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FROM WAITING ON TRAINS by D. M. Larson
This is a short selection from the one act play. Two
versions of the one act are available at Freedrama.net with a cast of four and
five.
Cast of Characters
Verna: A ticket window woman who would rather not be working.
She is rude, crude, and unacceptable. Customer courtesy is not her specialty.
Sue: business person waiting for her
train.
Rut: A gentleman, called a bum by some, who simply wants a nice quiet place to sleep.
Time and Place Dec. 31, 1999. A train station in an overgrown hick town.
(Lights come up on the waiting room of a train station. A
woman, VERNA, sits at a ticket window R, filing her nails and chewing gum)
A phone rings in SUE's bag. A poorly dressed gentleman, some might call a bum, named RUT, pops up from where he has been sleeping on the upstage end of the row of chairs.
RUT
(Cries to sky)
Hello!
SUE
(Jumps up when she sees RUT)
What in heaven's name?!
RUT
(Ring)
Hello?!
SUE
(To VERNA)
What's this bum doing in here?!
VERNA
Sleepin'
RUT
(Ring)
Hello?!
SUE
Shouldn't he be removed?
VERNA
What for? He ain't causin' no harm.
RUT
(Ring. Stands on chair, arms to sky)
Hello, God? Is that you?
SUE
Look at him. He's drunk.
VERNA
Maybe we're the ones who's drunk and he's the only one who's sober.
SUE
(Gets phone)
Oh, you're just a regular philosopher. (To phone) Hello.
RUT
(Very intensely)
Hello, God.
SUE
(This and RUT's next dialog over lap)
Yes, yes. I'm sorry there's a lot of noise here.
RUT
(Overlapping)
Yes, what? What do you want me to do God?
SUE
(Hand over phone)
Will someone shut him up!
RUT
(Shocked)
Oh, please God. Please don't be angry with me. Please be easy on poor little Rut.
KIRK
He thinks you're God.
VERNA
`Bout time God had a little competition.
SUE
It's not funny.
RUT
I never said it was funny God.
SUE
(To RUT)
Look here you.
RUT
(Innocent, saintly pose to sky)
Yes, God.
SUE
Quit calling me God. And...will you look at me.
RUT
I am looking God.
SUE
No, not up there; down here.
RUT
(Gets down)
Where?
SUE
(Trying to get in front of him)
Over here.
RUT
(Under chairs)
Where are you God?
SUE
My name's Sue, not God.
RUT
(Shocked)
God's real name is Sue?
SUE
Will someone do something with him? I have an important call here.
RUT
(Stands on chair, to sky)
Please, don't be angry with me God...I mean, oh great Sue. Please don't cut me off.
SUE
(To VERNA)
Do something with him or I'll complain to your boss.
VERNA
Yes, ma'am.
(Goes to RUT)
Okay, Rut. That's enough for now. Let's go.
RUT
(As he steps down with Verna's help)
I think I lost my connection.
VERNA
We know, Rut. You lost it long before this though. Come on. Let's get you some coffee.
RUT
(As they go into Verna's area)
Funny. I always imagined that God's voice would be a little more manly.
SUE
Thank God!
(Answers phone)
Hello, hello...He hung up.
The script may be printed and copied for free. There is no charge to use the play.
1. All programs, posters, etc. should have the author's name (D. M. Larson) and something that tells about the Freedrama.net website such as "Produced by special arrangement with www.freedrama.net". When you complete the production, it would be appreciated if you would mail a copy of the program to D. M. Larson, c/o Carol Steele, 21950 County Road 445, Bovey, MN 55709.
2. All videos of the plays must be approved in advance of the performance. The videos must have Freedrama.net in the credits and also a link to freedrama.net in the description if the video is placed online.
NOTE: The play may not be reproduced, redistributed or republished in any form without written permission from the author.
Thank you for selecting my script. Have fun and enjoy the play.
Sincerely,
D. M. Larson