The Middle of the End: Easy Skankin' with Ivo

When you are a person who sincerely believes you will never have a child, you develop very different expectations from life then somebody who plans to have a child.

The young woman who came to Aruba was going to sail around the world writing words and drinking rum like a pirate version of Hemingway with messed-up ovaries. The woman who writes these words today wouldn't trade her life for anything but she had to grow up real quick in order to become a mother. 

Having a child that you didn't plan on having can test a relationship. Having an special needs child can either cement a couple together or it can be the kiss of death.  Gabriel’s father, Ivo, and I didn’t make it.  We started drifting apart when Gabriel was a toddler.  There was a point where we just both realized we’d become too different to stay together. It was a little ugly before it was all over.

However, I grew up with parents who didn't get along.  I frequently found myself in the middle of their power plays and head games - not a fun way to spend childhood. I wanted better for my son.  

I’m proud to say that Ivo and I have managed to forge a significant friendship with each other over the years.  It hasn't always been easy, but being a parent isn't about doing what's easy.  It's about doing the best thing for your child.  If you hate your co-parent, it's essentially the same thing as hating one of the most significant people in your child's life.

Not everyone can make it work like my baby daddy and I did, but you should try your best to respect your child's feelings and keep your own out of the mix as much as possible.

*puts away soap box*

Now, for something completely different!!  Da-da-da-dum!!!

 I've been working on a little project I like to call:

“Unresearched and Most Likely Improperly Formatted  (I just glanced at a page from ‘Empire Strikes Back’ and decided to write a)  Screenplay” or:

The Middle of the End

Scene 1 - Easy Skanking with Ivo

The camera pans in from an overview of the island of Aruba to the dimly lit parking lot of a Bar/Supermarket called The Golden Buddha.

Interior of a battered work van – Continuous

A man (Ivo) and a woman (Stacy) sit in the front seat of the van.  The woman traces a fingertip through the concrete dust that covers the tiny ‘September 2011’ page of the calendar stuck to the cracked dashboard of the work van.  Her nails are bitten to the quick and her movements are nervous, slightly erratic.  The man’s eyes are fixed on the steering wheel.  The van windows are open as they both smoke cigarettes.  The bar is busy and every time the door opens snatches of Bob Marley’s ‘I Shot the Sheriff’ slip into the unnatural silence in the van.

A tear slides down the woman's face and you see flashbacks of her past with the man in the van.

FADE INTO A QUICK PACED ARRAY OF FUZZ EDGED MEMORIES -

Driving around in that van in the deepest night, with her hair streaming out the open window, an open beer in her hand while she sings along with the radio, him behind the wheel.

Piling in with another couple after watching Lucky Dube play for the very last time in Aruba.

The day she sat beside him with disbelief in her heart and several unopened pregnancy tests in a bag from the pharmacy.

Him snarking at her as she grinds the clutch, trying to learn how to drive a stick shift in the parking lot of the hospital, because she just can’t get it right and he’s exhausted from working all day then taking her to visit their premature baby every night.

Grabbing his phone when he steps out of the car and reading messages that say “te amo” from a contact called ‘mi corazon’ with a number out of Venezuela while a chubby infant tries to aspirate his toes in the car seat beside her.  Raising a skeptical eyebrow when he returns to the van and insists the contact is only a dear friend.  Running a finger down her baby's cheek while she bites her bottom lip hard.

Threatening to get another boyfriend if he didn't start paying attention to her.

Getting another boyfriend.

Screaming - like a wild woman, from the doorway of a dilapidated apartment - that if he drove away, that she wouldn’t be there when he returned.  And then watching dust billow behind the tires as he drove away before she walked back inside, sobbing.   Music plays faintly from the computer.  Hailey’s asking why mommy was always crying. An adorable 4 year toddles blindly to her, old hugs her and asked her if Marshal Mathers wrote that song for her.  She hugs her baby back, spins him around and promises that it will be ok, She dries her tears and starts packing their things…..

But I did not shoot the deputy…no, no, no!

The music pulls the woman out of her silent reverie and she looks at the man. It’s the first time she’s seen him in a while.  He reluctantly returns her gaze.

             IVO (spitefully)

How’s your boyfriend?

             STACY (eating ALL SORTS of crow)

He is very good to Gabriel and I.  Gabriel’s fine, too by the way.  He misses you.

