The Mirandas force me out of the guest room for Family Time. They want to play boardgames and eat popcorn and watch The Wizard of Oz on DVD. This is dehumanization.
At first The Mirandas were pretty good about leaving me to rot in solitude, but I knew it would end. I wake up to a breakfast of pancakes and a lecture about making the best of this situation. I have to stop choosing to hate them and look at the glass as half full. That's what Lin says. I dropped and broke my glass the moment I stepped foot into this apartment. When will they learn that it's my human nature to be miserable?
That evening, we settle around the coffee table armed with a bowl of orange popcorn and four sodas. Sebastian tries to assemble Chutes and Ladders but spills everything on the floor when he opens the box. Lin reads the directions out loud. I zone out and gulp my coke. I'm missing my evening nap for this.
Lin distributes the cardboard game pieces and resumes scheming. He has not yet finished his survey of all the family fun we could have, but he thinks taking me to his job would be a good start. He wants Vanessa to take me shopping and Sebastian to show me his toys. He's going to enroll me in school next week. Since we'll already be in midtown, we could go to Central Park. Or do this. Or do that. Maybe we could go the Museum of Natural History. I slide my character up the second ladder and eat their popcorn.
Lin will not shut his trap. "What do you want to do? Maybe we could go see a musical. Do you like musicals? You seem like the artsy-fartsy type. Have you ever been to Greenwich Village? Oh!" His character lands on a chute. "What about your area of the city? South Bronx? We could visit your friends at the shelter. Don't look so mad, it was just an idea. We could go Midtown. We could go downtown. We could go to Mars."
Sebastian's game piece goes up the first ladder. Everyone cheers. I slouch against the bottom of the armchair. "Nothing. It's all stupid. Your turn, Vanessa."
Vanessa's game piece advances up a ladder. She and Sebastian cheer. Lin wags a finger at me and tells me that moping around won't get me anywhere. This is no joke. This is my life we are talking about. There has to be something I like.
"Anything." He leans forward to spin the dial. "Central Park? Art museums? What's the one thing you dream about doing?"
The Mirandas have some serious misconceptions about teenagers. Loving your children works until the age of twelve or so. After that, it's up to them to ruin their own lives. It's my turn. I spin the dial. My game piece lands on the highest ladder. I cheat three spaces ahead until it reaches the finish line, then finish the soda and crush the can. Lin cups his hands around his mouth and boos when I stand to leave. Sebastian mimics him. Sounds like a baseball game.
The one thing I dream about doing is leaving this prison.
YOU ARE READING
SHOUT - Adopted by Lin Manuel Miranda
Fiksi Penggemar"Sometimes I think the universe sets certain people out into the world like gifts meant for others, people whose purpose is to save someone else. That's how I think of families. And if the universe couldn't do me that favor, couldn't put someone on...
