GENRE: Drama
TIME: 6 minutes
CAST BREAKDOWN: 1F,1M
THEME: Christian Living; Priorities; Commitment to Christ
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 6:20-21; Luke 12:33-34
CHURCH YEAR SEASON: Ash Wednesday; Pentecost
PURPOSE: To help the audience contemplate the need for forgiveness
SYNOPSIS:
Jack has decided to surprise his wife, Renee, by building a rec room onto their house. But this latest purchase is the last straw for Renee, who is tired of the trappings of their yuppie lifestyle and yearns for days gone by when the pair had committed to living a radical life of faith and trusting in God.
CHARACTERS:
Jack ~ A typical high-tech yuppie, with all the trappings
Renee ~ His wife, also a typical high-tech yuppie
PROPS:
1) Table and chairs to suggest a kitchen
2) Blueprints
COSTUMES: Contemporary clothing, appropriate to character
SOUND: Two wireless mikes
LIGHTING: General stage
SETTING: Jack and Renee's kitchen
DIRECTORS NOTES:
This script is pretty straightforward, but be careful that it doesn't come across as "preachy." Renee's character isn't intended to put people on a guilt trip. She has had a kind of epiphany and is trying to figure out where her life left the course she thought it was on. Jack is pretty much single-minded. He's excited about the new rec room and completely misses her point.

---

RENEE and JACK ENTER in mid-conversation.

RENEE

It's not funny, Jack. I want to know why there is a truckload of lumber in our front yard.

JACK

(Following RENEE) I told you, I'm taking up a hobby. I'm gonna make toothpicks in my spare time.

RENEE

Jack, I'm not in the mood. Why is there a stack of lumber in our yard?

JACK

I'm gonna tell ya … have a little patience, will ya? I'll clean the fish if you'll fry 'em up for us.

RENEE

Well … how 'bout tomorrow. I have leftover spaghetti tonight.

JACK

But the kids will be coming back tomorrow. You know they won't want fish. The spaghetti will be great with them.

RENEE

All right, but you have to clean them …

JACK

(Moving around kitchen, imagining his new building project) I already said I would … I don't know why you're so touchy today. I thought you and Jean had a good time shopping while Tom and I were fishing. Didn't you have a good time?

RENEE

I had a wonderful time … we walked, we shopped, we talked … we did our little weekend thing while you guys did your weekend thing.

JACK

Did you buy anything?

RENEE

Yes, I bought some underwear for Josh and socks for Katie.

JACK

So what's the problem? What's wrong with you today? Shopping usually cheers you up.

JACK EXITS.

RENEE

Nothing's wrong with me … I just said I didn't want to clean the fish, that's all. Fish guts were not top on my priority list today.

JACK

(ENTERS with blueprints, lays them out) Well, how about this- was this on your list for today?

RENEE

What's this?

JACK

The load of lumber.

RENEE

What?

JACK

This is what the load of lumber is for. We're adding on a rec room!

RENEE

Jack, what are you talking about? What is this?

JACK

We'll push that wall out about 20 feet and build a nice island here at the sink …

RENEE

Wait just one minute … what are you talking about? Oh, Jack, we need to talk.

JACK

Sure, I know that. I'm gonna let you pick the colors, the cabinets, the whole shebang …

RENEE

No, I don't mean this … I mean … we need to really talk! We can't do this.

JACK

I know you're worried about the money. I have it all worked out …

RENEE

No, I'm not worried about the money! I mean, yes, I am worried about … Jack, I wanna talk about our life …

JACK

Honey, it's just a rec room. (RENEE stares at him.) Okay, what about life do you …

RENEE

No, not about life. About our life.

JACK

What's wrong with our life?

RENEE

Nothing … no, I mean everything. No, I mean …

JACK

Nothing and everything. Couldn't we settle somewhere in the middle of those two? (Pointing to the blueprints) Hey, you know what that is right there?

RENEE

No, I don't.

JACK

A rear projection, 60-inch big screen TV.

RENEE

You see? That's what I mean. That's what I am talking about. Jack, we didn't sign on for this. This isn't the adventure we committed to.

JACK

I'm not understanding. What did we sign up for? What adventure? Did one of those telemarketers call here and get you involved in some time-share thing? (Pointing to the blueprints) Hey, did you see this — a wood-burning stove for those cozy winter nights …

RENEE

Jack, if we got any cozier, we'd be the proverbial bugs in the rug. We're so typical. It's not what we started out to be.

JACK

And what did we start out to be?

RENEE

Radical. Our commitment to Christ. I mean, when we signed on to serve him, I didn't know it would mean a two-car garage, a minivan, and a big screen TV.

JACK

Oh, so you're complaining? I thought it was my Christian duty to provide for my family. Besides that, you're the one who wanted most of this stuff in the first place. Are you telling me you were against buying this house, against buying the mini-van …

RENEE

No … you're right. I've been the worst. (Pause) I was at the mall with Jean today. I don't know … it was like something in my brain just stopped. For just a moment, I stepped back and just observed myself. Here I was, just wandering from shop to shop, window to window, my eyes glazed over from daydreaming about all the stuff I wanted. And I was jabbering and gossiping away about the most inane things. I felt like I was watching myself on TV. And I thought, what if I died right now … what if someone would write a biography of my life? I mean, what would the title be: Man, She Knew How to Shop! Jack, we're trapped and this rec room is just another cell in the prison cellblock.

JACK

Well, I knew you were gonna be excited about it, but I really didn't expect this. Wow, calm down, sweetheart … you're just getting me all excited, too.

RENEE

I don't mean to spoil your surprise, but Jack we're already in so deep … I don't want to see us go any further.

JACK

You wanna go be a missionary or something?

RENEE

No … no, I mean yes. Maybe I do. Maybe I wanna be a missionary right here in suburban America. Maybe I wanna be different. Like …

JACK

Look, we go to church at least two times a week. I'm a deacon. You are on at least two different committees and somehow we are supposed to be more? Supposed to be doing more?

RENEE

Maybe not doing more … maybe it's believing more. I don't know. All I know is that when we were younger, we made fun of the yuppie lifestyle.

JACK

Sure, but that was all …

RENEE

And why did we make fun of that? Because we couldn't imagine a life so empty where material things and the comforts of life held such a high priority. Jack, we have an electric can opener and a trash compactor!

JACK

Look, if you don't like the can opener, I can take it back …

RENEE

You know what I mean. What ever happened to the adventure?

JACK

And that's another thing-what do you mean by "the adventure" ? I think working 9:00 to 5:00 every day, raising two kids and still maintaining our sanity is enough adventure for anyone.

RENEE

No, that's not adventure-that's coping. I wanna live on the edge, Jack. I want us to live on the edge.

JACK

Well, good. Because I feel on edge most of the time … and especially when you start talking like this.

RENEE

Not on edge, on the edge-ya know?

JACK

No, I don't know.

RENEE

On the edge of risking it all for Christ. On the edge of faith and failure. I want us to be radical in our hearts. I want …

JACK

Okay, okay. I know what you're saying.

RENEE

You do?

JACK

Yeah, I should've seen it myself.

RENEE

Oh, Jack, it's not a matter of who sees what, it's just important that we …

JACK

Yep. You're right. The big screen is going a little bit too far. Well, listen … I saw this 35-inch screen at Circuit City …

RENEE walks out.

JACK

What? Where are you going? Okay, maybe we can just put our old TV in there …

Lights out.

Copyright © 2001 by Charlie Jones