The play

Marjorie woke early. As soon as she opened her eyes, she remembered. This was the day! The day of the play! Their little girl, Gloria, five years old, would appear on stage that evening, for the first time. It was her debut as an actress.

Marjorie rose, put on her robe, and went to Gloria’s bed. The child was sleeping peacefully, lying on her side, hugging her teddy bear. She must have been having a beautiful dream, because she was smiling, even in her sleep.

Marjorie was thinking: "Look at that! Sleeping soundly! It is the day of her first performance on stage, and she is sound asleep as if she did not have a worry in the world! No nerves. Cool. She will be a great actress!"

She went to look at Gloria’s costume, which was laid out on the bed in the guest room. The ballet shoes were perfect. The white dress was beautiful. The tiny wings were a work of art, fitted with straps to hold them firmly on Gloria’s body. Her fairy crown was exquisite. The wand was right, complete with a star at the end of it.

Marjorie picked up the wand, studied the star, and frowned. She thought: "The star should light up! It should twinkle! It is pretty, but it doesn’t light up!"

Ric, her husband, rose and went into the showers. At breakfast Marjorie reminded him: "Be sure to come home early. Because this is the day of the play! We must not be late!" Ric shook his head a little, and said: "Honey, I might not be able to come home early. We are having that meeting on the merger. We have been planning it for months. It is complex! It is possible that we could run overtime."

Marjorie stiffened. She leaned over the table and said: "Ric! Are you serious? Do you mean that you would miss Gloria’s play for that meeting?" Ric, sensing that a storm was brewing, said: "Oh, no! I wouldn’t miss the play! But. . . . . .I might not be able to come home early!"

Marjorie sat back. She said: "I can’t believe it! You would risk breaking your daughter’s heart for a business meeting? Do you mean that your business is more important than your child?"

Ric swallowed the last of his coffee and said: "No! No! I appreciate the importance of the play. I would never hurt the feelings of Gloria. I am just saying. . . . .the merger. . . . . . ."

Marjorie rose, exasperated, saying: "The merger. . . . . the merger!" She followed him to the door, talking all the way. Ric kissed her, and promised: "I’ll be home on time! I’ll be home on time for the play!’

When he was gone, Marjorie prepared Gloria for school. The arrangement was that Gloria would attend classes in the morning, but sleep in the afternoon, so that she would be fresh and beautiful for the play. Marjorie delivered her to the Sisters who were teaching in kindergarten.

Then she went back to her car and drove downtown, looking for electrical stores. The first shop said they could not do it. The wand was too small. They could not rig up an electric bulb in that tiny star.

The second electric store could not do it, either. Or the third. But the technician in the fourth shop was a man who liked challenges. He said: "Well. . . . . .it’s difficult. But I think I could set up a tiny battery in the handle, and run a wire up through the wand, and put a little bulb in the star. I’ll try."

Marjorie was delighted. But it would cost twenty dollars. And she did not have twenty dollars with her. She went to Ric’s office, which was close by. She asked the secretary: "Where is Ric?" The secretary was obviously tense. She said: "He is in the conference room. They are all in the conference room."

Marjorie headed for the conference room. But the secretary stopped her, saying: "Please! Please! Don’t interrupt them! They have been planning this merger for months. It is the biggest thing that ever happened to the company. They warned me: ‘No interruptions! Nobody!’ "

Marjorie sat down, determined. She said to the secretary: "Go in there and get him out of that meeting. Tell him it is life or death." The secretary gasped. "Whose life or death?" Marjorie said, grimly: "Gloria’s."

Ric came out of the conference room, a little pale. He said: "What happened? Was she in an accident? Is she in the hospital?"

Marjorie said: "I need twenty dollars to fix the wand." Ric opened his mouth, but no sounds came. Finally he said: "You got me out of the conference because you need twenty dollars for the wand?"

Marjorie burst into tears. She said: "There! You just said it! Your business is more important than your child! You don’t love your family. You don’t love your little girl. You don’t love me. All you can think about is your business and your silly merger! I should never have married you!"

Her voice was rising. She was sobbing. The tears were streaming down her cheeks, spoiling her make-up. Ric put both arms around her and said: "Please! Don’t have hysterics. Don’t shout. They will hear you in the conference room. . . . ." He gave her the twenty dollars. When she went to the ladies’ room to repair her make-up, he went back to the meeting.

The wand came out beautifully. The star lit up. Ric came home on time, happy, because they had made the merger. At seven they were settled in the best seats of the auditorium, the seats reserved for the parents of the performers.

The curtain rose on the first act. It ran for forty minutes. But there was no Gloria. When the curtain fell, Ric said to Marjorie: "I didn’t see her! I didn’t see her! Where is she?" Marjorie put a comforting hand on his shoulder and said in a soothing voice: "Wait!"

The curtain rose on the second act. It ran for thirty minutes. But still no Gloria. When the curtain fell, Ric turned to his wife and said: "But where is she?" Marjorie smiled, stroked his shoulder, and said softly: "Just wait!"

The curtain rose on the third act. When it was about twenty minutes old, and the stage was empty, in half shadow, three little girls ran from up right to down left, diagonally across the stage. They were carrying wands, and calling: "Fairy Queen! Fairy Queen! Fairy Queen!" If you looked closely you could see that one of the wands twinkled. The three little girls disappeared, down left.

Ric was sitting up straight. He said: "Was that her? Was that Gloria?" Marjorie said, with deep contentment: "Yes." Ric was quiet for a moment, his eyes on the spot where the three little girls disappeared. Finally he said: "Is she coming back?" Marjorie sighed, peacefully, and said: "No." Ric swallowed, "You mean, that’s the whole thing? That’s the whole bit?" Marjorie said: "Yes!"

The play went on to a grand finale, with singing and dancing, but Marjorie closed her eyes and put her head on Ric’s shoulder. She did not have to watch anymore. The climax of the play was over.

She was thinking that Ric was really very good. He was a faithful husband, a hard worker, a good father. She really should be kinder to him.

And, about the play, her only thought was: "It was worth it! It was worth it! Gloria looked so beautiful when she ran across the stage, wearing the wand, and calling: ‘Fairy Queen! Fairy Queen! Fairy Queen!’ "