A misunderstanding: In One Act
I am walking to the elevators holding an armful of boxes.
I set them down and turn one over.
My mother says: Don’t break the box.
I pull the tape off the bottom.
My mother says: Don’t break the box.
I punch my fist through the bottom.
My mother says: NO! DON’T BREAK THE BOX.
I look up and say “You have to break it to recycle it.”
My mother says: I’m not recycling it. I’m keeping it.
I say “ohh, so you don’t want me to break the box?