NARRATORBRAD
EDDIEROCHELLE
PROPS: Giga Pet, plugged-in strobe light, small sack with one Tootsie Roll,Giant Props: (big enough for people to fit inside) cardboard video game, cardboard Giga Pet, large brown paper sack
JESUSZONE: THE FIRM FOUNDATION
(Opening Scene: ROCHELLE is in her house, trying out her new Giga Pet)
NARRATOR: Some people spend their whole lives doing the silliest things. Some spend their entire school vacation watching TV. For others, it's the movies. But God wants our lives to be based on Him. Knowing Jesus and doing God's will are the most important things in life. For Eddie and his sister Rochelle, pleasing God really doesn't seem to matter. They're too busy doing their own thing . . . in the JesusZone.
EDDIE: Hey, sis, what do you have there?
ROCHELLE: You must be joking! You don't know what this is? It's one of those Giga pets you see everywhere. I've had it for about a week now.
EDDIE: How does it work?
ROCHELLE: See these buttons? They let you feed it, spank it, take it to the bathroom, give it a nap. Even give it a shower when it gets all stinky like you.
EDDIE: That sure sounds like a lot of trouble. I mean it's probably easy to give it a nap, but what if it's hungry? I don't think we have a spoon small enough to feed it. And how do you brush its teeth?
ROCHELLE: When God passed out brains, you probably thought he said trains. And you said, "No thanks. I'll walk."
EDDIE: Are you trying to say I'm dumb?
ROCHELLE: No. You're pretty smart (whisper: compared to a toad).Eddie, it's all electonic. The buttons control the features. This one is for feeding; this one's for a nap, and so on . . .
EDDIE: Wonderful.
ROCHELLE: What I like most of all is this chain it comes with. I just clip it to my belt loop and it can never get away.
EDDIE: If it ever did run away, we could just call it by name. Here Giga, come here Giga!
ROCHELLE: You're totally hopeless.
EDDIE: I still think video games are better. You don't have to feed them or put them to sleep or anything. Give me "Area 51” any day! See ya later, sis; I'm going down to the mall.
(Scene Two: EDDIE is playing with an arcade video game. A strobe light is activated inside the cardboard box to depict the video game.)
EDDIE: Now this is more like it. Rochelle can keep her silly little Giga pet. Nintendo is a man's game. (To the video game) Take that, you alien scum bag!
(ROCHELLE ENTERS, playing with her Giga pet. The Giga pet makes the familiar electronic noises. Stage lights shift from Eddie to Rochelle.
SOUND EFFECTS: The phone rings. Party noises can be heard in the background.)
ROCHELLE: (picking up the phone) Hello?
BRAD: Hey Rochelle, have you seen your brother Eddie?
ROCHELLE: Oh, it's only you, Brad. I was just getting ready to give Sheila a nap and you interrupted me.
BRAD: Who's Sheila? Your cat?
ROCHELLE: No, it's my Giga pet. Luckily the phone didn't wake her up.
BRAD: Those Giga pets are electronic. They can't really hear or eat or sleep.
ROCHELLE: Oh yeah, that's right. I knew that. I just wasn't thinking I guess.
BRAD: How weird. Know what I think? I think you've been playing with that thing for so many hours that now you're starting to think of it as a live animal. You know, like a cat or a dog. And that's weird.
ROCHELLE: Are you trying to say that I'm too attached to this thing?
BRAD: Well, yes.
ROCHELLE: Well I'm not. I can quit playing with it any time.
BRAD: Than why don't you?
ROCHELLE: Because it will die.
BRAD: Oh Brother. Anyway, I'm calling about your brother. He was supposed to come to my birthday party today and he never showed up. Have you seen Eddie?
ROCHELLE: Not since he left the house. Last thing he said was something about playing video games.
BRAD: That's it then! He must be down at the video arcade. I can't believe Eddie would miss my birthday party because of a dumb video game.
ROCHELLE: Well I can. He's just hooked on video games. All he does is play video games. If our parents didn't make us go to church, even on Sunday mornings Eddie would rather play video games.
BRAD: What about that Giga pet of yours? Isn't that sort of a video game?
ROCHELLE: No, it doesn't count. It's too small.
BRAD: Well anyway, if Eddie comes home, send him over to my birthday party. You can come too if you'd like.
ROCHELLE: Thanks, Brad; good-bye. (Just then Eddie walks in) ROCHELLE: Wow, you've been gone for about five hours.
EDDIE: It isn't easy saving planet earth from a full-scale alien invasion.
ROCHELLE: What a total video geek you are! Guess what? Brad called about his birthday party.
EDDIE: Oh my gosh! I am so late. I'm going right now!
ROCHELLE: Wait. I'm coming too. (they both exit)
(Scene Four: EDDIE and ROCHELLE walk across the stage. Suddenly, EDDIE'S attention is arrested by a candy store sign.)
EDDIE: Let's stop for a minute and buy some candy.
ROCHELLE: Okay. (The Giga pet begins to beep) Oh, wait a minute. Sheila needs her diaper changed.
EDDIE: Oh, brother.
(EDDIE EXITS and quickly returns with a bag of candy. ROCHELLE fidgets with the Giga pet all this time.)
ROCHELLE: What did you buy?
EDDIE: A little bit of everything. Come on; we can eat the candy on the way to the birthday party.
(EDDIE and ROCHELLE EXIT)
(Scene Five: ROCHELLE and EDDIE knock at Brad's door)
ROCHELLE: Knock, knock!
BRAD: Who's there?
EDDIE: Rochelle and Eddie.
BRAD: Rochelle and Eddie who? Just kidding, you guys! The party just ended before you got here, but you can help me clean up.
ROCHELLE: No, thanks.
BRAD: Oh. Well at least you can give me my birthday present.
(ROCHELLE and EDDIE just look at each other for a moment)
EDDIE: Duh, I forgot the present. I did have some money, but I spent it on candy.
BRAD: Cool. That'll do.
(EDDIE hands him the bag. BRAD empties out one little tootsie roll.)
BRAD: That's it? Just one tootsie roll? Is this your idea of a joke?
EDDIE: Uh, I'm sorry, Brad.
BRAD: Well, good-bye.
(EDDIE, ROCHELLE, and BRAD EXIT)
(Scene Six: ROCHELLE and EDDIE are center-stage at a living room scene: couch, table, chairs.)
EDDIE: Boy, I sure blew it, didn't I?
ROCHELLE: (playing with her Giga pet) Yes, you did. You selfish pig! You forgot the party and the present.
EDDIE: But that video game was pretty important. I had to ensure the survival of planet earth. And the candy was important too, right?
ROCHELLE: Yeah, the candy was good.
EDDIE: I guess that Giga pet is pretty important too. You don't spend much time thinking about anything else.
ROCHELLE: But I must take care of Sheila. Sheila depends on me.
EDDIE: You mean Sheila controls you.
ROCHELLE: Does not!
EDDIE: Does too!
ROCHELLE: Where is Sheila anyway?
EDDIE: I don't know where that thing is.
(Suddenly all three: The video game, the enlarged Giga pet, and the huge candy bag come from all sides and surround the two kids.)
EDDIE/ROCHELLE: Let us go! Let us go! (They are trapped. They scream a couple of times and act panicky. Then they just pantomime screaming with mouths wide open.)
NARRATOR: The Bible says in the book of Matthew, chapter seven, that Jesus is the only sure foundation to build your life upon. This means that those who give their lives to Jesus will be blessed and those who give their lives to other things will meet with disaster. Learn this truth well and you will remain in the dimension of . . . the JesusZone.
THE END