Courage Finds You

By Joy Smith, Age 16, and her mentor Radha Blank

Inspired by the March '09 Playwriting Workshop, "Between Night and Day"

(A WOMAN, age 35, begins a speech.)

WOMAN: Thank you. Thank you. It is an honor to be here. I would first like to thank … my family for always believing and supporting me and encouraging me to dream big. I’d then like to thank my colleagues for working so hard at supporting this dream.… Then I’d like to thank—

(She stops herself.)

WOMAN: I’d like to thank—Oh GOD! Who am I kidding!? This is crazy! Insane! What am I doing here? “But she’s a woman. Who does she think she is? She can never get the job done. Is she crazy?” Maybe … maybe I am. What am I doing? I … I don’t know.

(Just then a GIRL, 15, appears.)

WOMAN: Yes? Can I help you?

(The Girl just stares at her.)

WOMAN: I said, can I help you?

GIRL: Can you?

WOMAN: Wait. How did you get in here?

GIRL: Oh. I’ve been here a while. You just didn’t notice me.

WOMAN: But how did you …

(Woman notices that the Girl holds a picture of her in her hands. She motions her over. Girl hands her the picture.)

WOMAN: Okay. Who should I make this out to?

GIRL: To “Jimmy.”

WOMAN: Jimmy?

GIRL: It’s not for me.

WOMAN (begins to write): “To Jimmy …”

GIRL: “Look who’s on top now, Lame-O! Your life SUCKS!”

WOMAN: Umm …

GIRL: Trust me … that works. (Beat.) Jimmy used to always tease me. Every day, I’d walk by and he’d stick out his foot and trip me.

WOMAN: He probably had a crush on you.

GIRL: Some crush! He would trip me EVERY DAY! Pull my hair, spit on me. (Off Woman’s look.) Oh yeah! He’d knocked me down, tease me … a real creep. Then he’d throw dirt on me.… He made third grade a living nightmare. (Woman hears this.) Even had a nickname for me.

GIRL/WOMAN (together): Dumbo.

WOMAN: That’s funny… that’s what I was called … by …

GIRL: Jimmy.

WOMAN: Excuse me?

GIRL: Jimmy. (beat) It’s me.

WOMAN: Who?

GIRL: You! It’s us … I mean … I’m you … you’re me!

WOMAN: WHAT!?! (She looks at Girl deeply. Maybe she sees a similarity) Oh God! (She then changes her mind.) No. That’s not possible. (looking around) I think you should leave. SECURITY!

(Female starts out and away from her.)

GIRL: You have a … no, WE have a scar right above OUR knee. It’s shaped like a coke bottle. From where JIMMY kicked us, remember?

WOMAN: Why did … HOW did—

GIRL: Because … to remind you … (beat) Not just about Jimmy … but … well … do you remember sophomore year?

GIRL/WOMAN: Sojourner Truth Academy.

GIRL: We wanted it soooo bad. It wasn’t there but we … YOU created it, almost on your own.

WOMAN: What?

GIRL: The debate team. You practically started by yourself. And we became champs, remember?

WOMAN: But I was just a kid.

GIRL: Excuse me?

WOMAN: I was full of so much … full of all this …

GIRL: Courage.

WOMAN: What’s your point?

GIRL: My point is … you did it. Did something crazy, challenging and if you could do it then …

WOMAN: This is different! I am all grown up now! It’s a crazy world and this is serious. This isn’t a game. It’s scary.

GIRL: Yeah but so was Jimmy. He was big and intimidating and loud and EVERYONE was scared of him, including you until you got sick and tired of being badgered and kicked—

WOMAN: And pushed and beat upon!

GIRL: Right! You stood up to him when no one else would. Never laid a hand on him. Nope. You used your words to make him feel like crap. You made him cry all the way home to his momma!

GIRL/WOMAN: You stubborn-born-too-soon-lopsided-brain-having-overgrown-ape-smelling-two-bit-carnival-act!

WOMAN: Yeah, I did.… WE did, didn’t we? I was sooo unafraid after that. Couldn’t tell me nothing!

GIRL: What happened?

WOMAN: Everything. Pressure. Work. School. Loss. Heartache. Life!

GIRL: Sound like excuses to me. (beat) Jimmy couldn’t tell you nothing then. They can’t tell you nothing now. There’s ALWAYS gonna be doubters … bullies …

WOMAN: I get it.

GIRL: Good because Law & Order is starting…

(She starts to leave.)

WOMAN: Hey kid …

GIRL: Yeah?

WOMAN: Thanks … thanks for everything.

GIRL: Hey, I didn’t do anything WE wouldn’t do. (beat) Except for maybe cut my hair! What were you thinking?

(Woman has no answer. With that, Girl leaves. Woman gains her composure.)

WOMAN: And I’d like to thank my staff whose immeasurable support has created a path. But my biggest thanks goes to you, the voters, who were ready to take a chance and keep the legacy of change growing in this country … and so it is with great pride that I accept my party’s nomination for the office of president of the United States of America.
Yeah … that ought to do it.

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