Narrator: Coming up on Young People Ask - Roadblocks to Friendship

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Narrator: Coming up on “Young People Ask” - Roadblocks to Friendship

“They have their own little groups, if you’re not in that group then you’re not invited either.”

Narrator: Young people talk about friendship with God.

“I definitely think that having a friendship with God is a hard concept to understand.”

Narrator: The dangers of making the wrong kind of friends.

“I got involved in bad association basically at school.”

Narrator: And then a modern day drama.

“Call your parents tell them you had a flat tire.”

“You know you’re different from the other girls.”

Narrator: All this coming up on “Young People Ask – How Can I Make Real Friends?”

The road to friendship is not always an easy ride. Young people in four different countries told us of some of the roadblocks they’ve encountered. The first roadblock --- Feeling left out.

Narrator: Feeling left out is just one roadblock to friendship. For some young people another roadblock may be - Personality.

Narrator: Working on our personality can help us to win friends. Even so we can hit another roadblock when friendships seem to become – Too close.

Narrator:When you make Jehovah your best friend you’ll be drawn to others who do likewise. In the Christian congregation you can enjoy friendships with people of different ages and backgrounds. Friendships that could influence you in a positive way.

Narrator: Whether they’re young or old the best kind of friends are people who are friends of God. Among true Christians you can find friends who will not hurt you but who will help you. You can have friends who won’t tear you down but who will build you up. You can have friends you can trust, who are loyal. If you are a friend of God you will never be without real friends.

Narrator: The Bible’s warning against bad association can even apply within the congregation.

Two young Christians recall how bad association nearly lead to their spiritual ruin.

Narrator: Back in Bible times a young woman named Dinah got involved with bad associations. What were the consequences? Cast members of a modern day drama recall the Bible account.

Scene: Tara’s bedroom

[Tara is writing a letter to one of her friend back home, Chrissy]

Dear Chrissy, sorry it’s taken me so long to answer your letters. It was pretty crazy around here for a while. Anyway I want you to know that I’m okay.

But Chrissy, something you said in your last letter worried me. You said that you thought the friends and the Kingdom Hall were boring and that the kids at school were a lot more fun. If you knew what I’ve been through recently, you’d understand why I’m worried. You’ve probably wondered why I haven’t written you since we moved here. I guess I’ve been too ashamed. But now I think I need to tell you…

I understood why we had to move, with dad getting the new job and everything but that didn’t make things any easier. I was leaving behind all my friends.

Mom and Dad were so busy with our new home their new jobs. I didn’t want to burden them with how miserable I felt.

I started writing poetry again. It seemed to take my mind off my loneliness.

At the new congregation Mom and Dad were eager to make new friends. I had a major attitude problem…

Scene: Kingdom Hall

Sister 1:

Well, um, it was nice meeting you Tara

Tara:

Yah, same here

Sister 2:

(to other Sister while walking away)

I wonder what was wrong with her.

Sister 1:

Yah, I don’t know

Stacey:

(walkng in)

Hey --- you must be Tara

Tara:

Hi

Stacey:

Hi, I just met your parents they are so nice.

Tara:

Thanks

Stacey:

Well anyways my name is Stacey, you mind if I sit down?

There was this pioneer sister, Stacey Evans. She tried really hard to be nice.

Stacey:

So I hear you’re from Luinda Falls

Tara:

Lucinda Falls

Stacey:

Lucinda Falls sorry. Pretty small town, huh?

Tara:

It’s not that small.

Stacey:

Sorry, I didn’t mean to.

Tara:

That’s okay.

Stacey:

Must be pretty hard to be away from all your friends, huh?

Brother:

[from platform]

Excuse me brothers could everyone please find their seats

Tara:

[getting up and leaving]

Stacey it was nice meeting you.

I just wasn’t ready to make any new friends.

Scene: Tara in school hallway

[Students are bumping into her as if she wasn’t even there. Students are walking with their friends and Tara is by herself]

Chrissy, I had never ever felt so alone, and school was the final brush stroke on this portrait of misery. I felt so out of place. It was like I didn’t even exist.

A few weeks later, though, things seem to change for the better.

Scene: Mr. Beckwith’s English class

It was in Mr. Beckwith’s English class.

Mr. Beckwith:

All right. Listen up. Listen up people.

[waits patiently for students to stop talking]

Thank you. This past weekend while you were out partying this overworked and underpaid English teacher spent his weekend reading your poems.

Everyone:

Awwwwwww

Mr. Beckwith:

Take this masterpiece for example.

“I think I shall never see a guy as cool as Anthony,

He’s very strong and cute and tall.

I like to show him off in the shopping mall.”

And guess who authored this work of art?

“My skateboard makes a sound when it hits the ground that can be by people…”

[Kyle stands up]

Kyle:

Mr. B. you got to read it with a little rhythm, a little style, some attitude….

