A Hobbit’s Tale…

This is a story about a hobbit named Danik

And the girl hobbit he had for his love

So buckle your seatbelts, there’s no need to panic

For this is a tale from above.



Wee little Danik sat in the pub

Eating his curds and weigh

Along came another

Who would become his significant other

But all Danik did was neigh.



Neigh he did, for he thought he was a horse

See, he was not endowed with wisdom

Because I’m sure you’re aware of course

These things come by divine revelation.



As soon as he neighed there shone a great light

Overflowing from the bounds of the East

But as I’ve said before Danik was not so bright

And assumed he'd had too much to eat at the feast.



The light then descended upon the face of the other

Revealing this angelic being

Upon hearing the neighs, she thought, “Oh, brother…”

Scales kept his eyes from seeing.



“She’s not a horse,” thought the male of the pair

“He’s kind of weird,” thought the one who wasn’t a mare.



Then the Queen Mother arrived in all of her splendor

And relayed to them the mysteries of the Daffodil

She caused not much damage through all of her grandeur

And left quickly for her tea-date on the hill.



A couple of fortnights later or so

Danik was trotting through the forest

He was looking for gold at the end of the rainbow

His faculties were indeed at their poorest.



When all of a sudden he happened along

The girl hobbit he’d met before

They sat there together and sang a long song

Lasting clear through the end of chapter four.



Again this light from heaven appeared

Shining bright through the leaves of the trees

Danik was stroking his goat-like beard

His mind far from birds and bees.



The light shone so brightly that some of the scales

That were stuck in his eyes, oh, so painfully!

Fell by his bare feet upon the dirt trails

Which received them somewhat disdainfully.



A snake came along and said, “I’ve been looking for these.”

And picked them up with his lack of hands

Then he left, not appreciating heavenly lights shining through trees

Back to the Tree of Knowledge surrounded by hippie bands.



The light was dawning upon our dear friend so small

His eyes were opened and he saw he’d been wrong

This girl he’d met was no hobbit at all

She was really a leprechaun.



This made so much since after all

Since the rainbow he’d followed in the skies

Led him past the tree of the fall

To this leprechaun with beautiful eyes.



But unfortunately he still thought he was a horse

Because he was dumb

But he’d made a new friend, and that not by force

So cheers, let’s bring out the rum.



Much time passed before the Wizard appeared

Arriving precisely when he intended to

Actually…he was late because he’d lost his beard

As to where it was, he hadn’t a clue.



The Wizard was familiar with the Evan tongue

He knew many Evans who spoke it

He fueled his pot-belly stove with elephant dung

And he put it in his pipe to smoke it.



Which eventually led to his untimely death

In the year eleventy-six

Passing to the next world after his final gagging breath

Where he lived a jaded life studying English.



The day the Wizard appeared though I tell you

Our little hobbit friend crossed his path

The Wizard’s breath smelled of elephant poo

But I’ve already related to you the aftermath.



The grey unbearded man gave Danik a message

One he’d received from above

It was a little bit late because it’d gotten lost in the Ice Age

But it was still a message of love.



The hobbit listened to the words of the Wizard

Who revealed to him the way of wisdom

The truth that had almost been lost in a blizzard

But would spread from the Shire through the kingdom.



“The angelic leprechaun that you met at the pub,”

Said the Wizard to the hobbit. “She ain’t no phony.

If you were smart you would go have tea with her, bub.

But if you were smart…you wouldn’t think you’re a pony.”



“And if you were smart,” He continued, smugly.

“You’d know that wizardry would disqualify me from Spiritual Life.

See, this grey cloak I wear is really a snuggie.

…which I thought would get me a wife.”



“Best of luck to you, my dear little lad.

More luck than I’ve had I hope.”

“Maybe you should run for president,” Danik said.

“Nah,” said the non-wizard. “I’m no dope.”



Before long, the time of Passover came

And Danik, being a good Jewish hobbit

(A Russian Jew, actually, which explains his name)

When the sun went down, he said, “Stop it!”



“We must not work on this Sabbath,” he spoke.

“We must pray, and eat horseradish and honey.

And enjoy the roast lamb with all our kin-folk

Which I would have bought if I’d had any money.”



