David Prat

So many scenes this week in a story quickly developing in the mind of a silly boy. David thinks a baby is just what he needs. Yep, David, makes sense to me. You are living in your mother’s house with a wife and stepson because you don’t make enough money to rent an apartment. And yet you think it’s a good idea to expand your family. What a prat!

I had started to think David actually was growing up and growing a brain. Then this started. Fortunately, Kylie’s apparent maturing process seems to be real. She realizes that “a baby of our own” is not what they need. They need to get on with their chosen careers, save some money and deal with the child that they already have. Then think about a baby when they’re not living with his mother.

Despite having taken the waitress job at Nick’s Bistro mainly to spite David, she’s come to enjoy it. She also is taking pleasure in realizing that she can do something well, without scamming or cutting corners. It utilizes her energy and her quick mind and she gets to dress up and look like Audrey Hepburn.

“Like being on stage”

In a lovely moment, Kylie explained her feelings about her job to Gail: “Every night it’s like being on stage.” I’d never thought of it that way until she said that. It is a realistic grasp at the stars for a back street, wrong side of the tracks girl who has never believed she could have aspirations. She can perform and be seen at her best. It’s been great for her self-esteem.

And that’s what is burning David’s backside. He feels left out because she’s doing something where she is not reliant on him and she’s enjoying it and doing it well. But to complain about that would appear childish. So he developed this urgent need to procreate thinking that wanting a child would appear a reasonable and “adult” wish – a manly-man act. Except when she didn’t leap up and down with joy, he proceeded to whine, pout and go off in a great big sulk.

And poor Kylie has dealt with him surprisingly patiently. She didn’t throw a strop and take off. She explained why rushing into having a baby wasn’t a good idea and asked what this meant about his feelings for Max as his son – a reasonable question, even fear, for her to have.

Gail has had myriad opportunities to tell David that he is being an absolute prat. But no. She chose to ask Kylie how much she loved David and how much she would give up for him. Kylie took the cue, and told David she would agree to try for a baby. But you could see the anguish in her eyes when she saw her dreams going up in smoke. And they’re for once not crazy dreams. She just wants to learn the restaurant trade by working in it.

But she’s a smart girl and it was a treat watching her volunteer herself and David to mind the Brown/Stape babies. And to see David’s unhappy sulky face as she did so.

Then, oops, she forgot she had to go to work. Enjoy your baby practice, David!

• In Scene of the Week Dec. 23/12 we see David share his prattishness with others.