Debt And Deliverance
or
(Angels Among Us)
By
Daris Howard

        Cast

Old Andrew - Man of 70's to 80's.
Elise - Old Andrew’s wife about 10 years his junior.
Janet Ridell  - Young news reporter
Andrew - Teenage boy
Seth - Teenage boy
Thomas - Teenage boy
Karl - Teenage boy
Torrance Edleton - Old man in 70's to 80's, walks with a limp and a cane from pain in his back.
Policeman - Any appropriate age.
Mrs. Boticelli - An old lady, probably in her 80's.
Nazi Officer - Any appropriate age.
Nazi Soldier(s) - Any appropriate age.Debt and Deliverance

Act I

Act I Scene 1
{The opening scene is a living room of a home.  It can be set in a small area on a side stage.  It only needs a chairs and perhaps a couch.  A painting of a woman holding a young boy is prominently displayed though it looks as if it is not quite finished.  A knock is heard, and soon, Elise, an older, but beautiful woman, brings Janet, a young news reporter, into the room.  Old Andrew, an elderly gentleman, is sitting there reading the Bible.}

Elise: Honey, there is someone here to see you.

{Old Andrew rises, and Elise exits.  Janet extends her hand to Old Andrew.}

Janet: Mr. Sineaman, I am Janet Ridell.  I am from the Herald.

Old Andrew: {Shaking her hand} I assumed as much.

Janet: I appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to see me today, Mr. Sineaman.  The Gazette secretary said she has had a hard time setting an appointment with you.

Old Andrew: I admit that I was not all that anxious for your visit.

Janet: For a man from our small community to receive the National Award of Noble Citizenship is a great honor.  Of course we would have to do a story.

Old Andrew: That is the problem.  I don’t feel I deserve this recognition.

Janet: Now, now, Mr. Sineaman, you are far too modest.  I’ve read much about you.  I’ve heard people call you the teenage Schindler, for your work trying to save people from the Germans.

Old Andrew: I feel that, at times, the media have made some things out to be almost fairy tale in proportion.

Janet: If what I read is true, there doesn’t need to be much exaggeration.

Old Andrew: That is exactly the attitude I am concerned about.

Janet: Well, did you, or didn’t you, help save people from the Germans during the occupation?

Old Andrew: I did what I could, but so did many others.

Janet: But very few who were teens stood up to them with such courage.

Old Andrew: I didn’t always have courage.

Janet: And I read that, finally, the Germans put you in prison.

Old Andrew: As they did many others.

Janet: And then, once you were incarcerated, you organized the prisoners into a resistance.

Old Andrew: Actually, that is where I would say your story breaks down completely.  We were not resisting.  We were in prison, and there was nothing we could do for resistance.

Janet: But I have interviewed people, even those who were much older than you, who credited you for their survival, as well as that of many others.

Old Andrew: What we did wasn’t what you would call resistance.  You might call it more of a relief and survival organization.  We tried to be sure everyone shared equally what little we had.  We administered aid to the sick and the wounded.  But more than anything, we tried to lift the spirits of those in the camp to bring some small hope to our hopeless situation.

Janet: Did any of the adults feel any animosity for a teen being their leader?

Old Andrew: I didn’t view myself as the leader.  I just did what I could, and others joined me and did the same.

Janet: Was it true that you were accused of subversion and scheduled to be executed, but were saved by the liberation of the camp?

Old Andrew: That is about half true.  I was accused of subversion, though the only subversion I was guilty of in the camp was helping others.  My execution was scuttled a few times by some German guards who were sympathetic.  The prolonged delay gave time for the liberation.

Janet: Speaking of the guards, that brings me to something I don’t understand.  I read some criticism of you from those who wanted the guards killed when the camp was liberated, and yet you stood in their defense.

Old Andrew: For us to kill them in revenge was no more justified than their mistreatment of us.  And not all of them were bad.  Some of them did what they could to ease our suffering.  We could not lump them all together as evil.  They deserved a fair trial.

Janet: Even those I have interviewed who disagreed with you respected you for your courage.

Old Andrew: It wasn’t courage.  It was something I needed to do.

Janet: Why?  Why would you defend the rights of someone who had abused you?

Old Andrew: {Hangs head and speaks quietly}  I don’t know if there is anyway you would understand.

Janet: I might if you would tell me.  Even though you are known far and wide for the good work you do, no one seems to know much about your beginnings.  Everyone knows you are the friend of the friendless and the helping hand of the weary and downtrodden.  But how did you become as you are?  It’s your story that I want to tell.

Old Andrew: It has been too hard to talk about.  It hasn’t always been that I stood up for those who needed a friend.  In fact, I was once the very opposite of what you think of me now, perhaps even persecuting and taking advantage of those I now defend.

Janet: What changed you?

Old Andrew: {Reluctantly}  It’s a long story.

Janet: I have time.  I would like to hear it.  Perhaps it can add some depth to my news story.

{Old Andrew pauses for some time, as if thinking, but then finally nods.}

Old Andrew: I have only talked about it to my family and a few others since that fateful day, but perhaps it is time the story is told.

Janet: What fateful day are you talking about?

Old Andrew: You must first promise me that you won’t embellish the story I am about to tell you.

