Find all of my 31 Moments of Motherhood posts here.
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Scene 10:
[A lone spotlight comes up on center stage, revealing a woman in dress pants and a loose fitting top. She walks over to a safe, opens it, and takes out a briefcase and a single piece of paper. Looking at the high heels inside the safe, she shakes her head and locks them back up.]
Me
“Why yes, I am very interested in the position.”
[pause, listening and nodding head]
Me
“My goals? I am committed to actively contributing to the success of an organization in a role that allows me to work part-time. It is very important to me that I have flexibility, but I will do whatever it takes to make the position work.”
[pause, listening and nodding head]
“I agree – it will be good to have a little ‘adult time’ – to get out of the house a little bit.”
[Breaks stance, walking to the front of the stage to talk conspiratorially to audience]
Me
“What I soon found out is that having a part-time job is kind of ridiculous. Your paycheck goes to childcare, you are always rushing around trying to get everything done, you don’t have any time to do any training or networking, and there’s not many opportunities to grow. I want to figure out what my goals are, but I don’t seem to have the time to think about it.”
“And then…”
[Straps on a pregnant belly pillow and steps back into the scene.]
Me
“Yes, we are having another baby. I’m excited about it, and I hope to be able to keep working part-time.”
[Breaks stance, and walks to front of stage again.]
“What? Why do I think that keeping my part-time job is a good idea? How in the world am I going to manage another kid on top of everything else?
It feels a little bit like this…”
[A new spotlight emerges, lighting up a wooden pole with a bucket hanging from each end. One is full of home-related items like Windex, laundry detergent, baby toys, and groceries. She puts her briefcase into the other bucket, and tries to pick it up and place it on her shoulders. It doesn’t budge. She tries again, and it starts to lift off the ground, wobbling back and forth precariously…out of balance…as the lights go down.]
