Berowne's 226 Quiz

Sorry, folks, my 'pewter had a breakdown so I had to release the answer early.  It's "The Glass Menagerie."

(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "Y" is for "Yvonne")

I wrote the following scenelet, thinking it might suggest a well-known play.  Which play?

(The living-room of Fred’s house.  Time: the 1930s.)

Fred:  Alan!  Glad you could make it.  C’mon in.

Alan:  Wow.  Really freezing out there.  Glad to be where it’s nice and warm.

Fred:  Here, let me take your coat.  Oh, this is my sister Yvonne.

Alan:  Didn’t know you had a sister, Fred.  Glad to meet you, Yvonne.  How are you?

Yvonne:  Hello.

Fred:  Good, Yvonne.  You handled that well.  I suppose you want to get back to your work, right?

Yvonne:  Yes.  (She leaves)

Alan:  Nice girl.  Maybe a bit too talkative.

Fred:  Ha.  Truth is, she’s shy.  I mean, really shy.  One of the reasons I wanted to invite you over to meet the family was I hoped you might chat with her a bit so she could get more used to talking to guys.  She finds it too difficult as it is.

Alan:  Wait a minute.  Maybe there’s a bit of a misunderstanding here.  I had no idea you were asking me over to set me up with your sis.  I have a girlfriend, Fred.  You know that.

Fred:  No no, it’s not like that.  Let’s see if I can explain.  You see – truth is, I love my sister.  I’d do anything for her.  Her shyness keeps her at home so she never gets out to meet people. 

Alan:  I see.  Well, sure, I’d be glad to talk with her.  What is she interested in, mostly?

Fred:  I guess you could say it’s education.

Alan:  Well, I was interested in education, a little anyway, back in grammar school.  The interest sort of dropped off when we got to long division.

Fred:  Ha.  Her interest is different.  She might not want me to divulge this information, but she has constructed a little one-room schoolhouse, very small and even sort of insignificant, and has filled it with students and a teacher, and each one of them she made herself. 

Alan:  So she has a hobby.

Fred:  Yes.  We’re not sure if it’s good or bad, but she spends many hours at her schoolhouse.  She’s not really interested in much else.

Alan: Well, you know, Fred, working together at the shoe factory you and I are both finding out the world’s a tough, godless place.  If Yvonne can make her own little world, nicer than the one outside, maybe that’s not such a bad thing?

(The answer will be posted Friday.)

 

 

 

174 Quiz Answer

Here’s this week’s quiz answer.

“Big” is a fantasy film directed by Penny Marshall, and stars Tom Hanks as Josh Baskin, a young boy who makes a wish "to be big" and is then aged to adulthood overnight.

(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "X" is for "exact")
Here’s this week’s Berownial quiz question.

It's not Kubrick, but it is a film that I have in mind.  The following scenelet should remind you of a well-known motion picture.  Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is: name the movie.

The largest toy manufacturer in the country is having a meeting to plan the introduction of their latest product to the general public.

Hal: “What we’ve wound up with is our next big seller, and one of the reasons is that it’s the safest toy on the market.”

Fred: “I wonder if kids are going to ask their parents to get them the safest toy on the market?”

Hal: “Well, their parents are going to want it, and they’re the ones with the dough.”

Fred: “Don’t forget a lot of kids manage to stow away cash and buy their own stuff.”

Keith:  “Fred, you may not be aware of how our Research and Development section came up with this item.  They worked on it for months; concept, design, marketing.  This is vintage toy-making by experts; it's an idea that has traction.  Because what we have as a result is a wonder: a copy of a world-famous building, a toy Empire State Building!  An exact replica, down to the tiny details.  And for a great low price.”

Hal: “Yes, and it’s a fact that kids love things having to do with the building trade – Bob the Builder, construction work, concrete mixers, anything having to do with building.   So we know there’s an established market for our sensational new toy version of the Empire State Building.  Fisher-Price has nothing like this.”

Keith: “You don’t looked convinced, Fred.”

Fred: “Well, you know, it’s just – what do you do with it?  A toy is something a kid plays with.  How do you play with a building?”

Hal: “Look at it this way.  The idea is that the father has a hobby; he probably collects things.  There are millions of collectors – they go after old baseball cards, butterflies, seashells, stamps, you name it.  This impresses a guy’s son; he wants to be a collector too.  It's imperative that folks understand that this item is a great way for a kid to start a collection.”

Keith: “And you’ve got to admit if it starts off with a toy Empire State Building it could be a terrific collection.” 

Fred:  “I don’t think it’s a good idea at all.” 

Hal:  “Look.  I don’t mean to be offensive, Fred.  But you’re new to this company and you come in here talking garbage and acting as if you know it all and we’re just beginners.  We were prepared to listen to what you have to say.  Well, we’ve listened, so do us the favor of shutting up and letting us get on with our work.  Okay?”

Fred:  “Okay.  But when I think of a toy I don’t think of a building.”

(Also submitted to Sunday Scribblings.)