Janet: All right, I promise.  Now, what fateful day is it that you are talking about?

Old Andrew: I can’t answer that yet, but must tell you the background that led up to it first.  You see, I was the son of a minister.  But when I was young, I was anything but what you would call an angelic young man.  In fact, I led a group of boys that did nothing but cause trouble.  Perhaps my only saving grace was an insatiable curiosity.  That was what led me to look deeper into what made him who he was.

Janet: Who?

Old Andrew: All in good time.  All in good time.  You see, back then everyone simply called me Andrew, at least those who didn’t call me something worse.  All knew that.....

{The lights fade as Old Andrew’s voice fades.}


Act I Scene 2
{The lights come up on the main stage.  The set is the town square, set in Austria in the end of the 1930's, early in the morning.  A group of teenage boys come running on, led by Andrew, a young boy of about 14-16 years of age.  They are laughing and talking boisterously as they run onto stage.}

Karl: That was a smart plan, Andrew.

Andrew: {Boasting} Of course it was.  All of my plans are smart.

Seth: I would love to see the look on old man Edleton’s face when he sees the cows in his garden; his newly planted garden tromped into oblivion.

Thomas: Yeah, his garden will be udderly destroyed. {He laughs, but all the others look at him like he’s crazy so he stops.} You know, “cow”, “udder”.  It’s a joke.  Get it?

Karl: Yeah.  We get it.  It just wasn’t funny.

Seth: Anyway, maybe without his vegetables to sell, he’ll decide he wants to pay the protection premium.

Karl: Either that or leave.  Good riddance to lowlife foreigners.  We don’t want them in Austria.  They can go back to wherever they came from.

Andrew: Wait until old farmer Ferrin finds out his cows are missing.  He’ll come hunting for them, and boy, will Mr. Edleton get an ear full.

Seth: I’m sure Mr. Edleton will guess who put the cows there and tell him.

Thomas: That’s no bull.

{Thomas laughs again, but the others don’t.}

Karl: Give it up, Thomas.  

Andrew: Even if Mr. Edleton tells him, I doubt anyone will believe him.  After all, he is an foreigner. We can just deny it and why would anyone believe him over us?

Karl: What I can’t believe is that we were able to do it without anyone seeing us.  It’s not like a person can move a whole herd of cows quietly.  I was sure by the time we got them into town, someone was going to stop us.

Thomas: Yeah, me too.  A person would think it would be udderly impossible to do what we did.

{Thomas laughs again and the others ignore him or roll their eyes, except Karl.}

Karl: Would you stop with the cow jokes?  I think my IQ has dropped 5 points tonight just listening to you.

Seth: The point is, no one would hear us at 4:30 in the morning anyway.  Most of the town doesn’t even know those hours exist.

Andrew: I would suggest we hurry home and get back in bed, and then even our parents won’t be the wiser.

Thomas: Yeah, we better moooo-ve it.

{Thomas laughs again and the others smile just shake their heads as they head off stage.}



Act I Scene 3
{The scene is a living room with a large sitting chair and a small coffee table.  This should be the same room that is used at the first with Old Andrew and the news reporter, Janet, with a few different paintings or something.  Torrance is sitting there reading a paper.  A knock is heard.  He goes off and comes in with the Policeman, who is holding Andrew by the arm.}

Policeman: You are sure this is the young man you saw driving the cows into your garden?

Torrance: Yes, it was him, among others.

Policeman: All right, young man.  Come with me.

Andrew: {Angry and sullen, gesturing at Torrance} I tell you, I didn’t do it!  Are you going to take the word of some foreigner over me?

Policeman: There were others who saw you too.

Andrew: But my parents told you I was home in bed.

Policeman:  You could easily have gotten there after the little escapade.  Come on.  You can tell it all to the judge.

Torrance: Officer, is there anyway you would let me take charge of this young man?

Policeman: Oh, you don’t know him.  He’s leader of a gang of boys that are always into trouble, threatening people and wreaking havoc.

Torrance: I’m actually quite aware of that.  I think much of  the trouble he causes involves me and others similar to me.

Policeman: I will grant that has been true.  I suppose it is your garden that was destroyed and it is you that would have to press charges.  Just be careful with him and never turn your back.

Torrance: Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.

Policeman: {Letting go of Andrew’s arm}  All right.  If you need anything, feel free to let me know.

Torrance: {Walking off stage as if walking the policeman to the door} Thank you, officer.  I will.

{While Torrance is gone, Andrew starts wandering around.  He looks at a painting that is sitting on an easel.  The painting is of a woman with a small child.  He is still looking at it when Torrance walks in and stands quietly.  Eventually, Andrew realizes he is there and is somewhat embarrassed, yet his curiosity is strong enough he doesn’t hide the fact that he was looking at the painting.  His voice also betrays animosity.}

Andrew: So, why didn’t you let the police officer take me?  Do you plan to give me some big lecture about changing my ways like my father always does?

Torrance: No.

Andrew: {Shocked and stammering} But, I thought that... Then what do you plan to do with me?

