Eggs and Tomatoes
A Play
CAST OF CHARACTERS
JACK: late teens, male. He is starting to figure out his identity, and he’s questioning a lot of things. Loves video games, fantasy, and anything to escape reality. Has a strong bond with Violet from being raised by her. Introverted and closed off with few spaces to truly be himself.
VIOLET: early twenties, female. Jack’s older sister. She loves pets and dreams of starting her own vet clinic one day. She is usually Jack’s primary caretaker and cooks food for the two of them. Jealous of her parents’ favoritism towards Jack and the imbalance of duties.
LAURA: early forties to fifties, female. Jack and Violet’s mom. A Chinese immigrant who works in a Chinese carryout every day. Has a headstrong attitude from making a life for herself and her children out of nothing. Has a prevalent Chinese accent and cultural influence.
SETTING
A small apartment in suburban Maryland.
TIME
Present day.
AUTHOR’S NOTES
The Chinese language in this play is intended to be spoken in Chinese. The pin yin, or English spelling of the Chinese language, will be in parentheses next to the Chinese language. The English translation is marked by a colon separation within the same parentheses. The setup is as follows: “Chinese language” (Chinese pin yin : English translation).
A “//” in dialogue indicates where the next line begins, creating overlap.
Beats are shortest. Silences are longest. Pauses are in between.
Lights up on JACK’s room. JACK and VIOLET sit on his bed. JACK wearily gazes into an empty aquarium full of vivid decorations and lights.
VIOLET
I’m sorry.
JACK
He doesn’t love me.
VIOLET
Hey, I shouldn’t have told dad okay?
JACK
You don’t love me.
VIOLET
I already said sorry about the fucking fish, Jack.
JACK
Goody two shoes Violet had to tell the truth! Why can’t you just leave me the fuck alone?
VIOLET
SHUT UP! You always get everything. All you have to do is ask and mom buys it for you. What’s the big deal, anyway? You can always get another fish.
JACK
You told dad just because you were mad that I got a fish? Ken?
Beat.
Ken was my only friend. He was the only one who really understood me. Not you, mom, or dad. Silence.
I trusted you, Violet.
VIOLET
I just wanted them to notice me. Look, I care about you, Jack. I didn’t think dad would do that. I I messed up. You know that I’ll always be your 姐姐， (Jiějiě, : Sister,) right?
JACK
Whatever. Some honeydew sounds nice. And maybe some mint chocolate chip ice cream.
VIOLET
Deal
JACK
And you have to help me study for the SAT. I can’t fail again. Mom // would
VIOLET
Okay, Jack. I get it.
JACK
Does she know?
VIOLET
Dad wouldn’t say anything…probably.
JACK and VIOLET freeze as lights warp into a sudden blackout. LAURA immediately calls out in the darkness.
LAURA
孩子来吃晚饭！(Háizi lái chī wǎnfàn! : Children come eat dinner!)
Lights up on the rest of the apartment. A rice cooker, sink, and stove top sit on a counter behind the dining table. VIOLET gently stirs a steaming pot of Chinese stir-fried eggs and tomatoes as LAURA inspects.
VIOLET
JACK! If you’re late to dinner tonight, Mom will kill you!
Lights up on JACK’s room where the fish tank stands the same as before, decorated and brightly lit by colorful LEDs. A small lamp illuminates JACK lying on his bed.
JACK
Okay! You’re always so loud!
After staring at the ceiling for a few moments, JACK lets out a big sigh and slowly gets up. He turns off the lamp, but the fish tank remains lit. JACK enters the dining room.
Hey. Uh mom can I talk to you
VIOLET serves three bowls of rice and brings the pot of eggs and tomatoes to the table. Eggs and tomatoes? Again? What about meat?
LAURA
Aiya you always complain. And staying in room all day. Just eat!
JACK
Ugh, but grandma makes it better. Violet can’t even make eggs and tomatoes right.
VIOLET
Wowwww, grandma REALLY spoiled you, huh? You wouldn’t know, Jack, but there’s more than one way to make eggs and tomatoes.
JACK
Grandma didn’t spoil me. You just suck at cooking.
VIOLET
Oh yeah? Then why don’t you cook for yourself!
LAURA
Aiya stop fighting! Eat and go study later, you have the SAT tomorrow. You need the high score to get good college with good scholarship. Unlike your sister who go to online pet school college.
VIOLET
How come I’m the only one you yell at? I only took the SAT once, and I got a near perfect score. He’s already taken it and failed. It’s not fair.
JACK
I might not be book smart, but at least I don’t enjoy killing fish. Ms. Vet-in-training. Fish murderer. HYPO // CRITE.
VIOLET
SHUT UP!!!
LAURA
Why you two always fighting? I work whole week and come home, and you two yelling. I know it hard but we never know the “easy”. Eat your food!
Silence. They pick at their food.
JACK
Mom, // I
VIOLET
I was offered an internship at the vet!
LAURA
Vet? What you talking about?
VIOLET
It works with my schedule and will look great on my resume. Besides, Dad took me there once when I was younger. Remember, Jack?
JACK-LAURA
Why are you- Aiya this girl.
VIOLET
You know there were good memories too, right? He wasn’t always abusive // and toxic
LAURA
Don’t bring up crazy guy like him. So? Why you telling me?
VIOLET
Mom, I need a bike to get to the internship. I’ll find one that we can afford! You can’t take me because you drive to work, // so I
LAURA
You no need bike, use your feet and walk.
VIOLET
Dad would’ve bought me a bike.
JACK
Hey how about you look for him if you miss him so much?
LAURA
安静！(Ānjìng! : Be quiet!) We done talking now, no money.
VIOLET
Mom! Please, I can’t walk there. If I ace my next Chinese exam can you at least think about it?
