Medicine

Actors: 6+
Reference: John 3:1-18
Notes: Optional Props include a large pill bottle labeled "Look and Live," or something along that line; several pamphlets with a similar title and perhaps a larger book so labeled; two smaller pill bottles.

Full Script

[View Synopsis Only]
Scene: A young Christian (Chris) sits on a chair, reading either a large book or one of the pamphlets. At least four unbelievers (Fay, Mark, Joan, and Alicia) stumble past him on their way to work, obviously suffering from intense headaches. He greets each with a nod or a wave, or a "good morning" to those he recognizes. An older Christian (Bob) stands to the side, observing. All four Unbelievers proceed off stage.

Bob: (perhaps gruffly) Hey! Chris!

Chris: (looks up, startled): Uh, hi, Bob! How's it goin, man?

Bob: How many bottles have you given away so far?

Chris: Uh, none yet! But, hey! It's pretty potent stuff, isn't it? I mean, I've just been feeling great!

Bob: That's good. Why haven't you been giving it away? You just watched four people walk by, obviously suffering from headaches, and you didn't say a word.

Chris: Well, I, uh, that is, I don't know enough about it yet.

Bob: You've been reading your pamphlet, haven't you?

Chris: You better believe it! I've read it front to back, twice! I even rented a video about it. Boy was that inspiring!

Bob: Then you know enough to give it away! Hey, I gave it to you over two months ago. Its high time you get to it!

Chris: Yeah, two headache-free months. Hey, have I thanked you for that yet?

Bob: About a hundred times. If you really want to thank me, you'll give it away to others. Those people will be coming out of work soon - get ready! (Turns to walk away)

Chris: But Bob, I know some of those people! What if they think I'm trying to push it on them? What if they think I'm crazy? What if they just laugh in my face? I don't think I can take that kind of rejection! ....(Bob lets him ramble) .... Hey! I've got a great idea! Why don't you talk to them? I mean, you're so good at it, I bet you've never been rejected!

Bob: Sure I have - dozens of times. But I've had some great successes, too - anyway, wouldn't it all be worth it if you helped just one person get rid of their headache?

Chris: (Giving in) Yeah, Bob, you're right. ... Hey, can you at least stay and watch, and, well, maybe jump in if I get in trouble?

Bob: I've got to be on the other side of town in 10 minutes. You can do it, Chris. I'll be back to check on you later. (Exits)

Chris: (Watches him go.) (Hesitantly)Well, OK. (Nervously sits back down with his pamphlet. Fay, Chris's neighbor enters and walks toward him, clutching her head)

Chris: (Stands) Hi, Fay! How's it going?

Fay: Oh, not so good, Chris. I've got a headache "This Big." (Gestures with her hands.)

Chris: Oh, really? I mean, it can't be "That big," can it? (Gestures) I mean, isn't it more like "This Big?" (Gestures again.)

Chris: Oh. I mean, that's terrible. .....(screwing up his courage) Hey, you know, I used to have a headache at least that big.

Fay: Really? Then you know what it feels like!

Chris: Yeah! But you know what? I don't have a headache anymore! Haven't had one in months.

Fay: (skeptically) Seriously? (laughs) Oh, that's a good one, Chris! Everyone I know has headaches.

Chris: No, I'm serious! ( Pulls out his pill bottle. ) You see, a couple of months ago I took one of these, and I haven't had a headache since. Not one!

Fay: You are serious! Boy, that sounds pretty good. Almost too good, if you know what I mean.

Chris: (Confidently) All I know is that my head doesn't hurt anymore. Here - why don't you try one?

Fay: I don't know....I need to think about it for a while. I mean, this is a big step.

Chris: Well...OK Here - take a pamphlet too. You can read all about it if you want.

Fay: OK, I'll do that. Thanks. (Walks off stage.)

Chris: (Calls after her) Promise me you'll think about it!

Fay: OK, I will.

Chris: I'll check up on you this weekend when I mow your lawn!

(Chris watches her go, then turns back to his chair, a little discouraged. Mark Enters. Chris recognizes him from High School. Mark also has a throbbing headache, However he is trying to pretend its not even there, and smiling through gritted teeth.)

Chris: (Jumps up!) Hey, Mark! I haven't seen you since we graduated!

Mark: Chris! Is that you? You look...different some how.

Chris: Its me! (They begin to perform some sort of "Secret handshake" which culminates in a violent headbang. Chris pulls back at the last moment.)

Mark: (Irritated) What's up, Chris? You gone soft in your old age? You never used to pull back from the headbang before!

Chris: I know, but that was back when I still had a headache. Somehow it doesn't seem like much fun anymore. (Mark is wincing and holding his head.) Hey, are you OK man? Looks like you've got a pretty bad one!

Mark: (Through gritted teeth.) I am fine with my headache.

Chris: You don't look like it. (Starts to pull out his pill bottle) Hey, I've got this really great medicine that'll clear that right up.

Mark: (angrily) What's with you, man? I'd never have pegged you for one of those pansies who turn to the drug! Come on! A headache makes you a man!

Chris: No it doesn't, Mark, it just hurts. Why don't you just take one of these?

Mark: What, do you think you're better than me just because you don't have a headache?

Chris: No! Of course not! I'm just telling you...

Mark: (Cuts him off.) You drug pushers are all alike! Up there, all high and mighty, trying to deny a guy his right to a good headache! I can't believe you!

Chris: No - I mean yes - I mean - come on Mark.

Mark: Forget it, man. I thought I knew you! (Turns and walks away. He encounters Joan on her way on stage.) Hey, don't listen to that guy. He's crazy!

(Chris watches Mark go, then angrily throws himself down in his chair and opens his pamphlet. Joan looks after Mark and then at Chris a little strangely, then goes and sits down near Chris.)

