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Encounters
by Henrik Eger
Synopsis
ENCOUNTERS shows a group of people of all ages and backgrounds who have signed up for a one-year training program as group facilitators. We experience them on the first day, half way through the program, and on their farewell session—with a surprise ending from the cast.
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Characters
Felix: Graduate student, participant in a group facilitators’ training group.
Roberta: Honest young woman who appears prickly at times.
Susan: Nurse from the South and Felix’ best friend.
Paul: Older participant of the group.
Alexandra: Elegant, arrogant woman from Philadelphia’s Main Line.
Chris: Psychologist and trainer of the facilitators training program.
Roberta: Honest young woman who appears prickly at times.
Susan: Nurse from the South and Felix’ best friend.
Paul: Older participant of the group.
Alexandra: Elegant, arrogant woman from Philadelphia’s Main Line.
Chris: Psychologist and trainer of the facilitators training program.
Excerpt
CHRIS: During the last few weeks, we talked a great deal about our “stories,” our excuses. Today, we’ll be working on feelings of hurt and how we deal with them. Here are yellow writing pads and pens. Write as much as you can, non-stop. All the injustices you have experienced in your life. Be honest. Share the injustices you’ve experienced in your lives, all the hurt. Write without censoring yourself. You have about 15 minutes. I’ll let you know when to stop.
(The participants start writing. Background music.)
Ten more seconds . . . All right. Time’s up. Now pick a partner with whom you haven’t worked much. Sit in a corner with that person and quietly read everything you have written. When you come to the end, start all over again. Just one caveat. Do not talk with your partner. Just listen to the person who is sharing. You can nod, but that’s it. No discussions of those issues. Once the first writer has an insight, raise your hand and I’ll come by and we can take it up from there. After that, your partner would start reading. Now look for a partner.
PAUL: Felix, you and I haven’t worked together much so far. Would you like to join me?
FELIX: Sure. That’ll be great.
PAUL: My stuff is a bit heavy. I hope you don’t mind.
FELIX: Go ahead. We’re not supposed to talk. Just read. I’ll listen.
PAUL: OK. The first horrible thing that I recall was when I was about ten years old and my older brother, he was 15, tried to have sex with me.
(Paul starts choking up, then continues)
I felt raped and hated him. All my life . . . And when I was 22, I met a great girl. We dated and married two years later. Mary became my best friend. We’re still married after all these years. Every day with her is wonderful. But we have one problem. Our son has been making life miserable for both of us ever since I can remember. The police caught him several times and the judge sent him to juvenile detention. It’s awful. We don’t know what to do. He always promises to do better, but he doesn’t. I don’t know what to do. The end.
(He stops and cries.)
FELIX: (whispers) Paul, read it again.
PAUL: Why?
FELIX: Just read it again.
PAUL: Why? It’s all true. OK, here we go: The first horrible thing that I recall was when I was about ten years old and my older brother, he was 15, tried to have sex with me.
(He bursts out laughing, raises his hand. Chris walks over.)
What a fool I’ve been. Didn’t talk to my brother and his wife during all those years. It wasn’t until now that I realized that millions of kids experiment with their bodies. And I turned it into a rape story, made myself a victim, even though nothing really happened.
(He speaks even faster and with great conviction.)
The same is true for our son. I turned myself into a victim, not realizing that I am part of the whole damn thing. I always believed his sob stories, his promises, but I never practiced tough love. I’m going to change that now—you bet.
CHRIS: You got it. Thanks for sharing, Paul. And Felix, thanks for listening. Now it’s your turn.
(The participants start writing. Background music.)
Ten more seconds . . . All right. Time’s up. Now pick a partner with whom you haven’t worked much. Sit in a corner with that person and quietly read everything you have written. When you come to the end, start all over again. Just one caveat. Do not talk with your partner. Just listen to the person who is sharing. You can nod, but that’s it. No discussions of those issues. Once the first writer has an insight, raise your hand and I’ll come by and we can take it up from there. After that, your partner would start reading. Now look for a partner.
PAUL: Felix, you and I haven’t worked together much so far. Would you like to join me?
FELIX: Sure. That’ll be great.
PAUL: My stuff is a bit heavy. I hope you don’t mind.
FELIX: Go ahead. We’re not supposed to talk. Just read. I’ll listen.
PAUL: OK. The first horrible thing that I recall was when I was about ten years old and my older brother, he was 15, tried to have sex with me.
(Paul starts choking up, then continues)
I felt raped and hated him. All my life . . . And when I was 22, I met a great girl. We dated and married two years later. Mary became my best friend. We’re still married after all these years. Every day with her is wonderful. But we have one problem. Our son has been making life miserable for both of us ever since I can remember. The police caught him several times and the judge sent him to juvenile detention. It’s awful. We don’t know what to do. He always promises to do better, but he doesn’t. I don’t know what to do. The end.
(He stops and cries.)
FELIX: (whispers) Paul, read it again.
PAUL: Why?
FELIX: Just read it again.
PAUL: Why? It’s all true. OK, here we go: The first horrible thing that I recall was when I was about ten years old and my older brother, he was 15, tried to have sex with me.
(He bursts out laughing, raises his hand. Chris walks over.)
What a fool I’ve been. Didn’t talk to my brother and his wife during all those years. It wasn’t until now that I realized that millions of kids experiment with their bodies. And I turned it into a rape story, made myself a victim, even though nothing really happened.
(He speaks even faster and with great conviction.)
The same is true for our son. I turned myself into a victim, not realizing that I am part of the whole damn thing. I always believed his sob stories, his promises, but I never practiced tough love. I’m going to change that now—you bet.
CHRIS: You got it. Thanks for sharing, Paul. And Felix, thanks for listening. Now it’s your turn.