Torrance: Let you go home.  Nothing I could say would change you.  You’ve got to want to change first.  But you are so much like I was when I was your age.  An arrogant, proud fool feeling like nothing in the world can touch you.  Until something catastrophic comes along and rips that foolishness from your heart, nothing anyone says will make any difference, so I might as well not waste my time.  You just go on wasting your life. {Waving his hand toward the door.} You know where the door is.  Go ahead.  Be gone with you.

Andrew: Oh, I get it.  You’re afraid we might hit you again.

Torrance: I’m not afraid of you or you little group of extortionist thugs.

Andrew: We are not extortionists.  We are businessmen who offer insurance to those who want to buy it.

Torrance: {With a sarcastic laugh} Insurance from what, you and your juvenile delinquent friends?

Andrew: Some people are happy to buy our insurance.

Torrance: Some people are weak and easily intimidated.

Andrew: {Growing somewhat angry} I warn you that my group can be tough.

Torrance: Tough?!  You call preying on those weaker than you tough?  I call it cowardly and immature.

Andrew: You better watch yourself, old man!

Torrance: Or what?  What’s the worst you can do to me?  Take my life?  Do you think that scares me?  Maybe I’d welcome it.

{It is quiet for some time as Andrew is shocked.}

Andrew: You are a strange old man.

Torrance: You don’t know the half of it.  Now, if you will excuse me, I have things to do, and if I remember right, you were finding your way out.
     
{Andrew heads for the door slowly and Torrance settles into his chair.  Andrew stops just by the edge of the stage, and turns slowly as if thinking.  He comes back and stands in front of the picture.  Torrance puts down the paper and watches him.}

Andrew: Who are they?

Torrance: What difference does it make to you?  I thought you were leaving.

Andrew: Just curious is all.

Torrance: They are my wife and my son.

Andrew: {Shocked}  I thought you had no family.

Torrance: I don’t anymore.

Andrew: Anymore?

Torrance: {Slightly impatient} I thought you were leaving?

Andrew: But I want to know about them, and I can hardly even make out who they are.

{Torrance sighs as if he is being interrupted.}

Torrance: All right, if I show you a picture of them, will you leave me in peace?

Andrew: Of course.

{Torrance rises and walks to bookshelf and pulls a box from it.  He walks back to where Andrew is and opens it.  From it he takes a pocket watch that has a hole in it.  Torrance opens the pocket watch and hands it to Andrew as he speaks.}

Torrance: This is the only picture I have of them.

Andrew: It’s not a very good picture.

Torrance: That is why I am trying to recreate it on the canvas.  But I’m not a very good artist, and I can never get it quite right.  And it doesn’t help when I am interrupted all of the time.

Andrew: What is this hole in it for?

Torrance: It’s a bullet hole.

Andrew: {Shocked} A bullet hole?  Why does it have a bullet hole in it?

Torrance: I thought you were leaving?

Andrew: I was.

Torrance: Then go.

Andrew: But you can’t just tell me the hole in the watch was a bullet hole and then leave it like that.

Torrance: Can’t I?  I was showing you them and why I am painting the picture.  Nothing more.  

Andrew: But what happened to your family?  Did it have something to do with the bullet hole?

Torrance: {Becoming irritable} Those are questions which you have no right to ask.

Andrew: But...

Torrance: But nothing!  Please leave.

{Andrew starts to leave, and Torrance settles into his chair with the paper.  Andrew stops at the edge of the stage and turns back.  He stands in front of Torrance.  Torrance doesn’t notice him, so Andrew clears his throat.  Torrance lowers the paper, showing a slight bit of frustration.}

Andrew: Um, I...

Torrance: What?  I thought you had left.

Andrew: I wanted to thank you for not filing charges.

Torrance: {Showing disbelief that Andrew thanked him} You’re welcome.

{Torrance starts to raise the paper again.}

Andrew: I, uh, would like to do something to make up for my behavior.

Torrance: Like what?

Andrew: Well, I was thinking that maybe I could help repair some of the damage to your garden.

{Torrance stares briefly at Andrew in disbelief before speaking.}

Torrance: Are you serious?

Andrew: I thought it only right that I do something.

Torrance: Is this another one of your tricks?

Andrew: No.  I honestly want to help.

Torrance: Maybe there’s good in you after all.  All right.  I’m planning to start fixing it up tomorrow morning.  I will start at 5:00 AM, if you want to come over before school.

Andrew: {In shock} 5:00 AM!

Torrance: At my age, I can’t take the heat of the day, and have to start early.  If that is too hard on you, that’s okay.  I can do it.

Andrew: No, no!  5:00 is fine.

Torrance: I’ll provide breakfast for you before school, but come prepared to work because I don’t have time to lollygag around at that time of day.

Andrew: All right.

{Andrew starts to leave, but pauses for a short time at the painting.  Torrance is obviously watching him, though he acts as if he is reading the paper.  Finally Andrew exits, and Torrance lowers the paper and stares after him, shaking his head as if thinking as the lights fade.}


Act I Scene 4
{Andrew comes onto the main stage where he is greeted by his friends.}

Seth: So, Old Man Edleton called the cops on you?

Andrew: Yeah.

Seth: I think we ought to really teach him a lesson.  We could catch him in the alley over across from the town square where he always walks.

