By Cameron Smith
People try to get into heaven by being good
Romans 3:9 &endash; 20
A boxing match in a ring
Com: LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!! Good evening and welcome to tonight's boxing match which promises to be a classic in every sense of the word. In the red corner, weighing in at 10 pounds and the undisputed world champion the man known only as SIN….. And in the blue corner weighing in at 6 lbs 5 ounces ……. Bob 'the baby' Smith!! And tonight's prize? ETERNAL GLORRRYYY!
Ref: I want a good clean fight between you two. Nothing below the nappy, good luck to you both. (bell rings)
Com: Well… Bob Smith was born at a very young age and he was the second of three children. He wasn't a bad baby, he rarely cried, he didn't break anything valuable, in fact he behaved quite well actually.
Com 2: and that's really starting to show in his early dominance against SIN. Bob's really come out fighting and he's caught Sin totally off guard.
Com: He grows quickly and by the age of 9, Sin has made a comeback in a big way. Bob's a total brat, he picks on both his older sister and his younger brother all the time. He gets annoyed at his parents every day and right now he's receiving a number of telling blows from SIN .
Com 2: Oh SIN is having a field day here, he's just laying into him left, right and centre and he's really giving him a right royal boxing lesson. Bad news is this continues for some time as Bob runs away from home, tries some very illegal drugs off the street and has to steal to support his habit. SIN seems to have hit an early knockout blow (all action happens in slow motion in background) and &endash;
Com: - Bob hits the canvas! He hits the canvas!! he hits rock bottom
Ref: (still in slo-mo) one .two…three…four….five…. (raises hand and hits the ground). .. six….sev -
Com: - What's this? What's this? Bob realises he's hit rock bottom and at the age of 21, he gets up to his knees and he decides to make up for the early sin in his life. He might have it up hill from here, though. But at the moment he's going great, it's like he's been given a second chance- for ten years he helps little old ladies across the street, he patches things up with his family, he even goes back to the people from whom he stole stuff, and he pays them back with interest. Amazing scenes!!
Com 2: Yes, we're now at about the halfway stage through his life and it's pretty even right now. After that early close call, I'd say we're in for a bobby- dazzler of a second half in this titanic struggle. And Bob's continuing with his good form &endash; he even starts going to church 3 or 4 times a year and he is really starting to assert his own dominance now. What's this though, he briefly goes into politics and is ruthlessly smashed by SIN.
Com: But he recovers and has kids and 10 years later he is named father of the year and citizen of the year 5 years running. Just before his retirement, he is named Australian of the year, but instead of lying back and taking it easy, he decides to go to Ethiopia to work with those less fortunate than himself. Suddenly, now he finds himself pounding into Sin, and he definitely has the upper hand at this moment in time. In the last 3 months of his life, he decides to give his life savings, close to $1 million dollars to charity. What a move! (Slo-Mo) He has smashed SIN and SIN has hit the canvas! He looks gone for all money, he fought the good fight , but he doesn't even look like….
Ref: ONE!!! TWO!!! THREE!! FOUR!! FIVE!! SIX!!!
Com: …. getting up! I don't believe it, I simply just can't believe it.
Ref: SEVEN!! EIGHT!! NINE!!
Com: ….Bob's done it! He's beaten Sin!
(Ref raises hand for 10 count, but just before it hits the ground the bell rings)
Bob: (in slo- mo still until commentator starts up again) NOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Com: NOOO!! He's been saved by the bell and SIN gets up groggily. The match has ended, Bob's life is over and I guess he could feel a bit unlucky there, but becos he couldn't get a knockout, he'll have to wait on the judge. Who do you think has won this match?
Com 2: Oh…it was a great match up, but without a doubt I think we're in for a major upset tonight. Bob Smith was such a good person, after a shaky life, he'd be unlucky not to make it into heaven!! I mean, if you weigh up the good stuff against the bad stuff in his life, he comes out well and truly on top.
Com: I'd have to agree, how good was he in the second half of that fight, and here's the result…
(Someone, somehow, by a quaint device, hands ref a piece of paper)
Ref: And the winner, by a unanimous vote of 3 judges to nil ….. I give you …..still the undefeated champion &endash; SINNNN!!!
Com: WOW!! Is anyone good enough to beat SIN? If I had not been here myself I would not have believed it! Bob Smith seemed to have led a very good life in the end but as it turns out, he just was not good enough in the end . He must thought it was in the bag, but it was not to be. Which makes me ask this question &endash; is anyone good enough to beat SIN? I'm not so sure. Good night.
© Cameron Smith 1999
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: ljsmith@ihug.com.au