TALENTED LITTLE BOY DOESNT KNOW HOW TO SPELL AMERICA, BUT HES DAMN SURE IT AINT L-O-V-E
BY BRETT WEBSTER with MICHAEL BENJAMIN WASHINGTON
Michael sets himself up behind the
piano. He slowly begins to play.
LIGHTS UP as the music begins. The
piano fades up with the lights.
MICHAEL
Hi. Im Michael, and Im in the second grade at Chipperwood Elementary School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. My teacher Ms. Wilcox gave us this assignment. She wanted us to find a creative outlet for displaying our emotions over this countrys Americas
He pulls out a poor drawing of the U.S. flag.
- current situation in the Mid-East. We had quite an array of outlets presented in my homeroom class. I chose my presentation through means of song about the simple facts and truths of what I know about the situation in the Mid-East. I dont know much I mean Im a second grader for crying on betsy but I can tell you what I do know...and thats how I feel. Footnote: I will be using the case of the 1990s U.S.-Iraq relations as my model for this presentation. So I hope you enjoy.
Michael begins to sing and play the song.
PEOPLE ARE DYING. AND CHILDREN ARE CRYING. WHATS HAPPENING? THE LOOKS ON THEIR FACES, CAUSE THEY GOT NO PLACES. OOH-OOH-OOH-OOH. WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING? WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING?
Michael suddenly stops playing and
turns to the audience.
Fact: During the past nine years, 1.7 million people in Iraq have died as a direct result of U.S. placed sanctions!
He begins playing the piano again.
MICHAEL
PEOPLE ARE PRAYING. BUT WHAT ARE THEY SAYING? WHATS HAPPENING? SOME SAY ITS JUST FATE. I SAY ITS IRRATE. OOH-OOH-OOH-OOH. WHATS HAPPENING? WHATS HAPPENING? WHATS HAPPENING? WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING?
He suddenly stops playing and again
turns to the audience.
Fact: Every child in Iraq suffers from some degree of malnutrition! A simple cut can lead to death because of contaminated water and a lack of even the most basic of medicines!
He begins to play again.
PEOPLE ARE BOMBING. SIRENS ALARMING. WHATS HAPPENING? YOU THINK YOURE SO BRAVE. CAUSE THEY LIE IN THEIR GRAVES. OOH-OOH-OOH-OOH. WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING? WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING?
He stops.
Fact: The U.S. government charges the government of Iraq with the death of the population! But Iraqs health care system before the war was the pride of the Middle East! Health care was and remains free to the entire population. In fact, people used to travel to Iraq from all over because their health care was so good and so free! And now parents, children, and more lie dead to starvation and un-humanitarianism during what was claimed to be a "humanitarian" mission and a gift on behalf of the United States to the rest of the world! Well, what kind of a gift was it a white elephant? Cause it must be a joke only Im not laughing! A gift! Well, youll excuse me if I ask for the receipt!
He sings.
PEOPLE ARE DYING. AND CHILDREN ARE CRYING. WHATS HAPPENING? THE LOOKS ON THEIR FACES, CAUSE THEY GOT NO PLACES. OOH-OOH-OOH-OOH. WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS
MICHAEL
HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING? WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING?
He stops.
I dont know whats happening over there, Ms. Wilcox. All I know is this assignment has left my heart feeling about like this new rendering of the American Flag I drew up
Michael turns his earlier rendering of
the paper American flag over to reveal a blank piece of paper.
- and thats empty! So, I ask you, Ms. Wilcox...
WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING? WHATS HAPPENING, WHATS HAPPENING, WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?
BLACKOUT on the final chord.
"Talented Little Boy Doesn't Know How To Spell America, But He's Damn Sure It Ain't L-O-V-E" IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED, TRANSMITTED, PRINTED OR PERFORMED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR
Performed by Brett Webster.
Performed by Brett Webster.
Performed by Brett Webster.
"Talented Little Boy Doesn't Know How To Spell America, But He's Damn Sure It Ain't L-O-V-E" debuted January 10, 2003, performed by Brett Webster.Performed at Best of No Shame (Los Angeles) March 27th & 28th, 2003.