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Cleaning Hearts Written By Sherry Brandon (Scene 1 -- Two young girls coming out of a college class with their exams in hand.) AMY - Can you believe this -- a D! He gave us a D! No curve or anything! JENNIFER - Well, you know who ruined the curve, don't you? AMY - Who? (enter the janitor, listening) JENNIFER - That Mrs. Norris woman. I saw her grade when he was handing the papers back--she got an A! Figures! The woman's probably bored out of her mind at home, so she decides to come to college to ruin the curve for the rest of us who are supposed to be here! AMY - And I wonder why she's always so dressed up? JENNIFER - I'll bet it's because she's got plenty of money. She probably pays her tuition with cash down! I can see her at the bookstore…(in a dignified voice), "Can you break a thousand?" (both laugh) JENNIFER - Well, I'm gonna go burn this paper. Where are you headed? AMY - I'm going to the movies with Rob. I'm meeting him at the theater. JENNIFER - Have fun. See ya later, then! AMY - Bye! (heads offstage) JANITOR - Amy? AMY - (surprised…as if she didn't even notice he was there) Excuse me? JANITOR - Do you have a second? AMY - (nervously) Well, my boyfriend will be meeting me here any second. Maybe you've seen him? He's a real tall guy with muscles! How did you know my name, anyway? JANITOR - Your college ID is in your wallet (holds out her wallet) which you dropped down the hall before your last class. I thought you might like it back. AMY - (embarrassed) Oh, thank you. I…I'm so sorry. I thought…well never mind. I was very wrong. I really appreciate your returning it…(reading his nametag)…Henry. (Mrs. Norris enters putting away her exam.) HENRY - You're very welcome, Amy. (sees Mrs. Norris) I heard things aren't going so well in your trigonometry class. AMY - Oh, yeah. It's just really hard to catch on in there. HENRY - Well, from what it sounds, like….she's doing rather well. (motions to Mrs. Norris) Why don't you ask her for some pointers, maybe? AMY - Mrs. Norris? HENRY - Sure, why not? It couldn’t hurt, right? AMY - Well, I guess not…but she probably has other things to worry about. HENRY - Why don't you give it a shot? Maybe you could help her out with something in return. AMY - Well, OK. (reluctantly) (approaches Mrs. Norris) AMY - Mrs. Norris? MRS. NORRIS - Yes? AMY - Hi. My name is Amy. MRS. NORRIS - Hi, nice to meet you. I've seen you and your friend in class but never caught your names. AMY - Her name is Jennifer. Can I ask you something? MRS. NORRIS - Certainly. AMY - Well I noticed how well you're doing in class….and I was just wondering if you like had a special study guide or "trig Cliff notes" or something? MRS. NORRIS - (laughs) Oh, no. I just understand the concepts pretty well…….I take it that you're not doing as well as you would like? AMY - (looks down) No, not really. MRS. NORRIS - Would you like some help? AMY - (enthusiastic) Could you? I mean…if it wouldn't be too much trouble. MRS. NORRIS - No trouble at all. Are you free now? I have time before my next class. AMY – Really? That’d be so great! Thank you! (Amy and Mrs. Norris sit at a nearby table and get out their study materials.) AMY - I attempted the homework assignment last night….but I didn't get very far. (pulls a piece of paper out of her book) MRS. NORRIS - Let me see. (looks at paper) Oh…well you copied the problem correctly (trying to be positive) That's OK. Let me get my calculator. (Mrs. Norris gets her wallet out of her purse where her calculator is. Amy sees the pictures in her wallet.) AMY - Oh, can I see your pictures? MRS. NORRIS - Sure. (Amy takes the wallet and Mrs. Norris begins to point them out) That's my daughter Elizabeth and our dog Lizzy. When Elizabeth was little, she wanted to name the dog after herself….not that she had a high opinion of herself or anything (somewhat sarcastically)…of course not. AMY - This looks like a handsome young fellow. MRS. NORRIS - (sadly) That's my son, Eric. He…ran away last year. I haven't heard from him since then. AMY - I'm sorry. MRS. NORRIS - Well, he was having a difficult time dealing with mine and his father's differences. His father is.