| 3-14 GAY/STRAIGHT ALLIANCE (page 2) Written by: Winnie Holzman and Maggie Friedman Directed by: Patrick Norris 3) Mr. Dimitri posts GSA meeting flyers, then invites Grace to join class. (Grace is wearing a partially buttoned lavender sweater with a white top underneath. Mr. Dimitri is in brown.) Grace stops Jessie in the hallway and tells Jessie that she has to go to the Gay/Straight Alliance meeting with her that night if she wants a ride to therapy. Grace is standing in front of a bulletin board located right next to Mr. Dimitri�s open doorway. Jessie leaves and Grace turns to look at the bulletin board. Posted is a flier that reads: GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCE MEETING, TONIGHT 7:00 PM, MR. DIMITRI�S HOUSE, 451 ELMDALE AVE., SNACKS AND DRINKS WILL BE SERVED. Hearing Grace�s voice, Mr. Dimitri walks to the doorway and says �Hello� while leaning against the doorjamb. Grace spins around to see him. Mr. Dimitri grins and tells her �So, I was thinking about doing some teaching. Whadd�ya say?� Grace smiles shyly and they enter class together. �All right, where were we?� 4) GSA meeting at Mr. Dimitri�s house 5) GRACE GLOWING ABOUT POETRY IN CLASS Katie starts to follow Jessie in the hallway after Jessie gives her the brush-off. Katie stops outside Mr. Dimitri�s classroom. Grace walks past her, noticing her forlorn expression, then unknowingly brushes against Mr. Dimitr�s jacket as she goes into class. Mr. Dimitri, having stepped into the hallway, asks �Miss Singer, would you care to join us?� Katie trudges into the classroom, head down. She pulls out her notebook and starts writing. �Alright, John Donne� Mr. Dimitri says, grabbing a chair and rolling it toward his desk. �Are his poems�pretty straightforward? Easily grasped?� Students stare at him with bored expressions. �Come on, people, it�s a yes or no question.� Grace answers �No.� �Thank you� Dimitri smiles. �No, they are not.� He shifts his gum. �So why do we bother to read them?� Time passes. Katie scribbles furiously, not paying attention. Mr. Dimitri walks around the room. �Okay, let�s recap. John Donne explores the paradox of human existence. So what does that mean?� Silence. �Anyone?� Grace raises her hand. Mr. Dimitri, leaning against his desk, turns to call on Grace. �Um, when something doesn�t make sense but it�s still true?� �That�s exactly right,� he says. Mr. Dimitri straightens up and takes a breath to address the rest of the class. Grace speaks up. �Look, can I just say something?� Mr. Dimitri looks back at her. Grace picks up her book and says, �Because he writes all these love poems but he just seems so detached!� �Exactly, that�s what it meant to be a poet back then. It, it was like being kind of a�scientist of the human heart� Dimitri explains animatedly to the bored class. �And a scientist must remain detached, you see, in order to uncover the�� �Wait, that�s not�� Grace interrupts, putting her hands up. �I mean I don�t think that that�s what poems should be.� She puts her hand over her heart. Dimitri opens his mouth as if to respond, but says nothing. �See, I just read these poems by this other person.� Grace looks down briefly, glowing. �And they just showed you like his entire life. How he thought and felt about everything. And it made you realize how you felt about everything.� Grace is entirely focused on Dimitri. Dimitri is frozen. The alarm sounds. Dimitri moves, shifting his gaze away. The students start chatting. Grace�s spell ends and she looks down. She stands up to gather her things. Mr. Dimitri stares at nothing, then looks slightly in Grace�s direction. �That was an interesting point you made.� Grace turns her head toward him. �Well, I guess I just have strong feelings�about poetry.� She turns away to finish filling out her backpack. Mr. Dimitri solemnly replies �We�ll continue this some other time� while turning around to face his desk. Katie is standing in front of Grace, holding a note. Grace turns toward her, looks back at Mr. Dimitri, then back to Katie as she asks Grace to give a note to Jessie for her. Katie leaves. Grace leaves next, the last to go. (continue to page 3) Home GSA Page 1 |
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