Icky Pulp
by Gene Sessa, S.J.
Summary
A teenager is forced to reconsider how he's treating his younger brother
after he receives the same impatient treatment from his father.
Scripture
Matthew 7:12
Characters
Johnny, a boy, age 14
Danny, his brother, age 9
Dad, their father
Script
(Scene: The stage is set with three boxes on the right, two on the left
and one down center. There is a bowl and spoon on the far left box and
a box of sweetened cereal on the center one.)
(Johnny enters. Picks up cereal box. Sits. Starts reading it to himself.)
(Danny enters. Picks up spoon. Sits. Stares at Johnny. Finally…)
Johnny: (without looking up from box) Whatcha starin' at?
Danny: You.
Johnny: Why ya starin' at me?
Danny: Wonderin'.
Johnny: Wonderin' what?
Danny: Wonderin' whatcha doin'?
Johnny: Readin'.
Danny: Whatcha readin'?
Johnny: (with finality) A box o' cereal.
Danny: Oh.
(He moves to other side of Johnny. Stares at Johnny. Pause.)
Johnny: (without looking up from box) Now whatcha starin' at?
Danny: You, again.
Johnny: Whatcha starin' at me again for?
Danny: Wonderin'.
Johnny: Whatcha wonderin' now?
Danny: Wonderin' what it says.
Johnny: Oh.
(Pause)
Danny: Well?
Johnny: Well, what?
Danny: Well, what's it say?
Johnny: It says that little brothers ought to let big brothers read
cereal boxes in peace without asking them a million questions every two
seconds or else they run the very great risk of being pummeled into an
icky pile of gooey pulp!
Danny: Oh. (Long pause.) What's pulp?
(Johnny makes gestures and groans of great irritation, which send Danny
scrambling off up left. Dad enters up right reading a newspaper.
His face is buried in it. He sits. Johnny looks up.)
Johnny: Hey, Dad.
Dad: (without looking up) Johnny.
Johnny: (putting down the cereal box) How's it going?
Dad: Mmm?
Johnny: I said, "How's it going?"
Dad: Oh….Fine, just fine.
(Pause)
Johnny: Say, Dad…..
Dad: Mmmm?
Johnny: I was just wonderin'.
Dad: Wonderin' what?
Johnny: Just wonderin' if you could give Tom and me a ride over to
the---
Dad: Look, Johnny, after a very LONG day at work, I just want
a few minutes to myself---without bein' interrupted every two seconds---to
read the newspaper. That's not too much to ask, is it? IS IT?
(Pause)
Johnny: (quietly, almost to self) I---don't know.
....................................................................................
© Gene Sessa, all rights reserved
This play may be performed free of charge, on the condition that copies are
not sold for profit in any medium, nor any
entrance fee charged. In exchange for free performance, the author would appreciate
being notified of when and for what
purpose the play is performed. He may be contacted at: genesessasj@yahoo.com