The Wait
© 2003 by Edward J. Thomas, all rights reserved
CHARACTERS
TINA - Female, 12-14
RITA - Female, 35-40
ELLIE - Female, 8-10
WILL - Male, 25-35
DR. JAMISON - Either gender, 35-60
SYNOPSIS
Comedy
1 man, 3 women, 1 either sex
You never know what kind of people you'll meet in a waiting room.
TINA
(Waving, to someone outside)
Hi!
RITA
Tina! Sit down, please.
TINA
But I was just…
RITA
Sit!
(TINA slowly moves back to her chair. RITA returns to her phone call)
Sorry about that… Look, do you think we can work this out? … I agree, but I don’t want to pay too much without being reimbursed…
(TINA picks up the book and looks through it again)
Okay, so what can we do about that?
TINA
(Again reading loudly)
I am Sam. Sam I am.
RITA
Tina, read to yourself, please.
(Into phone)
Sorry again.
(TINA puts the book down and stares intently at the magazine WILL is reading)
So it sounds like we’re almost on the same page… Good to hear.
(Sees TINA staring)
Okay. Look, I’m going to have to call you back. We’ll discuss it then… Thanks, bye.
(She hangs up)
Tina?
(No response)
Tina!
(TINA looks at her)
Now, what did I tell you about talking to strangers?
TINA
(Pointing toward the outer door)
But they’re my girlfriends!
RITA
No, they aren’t, they’re janitors. And one of them is a man.
TINA
They’re still my friends!
RITA
I told you about talking to strangers.
ELLIE
You’re not supposed to talk to strangers.
RITA
(To ELLIE)
Yes, sweetie. That’s right. But I’m talking to Tina now.
TINA
Yeah, she’s talking to me now.
(ELLIE sticks her tongue out at her, then continues reading)
RITA
Tina, you can’t talk to strangers. Some of them are nice, but some aren’t, and you never know which you’re dealing with.
(TINA picks up the book again and pretends to read it and ignore her mother)
I just want you to be safe, okay? Okay?
(TINA nods her head slightly. Satisfied, RITA begins sorting through her papers again)
ELLIE
Mom?
RITA
Yes, sweetie?
ELLIE
I think I’m getting a headache.
RITA
(Very sympathetically)
Awww… I guess we’ll have to take care of that.
(She reaches into her purse and pulls out some children’s headache medicine. She takes a tablet and hands it to her)
Here, chew this up and you should be just fine.
ELLIE
Thanks, Mom.
(She chews up the medicine. Seeing this, TINA jumps up and stands in front of RITA)
TINA
Mom? Can I have some candy, too? Can I, Mom?
RITA
No, you’ve had enough candy this week.
TINA
But she just…
RITA
That was medicine. Ellie has a headache.
TINA
What if I have a headache?
RITA
Well, you don’t. So sit down, please.
TINA
But I…
RITA
Sit!
(TINA reluctantly sits and opens her book to a random page. RITA dials another number and waits for an answer)
TINA
(Reading, loudly)
I do not like green eggs and ham.
RITA
Tina! Please! Be quiet!
