Right Next Door
Drama
Lectionary Scenes
58 Vignettes For Cycle B
Theme
All too often the evil we see in another is the evil that is within ourselves. The beatitudes are at their core a plea for a pure heart. This cannot be attained by striving but by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Then we can be trustworthy and forgiving.
Summary
Stan and his wife Chloe are in the midst of a fight that has lasted all week. Stan is accusing Chloe of flirting with a neighbor, but it is Stan who has been having an affair with the neighbor's wife -- right next door.
Playing Time
3 1/2 minutes
Setting
Modern day -- Stan and Chloe's home
Props
Paper for Stan
Costumes
Modern
Time
The present
Cast
STAN -- a worldly man
CHLOE -- his wife
CHLOE: (ENTERS ALONG WITH STAN. STAN IS READING THE PAPER) How long?
STAN: How long what?
CHLOE: You know what.
STAN: Leave me alone.
CHLOE: You haven't talked to me since Friday.
STAN: I'm talking to you now.
CHLOE: You know what I mean. Talk to me!
STAN: I'm busy.
CHLOE: I can't stand it.
STAN: Leave me alone.
CHLOE: Talk to me!
STAN: No!
CHLOE: (SNATCHING THE PAPER FROM HIS HANDS) You will talk to me!
STAN: (CLENCHING HIS FIST AND DRAWING IT BACK) Don't make me hit you!
CHLOE: (DEFIANTLY, BUT STAYING OUT OF HIS REACH) What's new, huh, Stan? What's new? Go ahead, hit me. Hit me. If you hit me at least I know you're relating to me. Go ahead. I'm almost used to it. Hit me!
STAN: Get outta here.
CHLOE: I will not! We're going to talk.
STAN: Who cares about you?
CHLOE: What is it? What is it, Stan? What's going on?
STAN: You know.
CHLOE: I was only talking to him. I told you that. Just talking. And you blew it up into this big thing.
STAN: You were talking to him for an awfully long time.
CHLOE: Stan, I told you. It was only talk. We were just making small talk.
STAN: Small talk about what?
CHLOE: Just about his work and stuff. I don't know.
STAN: I don't want you talking to him anymore.
CHLOE: He's our neighbor, our next-door neighbor. How can I not talk to him?
STAN: Just don't. That's all.
CHLOE: I've got to talk to him once in a while. He's our next-door neighbor. Be reasonable.
STAN: I just don't want you talking to him. Is that clear?
CHLOE: Why not? Why is this so important to you?
STAN: Isn't it enough that I said I don't want you to talk to him?
CHLOE: No! It's not enough!
STAN: Don't make me angry.
CHLOE: How can I do that, Stan? How can I not make you angry? Everything I do makes you angry.
STAN: If you left me alone I wouldn't get angry. Leave me alone.
CHLOE: Stan, use your head. How are we going to get through life without me talking to Jim next door or without you talking to Tammy? (STAN LOOKS AT CHLOE AS IF HE WAS STRUCK WITH A LIGHTNING BOLT. PAUSE. CHLOE EXPECTS STAN TO REACT IN SOME WAY -- TO SAY SOMETHING -- BUT HE IS SILENT WITH A GUILTY LOOK ON HIS FACE AS IF CHLOE KNOWS SOMETHING, BUT SHE DOESN'T. SHE STUMBLED INTO SOMETHING BY ACCIDENT) What's the matter with you? What is it with you? Why is it you don't want me to talk to them? There's something there, isn't there? What is it? You aren't jealous, are you? No, it's not jealousy. It's something else. But what?
STAN: I've got to go.
CHLOE: Oh, no! You stay! You stay and talk this out. Now, what is it? It's not jealousy. No. It can't be. I never gave you cause to be jealous. (PAUSE) I know. I know what it is. I was too blind to see it. I trusted you because I never had a thought of betraying you. But you -- you ... You have always been suspicious of everything I ever did. Where was I when I was gone too long? Who was I talking to? Who was I looking at? It was all in your mind. Your sick, sick mind. (CHLOE BEATS HIM WITH THE PAPER AND CRIES HYSTERICALLY. SHE HASN'T ROLLED THE PAPER, PLANNING TO BEAT HIM WITH IT. IT IS A SPONTANEOUS OUTBURST DURING WHICH SHE VENTS HER WRATH) It's Tammy, isn't it? ISN'T IT?
STAN: Honey, I ah ...
CHLOE: Answer me! You with Tammy! How could you?
STAN: It -- it just -- happened.
CHLOE: Stan, you're sick.
STAN: You don't understand. It's not my fault.
CHLOE: I understand. I finally understand. I understand you very well.
STAN: It -- it just -- happened.
