Goodnight, Chip

Day 1
Chip’s bedroom 8:30 p.m. or so.
It’s painted a fresh lime green. Dark green curtains hang on two windows- they have turtles printed on it. The ceiling fan grunts as it turns lazily; the glow of its light illuminates the small room. A chest of drawers sits along a wall; it has a music system on it. Two transparent plastic storage boxes lie on the floor next to it with an assortment of stuffed animals, trucks and a giant toy jackhammer. Along the opposite wall lies Chip’s bed draped with sheets in Diego theme. Chip is ready to go to bed.

DotMom: Chip, do you want to sleep with Diego today?
Chip (with a big grin) : Aa-ha. Yyyyyes.

He has no idea who Diego is, except he is the cute little boy with big brown eyes and a mop of hair that is printed on the sheets of his big boy bed.

DotMom: Music?
Chip: Yay Dance.

Chip does a wiggly number.Dotmom switches on the CD. Soothing Bach follows. Lights are dimmed. Chip gets into his bed excitedly and draws the covers.

Chip: Deego Deego. (Hugging and kissing the sheets) . I want bhoo-bhoo nee-nee.

Chip jumps out of the bed, grabs his stuffed dog from the plastic bin and cuddles.

DotMom (pulls covers over Chip) : Good night Chip.
Chip: Night-night Aie. Are you happy?
DotMom (softly) : Yes Chip. I am very happy. Are you happy, Chip?
Chip: Yes.
DotMom: Then close your eyes.
Chip: Aie, ithe bas.
DotMom: I am not going anywhere Chip. I am right here. Close your eyes.

Chip closes his eyes, opening every now and then in tiny slits to steal a glance, making sure DotMom is by the foot of his bed. DotMom pats him gently and sings a lullaby. After 10 mins, Chip finally falls asleep. DotMom silently does a victory dance and exits right.


Master Bedroom, right after.
It’s a largish room furnished with contemporary furniture, a low, king sized bed, flanked by matching bedside tables and lamps. Across the bed is a small chest of drawers with a flat panel TV. In the corner of the wall stand two tall speakers, playing Sting, very softly. A poster of a Cezanne fills up the right wall. Photos of Chip as a baby stand on the tall speakers. DotMom enters left, still doing the victory dance, high-fives BigGeek who is propped up on the bed, reading his school books.

BigGeek (high fives) : Yay!!! Finally.
DotMom (smiling, getting into bed and turning on her bedside lamp) : At least it’s a start.
BigGeek: He needs to sleep in his room.
DotMom: Yes, yes.
BigGeek: We should Ferberize him. Let him cry it out.
DotMom (opening a book) : Won’t work. He is too old now. Besides he has always been a high need baby.
BigGeek: Won’t work for who? You or him?
DotMom: I like singing lullabies to him. Beats the cry-it out method anyways. Before you know it he will be eight and won’t want a cuddle. And then, he will get even older and will have a girlfriend. (DotMom shivers a little)
BigGeek (laughing) : Let’s hope he sleeps through the night.

Big Geek and DotMom go back to their books. Fade out.

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Master Bedroom;12:30 am.
It’s dark. Chip’s voice can be heard off-stage.
Chip (crying) : Aie!! Aie!!
DotMom stirs from her sleep, and then wakes up with a start.
DotMom (switching on her bedside lamp) : Chip! Chip! I am here.

Chip enters right, rubbing his eyes and sobbing.

Chip: Aie! Aie!
DotMom: Come here, baby.

Chips climbs on to the bed, wedges himself between BigGeek and DotMom, cuddles DotMom and goes off to sleep in an instant. DotMom switches off the light. Fade out.

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Day 2
Chip’s bedroom 8:30 p.m. or so.

DotMom: Time for bed Chip.
Chip (pointing towards master bedroom) : I want tithe nee-nee.
DotMom: Chip, you are a big boy now. You have to sleep in your big boy bed. What will Miss Debbie say if she finds out you still sleep in Aie-Baba’s bed.
Chip (thinking) : Eeeeeew?
DotMom (tucking Chip) : See? Do you want music?
Chip: No Dance.
DotMom: Book?
Chip: No Book.
DotMom: Close your eyes then.
Chip (pointing towards master bedroom) : I want tithe nee-nee.
DotMom: I’ll sing you a song. Which song do you want?
Chip: Ailamaa-Pailamaa.
DotMom: Chip, are you happy?
Chip: No. I want Ailamaa-Pailamaa.

DotMom starts to sing. Chips tosses and turns for a while then settles and dozes off.
Fade out.

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Master Bedroom; 9:30pm.

It’s dark. Chip’s voice can be heard off-stage.
Chip (crying loudly) : Aie!! Aie!!
DotMom wakes up.
DotMom (switching on her bedside lamp) : Chip! Come here.

Chip enters rights sobbing, big tears streaming down his cheeks.

Chip: Aie! Aie! Aie! I want ithe nee-nee.
DotMom: Come here, baby.

Chips climbs on to the bed, wedges himself between BigGeek and DotMom, cuddles DotMom and goes off to sleep in an instant. DotMom switches off the light. Fade out.

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Day 3
Chip’s bedroom 8:30 p.m. or so.

Chip: No! No! I want tithe nee, I want tithe nee-nee.
DotMom: Chip, you are a big boy now.
Chip: Baba, Baba, I want tithe nee-nee.

Chip exits right, running. DotMom follows.

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Master Bedroom 8:30 pm or so.
Chip enters left, running. DotMom follows. BigGeek is propped on the bed, reading his school papers.

Chip: Baba, Baba, I want tithe nee-nee.
BigGeek (picking up Chip) : Chip, you are a big boy now. Come, let’s go sleep with Diego.
Chip (crying) : Please, no Diego, no Diego. I want ithe nee-nee. Please Baba, yes? Ithe nee-nee? Yes Baba, Yes?
BigGeek: Ok. Come here.

Chip is smiling, wipes his tear streaked face with the back of his hand, gets into bed with BigGeek and snuggles up to him. DotMom gets in next to Chip, wedging Chip between her and BigGeek.

Chip (turning to look at DotMom) : Aie, are you happy?
DotMom (softly) : Yes Chip, I am very happy. Are you happy. Chip?
Chip (grinning widely) : Yyyyyes. Night-night Aie.
DotMom: Goodnight Chip.

Chip snuggles up to BigGeek and is asleep in a few minutes. DotMom starts to read her book. Fade out.

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Epilogue
Everyday, at bedtime, DotMom asks Chip if he wants to sleep with Diego. Chip always answers no. Chip is still wedged between DotMom and BigGeek every night and he is very happy, as is DotMom and as is BigGeek, though he won’t admit it.