Act Four
(A few weeks after the mob, it is time for Christopher Morrison and Judy Blake to start school. They are in the same class. The act opens on breakfast in the Morrison's Kitchen. Frank, Clarice, Roger and Christopher are sitting around the kitchen table, talking and eating pancakes.)
Frank: All ready for the first day of school, my boys? (He turns to Christopher.) Remember, son, what I said about Judy Blake.
Christopher: But how will I know which one is her?
Frank: You'll just know. Her being the daughter of an ex-convict, she'll probably do something like threaten to kill everybody in the room when she walks in.
Christopher: OK, Daddy. (Roger reaches over Christopher to take the last pancake off the platter.) Hey, Roger, I wanted that!!
Roger: You still have half of one on your plate!
Clarice: Boys, please.
Roger and Christopher: All right, mom.
Frank: OK boys, finish up! You don't want to be late on your first day of school!
(Roger and Christopher scramble up from the table, forgetting about the rest of their breakfast. They put on their coats, grab their new book bags, and scramble into Frank's car. Frank honks his horn at Clarice and takes off towards the school. Fade out. Fade in on the Blake's Kitchen, where Joe, Anna, and Judy are sitting, eating and talking).
Judy: Oh, I'm so excited!! I get to go to school! I get to go to school!
Anna: Judy, calm down and eat your breakfast. You need some food.
Judy: I can't wait! I can't wait! Anna (exasperated): Please, Judy.
Judy: OK!
Joe: Judy, remember what I told you?
Judy: Yes, Daddy. You said, 'Be nice to everybody, even if they are not nice to you first.' But why would someone be mean to me when I don't even know them?
Joe: Sometimes things like that just happen, sweetie. Are you ready to go?
Judy: Yes. C'mon, mom.
Anna: I'm coming, sweetheart.
(All three of the Blakes got on their coats, and Anna grabbed Judy's book bag. Then they all got into Joe's car and drove away toward the school. Fade out. Fade in on the school room. It is a square room with 12 desks in 4 rows and a chalk board in the front that said, "Welcome to Ms. Smith's class." In the classroom are Christopher, Judy, and 10 other kids.)
Ms. Smith: Hello, everybody! Please, sit down at a desk! (There is a scramble as everybody tries to get the desk they want. Christopher ends up sitting on the end of the first row, with Judy sitting next to him. She turns to talk to him.)
Judy: Hello! What's your name?
Christopher: Why did you ask?
Judy: Because my daddy told me to be nice to everyone.
Christopher: Oh. My name's Christopher.
Judy: Hi Christopher! Do you like to play with the blocks?
Christopher: Yeah! They are the funnest things to play with! Do you like them too?
Judy: Yes. I have some at my house and I play with them every day.
Christopher: Can I come and play with them after school?
Judy: Sure! I don't think daddy will mind.
Christopher: I never heard of a girl who liked blocks before.
Judy: My daddy always says I am a tomboy.
Christopher: What's that?
Judy: It's a girl who likes a lot of boy things.
Christopher: Oh. Do you have any brothers?
Judy: No. I am an only child.
Christopher: I have an older brother. His name is Roger. What's your name?
Judy: Judy. Judy Blake.
Christopher: Oh no! Dad said I can't talk to you!
Judy: Why?!?
Christopher: I don't know. I think he told me it was because your dad was bad.
Judy: I don't think my dad is bad.
Christopher (regretfully): I guess I have to stop talking to you now.
Judy: You don't have to. We can keep it a secret.
Christopher: A secret? That sounds fun. What do we do?
Judy: Don't tell your daddy that you talked to me, and then sneak out of your house and come over to mine. Where is your house?
Christopher: On Sycamore Street.
Judy: So's mine!
Christopher: See you after school then!
Judy: OK!!
(Ms. Smith starts talking and Christopher and Judy turn away from each other and listen. Fade out. Fade in on the Morrison's living room after the boys get home.)
Frank: So how was school, boys?
Roger: Good. I'm gonna go watch TV in the kitchen. (Walks out, closing the door behind him.)
Frank: Well, son, how was your day?
Christopher. Great! I played with Judy and.(Christopher realizes what he said and tries to change it, but Frank had heard him)
Frank: Judy Blake? You TALKED to Judy BLAKE?!?
Christopher: She's really nice, Dad.
Frank: I don't CARE if she's really nice. Her father is an EX-CONVICT. She could be unstable and unsafe! Promise me you'll NEVER talk to her AGAIN!
Christopher: But she's my friend.
Frank: Your FRIEND? You have THE DAUGHTER OF AN EX-CONVICT as your FRIEND? (to the ceiling) My SEVEN YEAR OLD son has a dangerous girl for a friend. For all I know, he could turn out to be a serial killer because of her bad influence. (He turns and slaps Christopher hard on the cheek. Christopher starts to cry.) I need a drink! (Frank walks out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Christopher is standing all alone in the center of the room, crying. You can see the red finger-marks on his cheek. It gets dark and finally Christopher moves, going to his room. He lies down on his bed.)
Christopher: Why won't dad let me be friends with her? Why. (He starts to cry again. Fade out.)
