I CAN DO IT MYSELF,
THANK YOU
by
Jim Pappas
©1978

A short, one-act drama depicting the importance of faith, belief and exact obedience to God's commands.

CAST LIST: Eli
Nahor
Tehra

PROPS: None.

STAGING: This play is very simple and can be done in a Readers' Theatre fashion with 2 microphones onstage for the 3 speakers to share.

Scene I

(SETTING: CAMP OF ISRAEL DURING THE WILDERNESS WANDERING. DUE TO NEEDLESS AND EVIL COMPLAINING, GOD HAS BEEN COMPELLED TO WITHDRAW FROM THE CAMP. WITH HIS PRESENCE WENT HIS PROTECTION, LEAVING THE ISRAELITES TO THE MERCY OF SERPENTS. ON ALL SIDES ARE HEARD THE CRIES AND MOANS OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BITTEN AND ARE DOOMED TO A SWIFT AND PAINFUL DEATH.)

Nahor: So you went out and got bitten, huh?

Eli: (NODS YES)

Nahor: Bright. Real bright.

Eli: It wasn't my fault.

Nahor: Wasn't it?

Eli: No!

Nahor: If you'd had half a brain, you would have stayed in your tent.

Elihu: There's snakes in the tents too. Besides, I gotta eat. Manna doesn't just float into the pan, you know.

Nahor: Well, you should have been more careful.

Elihu: Well, how careful can you be when the whole place crawls with snakes? I wish God would return!

Nahor: Why?

Elihu: When God was here, we were safe.

Nahor: Well, lotta good it'd do you now.

Elihu: It might help you.

Nahor: I've been around snakes all my life. I can take care of myself.

Tehra: (ENTERS WITH GREAT EXCITEMENT) Elihu, have you heard?

Elihu: (NODS NO)

Tehra: God is back! He told Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a cross. Anybody who looks at it will be healed of their snake bites!

Nahor: Oh, brother!

Tehra: It's true!

Elihu: I can be healed?

Tehra: Just look out your tent at the snake and you're well again!

Nahor: Don't be stupid! There's snakes out there!

Elihu: No worse than in here. Besides, what have I got to lose?

Tehra: I'll help you.

Nahor: Of all the stupid...(SEES SNAKE) Snake!! Stop! Nobody move! Nobody move! I'll kill it.

Tehra: Be careful! (AS PERSON 2 REACHES DOWN FOR WEAPON, EYES ON SNAKE)

Elihu: (SEES SECOND SNAKE NEAR WEAPON) Look out!

Nahor: (NAHOR IS BITTEN, CRIES OUT IN PAIN, KILLS BOTH SNAKES IN A RAGE) Ahhh! Ow! Take that, ugly viper! It bit me! It bit me! I'm going to die!

Tehra: No problem.

Nahor: No problem! What are you talking about? No problem?

Tehra: Come with us to see the serpent.

Nahor: Don't be a fool.

Elihu: (VERY WEAK NOW) Please...let's hurry! I can't wait...

Tehra: Look, do you want to come or not? We can't wait any longer.

Nahor: It's an impossibility!

Tehra: Maybe so, but it's happening all around. We'll be right back (EXITS WITH ELIHU)

Nahor: God save me! (TIME LAPSE) Oh, my God! Hear my prayer! (ENTER ELIHU AND TEHRA) Save me, I pray!!

Elihu: Nahor, look!

Nahor: What?

Elihu: Look, I'm healed! I've been healed!

Nahor: Impossible.

Elihu: Just look.

Nahor: But how?

Elihu: I looked at the bronze serpent.

Nahor: Oh, come on!

Tehra: It's true.

Nahor: You just looked at a hunk of metal and zap! you're all right? You expect me to believe that?

Elihu: Yes.

Nahor: You must think I'm pretty stupid.

Tehra: It's not a matter of smarts. It's believing God's promise.

Nahor: Bah!

Elihu: Look, Nahor, you don't have much time left. Let's go look at the snake.

Nahor: Forget it!

Elihu: You're mad!

Nahor: Yeah, yeah! Real easy to say when you're whole and well.

Elihu: Two minutes ago I was just like you are!

Tehra: And you can be whole and well too. Just look!

Nahor: What's in a look?

Tehra: Your life.

Elihu: Faith in God. It saved me - it will save you. (HE STARTS TO PICK UP NAHOR) Come on, we'll help.

Nahor: Ow! That hurts! Don't you know how to pick up a sick man!

Elihu: You don't have to be. Go look!

Nahor: How can a look cure?

Elihu: How does the sun shine? No one knows, but it feels warm just the same.

Tehra: It's the same with faith in God. How it works is a mystery, but people are saved by it.

Nahor: I want evidence.

End of Sample

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