It is Peter’s 19th birthday. Early October. We are in the family’s living room.
M- Good morning! Mmm! My dear, are you awake that early? P- Yes, and I’m in a hurry. I’m leaving
M- That early?
P- Yes! I’m having an early class at the university. It starts at 8. M- Come here, come my baby, let mom give you a kiss. Come here… Happy birthday to you, my prince!
P- Thank you… Don’t kiss me mom, as if I am a little boy! (He pulls himself away)
M- You will always be my baby!
P- Not again. That’s what all nerve racking mothers say, especially here in Greece!
M- Well, that’s the way it is. When you have your own baby, you will see what love and tenderness mean. Nothing can be more important than that! When you become a father, you will understand…
P- Fine! We have a long time until then! A decade, at least… M- Are you ready already? Have you eaten anything?
P- I only had a cup of coffee. I will buy a sandwich on my way to university.
M- Wearing your helmet already. You can’t wait for your first ride with your new motorbike. Alexandros come here. Come and take pride in your son. He’s like a wild rider.
P- Yes. We had an agreement with dad! My present for my 19th birthday and my success to be admitted to the university would be a quick motorbike! She’s a doll.
M- Yes, you have exhausted yourself by sitting the university exams twice! You are a fighter, committed to your cause! We love to spoil you. You have given us so much pleasure! Only be very careful on the streets. It’s very dangerous. Do not ever, ever take your helmet off!
P- Not again! Don’t jinx it!
M- Don’t think badly of me. I’m just scared. So many people are killed every day on the streets. Athens is like a jungle. There’s always heavy traffic, and people drive insane. Always wear your helmet, ok?
P- You’re getting annoying again, mom! Haven’t you got work to do? Go to your work in primary school. Take Ann to her school. Prepare her breakfast and leave me alone!
M- I know, I know. You are all grown up now. You got your driver’s license and you have been admitted to the university. You are going to meet new people and broaden your horizons. An independent young man like you will be spending even less time with us, from now on.
P- OK… I’m out of here.
Alexandros enters the living room. Al- Good morning everyone.
P- Good morning and goodbye.
Al- Happy birthday my son. May all your wishes and dreams come true.
P- Thank you dad.
M- Will you be back for dinner tonight? I have bought your favorite cake.
P- I have plans for tonight… Forget it!
M- Aren’t we going to celebrate birthday like a family? Have I done all the preparations to no avail?
P- Most probably mommy. I don’t believe we will dine together tonight.
Al- Come on boy. Come only for an hour and after that you are free to go anywhere you want. After all, you have your own vehicle now.
P- I told you, I have made my arrangements for tonight. No way!
M- Oh, I understand! Is there a woman involved? Already? Who is she? Is she from the university?
Al- Mary, don’t be indiscreet. We don’t want to get involved into his personal life. It’s none of our business after all. We just want to spend some time with him, on his birthday and have some time as a family. That’s all.
P- OK, we’ll see. I’m going now otherwise I’ll be late!
M- It’s all my fault because I care for you, I’m doing everything for you, I love you and I work like a slave for you.
P- Because you are being tender to us, and you are even willing to give your life for us (Teasing attitude)
M- Stop teasing me. You’re lucky you have your birthday. Take care! I will call you.
Petros leaves. Ann enters the stage with her school bag.
Al- You won’t even say hello?
A- Leave me alone dad. Good morning!
M- You should talk to your father with more respect! Come here… Drink your milk and eat something.
A- I don’t want to eat anything. I’ve got a stomach ache. Al- What happened?
A- I am sitting a science test and I am very nervous. I stayed up until late to study, and I am so dizzy, I could even forget the theory.
M- Drink some milk, for the dizziness. We don’t want you to collapse!
A- Leave me alone mom, as if I am some kind of infant who needs to drink milk. I go to the senior class of Junior High School.
M- Alexandros listen! Our children have grown up for good! The one is already a student at the university, with a chick and a motorbike, and the other one goes to Junior High School and she doesn’t want to drink milk anymore. As if she is fully grown up yet.
Al- That’s the way it is, my dear Mary. Our children have grown up, even if we don’t want to accept it! Come my dear Ann, come my sweet girl, drink some milk and go to school with your mum. Just a sip. (He ties his tie while talking)
A- Don’t talk to me as if I was some kind of infant. “Just a sip.” M- Are we going to beg you for a long time little lady? Hurry up, because I have to go to work as well.
A- Just a second mom. I’ll do it for you…
M- Oh really? You are doing it for me, not for you? You need to be hydrated in order to study. You only drink colas and chocolate milk… But it’s my fault after all, that I give you pocket money to buy them. OK, let’s go. (She holds her car keys).
Al- You both are very funny, women of my life. (Smiles proudly)
Ann drinks a sip, takes her bag, Mary gives Alexandros a kiss, as he prepares to leave for his working place.
