A SUMMER SWEARING LESSON
__________________________
A Very Short Play
SETTING: A summer camp set up in a forest clearing on a sunny day. Cabins line the perimeter of the clearing. Picnic tables and trees are scattered around the clearing. A tetherball court is set up in the top left corner of the clearing next to one of the cabins.
AT RISE: MILLY, ABBOT, QUINCY, JACKSON, and KAEDEN are sitting at a picnic table in the middle of the clearing under the shade of a tree. QUINCY, JACKSON, and ABBOT are sitting next to each other on one side of the picnic table while MILLY and KAEDEN are sitting next to each other on the other. The 12-year-old boys, ABBOT, QUINCY, JACKSON, and KAEDEN, are conversing about ghosts while 7-year-old MILLY is watching their conversation in interest, chiming in occasionally. She feels cool because of hanging out with the older boys. No counselors are in hearing distance of their picnic table at the moment. After a minute their conversation dies down.
ABBOT looks down at the table in boredom, QUINCY looks at the tetherball court, wondering if he should join a game. KAEDEN fidgets with his fingers. JACKSON is trying to think of a good conversation starter. MILLY looks at the tree above them, thinking about caterpillars and the Tomato Hornworm that she's always wanted to have.
QUINCY
I think I'm going to go play some tetherball now.
KAEDEN
Yeah, me too. Maybe I'll be able to beat you this time!
ABBOT
I doubt it. But maybe I can!
JACKSON wracks his brain as he tries to think of a good conversation starter so that the other boys don't leave. He doesn't want to play tetherball but he has no other friends. Lightbulb.
JACKSON
Hey, do you guys know what the worst swear is?
Everyone is paying attention to JACKSON now.
KAEDEN
Yeah. You're talking about the f-word right?
JACKSON
Yeah!
MILLY looks confused.
KAEDEN
Oh yeah. I know that one.
QUINCY
Me too!
ABBOT
Yeah, I know it.
A beat.
MILLY
What's the f-word?
KAEDEN
You don't know it?
QUINCY
Of course she doesn't know it. She's like 6 or something.
MILLY
I'm 7!
QUINCY shrugs. MILLY sends him a glare.
MILLY
Can someone tell me what the f-word is?
KAEDEN
Should we tell her? I don't think we should. She's a girl. She might tell on us.
MILLY
I won't tell!
The boys look around at each other, thinking about what to do.
ABBOT
Are you sure you want to know?
MILLY thinks about it for a moment.
MILLY
Yes.
ABBOT
Pinky swear that you won't tell?
ABBOT stretches his arm across the table in MILLY's direction with only his pinky out. MILLY does the same. Their pinkies intertwine.
MILLY
Pinky swear.
They let go of the other's pinky and their arms return to their original places.
MILLY
Will you tell me now?
The other boys look at ABBOT expectantly. They trust his decisions. ABBOT thinks for a moment.
ABBOT
Yeah. But you shouldn't use it okay? It has a bad meaning.
MILLY
Okay.
ABBOT
Okay. The word is spelled F. U.C.K.
MILLY
F.U.C.K?
ABBOT
Yes.
MILLY looks confused as she tries to imagine how this sounds. She tries sounding it out in her head but ends up sounding it aloud.
MILLY
Fuck?
ABBOT
Shhh!!!
ADULT VOICE
What did I just hear?
Fear. Blackout.
