Episode 20: Quality Time

Quality Time
Act 1.
Robbie: Where's Mom?
Grandpa: She went to a school-board meeting.
Robbie: I don't know how she does it. She sure keeps busy.
Grandpa: It's import to her.There are lots of places to go, lots of things to do. She can't sit around and do nothings to do. She can't sit around and do nothing. Philip works late.
Robbie: I guess you're right. I wish I had her energy.
Philip: Anybody home?
Robbie: We're in here, Dad.
Philip: Oh. Hi, gang.
Grandpa: Hello, Philip. How was your day?
Philip: My day was just fine. So was my night. It's almost ten 0'clock. Mmm.I'm starving. Um...where's Mom?
Robbie: She went to a school-board meeting.
Grandpa: There's a note for you on the refrigerator.
Philip: Oh?
Philip: Did you have dinner, Robbie?
Robbie: Yeah. Mike and I had a hamburger at the diner. I came home a little while ago. You've been working late almost every night this week, Dad. Aren't you exhausted?
Philip: I don't have time to be exhausted.
Robbie: You and Mom haven't had dinner together with us in almost a full week.
Philip: Yeah, I feel bad about us not having dinner with the family, but our schedules are so different. Either I'm at the hospital doing paperwork, or Mom is at a committee meeting. I frankly don't know what to do about it.
Robbie: I'm worried about you and Mom. You really have been working too hard.
Philip: Well, I think I've had enough of that sandwich.
Robbie: You didn't finish it.
Philip: It's not good to eat before going to bed. A cookie can't hurt, though.
Philip: Well, I'm heading off for bed and a good night's sleep.
Robbie: Well, good night.
Philip: Good night, son. Good night, Dad. I'm going to bed.
Grandpa: Good night, Philip.
Philip: Haven't you finished balancing that checkbook?
Grandpa: I found another mistake. I'll be off to bed myself in a minute.
Philip: OK.Good night.
Robbie: I'm really concerned about them, Grandpa.
Grandpa: Concerned about whom?
Robbie: About Mom and Dad. They hardly ever see each other. Dad often works late, and Mom has all these committees she's on.
Grandpa: What do you propose to do about it? You have that look in your eye.
Robbie: I don't know, but there must be a way of getting them to spend more time together. Quality time.

Act 2.
Ellen: Hello there, Robbie. What are you doing up this late?
Robbie: Reading.
Ellen: Reading? At this hour? Ah, come on, Robbie. What are you doing up this late?
Robbie: Things on my mind.
Ellen: Do you care to talk about them?
Robbie: Sure, if you don't mind listening.
Ellen: Robbie, Robbie, remember me? I'm your mother. If you have something you want to talk about, I'm always prepared to listen.
Robbie: You haven't been around much lately.
Ellen: So that's it. OK, let's talk.
Robbie: You and Dad are like ships that pass in the night. Dad works hard, and he works late. You work hard on all your committees, and you work late.
Ellen: I thought you were proud of the work I do.
Robbie: I am, Mom. Real proud. You are one fantastic mom, but...but I've been noticing how little quality time you spend with Dad and me... and the family.
Ellen: It's a real problem, Robbie. I know it.
Robbie: I'm concerned. There must be a way that Day and you can spend more time together.
Ellen: Well, we always talk about taking a vacation together with the family.
Robbie: I think you ought to take a vacation away from the family-alone. Kind of a second honeymoon.
Ellen: It would be wonderful, but our schedules won't allow it.
Robbie: I think I have an idea.
Ellen: You do?
Robbie: Yup. I think I have an idea that will bring Dad and you together in a more scheduled way.
Ellen: What is it?
Robbie: Well, you know how Dad is always talking about the kids in the ward and how important it is for them to be paid attention to?
Ellen: Yes.
Robbie: Well...and how hard it i because the doctors and murses are so busy?
Ellen: Yes.
Robbie: Well, how would it be if you took some time to work with Dad towards solving that problem?
Ellen: I don't get it.
Robbie: Like setting up a regular weekly reading program. You and Dad. You and Dr.Philip Stewart-going to the children's ward once or twice a week and reading to them.
Ellen: Not bad. Not a bad idea, Robbie. As a matter of fact, it fits right in with something I'm working on right now with the school-board committee.
Robbie: What's that?
Ellen: I've been trying to work out a program in the public school that will bring parents and teachers together once a week to read to the students-their own children, really. By doing that, it will encourage reading.
Robbie: So it might fit in with a program for reading to the kids in the hospital.
Ellen: You're right. We'll do it! I'm going to talk to Daddy about it right now.
Robbie: But Dad was so exhausted when he came home from work. Why don't you talk to him about it tomorrow?
Ellen: You are a very smart young man, Robbie. I think I'll wait until tomorrow.
Robbie: You won't forget, will you?
Ellen: Believe me, I won't. It is a great idea, and I promise you I won't forget.
Robbie: Thanks, Mom.
Ellen: Thank you, Robbie.