The angelic Leprechaun who was now Danik’s friend

Sat next to him that day at the synagogue

The sexes weren’t divided see, they allowed a blend

Because this was a messianic synod.



The heavenly light shone again

This time through the stained glass frame

Upon this beautiful leprechaun

But from now on things would not be the same.



The foundations of the buildings shook as the choir sang loud

The French horns blared out in defiance

The incense burned filling the room with a cloud

And then…there was utter silence.



And in this silence Danik heard the words

The sound of the still small voice

A voice quieter still than the bees and the birds

And it said, “Danik, I’m giving you a choice.”



“You can go back to the land of the shire

Where things are simpler and smaller, too

Or you can emerge from out of this mire

And marry the girl sitting next to you.”



“Oy vei,” thought Danik. “That was almost too clear.”

“Perhaps though I didn’t hear right.”

I must find out if my ears really can hear

And if my eyes really did see this light.



Later that evening in the misty moonlight

The hobbit and the leprechaun stood

The hobbit was thinking this was really quite right

Especially since this girl could make food.



Later that week Danik was studying his tenses

Trying to learn the sweet language of Evan

When suddenly there hopped over the fences

The leprechaun who was probably from heaven.



She was hopping with her friend to a place in the distance

A place where the children of men dwell

Danik thought to himself that he’d use this here instance

To see if she handled kids well.



Danik followed the angel through the woods and a field

‘till they arrived at a place called Elms Deep

Where the trees spoke so slowly and their branches did wield

‘till you were bored to tears and to sleep.



But the children of man did indeed there dwell

As Danik quickly discovered

And as he watched this sweet angel he surely could tell

She was quite good with kids, he uncovered.



And as the sun set, she and her friend

Sang a song that lasted till chapter nine

She looked up at Danik, and saw he was happy to spend

His time in this way. Oh! Did her eyes shine!



After travelling there and back again

Danik stopped in for a talk

With a friend that he had among men

But who was also of rather short stock.



“I think that I might like this girl,” said Danik

“Cool beans,” said his manly ranger chum.

“Don’t worry, buddy, there’s no need to panic.

Just keep in mind my advice tends to be dumb.



Like that time I told you to eat oats for your main course

‘cause I thought that’d be good for your equestrian genetics

Only to learn you weren’t really a horse

After you started trotting around with a case of the pathetics.”



“You mean,” Danik replied. “You don’t think I’m a horse?”

“No,” the man ranger said. “Only in your appetite.”

“Well, then, maybe I’m a hobbit…or a man! Of course!”

“No, dude. You’re a leprechaun…Yeah, that’s right.



You chase after rainbows looking for gold

You eat Lucky Charms by the vat

You kiss the blarney stone ‘till the day gets old.”

“Oh,” Danik said. “…I think I’m cool with that.”



So Danik with this new wisdom of his

Went back to learning the Evan tongue

And thought happy thoughts of joy and bliss

Until this day was over and done.



After continuing to think on the light from above

For a couple of fortnights or so

He began to believe that this girl he could love

This girl at the end of the rainbow.



He knew he must act if this dream would come true

He knew that he ought to do something

But he just wasn’t sure what exactly to do

So he wrote an anonymous sweet nothing.



And nothing it was, but indeed it was sweet

It was the first step towards the truth

It would be quite awhile before again they would meet

Yet still in the days of their youth.



What lay ahead for these two leprechauns?

What story lay hidden beyond the horizon?

A tale perhaps full of leisure and bonbons,

In a beautiful world with no dead spots on Verizon?



No, I’m afraid, this tale is not quaint

It involves far much more than pleasure

For in it we’ll discover how to become a saint

And to search for lasting treasure.



And we’ll learn the difference between Vulcans and Elves

And we’ll discover the true power of the ring

And we’ll find out a whole bunch about ourselves

And for several more chapters we’ll sing.

Industry

The skiff is tied up to the dock
A sailor’s knot keeps it from drifting
The boat gently bumps against the wood
The sea is calm inside the marina.

A man walks past the little boat
The planks creak beneath his feet
His back is away from his own float-plane
The plane is also tied up to the dock.

The man wears a dark knit-hat
The days are starting to get chilly
He looks up toward the high-land
The snow has returned to the tops of the mountains.

