Home on the Range
April 27th, 2020
Starring: Babygirl (female, 9), Memaw (female, 79)
Babygirl, wearing a pink sequin cowboy hat, is holding a bb rifle, aiming down sight. Memaw sits on the porch behind her, reading a magazine. Babygirl shoots.
MEMAW (looking down)
You’re breathin too hard right before you pull, babygirl.
S’why you’re missin.
BABYGIRL
You weren’t even lookin.
MEMAW
The can didn’t make no noise, did it?
BABYGIRL
Cans are borin.
MEMAW
That why you’re off target?
BABYGIRL
They’re for kids, memaw.
MEMAW
And what’s that make you?
Hm.
S’what I thought.
…
What do you wanna shoot, babygirl?
BABYGIRL
I dunno.
MEMAW
Yes you do.
…
BABYGIRL
A snake.
MEMAW
What kind?
BABYGIRL
I dunno. One of the venom ones?
S’got a long rattle tail and a wide body like it just ate something big and black bead eyes and these red diamonds on its back.
And it looks mean and it is mean. Like the one in Adam and Eve.
MEMAW
Okay. Now pretend the can is that snake.
Babygirl nods and holds up the rifle, staring down sight. She pulls the trigger, but a different sound comes out.
MEMAW
What happened?
BABYGIRL
Out of bbs.
Think I would’ve hit it that time.
MEMAW
Looked like it.
I promise I was lookin.
…
Ma say when you were goin back to school?
BABYGIRL
I dunno.
Can I shower before dinner?
MEMAW
Go fast.
Memaw holds out her hand for the rifle. Babygirl hands it to her and runs into the house. Memaw aims the rifle at the can. She imagines the snake.