Summary: Terry Topper, is a TV presenter and journalist, no longer believes in God and sees little sense in Christmas, until he gets a surprise visitor.
Style: Dramatic. Duration: 30min
Actors: 2M, 2F, 1C
Characters
Terry Topper
Sandy (his friend)
Gabby (angel)
Gram
Younger Gram
Younger Terry
Script
Scene: 1 - Terre's apartment
(Lights come on - there's a couch, chair, table with a typewriter & chair. There's a large waste basket by the table. Things are a little spartan - just the necessities. Terre is seated at the table trying to write. There's a knock at the door, gets up to answer it.)
Terre: Who's there?
Sandy: It's your irksome neighbor!
Terre: (opens door) Hi Sandy, come on in.
Sandy: (comes in) Hi Terre. I saw your light on..... you’re working kind of late aren’t you? (Looks at the typewriter & the papers in the basket) When are you going to upgrade & get a laptop? You’ve been using that old thing forever.
Terre: Gram gave me that "old thing" when I graduated from college. I don’t want a laptop.... this works just fine.
Sandy: (softly) Yeh, I remember when she gave it to you..... Hey, what are you doing tomorrow night? Would you like to go with us to the candle light service at church?
Terre: I don't believe in that stuff anymore - you know that.
Sandy: Yeh, but I'm going to keep on trying!
Terre: And I'll keep saying no.
Sandy: Come on Terre, we've known each other forever. I know you believed it when we were kids.
Terre:( angrily) Yeh, well I'm not a kid anymore. When you see the things that I've seen in my job it's pretty hard to believe in a God that would let people suffer like that! Look at what Gram went through. That cancer just ate her up until there was nothing left! Why would God let THAT happen? She went to church & "believed"!
Sandy: I don't know why she had to go through that. All I know is that God loved her & was with her to the end. She often told me that she could feel his presence & had me read her Bible when I watched her for you. She prayed for you all the time & for God to bring you safely home from your travels.
Terre: ( looks down, says quietly) You were with her more than I could be. There were so many bills to pay - I had to work all the time..... Working in TV is a hard grind. I'm sorry for yelling at you - you’re a good friend.
Sandy: Yeh, well I still am. Think about the service will you?
Terre: I don't know - I've got a lot to do. I'm stuck on this Christmas piece I'm writing. They want one for the paper, too (points to the waste basket - full of papers). I got writer's block or something.
Sandy: I'll be praying for you. (goes out the door & closes it. Terre goes back to the typewriter & tries to write. Does a few lines &stops, pulls out the paper crumples it & throws into the basket.)
Sandy: (praying outside of door, Terre can't hear.) Lord, please help my friend. Terre can't get past what's happened in his life. He misses Gram - she was all that he had. Please make him see how you've been there with him all along.
(Sandy's steps can be heard walking away).
(Terre leans back in the chair, tries to write again & can't. Gives up & goes to the couch, falls asleep.)
(The lights flicker, if you have a power point of the Northern lights use that to signal the angel’s entrance. Gabby is dressed in jeans & a sweater, may add some fun things for accessories.)
Gabby: Well Lord, here I am again...watching over him like his Gram asked that we would. (walks around Terre, continues talking) Poor guy, he misses her so much that he can’t see that you’ve always been there for him. (Looks up) You’re right.... Well I guess it’s about time that he did. (whispers) Terre.... Terre. ( no response, says louder) Terre.
(Still no response, Gabby picks up a wadded paper out of the basket & throws it at Terre - still no response. Gabby throws another, then another. Still no response, he picks up the basket & dumps it on Terre.)
(Terre wakes up, rubs his eyes, looks up & sees Gabby - jumps off the couch)
Terre: (yells) What the…?
(sees Gabby, steps back. Looks for a weapon, grabs a pillow, raises it for protection)
Terre: Who are you? How did you get in?
Gabby: My name is Gabby - short for Gabriel, but they call me that because I like to talk. I’m your guardian angel!
Terre: Angel? That’s a crock - you don’t look like one! Where’s your white robe & wings?
Gabby: (sits down on the edge of the couch & crosses legs) A robe isn’t very practical & the wings freak people out so I keep them hidden.... Not everybody thinks we exist you know.
Terre: Yeh, well I’m one of them! I’m calling 911! The police are going to come & take you away to the loony bin buddy!