The man stops before ascending the ramp
He looks out across the water
The sea is calm between this island and the next
The sun is just beginning to set.

The days are becoming shorter
Winter will soon be here
For now the weather is calm
The storms will arrive within a week.

The man hears a float-plane overhead
He is used to the deafening sound
The plane turns and descends upon the water
It turns again and slowly approaches the marina.

He looks toward the rocky shore again
The wake from the float plane has reached the land
It gently splashes up against the mussels and barnacles
Then heads back out to sea again.

The man resumes his ascent up the ramp
Right up to the parking lot on the shore
He walks over to where his truck is parked
The gravel crunches under his boots.

He looks at the buildings before climbing into his truck
Lined up side by side along the main street
He glances up the steep hill all covered in spruce
The houses on top send up smoke from their chimneys.

He stares at the mountain beyond his small town
The sunset changes the snow into gold
He takes it all in and then lets out a sigh
He wishes that he were up there on the ski slopes.

He gets in his truck and pulls out of the lot
Before he goes home he stops over at Burger King
Then he remembers that they’ve gone out of business
They couldn’t compete with old Ronald McDonald.

The same thing will surely soon happen to this man
His business sits on prime property
He’ll have to relocate all of his float-planes
And get out of the way of a much bigger industry.

On the Occasion of the Birthday of my Father and Brother as Recounted by the Creed-Writers of the Early Church

Today are your birthdays
One day, yet two
The one has many days
The other has but few.

Two birthdays do we celebrate
But we celebrate one day
Two days do we recall of late
Yet celebrate once we may.

We celebrate one birthday in two
In unity two in one
One person is my father
The other is his son.

The persons we do not confound
Neither do we divide the essence
When we gather all around
As they eat cake and open presents.

Fried Chicken

Oh, fried chicken, when I first saw you I couldn't keep my eyes off of you.

Oh, fried chicken, when we first met I couldn't help but falling for you.

Oh, fried chicken, if you were to leave my heart would break like a piece of pottery.

Oh, fried chicken, you came into my heart – you came in and clogged every last artery.

6-25: The Falling Rain (Part Twelve)

Scene 1: In the Hotel Hallway

(Dave, Tim, Jonathan)

This scene takes place inside a hotel in London, England. Tim, Dave, and Jonathan are walking down the hallway toward their hotel room.

DAVE

Where’s our hotel room, Tim?

TIM

Just down this hall, Dave.

JONATHAN

(joking)

Boy, look at the time. Ashley’s birthday celebration has extended into day two.

TIM

(half-joking)

So much for going to bed early tonight, huh, Jonathan?

JONATHAN

(joking)

Yeah, I haven’t slept in almost twenty hours.

DAVE

That’s nothing. I’ve gone days without sleep.

JONATHAN

(joking)

But not nights?

DAVE

(annoyed)

Hardy-har.

Tim

(joking)

You seemed to get a lot of sleep on the plane… with your arm around Alexis.

JONATHAN

(joking)

Yeah, and your head on Kevin’s shoulder.

Tim and Jonathan start laughing.

DAVE

(sarcastic)

Oh, you two are a riot.

TIM

(still laughing)

I tell you, I’ve never laughed so hard at a birthday party as I did tonight.

JONATHAN

(still laughing)

I’m sure everyone at the restaurant appreciated our presence.

TIM

(chuckling)

The waiters probably thought we were a bunch of loonies.

DAVE

(impatient)

Aren’t we at our room yet?

TIM

(chuckling)

What’s the matter? You need to use the restroom?

DAVE

Yes, and I need to go now.

TIM

Don’t sweat it. This is our room right here.

Tim unlocks and opens the door.

TIM

(to Dave)

After you.

DAVE

Oh, thank you, thank you. Thank you.

Dave runs into the bathroom and closes the door.

TIM

(calling to Dave)

You’re welcome. Just don’t be in there forty-five minutes like Jonathan was!

DAVE

(calling back)

I think I will be!

JONATHAN

(to Tim)

How droll. I think Dave and I are finally coming down with the bug that’s been going around our group.

TIM

(joking)

Oh, that’s great. I’m in a room full of “sickies.”

JONATHAN

(chuckles)

TIM

So, are you anxious to get home?

JONATHAN

(thoughtful)

No. No, not really.

TIM

You’re not?

