Title: “Christmas Eve Story”.
Author: Manuel MartÃnez
4 characters:
- JOSHUA.- 12 years old, spoiled child, who has very bad behavior although deep down he is good.
- JOSHUA’S MOTHER.- 35 years old. She is saddened by her son’s bad behavior and by having to take care of the youngest in the house, Pepe.
- PEPE.- 4 years old, brother of Joshua.
- GRANDFATHER’S GHOST.- 65 years old, the ghost of Joshua’s grandfather who appears to him at night.
ACT I
(Characters that intervene in this act: Joshua, Joshua’s mother, his brother Pepe and 4 shoppers of the shopping center).
Mall decorated with Christmas decorations. Joshua is holding hands with his mother and his little brother Pepe, all walking down the aisle of the mall. His mother is loaded down with shopping bags, when Joshua lets go of her hand and sticks to a toy window. The weary mother approaches Joshua.
Joshua: Mom, you have to buy me the new scooter.
Mother: But we bought you another scooter not even two months ago for your birthday.
Joshua: So?
Mother: So, you already have one.
Joshua: But not the new one, if you don’t buy it for me, I’ll ask Santa Claus for it.
Mother: Well, but Santa Claus can’t always bring everything we ask for. Besides, you had written him a letter asking for a console. I don’t think he will have time to change the gift to Santa Claus. Because tonight he has to go out and deliver all the presents.
Joshua: I don’t care. Santa Claus can do that for sure. And if not, you can buy it for me.
Mother: But the little brother has to get his presents too, Joshua, I don’t think he can this year.
Joshua: Of course not, I want him for sure.
Joshua starts kicking the floor and bawling at the looks of the other buyers. The embarrassed mother takes Joshua by the hand.
Mother: Come on, Joshua, let’s go, please. We’ll talk about it at home, come on, I’ll make you some of those cookies you like.
Joshua continues bawling and kicking until he kicks a package inside one of the bags his mother was carrying.
Mother: Are you happy, you broke the doll we were going to give to your little brother, now what is he going to get?
Pepe begins to cry inconsolably, the suffocated mother grabs Joshua by the hand, takes Pepe in her arms with difficulty and leaves the mall with Joshua bawling and Pepe crying.
ACT II
(Characters intervening in this act Joshua, Grandfather’s ghost)
Christmas Eve. Midnight in Joshua’s house. He remains in the dark sleeping in his bedroom. When a light illuminates the room and the ghost of Joshua’s grandfather appears, Joshua wakes up frightened.
Joshua: Mom, is that you?
Grandfather ghost: Quiet Joshua, don’t scream, you’ll wake everyone else.
Joshua: Who are you?
Grandfather ghost: You know who I am, Joshua.
Joshua: Grandpa, is that you?
Grandfather ghost: : Yes, my boy, I come because I have something very important to tell you.
Joshua: What is it grandpa.
Grandfather ghost: Joshua, you can’t go on like this. You are behaving worse and worse with your mother and your brother. You don’t know how deeply sad it makes me feel to see how you behave.
Joshua: But Grandpa, I’m not behaving badly.
Grandfather Ghost: Of course not, don’t lie to me, my boy! I have seen how you talk to your mother and you know that you are not acting well. Look inside yourself.
Joshua: But grandpa, I love you.
Grandfather Ghost I know, my boy, I know. But they need you too, you can’t keep treating them like this. Because someday you will need them and they won’t be here for you anymore.
Joshua: (With his voice cracking with tears) Grandfather, I’m sorry.
Grandfather Ghost: No, you don’t have to apologize to me. You have to ask them. But most of all you have to treat them much better.
Joshua: I will, Grandpa, I promise I will.
Grandfather Ghost: That’s the way I like it, my boy. I have to go now.
Joshua: No, please Grandpa, don’t go. Stay here with me.
Grandfather ghost: Don’t worry, Joshua, even if you don’t see me, I will always be by your side.
Joshua: I love you grandpa.
Grandfather Ghost: Me too, my boy. Make me proud.
The light goes out and Joshua is left in the dark.
ACT III
(Characters that intervene in this act Joshua, his Mother and Pepe)
Christmas morning, Joshua’s mother is in the living room with Pepe. She watches in sorrow as the little boy plays with the broken doll.
Mother: My poor boy, what more could I want than to have been able to buy you something else.
Joshua enters the room, looks at his mother and brother with sorrow. Soon he rushes to embrace his mother.
Mother: (Surprised) Good morning sweetheart, did you sleep well?
Joshua: Yes, Mom (with tears in his eyes) Sorry, Mom.
Mother: Why, what have you done?
Joshua: Well, I treated you and little Pepe so badly.
Mother: Well, that’s all right. Go and open some of your presents.
Joshua: No.
Mother: Why not, don’t you like them?
Joshua: Yes, I like them very much, but I’m not going to open them by myself. Pepe will help me!
Joshua sits down next to Pepe, picks up one of his presents and gives it to Pepe to open. The Mother stands and looks at them smiling.
Joshua: Come on, Pepe, help me open it, it’s very big, let’s see what it is.
Joshua smilingly looks at his brother Pepe and then at his mother.
The end.