Andrew: No.  Leave him alone.  

Karl: What’s the matter with you, Andrew?

Seth: Yeah, it’s almost like you want to help that old foreigner.

Andrew: {Defensive} Of course not.  It’s just that he didn’t file any charges.  If he had I would probably have my father mad at me again.  It’s not a big deal if I do a bit of work for him.

Thomas: I think it sets a bad precedence.  All of the other useless outsiders will be thinking they can get free labor.  Then the next thing you know, none of them will think they need to pay their insurance policies.  And then what are we going to do for money?  

Seth: That’s right.  Next he’ll want all of us to work for him for free.  I think you should tell him you won’t do it and we can rough him up a bit so he knows he better not mess with us again.  We can tell him he’ll get more of the same if he doesn’t pay his premium.

Andrew: No.  It’s okay.  I can work for him in the mornings and then I’ll be free after school.

{The other boys exchange glances as if they can hardly believe Andrew is agreeing to it.}

Seth: You are seriously going to work for him?

Andrew: There is something about him I want to find out.

Thomas: Oh, I get it.  You are spying on him to get some goods on him - something for blackmail.

Andrew: {Trying to cover his real intentions}  Yeah.  Yeah, that’s it.  That’s what I’m doing.

Karl: You’re shrewd, Andrew.

Seth: But do you have to work for him to do it?  I’m afraid others may take it wrong.

Andrew: I feel it is the best thing to do in this case.

Karl: Well, whatever.  It’s you who has to do it.  But if he starts trying to get more of us, he’ll wish he hadn’t.

{Lights fade as the young men walk off stage talking.}



Act I Scene 5
{As the lights come up, Torrance, dressed in work clothes, comes in with a picture of milk and a couple of bowls of cereal and some bread on a tray, and a bit of jam.  He sets them on the coffee table.  He then goes to the side stage and calls to Andrew.}

Torrance: Young Man, it’s time for breakfast so you can get to school.

{He comes back and pours the cups of milk and takes a bowl and a slice of bread and settles into a chair.  Momentarily, Andrew comes in looking tired and dirty.}

Andrew: I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.

Torrance: I’m sorry, but I’m pretty much vegetarian.  I can’t afford too much meat anyway.

Andrew: What is breakfast?

Torrance:  I pretty much have the same all of the time.  Just some hot oatmeal and toast.  There is some raspberry jam if you just prefer toast.  There’s plenty of milk.  I already poured you a glass.

{Andrew gulps down his glass full.}

Andrew: Do you mind if I have some more?

Torrance: Have all you want. {As Andrew pours himself another glass full, Torrance continues on.} You were very helpful today.  I think we saved most of the garden.  Thank heaven I got the cows out quickly.  There wasn’t near the damage I thought there might be, and the seeds were barely germinated.

Andrew: {Between bites} So, same time tomorrow?

Torrance: That’s up to you.  I’m not making you do this.

Andrew: I’ll be here.

Torrance: I don’t even know your name.

Andrew: Andrew.

Torrance: {Reaches out his hand} I’m glad to know you, Andrew, and thanks for your help. {They shake hands} You, of course, know my name is Mr. Edleton, but if you prefer you can call me Torrance.

Andrew: Torrance.  Okay, I’ll remember that.

{Andrew starts to leave, and Torrance stops him.}

Torrance: Perhaps on your way to school today you might do an errand for me.

Andrew: What?

Torrance: Do you know where Widow Leighlin lives?

Andrew: The lady with the five little kids?

Torrance: Yes.

Andrew: Sure.  She lives in that old shack on the edge of town.

Torrance: Yes.  Would you mind taking a sack of potatoes to her?  It is getting hard for me to walk that far, especially with the pain in my back.

Andrew: I suppose I could do that.  How much do I charge her for them?

Torrance: {Shocked} Charge her?

Andrew: Yes.  How much does she pay you for them?

Torrance: I don’t sell my garden produce.

Andrew: But I thought that’s why you grew such a big garden.

Torrance: I might trade a bit to the grocer for a few things I need, but I would never charge someone for something if they really need it.

Andrew: {Subdued, realizing} But I see you delivering vegetables all over town.

Torrance: None of the people I deliver to have money to pay for them.  Oh, I might trade a bit here and there, but I don’t really sell them.

Andrew: Why would you just give them away?

Torrance: Because people need them.  Besides, I owe a debt.

Andrew: To who?

Torrance: Perhaps to my wife and son.  Perhaps to God.

Andrew: What debt?

Torrance: I don’t want to talk about it.

Andrew: Does it have to do with the bullet hole in the pocket watch that you also don’t want to talk about? {Torrance looks down as if ashamed, and nods so Andrew continues.} Why won’t you tell me about it?

Torrance: I’ve never talked about it to anyone since that day.

Andrew: I won’t tell anybody.

Torrance: My fear is not of others knowing.  It is just something I’d rather not remember.  Perhaps someday we will speak about it, but not now. {Changing the subject} So you are okay with delivering the potatoes for me?

Andrew: Sure.

Torrance: {Leaves and comes in with a bag of potatoes} I really appreciate this.

Andrew: It’s no problem.