JONATHAN

No, but I am ready to go home – at least I am now.

TIM

(knowingly)

Oh. Meaning that you weren’t ready to go home earlier?

JONATHAN

That’s right. There was too much going on earlier, but after these past couple of days, I don’t know, something seems to be different. The tide seems to be turning. The times seem to be changing… and they seem to be changing for the better… almost.

(beat)

Well, it’s getting late, and we have a plane to catch tomorrow.

TIM

(happy)

Look out, Odyssey. Here we come.

Scene 2: In the Hotel Room

(Tim, Rachel, Jonathan, Dave)

TIM

(on the Phone)

Yeah, so that was how we celebrated Ashley’s birthday tonight. It was pretty hilarious.

RACHEL

(over the phone)

That is pretty funny.

TIM

Kevin made himself sick by drinking a bunch of cherry syrup which he then deposited in the facilities… but then forgot to remove the evidence before a customer walked in… and then quickly walked back out.

RACHEL

     (over the phone)

That’s disgusting.

TIM

It was pretty gross… but all the same we could hardly keep a straight face whenever that poor customer would walk by. He had a perpetual scowl…

RACHEL

     (over the phone)

I wonder why.

TIM

We all dared Ashley to stick her face in her chocolate birthday pie. She thought it was a great idea until she actually leaned forward to do it… but then Dave jumped in and leant a helping hand. Dave was also the one who went down to the hotel restaurant with a shower cap on his head. He told the waiter that wearing shower caps in public was all the rage back in the states.

(beat)

Speaking of Dave, he sure is taking forever in the bathroom. Good grief. He’s as bad as Jonathan.

JONATHAN

You know I am here in the room with you…

TIM

(to Jonathan)

Yeah, I know.

(to Rachel)

Kevin was also wearing a shower cap to dinner… along with some paper sandals that he made or himself after his shoes got wet when we went to the swimming pool.

(beat)

But anyway… that’s probably enough talk about youth group shenanigans at restaurants in foreign countries.

(beat)

So, anything interesting happen to you lately? You already told me all about Rebecca’s drawings.

RACHEL

(over the phone)

Nothing really out of the ordinary. I had to take a different route home from the school today because there was what looked like a really bad car accident.

TIM

Well, that’s no good. I hope everyone was okay.

RACHEL

(over the phone)

That’s about it. Nothing really crazy or exciting around here… nothing like what you guys have been going through.

TIM

Yeah, well, I’m just glad it’s over. Tonight was a good time for all of us to just relax and laugh out loud together. Laughter is a nice stress reliever.

RACHEL

(over the phone)

Well, you guys must have been pretty stressed.

TIM

Well, it’s getting pretty late here, so I should probably let you go.

RACHEL

(over the phone)

Alright, see you tomorrow. I love you.

TIM

I love you, too.

Hangs up phone.

TIM

(yawns deeply)

Ooh, I’m sleepy.

(beat)

Good grief, Dave. Get out of the bathroom, already.

Dave walks out of the restroom and into the room. He lies down on his bed.

JONATHAN

Look, Tim, he got out fifteen minutes early.

TIM

(joking)

Yeah, by your standards. – How’s it goin’, Dave?

No answer

TIM

Are you feeling okay?

DAVE

I’m bored.

TIM

(slightly confused)

You’re bored?

DAVE

Yes.

TIM

Oh. Well, you can play some games on my laptop if you want. I’m gonna use the restroom, and then I’ll head over to Anthony’s room for a minute. I’ll be right back.

Tim walks into the restroom and closes the door.

DAVE

(moaning)

JONATHAN

(to Dave)

What?

DAVE

I’m bored.

JONATHAN

Yeah, you said that.

DAVE

(grunts)

Might as well see what kind of games he has on this thing.

Hits key.

DAVE (CONT’D)

Nope.

Hits key.

DAVE (CONT’D)

Nope.

Hits key.

DAVE (CONT’D)

Nope.

Hits key.

DAVE (CONT’D)

Nope.

Hits key. – Silence.

JONATHAN

Did you find something?

No answer.

JONATHAN (CONT’D)

(thoughtful)

Hmm.

DAVE

(tired)

If you could stack up my boredom, it would reach past the moon.

JONATHAN

(uninterested)

Oookay.