Act 3.
Ellen: Good morning. What a wonderful morning! Don't the flowers smell wonderful?
Philip: Good morning, Ellen. Yes, they do. That's why I'm reading my paper and having my coffee on the patio this morning. Ah, it does smell sweet. How was your school- board meeting last night? You must've come home very late.
Ellen: Did you find the sandwich I made for you?
Philip: Thanks, dear. I was so tired I didn't even finish it.
Ellen: Philip, I've been working on this special project with the school board, and I'd like your opinion about it.
Philip: What is it?Ellen: I've been trying to find a way to encourage reading.
Philip: Good luck!
Ellen: Well, I think I may have found a way to do it.
Philip: Tell me about it. I work with families every day, Ellen. I see how people spend their leisure time-young and old.
Ellen: Mostly watching television. Well, that would be OK if , and I repeat, if people took the time to read.
Philip: I couldn't agree with you more.
Ellen: The question is, how do we get them to read more?
Philip: I think you're going to give me the answer to tha question. You have that looking your eye.
Ellen: I do have an answer, Philip. Or at least I think I do.
Philip: Well, tell me about it.
Ellen: The plan is a simple one. Involve the entire family in a reading project.
Philip: In the home?
Ellen: Yes, in the home. But first in the school-rooms.
Philip: Hmm, interesting. But how do you plan to do that?
Ellen: By arranging with the public schools to schedule one hour a week-to start with. During that time parents are invited to attend-and to read along with the children- their children.
Philip: It can go beyond the school system, Ellen.
Ellen: Really?
Philip: I guarantee you it would go very in the hospitals. My patients-mostly kids-would love to read and be read to.
Ellen: You think so?
Philip: I know so.
Ellen: May be we can experiment with your patients and see how the plan works.
Philip: I love the idea. Would you work with me?
Ellen: I would love to, Philip.
Philip: And that way, we'll spend more time together, Ellen. We just don't see each other anymore.
Ellen: You and I are very busy these days. This is true. We need to find time to be together more, to do things together more-you and I. This would be a wonderful way to accomplish that.
Philip: I have a question.
Ellen: Yes?
Philip: What do we read?
Ellen: To the patients in the ward?
Philip: Yes.
Ellen: Well, let you and I talk about it. What would you like to read to them?
Philip: Mrs. Stewart and I will read a poem by Robert Frost.
Ellen: It's called "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."
Philip: Would you begin, Ellen?
Ellen: All right. "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"by Robert Frost.
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
Philip: My little horse must think it queer.
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake.
The darkest evening of the year.
Ellen: He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
Ellen&Philip: The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Grandpa: You two belong on stage! That was wonderful!
Ellen: Grandpa!
Philip: Dad...Robbie. When did you come?
Grandpa: We've been listening to you both. These are lucky kids.
Robbie: Do you enjoy reading together?
Philip: Well, we may read together aloud at home.
Grandpa: You were right, Robbie.
Robbie: I know.