They wish each other good morning again. Scene closes.
Scene opens, we are in the family’s house. It’s dark. The couple is more formally dressed, Ann is nervous and bored. Mary has set the table and has already cooked the food and bought the cake for her son’s birthday. Both parents’ mood is notably pleasant.
A- Why did you cook so much food mom? M- I didn’t do anything special Annie!
A- Don’t call me Annie! I despise it! It’s like we are some kind of peasants!
M- There’s the Chef Salad, my Athenian!
A- Why are you doing all these preparations since Petros isn’t probably coming? Can’t you understand that he has got a chick? He has got better staff to do than join us for dinner.
Al- Ann, please! Watch your mouth… Don’t use the word “chick”!
A- Mom used it this morning, remember? I’m not the only one saying the word!
Al- Did you hear that? (Looking at Mary)
A- Are we going to eat the cake alone?
Al- Your brother said he would come, even if it’s only for an hour.
A- Yes… since mom begged him so much. I heard how she was talking to him on the phone before. We beg Sir Petros for his birthday party, when he doesn’t want to have one. He doesn’t care about us.
M- It isn’t a “party”! We are going to propose a toast, sing “Happy Birthday ” and then he is going to leave again. We are going to have a quick bite and that’s all.
The phone rings. Mary picks it up. It’s Petros.
M- Hello son. When are you coming? Yes, just for an hour, as we had agreed. Ok, son, ok… I have everything prepared… Which road are you going to take to come? From Patision? Forget it! Come through Acharnon. Yes, listen to me. Don’t go
through Patision, because it’s Tuesday and the shops are open. There will be a lot of traffic. Come through Acharnon. Ok? And don’t drive between cars, so as to come home faster. Don’t act childish with the motorbike. It can get dangerous. Are you coming now? Ok, so you’ll be here in half an hour…. And if you’re late, if you’re stuck in traffic just give us a call, ok? Come, we are waiting for you. (Phone call ends)
Al- For God’s sake, Mary. You are suffocating him. When are you coming? How much time do you need? Which route will you take? If you are late, give us a call… Even if he’s ten minutes late, what’s the problem? Must he give us a call? For God’s sake… It may have a lot of traffic and he will be stuck… What will happen if he’s a little bit late? Be careful and be careful (ironic voice). You have always been so overprotective. The children caught a cold, and you gave them antibiotics. They had minor injuries while playing and you acted as if they would remain cripples for the rest of their lives.
A- Tell her dad! She’s unbearable!
M- Stop it, both of you, father and daughter. I want to know how long it will take him to be here, so as to light up his birthday cake candles. Be prepared. When he opens the door, we will sing “Happy Birthday” and he will blow out the candles.
Al- Ok, we can light the candles when we hear footsteps. We are going to lock the door as well, so that he can’t enter right away. When we hear sounds from the door you can fetch the cake.
A- I don’t believe you two. As if he was 5 years old!
M- Ms chatterbox, go to the kitchen and fetch some glasses and stop commenting on everything.
The three family members are moving on the stage bringing staff from the kitchen to the living room enthusiastically. Until the phone rings again…. Half an hour after the first phone call. M- It must be the kid…. Probably there’s a lot of traffic on Acharnon and he’s giving us a call.
A- I don’t think he would dismount from his motorbike just to call us.
M- What’s that number? (Looks at the number written on the phone device). Hello… Son is that you?
Nosokomeio Evangelismos – We are calling you from Evangelismos hospital.
M- From Evangelismos hospital?
N.E.- That’s correct. Are you Miss Stratou? M- Yes that’s me. What’s going on?
N.E.- We have found your number from your son’s mobile… M- Is Petros ok?
N.E.- He had an accident with his motorbike, in the junction of Acharnon and Agiou Meletiou.
M- What are you talking about? Accident? N.E.- That’s correct.
M- How is he? Is he safe?
N.E.- His condition is very serious Miss Stratou. You must come here.
M- Seriously? Alexandros! Let’s go! Our child!
Mary is about to faint. Alexandros and Ann hold her. The scene ends. We are transferred outside the intensive care unit.
M- What a terrible blow of fate! On his birthday! I can’t believe it! He shouldn’t have come home, he should go directly with his friends. It’s my fault that I insisted to have a toast.
Al- Come on now, calm down…
M- How can I calm down? Our boy, our handsome boy is in coma, do you understand it?
Al- Calm down, sweetheart!
M- What we have created, our most beautiful creation is on the verge of being completely lost. Do you understand that?
Al- It’s my fault for giving him the money to buy his motorbike. I was crazy with joy you see. He got into university, his first choice, I couldn’t refuse him anything.
M- Bad timing… it’s my fault for asking him to come through Acharnon.
