The Gift

The Gift

A Short Play

By Paul McCann

 

Characters

The Gunman

The Guitar Man

The Landlord

Bernadette

The Policeman

 

Scene 1

Set –

There is a road sign on the fork in a road . A young man on one side has a suitcase on one hand and a guitar case in the other . He looks at the road wondering which way  to go . On the other side of the stage there is a dark figure burying a strongbox then covering it with over before he notices the man at the road sing , He was  startled by his appearance and jumped to his feet . He walks over to the centre of the stage and produces a hand gun pointing it to the head of the man with the guitar 

Gunman – “Hey you , what are you doing here and who are you ?”

Guitar man –“ I’m a musician and songwriter “

Gunman  - “Why are you here ?”

Guitar man –“ “ I’m a traveller “:

Gunman – “ What’s in the case ?”

(The man with the guitar opened up his suitcase to show what was in there )

Guitar man –“ All I have is my songs and everything else in the world I own “

Gunman – (He lowers down his gun ) “ Play me one of your songs “

The fella takes his guitar out from the case and quicky checks that its in tune and the plays one of his songs , After fie finishes he puts away his guitar .

Guitar man – “Do you know of any decent place around here where I could get a room for the night ?”

Gunman – “That depends which road you want to take “

Guitar man – “So which is the best way to go “

Gunman – “That depends on what you’re looking for “

Guitar man – “I’m just looking for somewhere to rest and get some food”

Gunman – “Is that so , then you’re not looking for some wild women and fun ?”

 Guitar man – “I’m just traveling and writing songs “

Gunman – “You can ask me one more question and I won’t lie to you . There are two ways you can go . One road is the right road that will take you to happiness and the other road is the wrong road which will bring you to a place you would wish you’d never gone “

Guitar man – “ Is the right road the one you just came from ?”

The gunman puts the gun to the musicians head and pulled the trigger but nothing happened .  there was no bang and the bullet never left the chamber .

Gunman – “You are very lucky songwriter and you’re free to leave , Go now to the other direction of where I came from. I never want to see you around here again . “

The sound of a bell clanging is heard followed by then a clock chiming 11 times . On to the stage a policeman arrives with a gun drawn  .

Policeman – “ Drop you weapon and get on the ground now”

Gunman  - “You’re the only one who is going to be falling to the ground ?

The gunman swivels around pointing his gun but the policeman fires four shots in succession . The gunman falls to the ground .

(The policeman walks across to check the man who was shot and then makes a call  on his radio) .

Policeman – “Target located and has been terminated at the fork of the road near the mill stream . There is no sign of the stolen goods . Send the van to collect the body .I’ll wait here .  Over

Guitar man   “ Is he dead?”

Policeman – “ Yes and it could have been you .I saw him put the gun to your head but nothing happened . I need you to stay in town for a few days as you are a witness to what happened here “.

Guitar man – “ Sure is there anywhere you could recommend I should stay officer ?”

Policeman – “Take the road to the right and follow the stream until you see the big yellow brick guest house, just tell them Officer O’Donnell  said your stay there will be paid for by the local police . I come and see you in a day or two  .“

Guitar man – “ Sure thank you for your help “

The songwriter walks away in the direction he was told to go  ,The Policeman get back on his radio again

Policeman – “I’ve checked everywhere and there’s no sign of the cashbox . The light is fading fast so I’ll have to  call it a day and resume the search in the morning ?

The sound of a van is heard and it pulls to a stop nearby . Two police officers enter the stage and they carry the gunman’s body away . The other policeman follows them off stage . After a moment the man with the guitar case had doubled back and returned to look around the area where he had seen the gunman hiding something  He turned on a little torchlight and moved the large stone from the spot he had seen the gunman working and discovered a strongbox . He opened it up and saw a lot of cash inside . He closed it and opened it then closed it and opened his suitcase and put all the cash into his suitcase and returned the strongbox to where it was been buried . Just as he had done that a well dressed lady  walked to the road sign at the fork of the roads and looked over at the guitar man who waved,

Guitar man – “ “How are you feeling ?”

 

She just gave him a nod of her head as they walked towards each other . She went to the left and he went the other way .The sound of her footsteps was heard along with the clanging of a bell in the distance and the clock that chimed 12 . The guitar man made his way to the guest house .

 

Scene 2

 

Set

Sitting on a bench seat outside the Yellow Brick guest house was the songwriter   scribbling some thoughts in a notebook . Some people passing him by , just passengers in time with nowhere to go here and gone in a brief moment . The sound of a train is heard coming in and rolls away down the track . The owner of the guest house approached the songwriter . .    

The Landlord “ Officer O’Donnell just rang to ask how you were , he said he would call to see you tomorrow about making a statement of the incident that happened last night . I assured him that we would take care of you during your stay with us . Lunch is served at midday and dinner is at 6pm , There’s a cinema in the town and a lot of interesting shops there if you get the chance to have a look before lunch “. 

Guitar man “ Thanks for the information , I might have a look around . “

The well dressed lady who appeared the night before approached again and she crossed towards them   

The Landlord -“ Good morning  Bernadette . How’s your Father?”

 Bernadette   –“Sure I’ve been with him all night long. Sure its only a matter of time now before..”+  (She pauses to cough and before she can finish her sentence the Landlord says     

The Landlord -  “Oh my dear ,  I’m so very sorry to hear that . “

She stopped and gave him a deadly stare  . 

