The play opens in a hospital waiting room. Four empty chairs sit as a waiting room.
(J: John L: Lisa S: Sara M: March)
L: (confused, slowly) What’s going on John?
J: We’re in the hospital. Maggie overdosed.
L: What? Is she going to be okay?
J: I don’t know. She overdosed on whatever you gave her. What was that stuff anyway?
L: Nothing.
J: Nothing? I know you better than that Lisa.
L: No really. She might have gotten some coke from Tony. I don’t remember.
J: How could you let that happen?
L: How could YOU let that happen? Where were you?
J: You know I was there the whole time.
L: Yea, I know.
[John sits down, placing his head in his hands. Lisa starts to shake and quiver.]
L: I don’t know what happened John... I don’t... I didn’t... I mean... Do they know about... Is she going to be okay?
J: I don’t know, Lisa. I don’t know.
L: Why not? I mean... I was with her the whole time... You saw me... I mean... I do this stuff all the time and nothing happens... I don’t understand... Why her? Why? It’s not my fault. Is it? It’s not my fault.
J: Sit down Lisa. This isn’t anyone’s fault.
L: It’s someone’s fault. It’s always someone’s fault. It’s not my fault.
[Sara enters]
S: Where is she?
J: Where is who?
S: My sister, Maggie. Who are you?
J: I’m John. [Stands and offers hand] I’m Maggie’s boyfriend.
L: Hi Sara.
S: [Ignores extended hand] Oh, so you’re the boyfriend. What have you done to my sister?
J: She overdosed. I brought her here.
S: I can’t even believe they let you into this hospital. You sorry excuse for a friend. How could you let this happen to MY sister?
L: Your sister? Maggie really appreciated the fact that you called on her birthday.
S: I was busy.
L: You’re always busy. I wasn’t.
J: This isn’t about who was busy when, this is about Maggie. She needs us right now.
S: You can’t help an addict. And I WAS busy.
L: Where’s the bathroom? Anybody need to go?
J: You’re not leaving my sight Lisa.
L: Then you’re coming with me.
[Lisa and John exit. Sara pulls out a cell phone and starts talking.]
S: Hey. This is Sara. Yeah, I can’t meet you for dinner tonight. My stupid sister is in the hospital. Crazy drug addicts. What can you do though, there’s one in every family. Yeah, I’m really sorry. This is SO embarrassing. I just wish she’d get her life in order. All she does is party. Personally I just wish she’d learn. She really should follow my example. [She laughs] Yes, I AM the good sister...
[March walks in]
S: Yeah, so, I’ll give you a call. Bye. [Puts away phone and gets teary eyed] I’m so glad you could make it March.
M: How is she?
S: I don’t know. I just got here.
M: Do you know what happened?
S: All I know is that I got a call on my cell phone telling me that my sister was in the hospital in critical care. They wouldn’t give me any more details though. I don’t know why.
M: They probably didn’t tell you too much because they didn’t want to worry you. Thanks for calling me though.
S: Well I figured someone from the church needed to be here. You were the first one who came to mind. You’re practically one of the family.
M: How are you handling this?
S: [sits down] I’m not sure to deal with it. I love her, but she brought this on herself.
M: [sits down next to her] There’s only so much you can do for a person who doesn’t want to help themselves, or let God help them.
S: Do you remember in high school that time when she came to youth group drunk and you told her not to come back like that again?
M: Yeah, I just wish she’d come back. Sober.
S: She ranted for weeks about how unaccepting the church was and how it was full of a bunch of hypocrites.
M: We’re not all hypocrites.
S: I know, I know.
M: You can’t let this situation get to you. God is in control.
S: I just wish she wouldn’t ruin her life like this. I’ve tried to help her. I’ve always tried to be available to pray with her or to take her to church, or whatever she wanted to do. I’ve been the best sister I could possibly be to her, but she keeps shutting me out, just like she’s shut out the church.
M: She’s brought this on herself. Don’t try to carry all the blame.
S: I don’t... I just wish she’d realize what she has instead of turning to her stupid drug addict friends.
[Lisa and John return]
L: That would be us.
J: Speak for yourself.
S: Speak of the devil.
L: She’s the devil?
M: No, I’m not the devil. I’m, March, the youth pastor.
L: Same difference.
M: I don’t believe I’ve met either of you.
J: I’m John, the boyfriend.
