Bad Report
By Fred Lane
Summary
Sean’s report card was very bad, and his mother is at her wits end dealing
with him and tells a friend that she wishes she was childless...her friend
reveals that she lost a child and would give anything to have him back.
Cast
Boy - Sean;
woman #1 - Sean’s mother, Sherry;
woman #2, Darla, Sherry’s friend
Script
(Sherri and Darla are seated at a table, looking at magazines, talking...
Sherri: Darla, have you looked at this magazine yet? (points to a certain
picture)
Darla: No (not looking up from a magazine)
Sherri: (puts down magazine and looks at Darla) It’s the one with the
purple curtains and green carpet and pink lampshades and... (Darla looks
up surprised)
Darla: What? What color did you say?
Sherri: (chuckles) Just kidding (shows the page to Darla)...what do
you think of this color combination for the kitchen?
(Sean mopes onto the stage, flopping into a chair and throws his bookbag
aside. He leans over and holds his face with his hands on his cheeks.)
Darla: (speaking while Sean enters) Yeah, that looks better...(both
women turn to look at Sean, Sherri turns in her chair to face Sean)
Sherry: Hello, sweetheart..how was school today?
Sean: (no response)
Sherry: Sean, did you have a good day at school.
Sean: (without moving) It was okay, I guess.
Sherry: (notices Sean’s demeanor and walks to him) Sean, what’s wrong?
Are you all right? Did anything happen at school today?
Sean: (without moving) I don’t want to talk about it...
Sherry: (stooping, brushes his hair back with her hand) Sean, can’t
you tell me what’s .....
Sean: (interrupting his mother, he jerks his head away and gets up
fast) I hate school!!! I’m sick of all the jerks there and I’m not going
back
Sherry: (recoiling in shock; voice rising) Sean, tell me what’s wrong...I
know something happened!
Sean: (grabs his bookbag, and envelope falls out without his seeing,
as he storms out) Why don’t you just leave me alone!!!
(Sherri in disbelief, watches Sean leave; Darla is watching Sherri;
there is no motion and there is silence for a moment)
Darla: (speaking hesitantly) Well, that was special!
Sherri: (rubs her forehead, sees the envelope, picks it up, walks slowly
back to the the chair she was sitting in and sits down looking dejected,
puts envelope on the table)
Darla: (intently looking at Sherri, soon speaks again) Sherri...I didn’t
mean to be so flippant...
Sherri: (looks up at Darla and shakes her head) Oh, Darla, it’s okay...(sighs)...its
just...
Darla: (sits up straight, as if getting ready for a serious conversation,
sharp but friendly tone) All right, woman, out with it...you’re going to
pop if you don’t let this out....
Sherri: (looks off and shakes her head again, then looks at Darla)
I don’t know what I’m going to do with Sean. I mean, it’s like someone
came in and switched my son with some kind of alien or something....he
used to be so sweet and we got
along great. In fact, I used to get worried he was too much of a “momma’s
boy” for his own good. Not that I minded it, but, you know, it just seemed
he needed to be more with other boys and girls his age. Now, (looks to
where he left the stage and points) I don’t even know him....(picks up
the envelope)...and I can’t wait to look at this...Here you open it. (gives
it to Darla)
Darla: (opens and looks over the report card, glancing at Sherri often,
shaking her head, finally speaks sheepishly) Well, it could be worse...he
could be flunking every subject...
Sherri: Let me see that (grabs the report from Darla, looks at it briefly,
jumps up) What?!!! What is the matter with that boy?!! This is the third
bad report he’s gotten this year...(throws the report down) I wish I had
never had him!!!! (turns her back on the audience, face in hands as if
crying)
Darla: looks at Sherri thoughtfully for a moment, then stands and walks
to her side, turns her around with an arm around her) Sherri, I know how
you feel. Children can make you crazy sometimes....
Sherri: (pulls away from Darla, tearfully responds with aggravation)
How could you know...you’ve never had a child...
Darla: (very seriously and calmly) Yes, I did.
Sherri: (perks up, acts surprised) What do you mean? I thought you
never...
Darla: I told you I thought motherhood was too tough for me...I never
said I was never a mother. (Darla returns to her seat at the table)
Sherri: (shocked and embarrassed, sits at her seat) Darla, you never
told me you had children...
Darla: (calmly) ...A child, a boy. He was my heart; my world revolved
around him...(stands and faces the audience)
Sherri: What happened?
Darla: He had leukemia (pauses between phrases, deep feeling)...We
did everything we could, doctors, treatments, hospitals...he died 2 months
after his sixth birthday. (looks down)
Sherri: (Comes to Darla’s side, arm around her) I’m so, so sorry, Darla.
I just didn’t know...
Darla: (Takes Sherri’s hands in hers, looks at Sherri) Sherri, you
couldn’t have know, and it was probably wrong of me not to tell you sooner,
but it just hurt too much to bring up. As long as I keep him deep inside
me, I’m okay...but, hearing you say that you wished you had never had Sean
brought it all up. You know, no matter what he does, you still have him.
He’s such a gift, please never wish he was gone - one day he could be...
(They hug each other...)
(lights out)
............................................................................
© Fred Lane, Crosswind Community Church, All rights reserved
This play may be performed free of charge, on the condition that copies
are not sold for profit in any medium, nor any entrance fee charged. In
exchange for free performance, the author would appreciate being notified
of when and for what purpose the play is performed. He may be contacted
at: advpastor@gmail.com