Next To Normal: Just Another Day

(spoken)
GABE
What's up with this, you haven't waited up for me in months

DIANA
It's 3 in the morning and I'm sitting here counting the ways you could have been killed.

GABE
And tonight's top three are?

DIANA
Drunk driver, avian flu, gang war.

GABE
You've gotta stop watching the news.

DIANA
I was crazy with worry.

GABE
I believe the crazy part. You gotta let go mom, I'm almost 18.

DIANA
Are you snorting coke?

GABE
Not at the moment.

DAN
Who's up at this hour?

DIANA
Your father, go. Up the back way.

GABE
Why does he hate me?

DIANA
Because you're a pain in the ass.

DAN
Everything alright? I heard voices.

DIANA
Just me talking to myself, you know. Now you head on upstairs.
I'll be up for sex in a minute.

DAN
You sure you're ok?

DIANA
Go!

(sung)
DIANA
They're the perfect loving family, so adoring
And I love them every day of every week
So my son's a little shit, my husband's boring
And my daughter is a genius and a freak
We all cherish one another
Father mother sister brother
Cheek to cheek

(spoken)
DIANA
Natalie, it's 3 in the morning, is everything ok?

NATALIE
Everything's great, why wouldn't it be great? It's great!
I've just got 3 more chapters of calculus a physics problem set,
a history quiz and 2 pages on floral imagery in Flowers for Algernon' which so like,
DUH, everything's so under control., it's just like calm.

DIANA
Honey you need to slow down. Take some time for yourself.
I'm going to have sex with your father.

NATALIE
Well, great, I'm so glad I know that.

(sung)
NATALIE
So I do my best to make it all look easy
Just to keep my lovely family off my back
And I act like life is right and life is breezy
And pretend like they're not seriously wack
And some days I think I'm dying
But I'm really only trying not to crack

GABE
For just another day, for another stolen hour
When the world will feel my power and obey

BOTH
It's just another day

GABE
Feeling like I'll live forever

NATALIE
Feeling like this feeling never goes away

BOTH
For just another day.

(spoken)
DAN
That was great, wasn't it. Wow, whoa, that was great. Oh Christ! I'm late.

DIANA
That will teach you to take a whole ten minutes.

DAN
Sorry, what?

DIANA
I said, Isn't it a beautiful day?

DAN
Oh, well its cloudy and raining and really cold for September and sure, it's fantastic.

DIANA
Makes you want to dive in with both feet doesn't it?

DAN
Ah, absolutely. I never know what she's talking about.

(sung)
DAN
When it's up to you to hold your house together
A house you built with tender loving care
But you're grappling with that gray and rainy weather
And you're living on a latte and a prayer

DIANA
Prayer

BOTH
Can you keep the cup from tipping
Can you keep the grip from slipping
In despair, for just another day

DAN
In the hustle and the hurry
You want to wipe you worry clean away

ALL
For just another day.

DIANA
I will keep the plates all spinning

DIANA and NATALIE
With a smile so white and winning all the way

ALL
Cause what doesn't kill me makes me stronger
As long as it's just another day.

GABE
It only hurts when I'm here

ALL
Bum bum bum.

(spoken)
DIANA
You're going to be late and you have a huge day.

GABE
You have no idea what I do all day.

DIANA
Jazz band before school. Class. Key Club. Then football

GABE
Not Bad.

DIANA
Now get out of here

DIANA (sung)
It only hurts when he goes.

ALL(sung)
Bum bum bum

GABE
Morning sunshine.

NATALIE
Good news! I got the date for my final recital.

DIANA
We'll put it on the calendar.

NATALIE
Mom, the calendar is still on April, of last year.

DIANA
Oh, well, Happy Easter!

NATALIE
Happy Easter mom.

NATALIE (sung)
It only hurts when I hide.

ALL (sung)
Bum bum bum.

DAN
Hi sweetheart!

NATALIE
She's on fire this morning.

DAN
Oh, I know. Honey can you do the shopping today,
I'm slammed at work and we're out of everything,

DIANA
I keep cave clean, you go out, get fire.

DAN
Absolutely. Again no clue.


(sung)
DAN
It only hurts when it shows.

ALL
Bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum

DIANA
It only hurts when I breathe

DAN
It only hurts when I try.

GABE
It only hurts when I think.

NATALIE
It only hurts when I cry.

DAN
It only hurts when I work

GABE
It only hurts when I play

NATALIE
It only hurts when I move.

ALL
It only hurts when I say,
It's just another day

(overlapping)
GABE
When the morning sun is showing.

NATALIE
And you wished that you were running far away.

ALL
It's just another day

GABE
Birds are singing bees are crowing
And you wish that'd you'd be going but you

GABE, NATALIE and DAN
Stay stay stay.

DAN
And you stay and stay forever

and GABE
Though you know it's now or never

and NATALIE
And you know you're here forever

ALL
Every day is just another day