The Wastebasket Hoop

Rehearsing for the show

Once upon a time, it was rare not seeing the boys and girls out on the green pasture playing under the big open blue sky. Well, the rainy season was here and the boys and girls were in the house carrying on with their activities.

"Ouch!" Rafena shrieked. The loud thundering had startled her.

It was raining heavy and thundering loud. The pastures were deserted except for when the birds and animals came out to play in the rain.

"How can anybody concentrate with all that noise," Rafena complained, feeling miserable.

Rafena was not miserable because of the rain and thunder. She was miserable because she had volunteered to do the lead role of the school play and she only had one week to get prepared. The lead role was not as easy as she expected.

Her sister, Famie, had made a suggestion. "Tune out and tune in. Let your mind sail away from all interference. Let your inner self take control and take you into your new character. This will bring you peace of mind."

Furious, Rafena grumbled. "And what are you? A yogi or something?" She shook her head desperately.

Famie closed the book, which she borrowed from her school library. "I was just trying to be helpful, that's all. You don't have to take it personal, you know."

"Well you're not being helpful! Rafena exclaimed. "That book is for psychos," Rafena told her sister who was one year older than her. "I'm really nervous about doing the lead role in front of an audience."

Rafena threw herself on the sofa, feeling helpless.

"You need to relax," said Famie, who had borrowed library books on Yoga and breathing techniques.

"How could I relax. It's not that easy doing the lead role for the first time. This is harder than I thought," Rafena complained, "and I only have one week and it's wrecking my nerves--boy is it ever recking my nerves."

"You wanted the lead role, didn't you?" Famie reminded her.

"I was just trying to help out," said Rafena. "Miss Paterson asked me to fill in for Allison while she's away." Rafena sighed. She placed her palms on her head. "This is more nerve wrecking than I had ever imagined."

"And that's why I didn't volunteer," Famie admitted. "I know my limits."

Rafena shrugged. "And now I wish I hadn't volunteered. I'm going to tell Miss Paterson that I can't do it. As of now I quit."

"No, don't do that," said Famie.

"And why not?"

"Then she'll be on my back to do it."

"And why should I care if Miss Paterson is on your back," said Rafena. "You're good at drama--you should do it instead of me."

Famie shrugged her shoulders. "Well you volunteered to fill in for Allison, didn't you?

Rafena frowned. "I was just trying to be helpful."

"And now you're stuck with it," Famie said, shaking her head.

"Well I'm too nervous to do it in front of an audience."

Famie came up with an idea. She made another suggestion. "I'll tell you what--practice your lines out loud and I will pretend to be your audience. I will clap and cheer," Famie said encouragingly. She paused and then continued, "and after a while you will gain inner peace and you will learn to enjoy your lead role."

"Okay, enough!" said Rafena. "No more of that Yogi stuff. I will give it a shot, but no more of that Yogi stuff."

Suddenly, the loud thundering hammered down on Cottonfield as lightning cracked open the sky. The pastures were now completely empty as the cows and horses, the robins and ducks hid under the trees.

Laura started to scream. "Brawk! Brawk!"

Otto ran out from the room. "It's okay girl. It's okay."

The bird calmed down as the boy stroked her neck. She started to twitter now that somebody was there with her.

"We need help!" Famie called from the study room. "That should get the boys attention," Famie said to Rafena. "Rafena could use a bigger audience."

Otto ran into the room carrying Laura. "What's the matter. Somebody got hit by lightning?"

"No silly," Famie answered. "Rafena is trying to rehearse for the play and she need a bigger audience to cheer her on."

Otto started to laugh. He couldn't take his eyes of Rafena's costume.

"What are you laughing at, silly?" asked Famie

He pointed at Rafena. "She's the one that's being silly."

Laura started to laugh. "She's the one that's being silly! She's the one that's being silly!" the bird imitated.

Rafena's white tights, red wig and white makeup had brought out the medieval look. She looked awfully funny to the boy and the parrot.

"You be quiet!" Rafena exclaimed. "Wait until it's your turn to do this lead role."

"I would never volunteer for that role," said Otto. "You'd never catch me wearing those silly costumes."

Ron and Brian entered the study room carrying some paper boats in their hand.

"Somebody called for help?" asked Ron.

Brian scanned the room. "Somebody got hit by lightening?" Brian said, joking of course.

Ron and Brian laughed, seeing Rafena in her costumes. Their laughs were louder than the roaring thunder.

"Come on, Otto. We've got better things to do," said Ron. "We're going outside to play in the rain."

Famie spoke up. "The pastures are empty and the baby cows are hiding under the trees."

"That's right," Rafena added. "There won't be any calves out on the pasture for you to play with."

"But the frogs are out in the pond," said Brian, cheerfully.

"That's gross," Rafena remarked.

"I would never play with those slimy little creatures," added Famie.

Rafena sighed. "But the show's next Friday night and that thundering out there has been driving me up the wall."

"Rafena needs a bigger audience," said Famie. "She's nervous."

"I already know my part," said Ron.

"Me too," said Brian.

"Me three," said Otto.

Famie shook her head. "And me four?"

The play was a semi-annual school play and the boys and girls normally volunteered to do a role.

The boys felt sorry for Rafena and agreed to help out for a few minutes. Rafena practiced in front of her audience gaining confidence. During the rehearsal, Otto crumpled a piece of paper and threw it at the wastebasket. The wastebasket started to clap and cheer.

"Oh, I have an idea," said Ron, itching to go out in the rain.

Ron demonstrated. He threw a paper ball into the wastebasket hoop and it clapped and cheered.

Otto wrinkled his eye brow. "Isn't that what I just did?"

"But here is the plan. This will be your audience, while we are outside playing," Ron suggested.

Rafena frowned. "I guess that will work until you guys get back. But it's not loud enough, especially with all that thundering and lightning outside."

"I have an idea," said Brian. He brought the stereo system into the study room. He stuck a microphone under the wastebasket hoop and plugged the other end into the stereo jack. "Hooray, hooray," he chanted. He turned on the power to the stereo and then threw a paper ball into the wastebasket hoop. It clapped and cheered like a live audience.

"Wow. That sounds so real--like a real audience," said Rafena. She shrugged. "But it's not the same as having people around."

Otto ran out of the room and came back with some teddy bears. "They will be your audience."

Brian ran out of the room and came back with some pillows. "They will be your audience, too."

Rafena smiled. "I think this will work for now."

Ron glanced at his watch. "We should be back in about half-an-hour."

"You guys hurry back," said Rafena. "I still need some real people clapping and cheering for me so my nervousness will fade away."

Brian grinned. "Well, you better practice your lines else you won't have anybody clapping nor cheering for you at the play," he teased.

The boys quickly put on their raincoats and were on their way out when Laura started to squawk. She wanted to go outside too. She wanted to play in the rain.

"Sorry pal, it's raining out," said Otto. "We'll be back soon."

As the boys were leaving, Otto told Laura to squawk for Rafena whenever the wastebasket starts to clap and cheer.

"Brawk! Brawk!" Laura squawk.

Famie skipped over to her room to carry on with her schoolwork as Rafena continued to practice her lines in front of the teddy bears and pillows. Each time she completed a section and was ready for an applause, she would toss a paper ball into the wastebasket hoop. It clapped and cheered which gave Rafena a sense of feeling for a live audience. As she practiced she got better. Her nervousness was slowly fading. But the roaring thunder got heavier and heavier and the noise started to get on Rafena's nerves.