Tim walks out of the restroom.

TIM

(to Jonathan and Dave)

Well, I’m gonna head over there now. I’ll be back in a minute.

Tim opens hotel room door.

DAVE

Hey, Tim?

TIM

Yeah?

DAVE

Can I go chill with my sister?

JONATHAN

(sarcastically to himself)

Yeah right.

TIM

Can you go chill with your sister?

DAVE

Yeah.

TIM

Don’t you think there might be a problem with that?

DAVE

No.

JONATHAN

(to himself)

Oh boy.

TIM

Isn’t she in a room with other girls?

DAVE

Yeah. So?

TIM

So the answer is no, you can’t go chill with her.

DAVE

Why not?

TIM

Because there are other girls in there.

DAVE

They don’t bother me.

TIM

No, but you might bother them.

DAVE

We’ve always been allowed to chill before. Why can’t we now?

TIM

You can chill, but not right now - and especially not in their hotel room. And you shouldn’t have been allowed to be in their room on other trips either. You can come with me over to Anthony’s room for a minute though.

Short pause.

DAVE

Okay. Kevin’s in that room. Maybe I can chill with him.

Tim

Alright, let’s go.

Tim and Jonathan walk out of the hotel room and close the door behind them, leaving Jonathan by himself.

Jonathan

(to himself)

What’s up with Dave? It probably has something to do with what he said about moving away. He probably wants to spend as much time with his friends as he can before he can’t. I just wish he’d stop having these highs and lows. I guess I can’t blame him though. I mean, I was in a low earlier and now I’m in a high.

(short pause)

Boy, I sure had a great night, despite everything that’s gone wrong. I’m glad Jessica sat across from me at the restaurant.

(happy)

We both ordered the same thing. It probably looked like I was copying her. I wasn’t though. I guess we just both have good taste. - Apple pie ala mode and cherry lemonade.

Scene 3: On the Plane

(Jonathan)

JONATHAN

(thinking to himself)

Well, here we are. – Flying out of this place.

(beat)

It’s over.

(beat)

We all made it after all. – And everything just feels so perfect… though that’s probably because I’m sitting next to Jessica on a six hour flight. She’s asleep right now… and so beautiful.

(sighs deeply)

Well, it’s time to wrap this thing up and come home.

The sound of an airplane passing overhead is heard, and then the sound of a plane landing.

Scene 4: At the Airport

(Lady on Intercom, Kurt, Judy, Rachel, Peter, Rebecca, Jonathan, Pastor Weis, Tim, Jessica)

LADY ON INTERCOM

Welcome to Odyssey Regional Airport…

KURT

Hey! There they are! Jessica! Over here!

JUDY

Here they all come.

RACHEL

Do you see Tim yet?

JUDY

Uh, yeah, there he is – right there.

PETER

Hey! There’s Jonathan!

PASTOR WEIS

You’re right. That is Jonathan. It looks like they all got a bit of sun.

KURT

Ha ha, and they said they were going to be working all day. - Looks like they spent a day at the beach.

The group walks up.

JESSICA

Hi, Dad!

KURT

Hi, Jessica. Welcome home. It’s good to see you again.

Tim walks up to Rachel and Rebecca.

TIM

Hi, Rachel.

Tim and Rachel kiss each other.

REBECCA

Daddy!

TIM

Hey, Becky!

Tim picks her up and holds her.

TIM

How’s my little girl?

He kisses her.

REBECCA

Happy!

TIM

I’m happy to see you, too.

Jonathan walks up to his family.

PASTOR WEIS

It’s good to see you again, Jonathan.

JONATHAN

You, too.

PETER

We went camping without you.

JONATHAN

Heh, yeah, I heard about that already.

PETER

There was a really bad storm while we were out there. A tree came crashing down and landed right where Kurt was going to put his tent. -  But he had changed his mind at the last minute.

JONATHAN

Wow, that’s crazy.

PETER

I know. There was a car crash in front of the church, too.

JONATHAN

Oh, yeah, I overheard Tim talking to Rachel on the phone about that last night. Was everyone okay?

PASTOR WEIS

Well… I’m afraid not. Not everyone made it out of there alive. They had to bring in the Jaws of Life to pry what was left of the car open. It was pretty bad. There were four girls inside, but only two made it out alive. They’re at the hospital in critical condition. But we don’t need to talk about that right now. Let’s get you home, Jonathan.

