The Arc

Marc and Janelle

"I can NOT believe you are acting like this! What is your problem?"

"My problem is, son, that I don't believe you are in love with this girl. And now you've asked her to marry you? Son, you're the one with the problem."

"I don't have a problem. Janelle and I are in love. I don't know how else to convince you of that. We're ready to get married." Marc was desperately trying to explain his life to his mother Debbi.

"Married? Well I do NOT approve!"

"In case you haven't noticed mother, Janelle and I are full grown adults. We do not need your approval nor do we want it." Debbi's mouth dropped at that proclamation from her son.

"How dare you?!"

"No mom, how dare you?" Marc's anger was rising rapidly but he had to remember that he was speaking to his mother. "Janelle and I have been a couple for five years. Five years mom. We do not take this next step in our lives lightly."

"I don't like her."

"I never asked you to like her."

"And I don't have to accept her."

"You are absolutely right. You don't have to accept her however, you do have to respect her and respect my decision to marry her. She will be the next Mrs. Peppenger. There's nothing you can do about it." Debbi threw down her dish towel.

"I can NOT BELIEVE my own son is defying me!!"

"Defying you? Defying you?!"

"Yes, defying me. Never, in the history of this family have we EVER had a blemish in our bloodline. Never!"

"A blemish?

"And we don't need any bad branches in our family tree."

"Bad branc- mother do you even hear yourse-"

"What upstanding, Christian southern woman would allow this...this...disrespectful behavior and event to even occur in her family? I will not stand for it. I will not!" Debbi turned away from her son and continued chopping her tomatoes. Although a little more roughly than before.

"Why mother?"

"You know why." She replied as matter-of-fact as she could.

"I do know why but can you say it? Huh? Can you? Face yourself mother and say it!" Marc slammed his hand on the counter. His father Joe stood up from his position at the kitchen table.

"Now, what just a minute son. Just what are you saying about your mother?" Marc looked at his father.

"She knows exactly what I'm saying dad. Say the words mother."

"I will not."

"You have to. You have to know who you are." Debbi stopped chopping tomatoes and slammed down the knife.

"I know exactly who I am!"

"Do you now? So you do prefer the word prejudiced? Or maybe racist? How about bigot? Does that one sound better?"

"Marc, that is ENOUGH!! You've gone too far!" His father bellowed.

"I haven't gone far enough dad. Mom can't say it because she doesn't want to admit it. Your wife, my mother is a bigot."

"She is not!" "I am not!!"

"Yes, yes you are! You call Janelle every nasty racist name you can think of behind her back and to anyone who is willing to listen to you. Besides what has she ever done to you huh?" Debbi just looked at her son. "Oh that's right, she's done nothing wrong but treat you with the utmost respect."