Little Things Mean a Lot: A Skit

Little Things Mean a Lot: A Skit

Future Reflections Spring 1996, Vol. 15 No. 2
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LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT: A Skit
by Jerry Whittle
Editor's Note: The following skit was performed by students
and staff members of the Louisiana Center for the Blind at the
1995 parents seminar in Chicago. These amateur blind actors
have been enlightening (through the guise of entertainment)
audiences at NFB conventions for a number of years. They
frequently perform original plays written by Jerry Whittle,
Braille teacher at the Louisiana Center for the Blind. An
outstanding teacher, Jerry is also an excellent role model for
his students. He did not let blindness prevent him from
pursuing his love of acting and directing in theater (he has
performed in numerous community play productions). Because of
Jerry, play productions at the Louisiana Center for the Blind
have become an integral part of its unique training program;
a program which promotes a positive attitude about blindness
as aggressively as it teaches Braille and other blindness
skills.

LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT

Cast of Characters
Narrator
Lori Benfield
Norma Benfield, mother of Lori
Rodney Benfield, father of Lori
Dr. Spooner, evaluator
Jessica Franklin, sighted friend of Lori
Geneva, Braille instructor

Narrator: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome
to our show-Little Things Mean A Lot. We are indeed privileged
to have with us the Benfields-Lori (who is visually impaired),
Mrs. Benfield, and Mr. Benfield. Today we will have the
opportunity to view their struggles to cope with visual
impairment up close and personal. Our cameras have been
following Lori and her family around for several days, and we
believe that you will enjoy their story. It is the stuff that
the American dream is made of. So sit back, get some microwave
popcorn, a soda pop, and enjoy the next episode of Little
Things Mean A Lot.

Norma: Oh, Lori, I don't think you should wear that
outfit to school. The colors just aren't right for you. They
make you look so pale and sickly.

Lori: You bought them for me, Mother. I thought they
would look nice.

Norma: Take them off and try this navy skirt and blouse.
We want you to look your best. You must form the habit of
looking your best, so when you become a professional
businesswoman, your clothes will be appropriate.

Lori: Yes, ma'am. I sure would like to go shopping some
time all by myself and select my own wardrobe.

Norma: Nonsense, Lori, how can you pick colors; and
besides, you wouldn't want to trust your appearance to some
tasteless store clerk. They will have you looking like
yesterday's lunch.

Lori: Other kids my age pick their own clothes.

Norma: Have you ever noticed how some of them look? Holes
in their pants. Flip-flops. Disgusting. Like something the
cats dragged in. What's gotten into you lately? You always
have worn the clothes I picked for you.

Lori: I guess so.

Norma: Now come over here and eat your breakfast. Here,
let me pour you that cup of coffee. Just sit down there. Here
is your knife and fork. I went ahead and cut up your sausage.
No sense in making a mess. A good businesswoman should not be
a messy eater.

Lori: You know, Mother, I don't think I have ever seen a
sausage before it was cut into pieces.

Norma: It is usually round.

Lori: I know. I know.

Norma: The cream pitcher is just past your coffee cup.
Don't knock over the cup. Here, let me pour it for you.

Lori: Honestly, Mother.

Norma: You only have ten minutes before your father takes
you to school.

Lori: That's another thing. I don't see why I can't ride
the school bus like everyone else.

Norma: Have you taken leave of your senses? I won't have
you riding that bus with all of those nasty-mouthed heathens.
Besides, your father enjoys taking you to school. You have
time to visit.

Lori: The other children tease me. They say I am a
weirdo. I hardly know any of them.

Norma: Count it all a blessing. Children are so cruel,
and I won't have them teasing you about your eye condition.
Now here is your toast. I buttered it for you and put some
honey on it. Don't get it all over your blouse, for goodness
sake. A professional businesswoman should not form the habit
of dripping food all over her. Let me put this napkin around
your neck. There, sweetie, that should make it better. Now eat
up. Dad will be here before you know it.

Narrator: Wasn't it just a delight to observe the
interaction between Lori and her mother? Just wait till you
see the next scene.

Lori: Jessica, I am sure glad that you asked me to go
with you to the school dance. Maybe I can meet some boys there
and learn to dance.

Jessica: Lori, I remember hearing you say that you would
love to dance sometime. We can walk down to the school gym and
maybe go out afterward for an ice cream.

