Title: “Problems of youth”
Author: Manuel Martínez
6 characters:
- PEDRO- 16 years old, bold, tries to be more popular and gets carried away by his best friend, Doug.
- DOUG- 18 years old, rebellious and repetitive, he looks for his own life and breaks all established rules, he is a bad influence for Pedro.
- TEACHER LORENZO.- 38 years old, Pedro and Doug’s teacher.
- PEDRO’S MOTHER.- 45 years old, she is saddened by the fact that her son’s behavior is not good.
- PEDRO’S FATHER.- 47 years old, is irritated to see how his son is becoming bad because of bad company.
- POLICE AGENT.- 36 years old.
ACT I
(Characters that intervene in this act Pedro, Doug and Professor León)
Pedro and Doug are waiting in the school parking lot. Both are leaning against an old car.
Pedro: You’re telling me, I’m fed up with León. Yesterday he had the brilliant idea of calling my house to say that he hadn’t been to his class for two weeks. What’s the point, if he always says the same things and always ends up failing me no matter how I do it.
Doug: What a guy, I told you from the beginning, he’s a poor guy. I’ve had him figured out since day one, just look at the way he looks at us when he sees us in the hallways, he can’t even see us. He’s been mad ever since I messed up in class one day. But boy, this guy is going to hear me.
Pedro: So what are you going to do to him?
Kinky: Me? Nothing at all.
Pedro: So?
Doug: Then nothing, you’re going to do it yourself.
(Doug says with a chuckle)
Pedro: Me? What am I supposed to do to him?
Doug slams a hand on the car they are both leaning on. Pedro looks at the car in surprise.
Pedro: What’s wrong with the car?
Doug: Don’t you know whose car it is?
Pedro: No shit, it’s the León’s car.
Doug: Bingo.
Pedro: And what do you want, do you want me to scratch his car?
Doug: Better.
Doug takes a knife out of his pocket.
Doug: Here. So you can take the pressure off his tires, I see they’re really swollen.
Pedro: But man, what if someone sees us?
Doug: At this hour nobody sees us. Besides, you’re not that angry with León. Come on, do it now.
Doug puts the knife in Pedro’s hand. Pedro looks at it doubtfully. After a moment he bends down and slashes one of the wheels of the car.
Professor León: Hey, stop, what are you doing?
Pedro panics, drops the knife on the ground and runs off with Doug.
Doug: Run Pedro, haha. Spend tonight behind the supermarket.
ACT II
(Characters that intervene in this act Pedro, The Mother and The Father)
Pedro, frightened, runs into the living room of his house. His mother has the phone in her hand. His father next to him looks angrily at Pedro.
Mother: He has just arrived. Yes, yes, and I repeat, we are very sorry. Of course, we will pay for your car, yes.
Father and Mother look angrily at Pedro, who stands fearfully in the doorway.
Father: You’ll be happy, won’t you? Do you know who he was? Your teacher, you have no idea how embarrassed we were.
Mother: What’s wrong with you? What have we done to you?
Pedro: Nothing, there’s nothing wrong with me.
Mother: Then, what’s wrong with you?
Father: I’ll tell you what’s wrong with him, that he’s stupid. That he has bad joints and does everything the others do.
Pedro: That’s not true.
Father: Oh, isn’t it? Well, since you’ve been hanging out with that kid Doug, you’ve been doing nothing but foolish things.
Pedro: Dad, stop it.
Father: No, I won’t stop, because if you go on like that, you’re going to end up in a mess. You’re going to end up in a mess.
Pedro: Sure, sure, because you know everything. There’s nothing you don’t know. Always the same.
Father: Well, yes, I know more than you do. And if you don’t end up in jail, you’ll end up dead with those joints.
Mother: For God’s sake.
Pedro: I’m sick of you always checking up on me. Leave me alone.
Pedro runs out slamming the door.
Mother: Pedro, Pedro, don’t go, son.
ACT III
(Characters that intervene in this act Pedro, Doug and the Policeman)
Back alley of a hypermarket. The sound of a gunshot breaks the silence, a police siren can be heard in the distance. Doug, wounded in the stomach, enters the alley panting until he lies on the ground leaning against the wall.
Doug: Fuck, what a shit.
Pedro enters the alley scared. He quickly approaches Doug.
Doug: Pedro, thank goodness you came, help me to stand up.
Pedro: Doug don’t move, you’re hurt, we have to call an ambulance, call for help.
Doug: No, wait. If you call they’ll catch me.
Pedro: Who cares, you’re hurt, you need help.
Doug: If the sales clerk had given me the money, if she hadn’t called anyone, nothing would have happened. I wouldn’t have had to hurt her.
(Doug complains of the wound, he is panting more and more)
Pedro: Doug the police are nearby let me talk to them so they can help you.
Doug: Help me? don’t make me laugh.
(It’s getting harder and harder for him to speak)
A policeman enters the alley.
Police: Freeze, don’t move.
Pedro: Please help us, he’s hurt.
Doug dies. The policeman approaches Doug and takes his pulse.
Policeman: I’m sorry boy, he doesn’t have a pulse.
Pedro: No, no, it can’t be.
Policeman: The girl from the Híper is also dead. He had stabbed her in the robbery. Come with me son, we’ll call your parents.
Pedro leaves crying with the policeman.
The end.