L: I’m Lisa, the stupid drug addict friend.
M: So were you two with Maggie when this incident occurred?
L: What’s that suppose to mean?
M: I’m just wondering what happened to Maggie.
S: Of course they were there.
L: What’s that suppose to mean?
S: You know what that means.
L: Yeah, I’m the only one who knows anything about YOUR sister.
J: Lisa...
L: I mean she tried to talk to you. It’s not like Maggie didn’t ask for help. But you’re too stuck up to listen to her when she...
S: Stop.
L: When she tried to talk to you, you were just to busy. And just so you know it’s not our fault Maggie started doing drugs.
M: Lisa, that’s enough.
L: No, it’s not enough. She didn’t feel like she had anyone who cared. Not even her own sister. Yeah, sure you’re here right now. But you probably don’t even WANT to be here. And all you’re doing is insulting the people who really do care about her!
M: We all care about Maggie.
L: And who are you? Are you the one who told her she couldn’t come back to church? Did you know she really LIKED church? I don’t know why she did. But she did. Till you guys told her that she couldn’t come back.
M: We didn’t tell her...
L: YES YOU DID! And if it wasn’t for John here, she’d most likely be dead. But all you guys can do is treat him like he’s done something wrong. You guys don’t know how much he’s helped her. How many times he’s saved her.
J: Lisa, please, stop.
[Lisa stops and sits]
[Pause]
J: I wonder how she’s doing.
[Pause]
J: You guys I wonder what they’re doing in there. [Pause] Come’on guys, we’re here for Maggie.
S: I think you two should leave.
J: And what good is that gonna do? Then if Maggie makes it then there’s two people waiting for her instead of four? We all care about her.
S: If you really cared about her you wouldn’t have let her do it.
J: That’s not fair Sara. Nobody here is responsible for Maggie’s choices. No one here is perfect. We’ve all messed up. Maggie would be really sad if she knew that we were all out here fighting... over nothing.
M: Sara, I remember the first time that you and Maggie came to church. She was seven I believe. Pastor Hoffs went to pick Maggie up and she got scared and kicked him in the groin.
[They all laugh]
S: Well, our parents always told us to kick strange men.
L: She did that to John, too.
J: A couple times. Maggie worked with me at a gas station. It took me weeks to get up the courage to say anything more than “Hi” to her. One day she came to work wearing a Dodgers hat. When we had a slow point in the customers I sucked up my courage and said the first words I’d ever said to her: “Have you ever had a Dodger dog?”
M: A dodger dog?
J: It’s a long hotdog that they sell at Dodger games. It hangs out over the edge of the bun. You can have relish and sauerkraut and mustard and ketchup. It’s real good. I thought that since she was wearing a Dodger’s hat she must be a Dodger’s fan. And if you’re a Dodger’s fan then you must have gone to a game. And if you go to a game, you have to have a Dodger dog.
L: Shut up geek boy.
J: So anyway, that’s when she kicked me in the groin.
M: Over a Dodger dog?
S: Doesn’t surprise me. With a lame pick up line like that.
J: Yes, over a Dodger dog. Later she tried to tell me it was because I scared her by sneaking up on her. I don’t buy it, but I let her get away with it.
M: So whatever got the two of you together after that?
L: So she kicked him a second time and a third time and a fourth time, and finally he just out and told her that he loved her.
S: That always gets the girls.
M: What did she say to that?
J: She laughed. Thought it was an April Fool’s Joke or something. I reminded her it was January.
S: I would have thought it a joke, too.
J: Joke or not, it got the lines of communication working. We started going out for coffee after work and got to know each other. She seemed so hurt. Like there was something inside of her that just ached constantly. The more I got to know her the more apparent it became. When I saw just how deep it was, I never wanted to hurt her or let anything else hurt her ever again.
M: Did you?
J: I wish I could say that I hadn’t. But love hurts sometimes. And I’ve told her some things that she didn’t want to hear when she needed to hear it.
S: I’m surprised that she listened to you.
J: If she did we wouldn’t be here right now.
L: You guys don’t understand; it’s not that easy.
J: No, it’s not. Things like this are never easy. But I promised her I would never leave if she promised to change.
S: Never trust a junkie.
M: Change only happens when you want to change. Not just because you make a promise.
J: Change hurts.
L: Yeah I know... It’s like when you have a feather pillow... and one of the feathers is sticking out... and it’s so annoying... and it just bugs you. [dramatic pause] I got one of those in my pants right now. [Pause]
S: What?
L: You guys all seem to think this is something you can cliche your way out of. It isn’t that simple. You guys don’t know what it’s like to not want to deal with anything anymore. To escape. It’s not your typical hang nail size problem. You can’t just clip away life. It’s always there.
[March goes over and tries to put hand around Lisa]
L: [Pulling away] Don’t touch me, you don’t even know me. Don’t pretend to understand my problems.
M: I... I’m sorry. I was just trying,..
L: I know what you were trying to do. You were trying to act like you understand. You were trying to be my friend. But you can’t. We’re in two different worlds. I know that, you know that, everybody knows that.
M: I don’t understand...
J: March, imagine that you’re tied up. You can’t get loose. And someone is poking you in the eye repeatedly. Over and over. For hours. Constantly poking you. How would you feel during all this?
M: Well.. I certainly wouldn’t like it.
J: Now come on, someone is poking you repeatedly and you just don’t “like it.”
M: Where are you going with this?
J: Just answer me.
M: Well... it would hurt... a lot...
L: It feels like the pressure keeps building up. Every poke is worse than the last. You just don’t want to put up with it anymore. You just want to scream!
J: That’s why Lisa started doing drugs. Well, that’s not exactly why.
L: Shut up, John.
J: Lisa, if you want them to understand, you at least have to tell them what there is to understand.
L: There’s nothing to understand, I’m on drugs, that’s it.
J: Lisa’s step dad beat her.
L: John...
J: So this has nothing to do with your step dad?
L: No, John.
J: Yes, it does. While her step dad beat her, her mom was completely oblivious. When she was 16, she packed up her stuff and left.
L: I didn’t leave because of that! Why are you telling them any way? It’s none of their business what happened to me! What are they going to do? Pray about it? Lot of good that’s done.
J: She spent the night in a park; where she met Tony.
L: Tony has nothing to do with this.
S: Who’s Tony?
J: He’s Lisa’s ex-boyfriend.
L: He just gives me drugs, you idiot.
J: That too.
S: Why am I not surprised?
J: Lisa was at the edge. Just fed up. And Tony seemed to have all the right answers.
L: I’m not stupid, John.
J: Do you want to tell the story?
L: No, why don’t we talk about your life?
J: Because no one here understands your life, or Maggie’s, maybe this will help them.
L: Fine. I hate my step dad. After I my dad died my mom married this complete boozer. Nothing I ever did was good enough for him. I wasn’t smart enough. I wasn’t pretty enough. I wasn’t clean enough. I wasn’t tall enough. I wasn’t blonde enough. I wasn’t funny enough. I wasn’t... enough. So he hit me. A lot. I tried to tell me mom. But she didn’t listen. She was never there. She was either at work, or at the bar, or just out. So I left, it was no big deal.
J: It was a big deal, Lisa.
M: So how does Tony fit into all this?
L: He fits fine.
S: What?
L: He fit my life completely. He knew exactly how I felt. He knew about the constant pounding of life. So when he offered me some coke, I took it. And I liked it. For the first time I felt like I was in control of my life. I felt like I could stand up to my step dad. I felt free.
M: So, do you still feel like that?
L: What?
M: Do you still feel in control? Do you still feel like you can stand up to your step dad? Do you still feel free?
[Long pause as Lisa stares off into space]
M: Lisa?
L: Nevermind.
[Pause]
L: John, I knew I shouldn’t have said anything.
J: I’m glad you did.
S: But that’s not how Maggie feels.
L: How would you know?
S: Cause she’s my sister. I grew up with her. She was never beaten, she was never abused. That’s not how she feels.
L: I feel sorry for you. You’re so naive.
S: No, I feel sorry for YOU. You’re the one who’s naive. You can’t even handle your own problems. You’re sitting hear complaining to us. Sharing your tragic life story. And you don’t even realize that other people have problems too. Life doesn’t revolve around you Lisa.
J: That’s not fair, Sara.
S: Life isn’t fair. Why don’t you tell HER that?
L: I need to go to the bathroom again.
J: Will you make it alright on your own?
L: I’m a big girl John. I can handle myself.
[Lisa leaves]
S: What’s her problem?
M: Maybe it’s not her problem.
S: Then whose is it? It’s someone’s fault. It’s always someone’s fault.
J: Why are you trying to find someone to blame? Does it matter whose fault it is? Maggie is in the hospital. Lisa is hurting. And you’re not making this any easier.
S: This isn’t easy for me either. I use to get along with my sister. We were best friends. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know what changed. But she hurt me.
J: Sara, you’ve hurt her more than you’ll ever realize.
S: What are you talking about? One day we were close, and then the next day she wouldn’t talk to me.
J: I remember asking Maggie one day about her family because she never talked about them. She said she preferred not to, it was too painful.
M: Why was it painful?
J: She only told me one story. It was about you Sara.
S: Well, I’m flattered.
J: Maggie always told me how she was the bad child of the family. And how Sara was always the good one. She said that she got tired of living up her sister’s standards of perfection. One night Maggie was at her first party. She got drunk for the first time in her life. So she called up her sister to ask her to pick her up because she knew she was too drunk to drive. Do you remember what happened in the car ride, Sara?
S: No, I don’t.
J: You spent the ride home telling her how disappointed you were in her. How ashamed of her you were. How embarrassed. Do you remember now?
S: No, I must have forgotten the incident entirely.
J: Maggie never did.
S: I.. I... never realized.
M: No man can tame the tongue.
[Lisa enters]
L: Did you guys have a good little talk about me while I was gone? Boy, you meet the nicest people in the bathroom. My stall was out of toilet paper, so I kindly asked the woman in the stall next to me to hand me some. Turns out she’s a friend of a friend’s friend. We talked about toilet paper, and Kung Fu, body piercing, fish net stalkings, Fight Club, the color purple, burlap, dreams, hair clips, cashmere, elephant tusks, banana nut pie, Alan Ginsberg, velcro shoes, Pikachu, garbonzo beans, Mexican food, horticulture, dictatorship, communism...
J: [Talking over Lisa] I wonder how Maggie is doing?
L: Dancing, glasses, Lays potato chips, the internet, witchcraft, Al Gore, chestnuts, Disneyland, Vicadin, butterflies, The Godfather, pizza, pneumonia...
J: [Stronger] I wonder how Maggie is doing...
L:... and God.
All: What?
L: Just kidding.
M: You shouldn’t take the name of God in vain.
L: I suppose you wouldn’t like anything put in veins.
M: No, not particularly.
L: So, what were you guys talking about?
S: Lisa, did Maggie ever mention anything about me saying she was an embarrassment?
L: Are you talking about the time you picked her up from Mike’s party?
S: I guess. She told you about that to?
L: Told me about it. That’s all she talked about for months.
S: I... never realized...
L: Of course you didn’t. But don’t think this was the only time it happened Sara. This incident was just the one that drove her over the edge. You’ve always compared her to how “great” you are and told her how embarrassing and pathetic she is.
S: Is that why she stopped talking to me? Is that why she stopped coming home? Is that why she started doing drugs? Because of me? Because of one little thing that I said, that I don’t even remember saying?
J: No, that’s not why entirely. But it started it. She just found a place where she could belong. That accepted her for who she was; not for who she could be.
M: Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father...
L: And that!
M: What?
L: That’s exactly what she wanted to stay away from. It’s really easy to preach to someone, but it’s a lot harder to love them. That’s all that you and Sara ever did to her! Tell her how unworthy she was, how much of a sinner she was, how imperfect she was. But you never once tried to truly LOVE her. If you shoot down someone enough times in the name of God they begin to believe it. I’ve been to your Sunday school classes. I’ve heard some of your sermons. Your Jesus never told anyone how bad they were. All he did was love people. [to Sara] Jesus never told people that he was embarrassed of them. [To March] And Jesus never told people not to talk to him until they stopped screwing up; until they were perfect. It’s really sad when you can’t even run to God, because the God that you Christians show us is the meanest God I’ve ever seen.
M: Our God is a vengeful God...
L: March, do you know we would have gone to church? We would have had interest in the church, if we thought we would actually see God there.
M: Where two or three are gathered in His name, God is there...
L: Ugh... you people frustrate me. You can say all the Bible verses that you want. You can talk all you want. Don’t you understand? It means nothing! Absolutely nothing! It’s just empty words if you don’t have action behind it.
S: You’re right Lisa, you’re absolutely right. I’m going to go talk to Maggie.
[Sara leaves]
M: Well, it’s nice to see the drugs are wearing off.
L: Unfortunately.
M: You have to be willing to see God.
L: You have to be willing to show God.
J: March, you have to realize that from the outside the church is a really unwelcoming place...Sometimes it seems like it’s just a bunch of people who get stuck in the Bible and forget to look at what it really says. I think what Lisa’s trying to say is...
L: I think Lisa said what she wanted to say.
J: I think what Lisa’s trying to say is that Maggie cared a lot about you and that Maggie cared a lot about you and that Maggie cared a lot about Sara, but that the word of God is as sharp as a double edge sword, and you’ve been using it to stab her instead of teach her. She has a willingness to listen, but she’s also confused and angry and wants to be loved.
M: We do love her.
J: But is it conditional?
(pause)
J: There are no conditions to Christ’s love.
M: I just hope Maggie knows that.
J: Me too.
M: So where did you learn about the Bible, John?
J: I grew up in the church. My family is Christian.
M: Then what happened?
J: Nothing. What do you mean?
M: Well you go to parties, you’re friends with Lisa, and you’re dating Maggie. Obviously something happened.
J: Something did happen. I found the true meaning of following Christ. I love Maggie, not Maggie’s drugs. I asked her to change, but I’m not about to walk away and hope she does it on her own. She promised she would, and love always trusts...You don’t have to memorize Bible verses to show the love of Christ. I believe the strongest faith is one that needs no words...the strongest message of Christ could be a person at a party taking care of his friends and trying all along to be a good example to those who have none.
M: But what about church?
J: Where two are gathered in his name, God is there. You said it yourself. You don’t have to have a steeple to show God’s love. You don’t have to be indoors. You just have to live it.
M: And do you live it?
J: As much as I can. We’re all human. We all have points where we fail, but I do the best I can to show God’s love... to everybody.
M: Then they’re lucky to have you as their friend.
J: And I’m lucky to have them as mine.
L: I wonder what Sara is saying to her.
J: There’s a lot that needs to be said. I’m glad she realizes that.
L: Yeah, like, “I’m sorry for ruining your life,” and “I’m sorry that I’m a shallow jerk...”
J: Give her a break, Lisa. She doesn’t know how to handle Maggie any better than you know how to handle her.
L: Well, she doesn’t have to be so mean about it.
J: And neither do you.
[Sara walks in, sits down, shocked look on her face]
S: [slowly] She’s dead.
L: What?!
S: She just died. Maggie just...
L: What are you talking about? She didn’t die... there’s no way she...
S: Lisa, she did. I saw her. I told her I was sorry and I love her and then something happened, and the machine was just a straight line...
J: Oh... oh my gosh...
S: ...And then the nurse came in and said I had to leave...
L: No... No... that’s not what happened... that’s not what’s supposed to happen... I don’t understand... I don’t understand... What God? What do you want? What do you wnat from me? What are...?
J: Lisa, calm down. There’s no point in making a scene.
L: no point in making a scene? What’s wrong with you? This is your girlfriend we’re talking about!!! This is.. no... this is wrong. This is not the way it’s supposed to happen. I’m supposed to be the one that dies. I’m supposed to be the one that dies. I’m the one that... [covers her mouth as if she has just realized the truth]
J: Lisa, don’t do this. It’s not your fault. Maggie made her own decisions, and none of us were responsible for them.
S: That’s not true John. There were things we could have done to help her. There were things I could have done to help her.
M: Hopefully she’s with the Lord now.
L: Do you think so?
M: If she made the decision to accept him, he would never leave her.
L: I have to go. I have to get out of here.
J: Where are you going to go?
L: Wherever...
J: It’s not worth it, Lisa.
L: What do you mean, it’s not worth it?
J: You’re going to get drugs. It’s not worth it. There’s nothing in a pill or a needle or a tab that’s going to make you feel better.
L: That’s what you think.
J: That’s what I know. What happened to Maggie is going to happen to you, if you don’t stop. Maybe the fact that Maggie is gone won’t sink in for a while, I know it won’t with me, but you have to learn something from this.
S: We all have to learn something from this. I want to learn to be a better sister. I want to learn to not always judge people based on stupid things.
J: I want to learn to love people unconditionally... Lisa? March?
[March remains silent]
L: I want to leave now. I can’t stay here. I just can’t I need to get away.
S: Lisa, please don’t mess up your life like this.
L: What do you care? You don’t even like me!
S: No, not a lot. But, you were Maggie’s best friend, and I know she loved you. I just don’t want to watch another person with potential completely fall apart.
L: I’ve already fallen apart. There’s no putting the pieces back together again.
M: Anybody can change.
L: Even you? When are you going to start seeing what’s going on around you? When are you going to change, lady? You can’t even see past your little church building. You can’t even see that there are people hurting because of you. You can’t even see anything outside of your books and your theology and your rules and your regulations. Don’t try to fix me! My sister just died... and I don’t need any of your God words to make it better. When are YOU going to change?
M: Lisa, you don’t even know the things that I see. I have had to stand and watch as a member of my youth group stopped coming to church and started handing out with druggies. I have had to watch as she slowly moved away from God, and instead engaged in behavior that is foreign to me. I’ve had to watch because the little girl that I once knew stopped trusting me and stopped talking to me. Don’t put me down for the way that I feel about this situation. There is no other way I can feel. I am disappointed. I am hurt. I’m sad... and I most definitely do see what’s going on outside of my church. There sometimes just isn’t anything I can do about it.
L: Then don’t ask me to do anything about it.
J: That’s stupid, Lisa. I know that you deal with things this way. I know that it’s easy for you to pretend that you don’t care about anything... but deep down, I know that you are convinced that this life isn’t right for you.
L: What is this? Group intervention? What? You guys are all gonna gang up on me and then you can all feel better because you “fixed” somebody? It’s NOT that easy.
S: I know it’s not easy. I can’t even pretend to understand your life, or Maggie’s life. All I know si that someone I loved is now gone, and I don’t want to see it happen to anybody else. Maggie didn’t decide to change, Lisa... but I think she wanted to...
J: She did.
S: ... and I think she probably wants you to.
L: I can’t.
M: Why not?
L: I just can’t.
J: Yes, you can.
L: But I can’t.
S: Lisa, I think you...
L: I’m scared. I don’t know how to live a normal life. I don’t know how to deal with things any other way. I don’t know how to deal with this. Without Maggie, I don’t have anybody.
J: You have me.
M: You have God.
L: She was my best friend. She didn’t ever do anything to hurt anybody. She wasn’t like me, but she liked me. If she’d never met me, she’d be alive right now. I feel like this is my entire fault.
S: This isn’t anybody’s fault, Lisa. It’s not always somebody’s fault. Bad things happen, and we don’t always know why.
J: Maggie loved you Lisa. She never saw you as the reason for her using drugs. You were just her friend.
L: Yeah, whatever. I’m leaving.
J: No, Lisa don’t.
L: I need to... go. I’m sorry.
M: We’re all sorry.
L: Whatever. What good is staying going to do?
J: What good is leaving going to do?
L: [sad and unsure] At least I’ll feel better. [Lisa leaves]
S: Lisa, Lisa... Please don’t go. Please...
J: Let her go. When she’s ready for answers she’ll come back. We just have to be willing to accept her when she does.
M: I just hope she comes for answers before it’s too late.
S: I can’t believe Maggie’s gone.
J: I can’t either. I loved her so much.
M: We all did.
S: It’s just...I don’t know what life is going to be like without a sister. I know I probably wasn’t much of a sister to her, but I did love her. I remember when we were kids, we used to bundle up in our pajamas and sit in front of the fire while our dad read us stories. I remember nights that she couldn’t sleep, when she would come into my room and get in bed with me, and we would just giggle until we finally fell asleep. I remember the first dance that she went to, she was so nervous that she spilt a cup of orange juice right down the front of her dress, and then borrowed a dress of mine without asking. When I saw the pictures from that dance I was livid about the dress, but I still felt flattered in a way that she wanted to wear it...and I watched her die...none of the bad stuff we ever went through seems that important anymore.
M: It never does.
S: I just hope she knows I love her. I just hope she knows.... I hope I didn’t mess everything up...
J: She knows, Sara.
S: I’m just going to miss her so much.
M: Honey, I think I should talk you home. You need to be in a comfortable place to sort out your feelings. I can take you home too, John.
J: I’m okay. Thanks, though.
[They exit. John sits down and holds his head in his hands. He then looks up at the ceiling and folds his hands like he is going to pray. He closes his eyes, and begins to pray silently. Then he looks up at the ceiling and slowly begins to cry...]