Lori: That would be great. I feel so cooped up here in
this house. Don't tell anyone, but I feel absolutely smothered
by my family.

(Enter Mr. and Mrs. Benfield)

Norma: Lori, who is your little friend? How do you do, I
am Lori's mother, and this is her father.

Rodney: Hello.
Jessica: Hello.

Lori: Mother and Dad, this is Jessica. She and I were
planning to go to school for a dance and then go for ice cream
afterward.

Norma: Oh, really. Lori, have you completed your lessons
for tomorrow? A good businesswoman always puts business before
pleasure.

Lori: I finished my homework at school during study hall.
What kind of a dance is this?

Jessica: It is sponsored by our high school spirit
committee. It is a way for all of us to get to know one
another better.

Norma: Yes, I bet that is so. Do you turn the lights down
low?

Jessica: Yes, we do for the dance.

Norma: Then, Lori, I don't think you should go. You know
how difficult it is for you to find your way around in the
dark. Suppose you fall down and hurt yourself?

Lori: Please, Mother, don't embarrass me in front of my
new friend. The dance is on the gym floor. It is level,
completely level.

Rodney: I don't see why Lori couldn't go to the dance,
Norma.

Norma: Because boys will be there. Nasty minded little
hooligans who would like nothing better than to have a little
visually challenged girl there in the dark to prey upon like
a bunch of vultures. Putting their hands all over her. I won't
stand for it. She should not be subjected to such hideous
behavior.

Jessica: Well, I guess I better be going. I'm sorry,
Lori; I didn't mean to upset the family structure by
suggesting a dance.

Lori: Just a minute, Jessica. Mother, I really want to go
to this dance. I feel so isolated from my friends, so
different. Do you realize that I have never danced with a boy
before? I don't like being an odd duck. Just because my eyes
don't work properly doesn't mean that my feet can't move.

Norma: You know yourself that you have balance problems.
All visually impaired children do. I read that in a magazine.

Rodney: Lori, don't argue with your mother. Maybe you had
better stay home.

Lori: I suppose you will teach me to dance, Mother?

Norma: Certainly. Your father and I do a mean fox trot
and samba. I could show you a few steps and perhaps someday
when you are working or married, you can put them to good use.

Jessica: Well, I must go. Good luck to you, Lori. I'll
see you tomorrow in study hall.

Lori: Bye, Jessica. I think I will go to my room.

Norma: Be careful on the staircase, Dear. Use the rail.

Narrator: Is this drama, or what? Family crises and
resolution. What a family! That Mrs. Benfield is surely a
champion for the optically precluded-a truly caring and
compassionate woman. Let's go up close and personal once
again. This time, Lori and her parents are talking with Dr.
Spooner at Lori's annual IEP evaluation meeting. IEP means
Individual Education Plan. Lori's future is on the line.

Dr.Spooner: Mr. and Mrs Benfield, for the past five years
the evaluators have concluded that Lori should be taught
Braille. They base their conclusions on the fact that Lori has
a degenerative eye disease with a prognosis of steady
deterioration. Secondly, Lori must hold print material
extremely close to her face. And finally, Lori can only read
with optimum lighting conditions and then only for a short
duration of time. It seems clear to us that Lori needs and
would benefit greatly from Braille.

Norma: I will not accept your conclusions. Lori may have
a so-called degenerative eye disease, but no one knows for
certain that Lori will lose more sight. She can function just
fine with print.

Rodney: Norma, maybe we should listen to Dr. Spooner this
time. Lori cannot read print as well this year as she did even
a year ago.

Norma: Nonsense. Lori's eyesight is fine. She can use a
magnifier and her CCTV.

Lori: Mother, it hurts my eyes. I get headaches.
Remember?

Norma: I have been reading extensively on this matter.
Dr. Spooner, you are not the only expert on this subject. I
found an article by a renowned educator in the field of visual
impairment, and she stated that a child with visual
impairment like Lori should work on visual efficiency. It is
damaging to a person's psyche to have to use Braille instead
of print. Lori could try some eye exercises and work on moving
her eyes faster. This authority stated that if a child can
read print at ten words a minute or more, she should not have
to learn Braille.

Dr. Spooner: Mrs. B. is an advocate for visual
efficiency-that is true; but, each IEP must be determined on
the personal need of the client. Lori definitely could benefit
from Braille instruction.

Rodney: We should sign the IEP, Norma.

Lori: Please sign it, Mother.

