Good Neighbors
Drama
Lectionary Scenes
56 Vignettes For Cycle C
Theme
God gives us good gifts. We should expect Him to if we ask, trusting Him to do so.
Do we also give to others in the same way? That can only work if your foundation is the love of God.
Summary
Jo and Al are next-door neighbors and have borrowed things from each other and are now returning them. They had once been enemies but have learned to be friends through God.
Playing Time
3 minutes
Setting
Their backyards
Props
Jo -- tennis racket
Al -- rake
Costumes
Casual
Time
The present
Cast
JO -- an average guy
AL -- his neighbor
(JO IS HOLDING A TENNIS RACKET)
AL: (ENTERS, CARRYING A RAKE, CROSSING TO JO) Hiya, neighbor.
JO: Hi, Al. You're looking good. What's up?
AL: I'm returning your rake.
JO: Is that my rake?
AL: It sure is.
JO: How about that. I thought I lost it. I bought a new one.
AL: No, it's yours all right. I borrowed it when our cat was up the tree, remember?
JO: Oh, yeah. Now I remember. You used the rake to knock the cat out of the tree.
AL: No, no. I used the rake to lean against the stepladder I borrowed from you to steady it, so I wouldn't fall when I climbed up the tree to get the cat.
JO: Oh, yeah. Last summer.
AL: No. Our cat's been dead now for four years.
JO: Four years. You borrowed that rake four years ago?
AL: No. five. (HANDING HIM THE RAKE) Thanks a lot. (STARTS TO EXIT)
JO: No, wait. I've got something for you. You returning this rake reminds me. I borrowed your tennis racket.
AL: Tennis racket? I had a tennis racket?
JO: Sure you did. And you let me use it.
AL: I did?
JO: Yeah. Don't you remember?
AL: Oh, yeah. I remember. You beat your mother-in-law with it, didn't you?
JO: No, no. I did beat my mother-in-law's rugs with it, though. (HANDS TENNIS RACKET TO AL)
AL: Well, thanks, neighbor. I thought I gave up tennis. I'll have to take lessons again. I haven't played for, I don't know, maybe ten years.
JO: Yeah. I've had that racket for at least that long.
AL: Well, thanks a lot for letting me use the rake.
JO: Sure. You know you're welcome to anything I have.
AL: Well, thanks. The same goes for you.
JO: Thanks. (THEY HUG)
AL: (HOLDING ON TO JO'S SHIRT) I like your shirt.
JO: (TAKING OFF SHIRT) Here, take it.
AL: You'd give me the shirt off your own back?
JO: Sure, take it.
AL: I couldn't.
JO: Go ahead. It's yours. I borrowed it from you a couple of years ago.
AL: You did? (EXCHANGING SHIRTS WITH JO)
JO: Yeah.
AL: I was just thinking, these shoes are yours. I remember I borrowed them when I had to be in my brother's wedding. (TAKING OFF HIS SHOES)
JO: I didn't remember that. (EXCHANGING SHOES WITH AL)
AL: You sure are a good neighbor.
JO: I couldn't have a better neighbor to be a neighbor to.
AL: I guess we're both blessed.
JO: We are. And to think we were once enemies.
AL: Yeah. That's right.
JO: Remember that night we both gave our lives to God?
AL: How could I forget? You escorted me to prison fellowship. You were my guard when we left and when we came back we were friends.
JO: I was pretty hard-nosed in those days.
AL: I know. Guarding prisoners on death row isn't easy.
JO: Well, forgiveness is part of our lives now.
AL: Yeah. It is. Well, I've got to get back home. (THEY HUG)
JO: God bless.
AL: You, too, brother.
God gives us good gifts. We should expect Him to if we ask, trusting Him to do so.
Do we also give to others in the same way? That can only work if your foundation is the love of God.
Summary
Jo and Al are next-door neighbors and have borrowed things from each other and are now returning them. They had once been enemies but have learned to be friends through God.
Playing Time
3 minutes
Setting
Their backyards
Props
Jo -- tennis racket
Al -- rake
Costumes
Casual
Time
The present
Cast
JO -- an average guy
AL -- his neighbor
(JO IS HOLDING A TENNIS RACKET)
AL: (ENTERS, CARRYING A RAKE, CROSSING TO JO) Hiya, neighbor.
JO: Hi, Al. You're looking good. What's up?
AL: I'm returning your rake.
JO: Is that my rake?
AL: It sure is.
JO: How about that. I thought I lost it. I bought a new one.
AL: No, it's yours all right. I borrowed it when our cat was up the tree, remember?
JO: Oh, yeah. Now I remember. You used the rake to knock the cat out of the tree.
AL: No, no. I used the rake to lean against the stepladder I borrowed from you to steady it, so I wouldn't fall when I climbed up the tree to get the cat.
JO: Oh, yeah. Last summer.
AL: No. Our cat's been dead now for four years.
JO: Four years. You borrowed that rake four years ago?
AL: No. five. (HANDING HIM THE RAKE) Thanks a lot. (STARTS TO EXIT)
JO: No, wait. I've got something for you. You returning this rake reminds me. I borrowed your tennis racket.
AL: Tennis racket? I had a tennis racket?
JO: Sure you did. And you let me use it.
AL: I did?
JO: Yeah. Don't you remember?
AL: Oh, yeah. I remember. You beat your mother-in-law with it, didn't you?
JO: No, no. I did beat my mother-in-law's rugs with it, though. (HANDS TENNIS RACKET TO AL)
AL: Well, thanks, neighbor. I thought I gave up tennis. I'll have to take lessons again. I haven't played for, I don't know, maybe ten years.
JO: Yeah. I've had that racket for at least that long.
AL: Well, thanks a lot for letting me use the rake.
JO: Sure. You know you're welcome to anything I have.
AL: Well, thanks. The same goes for you.
JO: Thanks. (THEY HUG)
AL: (HOLDING ON TO JO'S SHIRT) I like your shirt.
JO: (TAKING OFF SHIRT) Here, take it.
AL: You'd give me the shirt off your own back?
JO: Sure, take it.
AL: I couldn't.
JO: Go ahead. It's yours. I borrowed it from you a couple of years ago.
AL: You did? (EXCHANGING SHIRTS WITH JO)
JO: Yeah.
AL: I was just thinking, these shoes are yours. I remember I borrowed them when I had to be in my brother's wedding. (TAKING OFF HIS SHOES)
JO: I didn't remember that. (EXCHANGING SHOES WITH AL)
AL: You sure are a good neighbor.
JO: I couldn't have a better neighbor to be a neighbor to.
AL: I guess we're both blessed.
JO: We are. And to think we were once enemies.
AL: Yeah. That's right.
JO: Remember that night we both gave our lives to God?
AL: How could I forget? You escorted me to prison fellowship. You were my guard when we left and when we came back we were friends.
JO: I was pretty hard-nosed in those days.
AL: I know. Guarding prisoners on death row isn't easy.
JO: Well, forgiveness is part of our lives now.
AL: Yeah. It is. Well, I've got to get back home. (THEY HUG)
JO: God bless.
AL: You, too, brother.
