Child of Grace

(Director stands at chalkboard planning for a meeting when a crowd of SEVEN employees — and one Instigator — approach, brutally dragging a weeping employee)

 INSTIGATOR:

(aggressive, demanding)  Director?  We caught him.  Chuck was caught in the act.  We have SEVERAL witnesses.  He was caught in the act of smuggling in sandwiches to sell to the employees.

 

CHUCK:

I shouldn’t have done it!  I shouldn’t have done it…  (collapses and sits on floor, hands over face, weeping uncontrollably)

 

INSTIGATOR:

SEE!  That’s an admission of guilt if I ever heard one!  You know what the Company Policies & Procedures Manual says.  Anyone caught participating in business practices which constitute a conflict of interest will be terminated immediately.  WHAT DO YOU SAY?

 

CROWD:

(grumbles and mumbles in agreement, ready to crucify the poor accused employee, pointing, smirking, crossing their arms over their chests, angry to see what the Director has to say)

 

DIRECTOR:

(looks at accused employee, then at the crowd, then turns to the chalkboard and starts writing, speaks, but seemingly to no one in particular)

 

Borrowed from petty cash.

 

(one of the crowd sneeks away, looking terribly guilty)

 

SEVERAL times.

 

(two more of the crowd sneek away, looking even guiltier)

 

Bottle of whiskey in desk.

 

(voooop, there goes another one, hiding face in hands)

 

INSTIGATOR:

Come on, come on!  What do you say!  Are you going to fire this guy, or NOT?

 

MUCH SMALLER CROWD:

(murmurs in angry agreement, but not quite as vehemently as before)

 

DIRECTOR:

(quietly, calmly)  If one of you hasn’t broken the Company policies, that person can give Chuck the pink slip.

 

(turns and begins writing on chalkboard again, again talking to no one in particular)

 

Makes long-distance calls from work.

 

(quietly, another of the crowd slips out, shaking head)

 

INSTIGATOR:

Come on!  You bunch of pansies!  Cowards!  Stand up to this guy!

 

DIRECTOR:

(continuing)  Looking up questionable sites on the Internet, usually that have a lot of Xs in the banners.

 

(another of the crowd grins, shakes head, and then runs from room)

 

INSTIGATOR:

This is ridiculous!  (points accusatory finger at Director)  You’re not proving anything.  You can’t deny this guy did something illegal.  You BETTER fire him!

 

DIRECTOR:

(continuing)  Consistently late to work, consistently long lunches, consistently leaves early.

 

(last of the crowd instantly turns and marches from room, head down in embarrassment)

 

INSTIGATOR:

(infuriated, ranting, raving)  I WANT JUSTICE!  I WANT JUSTICE AND I WANT IT NOW!

 

DIRECTOR:

(continuing)  Buys day-old sandwiches from a delicatessen down the street, sneaks them into the Company by blackmailing an employee, and then sells the day-old sandwiches to the hungry employees at an outrageous mark-up.

 

INSTIGATOR:

(from beginning of speech looks about wildly, fluctuating between anger and outrage and humiliation)  Whuh-whuh — who, WHO-who…?

 

(points at accused employee, shaking finger, and then turns and points at the Director, shaking finger, in impotent rage — finally turns and hurries from room, snarling, fists raised at chest level ready to hit ANYONE.)

 

DIRECTOR:

(to accused employee)  Well, do you see anyone here who wants to get you fired?

 

CHUCK:

(looks up, looks wildly around the room, sees no one and brightens, smiling)  No!

 

DIRECTOR:

(puts out hand and helps accused employee to his feet)  Well I don’t want to fire you either.

 

CHUCK:

(in great relief, hugs Director)  Thank you so much!

 

DIRECTOR:

Go back to your desk — and . . . sin . . . no more…

 

CHUCK:

(smiling)  You got THAT right!