By Melissa Woods

What is it that makes you happy? For Norman it is a box full of donuts and his set of keys. For Barry it is the image of himself as a golf pro. And Lucien? His happiness revolves around imaginary bunnies, books he can't read, and his Spiderman tie.

These are some of the main charactars of the play The Boys Next Door, performed at the Old Lyric Theater in Logan.

These grown men are supervised by a man named Jack. Jack oversees the mentally handicapped who live in one household.

I walked into this old theater without one expectation of what the show would be about. I was a bit skeptical about being entertained, or laughing and feeling good.

I left in awe of the acting skilled so well portrayed by the actors, most of whom are residents of Cache Valley.

On the surface the play presented a humorous and well-developed story. I began to love the characters and feel for them. I left feeling envious of their good nature and care.

How do we as citizens treat the members of our community?

As stated by Lucien in the play, a community may be judged on how it treats its most helpless citizens.

Each character in the story experienced teasing and misunderstanding from other members of the community. Arnold went to work at a movie theater, where he was forced to shine a co-worker's shoes, or else he would "beat him to dust." Norman worked for a doughnut shop where his co-workers jokingly referred to him as "bulimia billy" as they shoved him a box full of donuts. Lucien is forced to stand before a judge who asks him questions he is incapable of understanding. Jack's own ex-wife cannot seem to understand why Jack would want to spend his time at a job helping the mentally handicapped.

If the way we treat our most helpless citizens is reflective on the type of community we have, what does this say for us? Rather than understand and accept those who are different, do we seek to change them and shove them away as "wards of the state"?

As stated by Jack, "They never change. I change." Regardless the situation or circumstance these citizens remain happy. They remain caring.

As Lucien best said (in a moment when he steps out of character to address the audience), " I am unique and irreplaceable and a part of you all. I am a simple man, but I simply am a man."

During the intermission, I as an audience member listened to the comments around me from other people. Many audience members remarked how great the acting was. One comment hit the nail on the head. The woman next to me turned to her husband and said, "The one I feel sorry for is Jack. He always has new problems he is aware of but the others are just happy no matter what." Although we may refer to those who face a disability as "helpless," they may be the individuals who teach us the most about life and what happiness really is.

SW
SW

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