Gabby: You can try but the phone won’t work. Besides I don’t think they’ll believe that there’s an angel in your apartment. In FACT - they might take YOU away!
Terre: We’ll see about that! (grabs the phone but there is no dial tone, clicks the receiver button up & down) What’s wrong with this thing?
Gabby: I TOLD you - it doesn’t work. Now why don’t you just sit down? And I’ll tell you why I’m here.
Terre: No - this can’t possibly be happening! I’ve been working too hard..... dinner didn’t set well.... you’re a figment of my imagination! (Walks around) yeh, that’s it.... I’m just imagining this!
Gabby: (picks up a pillow off of the couch & throws it at Terre) Did you imagine that? Now please sit down!
Terre: (sits down with a look of total disbelief) Ok, supposing you are real, why are you here?
Gabby: I’m here to make you see that God is real & loves you very much. He’s heard Gram’s prayers and kept you safe all of your life.
Terre: (angry) Yeh, well why didn’t he keep her safe? Why didn’t he heal her & let her stay here with me?
Gabby: He did keep her safe. It was just her time to go..... He’s kept you safe many times, you know.
Terre: Yeh, when?
Gabby: Come on, I’ll show you. Take my hand (holds it out)
(Terre reluctantly takes it. Gabby grabs it & yanks him toward him. Lights go out & Terre can be heard to yell. When they land you can hear a thump.)
Scene 2 - Terre’s apartment in the past.
(Change some of the accessories to make thing look different during the black out. Should be a clock on the table next to Gram & Sandy.)
(Lights come up on stage. Gram is lying on the couch & Sandy is sitting next to her reading from the Bible.)
Gabby: Do you remember this?... Probably not. You were in Buffalo covering the story on the blizzard that hit there. It was late & you should have stayed at the hotel with your crew. Instead you drove home so you could be with Gram. It was late & the roads were still slick. It was still snowing here & there, a little hard at times.
Terre: Yeh, I remember. I had just stopped to get coffee, it was around 10:00. I had been gone a couple of days & wanted to get back. Sandy had been watching her while I was gone.
(Terre & Gabby freeze - light goes on Gram & Sandy.)
Gram: Thank you Sandy for reading that to me, it’s one of my favorite passages. "And God will keep you safe under the shadow of His wings" - what a promise! (Sandy nods head & takes her hand.) He’s always kept us in His care. I’m worried about Terre - did he say he was staying in Buffalo?
Sandy: No Gram, he said he wanted to get back. He’d been gone way too long. They said that there could be some lake effect squalls & visibility wouldn’t be good at times.
Gram: Sandy, we need to pray for him...right now. (They bow their heads & pray).
(Gram & Sandy freeze. Lights come up on Terre & Gabby.)
Gabby: Gram was right - the snow was starting to coming down harder & you didn’t see the bend in the road until it was too late.
Terre: (interrupts) Yes, I tried to counter steer but it didn’t help. I went into a skid & hit the snow bank -good thing too - there was a HUGE gully on the other side of the road! A snow plow came by a little later & pulled me out. THAT was a coincidence! I was really lucky!
Gabby: Lucky?! No..... it was God protecting you. Man, you sure kept me busy that night! Look at the clock on the table - what time does it say?
Terre: (goes over & looks) 10:01......what a coincidence! That’s weird! (Scratches or rubs head).
Gabby: No, that was God. Come on - we’ve got more to see!! ( Grabs Terre’s hand, go out lights go out again. Terre can be heard to yell again. There is a thump when they land).
Scene 3 - Terre’s apartment
(Lights go up on Terre’s apartment. Gram is sitting knitting, listening to Christmas carols. She puts down her knitting & talks to herself.)
Gram: Well, that’s enough for now. I ought to have his scarf done soon. Terre needs another one -that boy is always losing his things!...... We must have a scarf eating tree around here!
(She goes to the window & looks out)
Gram: I wonder where Terre & Sandy are? They should of been back from sleigh riding a while ago.... They don’t normally stay out so long, it’s cold out there today! Lord, please keep them safe!
(She leaves the window)
Gram: I think I’ll make some cocoa for them. They’ll be froze to the bone!
(As she is leaving there is a loud knock on the door. Sandy comes rushing in yelling.)
