Guy, a teen-aged boy | |
Girl, a teen-aged girl | |
Mediator, a concerned friend |
The action takes place on the street.
Script(Guy and Girl in the middle of an arguement. The Mediator enters.)
Guy:
Well, if that's the way you feel about it, your highness....
Girl:
Your highness? You should talk! You're the one who's always insisting that we do things
your way.
Mediator:
Hold it, hold it, are you two fighting again?
Guy:
We wouldn't be fighting if she would be a little more reasonable.
Girl:
Go ahead and leave without me. I don't need this kind of aggravation.
Guy:
That's fine with me!
Mediator (interceding):
Come on now you two, you're suppose to be friends.
Guy:
Friends -- are suppose to be reasonable, not unreasonable.
Girl:
It shouldn't be so unreasonable to expect a guy to respect a girl's feelings.
Mediator:
She's right. We should all respect one anothers feelings. Look, I think I may have a
remedy to this problem. I read about it in McCall's last week.
Guy:
McCall's? What's a McCall?
Girl:
It's a magazine.
Mediator:
It had a really good article written by a leading psychologist, about resolving conflicts.
He says that it's unhealthy to deal with conflicts directly. Using a passive technique
works much better.
Girl:
How does it work?
Mediator:
Well, when you find yourself heading for a disgreement, instead of using harsh, negative
words, you should express your emotions in a non-threatening way by assigning a numerical
value between one and ten.
Guy:
Huh?
Girl:
I don't get it.
Mediator:
Well, let's say you just started a disagreement and you feel very strongly in favor of
something. In this case, you would simply assign a high value to your feeling, say an
eight or a nine. If you strongly oppose the idea, then you would give it a low value, such
as a two, or a three.
Guy:
I can see it now. All we'll do from now aon is talk in numbers.
Mediator:
No you won't. This technique will help diffuse the situation so that you two will be able
to open up to a more constructive conversations.
Guy:
I don't know about this.
Girl:
Well, you won't know until you try.
Guy (resigning):
All right.
Girl:
Okay then, what about the movie?
Guy:
What about it?
Girl (exasperated):
How do you feel about it?
Guy:
You know how I feel about it.
Mediator:
Give a numerical value.
Guy:
Alright ... (Thinks) Aaaah, It depends.
Girl:
It depends doesn't count. (To Mediator) Doesn't it?
Mediator:
No, you must give it a numerical value.
Guy:
Well, it does depend. If you want me to go see the movie that you want to see then
it's a definite two. If you're talking about going to see the movie that I want to see,
then I'll give it a solid nine. If you still insist on seeing your crummy two point movie
but are willing to eat at the restaurant where I want to go, then I may be persuaded to
bump my original two number up to a four.
Girl:
A four! -- Only a four!
Guy:
Well, maybe a five, if you pay the bill -- but that's as high as I go!
Girl:
You are so selfish!
Guy:
What's so selfish about expressing my numbers in an open and meaningful way, besides you
know how much I hate syrupy romance movies.
Girl:
How about a seven, or at least a six and a half.
Guy:
Nope. Five is as high as I'll go, and all bets are off if Tammy comes along -- and that's
final.
Girl:
I have to watch my sister tonight.
Guy:
Then you go with your sister, and I'll go by myself, and we'll both have a zero time.
Girl:
Well my score will be higher than yours because I won't be alone.
Guy:
Well I'd rather be saving the world with Arnold Schwarzenegger, then trying to salvage an
evening with your goofy little sister.
Girl:
That's enough! One more derogatory remark about my sister and I'll give you a five. (Brandishing
a fist)
Guy:
I can't deal with this. I have to go or I'm going to be late for the show.
(The Guy exits.)
Girl:
Some friend you are!
Mediator:
I'm so sorry. Can we talk later? -- I'll call.
Girl:
Don't bother. I'm going with an unlisted number from now on -- thank you very much!
(Girl exits, Mediator draws a deep sigh)
Mediator (toward the audience):
I'm afraid I just scored a minus two.