黄金时光
ACT 1
罗比：妈妈上哪儿了？
爷爷：她去开联合校董会了。
罗比：我真不知道她是怎么做到的，她真是忙个不停。
爷爷：这对她很重要。有许多地方要去，有许多事要做，她总不能闲坐着无所事事啊，菲利普又每天工作到很晚。
罗比：我想你说得对，我但愿我也像她那样精力充沛。
菲利普：[他从外面进来。]有人在家吗？
罗比：我们在这儿，爸爸。
菲利普：噢，嗨，众位。
爷爷：你好，菲利普。你今天干的怎么样？
菲利普：我今天干的很好，今晚也干的很好。已经快10点钟了。唉，我饿坏了。嗯……你妈哪儿去了？
罗比：她去开联合校董会了。
爷爷：冰箱上有她给你留的条子。
菲利普：噢？
[菲利普到厨房里，看冰箱门上的条子。条子上写道，“亲爱的，今天我要晚回家。冰箱里有三明治，桌上有曲奇饼。过一会儿见。爱你，埃伦。”]
菲利普：[他打开冰箱门，拿出一个三明治。然后他坐在厨房餐桌旁。]罗比，你吃了晚饭没有？
罗比：吃过了，迈克和我在火车餐馆吃了个汉堡包，我刚回家不久。爸爸，你这个星期差不多每天都工作到很晚，你不累吗？
菲利普：我没有时间去感觉累。
罗比：你和妈妈快有整整一个星期没有和我们一起吃晚饭了。
菲利普：是啊，我们不和家里人一起吃晚饭，我觉得不对劲，可是我们的日程表太不一致了。不是我在医院里写书面材料，就是妈妈去开委员会。坦白地说我不知道该怎样解决。
罗比：我真为你和妈妈担心，你们确实一直工作得太累了。
菲利普：哦，我想这三明治我也不想再吃了。[他把未吃完的三明治留在盘子上，起身离开餐桌。]
罗比：你没吃完它。
菲利普：睡觉前吃东西不好，但一块曲奇饼干没关系。[他和罗比各自从盘子里拿了一块曲奇饼。]
菲利普：好，我要上床去了，好好地睡一觉。
罗比：那么，晚安。
菲利普：晚安，儿子。[他进入起居室。]晚安，爸爸。我要去睡了。
爷爷：晚安，菲利普。
菲利普：你还没有核对完支票簿吗？
爷爷：我又发现一个错，过一会儿我也要去睡了。
菲利普：好吧。晚安。[他走了。]
罗比：爷爷，我真为他们担心。
爷爷：为谁担心？
罗比：为爸爸和妈妈，他们几乎互相不能见面。爸爸常常工作到很晚，妈妈又在那么多委员会里担任工作。
爷爷：你建议怎么办呢？从你眼神里看得出你有个主意。
罗比：我不知道，但应该有个办法让他们俩有更多的时间在一起度过。黄金时间。

ACT 2
埃伦：你好，罗比。你这么晚不睡在干什么？
罗比：在看书。
埃伦：看书？这么晚了还在看书？啊，得了，罗比。你这么晚不睡在干什么？
罗比：我心上有事。
埃伦：愿意和我谈谈吗？
罗比：当然愿意，只要你不厌烦听。
埃伦：罗比呀罗比，你还记得我吗？我是你妈妈，如果你有事想谈，我总是愿意听的。
罗比：最近你不常在家。
埃伦：敢情是为了这个。好吧，咱们谈一谈。
罗比：你和爸爸像是黑夜交错而过的航船。爸爸工作很累，常干到很晚。你工作也很累，在那么多委员会担任工作，你也工作得很晚。
埃伦：我原以为你为我所做的工作感到骄傲呢。
罗比：我是感到骄傲，妈妈，真正的骄傲。你是一位了不起的妈妈，可是……可是我最近注意到你和爸爸和我在一起度过的黄金时间太少了……和全家在一起的时间太少了。
埃伦：这是个真实的问题，罗比，我知道。
罗比：我在担心，总该有个办法让爸爸和你能在一起多度过一些时间。
埃伦：噢，我们总说要一起去度一次假期——同全家在一起。
罗比：我认为你们应该离开家里人去度一次假期——就你们两人在一起，好像是个第二次蜜月似的。
埃伦：那可是非常好，可是我们两个人的日程表不允许这么办。
罗比：我想我有主意了。
埃伦：是吗？
罗比：不错。我想我有一个办法能使你和爸爸能更经常地在一起。
埃伦：什么办法？
罗比：噢，你知道爸爸总是在谈病房里的孩子们，说一件很重要的事是要有人关心他们。
埃伦：是的。
罗比：还有……他还说这事很难办到，因为医生和护士们都太忙。
埃伦：是的。
罗比：那么，你为何不花点儿时间同爸爸一起设法解决这个问题呢？
埃伦：我不明白。
罗比：例如建立一项每周一次的朗读计划。你和爸爸，你和菲利普•斯图尔特医生——每周一二次到儿童病区读书给孩子们听？
埃伦：这主意不坏，罗比，真不坏，事实上，这恰好同我正在和校董会委员会研究的一件事相吻合。
罗比：是什么事？
埃伦：我一直在研究要在公立学校设立一个计划，把家长和教师们聚在一起，每周一次给学生们——实际上是给他们自己的孩子们——读故事书。这样做将会带动学生们自己阅读。
罗比：这样说，这可能同给住院的孩子们读书的计划相吻合了。
埃伦：你说得对，我们将要这样做！我现在就去和你爸爸谈这件事。
罗比：可爸爸从医院下班回来后累得不得了，你明天再和他谈这件事不行吗？
埃伦：罗比，你是个非常聪明的青年人，我想我们等到明天再说吧。
罗比：你不会忘记吧？
埃伦：相信我，我不会忘记的。这是个绝好的主意，我向你保证我不会忘的。
罗比：谢谢你，妈妈。
埃伦：谢谢你，罗比。[她拥抱他。]

