Title: “Can I help you?
Author: Clara Pérez
4 characters:
- Santiago: Kind and good-natured boy.
- Friend: Selfish and unconcerned about others.
- Alma: Woman who suffers a mishap.
- Nurse: In charge of giving news to Santiago.
ACT I
Setting: Entrance of a hospital.
Introduction: Santiago and his friend are at the entrance of a hospital when from a distance they see a woman approaching, injured and beaten.
Santiago (shocked to see the woman): Look, what happened to that woman?
Amigo (unconcerned): Who knows? But the poor woman looks very bad, she is trying to get here and she is coming so slow that she will arrive tomorrow.
Santiago (worried): Let’s help her.
Friend (with a stubborn gesture): No friend, you don’t want to get into trouble; you don’t know what happened to that woman or the trouble you can get into, let her fix herself.
Santiago (annoyed): You are a dumb my friend, you stay I will go to help her.
Santiago walks in a hurry to where the woman is leaning against a wall taking strength to try to get to the hospital, he arrives to her and taking her by the arm he speaks to her.
Santiago (kindly): Can I help you?
Alma (speaking between moans): Yes thank you, they just mugged me, they beat me, they took everything, my car, my documents, money, phone, everything!
Santiago (trying to lean on him): Don’t worry, if you have to call someone I’ll lend you my phone, but let me take you to the hospital, you look very bad; my mother is hospitalized there and I can accompany you until you get someone to come for you.
Alma (leaning on him and trying to walk): Thank you, nowadays people are very insensitive, for fear of getting into trouble they avoid helping others, kindness no longer exists.
ACT II
Setting: Hospital waiting room
Introduction: Santiago and Alma arrive at the hospital waiting room Santiago manages to sit Alma down and calls the nurse’s attention.
Santiago (addressing the nurse): Miss, excuse me, this woman was assaulted and she is feeling very bad; she was beaten and is injured.
Nurse: Yes, wait a moment, I am going to tell the doctor and I will come for her.
Santiago (approaching Alma): They are coming for you, you can call your family, take my phone.
Alma (extending her hand to take the phone): Thank you, you are very kind….
Santiago (realizing he hadn’t introduced himself yet): Santiago, that’s my name.
Alma (trying to smile a little): Thank you Santiago, mine is Alma.
Alma manages to get her call answered and Santiago walks away while she speaks, once she finishes, she returns to the woman’s side, while the nurse approaches next to the friend.
Friend (pointing to Santiago): It’s him miss.
Santiago (intrigued): I am what? Are you going to attend to the lady?
Nurse (extending a sheet of paper): Yes, in a moment the doctor will attend her. This is the bill for your mother’s expenses, in an hour or so we will discharge her, you must pay it.
Santiago (opening the bill and getting up from the chair passing his hand over his head as a sign of concern): God, and now?
Friend (approaching and taking the paper): What is it?
Santiago (worried): Look at the amount, I don’t have that much money, and only one hour to get it, now what do I do?
Nurse (approaching again and addressing Alma): Mrs. Come with me, the doctor is going to attend you.
Alma gets up and goes behind the nurse turning and smiling to Santiago who despite his concern smiles back.
Friend (intrigued): What are you going to do? It’s a lot of money and if you don’t have it you won’t be able to get your mom out of here and the bill will go up.
Santiago (hitting the wall): I know and I have no idea what I can do, let’s see who I call or how I get that money.
Santiago leaves the waiting room and his friend follows him.
ACT III
Setting: Hospital waiting room.
Introduction: Santiago and his friend return with the same worry with that they had left the place before.
Santiago (Annoyed and desperate): Nobody, nobody can help me!
Friend (trying to calm him down): What if you ask for a credit, pay in partial payments or something like that?
Santiago (thinking for a moment): Do you think they will let me do that? that would be the solution.
Nurse (approaching again with a sheet of paper in her hand): Excuse me, the miss from the robbery left with intentions of saying goodbye but you were not here, her husband came for her, she left this note for you.
Santiago (taking the note): For a moment I thought it was another bill, thank you Miss.
The nurse moves away and Santiago reads the note, a smile appears on his lips.
Friend (Curious): What’s up friend?
Santiago (reading the note to his friend): Listen: “Can I help you? Thanks for your solidarity and kindness, the doctor already checked me and fortunately everything is fine, I wish there were more people like you in the world, I thank you for your help. Oh, I forgot, your mother’s expenses have already been paid, it´s my wey of helping you , they are on my account, thank you and good luck. Alma”
Friend (surprised): Dude, she payed the bill, it’s unbelievable and all because you helped her get to the hospital.
Santiago (smiling): God repay you for her favor. Don’t be silly, she helped me because I helped her, do you realize that being kind and supportive pays off?
Amigo (annoyed by the scolding): Well yeah, you are right, you were right to help her.
Santiago (walking towards the exit): Let’s go get my mom and get out of this hospital before they charge us for breathing.
Both friends leave smiling in search of Santiago’s mother.
THE END