Disadvantaged

Disadvantaged. This word, like so many other overworked social adjectives, seems to have lost its original meaning. Since everything in today's culture boils down, in some way to money or the lack thereof, it has become synonymous with "poor". My puppetry experience this past summer has given me pause to rethink this definition.

Scheduled to perform, over the course of five weeks, in small, rural libraries, I had the opportunity to interact with a variety of children whose family income levels ran the gamut from near poverty to upper middle class. Guess which children made up the best audience?

My first performance was in front of sixty-five children whose parents are primarily Hispanic immigrants who work in the poultry plants in and around Gainesville. Before I began I was warned by one of the librarians that the programs provided by the library and Hall County introduce most of these children to their first library experience. Her lowered tone of voice only added more tension to my already frayed nerves. My fears, however, were unfounded. The children filed in quietly, sat obediently, laughed appropriately, clapped loudly and made me feel completely appreciated. Whew! Not so bad. One down, four more to go.

My next encounter was less encouraging but not a wash. My audience was made up of forty or so kids and parents from a nearby middle class suburb of Gainesville. They were less attentive and I can't remember if they clapped at the end or not. I was so glad to have even been able to finish because one two year old continually pushed his green truck into the face of the puppets while the mother visited with her friend. She finally noticed and then allowed him to walk behind the playboard to annoy me. Three more to go.

The first two performances were in large conference rooms in shiny new libraries. Number three was in a tiny house converted to a library. Eight kids, four adults, including the librarian made up the audience of "less advantaged" rural people, but they responded with enthusiasm, and at least they clapped. Two sisters, aged twelve and eight helped me break down and load my stuff.

By the time I was setting up for my last performance I felt pretty much like a veteran. I had overcome the obstacles, one by one, with equanimity, including broken strings and spaces too small for my theater. My successes lulled me, I'm afraid, into a false sense of confidence. I didn't count on what the children of highly advantaged families could do to me.

Two hundred well-dressed kids and their caretakers, crowded into the big conference room of the new library. I had space, I had light, I had all my parts. I was excited that this, my last performance would be the best. I couldn't have been more wrong.

I couldn't see my audience, but I could hear them. They talked, laughed, argued, ran around and after the first scene I knew I was performing for no one. No adult told them to behave. No one suggested that the show be stopped until everyone was quiet, though I considered doing it myself. I decided to just keep going on, knowing no one was paying attention. Later, the librarian apologized and said these kids, who have everything, have literally no manners or appreciation for anything. She lamented that one mother calls each week to see what the program is going to be and then complains loudly if the librarian can't give her a synopsis. The fact that the programs are given free to the public seems irrelevant to this boor.

For me, the lesson is painfully clear here; the more we have and give to our children, the less they care about. I do puppetry to teach and share values as much as to entertain. I feel like a school teacher who must overcome the obstacles presented by those kids labeled "disadvantaged" before she can begin to teach. However, I have been challenged by the obstacles of kids who have every privilege and opportunity available for the basic requirements for normal development and who sneer at it, reject it and are then condoned by their parents, who are too busy making money so they can give their children more advantages.

I ask then who is truly disadvantaged?