Bernadette   –“To hear what Mr Agnew ?”

The Landlord -  “To hear that his time is nearly up .“

Bernadette – (after coughing she said ) “Mr Agnew if you had let me finish what I was going to say . instead of jumping in . What I was going to say was , Sure its only a matter of time before he’s discharged and I can take him home again  “

She stamps her foot on the ground . Mr Agnew looking very embarrassed tries to address the friction . t  .

The Landlord –  (Feeling very embarrassed )“ I’m terribly sorry , I though you were going to say

 

Bernadette   – (Intervening before he says anything else )  “If you had let me finish what I was going to say, instead of assuming what I was going to say then , you wouldn’t have to apologise Mr Agnew “

The Landlord –  “ How right you are and let me make it up and invite you you’re your dear Father over for dinner , just as soon as he gets home . How does that sound Bernadette”

Bernadette – “ You know I can’t refuse such a kind offer , That would be lovely Mr Agnew . My father and I would love to come for dinner .”

The Landlord –  “ That’s great , let me know as soon as he is home then .“:

 Bernadette –“I will “ (She looks at the guitar man and nods her head }

Guitar man – “Excuse me but wasn’t it you that I saw at the junction last night”

(She pauses for a moment )

Bernadette – “.I was on my way to the hospital to visit my Father ”

Guitar man “ You’re a very kind caring person  “

The Landlord – “ I’m going inside now . So many things to do . ?”

(The landlord turns and walks away back inside the guest house .  The clanging of a bell is heard and then a clock chimes 9 times . The lovely lady sat down next to the guitar man on the bench seat )

Lovely Lady - ” I know you’re not from around here but your face looks familiar . Maybe we have met before in a past life . Do you believe in that sort of thing?’

Guitar man – “Its always intrigued me that thought . I have even considered time travellers can be a reality as well “

 Lovely Lady.- ” Theres a lot of talk going around about that man who was shot dead  by the police last night , They said a very wealthy man had his house broken into and a lot of money was stolen , Did you notice anything suspicious around that junction last night ?”

Guitar man – “Well , I have to make a statement tomorrow to the police and I was told not to talk to anyone about what happened  “

Lovely Lady.- “Imagine if he had his all that money somewhere . What would you do if you found it ?

Guitar man – “Well I think I could do a lot of good with it “

Lovely Lady.- “Like what ?”

Guitar man – “Well help the hungry and homeless for one or I could even record my music and produce a musical .“

 Lovely Lady.- “Do you write songs then “

Guitar man – “ Yeah I’m a music teacher nut at the moment I’m on a one year sabbatical looking for new inspiration “

Lovely Lady.- “Have you found anything yet ?”

Guitar man – “ I have found more than I expected “

Lovely Lady –“ You know most people just get up every morning and get ready to go to work , or school , or look after children . Some others get up to pray or to meditate , then there are those who get up hungry and spend their day looking for food , or begging to survive and others who lie in palliative care waiting to Leave this world behind . You’re a gifted and lucky man who has the ability to do something different ”

Guitar man – “ I have seen things no one has ever seen and been to places where no one has ever been . My songs and music mean a lot to me “

Lovely Lady – “Tell me more about your life music man ?”

Guitar man – “Before I was a music teacher I was a priest but left the church , after deciding the religious life wasn’t for me . A few years later I was to marry a girl but she was killed in a tragic accident when a truck lost its brakes and slammed into her car . It was a terrible accident . After that I had to rescue myself from a dark place and return back to life again . Tell me about you and your life”

Lovely Lady – “ l have provided care for my Father after my mother died . He lost the will to live and couldn’t go one . I left my job as a nurse and became a full time carer for my Father who started drinking very heavy until he found a way back to life like you did . He started working as a volunteer at the homeless shelter in the town  where he made penny lunches for hungry men and women  “

Guitar man – That’s a great thig he did . Helping others is the best way to help yourself ?

Lovely Lady – “ It didn’t matter how poor those people where ,  if they didn’t have a penny , they still got a lunch “.

Guitar man -´“Thank you God , I knew you’d come through .“

Lovely Lady ‘’What’s that you’re saying ?”

Guitar man -´“ I never thought I could ever meet someone that had the same ethos about life as me . Just talking to you I feel connected like as you say as if we had met in a previous life .“

Lovely Lady – “ There’s something about you that’s unique and I felt it last last when you asked me , how I was feeling , “ ´

Guitar man – “When you nodded . I felt something like an inner voice that told me nothing could ever break us apart “

(He reached out to her and she leaned into his arms and they kissed

Lovely Lady – ‘”I’ve never felt like this about anybody before. “

Guitar man – ‘ You know last night at the junction . That gunman has something “

Lovely Lady -´’What was it ?”

Guitar man – I saw him hide a box in the ground and after he was hot the police took his body away ,  I returned to have a look and I couldn’t believe my eyes . I think that it was a gift that was meant for me to share with others which is a lot of money and I think I can do so much good with it “

Lovely Lady -´’Maybe you and I can change the circumstances in other peoples lives to improve the quality of life they have .

The guitar man and Bernadette were town of those people who you rarely meet in life . They had a gift and the ability to make a difference, After spending many years helping the vulnerable , the unwanted . the poor , the homeless and the hungry they
built a shelter for children runaways who had been abused  by a parent  and driver out on the streets like refugees . Most of them had slipped through the welfare system into an abyss , where they hadn’t enough to survive / .

 

End Of Play

 

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