JONATHAN

See you later, Tim.

TIM

See ya.

PASTOR WEIS

He wasn’t too much of a handful for you was he?

TIM

Who, Jonathan? Nah… not all. He was the best.

Tim shakes Jonathan’s hand.

TIM

Good to get to know you better.

JONATHAN

You, too.

Calm, but strong music begins for a bit, but then quickly becomes very soft and tragic as the next scene begins.

Scene 5: In a Quiet Room

(Dave)

DAVE

(reading from the newspaper)

Odyssey mourns the loss of two high school students who died in a tragic car accident at noon on August 6^th when their car lost control on a hill and careened into busy lunch hour traffic near Odyssey Community Church.

(beat)

Freshmen Andrea Sears…

(choking up)

…and Brittany Hartle were killed instantly…

Dave begins trembling and loses his voice.

DAVE (CONT’D)

Oh, no, no, no.

(continues reading)

Friends, Jessica Lieman and Jori Carlisle remain at Odyssey General Hospital in critical condition…

Dave drops the newspaper.

DAVE (CONT’D)

Oh, God… Oh, God, no, please, no… not her… not her… Please, God, please don’t take her away… please…

Dave starts crying uncontrollably.

Scene 6: At the Memorial

(Jonathan)

Thunder can be heard in the background. Jonathan is standing at the scene of the crash, where a small memorial has begun to emerge.

JONATHAN

(to himself)

Well… this is where it happened.

(beat)

This is where they died.

(beat)

It’s remarkable how many flowers and letters and crosses and teddy bears have already been placed here.

Long silent pause.

JONATHAN (CONT’D)

(to himself)

It’s… it’s hard for me to comprehend something like this, God.

Long silent pause as thunder can be heard again and rain begins to fall softly on the ground by the side of the road.

JONATHAN (CONT’D)

(sighs deeply to himself)

They were only girls. It wasn’t their time yet.

Begins raining harder.

JONATHAN (CONT’D)

(to himself)

I guess the rain falls on the good and bad alike, doesn’t it?

Scene 7: At the Church

(Ann, Dave)

ANN

Do you… do you want to talk about it, Dave?

DAVE

(sighs deeply)

It’s just… it’s just too much coming at me all at once.  – Everything in the Middle East that we went through last week… it was just… so… so crazy, and… and awful. And… and my dad’s moving us back south again, and… I don’t think I’m ready for that.

ANN

I understand.

DAVE

And at the same time, I want to run away from this place as fast as I can. I… can’t stand it here anymore. – I can’t stand driving by that awful memorial everyday… and I can’t stand the thought of going back to school and not seeing her there anymore either.

ANN

How close were you to Andrea?

DAVE

I… I don’t know. We were friends, but… we… we were more than just friends. She… she was special. (beat) I liked her.

ANN

(knowingly)

Aah. I’m sorry.

DAVE

I know you are. I know. Everybody’s sorry about what happened. But being sorry isn’t going to bring her back.

ANN

I’m sorry for you.

DAVE

I’m not the one who’s dead.

ANN

But I care about you, and I can see that you’re hurting. And I know that you don’t deserve any of this either.

DAVE

But I do deserve it. Do you know what I was doing when she died? Huh? Do you know? – I was flirting with Ashley. That’s what I was doing.

ANN

Sometimes we make bad choices. – And sometimes we think we’ve made bad choices and we feel awful about it, but we don’t realize that we’re sometimes being too hard on ourselves. – Because, you know what? God’s grace is greater than anything we can do – it’s greater than whatever mistakes we may or may not have made.

DAVE

But… but she wasn’t even supposed to be in that car. She wasn’t old enough to be driving. But her friends let her get behind the wheel… and now… and now she’s dead. – Both her and Brittany. She and Brittany are both dead because she wasn’t where she was supposed to be. And… and… some people from school have been telling me that Andrea didn’t go to heaven because she wasn’t a Christian. Does God’s grace go that far? I don’t know if she ever prayed Jesus into her heart. What if she didn’t? How can live knowing that?

ANN

God’s grace extends to everyone, Dave. God’s call reaches out to everyone… even people who have never prayed a prayer in their life.

