Grizabella's Goodbye
DISCLAIMER: The Rum Tum Tugger and Grizabella belong to T.S. Elliot, at least I think they do, but in any case they're not mine.
Tugger noticed, as his mother approched him, that she was carrying something. As she came nearer, he realized that it was a small bundle. What's that for, he wondered.
"I need to talk to you, son." There was sadness in her eyes and it was clear that something was on her mind.
"Mother, what's wrong?"
Grizabella took a deep breath and sighed. "I'm going away. I'm sorry, darling."
"Why?" he asked her. "Have I done something..."
"It's not you," she said. "I'm sorry, I just need a different life than the one I'm living. Something beyond this place."
"What's wrong with this place?" Tugger questioned.
"Nothing, I suppose, if you don't mind the same thing day after day. But I need something more than this."
"Then take me with you, if you won't stay here with me."
"My son..." Grizabella put a hand on his shoulder. "You can take care of yourself now. You knew the day would come when I couldn't carry you any more."
"How can you leave me like this?" Tugger's voice began to break, but he refused to cry.
"Sweetheart, you are my only child, and I love you with all of my heart. You are my angel, and you always will be... but I can't stay here. I gave you all the love a mother can give. Now it's time for me to do something for myself. Please try to understand."
He said nothing. She embraced him, then whispered softly, "I have to go now. I love you, son."
He tried, but Tugger couldn't bring himself to say "I love you too." Instead he said, "Goodbye, Mother" and watched her leave, waiting for her to look back but knowing that she wouldn't. When she was out of sight he turned and walked away. Only then did the tears come streaming down his face.
DISCLAIMER: The Rum Tum Tugger and Grizabella belong to T.S. Elliot, at least I think they do, but in any case they're not mine.
Tugger noticed, as his mother approched him, that she was carrying something. As she came nearer, he realized that it was a small bundle. What's that for, he wondered.
"I need to talk to you, son." There was sadness in her eyes and it was clear that something was on her mind.
"Mother, what's wrong?"
Grizabella took a deep breath and sighed. "I'm going away. I'm sorry, darling."
"Why?" he asked her. "Have I done something..."
"It's not you," she said. "I'm sorry, I just need a different life than the one I'm living. Something beyond this place."
"What's wrong with this place?" Tugger questioned.
"Nothing, I suppose, if you don't mind the same thing day after day. But I need something more than this."
"Then take me with you, if you won't stay here with me."
"My son..." Grizabella put a hand on his shoulder. "You can take care of yourself now. You knew the day would come when I couldn't carry you any more."
"How can you leave me like this?" Tugger's voice began to break, but he refused to cry.
"Sweetheart, you are my only child, and I love you with all of my heart. You are my angel, and you always will be... but I can't stay here. I gave you all the love a mother can give. Now it's time for me to do something for myself. Please try to understand."
He said nothing. She embraced him, then whispered softly, "I have to go now. I love you, son."
He tried, but Tugger couldn't bring himself to say "I love you too." Instead he said, "Goodbye, Mother" and watched her leave, waiting for her to look back but knowing that she wouldn't. When she was out of sight he turned and walked away. Only then did the tears come streaming down his face.