Norma: Not in a heartbeat. I will never stand for Lori to
be condemned to Braille. Lori, you can still see. You are not
blind. According to Mrs. B., Braille is complex and slow and
extremely cumbersome. I get the feeling from her that Braille
is almost obsolete and only for the totally blind, not someone
like my daughter who can still see.

Dr. Spooner: I wish that you would reconsider. Lori may
lose all of her functional vision in the near future.

Norma: I am betting that will never happen to my
daughter.

Dr. Spooner: Then our hands are tied. Good day to all of
you.

Norma: Come on, Sweetie, let's go and make an appointment
with a good low vision clinic. Here, take my elbow. Watch out
for the coffee table.

Lori: I am fine, Mother. You are embarrassing me again.

Norma: Nonsense. I am only trying to help you. Someday
when I am gone, you will realize how much I have fought for
your rights to have dignity. What do you say we go and get
some ice cream at Baskin-Robbins?

Lori: I would rather have Braille.

Norma: Now that's enough of that foolish talk. The low
vision clinic will probably have a new magnifier that will
work miracles. Here is the door. Stay behind me. We are
outside now.

Narrator: Isn't that a touching spectacle. One mother's
battle to save her daughter from the throes of an obsolete
system. We have just one more intimate glimpse into the lives
of the Benfield family. Lori has courageously entered into
competition with her classmates, and she is working on a
project for school honors.

Norma: It is so nice to meet you, Geneva. My name is
Norma Benfield, and this is my visually challenged daughter
Lori. Lori wants to do a presentation on Braille for her
school's competition.

Geneva: It's very nice to meet you, Lori. I have some
materials you could use. Here is a slate and stylus that blind
persons use to write Braille. I also have a Twin Vision(tm)
Braille book you could use.

Norma: Isn't that just amazing how they can write print
and Braille in one book like that. Lori, come and see this.
Give me your hand. This is what blind children are suppose to
read. Isn't that just amazing.

Geneva: It's not amazing at all. Braille is not that
difficult to learn. Lori, have you never had Braille
instruction before?

Norma: Certainly not. Lori does fine with her CCTV.

Geneva: Lori, would you like to learn Braille?

Norma: Lori does not need Braille. She wants to go to
college at Fairmont University next year and major in
marketing. She wants to manage her own business some day, and
we are working hard to obtain her a scholarship. If we could
win the school competition this year, Lori would have an
excellent chance to win a scholarship to Fairmont. I felt like
Lori should use Braille as her topic since she has a little
vision loss herself.

Geneva: I have some alphabet cards with the letters of
the alphabet in both print and Braille. Lori, do you need any
other materials?

Norma: We would like a photograph of you reading Braille,
wouldn't we, Dear?

Lori: Whatever you say, Mother. We want to do well on our
project. We are going to win the competition.

Norma: Now, Lori, you stand here, behind Geneva while I
take your picture. Be looking down at the Braille book while
Geneva reads.

Geneva: Can you even see the Braille book, Lori?

Norma: Of course she can see the book. Now, smile, Lori.
Say cheese. There, I have it. Now we need just one more
photograph. Would you be willing to write Braille with your
little stenciller?

Geneva: It is called a slate and stylus.
Norma: Whatever. Lori, you come and sit beside Geneva.
Take that frown off your face. You look like a rat has just
stolen your lunch. There, we have two nice pictures of Geneva.
That should do the trick. Thanks so much for allowing us to
interrupt your busy schedule.

Geneva: No problem at all. Lori, if you ever want to
learn Braille, come and talk with me about it.

Lori: I want to learn...

Norma: We need to be going. Here, Dear, let me carry the
materials. You might drop them. Grab a wing.

Geneva: Lori needs to be using a white cane instead of
relying on you so much.

Norma: I can take care of her. She doesn't need a cane.

Geneva: Good bye, Lori. Give me a call some time. I want
to tell you about an organization I belong to called the
National Federation of the Blind.

Lori: Okay, I will call you tomorrow.

Norma: Lori, you don't have time to join any organization
like that. You will need to devote all your time to becoming
the world's greatest independent businesswoman.

Narrator: Lori will surely be a successful businesswoman
as her mother has determined. I hope this program has been a
lesson for all visually challenged persons and their family
members. Behind every successful optically precluded child is
a determined family. Lori's future is virtually sealed. Thank
you for watching another episode of Little Things Mean A Lot.

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