One-Act Play

*Here is mah play :D*

A mother in her early 30s is reading the book “Pinocchio” to her four-year-old son. They are sitting on a couch in their living room.

Mom: (Turns to final page.) “Never again, Pinocchio decided, would he tell another lie.” (Shuts book.)

Timmy: Mommy…your tummy is fat.

Mom: What?

Timmy: Your tummy is fat.

Mom: Timmy, that’s not a very nice thing to say.

Timmy: I’m just telling the truth.

Mom: Sometimes, sweetie, it’s best to keep the truth to yourself.

Timmy: Oh. (Pauses.) Read it again?

Mom: Sure. (Opens the book.) “Once upon a time, there was a toymaker named Geppetto. Geppetto loved children, but had none of his own-“

Timmy: Why doesn’t he have children?

Mom: Because he’s not married.

Timmy: Is that ‘cause no one loves him?

Mom: No, honey, it’s because he hasn’t found the right person yet.

Timmy: Oh. Is Daddy the right person for you then?

Mom: Yes, Timmy.

Timmy: Then why do you yell at him?

Mom: (Laughs.) Because sometimes he can be annoying.

Timmy: Is that why you yell at me? Because I’m annoying?

Mom: (Hesitates.) Let’s just keep reading. “Geppetto could make wonderful things out of wood. One day he made a puppet that looked just like a boy. He called the puppet Pinocchio…” (The lights dim, then come back on.) “This was not true. Suddenly, Pinocchio’s nose started to grow longer-“

Timmy: (Hurriedly.) Mommy, I don’t like carrots.

Mom: …Okay.

Timmy: I don’t like it when you make pasta, either.

Mom: Timmy, what did I tell you about saying nice things?

Timmy: But Mommy, I don’t want my nose to get bigger.

Mom: What?

Timmy: When Pinocchio lied, his nose got bigger.

Mom: It’s just a story, Timmy.

Timmy: (Unconvinced.) Okay.

Mom: (The lights dim, then come back on.) “Right away his nose grew still longer.”

Timmy: (Begins to cry.)

Mom: Baby, what’s wrong?

Timmy: O-one time, you s-said I couldn’t h-have a c-cookie, and…and…and I ate it anyway!

Mom: (Shuts book.) Okay, Timmy, I think you’re taking this story way too seriously. Your nose won’t actually grow longer if you tell a lie.

Timmy: (Sniffs.) Th-then why d-does it h-happen to P-P-Pinocchio?

Mom: Because Pinocchio is fake, sweetie. He’s a character in a made-up story.

Timmy: (Horrified, stops crying.) Pinocchio isn’t…real?

Mom: No, no, honey, uh, he…he’s real, all right. It’s just, uh, his…his nose just doesn’t actually grow when he tells a lie.

Timmy: (Unbelieving.) Oh.

Mom: The point is, Timmy, that it’s not a good thing to lie, but you should try to keep the truth to yourself if it will hurt someone’s feelings.

Timmy: But Mommy, when Pinocchio didn’t tell the truth, he got into lots of trouble and his nose kept getting more bigger and more bigger.

Mom: (Sighs.) I know, Timmy, but that’s because…it’s because he was a puppet! Yeah, that’s why. That’s what will happen to you if you’re a puppet. Which you’re not. You’re a real little boy.

Timmy: So it’s okay if I lie?

Mom: No, Tim-

Timmy: It’s okay if I don’t tell you that I broke the lamp and hid it under the couch ‘till Daddy found it and said he did it so I wouldn’t get in lots of trouble? It’s okay if I say that my tummy hurts so I don’t have to eat dinner when you make yucky food? It’s okay if I say that you look pretty even when I’m just kidding? It’s okay-

Mom: Timmy! Stop, stop, stop! None of that is okay! (Pauses.) Well, except for maybe that last one, but still! It’s not a good thing to tell a lie-

Timmy: But you said it’s okay to tell lies…were you lying?

Mom: (Sighs.) No, Timmy, I wasn’t lying. What I meant was sometimes you have to use tact when telling people things.

Timmy: What does tact mean?

Mom: It means being aware of how other people feel and tell them things while keeping their feelings in mind.

Timmy: …What does it mean?

Mom: It means, if someone looks ugly, will you tell him or her they look ugly?

Timmy: Yes.           

Mom: (Shakes head, sighing.) No, Timmy, you shouldn’t.

Timmy: But then that’s lying.

Mom: No, that’s being tactful.

Timmy: So being…tac-…tact-…tactful means lying?

Mom: No, it means making sure you don’t hurt anyone’s feelings.

Timmy: Does that mean that telling the truth hurts people’s feelings, then?

Mom: Well…(Pauses.) Well, sometimes it does. But I still want you to always tell the truth. Just, sometimes, don’t tell all of the truth.

Timmy: You want me to lie a little bit?

Mom: No, I want you to be tactful. (Smiles. Silence. Timmy looks very confused. Sighs.) Listen, Timmy, how would you feel if I said I didn’t like that Lego ship you built me earlier before?

Timmy: I’d be super sad because that’s not very nice, Mommy. You said you loved it!

Mom: And I do love it, sweetie. But let’s pretend that I didn’t love it, and I thought it was kinda ugly, which it isn’t, it’s beautiful, but we’re just pretending.

Timmy: We’re pretending? Are we playing a game now?

Mom: Sorta…Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, we’re pretending that I didn’t like your Lego ship, but I didn’t want to hurt your feelings because I love you so much. So I told you that I thought it was great. I’m not really lying; I’m just being tactful so I won’t hurt your feelings.

Timmy: So…so you’re not telling the whole truth?

Mom: Exactly! Just like I said before! Not telling the whole truth is called a “little white lie.” Telling those doesn’t hurt anybody’s feelings and it’s not a wrong thing to do, either.

Timmy: Oh…why are they little and white?

Mom: Uh…I’m not sure, but do you understand what I mean?

Timmy: I think so, Mommy.

Mom: So you’ll try to be more tactful from now on?

Timmy: I’ll try, Mommy.

Mom: Does that mean you still think I have a fat tummy?

Timmy: Oh no, Mommy, you’re the skinniest, beautifullest person in the whole wide world! (Places his hand on his nose and feels it with apprehension.)