Choice: Honesty, a Moment-by-Moment Choice

(Cindy enters, checks watch, looks around, sits in chair near podium, reads Bible, Grace follows, paces floor upstage, Angel enters carrying box of candy)

Grace -- (turns, points finger like a cannon) Halt! Who goes there?!

Angel -- (hand up defensively, smiling nervously) Whoa! Hold on there. I'm on your side.

Grace -- State your business.

Angel -- Why are you so defensive? I'm a guardian angel just like you.

Grace -- I don't know about that. My supervisor told me that sometimes demons come masquerading as angels of light. You're not a demon, are you?

Angel -- (laughs) Of course not. I told you I'm a guardian angel. I'm here to relieve you, you know, watching (points to Cindy) Cindy, there.

Grace -- You know her name?

Angel -- Of course I know her name. I'm her guardian angel.

Grace -- Well, there must be some kind of mix-up, then, because I'm assigned to Cindy.

Angel -- There's no mix up. (produces, unfolds paper) See here? It says I've been assigned to guard Cindy and you're supposed to go back to headquarters for reassignment.

Grace -- (looks) So it does. Well, you can't be too careful, you know, especially now, since Cindy has....

Angel -- ...Yeah, I know all about it. Cindy is about to enter a Christian ministry. That's why they sent me. Cindy will need a more experienced guardian angel when she becomes more useful to the boss.

Grace -- The boss.

Angel -- Yeah, you know. The boss. (points up)

Grace -- Say his name.

Angel -- Huh?

Grace -- I said, "Say his name".

Angel -- Why?

Grace -- If you're really a guardian angel, you'll be able to say his name. Say it.

Angel -- Gee..... Geeee... (looks at watch) Gee, look at the the time, you'd better get on back to headquarters, they're expecting you.

Grace -- You're not an angel of light.

Angel -- Oh, yes I am. I'm as light as light can be.

Grace -- You're a demon. And you've come to try to keep Cindy from being an effective servant of the Lord.

Angel -- You're right. You're right. You're absolutely right. I am a demon. So sue me.

Grace -- You'd better leave.

Angel -- Look, no hard feelings, but I have a job to do. As long as Cindy was just a plain vanilla Christian, going to church on Sunday, but not doing any Christian service, she was no threat to us....

Grace -- ...But, now that she's about to do the Lord's work, she could do some damage to your evil kingdom.

Angel -- Well,....

Grace -- ...What's in the box?

Angel -- This? (opens box) It's candy. It's Cindy's favorite. I thought she might like a piece of candy before she goes in for her ministry interview. (while Grace speaks, takes a small bite out of two pieces of candy, puts the pieces back in box)

Grace -- I know what you're doing. You're going to try to tempt Cindy. You think that if you can get her to sin, she won't be as effective in her service to the Lord.

Angel -- Bingo! You guardian angels are a smart bunch. (offers box) Would you like a piece?

Grace -- No! Thank you!

Angel -- Suit yourself. Cindy likes the ones with the nuts. I'll just leave this box right here. (puts box on podium) She'll think someone left it here by accident. (puts box on podium) Today, we will answer the question, "Is it stealing if you don't know who the candy belongs to?"

Grace -- You are despicable!

Angel -- Yeah, I know. I just hate myself. (shouts) Hey, Cindy, chocolate with nuts. You're very favorite.

Cindy -- (looks up from reading, looks around, notices candy, stands, approaches, examines assortment, looks both ways, slowly reaches for a piece)

Angel -- Well, looky here. Our darling little Christian is about to take the bait. (hooks own mouth with finger as if it were a fish hook)

Grace -- No! Cindy, wait!

Cindy -- (freezes, looks up)

Angel -- Aw, come on, Cindy. It's chocolate with nuts. It's your very favorite. Remember how it melted in your mouth the last time? Remember that delicious crunch?

Grace -- Cindy, you've got to look beyond the pleasure of the moment. Think about the interview. Look. (point to committee entering) Here's what your interview is going to be like.

(committee enters, flipping through copies of Cindy's resume)

Comm3 -- Cindy, I see you're highly qualified for this ministry.

Comm1 -- Cindy, this ministry is a position of great trust.

Comm2 -- Can you think of any reason why we shouldn't trust you?

Cindy -- (hand still hovering over candy box, looks down at hand, drops it to side, turns to committee) No. I can't think of a single reason why you shouldn't trust me.

Grace -- That a girl, Cindy!

Angel -- Cindy, this has nothing to do with trust. This is just a scrumptious piece of melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. You have no idea who it belongs to. Nobody is looking. Take a piece. Just one piece. It won't kill you.

Cindy -- (turns to box, inspects assortment, raises hand to pick a piece)

Grace -- Cindy, wait. (points to committee) Look ahead to the interview.

Comm3 -- Cindy, in this ministry, you will be given a lot of responsibility.

Comm1 -- We can predict how a person will fulfill great responsibility by how well he has handled small responsibilities.

Comm2 -- Can you be trusted with small responsibilities?

(committee exits)

Angel -- Cindy before you answer that, just remember, we're not dealing with responsibility here. It's just a piece of candy. There are no witnesses. Who would know if you took a piece? By the way, I recommend the light brown ones with the chocolate and nuts.

Cindy -- (takes a piece)

Grace -- Cindy, you still haven't answered the question. (points to Comm2)

Comm2 -- (reenters, remains near wings) Can you be trusted? (exits)

Cindy -- (turns to committee with candy in hand) Ah, sure. Ah, I'm honest and, ah, I'm responsible. (looks down at candy in hand) I can't do this. Not only might I be stealing, but I might have to lie about it. Then, I might have to lie about my lies. Even if I didn't have to lie about it, I can't serve the Lord with a guilty conscience. (puts candy back) Honesty is a choice a person has to make moment by moment, every hour of every day. (sits, reads Bible)

COMMITTEE -- (reenters, remains near wings) Cindy Smith?

Cindy -- (stands, smiles) Yes. That's me. (shakes hands with all three) Nice to meet you.

(Cindy exits ahead of Committee)

Grace -- (sly smile) Nice try, demon. (exits)

Angel -- (following) I had her until you got her looking into the future. That's not fair.

©2001 Bob Snook. Conditions for use:
Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it.
Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances.
You may reproduce and distribute this script freely,
but all copies must contain this copyright statement.
http://www.fea.net/bobsnook  email: bobsnook@fea.net
(clicking the above link will leave this site)