Scabs

Two young children are sitting in their breakfast nook, eating breakfast cereal. It is late Summer/early Fall. Their mother is upstairs and 8.5 months pregnant.


Andy: Look, Jenny! Jenny, you're not looking at me! See what I...

Jenny: Shut up, Andy! You're such a baby. Wow, you stacked your cereal...do you want a million dollars?

Andy: You don't have a million dollars! Don't be a sillyhead, Jenny.

Mommy: (She walks into the breakfast nook): Andy, don't call your sister names. Finish your cereal, guys.

Jenny: First day of school, Mommy!

Andy: Yeah, Mommy, first day of school!

Mommy: Sorry, kiddos. School doesn't start today. Hopefully, it will start next week. It's OK, because I need my little helpers. You can help Mommy around the house. I can barely move with your little brother in my belly!

Jenny: But I wan't to see my friends!

Andy: Yeah, and I want to use my colored pencils!

Mommy: I need your help today. Lupe's mother is sick, so you guys can help me around the house!

Jenny: Why is there no school, Mommy? It's not snowing and you said last night was a school-niiiight.

Andy: Yeah, Mommy. It's not snowing. Why is there no school?

Jenny: Quit repeating me, Andy! You're such a baby!

Mommy: Take it easy, wiseguys. There's no school because your teachers are on something called a strike.

Jenny: What's a strike, Mommy?

Mommy: Well... I guess... I guess it's when a group of people don't go to work because they are all unhappy about something. They might not make enough money, or they might work in scary, dangerous places. Sometimes strikes are for good reasons and help people's lives, and other times they are for bad reasons and hurt people's lives.

Andy: Can I watch SpongeBob?

Jenny: Shut up, Andy! Mommy's talking! Mommy, so its like a vacation?

Mommy (Distracted, in discomfort): Ooh, your little brother is kicking up a storm. Umm.....Not now, Andy, I'm going to need your help. And yes, Jennybug, I guess a strike is like a vacation in some ways. In the olden days, people used to work very long hours for very mean people. Strikes allowed people to stand up to their bosses, to demand fair treatment. 

Jenny: But those were the olden days, what about now?

Mommy: Well now, it seems like people strike when they aren't being paid enough. It's greedy, I guess.

Andy: Mommy, can I play with your iPhone?

Jenny: Stop interrupting, Andy! Grow up! So Mommy, people who strike should just work harder, right?

Mommy: Yes, baby. Ah, my feet are on fire. I need to sit down.

Jenny: I'm never going to strike, Mommy. I'll always be a hard worker!

Mommy (Sits down at the table): That's my girl. Jennybug, will you pass me the remote? I need to check the news.

Jenny: Ugh, where is Lupe? Make Lupe do it!

Mommy: Not now, Jenny. I already told you Lupe isn't coming in today. Do me this favor and don't be selfish.

Jenny: I'm not being selfish, I just can't find the remote and I think Lupe took it.

Mommy: (incredulous, exasperated): You think Lupe took the rem....Ok. Andy, can you please find the remote for Momm...

Andy: STRIKE!