ACT 3
埃伦：早上好，多好的早晨啊！花儿真香极了，是不是？
菲利普：早上好，埃伦。是的，是真香。就是为了这个，我今天早上才到廊坪上来看报喝咖啡的。[他深深吸了一口气，闻一闻花香。]啊，的确香极了。你昨晚的校董会开得怎么样？你一定回来得很晚。
埃伦：你看见我给你做的三明治了吗？
菲利普：[他点头表示看见了。]谢谢你，亲爱的。我累极了，都没吃完它。
埃伦：我一直在和学区校董会设计一项特别项目，我想听听你对这项目的意见。
菲利普：这项目是怎样的？
埃伦：我在努力探索带动孩子们阅读的办法。
菲利普：[他笑了。]那就希望你能走好运吧！
埃伦：嗯，我认为我可能已经找到一种办法能做到这一点。
菲利普：给我说一下，我天天和各个家庭在一起工作。我见到了人们——不论年轻人还是老人们——是怎么样度过闲暇时间的。
埃伦：对，主要就是看电视呗。说起来，那到没有什么关系，只要，我再说一遍，只要人们肯花时间去读书。
菲利普：你这话我再同意不过了。
埃伦：问题是，我们怎样才能促使他们多读一些书呢？
菲利普：我想这问题的答案正是你想要告诉我的，从你的神气里可以看得出来。
埃伦：我的确已经有了答案，菲利普，至少我认为我已经有了答案。
菲利普：好，跟我说说吧。
埃伦：这计划很简单，让全家人都参与阅读计划。
菲利普：在家里阅读吗？
埃伦：是的，在家里阅读。不过首先是在教室里阅读。
菲利普：嗯，嗯，很有趣。可你计划怎样去做到这一点呢？
埃伦：通过同公立学校商定，一开始先每周安排出一个小时的时间。在这时间内邀请家长出席——还要请他们和孩子们——他们自己的孩子们——一起读。
菲利普：这可以推广到学校系统以外，埃伦。
埃伦：真的吗？
菲利普：我向你保证，这项活动可以在医院里开展得非常好。我的病人——主要是孩子们——会很喜欢自己阅读和听别人朗读的。
埃伦：你认为会是这样吗？
菲利普：我肯定知道会是这样。
埃伦：也许我们可以在你的病人中间先试试，看这项计划是否行得通。
菲利普：我很喜欢这个主意，你愿和我一块儿干吗？
埃伦：我非常愿意，菲利普。[她坐在他的腿上。]
菲利普：而且那样一来，我们就会有较多的时间在一起了。我们俩现在简直是谁也看不见谁了。埃伦：你我两个近来都非常忙，事情真是这样。我们需要找时间多在一起，多在一起做些事——咱们俩。这项计划将是能使我们做到这一点的极好的方法。
菲利普：我有个问题。
埃伦：说吧？
菲利普：我们读些什么书呢？
埃伦：你是指读给病房里的孩子们听吗？
菲利普：是的。
埃伦：嗯，你和我两人商量一下吧。你愿意给他们读什么书呢？
[他们陷入沉思。]
几天之后在医院里，菲利普和埃伦正准备给病房里的一些儿童读一首诗。
菲利普：斯图尔特夫人和我将朗诵一首罗伯特•弗罗斯特的诗。
埃伦：诗题是《雪夜林边小驻》。
菲利普：你开始念，好吗？
埃伦：好吧。《雪夜林边小驻》，罗伯特•弗罗斯特。[她朗诵这首诗。]
我想我知道树林的主人，
然而他的房子远在它村。
他看不见我在这里停留，
看着皑皑白雪落满树林。
菲利普：[他接着朗读。]
我的马驹一定在诧想
为何停在远离农舍的地方，
在一年中最黑暗的夜里
停在林边与冰封的湖旁。
埃伦：他轻摇銮铃，似乎在问
是否我停错了地方。
万籁无声，只有微风轻拂
使羽毛般的雪片习习作响。
埃伦和菲利普：
树林多么美好，黝暗深邃，
但我与人有约，不能违背。
还需长途跋涉才许入睡，
还需长途跋涉才许入睡。
爷爷：[他和罗比一起进入儿童病房。]你们两个应该在舞台上表演！念得好极了。
埃伦：爷爷！
菲利普：爸爸……罗比。你们什么时候来的？
爷爷：我们一直在听你们两个朗读。这些孩子太有福气了。
罗比：你们喜欢一起朗读吗？
菲利普：嗯，我们以后在家里也可以一起朗读。
爷爷：罗比，你原先的想法对了。
罗比：[他微笑了。]我知道。

Act1
Act2
Act3