the original play dramatized experiences of the family and friends of the play's author following the 1985 death of his sister from diabetic complications after the birth of his namesake nephew and the failure of a family member's donated kidney. a writer friend continuously encouraged him to write it down in order to come to terms with the experience. he did but originally as a short story for his nephew then later to get an understanding of the deceased mother. it evolved in ten days into the play.