(onstage, elderly man with cane, wheelchair -- the elderly man is agitated, pacing, sometimes swinging his cane like a sword, ready to do battle -- something is up and the elderly man obviously wants nothing to do with it!)
Elderly MAN:
Who is going to put the tray outside, is what I want to know! This is a ridiculous idea, it will never work! I've lived here for 10 years and there's no reason to change NOW!
(pauses before the wheelchair, scowls, threatens it with cane) They can just take YOU . . . AWAY, you understand? My legs have worked for 85 -- um, uh, 86, 87 -- 88 years -- oh, A WHOLE LOTTA YEARS! and there's nothing wrong with them NOW!
(pacing again) Lunatic, this idea, positively LUNATIC! The room's gotta be shipshape, that's right, and I'm the man to do it!
(pauses near chair, will not look at it, slumps upon cane in defeat) What is to become of me? What am I going to do?
I've worked hard, done my best, tried to take care of my family -- now what?
(loud, soul-felt cry) The UNKNOWN.
Young WOMAN:
(enters, and old man watches her approach suspiciously) Hey Pop! You all ready?
Elderly MAN:
DON'T GO CALLIN' ME POP! I didn't say you could, and I don't LIKE it! The YOUTH of today, anyway -- what happened to RESPECT, is what I'd like to know!
Young WOMAN:
(after a surprised pause) It's me, Pop! Your daughter -- "Angel."
Elderly MAN:
( moving up close, peering into her face) OH . . . Sure. I was . . . just kidding. Angel. Well I guess YOU can call me "Pop." But do you know what these fools want to do? Do you know they're kicking me out of this place? I've lived here for 10 years -- I came here with your Mom . . . this is where I had to say good-bye to your Mother.
And they want -- to -- KICK -- ME -- OUT! Unbelievable. I have responsibilities here. Things I gotta DO.
Young WOMAN:
Pop, it's nothing personal. They're tearing the building down. They're going to renovate this whole area -- make it completely new. It's going to be all grassy parks, with trees and animals, a great place for children to play. And tame animals to pet and play with!
You can even come back and visit, if you'd like!
Elderly MAN:
Well I don't see what that has to do with me. There's things to take care of, you know. I clean the room -- keep it "shipshape," that's what it says on my weekly report. And the food trays -- they're going to pile up! The food's gonna start smelling bad...
Young WOMAN:
Pop! Don't worry about those things . . . everything's taken care of. You have a beautiful room, I've seen it, I got it ready for you myself! Forget about these trays and room reports and all that stuff. Everything is taken care of. You don't have to worry about this stuff any more, because it will be all gone away.
Elderly MAN:
Now how do I know all that is true? I haven't seen this place. I don't know WHERE it is or WHO is going to be bringing the food or HOW they want me to keep the room -- I don't KNOW these people. I want to stay HERE!
I KNOW this place. It's familiar. I'm used to it. Know the schedule. All the stuff.
Young WOMAN:
Pop! You're coming to my house -- with Doug, and the kids. Your room is right next to Harrison's room, and if you can put up with his video games, you'll do fine. He's excited about his grandpa coming to live with him -- he even rigged up one of those tin-can-and-string phone lines so you guys can talk at night.
Your old cat Coco is still as mean as ever, and he's already sleeping at the foot of your bed. Somehow, I think he knows you're coming home, and he misses being petted all the time.
You're going to be having dinner with us, you'll have your own bathroom, the church is only a mile away so we can all worship together on Sabbaths and --
Elderly MAN:
Wait a second -- wait a second! (adjusting hearing aid, stomping close to her, putting his ear inches away from her mouth) You want to repeat that? WHAT did you say?
Young WOMAN:
(laughing) POP! Which part didn't you hear?
Elderly MAN:
WHERE AM I GOING? WHERE are you taking me? WHERE am I going to live?
Young WOMAN:
(placing her arm about father's shoulders) You're coming to live with us, Pop! I prepared a place for you -- if it wasn't so, don't you think I would have told you?
Elderly MAN:
WELL WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME! (shakes off daughter's arm and hurries to wheelchair, sits down) Let's get out of this place -- and HURRY. This terrible old roof could come down any second! Get me outta here!
Young WOMAN:
(laughing, massaging father's shoulders) I'll tell ya, Papa, you've had a lot to worry about the last few days. A lot of trouble in this old place. But you don't have anything to worry about, anymore. (begins pushing the chair down the aisle)
Elderly MAN:
Uh, Daughter, you sure about this? It's not a trick or anything? I mean, you haven't made a mistake?
Young WOMAN:
(laughing, patting elderly man on shoulder) No, Pop, no trick! No mistake! Your worries are behind you. I've prepared a place for you, and where I am, there you will be also (exiting, down aisle)
Welcome home, Papa! Welcome home!
__________________________________________
Completely free Christian scripts, sketches, mimes.
Always a parable. Storytelling making the difference.
Soldier On. You were created on purpose.
You were created with a purpose, a mission.
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