Field Tripping
May 2nd, 2020
Characters: Reagan and Mira (female, mid teens)
The history museum. A diorama with two wax figures of Lewis & Clark.
Mira and Reagan sidle up to the exhibit. They both take some notes on clipboards.
MIRA
Racists.
REAGAN
Them?
MIRA
Yup.
REAGAN
Really?
MIRA
I don’t know. Everyone was back then.
Don’t they look like it?
REAGAN
I guess they do.
MIRA
We have to learn this shit the whole year.
Like who thought state history was a good idea?
REAGAN
The state?
MIRA
Yeah, but like, it’s not my history. It’s not my family’s.
Like I bet my great-grandpa’s journey from Nicaragua to get here was harder than these guys to get to like, Portland, or wherever.
REAGAN
Yeah.
…
It’s not my history either, I guess.
MIRA
Where are you from?
REAGAN
Florida. I moved this summer.
MIRA
But like, where are you from from?
Like your ancestors?
REAGAN
Oh.
I never really traced it too far back.
I think we’ve been in the States a while. Before that maybe Scotland or Ireland?
MIRA
Cool.
…
Heritage means a lot in my family.
REAGAN
Mine too.
MIRA
But...you don’t know anything about it.
REAGAN
It’s still my background.
MIRA
But you don’t even know it...
REAGAN
I don’t get why it’s a competition—
MIRA
It’s not…I just think you and I have different definitions of that word.
REAGAN
I don’t think we do.
Like just because I didn’t do 23andMe or something doesn’t mean—
MIRA (overlapping)
I didn’t do 23andMe either actually I just know where my family comes from and—
REAGAN (overlapping)
—I’m not proud of my family or where I come from or they haven’t worked as hard—
Lewis & Clark come to life, startling the bejeezus out of Mira and Reagan. They stare, then clear their throats in-unison. They assume their wax positions, as if nothing happened. The girls look at each other for a sec. Mira moves on. Reagan watches her go, then stares back at the figures. She takes more notes.