[Kyle sits down]

Mr. Beckwith:

Some of you did write verses that rightly can be call lyrical poetry. Now we’ll have that select few present their poems before the class.

[Lori stands up]

Sorry Miss Taylor, not this time.

[Lori sits down]

First up, Miss Tara Madson.

Great, as if being the new kid in class wasn’t bad enough. Now I had to be put on public exhibition.

[Mr. Beckwith quiets down the class]

Tara:

[Reading to class her poem called – I Was Sick]

I remember the day I caught loneliness.

It was the day we moved away.

It lay like a stone in my lap and no matter how I tried, prying, tearing, it simply would not go away.

I never knew emptiness until I moved away.

[Mark and Lori now notice Tara in a new light]

I remained a pebble, lost in this world so vast and uncaring.

Cast aside, passed by, left astray, I took steps to destroy it before it sapped me, crushed me, left me victim.

I pulled harder, ripping that stone right from my heart and threw it all back into the void from where it came.

Yes, I had thrown loneliness away.

Mr. Beckwith:

Thank you Miss Madson. Excellent work. Notice her use of simile when she says, ‘it laid like a stone’…

For weeks I had been invisible to these kids. Suddenly they noticed me.

Mr. Beckwith:

Do you know what this shows me? That you’re all capable of writing poetry, it’s just a matter of making the effort.

[Bell goes off and students are leaving]

Don’t forget people, due Friday, dramatic dialogue, suffering loss, partner optional.

Scene: School library

Lori:

So, you’re a math genius too.

Tara:

Oh, hi, Lori.

Lori:

And some kind of frustrated poet just waiting to be discovered.

Tara:

I wouldn’t say that.

Lori:

Well, Mr. Beckwith sure drooled over your poetry.

Tara:

So?

Lori:

So, I figured you’re the one to help me with the class assignment.

Tara:

You mean the dramatic dialogue?

Lori:

Yah, theme: ‘Suffering Loss.’

[Librarian shushes Lori. Lori gives the librarian the ‘talk to the hand’ gesture]

Anyway I have to get an A on it.

Tara:

Why, you’re flunking English?

Lori:

No, but I gotta pull my grades up in order to get into college, so I figure you’re the one to help me with this.

Tara:

I was planning on working on it by myself.

Lori:

Come on Tara, Mr. B said we could use a partner.

Tara:

Look, Lori, I’m sorry but I like to work alone when I write.

Lori:

Please don’t make me beg.

I actually felt sorry for her.

Tara:

[Sighs and rolls her eyes]

Lori:

Is that a yes?

Tara:

I guess.

Lori:

Yes! I’ll pick you up tomorrow and we can go to my place.

Tara:

Your place? Why can’t we just do it here?

Lori:

This place is gross. Besides we’ll have a lot more privacy. Kay? Ciao.

Scene: Lori’s house

Going to her house wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. But at the time I couldn’t think of any way to get out of it. And I have to admit I was a little curious about this girl.

We both had a serious case of writer’s block.

Lori:

Beckwith drives me crazy with these assignments. I mean what does ‘suffering loss’ mean?

Tara:

Didn’t he say it could mean whatever we want it to mean, so we make something up.

Lori:

Like what?

Tara:

Like, when your parents make you move away and you loose everything you care about.

Lori:

Huh, tell me about it.

Tara:

What? You too?

Lori:

Hey, I wasn’t always the picture of charm and fashion that you see before you today. We used to live in a small house in a small town and then dad hit it big in the stock market and voila, goodbye friends, hello loneliness. I don’t know what I’m telling you all this.

Tara:

That’s it!

Lori:

That’s what?

Tara:

The loss. We do a dramatic dialogue about the loss of friendship.

Lori:

You mean about friends moving away?

Tara:

No, a little too close to home.

Lori:

Then who about because they’ve had a fight?

Tara:

A fight? About what?

Lori:

Hello? About guys. What else do girls fight about?

Finally the ideas were flowing. We got together again the next day.

Lori:

So there’s two women and we can make them really old, like thirty.

Tara:

Yah, and they’re both hopelessly in love with this guy, Jake.

Lori:

Jake – nah, Brett.

Tara:

Ok, Brett.

As I got to Lori my opinion of her began to change. I never would have guessed that we had so much in common.

Tara:

These are great pictures, who’s this?

Lori:

Oh, that was my best friend Misty. We used to do everything together. Anyway, that’s our old house, can you believe it?

Tara:

Don’t you miss it sometimes?

Lori:

Yah, a little, but mostly my friends.

Scene: In the Kingdom Hall

Brother:

[Giving talk]

So, Proverbs 13:20 says “He that is walking with wise persons will become wise. But he who is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly.” Now when the Bible says ‘stupid ones’ it’s not talking about people who are unintelligent, but about people who do not follow godly standards.

