Blessing In Disguise

By Joanne Miller

Summary

A monologue in which a daughter is on the cell phone to her mother. Through a series of mishaps, she has missed her plane to get home for Thanksgiving, and she begins to question why God didn't answer her prayer to catch her plane.  Finally her father gets on the phone and he is crying. He wasn't aware that she had missed her flight.  He just saw a special report
on TV that her flight had crashed with no survivors.

Characters

Cheryl: a daughter who missed her plane home for Thanksgiving.

Script

Cheryl: (On cell phone.)  I’m just so angry, Mom.  I mean 3 minutes!  Three lousy minutes!  I saw the plane take off!  How much closer can you get?  Well, it all started at 6:30 this morning.  Mr Sayers called me from London.  He’s over there for a working vacation.  There was a big problem with one of our major accounts.  He needed me to go into the office and look up something in the file. …. No, he couldn’t access it by computer because Jenny’s been sick and it hadn’t been entered into the computer yet.  …. I know.  I’m not blaming Jenny.  She can’t help it that she’s been sick; and we’re so short handed right now that there isn’t anyone to take up the slack for her.  Anyway, I figured “no problem”.  I had plenty of time before my flight left.  That’s one of the advantages of living very close to work.
So I got in there and started looking for what he needed and guess what. …. You’ve got it.  It was nowhere to be found.  Naturally, nothing is organized because of Jenny being out.  It took me an hour and a half to find what he needed.  Then it took me another 20 minutes to get the fax to go through.  All the phone lines are busy on Thanksgiving Day.  …. Yes, it finally went through and I went to get my car and couldn’t believe what had been happening while I was inside.  There was snow coming down like crazy!  ….  Oh, yes even that early!
Right away I thought how smart I’d been to bring my suitcase with me.  That way I could go right to the airport and not even have to stop home again.  …. Yes, I thought so too and then I had a really bright idea.  I’d get on the Marta.  … Yes, that’s the mass transit system that you and Dad rode on while you were here.  Anyway, there’s a station right in my office building so I didn’t even have to go outside.  I thought I was so smart!  …. No, it definitely didn’t turn out that way!  The train I got on had some problems and we were stuck for an hour and a half!  I kept telling myself,  “Stay calm.  You have plenty of time.  You’ll make it.” ….
Yes, I did finally make it to the airport and with an hour to spare.  I was so relieved until the doors wouldn’t open on the train!  Can you believe it?  We had to wait and wait for someone to come and pry open those doors.  Wouldn’t you think they’d have someone on hand with a tool kit?  ….  I don’t know where they had to get him from.  Alaska maybe!  Anyway, like I said I watched several planes take off and I’m sure one of them was mine!  …  I know, Mom, I’m just so frustrated and angry.  And to make matters worse the weather has gotten so bad that my flight was the last one out of here today.  The temperature has gone up a little so now it’s sleeting and everything is a sheet of ice.  Even the Marta has shut down so, for now anyway, I can’t even get home.  Looks like I’ll be spending Thanksgiving in the airport.  ….  I know you’re disappointed too, Mom.  I’ve always been there for Thanksgiving.  It’s a tradition.
Mom, I have to ask you something.  …. Well, here’s the thing.  The whole time all of this was happening I was praying to be able to make my plane.  I mean 3 minutes!  Why do you think God didn’t answer my prayer?  I wasn’t asking for anything big.  Why?  ….  I’m sorry, Mom.  That wasn’t fair.  I know you don’t know either.
Hey, tell me what’s going on right now?  Can you smell the turkey cooking yet?  ….  You can?  What time are you planning on eating?  …. Who’s there now?  ….  Cassie and Brian.  ….  Marcy, Nathan and the girls.  ….  Are Shelby, Jason and the kids there yet?  ….  Well, they’re usually the last ones anyway.  Are Aunt Sally and Uncle Stan coming?  ….  They are?  Tell everyone I love them and I miss them.  Mom, tell me what else you’re having for dinner.  I want to feel like I’m there, even though I’m not.  ….  Uh, huh.  Uh, huh.  Cranberry sauce? …. Did you make your homemade bread? ….  You did?  ….  Of course, it’s tradition!  What about your pumpkin pie?  ….  Great!  Save me a piece.  I’ll be there tomorrow if I can.
Listen, Mom, I know you’re busy so I’ll let you go but just one more thing.  Are you going to do the traditional blessing?  You know where everyone says one thing that they’re really grateful for in the past year?  …. Good.  Would you say mine for me?  ….  I wanted everyone to know how grateful I am to God for this new job and my new city.  It’s hard to be away from everyone but I really love this job and I’ve made a lot of friends here so I want God and everyone to know how blessed I am even if I don’t really feel…
Mom, what’s going on?  Mom, Mom, are you still there?  What’s happening?  What’s wrong?  ….  Dad didn’t know I was on the phone with you?  What does that mean?  …. Dad?  Dad, stop crying.  I can’t understand what you’re saying!  Is something wrong with Mom?  No, no I’m not on the plane, Dad.  I missed it.  I prayed that I’d make it but I just missed it.  Thank God?  Dad, what are you talking about?  The plane crashed?  My flight?  You just saw it on TV?  No survivors?   Oh, my Lord!  Yes, Dad I’m fine.  I’m sitting in the airport.  Yes, Dad, God is good!  Can I talk to Mom once more?  I have to change the one thing I’m most thankful for this year.
Lights out.

.............................................................
Copyright Joanne Miller, all rights reserved
This script may be used without payment, provided no charge is made for entry to the performance. In return the author would appreciate being told of any performance. She may be contacted at NIJSMiller@aol.com