Read an excerpt from ‘Heroes of the Fourth Turning,’ by Will Arbery, winner of a 2020 Whiting Award for drama.

APPEARING HERE
GINNY, thirty-four, a woman with Down syndrome, a volunteer, a choir singer
CHRISTOPHER, thirty-three, Ginny’s half brother, teaches at the local community college
JUSTICE, sixty-eight, Ginny and Christopher’s honorary aunt, a librarian, a writer

SETTING
Ginny’s house in Corsicana, Texas. One-story, ranch-style, doesn’t get great light.

Christopher gets home. He’s a little drunk. Justice is watching TV with Ginny.

JUSTICE
Hey, there he is. How was it?

GINNY
Hey, buddy-o.

CHRISTOPHER
Who’s buddy-o?

GINNY
That’s you.

JUSTICE
How was your friends?

CHRISTOPHER
They were okay. Yeah.

He sits down.

Is that Mariah Carey?

JUSTICE
I don’t think so.

GINNY
Yes, it is.

JUSTICE
Oh.

They watch.

CHRISTOPHER
Is this a VHS?

GINNY
Yes, it is.

CHRISTOPHER
DVD player still not working?

GINNY
No, it’s not.

CHRISTOPHER
Is this that movie Glitter?

GINNY
Yup.

CHRISTOPHER
Is the Roku not working?

GINNY
The internet is still not working.

CHRISTOPHER
Seriously?

GINNY
Seriously.