Choice Lessons

by Melanie White

ACT I

Scene 1

TEACHER: To finish off our public safety week, I’ve invited Officer McKenzie to speak to our class. Let’s make him feel welcome.

She begins clapping and the children follow suit.

OFFICER: (Nervously) Well, I, uh … Hello, kids.

STUDENTS: (In unison.) Hello, Officer McKenzie.

OFFICER: What I’ve come to talk with you today about is…is to make sure you all wear your seat belts. It’s very important for your safety. Any questions?

Students raise their hands.

TEACHER: Yes, Billy.

BILLY: Is your gun loaded?

OFFICER: My gun? Why yes, it’s loaded.

TIM: Did you ever have to shoot anybody?

TEACHER: Raise your hand, Tim, if you want to ask a question.

Tim raises his hand urgently and waves it back and forth, bouncing up and down on his seat.

TEACHER: Tim?

TIM: Well, did ya?

OFFICER: Only once.

ERIC: Cool.

TIM: Did you kill him?

OFFICER: No, no I didn’t.

ERIC: What was he doing? Stealing a car or something?

OFFICER: I…uh…I’m not at liberty. I mean I can’t…

TEACHER: Let’s stick to the topic with our questions. Now does anybody have a question about road or car safety?

A few children raise their hands.

TEACHER: Linda?

LINDA: How come you gotta give people speeding tickets?

OFFICER: Speeding is against the law.

LINDA: But my mother ain’t no criminal.

TEACHER: Your mother isn’t a criminal.

LINDA: That’s what I said.

TEACHER: Never mind. We’ll work on your grammar another day.

LINDA: My mother was only speeding cause she was in a hurry to get me to school on time, and I don’t think it’s fair she got a ticket for that.

OFFICER: Well, there are a lot of reasons people go faster than they should, some good, and some bad, but no matter what the reason, speeding endangers the lives of others.

Alice raises her hand.

TEACHER: Yes, Alice?

ALICE: What does “endanger” mean?

TEACHER: It means to put in danger. So if I’m doing something that endangers you, I’m doing something that might hurt you.

ALICE: Oh. (She makes a note)

VINCE: My Dad says cops just give tickets so they can get enough money to pay their salaries. Is that true?

AMY: What is a “salary”?

VINCE: It’s like a paycheck. Like Miss, here, gets paid a salary every month for teaching us.

AMY: Oh.

TEACHER: Please class, if you want to say something, please raise your hand first.

OFFICER: Well, paying our salaries isn’t what traffic tickets are for.

VINCE: What are they for then?

OFFICER: To remind people to slow down.

Linda raises her hand.

TEACHER: Yes, Linda?

LINDA: Couldn’t you remind them without having to make them pay money for it?

OFFICER: Sometimes we do give warnings, but we’ve found they’re not as effective as giving out tickets.

To read more, email melaniewhite29@yahoo.com