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(Scene 1 -- Two young girls coming out of a high school 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 Sierra girl! I saw her grade when he was handing the papers back--she got an A! Figures! Poor little rich girls’ probably bored out of her mind at home. Her Daddy probably does her homework for her. Check her Gucci purse…I bet there’s an answer sheet taped to the inside. AMY - And I wonder why she's always so dressed up? JENNIFER – It’s because Mommy and Daddy’s got plenty of money and she just wants to throw in everyone’s face of course. She probably buys her school clothes with cash down at Dillard’s. I can just see her now…(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 high school 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. (Sierra enters putting away her exam.) HENRY - You're very welcome, Amy. (sees Sierra) I heard things aren't going so well in your algebra 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 Sierra) Why don't you ask her for some pointers, maybe? AMY - Sierra? HENRY - Sure, why not? It couldn’t hurt, right? AMY - Well, I guess not…but she probably has other things to um…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 Sierra) AMY - Sierra? SIERRA - Yes? AMY - Hi. My name is Amy. SIERRA - 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? SIERRA - Sure. 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 "algebra Cliff notes" or something? SIERRA - (laughs) Oh, no. I just understand the concepts pretty well…plus my cousin is a math major in college, so I had some help. I take it that you're not doing so hot? AMY - (looks down) No, not really. SIERRA - Would you like some help? AMY - (enthusiastic) Could you? I mean…if it wouldn't be too much trouble. SIERRA - No trouble at all. Are you free now? I have time before I have to go to work. AMY – Really? That’d be so great! Thank you! (Amy and Sierra sit at a nearby table and get out their study materials.) AMY – So you work…like after school? SIERRA – Yeah…that’s why I always have to dress like this for school. I work in the juniors’ department at Dillard’s. Believe me…I’d much rather be in jeans! I just don’t usually have time to go home and change. AMY – Wow…well, I guess I know who to look for if I’m shopping at Dillard’s. OK…I attempted the homework assignment last night….but I didn't get very far. (pulls a piece of paper out of her book) SIERRA - Let me see. (looks at paper) Oh…well you…um…copied the problem correctly (trying to be positive) That's OK. Let me get my calculator. (Sierra 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? SIERRA - Sure. (Amy takes the wallet and Sierra begins to point them out) That's my Mom and my little sister 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. SIERRA - (sadly) That's my brother, Eric. He…ran away last year. We haven't heard from him since then. AMY - I'm sorry. SIERRA - Well, he was having a difficult time dealing with our family’s…um…differences. Dad’s had some problems lately…like trying to find a job and, well…he drinks sometimes (her tone and body language suggest that it’s more than sometimes). I guess all of the arguing finally got to Eric……But you don't want to hear about all of my little problems. AMY - I'm a good listener. SIERRA – The whole mess has really taken its toll on my Mom as you can imagine. Money is so tight with Dad unemployed right now, I took this after-school job to try and help out. From the looks of things, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to quit. Between my Mom and I, we can barely pay the bills. My aunt tries to help out whenever she can. She got me the job at Dillards’s. She works in the luggage department there. (giggles) She bought me this purse. Everyone probably thinks I’m rich now. Truth is, if my dad knew how much this thing cost, he’d probably try and… (pauses)…oh, never mind. I shouldn’t say any more. And then there's Eric…..I really wish he would come home. I worry about him. He wasn't running with a very good crowd when he left. I'm afraid of what he might 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. SIERRA - You know it's funny you would mention that. I've been thinking about going back to church recently. Dad doesn't go anymore, but I'd like to…and I bet Mom would too. AMY - Would you like to go with me to my church sometime? SIERRA - Yes, that’d be great. I’d like that. AMY - And I will pray for your family too, Sierra. (touches Sierra's hand) SIERRA - (responds by taking Amy's hand in hers) I really appreciate that, Amy. And it’s good to be able to talk to someone. (begins to tear up) Well, I guess I’d better get to work. Let’s get together some more tomorrow…same time? AMY – Yeah, that’d be great! (gives the wallet back) Thanks for helping me, Sierra. SIERRA - No, thanks for helping me, Amy. (Sierra leaves. Henry enters cleaning again. Amy crosses to him.) AMY - Hi Henry! HENRY - Hi Amy! I take it you talked to Sierra. So what do you think? AMY – I think this is going to work out great studying with Sierra. 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, Sierra 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. Thanks again, Henry! (Scene 2. Amy and Sierra are coming out of class stage R carrying their exams) SIERRA - 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! SIERRA - 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 Sierra if she could help me study, and she did. JENNIFER - (hesitantly) Well, do you think you could fit in another student? SIERRA - I'd be glad to, but I think I see another teacher in the making right here. I'll see y’all later. JENNIFER - Do you think it's too late for me to try and salvage my grade? AMY – Nah! 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 algebra. JENNIFER - OK. (they exit) (back to the scripts page) |