60933 IF ONLY

by   Tim Shoemaker

Purpose:         To open discussions with youth about self-worth

Theme:           Self-Worth; Self-Esteem

Scripture:       Matthew 10:30-31; Romans 8:17-19

Church Year Season:    Pentecost

Time:               5 minutes

Characters:   Greg-A high school student
Brian-A high school student; football benchwarmer
Jeff-A high school student; football quarterback; arrogant
Tom-A high school student; Jeff’s friend
Kyle-A high school student; football center; Jeff’s friend
Cindi-A high school student; Jeff’s girlfriend

Props:             1) Lunch bags (with lunch in them) for Brian and Greg

2) Tables and chairs to suggest cafeteria

3) Lunch bags for others

Costumes:     Contemporary clothing appropriate to character

Sound:            Six wireless mikes

Lighting:         General stage

Setting:           The high school cafeteria

Director’s Notes:   These are typical high school football players, but they aren’t mean-spirited. They are taunting Brian because he lost them the game, but they’re not nasty about it. Resist the temptation to make Greg a “geek” since he missed the game. He’s just an average student who hasn’t heard about the weekend’s game yet. Have the actors playing Greg and Brian work together to establish the history of their friendship. Have they been friends for a long time? Is Greg the only friendly face Brian saw in the cafeteria? Adding this kind of subtext to their lines will help make the characters more real to the audience.

The scene opens in a high school cafeteria. GREG is sitting at the table, eating his lunch. BRIAN ENTERS, holding a bag lunch. Unsure of himself, he sees GREG and hesitantly moves toward GREG’S table.

Brian

(Without enthusiasm) Hi, Greg. Mind if I sit here?

Greg

Go ahead. How ya doing?

Brian

(Shrugs) It’s Monday.

Greg

That bad, eh? Lousy weekend?

Brian

(Staring blankly into space) My weekend makes lousy sound good. It was the worst weekend of my life. If only I could go back. If only I could relive it somehow. If only I could change it.

JEFF, CINDI, TOM and KYLE ENTER. CINDI is hanging on JEFF’S arm. TOM and KYLE follow close behind. JEFF notices BRIAN, motions to TOM and KYLE and points toward BRIAN.

Jeff

(With a smirk) Well … if it isn’t Brian McKlusky.

BRIAN obviously recognizes the voice. He cringes a little and looks miserable. This is the moment he’s been dreading.

Tom

(Chiming in) Do you mean Brian “Football Star” McKlusky?

JEFF, CINDI, KYLE and TOM move closer to the table so they are standing right behind BRIAN and GREG.

Jeff

Yep. That’s the one. Champion of the gridiron. Good ol’ count-on-me-in-the-clutch McKlusky.

CINDI laughs.

Greg

(Looking at BRIAN) I take it the football game didn’t go so well.

Jeff

(Overhearing GREG) Oh, you missed the game? Well, let me recap it for you. Picture this. We have a tied ball game. It’s our ball on their 20 yard line. Billy Stanford is out with a twisted ankle. Gary Kuempel just took a hard hit. The wind is knocked out of him and he has to sit out a couple of plays. So the coach sends in Brian.

Kyle

Bench Warmer Brian?

Jeff

The same.

Kyle

What an opportunity.

Tom

Chance of a lifetime.

Jeff

Kyle snaps me the ball. (He reaches over and snatches BRIAN’S lunch bag, then pulls away from CINDI and fades back, holding the lunch bag like it was a football.) I fade back, looking for an open receiver. (Dramatically:) My line crumbles in front of me as their defensive linemen rush in. I dodge one, then another (Sidesteps and relives the play) with astounding agility. (Pause) And then I see it.

Greg

See what?

Jeff

An open man.

Greg

(Glancing at BRIAN, then back at JEFF) Brian?

Jeff

That’s right. Brian McKlusky was open.

Tom

Wide open.

Jeff

There wasn’t a man within 10 feet of him.

KYLE moves away from the table and pretends to be BRIAN in the game. He holds his hands in the air to show he’s “open.”

Jeff

(Cocks back arm with lunch bag) Still on the run, I throw. (Throws lunch to KYLE.)

Tom

A perfect spiral. Right into his hands.

Jeff

But Brian can’t hang onto the ball.

KYLE juggles the bag, hitting it up in the air a few times before he tosses it to TOM.

Tom

And the last time he bobbled the ball, it landed right in the hands of one of the other team’s players.

Jeff

A perfect throw and he turns it into an interception.

Kyle

Three plays later, they score. We lost. And all because Brian bobbled the ball.

Tom

Klutzy McKlusky.

TOM tosses the bag back to BRIAN. He drops it and picks it up quickly.

Jeff

(Laughing) So that’s the story, Greg. I’ll bet you wish you hadn’t missed that game.

Kyle

I’ll bet McKlusky wishes he’d missed the game!

KYLE, JEFF, CINDI and TOM laugh as they EXIT. BRIAN is looking down.

Greg

(Watches them leave and then looks back at BRIAN) Whoa. No wonder you look so down.

Brian

If only I had caught the ball. If only I could have hung onto it! I’m such a loser.

Greg

(With a laugh) You’re not a loser just because you missed a catch.

Brian

I am. They’re right. I’m klutzy. If only I were better in sports, more athletic. If only I could make the plays happen. If only I had scored a touchdown. (Pauses) Then I’d be somebody.

Greg

What do you mean, you’d “be somebody”? (Standing to go) Do you think you’re only “somebody” if you do great things?

Brian

Something like that.

Greg

Oh, come on, Brian. Let me give you a little advice. You’re not suddenly “worthwhile” because you’re good at something. So stop saying “if only.” Those guys are wrong-you’re not a loser just because you fumbled the ball.

Brian

(Stands up slowly) If only I could believe that.

GREG smiles, shakes his head, and EXITS. BRIAN EXITS right behind him.

Lights Out.