Al- What are you talking about my beloved Mary? Your fault? Couldn’t he have violated the red traffic light on Patision as well?
M- How do we know that it’s Petros’ fault? Was the traffic light indeed red? The other driver may have crossed the red traffic light. How can the color of the traffic light be proved?
Al- There will be a trial, and eyewitnesses will be called to testify. Justice will be served. There will be punishment for the guilty.
M- I don’t care about the trial! I don’t give a penny for punishment and compensation and insurance. I only want to see Petros walking out of the hospital… I want to see him well, safe and sound… I want to talk to him again.
Al- If only he wore his helmet… He wouldn’t be so badly injured.
M- Maybe he underestimated the distance… Maybe his head was too warmed… It’s October and it’s still hot. Who knows? And we have specifically pointed out that he should wear his helmet all the time. Jesus Christ! Where’s Ann?
Al- My sister came and took her home, a while ago. You were in the bathroom at that moment. It’s no use for her to stay
here, to see us crashed, like that… Do you want a cup of coffee, a glass of water, anything else?
M- I don’t want anything at all… I only want our child to get better…
Twenty six hours later, the parents are clearly overwhelmed.
M- What kind of test is that? What a punishment? Whom have we harmed and we are getting tortured like this?
Al- Mary you are frozen my dear… M- And you are pale.
Al- Shall I get you an orange juice? You’re on the verge of collapsing!
M- I don’t want anything. The time that we spend in the waiting room is driving me crazy. It crushes me. I don’t know how it’s going to end up or what to expect. I can only hope, and I am not completely sure that I can do it at the moment.
Al- We won’t stop hoping my love. M- I can’t imagine it, if….
Al- Stop it! Don’t even think of it. We won’t give up on our son. M- I’m scared. For the first time in my life I’m so scared. (They hug)
The transplant coordinator Eleni Patrikiou asks from the couple to follow her to her office in order to talk.
E.P.- Sit down, please. (She sits with them)
M- Tell us… What’s going on with our child. We feel smashed not knowing what is going on…
E.P.- I would like to talk to you about…
Al- How is our boy?
M- How is Petros? When is he going to recover?
E.P.- Unfortunately (she holds the mother’s hand), your child
Mr and Mrs Stratou….
M- Our child…?
E.P.- Your child is…. clinically dead. (she still holds the mother’s hand, while looking to Alexandros)
M- De…
E.P.- Mrs Stratou, brain death has been diagnosed. Al- WHAT?!
M- What was that? It is impossible! What is “brain death” supposed to mean? How many (ironic attitude combined with confusion) types of death are there in the human race? Is the body alive and the brain dead?
E.P.- Your child is dead. (Her voice becomes sweet, loving and compassionate)
M- Dead?? (Her voice trembles. She chokes)
E.P. The injury on his head…. We keep him alive in the intensive care unit due to machine support. That’s why you’re under the impression that he’s alive. He is just a warm dead. We are dealing with irreversible brain damage, permanent loss of all brain functions. This is brain death…
Mary starts crying.
Al- Are you sure?? Is this final? Do you understand what you just told us?
E.P. There have been two repeated tests, Mr Stratou… Unfortunately…
M- What are you talking about? I don’t accept it!! My Child is going to live!!! I won’t accept it so light heartedly. He is still in there… How is this possible??
E.P.- Calm down, Mrs Stratou… (She holds her hand)
M- How can I calm down? You are telling me, that you are going to take the plug off and my son will die.
E.P.- I’m just trying to explain to you what “brain death” means.
Al- You invited us in your office to inform us that our boy is dead? So simply, in a mere moment? That there is nothing else to be done and that you did all you could do? And now what? We shall say goodbye and go home?
M. Oh I’m sorry. We are taking advantage of the space you have. We should probably remove our dying son to free the bed in the ER. And sorry for wasting your time too. (irony)
E.P.- It happens always with relatives, especially parents… Common people don’t know what “brain death” means and parents especially can neither understand or accept it, even if you explain it to them… It’s normal to feel and act like this…
M- My child is dead…. (She bends over)
E.P.- Mrs Stratou?? You are cold Mrs Stratou… Shall I get you some water or some juice… (She caressed her back and gets her pulse)
Al.- She should lie down… She is very pale!
E.P.- Of course. Come over here… (She helps her lie on the bed in the office. She holds her hand and gives her courage. One minute of silence follows. The coordinator gives courage to the nearly passed out mother, while talking with Alexandros. There is music to cover the tension of the moment).
An hour later Mary has come around. The anesthesiologist wants to talk to the couple.
E.P. –Mr. Stratou I would like to talk to you about a very subtle issue. Of course I need to talk to both of you.
M. A subtle issue? If my boy doesn’t survive, there’s nothing I care about! Everything else is meaningless and unimportant to me. Subtle issue and bullshit. I don’t give a damn about anything. Do you understand?
