Lillenas® Drama Presents Reflections of a Moldy Oldie from Seniors Centerstage By Gail Blanton Theme: Troubles, don’t dwell on them. Get interested in other people as a cure. Character: PETE Setting: Any Props: Reflecting sunglasses PETE (holds a pair of sunglasses with mirrored outer lenses as he talks): What was the mat- ter with me? I thought the whole world had turned into a crowd of sun wor- shipers. Not just beach bums, not just the ones that hang out at the lake or the pool. Everybody. Everywhere I went. Everybody wearing those reflecting sun- glasses. Everybody trying to be hot stuff in cool shades. Now there’s a para- dox for you. SAMPLEDO NOT PRINT Businessmen, kids, doctors, nurses, patients, babies, ball players, priests! All wearing those shiny, two-way mirror glasses. You try to talk to somebody wearing those things, and you know what you see, don’t you? Just yourself. And it’s almost like those lenses have a magnet in them. You almost have to look at yourself, you know? After all, this is you, and nobody cares about how you look like you do. And nobody sees what’s going on with you like you do. You see all your shortcomings, how tired you look, how old you are. You can count every trouble you have by those wrinkles. That worried face says you’re not the John Wayne hero who used to take on every challenger. That pale color shows you’re not as well as you once were. That stoop in your posture shows you’re not much good for anything anymore. You, in all of your hoary glory. It’s depressing. Just about made me want to quit going out in the world. Just drop out of everything. People were crazy anyway. Why were they wearing those stupid mirrored sunglasses? Causing me to see all my drawbacks everywhere I looked! Well, one day I took off my eyeglasses to clean them, and guess what? Everybody wasn’t wearing reflecting shades. The mirrors were inside my “Reflections of a Moldy Oldie” is taken from Seniors Centerstage. Copyright © 1997 by Gail Blanton. All print rights administered by Lillenas® Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States. glasses—right there where the bifocals were supposed to be. I had been looking at only myself and my circumstances. Once I took those mirrors out and started really seeing other people, I felt better—well enough to find out about their concerns. And I acted better—well enough to get involved in helping some people. And now my circumstances don’t seem nearly as bad. I sleep better now—yes, and I bet I look better too. (As he exits, he describes himself.) Cool. Old Hot Stuff. (Tosses the glasses behind him onto the stage.) John Wayne. Eveready Bunny. The purchase of this sketch entitles the purchaser to make photocopies of this material for use in their church or nonprofit organization. The sharing of this material with other churches or organizations not owned or controlled by the original purchaser is strictly prohibited. The contents of this sketch may not be reproduced in any other form without written permission from the publisher. Please include the copyright statement found below on each copy made. All Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB), © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Questions? Please write, call, or E-mail: Lillenas® Publishing Company Phone: 816-931-1900 E-mail: [email protected] Drama Resources Fax: 816-412-8390 Web Site: www.lillenasdrama.com P. O. Box 419527 Kansas City, MO 64141 SAMPLEDO NOT PRINT The sketch collection Seniors Centerstage (MP-802) is available for purchase from Lillenas ® Drama or from your local Christian bookstore. For a full description of the rest of this collection, or to purchase other individual sketches, refer to www.lillenasdrama.com “Reflections of a Moldy Oldie” is taken from Seniors Centerstage. Copyright © 1997 by Gail Blanton. All print rights administered by Lillenas® Publishing Co. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States..