Every Life Matters

Characters: Andy Truman (11 yrs. old) Mr. Peterson (mid-60’s, should walk with a slight limp.) Andy’s dad (Mr. Truman, middle aged)

Scene 1: Andy Truman and Mr. Peterson

Setting: Mr. Peterson’s bookstore

Note: One side of the stage should look like a bookstore, and the other side should be the kitchen of Andy's house.

Lights come up on the bookstore. We see Andy walk into the store. A bell rings.

Mr. Peterson: Good morning.

Andy: Mmmm.

Andy browses a little, saying nothing. Mr. P goes into the back for something. Andy grabs a book and runs for the door. Mr. P, hearing the noise, runs out.

Mr. P: Stop!

Andy runs faster. Mr. P grabs Andy by hood.

Andy: Stop it! Let me go!

A slight struggle ensues, in which Mr. P finally gets Andy to stop.

Andy: Hey, what'd I do to you? Let me go!

Mr. P: Give it back, and maybe I will.

Andy hands book back, and Mr. P looks in surprise at the title.

Mr. P: Of all the books in this place to steal, you took the Bible?

Andy: (hanging head) Yeah, so?

Andy: C'mere, kid. You and I have a lot to talk about.

Mr. P puts hand around Andy's shoulder and leads him to two chairs at the front of the stage. Mr. P and Andy sit down. Mr. P holds the Bible.

Mr. P: So, what's your name, kid?

Andy: Andy. And what's yours? (trying to be brave but sounds scared)

1

Mr. P: (warmly) you can call me Mr. P. (seriously) Now, Andy, there's something that I'm not clear on. Why did you take a book? And why the Bible?

Andy: Humph.

Mr. P: I'll let you leave, but you might feel better if you talk a little first.

Andy: Hmm. Ok. See, my parents don't believe in God.

Mr. P: Go on.

Andy: At the school where I go, there's this kid who's always been really nice to me, even though I wasn't nice to him. So one day, I'm walking to school, and I see this kid getting harassed by some of the older kids. So I walk up and say, “That's not cool, man,” and this big kid just looks at me and says, “Ok,” and just walks away with his cronies following him.

A projection of the bullies should be used.

Mr. P: That was pretty brave of you.

Andy: (embarrassed) Aw, no, I – I wasn’t. Anyway, so this kid is all like, “Thanks man, you saved my neck,” and I cut him off. I ask him why he's so happy and nice all the time. He says, “Cause that’s what God wants me to do.” I ask him who God really is and he's like, whoa, and I'm wishing I hadn't said anything when he looks at me and says, “We need to talk.”

Mr. P: Then what happened?

Andy: Well, we got to school and I couldn't talk to him, but later that day, during lunch, we sit down and he starts telling me this awesome story, about a guy who was hung on a cross and then came back to life. He told me all these wild and amazing things about this guy, whose name was Jesus. All these miracles he did, like raising people from the dead, and walking on water, it was just crazy!