{As he is leaving with the bag of potatoes, he stops again to look at the picture on the easel.  Torrance settles into the chair, but watches Andrew.  After Andrew exits the lights fade.}



Act I Scene 6
{It is the town scene.  Andrew comes on, carrying the potatoes, and is met by his friends.  Thomas is carrying a stick.}

Thomas: What is that you have, Andrew?

Andrew: A sack of potatoes.

Karl: Why are you carrying those?

Andrew: Mr. Edleton asked me to deliver them to Widow Leighlin and her family.

Seth: And you’re going to do it?

Andrew: Yes, I planned to.

Seth: I can’t believe your helping that old man.  You’re not getting soft on us, are you?

Andrew: {Laughing uncomfortably}  Of course not.

Thomas: {Grabbing the bag away from him} Hey, I know.  We could have a game of baseball. {Lifting up his stick} I have the bat, and now {lifting the bag of potatoes high in the air} we have some baseballs.

Andrew: {Not putting up too much of a fuss, afraid of looking bad} I don’t know guys, I did promise...

Karl: Oh, come on.  Loosen up a little.  It will be fun.

Thomas: {Pulling a potato from the bag and tossing it to Andrew} Here, you can be the pitcher.

Andrew: {Reluctantly} Okay.

{Thomas gets into batting position with Karl behind him to catch.  Seth gets in the outfield position.}

Thomas:  All right, pitcher pitcher.  Let that potato fry. {He laughs and no one joins in.} Get it, it’s a joke.  Let the potato fry.

Karl: Yeah, we got it.  It just wasn’t funny.

{Just as Andrew pitches the potato, Torrance walks in.  Thomas misses the potato and Karl catches it.  Torrance steps up, and picks up the bag of potatoes that are at Andrew’s feet, and Andrew is embarrassed as Torrance addresses him.}

Torrance: Can’t I even trust you to do something as simple as deliver a bag of potatoes?

Andrew: I... I didn’t mean to...

Torrance: Is everything in life just a game to you?

Thomas: It was just one potato.

Torrance: {Turning to Thomas} To you, it is just one potato, but to a child it may mean the difference between going to bed hungry and having something to eat.  You who have plenty and selfishly think of no one but yourselves have never known hunger, but that doesn’t mean others have not.

Seth: You better watch yourself, old man, or else!

Torrance: Or else what?

{Seth grabs the stick from Thomas and swings at Torrance.  Torrance deftly blocks it with his cane and knocks it from Seth’s grasp, clattering to the floor.  Torrance grabs Seth by the shirt, and Seth shrinks from before him in fear.}

Torrance: You are a foolish young man!

{Torrance releases Seth with a shove, and Seth steps back, afraid, but trying to recover his dignity.}

Seth: Come on guys.  He isn’t worth our time.

{Seth turns and heads off stage with the others following as Torrance looks after them.  Andrew is last, and as he reaches the side stage, he stops and turns back to meet Torrance’s glance.  Andrew looks after his friends and back at Torrance a couple of times as if torn.  He looks down at his feet, and sees the potato Karl has dropped.  He picks it up and brings it to Torrance.  Torrance takes it and puts it back in the bag, not saying a word, but looking Andrew in the eyes.  Andrew is ashamed and can’t meet his gaze, but looks down as he speaks.}

Andrew: I’d still deliver the potatoes if you want me to.

Torrance: How do I know they would get there?

Andrew: What if I gave you my word?

Torrance: Didn’t you tell me before that you would deliver them?

Andrew: Yes.

Torrance: So how am I supposed to know your word is better now than it was before?

Andrew: I... I don’t know.

Torrance: Trust is easy to lose and hard to gain.  I think I’ll just take them myself.

{Torrance hoists the potatoes to his shoulder.}

Andrew: Then let me come with you. {Reaching out} Here, let me carry them.

{Torrance looks at Andrew for a moment, then letting the potatoes down from his shoulder, he nods.}

Torrance: All right.

{They exit the stage the opposite direction from the way the three boys went.  Soon the other boys come back on looking after them.}

Karl: What is it with Andrew and that old man?

Seth: I don’t know.  But I don’t like what is happening to Andrew.  And I think we need to teach that old man a lesson.

Thomas: What do you have in mind?

Seth: Come with me and I’ll show you.

{The lights fade as they go off talking.}




Act I Scene 7
{The setting is Torrance’s house.  Torrance goes to the side of the stage and calls to Andrew.}

Torrance: Andrew, time for breakfast.

{Andrew comes in as if deep in thought.  Torrance holds out a glass of milk and a bowl of hot cereal.  Finally, when Andrew notices, he smiles, but it is easy to see something is still bothering him.}

Andrew: {Taking the food}  Thanks.

Torrance: Is something bothering you?

Andrew: {Looking up} Did you say something.

Torrance: I asked if something was bothering you.  You haven’t hardly said two words all morning.  You seem like your mind is miles away.

Andrew: {Taking a deep breath as if not knowing where to start} Torrance, that little girl, Elise, how old is she?

Torrance: I think she’s about five.

Andrew: Did you see the way her big eyes looked at me when I set the potatoes on the table, like I was a hero or something.

Torrance: Yes, I noticed, and perhaps to her you are.

