An Important Find

5 adult actors (3 male, 2 female. Could be easily changed to all female) About 10 mins

Excerpt:

CAROL: What’s that, Benny?

BENNY: Ben. It looks like a doll. (Pulls out an old doll)

CAROL: Look at that! That is amazing!

CHARLES: That can’t be the tribute. Keep looking.

VONETTE: Charlie sweetie…you got a date or something? (He looks at her and grins)

BENNY: It’s good that we have Charles here to keep us on our toes and on target.

BRYCE: (Looking in box) There are some books in there at the bottom. (He reaches in and pulls them out.) Looks like some old hymnals.

VONETTE: That sounds like grandma. (They each take a book and start flipping pages)

CHARLES: This one just has writing in it. It’s not a real book.

CAROL: What do you mean? (He hands it to her and she looks at it.) It looks like a diary.

VONETTE: I didn’t know that Grandma kept a diary?

CAROL: It seems real personal. She is really pouring her heart out.

CHARLES: You shouldn’t read it.

CAROL: Why not?

CHARLES: Because it’s personal. That’s an invasion of privacy.

VONETTE: Charlie, dear… the woman is dead. I don’t think she is going to care.

BRYCE: It’s sort of like a piece of family history. That was an important find.

BENNY: Y’all saw the books, Bryce.

CAROL: (Still reading) Listen to this. (Reads) How long I have cried out to you, O Lord for the salvation of my brother. His life reeks of sin and dep..dep.. I can’t make out this word. (Benny looks)

BENNY: Depravity. I think it’s depravity. Sounds like she is talking about Uncle Jim.

VONETTE: Sounds like she is talking TO the Lord. That isn’t a diary at all! It’s a prayer journal.

CHARLES: You mean like she writes down her prayers?

VONETTE: That’s exactly right! She is writing her prayers. She is writing to God. This is amazing! We can find out how grandma prayed! This could really be something!

CAROL: (Still flipping pages and reading) She seems to be praying for all of her family. Here she is praying for all her children…and …oh!

BRYCE: What? What did you find?

CAROL: Oh, nothing. I just saw your name, Vonette. I think she was praying for you.

VONETTE: No kidding! Read it!

CAROL: Are you sure? Maybe you want to read it first.

VONETTE: Go ahead and read it. I have nothing to hide. I would love to know how grandma prayed for me.

BRYCE: Here. I’ll read it. Where does it start? (Begins reading) I am so concerned about Vonette. Please O Lord… please…help her to rely on you and bring about a healing in her marriage. They have taken their eyes off of you, Father. Draw them back to Yourself that they may find each other again. (Pause) I guess this was written back when…

VONETTE: I didn’t know she even knew about that. That was exactly what we needed. Now I know that grandma was praying for us. That could be why we finally got through it.

BRYCE: Wow. Here’s some prayers for me and Carol.

BENNY: Let’s hear it. We’re all adults here…we can handle it.

BRYCE: (Looks at Benny) Wait till I find YOUR name! (Pause) Okay… she says: (Reads) Help Bryce and Carol realize how much their parents love them and what they have done for them…how much they have sacrificed. They seem to be caught up in the things of the world, and they miss the things that really matter. Things like honoring their father and their mother.

CAROL: Oh. I think I might cry.

CHARLES: It’s kind of vague, isn’t it?

CAROL: Oh no. I know exactly what she means.

BRYCE: Yeah. Our parents sacrificed everything so that we could have an education. We went to college and got our degrees and we all moved away from home and began our own lives. She could see that we were not showing gratitude. I needed to hear that.

CHARLES: Perhaps we should stop reading these…

VONETTE: Keep looking, Bryce. See if you can see Charles or Benny.

BENNY: Ben. Well… Grandma would probably say Benny.

BRYCE: She seems to be praying for all her grandchildren here. We should pass this around later.

CAROL: What if it gets real personal?

BRYCE: Here’s Benny. Shall I?

BENNY: With both barrels! I’m ready.

BRYCE: (Reads) Benny is such a joy in my life.

ALL: Ahhhh. (Benny smiles)

BRYCE: (Continues reading) I appreciate so much how he comes by and spends time with me. Each time he does, it really makes my day.

VONETTE: I didn’t know you were doing that!

BRYCE: (Keeps reading) I pray that you would pour out a blessing on him and bring the right people into his life that would draw him closer to the Savior. I fear that some of his friends drag him further away. I would so desire to see him get more involved at the church. Please speak to his heart.

BENNY: Wow Grandma! First you butter me up and then you hit me between the eyes!