THE WINDOW

60967 THE WINDOW

by Scott W. Kirk

PURPOSE: To demonstrate, through hyperbole, the importance of communication skills in marriage
THEME: Communication; Marriage
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 5:22-33; 6:1-4
CHURCH YEAR SEASON: Pentecost
TIME: 5 minutes
CHARACTERS:
Shelly ~ A wife in desperate need of communication skills
Rachel ~ Shelly's friend from church
Tommy ~ Shelly's son
PROPS:
1) Two chairs
2) A coffee table
3) Two coffee mugs
4) A baseball
COSTUMES: Contemporary clothing, appropriate to character
SOUND: Three wireless mikes; sound effects of broken glass, ball hitting wall
LIGHTING: General stage
SETTING: Shelly's home
DIRECTOR'S NOTES:
This script is definitely over-the-top, but it's important that the actors play the characters realistically, not as caricatures. Shelly thinks her behavior is perfectly normal. Rachel is shocked by her friend's behavior, but realizes the importance of using the soft-sell approach to get Shelly to come to the marriage seminar. Tommy realizes his mom's requests are out of the norm, but he looks at them as chores to be done so he can go play with his friends. This should all have a surreal quality of normality.

Scene opens with SHELLY and RACHEL in the midst of a discussion.

RACHEL

I love your new kitchen.

SHELLY

Isn’t it great? You can’t even tell there was a fire.

RACHEL

Glad nobody got hurt.

SHELLY

It was just a little thing, and I had the fire extinguisher all ready.

RACHEL

Ummm. This coffee is great. What kind is it?

SHELLY

Chiquita Special Blend or something. John brought it back from his last business trip.

RACHEL

He still traveling a lot?

SHELLY

Five days a week.

RACHEL

That’s gotta be hard.

SHELLY

You’re telling me. He’s only home long enough to change his socks.

RACHEL

You two should really come to the marriage seminar this year. It’s on a weekend, and it would do you two a world of good.

SHELLY

I just don’t think it’s our thing.

RACHEL

It’s really helped Rick and me communicate better.

SHELLY

John and I do just fine. I’ve got it down to a science.

RACHEL

Before Rick and I went to the seminar, we argued about everything. Every time I asked him to discuss something, he’d withdraw on me and get this glazed look in his eyes. You know what I mean? Forget it if I ever asked him to fix something.

SHELLY

John’s real good at stuff like that. Sure, he’ll complain for awhile, but he always does what I want him to.

RACHEL

Is this new carpet?

SHELLY

You like it?

RACHEL

Yeah. I’ve been after Rick to replace ours for years.

SHELLY

Well, why don’t you?

RACHEL

It’s not in the budget. How did you convince John to spring for this?

SHELLY

Well, Tommy spilled some red Kool-Aid.

RACHEL

Those stains are so hard to remove.

SHELLY

Didn’t even bother. I just went down to the store and picked out a new color.

TOMMY

(ENTERS) Mom, can I go over to Jamie’s now?

SHELLY

Are your chores done?

TOMMY

(Takes out list) Let’s see. I cleaned my room, emptied the trash, put my clothes in the laundry. All I’ve got left is the window in the den.

SHELLY

Good, here’s your baseball.

TOMMY

Mom, do I have to do this?

SHELLY

If you want to go to Jamie’s, you do. Now run along.

TOMMY

But I don’t like it when Dad yells at me.

SHELLY

I told you we’ll blame it on the Bensons. Now run along and stop interrupting.

TOMMY

But Mom …

SHELLY

Go on. Now where were we?

RACHEL

The Bensons?

SHELLY

Hum? Oh, they live next door. I think they’re moving anyway, so it won’t matter.

Offstage, the sound of a baseball hitting a wall is heard.

SFX: BALL HITTING WALL — continues to next SFX.

SHELLY

You want some more coffee?

RACHEL

No thanks. I’m still working on this. (She becomes aware of the sound.) Is that …

SHELLY

That’s just Tommy; don’t mind him.

RACHEL

I really wish you’d reconsider this marriage seminar.

SHELLY

I think those types of things are for, you know, couples who are really having problems. Oh … I don’t mean to imply that you and Rick …

RACHEL

It’s more like preventive maintenance. You know, fixing things before they blow up.

Offstage, the sound of the ball hitting the wall gets louder.

TOMMY

(Calling from offstage) Mom, it’s not working.

SHELLY

(To TOMMY) Try a little higher, honey. (To RACHEL) I’m sorry. What were you saying?

RACHEL

I was saying that a lot of couples need help learning how to communicate properly.

SHELLY

(To TOMMY) Harder, Tommy. (To RACHEL) Sorry?

RACHEL

They just ignore their problems until something breaks …

The sound of glass breaking is heard offstage.

SFX: GLASS BREAKING. RACHEL turns, but SHELLY acts as if nothing happened.

RACHEL

Was that a window?

SHELLY

Don’t worry about it.

A baseball rolls into the area where the women are seated.

TOMMY

Mom, I broke the window.

SHELLY

We heard, dear. I’ll pick up the glass later.

TOMMY

I’m sorry it took so long. The ball just kept bouncing off …

SHELLY

That’s okay, dear.

TOMMY

Now can I go to Jamie’s?

SHELLY

Of course, dear.

TOMMY EXITS.

RACHEL

(Pause) Did you want him to break the window?

SHELLY

Well, that’s the only way I can get John’s attention. I’ve been after him for months to get rid of our old
windows — they’re so drafty. He said he’d replace them only if they got broken, so …

RACHEL

So … you told your son to throw the baseball until …

SHELLY

Exactly. Hey, it works. I already have the new windows picked out.

RACHEL

And the carpet stain?

SHELLY

You wouldn’t believe how much Kool-Aid we had to spill before John noticed. That man could live in a barn and it wouldn’t bother him.

RACHEL

And the fire in the kitchen?

SHELLY

Well …

RACHEL

Shelly?!

SHELLY

It was just a little fire.

Lights out.

Performance and photocopying rights:
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