Yes or No?
(A drama about integrity)

Director's Notes:
In Matthew 5, Jesus tells us to let your "'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' `No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." Jesus is bringing up an  issue of integrity. Where do you stand on this issue? Is your word as good as gold? Can people rely on you if you tell them that you will do something?

This drama shows that anywhere, even within our family, if we say we will do something, we need to do it.

Cast:
Dan: A husband
Jackie: A wife
Skip: Dan's friend

Props:
2 phones
A wrapped present
A list (use the script)
A couch (or a couple of chairs put together)
A putter and a golf ball
A remote
A doorbell sound
A newspaper
Happy music (I used 'Lucy and Linus' - Peanuts theme)

Setting:
The family room

(LIGHTS UP CENTER STAGE where Dan is sitting on the couch, reading the morning paper. Jackie comes walking in...)

Jackie:  Morning, Dan.

Dan:    Morning, honey. Hey, do you know who starts their vacation today?

Jackie: (rolling her eyes) You do, dear.

Dan:  (grinning) Why yes I do!

Jackie:  And do you know who has a list of things that need to be done?

Dan:    (grin is gone in a flash) You do, dear.

Jackie:  (grinning) Why yes I do! … Do you mind?

Dan:   (shruggin) Nah, not at all.

Jackie:   Okay, I’ll go over it each one so you can soak them in. (pulls out a list)

Dan:    Fine. Go ahead, hit me with it.

Jackie:   Okay, first I need you fix the screen door. It keeps banging shut.

Dan:  Okay. Will do. Anything else? (stands up)

Jackie:   Hold your horses, vacation boy. (takes his shoulder and sits him back down) Just a couple more things. Can you clean up the den. It’s a mess.

Dan:     Sure.

Jackie:   I also need you to call Virginia Power and check on that bill. I swear I sent it to them.

Dan:     Virginia Power. Got it.

Jackie:  Finally I need you to go pick up those steaks for tonight.

Dan:   Tonight?

Jackie:  Yeah, tonight. You know, your boss and his wife are coming over…

Dan:   Oh yeah. Forgot about that. Steaks. No problem.

Jackie:  Thanks, Honey. I’ve got to go to work. Here’s the list. (extends the list to him)

Dan:   Oh, I don’t need a list (being macho here)

Jackie:   (continues to extend the list and looks at him knowingly)

Dan:  (mumbling and attempting to smile) I need a list... (takes the list) Have a good day.

Jackie:  Bye! (she leaves)

Dan:  (looks at the list and jumps up and declares...) Well, better get started!

(lights fade out to black. Start Happy music and fade lights back up after 3 seconds)

Dan:    (Dan is putting a couple of golf balls across the carpet. He shouts triumphantly...) Tiger Woods ain't got nothin' on me!

(lights fade out to black and back up after 2 seconds)

Dan:    (Dan is watching a soap opera and talking to the T.V. with remote in hand) Come on Roman. Don’t you see that that’s Marlena’s evil twin sister and she’s in love with Bo? Oh, who writes this gibberish.... I wonder what will happen next...

(lights fade out to black and back up after 2 seconds)

Dan:     (Dan is on the phone. Skip is off stage on a phone as well) What are YOU doing? (like the Whassup commercial – laughs)

Skip: What are YOU doing? (laughs)

Dan:  What are YOU going? (laughs)

(lights fade out to black and back up after 2 seconds)

Dan:    (Dan is shaking a wrapped present (presuming his) and you hear glass and things rattling around in there) Oh, that doesn't sound good...

(lights fade out to black and back up after 2 seconds)

Dan:    (Dan is asleep on the couch when Jackie walks in)

Jackie:   (smiles and shakes her head) Honey, honey wake up. I’m home.

Dan:     Huh? Oh, hey. How was your day?

Jackie:  Good. How was your first day of vacation?

Dan:     Good. Fun. (yawning)

Jackie:  Did you fix the screen door?

Dan:     Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. Sorry.

Jackie:  Did you clean up the den?

Dan:     Oh, man! (smacks his head) Totally forgot.

Jackie:  Dan! What about calling Virginia Power?

Dan:     (just looks at her)

Jackie:   Did you do anything you promised to do?

Dan:  Um, well, er (suddenly the door bell rings. Dan jerks to his feet. Their eyes go wide.)

Jackie:   Daniel Robert Thomas, tell me that you picked up those steaks!

Dan:    (pause then a pained look on his face) Grilled cheese, anyone?

(LIGHTS OUT FAST)

END

© 2001 Dave Marsh