SKIT - Dharma and Karma

NOTE:  This is a skit I put together to demonstrate dharma and karma in 
World Civilization class.  I got the idea from 
Rama & the Ramayana: lessons in Dharma by Jean Johnson, New York University.  The 
scripts came from 
Drew's Script-O-Rama and 
Monty Python Scripts.

CHARACTERS:
College Student in her/his bedroom
Irritated Mom
Group 1: Rod Serling - standing to the side in a diner
	  Alien Counterman - with back to audience at the diner 
Group 2: Samantha Stevens of "Bewitched" - cleaning the living room of the house
	   Baby Tabitha - playing in a crib in the living room
	   Vacuum cleaner
Group 3:  Pet Shop Owner at the Pet Shop
	   Pet Shop Customer at the Pet Shop
	   Dead Parrot held by Pet Shop Customer
Group 4:  Xena, Warrior Princess,  hanging out in the forest at her campsite
	    Evil Marauder
Group 5:  Fox Mulder of the X-Files
	   Dana Scully of the X-Files
Streetlight(s) that line the street in front of the groups
Tree(s) that line the street in front of the groups

SETTING:  A house somewhere late at night.
The scene opens with a college student watching television in her/his bedroom.
The student's mother is walking toward the room in a very agitated state.
The other characters are "frozen" in the darkened background.  Streetlights and 
trees line the "street" in front of the frozen characters.  

["Mom" enters  carrying a drink.  She appears to be a bit "tipsy."  The student is lounging
in the bedroom with the television volume high.]

MOM:  (in a very annoyed voice and walking briskly)  Hey!  Hey! You little creep! Turn
that thing off.  Don't you have homework or something to do?  You are so lazy.  What
kind of son are you anyway?  Turn that thing off!  You watch too much television.  It will
make you stupid.  Turn it off right now!  
	[Mom walks off the stage still in an agitated state.]
STUDENT:  (to himself)  Oh, great.  Here she goes again.  
	[Without responding to his mother, the student turns off the
	  television and slips into bed quickly falling asleep and begins
	  to dream.  The frozen characters in the background now come
	  to life acting out their parts silently.]

STUDENT:  (rising from the bed but sleepwalking)    Where am I?  Where am I?  Help
me!  I'm lost.
		[The student walks to the first group, Rod Serling and the Counterman.]
STUDENT:  (looking at the characters) Hey! Hey! Can you help me?  I don't know where
I am!  [The other characters seem unable to hear the student.]

										2
ROD SERLING: Wintry February night, the present. Order of events: a phone call from a
frightened woman notating the arrival of an unidentified flying object.  Stay with us now
and you'll be part of an investigating team whose mission is to find a Martian in a diner,
and in just a moment you'll search because you've just landed... in the Twilight Zone.

	[The counterman turns around to face the audience revealing a third eye in the
	middle of his forehead and busts out laughing.]

STUDENT:  Are you people crazy?  This isn't the Twilight Zone.  It's my life!  
	[The student runs to the next group of people, Samantha  Stevens is pushing
	a vacuum clearner.  Tabitha is playing quietly in the corner.]

   SAMANTHA:  I'll never make it.   (she looks at the vacuum cleaner)
          Vacuum cleaner, I've got a problem.  I can spend four hours pushing you
          around and cleaning out the attic, in which case I won't have any time to
          spend with Darrin...or .... I can.... (shrugs meaningfully)
           
     	[She wiggles her nose. The vacuum cleaner goes on and begins
    	 to travel rapidly over the rug.]

STUDENT:  Is this some sort of joke?  Who's doing this?  
	[The student runs to the next group of people, a pet shop owner and a pet shop
	  customer carrying a dead parrot.]

STUDENT:  Do you have a telephone?  I need to call home.  (a pause of recognition)
	Wait a minute.  Aren't you from Monty Python?
		[The characters ignore the student.]
CUSTOMER:  (in British dialect) 'Ello, I wish to register a complaint.
 
OWNER: Oh yes, the, uh, the Norwegian Blue parrot...What's,uh...What's wrong with it?

CUSTOMER: I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. 'E's dead, that's what's
   wrong with it!

OWNER: No no he's not dead, he's, he's restin'!  Remarkable bird, the Norwegian
   Blue, idn'it, ay?  Beautiful plumage!

C: The plumage don't enter into it.   'E's passed on!  This parrot is no more!  He has         
	ceased   to be!  'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker!  'E's a stiff!  Bereft
   	of life, 'e rests in peace!  If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be
 	  pushing up the daisies!  'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory!  'E's off
  	 the twig!  'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run
  	down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!!
  	 THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!
											3
STUDENT:  I can't believe this!  Has the whole world got mad?  Get me out of here!
	[The student runs to the next group of characters, Xena and the "Marauder".]

STUDENT:  (looking in shock at the woman he see's)  Oh, please! You gotta be kidding
me!  Who do you think you are?  Xena?
		[Xena is at her campsite still asleep.  A maurauder sneaks up on her.]

MARAUDER:  Now she's ours. Ha ha. [he swings sword toward Xena..]

[XENA catches the blade between her hands and is ready, eager for the fight! She's up and
grabbing a big pot and a frying pan to do battle!]

XENA:  [fighting and yelling with the effort]  Some breakfast? Ya! [hits him with pan]
Come on! Come and get me! 

STUDENT:  What is going on?  I must be losing my mind.
	[The student moves to the last group of characters, Mulder and Scully are talking
	X-Files business.]

STUDENT:  Can you help me, PLEASE?
	[Scully & Mulder ignore the student and continue talking.]

MULDER: What if it's possible somehow to raise a body's electrostatic
charge to levels that affect objects? 

SCULLY: If a person could generate that much energy, their body would
break down.  They'd start glowing like lights.  

MULDER: Well there's evidence of this all through the x-files.
Furniture moving untouched, objects levitating, unexplained electrical
discharges.  Frequently people who have psychokinetic power are
unaware of their own capability.  

SCULLY: What are you saying?  

STUDENT:  (now almost crying)  I don't understand what anyone is saying.  Get me out
of here!  [The student wanders back and lays down on the bed.]
(from off stage)
MOM:  Wake up! It's time to go to class!  What a waste of human life you are!  Get up!
	Are you up yet!  I've got important things to do!  I can't be waiting on you!

		[The student awakens jumps up and hugs her/his mother.]
STUDENT:  I love you, Mom!  Thanks for waking me.  I was having a horrible dream.
And, you are right!  I watch too much television!