Al. Let’s at listen at least to what she has to say, Mary darling.
E.P- As you know in this hospital I work as a critical care physician and transplant coordinator, Mrs Stratou.
M. Trans…plants? (Alexandros and Mary are looking at each other worried)
E.P- The issue I would like to talk to you about is of major importance. Your son’s organs are perfectly healthy. As you know…
M. Know what?
E.P. As you know, organ donors in Greece are very few…Their number is a lot smaller compared to the number of those needing transplantations.
M. You called us here, while our child is dying to talk to us about other people’s pain? You must be kidding!!!
E.P. Your son is dead, Mrs Stratou. Isn’t it a pity to let your son’s organs be buried into the ground with him, when they could save so many people’s lives, who suffer?
M. Who said I care about other people? Who cares about me and my 19 year-old dying son??
Al. Mary calm down… he doctor is right…
M. What are you talking about? How can she be right? Aren’t you listening to what she is telling us?|
Al. Maybe if you thought about it soberly…
M. Soberly? What does soberly mean? From now on we are never going to be sober again.
E.P. Mrs Stratou…I empathize with you. It’s natural to react like this at such a difficult moment.
M. You empathize with me? I don’t think so. You wouldn’t talk like this, with that tone of voice, if your child was in there… E.P. Mrs Stratou, just think for a minute…
M. I am not going to let you slaughter my child. Enough already! And I don’t know how I am holding myself and talking to you so calmly. If it was someone else here and not me, you would probably be getting beaten up now!
E.P. You have no idea, how many people you would help and relieve with that decision, Mrs Stratou.
M. And what about me? Who will help me relieve now that I am sunk in grief?
Who is going to help me escape my pain, doctor?
E.P. It is not slaughtering…You won’t see your child in pieces as you may think…!
I promise you, we are going to respect your son’s body.
M. No…no… I won’t give my consent for something like this…And I don’t want to discuss it again.
Al. Mary calm down…Consider all the relief we will feel, if we manage to save even one life…We’ll know that our son’s organs are still alive and help other people live…It is really important…It will be as if he is alive.
M. I don’t care for anybody’s life! I care only about Petros’ life! My angel’s life!
Al. Mary listen to me dear, try to free your mind from that box you have it in and you don’t let it breathe! You don’t let it see the light!
M. Box? What box? They are trying to take advantage of us! Don’t you see it? Our son’s death is their life. She might be getting money from all this!
E.P.I won’t get offended, although you are clearly accusing me of sabotage. On the contrary, I totally understand you… But think… In Spain, where people are more sensitized, organ donation is widely spread.
M. And why should I care about Spanish people? I don’t care!!
E.P. It was just an example of different mentality, Mrs Stratou. Think about all the endless waiting lists of patients who suffer and all that keeps them alive is hope…
M. I have no hope any more…
Al. You are starting your sentences with “I” Mary… Everything would be better if we all started with “We”. If Petros was here right now, I’m sure that he would give his consent for the donation! And that’s because he has principles and is well- informed about such issues.
M. Stop blabbering! How can you be in the mood for talking so much right now..
E.P. It requires strength and not mood…
M. Stop it both of you! Shut up! Enough with that…My child is not some sort of meat to slaughter it…Stay away from him you crows!
E.P. You think they’re crows, all those people who are trying to find a transplant in order to survive?
M. If it has to do with my child yes! They are CROWS,
VULTURES BIRDS OF PREY!
E.P. You could give happiness to many people suffering. Just the phone call from the hospital…
M. Yes, like the phone call I got last night.. But it didn’t make me happy…
Al. Mary let’s go home to rest and we’ll decide there.
E.P. Take your time to decide and let me know…Think about it Mrs Stratou. Think about all the parents suffering like you do… Al. Listen to the doctor Mary. Think that if we are late then it will be pointless…
M. What kind of father are you? You want to leave our child to those vultures?
Al. And it’s better to let worms eat his organs? One day we’ll open his grave and his organs, these organs that you now refuse to donate, are going to become one with the ground. SOIL! What’s the point? How can you be so narrow-minded?
M. I am telling you, I don’t care! It hurts so much that I don’t care for the others! I can’t see anything else. I don’t care about what they feel, what they are going through! Having my son’s flesh cut won’t console me! Leave me alone then! I won’t change my mind! And let my mind stay in that box, as you call it…
Al. Our child is going to die. And because of you and your stubbornness other people are going to die as well…Don’t be silly…
M. Let them die! They shall die! (heartbreak). They shall feel how I feel now… I don’t care for anyone! I DON’T CARE! And call me brutal, as what I am going through now is…Call me unfair, as what I am facing now is…The greatest pain of all…To lose your child! My child… my child…(Mary is crying, Alexandros is holding her and the scene closes)