Scene: Funeral home during visiting hours-parents by casket, teens waiting in line
to talk with them, others talking to one another.
Priest: (Looking up and as if having a private moment with God. All freeze as
Priest starts talking). Well, God, I sure need some help with this one.
Johnny had helped me with so much at church. He was only 16 with his
whole life ahead of him. I’m at a loss here. What can I say to his parents
that can help them at a time like this?… I have to go in there now. God,
please be with me and help me. (Groups softly talking for brief time then
freeze as Johnny starts).
Johnny: What’s happening? I don’t understand this…is that me in that casket?
How can I be dead…I don’t remember anything. (Groups softly talking –
Freeze as mother starts).
Mother: (Turning towards Father). How could we have not known how much
Johnny had been drinking? What can we say to all of these friends of his?
I don’t know if I can do this…
Father: (Putting his arm around her). I don’t know… I just don’t know any of the
answers. All I know is Johnny is dead because he thought he could drive
after drinking. I don’t know. .. I just don’t know.
Johnny: Mom… Dad… Talk to me please… I can’t remember … I just remember
being at that party with Jenny, having a great time and then we were
leaving and she got angry because she said I’d had too much to drink…
(Groups softly talking again then freeze as girlfriend goes to parents).
Girlfriend: (Jenny approaches parents, only parents and Jenny are not frozen). Oh,
Mr. and Mrs. Brown, I’m so sorry (Crying) It’s my fault…oh, Johnny… I
was mad because he’d been drinking and I was scared…then Johnny got
Johnny Page 2 of 2
mad because I didn’t want to ride with him. I couldn’t stand it that he was
mad so I got in the car…oh, why did I only get a broken arm and Johnny’s
gone? Why? (Parents and Jenny freeze – rest of the group softly talking
until Johnny).
Johnny: Oh Jenny (Crying) I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you…I didn’t mean to
yell at you. Everything was so fuzzy. I’m sorry Jenny. (Groups talking,
Jenny walks toward friends, talking briefly, freeze as brother starts to talk
to himself-a little apart from the rest).
Brother: Why? Oh why didn’t I tell Mom and Dad about Johnny’s drinking. Why
didn’t I take his keys at the party? I saw he wasn’t ok to drive but he’d
done it before. Why didn’t I stop him? What will happen to our family
now? (Groups briefly talking all freeze as Johnny starts).
Johnny: How could I have done this to my family and friends? To myself? I’m
only 16. I don’t want to be dead. (All freeze briefly –leave stage slowly).