Andrew: And then she wanted me to read her a story.

Torrance: It was kind of you to agree, I mean it must have been a real sacrifice to be late for school.

Andrew: I don’t think so.

Torrance: It was quite the scene, seeing you read with her curled up in your arms and the other children gathered around.

Andrew: When she climbed on my lap, I noticed that she is so small and so frail.  

Torrance: It is probably due to having insufficient food to eat.  I try to help all I can, but my meager earnings can’t take care of all of the needs I see.

Andrew: {Emotion choking his voice}  And when Widow Leighlin thanked me and Elise threw her arms around my neck and kissed me, I...

{Andrew stops, too overcome with emotion to continue.  Torrance puts his hand on Andrew’s shoulder and nods.}

Torrance: I understand.  It happens to me quite often.

Andrew: {Trying to change the subject slightly to hide his emotions}  How long have you been taking food to them?

Torrance: Most of a year.  Elise’s father died when she was about two or three, and Widow Leighlin has struggled to take care of her family since then.  But I only learned of their circumstances one day when I saw some of the children begging for what little wheat had spilled on the ground at the mill.

Andrew: {Thoughtfully} How can people be going hungry when there is so much food around us?

Torrance: Because those who have food to share don’t notice.  Most of us go through life with our eyes so fixed on our own concerns that we seldom see the needs of others.

Andrew: So why do you notice?

Torrance: I suppose it is because I know my life does not belong to me.

Andrew: Oh, you’re not going give me that lecture, are you?  I hear that day after day and week after week from my father.  I think when he prepares his sermon for Sunday, he thinks of what it is about me that annoys him most, and then prepares to preach about it.  Often I have to hear it twice, once at home, and again at church. {In a mocking voice} “That our life belongs to God” is his favorite topic.  He is always praying that I will” turn my life around”.

Torrance: Never discount the prayers of a righteous man.

Andrew: I’m not even sure I believe in God.

Torrance: That will not change the fact of His existence.

Andrew: I think it’s impossible to know that someone or something exists if you can’t see it.

Torrance: Have you ever been to America?

Andrew: No.

Torrance: Than I take it you don’t believe America exists either?

Andrew: That’s silly.

Torrance: Is it?  It’s really the same thing.

Andrew: It’s not the same thing at all.  I’ve seen pictures of America.

Torrance: And you see the pictures God created at every sunrise and every sunset.

Andrew: But I know people who are from America.

Torrance: Maybe they just claim to be from America.  The Bible has hundreds of people for thousands of years who witness there is a God.  Is it not the same?  Everything that I see in life witnesses there is a God.  You see the same things and yet you don’t believe.  Perhaps the differences is not in what we see with our eyes, but in what we see with our hearts.

Andrew: Whatever.  I think my life belongs just to me and whatever I do is my own business alone.

Torrance: There you are wrong.  Everything you do affects those who love you, and even maybe some who hardly know you.  You don’t live in a vacuum.

Andrew: {Sarcastically} Yes, Father.  So, changing the subject, what do you think of Hitler’s proposal to include Austria into Germany?  Pretty stupid, huh?  Like we’d ever agree to that.  It’s never going to happen.

Torrance: Don’t be too sure.

Andrew: What are you talking about?  There is no way that Austrians will vote in the referendum tomorrow to be part of Germany.

Torrance: I don’t think so either, but I don’t think that is going to stop them.  I’ve seen similar politics like this before.  If they can’t win by the will of the people, they will win by force or intrigue.

Andrew: They would be stupid to do it by force.  The world would never allow it.

Torrance: Never assume what others will allow.  Often people sit passively by, watching the world crumble around them, but never lifting a finger to stop it as long as it does not affect them.  Then when it reaches their door and their world falls apart too, they wonder what happened.

Andrew: Well, I will bet you that Germany never takes over Austria.

Torrance: That is a foolish bet, for never never ends and you will never know if you have won.  If I take the opposite, however, I will know with certainty if and when I have won.

Andrew: I suppose that is true.

Torrance: I never wager anyway.  But what would you bet if you could?

Andrew: You have to tell me the story of the watch.

Torrance: The story of the watch?  That is why you have come over and help me, isn’t it?  You are only hoping to find out the rest of the story.

Andrew: Maybe.

Torrance: I’ll tell you what.  If you continue to help me, then when Germany takes over Austria, as pay I will tell you the story.

Andrew: So, in other words, you will never tell me?

Torrance: I’m sure the time will come.

Andrew: And I’m sure it won’t.  {Picking up his stuff} I think I better be going.

Torrance: By the way, thank your friends for me, will you?

Andrew: For what?

Torrance: I was wondering how I was going to fertilize my garden, and then they helped me out.

Andrew: How did they do that?

Torrance: They threw all that stinky dead fish all over my yard.  Fish is great fertilizer.

Andrew: You mean all that stinky rotten fish we buried in your garden today was from my friends?

Torrance: Yes.  But could you tell them it works a lot better if they would just put it in the garden and not all over my yard.

Andrew: I’m sure they didn’t give it to you as a present.

