Home School Boy: The Adventure
Begins
by Jack Hall
CHARACTERS
Announcer
Matt- Home school boy
Juli- Matt’s new public school acquaintance
Slow, dramatic super
hero music plays.
ANNOUNCER- It was a warm
spring day when over-protective Mrs. Baker left the front door of the house
open. Turning her back for five minutes, she let her guard down, and her young
son Matthew Isaiah Baker escaped into the wild. Now, on his own, experiencing
the real world for the first time, these are the adventures of HOME SCHOOL
BOY!!!
Lights up on stage. The
setting is a side walk. Juli enters, dressed like a typical student, carrying a
back pack. Matt enters, wearing a collared shirt tucked into slacks. They come
face to face and stop.
MATT- Hello!
JULI- Um, hi.
MATT- What are you doing?
JULI- I'm walking home from
school.
MATT- Wow, that's amazing!
I'm walking from home school!
JULI- Excuse me?
MATT- Why? Did you belch?
JULI- No, I mean, what was
that about home school? Are you one of those kids who stays home while your mom
teaches you?
MATT- I sure am! Are you
home schooled too?
JULI- No way! I go to
public school!
Matt shrieks.
MATT- Oh no!
Matt covers his mouth.
JULI- What are you doing?
MATT- Protecting myself!
JULI- From what?
MATT- Momma says public
schools are full of disease such as crystal meth and rock and roll!
JULI- Dude, relax. I'm not
on crystal meth.
MATT- Are you on rock and
roll?
JULI- You can't be on rock
and roll, you listen to it.
MATT- No I don't! I listen
to Adventures in Odyssey.
JULI- Never heard of that.
MATT- You haven't? Boy, are
you missing out!
JULI- Sure sounds like one
of us is.
MATT- So where do you go to
church?
JULI- Church? Well, I'm
probably going to regret this, but... I don't go to church.
MATT- You what? Oh wow! I
can't believe it! A real live atheist!
JULI- Oh boy.
MATT- I never met an
atheist before.
JULI- Is that a problem?
MATT- Not for me. But
you're going to Hell!
JULI- I what???
MATT- Well, unless you come
to know the Lord. Would you like to know the Lord? I can lead you to him. I
took a class on leading people to the Lord!
JULI- Sorry, pal, but I'm
not going anywhere with someone who tells me I am going to Hell.
MATT- Oh please don't take
it personal. I don't want you to go to Hell. I'm just trying to be a... oh,
what's the word? It's an f-word.
JULI- I can think of a few
right now.
MATT- Friend!
JULI- A friend?
MATT- Do you know what a
friend is?
JULI- Sure. I have plenty
of friends.
MATT- You do??
JULI- Yeah.
MATT- How many? Two? Three?
JULI- Way more than that.
Though probably ten or so that I'd call true friends.
MATT- (whistles) That's amazing.
JULI- I'm almost afraid to
ask, but do you have any friends?
MATT- Friends? Sure, I have
friends. Plenty of 'em!
JULI- Like who?
MATT- Well, there's my Mom.
And Dad. And Grandma Baker. And Uncle Bruce. Man, he's a nut.
JULI- Anyone your age?
MATT- Sure! Well... close
to it. My sister's three years older.
JULI- Wow. You really have
no clue what a friend is.
MATT- I do so! I know all
about David and Jonathan. They were the best of friends!
JULI- David Branch and
Jonathan Wong? They hate each other!
MATT- I don't know those
guys. I was talking about David the shepherd and Jonathan the son of King Saul.
JULI- Okay, you lost me
again.
MATT- Don't you read the
Bible?
JULI- No.
MATT- Wow. You really are
headed for Hell.
JULI- Do you know that's
the second time you've told me that?
MATT- Well it's the truth.
JULI- It's not the smartest
thing to say to someone who might become a friend.
MATT- A friend? You mean,
you want to be friends with me?
JULI- I can't believe I am
saying this... but yeah.
MATT- Well, okay. But we
can only be friends. Not boyfriend and girlfriend, because I don't believe in
dating! I believe in courtship.
JULI- (laughs) Believe me, you don't need to worry
about all that with me.
MATT- And another thing.
Don't you dare try to use your peer pressure to make me drink beer or smoke
dope or watch porn, or I'll go right to the police!
JULI- Boy, you have a lot
to learn about friends.
MATT- I'm serious! Only a
dope would smoke dope!
JULI- And only a dope would
try to force a friend do any of those things.
MATT- Really?
JULI- Really.
MATT- Even a worldly
friend?
JULI- Not a real one.
MATT- Well... That is
interesting. I guess I can learn a few things from you, even if you are a girl.
JULI- (winces at the
girl comment) Oh
yeah, we have a LOT of work to do here. But if you'll let me teach you how to
be a friend in the real world, I'll let you teach me about the Bible.
MATT- You will??
JULI- Sure. I don't want to
go to Hell. Might as well explore my options.
MATT- Will you let me lead
you to the Lord?
JULI- One step at a time,
pal.
MATT- Pal. No one's ever
called me that.
JULI- That brings up a good
question. What's your name, home school boy?
MATT- Matthew. But you can
call me Matt.
JULI- I'm Juli.
MATT- It's nice to meet
you, Juli.
JULI- Matt, what do you say
we go to my house for an after school snack? I have Lucky Charms!
MATT- Lucky Charms??? Is
that some crazy, occult thing?
JULI- It's a cereal. Don't
you know what cereal is?
MATT- Sure, I love cereal.
I eat it all the time. Shredded Wheat. Puffed Rice.
JULI- Puffed Rice?
MATT- Yeah.
JULI- Oh boy. Let the
lessons in real life begin!
Matt and Juli exit.
Copyright 2005 by Sunday
School Dropouts