BACK BACKSLID 5'?m2f Backsliding, using God's name in vane (scene: a conference room or table and chairs) LIZ -- (enters cautiously wearing business suit, dials cell phone, speaks into phone) Yeah, hi, it's me. I'm back. (pause) No, the reason you can't see me in my office is that I'm in the conference room. The conference room, yes. Could you bring my phone messages here? (pause) Why here? I have a meeting here. (pause) I know my meeting doesn't start for fifteen minutes. The reason I don't want to be in my office right now is I'm expecting some rather unpleasant calls or visits and I'd just like to avoid... (pause) ...they already called. Well, just bring the messages here okay? (begins putting away phone, rethinks) Oh, could you please bring me a little scotch and soda to calm my nerves? Make it a double. I have a splitting headache. (sits, stands, paces, sits, stands, paces) AMY -- (enters wearing business suit, carrying pink phone messages and a glass of milk) This should calm your nerves... LIZ -- ...I asked for scotch and soda! And you bring me milk? AMY -- I thought it would be better for your ulcer. (offers two pills) Here take these for your headache. LIZ -- (paces) You know I just wish that my employees would follow orders sometimes and not try to be a substitute for my mother! Just give me my phone messages! (takes pills, sips milk) AMY -- (offers messages singly, summarizing the message on each) You got a call from a person named Madaline Phillips.... LIZ -- (takes message) ...oh no. AMY -- She threatened you with bodily harm if you come near her husband again. LIZ -- I never touched her husband! (stands, turns away) She wouldn't leave me alone with him long enough... AMY -- She's apparently heard about your reputation. (offers another) Here's a call from Bernard Rawlings... LIZ -- (takes message) Did he say what he wanted? AMY -- He says you promised him when you bought his company that you would keep his loyal employees on the payroll. LIZ -- ...How did he find out I was going to fire them? Somebody's got a big mouth. AMY -- Then, the rumor is true. You ARE going to fire them. LIZ -- (paces) You know, retaining those employees was not written in black and white in the contract. AMY -- Here's another message from Mr Rawlings. And another. And another. And here's a message from Mr Rawlings' lawyer announcing that he will be suing you. LIZ -- (paces) You know, those employees were making several dollars over the prevailing wage for similar jobs elsewhere. AMY -- He says you were not negotiating in good faith. He says you made plans to fire his employees BEFORE you signed on the dotted line. LIZ -- That's life in the big city. AMY -- The lawyer calls it breach of oral contract. He's going to court to void the sale. LIZ -- He can't do that! I already have buyers for the liquidation of the company assets. I've already signed the contracts. AMY -- Are you admitting that you sold the assets of Bernard Rawlings BEFORE you bought his company? That's illegal, isn't it? LIZ -- (stops points a finger) You signed a confidentiality agreement. Not a word of this to anybody! AMY -- Speaking of confidentiality... (offers message) The I.R.S. called. You're being audited. LIZ -- (takes message, slumps into chair) What else can go wrong?! AMY -- Here's your last message. (exiting) Can I get you anything else? LIZ -- (reads, looks up) Wait! It says this message is from Jesus Christ. AMY -- (turns) Yes. LIZ -- It says I'm not supposed to tell people I'm a Christian anymore. AMY -- I think that would be a good idea. LIZ -- This message can't be from Jesus. YOU wrote this message, didn't you? AMY -- Yes. I thought the name of Jesus would get your attention. LIZ -- Why don't you want me to tell people I'm a Christian? AMY -- Because associating your sinful behavior with Jesus is misusing Jesus' name. Besides, I'm pretty sure you're not a Christian. LIZ -- How can you say that? I went to church with you. I said the magic prayer. AMY -- "What good is it, my brothers, if a man CLAIMS to have faith and yet has no deeds? Can such faith save him?" LIZ -- That's from the Bible, right? AMY -- The Epistle of James. LIZ -- I have deeds. I gave some money to the church. AMY -- "Good deeds" are not the only deeds James is talking about in his epistle. James is saying that Christians don't ruin themselves with alcohol and drugs. Christians don't sleep with other people's husbands. Christians don't make promises they will purposely violate. Christians don't cheat on their taxes. Shall I go on? LIZ -- No. I thought that all I had to do to be saved was say the words. I guess I did the same thing to Jesus that I did to poor old Bernard Rawlings. I entered into the contract fraudulently. (sighs) Look at me! My life is a mess! What am I going to do? AMY -- Well, you're the one in charge. LIZ -- Yeah, that's my problem. I was supposed to yield my life to Jesus. AMY -- That's the problem with being a living sacrifice. You can crawl off the alter. LIZ -- Not anymore. This time I'm going to make the commitment and I'm going to mean what I say. Can you... Would you help me? AMY -- Sure. Come on. Let's go into your office where we can have a little privacy. (both exit) ©2008 Bob Snook. Conditions for use: Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it. Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances. You may reproduce and distribute this script freely, but all copies must contain this copyright statement. http://www.bobsnook.org email: bob@bobsnook.org BACK |