The Favor

Cast:
Susan: A woman who has forgotten her First Love
Jerry: Susan's husband

Props:
A bunny costume (the goofier, the better)
A camera
A chair

Setting:
The living room

LIGHTS UP CENTER STAGE with Susan shouting toward the back of the worship center)

Susan: Jerry? Jerry? Come on in here honey!

Jerry: (from off stage) No.

Susan: Come on! I spent 6 weeks making it! Come on!

Jerry: (from off stage) I don’t want to.

Susan: Jerry Taylor, you come in here right now!

Jerry: (opens door and enters very slowly. Jerry is dressed in a ridiculous-looking elf costume. He works his way slowly up to the stage, looking depressed as he goes. Susan, on the other hand, has her hands over her mouth, stifling the glee she feels over her creation.)

Susan: Oh, that is just precious!

Jerry: Deranged is more like it.

Susan: (ignoring him) I think this is about the cutest thing I have every seen!

Jerry: Um, perhaps you didn’t hear me.

Susan: Oh, I heard you all right. You look great. I can’t wait until I see you standing in front of the store. I mean, we're gonna be beating away the customers.

Jerry: (dead pan) Yeah. Me too. Can’t wait.

Susan: Oh stop it. (suddenly a thought strikes her) I’ve got to get the camera.

Jerry: Lovely.

Susan: Don’t move a muscle. (She runs off stage)

Jerry: Wouldn’t dream of it.

Jerry: (Turns to the audience) Okay, so I look ridiculous. So what, right? To be honest, I don’t mind doing this all that much. I mean, I know I’ll catch some heat for it from the guys but she’s worth it, you know? I only put on the sour face because A) After 12 years, she expects it and B) I’ll be able to buy that iPOD I want without much of a struggle.

Jerry: Anyway, she did spend 6 weeks making the beast and she really doesn’t ask for much. It’s always around the big 3 holidays that she seems to go all out and really do stuff. (starts counting on his fingers) On Thanksgiving she invites 30 of our “closest” (does the quotes thing) family and friends and spends 5 days in the kitchen making the perfect meal. Then, there’s Easter. Egg hunts, egg coloring, baskets everywhere. On Christmas, she personally does all the shopping, puts up every light and lawn ornament known to man, and wraps every gift and (points to costume)- you get the idea.

Jerry: (sits down) The sad part, though, is that it wasn’t always this way. I mean, don’t get me wrong, none of this stuff is bad but the emphasis has changed. When we first got married and had kids, each of these holidays was about God. On Thanksgiving, we went to a service devoted to thanking God for the good things He’s done. On Easter, it was about celebrating God’s grace towards us. And on Christmas, before the kids went nuts on the presents, we gathered around the fire and put the star on the top of the tree. Yeah, we did it on Christmas and then Susan would read the Christmas story and then we'd sing Happy Birthday to the baby Jesus. Corny? Nah, it was pretty cool.

Jerry: For some reason, she slowly forgot about those things. It didn’t happen all at once. Things just kind of got in the way. Not really bad things but just… things. Distracting things. Soon, before we knew it, the values she treasured were replaced by this (pulls on costume) stuff. You might ask why I don’t bring it up to her? Well, I have and it just causes us to get in a fight and well, there you go. Anyway, here she comes. I better act miserable. iPOD player. You understand (winks)...

Susan: (comes running back up) Okay, I found it. Strike a pose.

Jerry: What?

Susan: You know, strike a pose!

Jerry: (heavy sigh as he strikes a sour pose.)

Susan: Come on. Smile! (She snaps a couple of pictures)

Jerry: Okay. Enough. Can I take this thing off now?

Susan: Sure. Right after your co-workers see it. (shouts) Come on in you guys!

Jerry: (Head snaps to the audience and his eyes get wide!)

(LIGHTS OUT FAST)

END

© 2005 Dave Marsh