CHLOE: (TOTALLY IN CONTROL) I understand you now, Stan. You finally found a woman who understands you -- completely. (SHE EXITS)
STAN: You don't understand. Not really, you don't. (HE EXITS)
All too often the evil we see in another is the evil that is within ourselves. The beatitudes are at their core a plea for a pure heart. This cannot be attained by striving but by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Then we can be trustworthy and forgiving.
Summary
Stan and his wife Chloe are in the midst of a fight that has lasted all week. Stan is accusing Chloe of flirting with a neighbor, but it is Stan who has been having an affair with the neighbor's wife -- right next door.
Playing Time
3 1/2 minutes
Setting
Modern day -- Stan and Chloe's home
Props
Paper for Stan
Costumes
Modern
Time
The present
Cast
STAN -- a worldly man
CHLOE -- his wife
CHLOE: (ENTERS ALONG WITH STAN. STAN IS READING THE PAPER) How long?
STAN: How long what?
CHLOE: You know what.
STAN: Leave me alone.
CHLOE: You haven't talked to me since Friday.
STAN: I'm talking to you now.
CHLOE: You know what I mean. Talk to me!
STAN: I'm busy.
CHLOE: I can't stand it.
STAN: Leave me alone.
CHLOE: Talk to me!
STAN: No!
CHLOE: (SNATCHING THE PAPER FROM HIS HANDS) You will talk to me!
STAN: (CLENCHING HIS FIST AND DRAWING IT BACK) Don't make me hit you!
CHLOE: (DEFIANTLY, BUT STAYING OUT OF HIS REACH) What's new, huh, Stan? What's new? Go ahead, hit me. Hit me. If you hit me at least I know you're relating to me. Go ahead. I'm almost used to it. Hit me!
STAN: Get outta here.
CHLOE: I will not! We're going to talk.
STAN: Who cares about you?
CHLOE: What is it? What is it, Stan? What's going on?
STAN: You know.
CHLOE: I was only talking to him. I told you that. Just talking. And you blew it up into this big thing.
STAN: You were talking to him for an awfully long time.
CHLOE: Stan, I told you. It was only talk. We were just making small talk.
STAN: Small talk about what?
CHLOE: Just about his work and stuff. I don't know.
STAN: I don't want you talking to him anymore.
CHLOE: He's our neighbor, our next-door neighbor. How can I not talk to him?
STAN: Just don't. That's all.
CHLOE: I've got to talk to him once in a while. He's our next-door neighbor. Be reasonable.
STAN: I just don't want you talking to him. Is that clear?
CHLOE: Why not? Why is this so important to you?
STAN: Isn't it enough that I said I don't want you to talk to him?
CHLOE: No! It's not enough!
STAN: Don't make me angry.
CHLOE: How can I do that, Stan? How can I not make you angry? Everything I do makes you angry.
STAN: If you left me alone I wouldn't get angry. Leave me alone.
CHLOE: Stan, use your head. How are we going to get through life without me talking to Jim next door or without you talking to Tammy? (STAN LOOKS AT CHLOE AS IF HE WAS STRUCK WITH A LIGHTNING BOLT. PAUSE. CHLOE EXPECTS STAN TO REACT IN SOME WAY -- TO SAY SOMETHING -- BUT HE IS SILENT WITH A GUILTY LOOK ON HIS FACE AS IF CHLOE KNOWS SOMETHING, BUT SHE DOESN'T. SHE STUMBLED INTO SOMETHING BY ACCIDENT) What's the matter with you? What is it with you? Why is it you don't want me to talk to them? There's something there, isn't there? What is it? You aren't jealous, are you? No, it's not jealousy. It's something else. But what?
STAN: I've got to go.
CHLOE: Oh, no! You stay! You stay and talk this out. Now, what is it? It's not jealousy. No. It can't be. I never gave you cause to be jealous. (PAUSE) I know. I know what it is. I was too blind to see it. I trusted you because I never had a thought of betraying you. But you -- you ... You have always been suspicious of everything I ever did. Where was I when I was gone too long? Who was I talking to? Who was I looking at? It was all in your mind. Your sick, sick mind. (CHLOE BEATS HIM WITH THE PAPER AND CRIES HYSTERICALLY. SHE HASN'T ROLLED THE PAPER, PLANNING TO BEAT HIM WITH IT. IT IS A SPONTANEOUS OUTBURST DURING WHICH SHE VENTS HER WRATH) It's Tammy, isn't it? ISN'T IT?
STAN: Honey, I ah ...
CHLOE: Answer me! You with Tammy! How could you?
STAN: It -- it just -- happened.
CHLOE: Stan, you're sick.
STAN: You don't understand. It's not my fault.
CHLOE: I understand. I finally understand. I understand you very well.
STAN: It -- it just -- happened.
CHLOE: (TOTALLY IN CONTROL) I understand you now, Stan. You finally found a woman who understands you -- completely. (SHE EXITS)
STAN: You don't understand. Not really, you don't. (HE EXITS)