DAVE

But does that mean that everyone just goes to heaven in the end? It doesn’t matter what we do?

ANN

Our choices do affect our future, but, Dave, heaven is more than just something that happens to us after we die. Heaven is living in the presence of God, both now and after we die. And if heaven itself can exist here in this world… then I’m sure that Andrea is in God’s hands right now. He knows her heart… he loves her, too, and he knows what’s best for her now. Remember, in the end, God will make everything right again.

DAVE

But… but how can I ever make everything I’ve done right again? How can anything ever go back to normal after all of this? How can God make this horrible place good again?

ANN

I don’t know how, but what I do know is that all we can do is rely on God because without him we don’t have any hope at all.

DAVE

I’m… I’m just not sure I can do that anymore.

Scene 8: At the memorial

(Dave)

Dave stands alone at the makeshift memorial by the side of the road and slowly voices his good-bye to Andrea.

DAVE

Here it is.

(beat)

This is the place where you died.

(beat)

I’m going to miss you, you know.

(beat)

I’m… I’m a little angry with myself… for not being here with you.

(beat)

You might not have gotten into that car if I had been here.

(beat)

I… I just don’t know.

(beat)

And I’m kind of angry with you, too, for… for leaving me like this… I know… I know… that’s really heartless of me… you died, and I’m angry at you… but it’s the truth, and I need to confess that to you.

(beat)

You were special to me. You were beautiful. And I know I should have told you that before… but I’m telling you know.

(beat)

I wrote the rest down in a letter.

(beat)

Here…

Dave places the letter on the memorial.

DAVE (CONT’D)

I’ll leave it here for to read if you want to. – If you can.

(beat)

Good-bye, Andrea.

(whispers)

Good-bye.

Scene 9: Outside an Elderly Couple’s House

(Dave, Jonathan, Kevin, Alexis, Ashley, Jessica, Christopher)

The Youth Group is working outside an elderly couple’s house, cleaning things up, and taking down old Christmas decorations. Dave and Jonathan are standing on ladders, trying to pry off some nasty old Christmas lights from high up on the side of the house. Jonathan, Ashley, Jessica, and Alexis are standing on the ground, looking up.

DAVE

Could you hand me that hammer, Jonathan?

Jonathan picks up a hammer and hands it up the ladder to Dave.

JONATHAN

Here you go.

DAVE

Thanks.

KEVIN

Well, here we all are again. – Working on some random service project together like the good old days. We just can’t seem to get away from each other, can we?

ALEXIS

That’s because we’re all just such amazing people.

ASHLEY

You got that right.

Kevin drops some nails to the ground from the top of the ladder.

KEVIN

Ouch.

DAVE

You okay?

KEVIN

Yeah, I just pricked my finger on this nail.

(beat)

Man, they really stapled these Christmas lights in here good, didn’t they?

ASHLEY

Heh, that’s probably why they’re still hanging all over their house at the end of August.

JESSICA

Not that there’s anything wrong with enjoying Christmas all year round.

ALEXIS

I love Christmas. – Especially when I get to curl up under a warm blanket by the fireplace and sip on some hot Cocoa and watch all of the lights flash and glow… and all to the sound of some Bing Crosby… or maybe some good old Charlie Brown.

JESSICA

I love Christmas, too.

ASHLEY

Yeah, well, I think these lights are beyond enjoying at this point. They’re pretty tacky looking. – But don’t tell the elderly couple who lives here I said that.

Christopher walks up.

CHRISTOPHER

Oh, I’m pretty sure they already know.

JONATHAN

Yeah – If they wanted them to stay up the rest of the year they wouldn’t have called us.

(beat)

How’s the back deck looking, Christopher?

CHRISTOPHER

Much better now that we’ve picked up all the tree branches and pine needles off of it.

DAVE

Look out below!

Dave rips a section of the lights off the side of the building, some of the bulbs shatter on the ground below.

JONATHAN

Hey! Watch it! You’re pelting us with broken bulbs.

DAVE

Sorry. – Here’s some more.

Dave drops some more bulbs on the ground, which shatter.

KEVIN

Ha ha! Don’t you just love the sound of breaking glass?

JONATHAN

Only at Jewish weddings.