The End.
(A few weeks after the mob, it is time for Christopher Morrison and Judy Blake to start school. They are in the same class. The act opens on breakfast in the Morrison's Kitchen. Frank, Clarice, Roger and Christopher are sitting around the kitchen table, talking and eating pancakes.)
Frank: All ready for the first day of school, my boys? (He turns to Christopher.) Remember, son, what I said about Judy Blake.
Christopher: But how will I know which one is her?
Frank: You'll just know. Her being the daughter of an ex-convict, she'll probably do something like threaten to kill everybody in the room when she walks in.
Christopher: OK, Daddy. (Roger reaches over Christopher to take the last pancake off the platter.) Hey, Roger, I wanted that!!
Roger: You still have half of one on your plate!
Clarice: Boys, please.
Roger and Christopher: All right, mom.
Frank: OK boys, finish up! You don't want to be late on your first day of school!
(Roger and Christopher scramble up from the table, forgetting about the rest of their breakfast. They put on their coats, grab their new book bags, and scramble into Frank's car. Frank honks his horn at Clarice and takes off towards the school. Fade out. Fade in on the Blake's Kitchen, where Joe, Anna, and Judy are sitting, eating and talking).
Judy: Oh, I'm so excited!! I get to go to school! I get to go to school!
Anna: Judy, calm down and eat your breakfast. You need some food.
Judy: I can't wait! I can't wait! Anna (exasperated): Please, Judy.
Judy: OK!
Joe: Judy, remember what I told you?
Judy: Yes, Daddy. You said, 'Be nice to everybody, even if they are not nice to you first.' But why would someone be mean to me when I don't even know them?
Joe: Sometimes things like that just happen, sweetie. Are you ready to go?
Judy: Yes. C'mon, mom.
Anna: I'm coming, sweetheart.
(All three of the Blakes got on their coats, and Anna grabbed Judy's book bag. Then they all got into Joe's car and drove away toward the school. Fade out. Fade in on the school room. It is a square room with 12 desks in 4 rows and a chalk board in the front that said, "Welcome to Ms. Smith's class." In the classroom are Christopher, Judy, and 10 other kids.)
Ms. Smith: Hello, everybody! Please, sit down at a desk! (There is a scramble as everybody tries to get the desk they want. Christopher ends up sitting on the end of the first row, with Judy sitting next to him. She turns to talk to him.)
Judy: Hello! What's your name?
Christopher: Why did you ask?
Judy: Because my daddy told me to be nice to everyone.
Christopher: Oh. My name's Christopher.
Judy: Hi Christopher! Do you like to play with the blocks?
Christopher: Yeah! They are the funnest things to play with! Do you like them too?
Judy: Yes. I have some at my house and I play with them every day.
Christopher: Can I come and play with them after school?
Judy: Sure! I don't think daddy will mind.
Christopher: I never heard of a girl who liked blocks before.
Judy: My daddy always says I am a tomboy.
Christopher: What's that?
Judy: It's a girl who likes a lot of boy things.
Christopher: Oh. Do you have any brothers?
Judy: No. I am an only child.
Christopher: I have an older brother. His name is Roger. What's your name?
Judy: Judy. Judy Blake.
Christopher: Oh no! Dad said I can't talk to you!
Judy: Why?!?
Christopher: I don't know. I think he told me it was because your dad was bad.
Judy: I don't think my dad is bad.
Christopher (regretfully): I guess I have to stop talking to you now.
Judy: You don't have to. We can keep it a secret.
Christopher: A secret? That sounds fun. What do we do?
Judy: Don't tell your daddy that you talked to me, and then sneak out of your house and come over to mine. Where is your house?
Christopher: On Sycamore Street.
Judy: So's mine!
Christopher: See you after school then!
Judy: OK!!
(Ms. Smith starts talking and Christopher and Judy turn away from each other and listen. Fade out. Fade in on the Morrison's living room after the boys get home.)
Frank: So how was school, boys?
Roger: Good. I'm gonna go watch TV in the kitchen. (Walks out, closing the door behind him.)
Frank: Well, son, how was your day?
Christopher. Great! I played with Judy and.(Christopher realizes what he said and tries to change it, but Frank had heard him)
Frank: Judy Blake? You TALKED to Judy BLAKE?!?
Christopher: She's really nice, Dad.
Frank: I don't CARE if she's really nice. Her father is an EX-CONVICT. She could be unstable and unsafe! Promise me you'll NEVER talk to her AGAIN!
Christopher: But she's my friend.
Frank: Your FRIEND? You have THE DAUGHTER OF AN EX-CONVICT as your FRIEND? (to the ceiling) My SEVEN YEAR OLD son has a dangerous girl for a friend. For all I know, he could turn out to be a serial killer because of her bad influence. (He turns and slaps Christopher hard on the cheek. Christopher starts to cry.) I need a drink! (Frank walks out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Christopher is standing all alone in the center of the room, crying. You can see the red finger-marks on his cheek. It gets dark and finally Christopher moves, going to his room. He lies down on his bed.)
Christopher: Why won't dad let me be friends with her? Why. (He starts to cry again. Fade out.)
The End.