Here's a listing of the events referenced in the script which take place prior to the beginning of the events of the play itself. You won't know the events if you are not familiar with the script,but the thing to take away from it is that I am not putting any interpretation on them yet. Also this list is specific to the character of Jess, meaning that there are other events referenced in the script which make up the narrative of the entire play which I am leaving off for now. 1. Jess helps pick the annual carnival queen and rides of a parade float with the Mayor and the queen, Jane Livingstone. 2. Dougal has a work accident (which leads eventually to a monetary settlement in his favor). 3. Jess is working to save the quince tree when Floyd's boy comes looking for his dad. Jess looks after the boy in the cold and dark. 4.Joins in working with Dougal and is given the homework of making an Iconostasis, which he does. 4. A Night Heron bird is reported spotted in the region. 5. Jess slaps Warren on the face. Incident is reported in the papers. 6. Jess is fired from his job. 7. Dougal is leafleting on Jess' behalf. 8. Floyd's boy incident becomes known rumor. 9. Jess is beaten up on the Marsh Road at night. 10. Receives his Dole money. 11. Begins making tapes for Dougal. That is a chronological order, give or take a couple of them as the information available in the script which references them is brief. But that is basically it. Just the facts ma'am. Now taking those and the other events referenced in the script I can tell the narrative to myself (and others)fully in its logical sequence. Each of these events will be used imaginatively later on but the question to seek and answer now is which one of these events is key to setting in motion the events of the play itself? My current answer is the slap with Warren. That sets off a chain reaction of things which make for a sudden and profound change in Jess' situation, his life. It also matches up with the final event which the audience sees from him when he kisses the other character on the cheek. Slap to the cheek. Kiss to the cheek. Key events.