this story we realize that holding on to the love that we have always had for the people who mean the most to us is potentially the key to moving forward. Because that love will always live inside of us.
*This story can be edited to be performed by anyone.
60 Day Difference
(Vanessa, a woman in her late teens, stands in front of a large room. She scans the room from one side to the other and is completely terrified and shaken by what she's looking at. She then begins to count.) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5… 6… 6. (Beat) I just want this day to be over. (She takes a deep breath, and collects herself. She looks at the audience and gives an effortful smile.) It was only two months ago. What a difference 60 days can make. (She transitions back to searching through multiple drawers in her dresser. She is pulling them out completely frustrated she cannot find what she's looking for. She yells off.) Mama! Mama, where is my green shirt? I have to wear it to school today for class pictures. Mama! (She keeps looking as she talks to herself and begins to pick out other shirts but nothing looks right.) See this red one… no it makes me look fat. Maybe this blue one it's close enough to being green I think ... why can I never find anything in this house! (Off) Mama! (She stops and transitions back.) That was the moment, that was the moment that I can trace all of this back to that changed the rest of my life. It was in that moment that my abuela opened the door with my green shirt in her hand. When your grandmother is standing in front of you holding your perfectly ironed shirt that she woke up early this morning to wash and press for you so that you will look your very prettiest for school pictures, what can you say? And there I was screaming like a crazy person at my mother when my grandmother had already taken the ranks to make sure that her spoiled rotten unappreciative bratty granddaughter would have a good day. I love her. (She transitions back and takes the shirt. She smells it and puts its on then turns to her grandmother.) Thank you. Because of you I'm going to be so pretty in my school picture today. (To audience) Because of her.