Working on Voice with Tracey Baptiste

I am a participant in Kate Messner’s Teachers Write camp.  While following all the task directions, I happened to land on the  picture above at Indian Country Today, which inspired this dialogue piece.  Only stage directions were allowed.

Here is my writing response today:

Unci (Lakota grandmother)- [pronounce oon-chi]

Gabriel (5 year old boy)

Travis (cousin)

Five-year-old Gabriel enters the front door. Strong winds slam the screen door behind him.                                                                                         

UNCI: Where have you been? (She looks up from stirring the big pot)

GABRIEL: Nowhere, Unci. (He looks at the wall of family photos)

UNCI: I’m making your favorite, buffalo beef stew.

GABRIEL: (He nods, not smiling) I’m not hungry. Why do we have all these family pictures? Isn’t one enough? (He throws his dusty sneakers by the door.)

UNCI: Family is most important. We are rich to have so many relatives.

(Travis enters, closing the door behind him)

GABRIEL: (diving onto the couch) Travis, can you play Turtles with me?

TRAVIS: Not today, Michelangelo.

GABRIEL: (He slumps in a corner of the couch) I don’t like you anymore.

UNCI: Gabriel, come to sit at the table and have lunch with your elder. Why don’t you tell Travis about school this week?

GABRIEL: (After gulping a spoonful of stew) Travis, you know what we made this week?

TRAVIS: No, what?

GABRIEL: We used our hands and smeared paint all over a huge piece of fabric.

TRAVIS: You like art class.

GABRIEL:  It was a flag, like this one. (He points to his camo t-shirt that says “My Daddy is a Marine”)

UNCI: It turned out to be a real hand-made American flag.

GABRIEL: I wish my dad could see it! Unci, after lunch, can I paint again?

Thank you, Tracey for the great writing prompt.  Completing this gave me some solid ideas for my WIP!

Thank you, Indian Country Today for posting an inspiring story!