Sandy: Gram, Gram! Come quick!! Terre went too fast down the hill & went too far on the ice on the pond! A policeman saw it & got him before he went under the water but he’s all wet!!
Gram: Oh no! Lord, please help him!
(Gram grabs a coat & runs out of the apartment. Lights go down & come up on Terre & Gabby.)
Terre: Boy, was that water cold!! I couldn’t move I was so cold! I got pneumonia & was out of school for a month!.... Never did figure out what stopped me.
Gabby: Well, that would be me, I AM your guardian angel, you know..... Do you
really think THAT was a coincidence?
Terre: ( scratches head) I don’t know............
Gabby: Well I know..... Come on, gotta go again! (Grabs Terre’s hand, lights go out.)
Terre: Wow, this is kind of cooooooooool!!
Scene 4 - Terre’s apartment
(Gram looks younger. She is holding Terre as a baby.)
Gram: (walking around holding the baby) Oh Lord, thank you for saving this child- I don’t understand why you chose to take my daughter & son in law. I can’t believe that the baby survived that crash! It’s a miracle!!
(She hugs the baby tighter & softly cries).
Father, I put this child into your mighty hands. I ask you to please guide & bless him all of his life. I know you have a special purpose for him otherwise you would of taken him home with Amy & Joseph. Please keep your angels around him until you take him home.
Lord, you know they died going to the hospital to see me. They were so happy when the doctor called & told them that my cancer was in remission. They didn’t see the other car come around the corner in their lane. (weeps) Father please help me!! I cannot raise this child without you! Please.... please keep my cancer away until he is old enough to be with out me!!
(Lights go down on Gram & baby Terre, they freeze. Lights go up on Terre & Gabby.)
Terre: (shocked) She had cancer then? She never told me! I knew my parents died in an accident but not why.
Gabby: She never told you because she didn’t want you to know she had cancer. She didn’t want you to worry that you would lose her too. Do you see now how much God loves you & that He DOES answer your prayers?
Terre: (hangs his head) Gabby take me home....TAKE ME HOME!!!
Scene 5
(Terre is back on the couch, sleeping. It’s morning. He looks around, trying to figure out if everything was real or a dream. He goes to the table & opens a drawer, picks up Gram’s Bible & sits down on the couch, opens it, reads Psalm 17: 7 & 8)
Terre: Show Your marvelous loving kindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in you From those who rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hid me in the shadow of Your wings...... that was one of your favorites Gram. (Picks up a picture of Gram).
Gram, God did answer your prayers - He kept us both safe under the shadow of His wings! Oh God - how blind I have been!... Please forgive me! I believe that you are God! .... I DO believe that you came down to earth to be born of a virgin & that the angels proclaimed your birth! I DO believe that you died & rose again so that I could live! Happy Birthday Jesus - happy birthday!! (Gets up runs to the window) Is it Christmas morning? Am I too late? Please God don’t let me have missed it - I’ll have to wait a whole year to celebrate Christmas!
(There’s a knock on the door - Terre runs to it, Sandy is there. He grabs Sandy & hugs him.)
Terre: Sandy - what day is this? Is it Christmas?? Have I missed it? (he’s very excited)
Sandy: Hold on buddy - what’s going on? (Shocked)
Terre: (babbeling) Sandy you won’t believe it!! There was an angel - named Gabby – we flew - man he’s faster than the Concord! I saw you & Gram praying for me, I fell in the ice ... I saw me as a baby!! What a night!!!
Sandy: What’s going on, what are you talking about? (He’s astounded, surprised at the change.)
Terre: I met my guardian angel - his name is Gabby - I think he’s a he - are angels boys or girls? (Throws up hands) I don’t know!! He showed me how God has kept me & Gram safe all these years! He made me see that he is real! (Grabs Sandy by the arms). I’ve been SO wrong Sandy. I have so much to tell you! But wait........is Christmas over? Did I miss it? Can I still go to the candle light service?
Sandy: Yes, today is Christmas - I came over to invite you to breakfast. Sara made some special things to eat. Come on - I want to hear what happened.
Terre: Merry Christmas Sandy - MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
(They exit.)
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© Copyright Susanne Ticknor 2010, all rights reserved. The script may not be reproduced, translated or copied in any medium, including books, CDs and on the Internet, without written permission of the author.
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. She may be contacted at: