(Dad sits in the chair, reading the paper. The son sits on the floor beside him, bound with duct tape. The son makes a noise, and the dad shoots him a glare. The son quiets again. . Or maybe you wish to keep the son hidden, under a box or blanket, but still bound with duct tape. Mom enters, with her arms full of groceries. She doesn’t see the son’s condition.)

MOM: Honey! I’m home.

DAD: That’s nice.

(Mom proceeds to deal with the groceries, upstage.)

MOM: How’s Keith?

(Dad looks at the son.)

DAD: He’s fine.

MOM: He wasn’t any trouble for you was he?

DAD: No, no trouble at all.

MOM: That’s good. He can be a handful sometimes.

(Dad looks at son.)

DAD: Not for me.

(Mom comes and kisses dad on the cheek.)

MOM: Oh, you have such a wonderful way with – (she sees Keith and shrieks).

What in the name of God is going on here?

DAD: Well, there was that one little incident involving lighter fluid and the cat. But once we got that straightened out, everything’s been fine. Isn’t that right, son?

(The son nods agreement. Or, if the son is hidden, the dad removes whatever covers him to reveal his duct-taped condition.)

See? ---- THE END ------------

(Dad sits in the chair, reading the paper. The son sits on the floor beside him, bound with duct tape. The son makes a noise, and the dad shoots him a glare. The son quiets again. Or maybe you wish to keep the son hidden, under a box or blanket, but still bound with duct tape. Mom enters, with her arms full of groceries. She doesn’t see the son’s condition.)

MOM: Honey! I’m home.

DAD: That’s nice.

(Mom proceeds to deal with the groceries, upstage.)

MOM: How’s Keith?

(Dad looks at the son.)

DAD: He’s fine.

MOM: He wasn’t any trouble for you was he?

DAD: No, no trouble at all.

MOM: That’s good. He can be a handful sometimes.

(Dad looks at son. Or, if the son is hidden, the dad removes whatever covers him to reveal his duct-taped condition.)

DAD: Not for me.

---- THE END ------------

(Dad sits in the chair, reading the paper. The son sits on the floor beside him, bound with duct tape. The son makes a noise, and the dad shoots him a glare. The son quiets again. Mom enters, with her arms full of groceries. She doesn’t see the son’s condition.)

MOM: Honey! I’m home.

DAD: That’s nice.

(Mom proceeds to deal with the groceries, upstage.)

MOM: How’s Keith?

(Dad looks at the son.)

DAD: He’s fine.

MOM: He wasn’t any trouble for you was he?

DAD: No, no trouble at all.

MOM: That’s good. He can be a handful sometimes.

(Dad looks at son. Or, if the son is hidden, the dad removes whatever covers him to reveal his duct-taped condition.)

DAD: Not for me.

Well, there was that one little incident involving lighter fluid and the cat. But once we got that straightened out, everything’s been fine. Just fine. Isn’t that right, son?

(The son nods agreement. Lights out.)

---- THE END ------------

Cast of three – 1 male, 1 female, 1 male child (can be played as a female, if necessary. In that case, change the name ‘Keith’ to "Kelsey."

Dwayne Yancey

1791 Mount Pleasant Church Road

Fincastle, VA 24090

Days: 540 981 3113

Nights: 540 473 3313

Email: dwayneyancey@yahoo.com