Torrance: I’m sure.  But I’d been trying to figure a way to fertilize my depleted soil, and the Lord, working in mysterious ways, made it out so those who view me as their enemy end up helping me.

Andrew: I’m sure they will be thrilled to know you appreciate it.

{Andrew leaves, shaking his head as Torrance looks on amused.  The lights fade.}



Act I Scene 8
{Andrew comes walking in to town center, and just as he does, bells start tolling and sirens start wailing.  He is met by his friends who run in excitedly.}

Seth: Andrew, have you heard the news?  

Andrew: What news?

Karl: School is cancelled.  The Austrian Nazi party staged a coup and took over the government to stop the referendum.  They then turned power over to Germany.  The German army is moving toward Austria and it is assumed they will move in to our country by tomorrow, claiming it is the will of the people.

Thomas: There is an emergency meeting at town hall in an hour.

Andrew: {Almost as if to himself}  He was right!

Thomas: Who was?

Andrew: Mr. Edleton.  He said they would come.

Seth: Maybe he is one of them.

Andrew: No.  But somehow he knew.

Seth: Are you coming to the meeting?

Andrew: You go ahead and I’ll catch up.  I’ve got to talk to Mr. Edleton first.

{Andrew heads back to Torrance’s house while the other boys turn and head to the meeting.}


End of Act I
Act II

Act II Scene 1
{The scene is in Torrance’s house.  The sound of the bells continues, and Torrance gets up as if to look out.  Andrew is yelling from off stage, and you hear pounding as if he is pounding on the door.}

Andrew: Torrance!  Torrance!

{Torrance goes off stage and immediately comes back on with Andrew, who is out of breath.}

Torrance: What is it?  What is all of the commotion?

Andrew: They are coming!  The Germans are going to invade Austria!  The Austrian Nazi Party staged a coup to stop the referendum, and then they turned power over to Germany, and now the German army is moving to enter Austria.  They plan to take control, saying it is the will of the people.

Torrance: {Visibly upset} It is much sooner than I had expected.

Andrew: You said you knew they would come.  How did you know?

Torrance: I knew only by their nature and the circumstances at hand.  I’ve seen it before.

Andrew: What do you mean?

Torrance: Hitler is just like a school bully.  He will push as far as he feels he can, and if he is successful, he will push farther.  When Britain, France, and the others backed down to Germany’s rearmament, I knew it would only embolden him, and that in time we would be his target, as will others.

Andrew: What are we to do?

Torrance: Negotiations and appealing to right and wrong are useless.  Such people think only of themselves and have absolute disregard for others.  Passivity will never work, for that will only play into Hitler’s hands.  The only thing that can be done to stop such a person is to stand up to him.  He will push until someone has the power to stop them.  The biggest problem is, the longer he goes and the more he takes, the stronger he becomes, and the harder it will be to stop him.

Andrew: But with France, Britain, and us, we should be able to.

Torrance: Who says they will come to our aid?  They may try to pacify him for now.  Besides, it takes a lot more strength for those with good values to stand against those whose values are debased to the point that another human’s life means nothing to them.

{Torrance walks over and drops into a chair and appears to be thinking deeply.  Andrew seems unsure about asking, but it is obvious he can hardly stand not to.  Finally he takes a deep breath and broaches the subject.}

Andrew: Torrance?

Torrance: Yes?

Andrew: Do you remember how you promised me when the Germans invaded that you would tell me about the bullet hole in the watch?

{Torrance looks away and breathes deeply, as though he’d rather not.}

Torrance: I didn’t expect it so soon, but I suppose I did promise, didn’t I?

Andrew: If it is too much, I understand.

Torrance: No, a promise is a promise.  Perhaps you better have a seat, though, as it is a long story. {Andrew sits} Now, where do I start?

{Through the next part, Torrance can walk around as he tells the story and do things to emphasize his points.}

Andrew: How about telling me where you are from?

Torrance: Where I am from doesn’t matter.  Just know it is far from here, very very far from here.  I lived in a small village there, and was a highly respected shopkeeper, honored by my village for the work I did in the community.  But I can still remember the first day they came.

Andrew: Who were they?

Torrance: That matters little either.  Simply, they represented those who had come to power, and they claimed they were going to make life better by eliminating those who were the drags of society.  They asked for my help to determine who those people were.  They said they would process them to somewhere else.

Andrew: What kind of people were they looking for?

Torrance: The beggars, the swindlers, the poor, the infirm.  Basically anyone who was what they called “The Less Desirables”.

Andrew: What did you do?

Torrance: {Ashamed} Unfortunately, I was more than willing to help.  I viewed it as my duty to make the town a better place.

Andrew: That is understandable.

Torrance: {Instantly upset, more at himself than Andrew}  Understandable?!  Those people were not less than I was.  They were still human, whether or not I felt I was better than they were.  Human beings are not objects that can be sorted into those who have value and those who do not.  
Andrew: What happened to them?

Torrance: They gathered up all the people I told them about and took them away.

Andrew: Where did they take them?

Torrance: To what they called “The Processing Center”.  They said it was for relocation.  I assumed the government was providing places for them to live with others like themselves.

Andrew: But that doesn’t explain the watch.