CHRISTOPHER

Nice.

(beat)

Well, I think I’m gonna go sit down over there for awhile and watch this mess from a distance.

ASHLEY

What’s the matter, Christopher? – Afraid of a little falling glass?

CHRISTOPHER

Deathly. – and of sixteen year olds on ladders as well.

KEVIN

What – are you afraid we’re going to fall off and die?

DAVE

Hey, if we fall and die, then we fall and die. No big deal. It is the way of things. Everybody dies sometime.

CHRISTOPHER

(muttering to himself)

Oh, the great wisdom which manifests itself in the better judgment of sixteen year olds.

KEVIN

Hey, now, what are you saying about our judgment?

DAVE

He just thinks he’s superior to us because he’s eighteen.

CHRISTOPHER

That’s true. I am eighteen. And I am superior to you. Now get back to work, you lazy bums. I’m going to go sit in the shade.

Christopher walks away.

JONATHAN

I think I’ll join you.

They sit down on the edge of the porch.

CHRISTOPHER

This is a nice view from up here.

JONATHAN

It is. – Nice weather today, too.

CHRISTOPHER

As long as it’s not as hot as the middle east, I’ll be happy.

JONATHAN

Here’s to that.

(beat)

So…

CHRISTOPHER

So what?

JONATHAN

So I’ve been thinking quite a bit about our recent experience overseas.

CHRISTOPHER

Heh, I’ve been trying not to think about that.

JONATHAN

Heh, yeah, I can understand that.

(beat)

But in light of some things that happened… I’ve just been wondering… I mean, what do you think about mind-altering technology?

CHRISTOPHER

Oh, you mean like crazy devices that make people get on busses to random cities and boats to random islands while erasing their memories of the experience at the same time?

JONATHAN

Uh-huh, yeah, something like that.

CHRISTOPHER

What about it?

JONATHAN

Well, you know… I was just wondering about it, that’s all.

(beat)

I mean… is that kind of thing even possible? ‘Cause it sound sa little insane to me. What do you think?

CHRISTOPHER

Well… they’ve been able to that kind of stuff on Batman forever, so whatever they come up with in that regard… I blame it all on Batman.

JONATHAN

(chuckles)

Yeah… that’s good. I like that.

Jessica comes and sits next to Jonathan.

JESSICA

Mind if I join you?

JONATHAN

No, not at all. Go right ahead.

A moment of silence.

CHRISTOPHER

Well… how about them Cardinals?

JONATHAN

Huh?

CHRISTOPHER

Never mind.

JESSICA

Speaking of Cardinals, there’s one right there. See?

JONATHAN

Where?

JESSICA

Over there.

JONATHAN

Oh yeah. Cool. I like Cardinals.

CHRISTOPHER

So do I… though of a completely different sort. I was never much of a bird watcher.

JONATHAN

I can be at times. I like to get up early and sit at our kitchen window and watch the robins and the wrens prancing about in our back yard.

JESSICA

I’m not much of an early riser… but if I were, I would probably do the same thing.

CHRISTOPHER

Well… that’s nice.

A moment of silence.

JONATHAN

It really is a wonderful view from here. You can see Trickle Lake off in that direction… and Forest Mountain over that way… It’s just beautiful.

JESSICA

(dreamy)

Yes, you are very beautiful…

(catching herself)

I mean… the view is very beautiful.

JONATHAN

(chuckles)

Well now, I knew I was a rather handsome fellow, but I never expected to be called beautiful.

JESSICA

You know what I meant.

ASHLEY

(Calling from a distance)

Hey, Jessica! Come over here!

JESSICA

(calling back)

I’m coming! – I’ll be right back, Jonathan.

Jessica gets up and walks away.

JONATHAN

(chuckles)

Well… that was an awkwardly funny moment.

CHRISTOPHER

I’m pretty sure she enjoys looking at you more than the view.

JONATHAN

Ha ha, well, that’s probably on account of my beautiful face.

(chuckles)

Oh, that’s funny. That happened to me the other day – the words that came out of my mouth were not the words that were in my head. What was it?

CHRISTOPHER

Oh, I’m pretty sure she said exactly what she was thinking.

JONATHAN

(stops short)

Oh? Well, I, uh… (chuckles) uh… well, uh… Hmm…