OWEN

by Kevin Henkes

Parts(2):    Narrator 1      Narrator 2      Narrator 3      Narrator 4      Narrator 5
             Owen            Mother          Father          Mrs. Tweezers
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Narrator 1:   OWEN

Narrator 2:   Owen had a fuzzy yellow blanket. Heıd had it since he was a baby. He loved it with 
              all his heart.

Owen:        "Fuzzy goes where I go," 

Narrator 3:   said Owen. And Fuzzy did. Upstairs, downstairs, in-between. Inside, outside, upside
              down.

Owen:        "Fuzzy likes what I like," 

Narrator 4:   said Owen. And Fuzzy did. Orange juice, grape juice, chocolate milk. Ice cream, 
              peanut butter, applesauce cake.

Mrs. Tweezers: "Isn't he getting a little old to be carrying that thing around?  Haven't you 
              heard of the Blanket Fairy?"

Narrator 5:   asked Mrs. Tweezers. Owen's parents hadn't. Mrs. Tweezers filled them in.

Narrator 1:   That night Owen's parents told Owen to put Fuzzy under his pillow.

Narrator 2:   In the morning Fuzzy would be gone, but the Blanket Fairy would leave an absolutely
              wonderful, positively perfect, especially terrific big-boy gift in its place.
 
Narrator 3:   Owen stuffed Fuzzy inside his pajama pants and went to sleep.

Owen:        "No Blanket Fairy," 

Narrator 4:   said Owen in the morning.

Mother:      "No kidding," 

Narrator 4:   said Owenıs mother.

Father:      "No wonder," 

Narrator 4:   said Owen's father.

Mother:      "Fuzzy's dirty," 

Narrator 5:   said Owen's mother.

Father:      "Fuzzy's torn and ratty," 

Narrator 5:   said Owen's father.

Owen:        "No, Fuzzy is perfect."

Narrator 5:   said Owen. And Fuzzy was.

Narrator 1:   Fuzzy played Captain Plunger with Owen.  Fuzzy helped Owen become invisible.

Narrator 2:   And Fuzzy was essential when it came to nail clippings and haircuts and trips to
              the dentist.

Mrs. Tweezers: "Can't be a baby forever, haven't you heard of the vinegar trick?"

Narrator 3:   said Mrs. Tweezers.  Owen's parents hadn't.  Mrs. Tweezers filled them in.

Narrator 4:   When Owen wasn't looking, his father dipped Owen's favorite corner of Fuzzy into
              a jar of vinegar.

Narrator 5:   Owen sniffed it and smelled it and sniffed it. He picked a new favorite corner.

Narrator 1:   Then he rubbed the smelly corner all around the sandbox, buried it in the garden, 
              and dug it up again.

Owen:        "Good as new," 

Narrator 2:   said Owen. Fuzzy wasn't very fuzzy anymore. But Owen didn't mind.

Narrator 3:   He carried it. And wore it. And dragged it.  He sucked it. And hugged it. And
              twisted it.

Mother:      "What are we going to do?" 

Narrator 4:   asked Owen's mother.

Father:      "School is starting soon," 

Narrator 4:   said Owen's father.
 
Mrs. Tweezers: "Can't bring a blanket to school, haven't you heard of saying no?"

Narrator 4:   said Mrs. Tweezers.  Owen's parents hadn't.  Mrs. Tweezers filled them in.

Owen:        "I have to bring Fuzzy to school," 

Narrator 5:   said Owen.

Mother:      "No," 

Narrator 5:   said Owen's mother.

Father:      "No," 

Narrator 5:   said Owen's father.  

Narrator 1:   Owen buried his face in Fuzzy. He started to cry and would not stop.

Mother:      "Don't worry," 

Narrator 2:   said Owen's mother.

Father:      "It'll be all right," 

Narrator 2:   said Owen's father.  And then suddenly Owen's mother said, 

Mother:      "I have an idea!"

Narrator 3:   It was an absolutely wonderful, positively perfect, especially terrific idea.
  
Narrator 4:   First she snipped. And then she sewed.  Then she snipped again and sewed some more.
              Snip, snip, snip. Sew, sew, sew. 

Mother:      "Dry your eyes.  Wipe your nose."  

Owen:         Hooray, hooray, hooray!

Narrator 5:   Now Owen carries one of his not-so-fuzzy handkerchiefs with him wherever he goes....
              And Mrs. Tweezers doesn't say a thing.