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Walking Out Written By Sherry Marshall (This skit takes place just before the Berlin Wall came down on November 9, 1989. There is a couch, a chair and a TV facing away from the audience. This is the home of a family living in East Germany. The cast is Oskar the father, Helen the mother, and Leisl the teenage daughter. We open with Leisl lounging on the couch watching TV. You can hear a weather report regarding East Germany. She gets up and flips to another channel and you hear a news report about new animals arriving at the local zoo. Helen comes in with a laundry basket of clean clothes to fold. Leisl rolls her eyes in disgust of the lame news broadcast and shuts off the TV.) Helen: Of course you never hear the important things……only things you didn’t really need to know. Leisl: Of course not. That would be too controversial for this side of the monster…I mean the Wall. Helen: Please don’t let anyone hear you talk like that. (she begins to fold the towels) Leisl: I know. Here, let me help you with those. (she helps to fold) Mom, has Dad heard anything from his contact? I thought we were going to be able to leave months ago? Helen: It’s not that simple, Leisl. You know we can’t just walk out of here. Leisl: I know. But I’ve been praying every day that God would bring us the perfect opportunity. I believe we will just walk out of here. I believe it. Remember the missionary from the states that brought us the Bible inside the Tale of Two Cities book cover? Well, he believed it too…that we would just walk out of here - no obstacles. He said there was a bunch of people praying about it all the time! He’s a missionary, Mom…I believe him! Helen: Yes, I know dear. Your father and I pray about it too. But remember, you must keep all of this to yourself…OK honey? Leisl: I know. I will. Oskar: (enters disheartened) Hi, girls. Helen: Hello, dear. What’s wrong? Oskar: Helen, can we talk? (meaning without Leisl) Helen: Certainly. Leisl: It’s about leaving, isn’t it? Dad, I want to hear. I can handle it. Oskar: (looks at Helen and she nods) A few nights ago, the Vanderheins attempted to cross over to West Germany. They were caught. (Helen gasps and Oskar becomes frustrated at himself…) I told them to wait a little longer…until we got word…(he stops). Helen: Leisl, your father and I have to talk about some things. Don’t worry, honey. We’ll work it out. Why don’t you just watch some TV for a little while, OK? (Oskar and Helen exit. Leisl reluctantly plops down on the couch and flips the TV back on with the remote. You can hear a game show. She turns the volume down and sits for a second. She then reaches under the sofa and pulls out a hard cover book. She smiles as she reads the cover.) Leisl: A Tale of Two Cities. (She opens the book to a previously marked spot and begins to read.) ****scripture**** (She puts her hand in the book) Lord, I believe we will be free…free to live as we want…free to worship you. I know you have a time and a season for everything. I believe that….even though I don’t understand sometimes…like about the Vanderheims, or why we’ve waited so long to escape from here. There has always been some kind of obstacle to get in the way of our plans. But I know you always have a perfect plan Lord. Please give my family wisdom to know what to do. (She puts the book back under the couch and begins to fold some of the clothes when she glances at the TV) Leisl: What’s that? (She approaches the TV and turns the volume up. You hear a newscaster with a lot of shouting and commotion in the background.) Newscaster: We are live from the Berlin Wall at the Brandenburg Gate. There is much rejoicing as you can see. People are climbing on the Wall and crossing over. The guards are doing nothing to stop this. It’s just unbelievable what is happening here tonight….. Leisl: (gasping in unbelief ) Mom…Dad, come here quick!! Oskar and Helen: (rushing in) What is it? What’s the matter? (they see their daughters amazement and in turn cannot believe what they see and hear) Newscaster: Today we are making history here at the Berlin Wall. It looks like after all these years, this wall is no longer an instrument of bondage, but could now stand as a symbol of freedom. “Change” is the top story here today. After a press conference today with media chief Guenter Schabowski, it was announced that "all citizens may leave the country through East German border crossing points". I can see people just walking through the border patrols right now…nothing is stopping them. Families are being reunited and strongholds are being broken today….. Leisl: (in tears) This is it! This is what we were waiting for…what God was waiting for! Right here…right now! Oskar: My girls….let’s get our things. We’re walking out of here!