Michael

Parent: Marcia (62)

Adult Child: MICHAEL (33)

Location: Memphis, Tennessee

Meet Michael, a 33-year-old Memphis native stuck in a perpetual state of arrested development. With dreams as big as the Mississippi, but a reality as turbulent as the city's history, he struggles with entitlement, delusion, and a debilitating case of 'failure to launch' syndrome.

Michael's aspirations range from the unconventional to the downright improbable. His ambitions know no bounds; from attempting to launch a plant-based cookbook, and dabbling in day trading, to harboring dreams of becoming a rapper. However, his lack of direction and focus leaves him perpetually stranded on the fringes of society, with his only source of income being his sporadic gigs as a Lyft driver. He was once working for UPS but refused to wear a mask during the pandemic so he was let go. Consequently, the layoff meant he lost his home and was forced to move in with his mother, Marcia.

Marcia has raised five children, but out of all of them, Michael is the most problematic, he never seemed to launch. Her other children are grown and have created their own lives, leaving Marcia an empty nest in the home where she raised her children. Today, Marcia works in construction. She lays tile and does drywall. It’s an unexpected job, but it’s honest work and she doesn’t mind doing it. At home, Michael faces a constant battle of wills with his mother, who lays down rules that Michael consistently disregards. Their explosive arguments result in expletives, name-calling, and hurt feelings. Marcia co-signed the car bill for Michael which he is constantly late on. She hates it when he leaves the light on, doesn’t do the dishes, and leaves cigarettes around the house.

Michael says that Marcia has a split personality. That at one moment she can be your best friend in the world and at other times she is a different person. She’s angry, loud, cruel, and argumentative. He’s never sure which version he is going to encounter. As tensions reach a boiling point, Michael's mother wrestles with the heartbreaking decision of whether to kick him out or continue allowing Michael to live in his childhood home.