             IVO (in a flash his anger fades to sadness)

How could you leave me?

             STACY (her faces mimics his but in reverse)

I think the real question is how could you have cheated on me with a hooker in Venuela?? Really, Motherfucker?  A hooker??

             She takes a deep breath and cuts him off before he can lie to her again.

              STACY

You know what, Ivo. It’s not your fault.  You didn’t sign up for another kid.

FADE INTO DREAM SEQUENCE -

A hazy vision shows Ivo and Stacy gliding along smooth seas on small sailboat.  Ivo is deep sea fishing off the stern while Stacy writes in a spiral bound 5 subject notebook – one deeply tanned and tattooed ankle holding the tiny wheel at the helm steady.  Bob Marley is the only unnatural sound around, quickly lost as their guiding wind slices the bow of their boat through gentle waves.

The dream dissipates and is replaced with a crystal clear image of a happy toddler with a halo of curls and sightless eyes laughing.

Interior VAN

             IVO (gets out of the car without a word, goes into the bar and returns a moment later with two open bottles of Polar Beer. He hands her one and they clink their bottle necks together in an automatic, familiar way.

             STACY

We’ve always been better friends than anything else, you know.  

             IVO (looks like he wants to argue but then sighs)

And Shnook?

             STACY (smiles at her son's baby nickname)
He's good. But he misses you.

             IVO
I've been -

             STACY (cutting him off in a slightly bitter voice)
Busy.  I know.  You always are. 

             IVO

You’re so good with him.  And teaching him all the….   (his voice trails off and he waves a hand vaguely)

             STACY

Teaching him how to be blind.  You can say it, dude.

          
              IVO

What happens now?

             STACY

We are going to be friends.  The very best.  All that matters is Gabriel.  I know that things are rough for you right now, you help me when you can but I can manage.

             IVO

If you need any-

             STACY (cuts him off with a gentle touch on the arm)

You’ll be the first I call. 

             (They share and awkward embrace)

The camera focuses on the calendar, then pans out cuts away from the van and fades into memories hazy, eged memory scenes – marked by calendar pages from the work van:

October 2011

Aruba

Stacy, a tall fellow and two adorable children a golden haired boy of 8 and a gorgeous strawberry blond 11 year old girl play with a dark-haired, angel faced boy with messed-up eyes who toddles, blindly through a sandy yard as reggae music fills a beautiful Aruba sunset.

February 2012

Union, New Jersey USA

Stacy is in the Social Security office filling out Disability paperwork for her son. Gabriel now has short dark hair and is a little bigger now. He sits besides, her smiling sweetly in the general direction of the woman helping them.

April 2012

University Hospital - Newark, New Jersey USA

Stacy is anxiously pacing in a waiting room as her sedated child is having his eyes examined. She wrings her hands as she paces back and forth.  A doctor walks over to her.  His eyes speak volumes.  He doesn’t have to say a word to crush her last, best hope.  Even in America, there is nothing that can be done to save her baby's eyes.

Interior of Van 

The dashboard calendar is as dusty as ever and reads May 2012.  The driver’s door opens and Ivo returns and hands Stacy a pack of cigarettes. She thanks him, opens it immediately and offers him one.  Once they each have lit cigarettes Ivo stares at Stacy.  She reluctantly looks back.

                   IVO

Nothing?  They can do nothing?

                   STACY

No.  It’s just like they said here. The eye has to go.  It’s not growing properly, it causing him pain every day -

Her voice cracks and she presses her hands against her eyes to stop tears that are already coming.  Ivo turns and stares out the window. 

                   IVO

So what now?

                 STACY (sniffles)

We take him to Colombia.  You’ll have to come.  I can’t manage that by myself.

                  IVO

Yeah...your Spanish is terrible.

                STACY

My everything-except-English is terrible.

They both laugh.

                IVO

What about your boyfriend?  

              STACY

He’s just going to have to deal. He's cool. Your girlfriend?

               IVO

She's not really cool but Gabriel comes first.  She is not going to like it though…

He rolls his eyes and shakes his head dramatically.  

The camera pans out to sound of laughter.  The van gets smaller until it’s just a speck that gets lost on a bigger speck that’s quickly lost in the deep blue water of the ocean.

End Scene