LAURA
Aiya you expensive girl.
VIOLET
Okay mom, Jack and I have been practicing! You go first, Jack.
JACK
Seriously? Now?
LAURA
I want to hear your Chinese. Go!
JACK glares at VIOLET. JACK gets up and starts to recite in very bad Chinese.
JACK
Ugh. 你好。我的名字是王志良。今天是很好！(Nǐ hǎo. Wǒ de míngzì shì Wáng Zhì Liáng. Jīntiān shì hěn hǎo! : Hello. My name is Wang Zhi Liang. Today is very good!)
LAURA
Your Chinese not good! Can’t even say your name. Violet why you no help your brother study more? Tsk.
JACK
我，王志良，是 gay. (Wǒ, Wáng Zhì Liáng, shì gay. : I, Wang Zhi Liang, am gay.)
VIOLET
Jack, what did you say? Your Chinese is so bad I don’t think we caught that.
JACK
我是 gay. (Wǒ shì gay. : I am gay.) Mom, I’m gay. I didn’t know how to say it, but I’ve been trying to all night. I’m gay.
Pause.
LAURA
You gay? What you mean gay?
JACK
I like guys. And not just as friends, but I feel attracted to them.
VIOLET
Oh shit. Okay, this is happening right now.
JACK
Well, I don’t want to keep being pushed aside! It’s like this whole week has been a clusterfuck and I haven’t been able to say anything.
VIOLET
I- I didn’t know you meant to come out tonight!
LAURA
Jack, you girl now? Aiya, what if grandma found out. You not her grandson anymore.
JACK
No mom! I’m still me. I just- I’m gay, okay?
LAURA
Who give me grandchildren? Violet only like animal and you gay now.
VIOLET
Hey! Animals have feelings too. And I can always adopt kids, mom.
JACK
Yeah, I can adopt! Me liking guys doesn’t change my future. I still want kids.
LAURA
Aiya you sound like Violet. Adopt pet, adopt kid, it all the same. It not your own! Our ancestor never think about stupid thing like gay. They looking down on you in shame!
JACK
Mom I still want to get married and have kids one day, I’ll start a family with my future husband!
VIOLET
Being gay isn’t that different from being straight, mom. Jack is gay, and that’s fine! Right?
LAURA
This not normal family. Everyone hate you if you gay, it not normal! Eh? Why can’t you be normal?
JACK
If being myself isn’t normal, I don’t care! I’m tired of pretending I’m someone that I’m not. Nothing’s changed, mom. I’ve always been gay, it’s not like I chose to be gay overnight.
VIOLET
Mom, I’ve known Jack was gay since middle school. Can’t you just accept him for who he is?
LAURA
Aiya you look like your father. Face round and nose flat just like him. Tsk. Why can’t you be normal too? Why you love animal? And why you love gay? Aiya, what I sacrifice for…
JACK
I KNOW, MOM! I know. You’ve sacrificed a lot, but I still ended up a failure. Beat.
Dad left because I’m gay. You know what he said? He told me to get out and go to a gay house. That nobody would ever love a piece of shit like me, // a stupid
VIOLET
JACK STOP! He was a terrible father, and he said horrible things. I should never have told // him.
LAURA
Why he say thing like that? He never tell me anything! This between 爸爸 (Bàba : Dad) and 妈 妈。 (Māmā. : Mom.) Not you.
JACK
It still feels like my fault.
VIOLET
You have to stop blaming yourself for what he did.
LAURA
Jack, you have to be normal! Then you will be happy. Mom know what right, and you need // to-
JACK
I CAN’T! I can’t give up this part of me. Even if it’s not “normal” or what’s right in your eyes, I’m gay. Do you know how much I’ve thought about this? The different ways I’ve run this scenario in my mind, imagining your face when I say the words, “I’m gay?” I didn’t know how to say it. The word “gay” hurts to think about and say, and I thought I couldn’t accept that part of me. I thought I couldn’t be happy AND gay. I don’t care what my ancestors think! I don’t want to be scared anymore. I don’t want to wake up and hate my life one day, wishing I’d just said the words to you and Violet and grandma and even…dad. I want to be happy. I want to feel loved. I want to love you guys.
Beat.
JACK
When do we get to be happy?
LAURA
Aiya you- What you talking about. We have warm food, soft bed, and roof over our head. This enough to be happy.
VIOLET
Oh my God mom! That’s not what he means.
JACK
This happiness isn’t real! You’re just feeding me eggs and tomatoes, a stupid dish // with stupid
LAURA
Eggs and tomatoes more than just a dish! It a way to remember where you come from. The unique flavors, our family recipe different from other family recipe.
VIOLET
Mom, Jack needs you. Just, please. Mom.
Silence.
JACK
Mom. I
LAURA
Coming to the U.S. very hard. I give everything to provide new life for you. My Liang Liang, you scare me now. You use to run around and play games with your cousins! Now, you gay and like boys. Aiya, no father, poor mother, animal daughter, and you gay. Okay, we not normal.
Beat.
But family is family. Even if you gay, you still my 儿子。(Érzi. : Son.) Aiya the food all cold now. Jack, what you want to eat tomorrow before SAT?
JACK
I miss Violet’s curry.
LAURA
Okay, I check food in the fridge.
LAURA leaves.
VIOLET
My curry, huh? You haven’t asked for it since I was in high school.
JACK
Well, I suddenly crave curry. What’s wrong with that?
VIOLET
Nothing. You weirdo. Are you okay?
JACK
Yeah. Yeah, I think so.
VIOLET
How about we actually practice Chinese together next time? You can help convince mom to get me a bike.
JACK
Okay, deal. I guess I’ll help you out since you need me SO much. Your curry better be good! 姐 姐。 (Jiějiě. : Sister.)
Blackout. End of Play.