# 1: (Sarcastic) Another Thanksgiving dinner at the old community hall.
# 2: Homemade pies and turkey.
# 3: I'd rather have McDonalds.
# 4: Me too.
# 5: Did you bring your Gameboy?
# 6: Nah. My mom made me leave it at home.
# 4: Me too.
# 7: And those lame Thanksgiving games they make us play...
# 8: They drive me crazy.
# 4: Me too. (Everyone looks at # 4)
# 9: I wonder how this thing even got started.
# 4: Me too.
# 10: Is that all you can say?
#11: I've been wondering the same thing.
# 12: Me too.
(They all laugh as #13 pulls an old book out from underneath the edge
of the
porch of the dining hall.)
# 13: Hey you guys, look what I found.
(Everyone crowds around # 13 to see what they found and say things like,
"What is it?" "Let me see that." "Man, that looks old." Try to find
an old Chief
notebook)
# 13: It's some kind of book.
# 14: Can I see it?
# 4: Me too.
#13: It's some kind of journal or something.
# 15: Here let me read it.
# 13: Hey, I found it. I'll read it.
(Disappointed, but all agree that # 13 should read it).
# 13: November 27, 1887.
# 16: Whoa! That's a long time ago. (General agreement among cast as
an
unprofessional recording of a few [6-8] adults sing a thanksgiving
hymn that
sounds like it could be coming from inside the community hall back
in 1887)
# 13: (Reading from book after the recording is finished) I will never
forget the first ever Thanksgiving diner here in Prairie Gulch. Folks
just
started moving here last spring and there's only four families in town,
but
I suspect more will be coming along soon enough. (All fifteen children
should keep looking at # 13 as if they are still reading from the book
but
audience attention will shift to center stage as 9 prairie children
walk on
stage).
# 17: I feel like I could eat a horse.
# 18: Me too.
#19: Doin' all those chores before coming to town sure works up an appetite.
# 20: What's your pa got you doin' Silas?
# 21: Oh, the usual, milkin' Bessie, feedin' the horses and cleaning
the
barn. How bout' you John.
# 18: Me too.
# 22: (They all look at # 18 and then # 22 changes subject) If those
smells
were any stronger we'd have folks coming from all over the county just
for
smelling rights.
(The group chuckles)
# 23: How 'bout we go inside and see what's for dinner.
# 24: Sounds good to me.
# 18: Me too.
# 25: Is that all you can say? (The prairie cast exit though door and
attention shifts back to the modern cast on the side of the stage).
# 13: Our noses fairly danced over scents of hot pumpkin pie, roast
turkey,
gravy and such. I couldn't remember looking forward to a meal like
I did
that one. But it would have to wait. (Pauses as someone drops something
back
stage to sound like a crash - the ones listening to the story don't
pay
attention to the noise)
# 7: I wanna know what happened.
# 4: Me too.
# 13: Oh, yeah... (Reads again) It seemed that a floorboard hadn't been
nailed in right. My boot landed in the wrong spot and I fell through
the
floor like a sack of spuds.
# 9: What are spuds.
# 5: That's the stuff that bubbles up when you wash the dishes.
# 12: Those are suds.
# 9: So, what are Spuds.
# 11: Potatoes.
# 9: Oh.
# 13: (Back to the book) I scratched my back up pretty good going through
that dry timber, but that wasn't the worst of it. It seems that instead
of
fillin' up an abandoned well, They built the community hall over it.
# 6: That's what he fell into?
# 13: Let's see (Looks back at the journal) That's what I fell into.
I found
it hard to breathe for a while. It wasn't long before a bunch of the
townsfolk were peaking down at me. I'm glad they couldn't see me though.
I'm
certain my face was pretty red. (Sound of hatchet back stage - maybe
a
broomstick on a box - modern cast cannot respond to the noise) Next
thing I
knew they was bustin' out the hole a bit bigger with a hatchet and
a rope
was lowered and I was lifted up and the people cheered (Prairie cast
cheer
back stage - modern cast act as if they heard none of it). I
was fed
twice as much as any boy my age and got as much pumpkin pie as I could
eat.
I'm as thankful as can be that I have such good friends and neighbors
here
in Prairie Gulch. I hope they always keep this Thanksgiving dinner.
Folks
need to know their neighbors. Folks need to know there are others that''ll
stand with 'em in a time of need. I know that's somethin' I'll never
forget.
# 21: (Walks out on stage from the door along with the rest of the Prairie
cast) I sure hope that never happens to any of you.
# 18: Me too.
# 21: If you aren't the most agreeable fella I ever met. (#18 just smiles).
It's a good thing to know I got such good friends.
# 17: Whatcha gonna' do now Silas?
# 21: I better write what happened today on some paper, or else I'll
probably forget.
(Silas takes a yellow pencil and begins to write on an old Chief Notebook as # 13 reads from the notebook)
# 13 & 21 in unison: I guess I learned today that you should be
thankful for
more than just a meal at Thanksgiving. I also learned that one day
just
ain't enough time to spend being grateful. I got family and friends
and a
home in the greatest country on earth. And best of all Jesus loves
me and I
love Him too.
# 4 & # 18 (In unison) ME TOO! (Both casts look their cast member
that said
that line and laugh).
(Both casts join together and sing a final song.)
.............................................................
Copyright Glenn A.Hascall, all rights reserved. This script may be used free
of charge, provided no charge is made for entry. In return, the author would
appreciate being notified of any performance. He may be contacted at glenn.hascall<a>gmail.com