Joan: (After a bit) Uh, if you don't mind me asking, what was all that about?

Chris: (Still concentrating his pamphlet) Oh, nothing. I mean, you wouldn't be interested.

Joan: Well, I don't mean to pry, but its not often a total stranger warns me about a crazy guy!

Chris: I was just trying to help him! I mean, he obviously had a terrible headache, but he wouldn't even listen to me.

Joan: He had a headache too, huh? You know, I have a terrible headache - seems like I've had it for years. I'm so sick of it, I can hardly stand it!

Chris: Really? You wouldn't be interested in hearing about something that would cure a headache permanently, would you?

Joan: Permanently? That's a pretty big claim! I've tried an awful lot of "cures," but none of them even claimed to be permanent. What's different about yours?

Chris: (Has his bottle out) Well, you see, the thing of it is ...

Joan: And there is a thing? Chris: Yeah - this one has a totally unique active ingredient. See? Right here one the label it says no Aspirin...

Joan: Good - Aspirin makes my stomach hurt worse than my head!

Chris: (Warming to his subject) And there's no acetaminophen or ibuprofen either - and you only have to take it once!

Joan: Once?

Chris: - and, see, here's the best part. Its 100% effective! Everyone who ever took it had their headache absolutely cured!

Joan: 100%? This sounds way too good to be true! This medicine only has to be taken once and it will cure my headache forever?

Chris: Absolutely! I haven't had a headache in two months!

Joan: Two months? OK, I'm sold! I'm willing to give something like that a try!

Chris: Really?!?

Joan: Really!

Chris: Great!!! (Hands her a pill.) Now, just swallow this, and say "Good-bye" to headaches! ( Joan swallows - a few seconds go by)

Chris: Is it gone?!?

Joan: Hey!!! It is!!! Its GONE!!!! (Jumps up and down and acts really excited)

Chris: Hey! That's great! Oh, wow! This is so cool!

Joan: Thanks you! Thank you so much! (Reaching toward her pocket) What do I owe you?

Chris: Oh, didn't I tell you? It's free! You don't owe me a thing.

Joan: Free? This just keeps getting better and better!

Chris: Yeah! All I ask is that you take a bottle and give it to all your friends. Oh, and here's a pamphlet too, to read all about it.

Joan: I can do that! I mean, now that I don't have a headache any more, I feel like I can do anything! (Takes the bottle and pamphlet and walks off stage, grinning from ear to ear. Chris, also grinning from ear to ear, takes his seat again to wait for the next person. Alicia enters, obviously in pain but attempting to hide it.)

Chris: Hey, haven't I seen you at the coffee shop?

Alicia Yeah - I work there. I guess I've seen you around a few times.

Chris: Yeah. You guys make the best mochas. Hey - are you OK? You look like you have a headache.

Alicia Headache? I don't have a headache? I can't possibly have a headache!

Chris: Are you sure? You kind of look like you're wincing.

Alicia No. I don't have a headache. (Mumbles under her breath) The doctor said that if I believed I didn't have a headache, I wouldn't have one.

Chris: I don't know about that...

Alicia (Turns on him) And who are you, anyway, to be asking me about a headache? I've worked my whole life to expunge headaches from my experience!

Chris: Wow.

Alicia Have you been on the "No Headache Diet?"

Chris: Well, no.

Alicia How about Chiropracty? Have you had Chiropracty?

Chris: No, but...

Alicia Chinese herbs? Vitamins? (Chris shakes his head) Acupuncture? Now that worked for a long time!

Chris: No, no acupuncture.

Alicia Then what have you done? Why should I listen to you talk about headaches when you haven't even tried acupuncture?

Chris: Well, I don't have a headache. In fact, I haven't had one for two months!

Alicia (Looks at him with smug disbelief) Two months? Are you kidding me? If there's one thing I know about headache cures, its that none of them work forever. (Looks at her watch.) Oh, I'm going to be late for my Yoga class, and here I am talking to a crazy guy who thinks he can cure headaches for two months!

Chris: Not just two months - forever. Are you sure you don't want to hear about this? Its free - and you only have to take it once!

Alicia Look, its been nice talking to you, but I think Yoga is really going to work for me. See you later.

Chris: (Calls after her.) Are you sure? I'll be here if you want to reconsider! Think about it! (Returns to his chair, dejected, and picks up his pamphlet. After a moment, Bob walks in)

Bob: So, Chris, how did it go?

Chris: Oh. OK, I guess.

Bob: Well, did you give away any medicine?

Chris: Yeah - I gave away one bottle.

Bob: Well that's great! Why aren't you excited?

Chris: Because three people wouldn't take one! See, I knew this would happen! Sure - that one lady got rid of her headache, but my high school friend thinks I'm crazy, and that one lady is still going to Yoga class, and my neighbor just said she would think about it! I don't know - she probably just dumped the stuff in the nearest trash bin once she was out of sight.

Bob: You mean a lady...(Describes Fay)?

Chris: Yeah- that's her.

Bob: I just now saw her across town. She was jumping up and down and shouting about how her headache was cured - she was telling everyone who would listen!

Chris: Really? That's great!

Bob: Yeah. You see, the important thing is that you planted the seed. Even if they didn't take any right now, they may someday!

(About this time, or a little before, Joan and Alicia walk on stage, behind Chris and Bob. Joan is talking excitedly to Alicia about the medicine and Alicia is listening - sounding very interested. Chris and Bob stop their conversation and watch.)

Bob: See? Its working! You just have to be faithful in telling people about it.

Chris: You're right, Bob! (They follow Joan and Alicia off stage.) Hey, come on, I'll buy you a Coke......

The End