Dear Dad,

I’ll come right out with it. I really think you should give me a ride to school this Friday night. Mr. Flores called an emergency dress rehearsal. I know this is the last thing you want to hear. You’ve taken me to school two nights already this week. You said yesterday that you’re tired of taking me to rehearsals, that you’ve taken me every single time. No offense, but Mom has taken me at least three times.

I know you’re tired at night and don’t want to go out because work has been stressing you. I heard you talking to mom about it. But this is an emergency, and they really need me. I can imagine that you think, “Why can’t they just go ahead with it without him? He’s just another member of the crew, not even an actor or anything, so he can’t be that important to the play.” Well, the truth is they need me because I’m the props manager, and if I’m not there, it messes up everybody (and I mean everybody). The actors can’t rehearse with their swords, and the stage crew can’t practice moving the sets in and out, just to name two of the problems. I know you don’t want to keep taking me, but if you take me this time, Maria’s mom said she can take me all next week, so you won’t have to go out at night after work.