…an alcoholic. And of course, I'm trying to get him to stop. I guess all of the arguing finally got to him……But you don't want to hear about all of my little problems. AMY - I'm a good listener. MRS. NORRIS - Elizabeth is the main reason I'm here…back in school. I'm afraid that after so many times my husband Jerry has tried to quit drinking, that he's just given up trying. He just doesn't seem to care anymore, no matter what I do. I'm afraid for Elizabeth. I don't know what the future holds. There may come a time where I may have to support Elizabeth and I on my own. Without some kind of degree, I just wouldn't be able to make ends meet…so here I am. For the time being, I have a job at a department store in the afternoons right after school. You probably guessed that since I'm always dressed this way. And then there's Eric…..I really want to find him. I worry about him. He wasn't running with a very good crowd when he left. I'm afraid of what he may be involved in. I just wish there was something I could do. AMY - Well, you can pray for him. Maybe that's all you can do right now, but maybe it's all it will take, too. MRS. NORRIS - You know it's funny you would mention that. I've been thinking about getting back to church recently. Jerry doesn't go anymore, but I'd like to. AMY - I go to a really friendly church. Would you like to go with me sometime? MRS. NORRIS - Yes, I would like that. Thank you. AMY - And I will pray for your family too, Mrs. Norris. (touches Mrs. Norris' hand) MRS. NORRIS - (responds by taking Amy's hand in hers) I really appreciate that, Amy. (begins to tear up) Well, I guess I’d better get to class. Let’s get together some more tomorrow…same time? AMY – Yeah, that’d be great! (gives the wallet back) Thanks for helping me, Mrs. Norris. MRS. NORRIS - No, thanks for helping me, Amy. (Mrs. Norris leaves. Henry enters cleaning again. Amy crosses to him.) AMY - Hi Henry! HENRY - Hi Amy! I take it you talked to Mrs. Norris. So what do you think? AMY – I think this is going to work out great studying with Mrs. Norris. She and I hit it off great! We’re going to study tomorrow too. I’m sure she is going to really help me in this class. I'm so glad you urged me to ask her for help. I don't know why I was nervous. She was nothing like what I expected. HENRY - People are funny like that. AMY - Yeah, I know. Sometimes I pre-judge people too quickly…I really shouldn't do that. I shouldn't judge people at all. You know, Mrs. Norris even said she’d like to start going to church with me. I just wish she was taking a subject I was really good at...like she is with trig. I really wish I could help her out the way she is helping me. HENRY - I think you found another way to help her, Amy. AMY - You think so? Well, I'd better go so I can finish my assignment so I can go to the movies tonight! (Henry smiles) Thanks again, Henry! (Scene 2. Amy and Mrs. Norris are coming out of class stage R carrying their exams) MRS. NORRIS - Wow! A B+! Amy, I'm so proud of you! I bet you'll get an A on the final. AMY - I don't know about that. But I sure couldn't have done it without you're help! MRS. NORRIS - You did the learning….I just showed you how to read the roadmap. (Jennifer enters and immediately sees Amy's grade and grabs her paper) JENNIFER - A B! How in the world did you get a B? AMY - I asked Mrs. Norris if she could help me study, and she did. JENNIFER - (hesitantly) Well, do you think you could fit in another student? MRS. NORRIS - I'd be glad to, but I think I see another teacher in the making right here. I'll see you girls later. JENNIFER - Do you think it's too late for me to try and salvage my grade? AMY - Nonsense. We can go over the next chapter right now. But first I need to find Henry (looking around). JENNIFER - Who's Henry? AMY - The janitor. JENNIFER - Why do you have to find the janitor? Did you lose something? AMY - No. He's my friend. I wanted to tell him about my grade. JENNIFER - You're friends with the janitor? AMY - Jennifer, you shouldn't pre-judge people before you get to know them. Henry is really nice. (another janitor enters) Maybe he can tell me about Henry……(crosses to him) Excuse me? JANITOR - Hi. Can I help you? AMY - Can you tell me when Henry's shft is? JANITOR - Henry? AMY - The other janitor. JANITOR - I'm sorry Miss, we don’t have a janitor working here by the name of Henry. AMY - (puzzled) Are you sure? JANITOR - Positive. Sorry, ma'am. (He exits. Amy is dazed.) JENNIFER - (crossing to Amy) Hey, are you alright? AMY - Yeah…that's just weird. I just spoke to him today, even…right before the exam. JENNIFER - Are you sure he was a janitor? AMY - No. No, I'm really not sure. Let's go to the library and tackle that trig. JENNIFER - OK. (they exit) (back to the scripts page)