BACK OFFER 4'2m0f Salvation: grace vs works BOSS -- (a Mafia boss, enters wearing business suit, dragging Vinn by elbow, guides him to front lip of stage) VINN -- (a low-life, enters wearing Aloha shirt, mouth taped, bound heavily with ropes down to knees, walks with tiny steps or hops, protests in moans) BOSS -- (looks over edge of stage) There you go Vinnie. Beautiful view, ain't it? (motions toward area in front of stage) VINN -- (looks over edge of stage, protests in moans) BOSS -- Oh, I'm sorry, Vinnie, how rude of me. (rips tape from mouth harshly) VINN -- (screams in pain) Boss, please don't do this! BOSS -- Don't do what, Vinnie? I brought you up here to enjoy the view. You know, according to the blue prints, this building is 122 feet high. VINN -- Please, Boss, I know what this is about. And... And I... BOSS -- Oh? What's this all about, Vinnie? VINN -- This is about the money that was missing from last month's delivery. BOSS -- Is that so? Say, Vinnie, did you know that an object dropping at the acceleration of gravity would be traveling at over 100 miles per hour when it.... VINN -- ...Please, Boss. Don't do this. I don't steal no more. I've changed. I'm a Christian now. BOSS -- As luck would have it, Vinnie, so am I. VINN -- You are? BOSS -- Yes. VINN -- You're a Christian? BOSS -- Yes. VINN -- Listen, Boss, I hope you won't think I'm trying to tell you how to run your business, but Christians usually don't push people off of tall buildings. BOSS -- Okay. VINN -- Okay? What does that mean? BOSS -- It means I want you to see this experience as an object lesson, Vinnie, my boy. VINN -- An object lesson. BOSS -- Yes. VINN -- You mean you're going to teach me a lesson? (looks over edge) BOSS -- Yes. But not like you think. VINN -- How then? BOSS -- Here's the lesson, Vinnie, by boy. The wages of sin is death.... VINN -- Listen, Boss, I told you. I'm a Christian now. I'm a changed man. I don't steal no more. I even paid back everything I skimmed. BOSS -- I know. VINN -- You know? BOSS -- Yeah, I know. I waited for you to finish paying back what you owed me before I brought you up here, so you wouldn't misconstrue my intentions. VINN -- (looks dreadfully over edge) I think I know your intentions, Boss. BOSS -- I don't think you do, Vinnie. VINN -- I don't? BOSS -- No. This is not about pay-back for stealing from me, this is all about your boasting. VINN -- My boasting? You mean like bragging? BOSS -- Yeah, like that. VINN -- I didn't boast about stealing from you, Boss. I didn't tell nobody. BOSS -- No, but you been boasting about how smart you was and how brave you was to become a Christian. VINN -- Well, I am pretty proud that I done the right thing, Boss. BOSS -- Yeah, but the Bible says that you're nothing but grass that withers and dies. Near as I can tell, according to the Bible even the best of us is selfish and evil and incapable of choosing God. VINN -- That's what it says? BOSS -- Something like that. VINN -- Then how come I chose Jesus. BOSS -- That's what I been trying to tell you. You didn't choose him. He chose you. VINN -- How did he choose me? BOSS -- He did just what I done. VINN -- What's that? BOSS -- He took you up on the roof top and made you an offer you could not refuse. Faced with the choice of having eternal life or being a grease spot on the sidewalk, even a hairball like you would choose the right thing. VINN -- Oh, yeah, I guess you're right, Boss. It wasn't much of a choice was it? BOSS -- So, you learned your lesson then? VINN -- Yeah. Sure, Boss. No more boasting. Eternal life is a gift from God. I didn't do nothing to earn it. BOSS -- (exiting) Good. I knew you'd see it my way. VINN -- (looking over edge of stage) Does that mean you're not going to... (sees Boss exiting) Oh, I guess not. (follows hopping) Hey, listen, Boss, I wonder if you could maybe... Boss!? I need a little help here. ©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 |