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CALVIN   4'?m2f Calvinism vs Arminianism, choice

(optional light cue: dim to 50%)

(scene: bus stop sign)

LIZ -- (enters carrying briefcase, crosses to sign, bends toward
audience, looks left and right, sets down briefcase, looks at
watch, bends toward audience, looks left and right)

AMY -- (enters opposite stealthily, presses coke bottle to Liz's
back, disguises voice) Don't move or I'll shoot.

LIZ -- (straightens, raises arms) Please don't hurt me!

AMY -- Put your arms down! What are you trying to do, draw
attention to yourself?!

LIZ -- (arms down) Sorry. What do you want?

AMY -- What do you got?

LIZ -- I have a computer in my briefcase and I have this watch.
(raises arm, begins to turn)

AMY -- Turn around! What are you trying to do, get your head
blown off?!

LIZ -- (turns away) Sorry. I've never been held at gunpoint
before. I don't know what to do.

AMY -- What about them earrings you're wearing?

LIZ -- What about them?

AMY -- Are they valuable?

LIZ -- (pauses)

AMY -- Well?

LIZ -- Um, yes. They are valuable. But they're family heirlooms.
My grandmother wore them at her wedding and then my mother wore
them at her wedding.

AMY -- Is that supposed to impress me?

LIZ -- No. I'm merely telling you how things are.

AMY -- Sounds like a song and dance so you can delay until the
cops get here. Is that what you're trying to do?!

LIZ -- No. I wasn't thinking that at all. I... I just wanted to
let you know....

AMY -- Give them to me.

LIZ -- Excuse me?

AMY -- What's the matter? You deaf?! I said give me your
earrings.

LIZ -- Are you sure? I mean, I think my computer is worth more.

AMY -- This is not a negotiation, deary. I said give me the
earrings!

LIZ -- (moves hands toward ear, drops hands slightly, pauses)

AMY -- Or would you rather be dead!

LIZ -- Alright. I'll give them to you. (hands to left ear)

AMY -- (regular voice) That's okay, that won't be necessary. I
think I proved my point.

LIZ -- (turns) You! I thought you were a robber!

AMY -- And you thought THIS (shows bottle) was a gun.

LIZ -- You scared me to death! Why would you do such a thing?!

AMY -- To make a point.

LIZ -- What point?

AMY -- (smiles)

LIZ -- This is about that conversation in the lunch room today,
isn't it?

AMY -- Yes.

LIZ -- What does robbery have to do with Calvinism and
Arminianism?

AMY -- Well, you claimed that the unbeliever has a CHOICE when
he converts to Christianity. Do you still believe that the
unbeliever has a choice?

LIZ -- Well, of course! I still don't see why you had to scare
me to death!

AMY -- When you thought I was an armed robber, what real choices
did you have?

LIZ -- What REAL choices?

AMY -- Yes, as I see it you had only two choices: you could have
either given the armed robber what he demanded OR....

LIZ -- Or he'd kill me.

AMY -- So, you DID have a real choice, huh?

LIZ -- Alright. You made your point.

AMY -- I'm sorry. What point were you referring to?

LIZ -- Don't be so smug. You know darn well what I'm talking
about.

AMY -- I'd like to hear YOU say it, since you had a first-hand
experience with the same kind of life and death situation faced
by an unbeliever.

LIZ -- (sighs) Alright. You're right. In the case of the
unbeliever making his choices, it's not like choosing between
two flavors of ice cream. The choice is literally between life
and death.

AMY -- And when one of the choices is death....

LIZ -- It's not much of a choice. It's a no-brainer. When faced
with death, I was willing to give up my most cherished
possessions to save my life.

AMY -- And you can see the application to the salvation
decision?

LIZ -- It's a no-brainer! What fool would choose death if he had
a choice?!

AMY -- Bingo! You won the prize!

LIZ -- Prize? What prize?

AMY -- I have my car right over there. (points) I'll give you a
ride home. (exits)

LIZ -- (follows) Listen, Amy, noone at work has to know that I
switched sides, do they?

©2007 Bob Snook. Conditions for use:
Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it.
Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances.
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http://www.fea.net/bobsnook  email: bobsnook@fea.net

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