Theme: You can’t control your circumstances, but you can control your attitude
Length: 4-5 minutes
Characters: John & Jane
Scene/Props: Office break room with a vending machine and a table with chairs.
Synopsis: John is angry when the vending machine takes his money without delivering a candy bar although it works fine when Jane buys something. John calms down when he and Jane talk about attitude adjustment. Until John puts in more money.
Excerpt:
(JOHN enters and approaches the vending machine. He looks and makes his decision.)
John: Ah…snickers. Time for a chocolate fix.
(He drops in coins and waits, but nothing happens.)
John: (irritated) What’s up with this?
(He gives the machine a casual smack with his hand, but nothing.)
John: (more annoyed but smiles tolerantly) You just gotta love technology.
(He looks around, sees no one watching and hits it harder a few more times. Still nothing.)
John: (He smiles but it’s now very tight jawed) Yes sir, technology is wonderful. It’s the marvel of modern civilization. A tribute to man’s inventive genius, it’s…it’s…
(He pauses, searching for words and looking around with his very tight smile and then attacks the machine in a flurry of hits, kicks and then shakes it with both hands. He finally stops and bends over with his hands on his knees to catch his breath.)
John: Man, I need to get in shape.
(JANE enters, makes a selection and starts to put coins in the machine.)
John: I wouldn’t, the machine is out of order.
(But he’s too late. She inserts the coins, makes a selection and a candy bar drops down. She unwraps and begins to eat it.)
John: Hey!
(He tries pushing several buttons, but nothing. Then he begins hitting it, growing increasingly more violent to the point of kicking and shaking it until Jane intervenes.)
Jane: John, take it easy will you?
