In The Smith Family Chronicles 1: Jane Smith Comes Out To Her Evangelical Father, Betty’s husband Bob kicked their daughter Jane out of their house. (In The Smith Family Chronicles 2: “Is It Really God’s Will That I Live Alone?”, we saw that might not be the complete end of Jane’s life.)
In The Smith Family Chronicles 3: “You Will Not Take My Daughter From Me!” Betty shared with her husband how she felt about his reaction to Jane’s coming out (which compelled Bob to make a bold, if seriously erroneous assertion). In The Smith Family Chronicles 4: “Hello. I Am Your Son.” … well, you’ll just have to watch that one.
And now Betty spends some alone time.
![John Shore on The Huffington Post](http://johnshore.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/huffpost.jpg?w=120 "John Shore on The Huffington Post\")
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
What perfect balance this brings to “the story so far” … often I watch something and I wish a particular character got their day in court. So grateful you gave Betty hers. The bombshells in her life are in some ways more profound than anyone else’s (because she’s so blindsided by these revelations). I love the epiphany (epiphanies?) she has, as she thinks out loud and follows her chain of thought to such a bright conclusion. And I often think an ensemble narrative is more engaging than a story which hinges on just one or two characters — Brava Betty and I think for me she’s the most interesting character in the story.
And thank you for “their boldness tricked me” and Betty exploring the idea that it is a greater strength to admit your weaknesses, your fears… “God has been whispering to me all along to trust myself, to trust Him…” such a powerful line.
I “Liked” and I like — Friday’s are nice, but with this ongoing story Friday’s are a little nicer.
I love it too. I just saw it, and it reminded me of how I came to begin trusting my conscience. I still falter at times, but it’s so much better than playing it safe(and getting it all wrong). I think out of the family so far my favorite character is Betty.
that was beautiful. as an actor I would love to be able to use this for an audition piece – the computer damped down the emotion quite a bit, but the words were so amazingly powerful. thanks.
I was thinking about publishing the text to this one—and then realized I had no idea why I was thinking of doing that. Maybe it was so you could use it as an audition piece! I’d love you to do that. I’d LOVE to see that; do a YouTube video of you reading that piece, and I’ll … totally make everyone watch it.
Anyway, if you’re serious, I’d be happy to mail you the speech. (Or I wonder if maybe I should, as I was thinking, publish it on my blog, or whatever? But there can’t be THAT many actresses who’d like to use it. There can’t be more than ONE. Hmm. Well. Anyway. Lemme know if you’d like it. Thanks for your kind words about it.)
Wonderful, John.
Thanks, Susan!
Poor Betty. I hope she gives Bob what-for.
Hah! I think she just did.
I can only hope Bob is listening. If he thinks Jane is a rebel, let’s set Betty loose on him!
This is really good. The medium is especially dramatic in this episode – shouting, emphatic thoughts spoken in such an even robotic voice. It’s jarring, in a positive way. It’s very interesting to ear the words, but not hear the emotion. It’s compelling, and it makes me want to see MUCH more!
Lovely. I’m glad to hear this. Thanks, Suz.
Thanks for making me want to cry, John.
Betty’s journey has been mine, in part; my wife cheated on me and eventually left me and our kids. Reactions from my “church family” ranged from compassion to condemning my sin in letting her leave. The intervening years have been a time of leaving some of what I’ve been taught in the church behind, and realizing how much God truly loves me. Even when I couldn’t tell, He was always there.
Wow. Thanks for sharing this, Don. Very touching.