Torrance: I’m getting there.  You see, after a few months, the government people were back.  This time they wanted me to help them determine who were the foreigners.  At first I resisted.  But they told me they were just moving them to be with those of their own kind.  They also said if I didn’t help I would be considered subversive and they threatened my family.  I finally gave in, consoling myself that they would be happier with others similar to themselves.

{Torrance is quiet and looks down as if ashamed.  He does not continue, so Andrew prompts.}

Andrew: So they took all foreigners away?

Torrance: Yes.

Andrew: Then what?

Torrance: In a few months, they were back again.  This time they wanted to process all of those who were a different religion than I was.  This time, no matter how much they threatened, I could not bring myself to help them.  I was not a very religious person, but I began to fear I had committed a great offense for which God was displeased.

Andrew: But by refusing to help them, that was a good thing.

Torrance: Neither did I stand up for them.  I kept quiet while others helped them.

Andrew: You can’t be blamed for that with your families’ lives in peril.

Torrance: But I was still responsible.  We all were.  For a person’s silence against evil is nothing more than support of it?  By doing nothing, I not only allowed, but, in essence, condoned their actions, whether I wanted to or not?

Andrew: But you were not the one that took them away, not even the first ones.

Torrance: {Starting to get emotional and his voice trembling} No, but I betrayed them.  God said “When ye do it unto the least of these, ye have done it unto me.”  He, himself, was betrayed for just 30 pieces of silver.  For what 30 pieces of silver was I willing to betray another?  Were my 30 pieces of silver simply the color of their skin, the slant of their eyes, the heritage to which they were born, their religion, or even just their unfortunate position in our society?

Andrew: You don’t need to continue if you don’t want to.  We can talk later.

Torrance: {Speaking with great emotion with many pauses}  No.  I promised, and now that I’ve started, I must finish, or I never will.  It was only a few more months, and they came for the rest of us.  If we had stood together against them when they first came, we might have been strong enough to oppose them.  But in the end, we were few in number, and weak.  They loaded us onto a train, in cattle cars, like animals.  We traveled for days, freezing, hungry, and filthy.  And when we arrived at the processing center, I realized for the first time the extent of what I had done.  On a frozen, barren plain, we found nothing but a long, open trench.  The stench of death was horrible. {Starting to sob openly} We were lined up, with our backs to the trench.  I held my sweet Mary close to me, and we held Peter in our arms. {Sobbing and swallowing to try to control his emotions enough to speak} Then we were all shot, and we fell together into the hole.

{Time is taken between the next lines as both Andrew and Torrance try to deal with the emotions.}

Andrew: That is where the bullet hole in the watch came from?

Torrance: {Nodding} Yes.  Ironically, the watch had been given to me as an honor from my village for service to the community.  It deflected the bullet just enough so that the bullet missed my heart and lodged in my back.

Andrew: Is that why you have so much pain walking?

Torrance: Yes.

Andrew: How did you get away?

Torrance: I passed out from loss of blood, and when I came to, they were gone, and so was the train.  I found my Mary and Peter were dead, as was everyone else.  I lay there for hours, begging God to take my life - to let me die.  But instead, he cursed me to live - cursed me to survive, ever conscious of what I had done. {There is a long pause as if Torrance seems to gather strength and calm his emotions.} But then, as I lay there, it’s as if I felt Mary near me, telling me God had given me a chance to earn redemption, and I felt her love encouraging me to take it.  I wandered away from there, half dead, not wanting to live, but feeling I must.  I walked for days, then weeks, then months, eating very little and sleeping almost not at all, as the anguish of the chains of hell wrapped their burning fire around my soul.  Then one day, I wandered into this town more dead than alive, and a poor, old couple found me and shared what little they had.  As I ate, I realized they were the type of people I had determined were of no use to my village; the type I had betrayed in the very beginning.  But they smiled and were happy and shared from their meager store, and it was then that I determined to try to live that same way; to try to make amends for my actions in hopes that somehow, someday, I could feel I had atoned sufficiently to be acceptable to Him who had given me the life I so callously misused.

{They are quiet for some time, and then, finally, Andrew speaks.}

Andrew: Why is it you chose not to have the officer take me to jail?  You said it would do no good, but is that the only reason.

Torrance: There were actually two other reasons.  First, I sensed in you much of what I used to be, arrogant, proud, and slightly belligerent, feeling the world belonged to you.  Somehow, I wanted to save you from yourself. {Again, getting very emotional}  And second, I saw in your countenance, something that reminded me of my Peter. {No one says anything for a short time, then, finally Torrance speaks.} I feel very exhausted.  Perhaps you should go now.  

Andrew: Okay.

{Andrew arises and starts toward the door.  He pauses as Torrance speaks.}

Torrance: I suppose that now you know the story of the watch and bullet, you will have no need to come over anymore.

Andrew: I would like to continue coming to help, if that’s all right.

Torrance: If you wish.

{Andrew starts to leave again and then turns back.}

Andrew: I’m sorry about Mary and Peter.  I would have liked to have met them.

Torrance: {Sadly} Perhaps, someday, we will all meet again, as long as I can make amends for my actions sufficient to be acceptable to God.

{Andrew leaves and Torrance looks discouraged and tired as the lights fade.}


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