"PROMISE NOT TO TELL"

(GIRL 1 is alone on stage. Enter GIRL 2.)

GIRL 2

Every night after dinner I lock myself in the bathroom and make myself throw up. Promise not to tell anyone.

GIRL 1

But—

GIRL 2

I thought you were my friend.

(BOY 1 enters, moving a little slowly, from the other side of the stage.)

GIRL 1

I promise.

(Girl 2 moves to a corner of the stage as the Boy approaches.)

BOY 1

I ran into the door.

GIRL 1

The door?

BOY 1

If I piss off my Dad when he’s drunk, sometimes he takes the back of his hand and . . .

(He imitates his father hitting him in the face.)

It’s my fault. Promise not to tell anyone.

GIRL 1

I don't know.

(Enter GIRL 3 and BOY 2.)

BOY 1

He swore he wouldn't do it again. He feels real bad about it.

(moving away to his corner of the stage)

Don't tell—you promised.

GIRL 1

I did?

GIRL 3

I think I'm pregnant. But you can't tell anybody.

GIRL 1

I—

(Girl 3 moves to her corner, while Boy 2 moves toward Girl 1 as if he wants to tell her something.)

Don’t say it. Don’t tell me anything, ‘cause I know it’s gonna’ be something horrible, and I can only keep three horrible secrets at once.

BOY 2

Promise not to tell.

GIRL 1

Tell what?

(Enter GIRL 4, who approaches Girl 1.)

BOY 2

You promised.

GIRL 1

Don’t tell what?

BOY 2

(moving toward his corner)

Don’t tell anything.

GIRL 1

(to Girl 4)

There’s no corner left for you.

GIRL 4

But I need to tell somebody.

GIRL 1

Tell one of them.

GIRL 4

I don’t trust them.

GIRL 1

Then tell one of the teachers or your parents or your grandparents or a member of your extended family or a step or half-family member or your minister or your rabbi or Ann Landers or Alateen or Gamblers Anonymous or the Runaway Hotline or the Child Abuse Hotline or your doctor or the police or the 911 operator or the nice old man in the cardigan that feeds pigeons in the park—

GIRL 4

I don’t live near a park.

GIRL 1

Then find a nice old man in a cardigan somewhere else. Or take a road trip.

(pause)

Unless you want to tell me you won the lottery, only you don’t want anyone to know. Or you’ve got two Laura Ashley originals and you need my help deciding which one to wear to the school dance. Or every boy in the grade asked you out, and you can’t decide which one to go with. Or you need to tell someone you got an A on the English test or a part in the next Spielberg movie.

GIRL 4

It’s not one of those.

GIRL 1

But it’s like one of those—right?

GIRL 4

No.

GIRL 1

Did you ever think that maybe I don’t feel like making an impossible decision today?

GIRL 4

Promise not to tell?

GIRL 1

(beat)

Promise.

(End scene. Exit the actors as it becomes a news broadcast, CHUCK INTERLUDE #5. Enter the ANCHOR.)

ANCHOR

Our top story once again is the search for Chuck. Still no sign, and authorities are rushing to get his face on a milk carton by the end of the week. Anyone with information on Chuck’s whereabouts, you can dial this toll free hotline: 1-888-GO-CHUCK.

(pause)

Moms and Dads, do you know where your Chuck is?