[Everyone is paying attention to the speaker except for Tara]

All I could think about was getting together again with Lori.

Scene: Lori’s house

Tara:

You can’t have him Alexandra, Brett is mine!!

Lori:

Perfect, let’s take it from the top.

Scene: Mr. Beckwith’s English class

Tara:

You can’t have him Alexandra, Brett is mine!!

Lori:

Yours? Ha, ha, ha, well, you don’t own Brett, Kimberley.

Tara:

What about me Alexandra?

Lori:

That’s the problem, Kimberley, it always been about you.

Tara:

Doesn’t our friendship mean anything at all to you?

Lori:

Our friendship? Write it off as a loss honey – your loss, my gain.

Ok, so we weren’t ready for Broadway but the class loved it. A week ago I couldn’t stand this girl.

Scene: School cafeteria

Suddenly, Lori’s friends didn’t mind being seen with me.

Erin:

You guys should try out for the school play.

Lori:

Okay, no that was just for an A. But you have definitely earned a seat at this table, Tara.

Erin:

Yah, we had an opening for a literary genuine.

Tara:

Erin, please, I’m no genius.

Lori:

Ooooh, and so modest.

[Tara bows her head to say a prayer before she eats and one of the girls gives her a funny look]

Friend:

Girl, if I had you talent I’d cash in on it.

Tara:

What do you mean?

Lori:

Hello? Scholarships, a career, fame.

Friend:

Money.

Erin:

Guys.

Friend:

And money.

Erin:

And guys.

Tara:

No, writing is just a hobby for me.

Friend:

So what do you plan to do? Flip burgers?

Tara:

Well, I need to do something to support myself but I really want to help people.

Erin:

What, you mean like a social worker or something?

Tara:

No, more like volunteer work.

Erin:

Volunteer work?

Tara:

Yah, I mean, we teach people.

Lori:

Teach what?

Friend:

Hello? Teachers don’t make any money.

Tara:

No let me explain, you see… we’re … well I’m one of …

[Lori’s phone rings]

Lori:

Hold that thought. Yah? Hey Joanna. Oh cool. Of course I’ll be there. Alright, Ciao. Summer clearance girls, today only. Tara you can’t miss it.

Tara:

I don’t think I can I don’t have any money with me.

Lori:

Have no fear daddy’s credit card is here. Besides I owe you big time.

Friend:

Hey, maybe we can get her out of her Miss Luinda Falls outfit.

Tara:

It’s Lucinda Falls

Friend:

Whatever.

Tara:

And besides what’s wrong with my outfit?

[all three girls giggle]

Scene: Lori’s house

Now I was in Lori’s circle of friends but I had to make a few changes to fit in.

[The girls are trying on their new clothes]

Erin:

Wait ‘til Mark sees you.

Tara:

Mark?

Lori:

Hello? Mark in your English class Mark. He’s been checking you out since ever since your little poetry reading.

Friend:

He’s cute and daddy has big bucks.

Erin:

Not to mention that he’s recently become available. I could definitely see you two together.

Tara:

Together? I don’t want to be together with anyone.

Lori:

We could set you up

Tara:

Well, if he’s so great how come none of you are interested in him?

Friend:

I’m seeing somebody already.

Lori:

Ditto

Erin:

I’m with Anthony, remember, and he’s in college, thank-you.

Friend:

Besides I’m not into the sensitive intellectual type.

Erin:

Yah, just like that last mutant you were dating

Lori:

The intellectually charged type.

Friend:

Don’t even get me started on some of those losers you’ve dated.

Lori:

Anyway, you are interested, aren’t you, Tara?

Tara:

Well no, I mean, I don’t know.

Friend:

Don’t worry Tara, we’ll arrange ev-e-ry-thing.

Tara:

Arrange what? Arrange what?

Scene: School cafeteria

The girls also figured I needed a little help with my social life.

Lori:

Mark, she’s way different from the other girls you’ve dated. I mean, she’s into charity and volunteering and that sort of stuff.

Friend:

She wants to be a social worker or something like that.

[Tara walks into scene]

Erin:

Oh, hi, Tara.

Lori:

Mark, you are so funny.

Erin:

Hi Tara.

Lori:

Hey Tara, we saved a seat just for you.

Tara:

Thanks

Lori:

You know Mark Chandler, don’t you?

Tara:

Yah, we’re in the same English class.

Mark:

And you are the great poet and playwright.

Tara:
Yah, right.

Mark:

No I’m serious. You were really great.

[Lori gives Mark the ‘keep it going’ signal]

Mark:

So, how do you like life near the big city?

Tara:

Well I haven’t actually seen the city yet.

Mark:

Get out? What do you do when you’re not a school?

[Tara breaks her plastic fork on the meatloaf)

Everyone:

Ewwwwwwww

Mark:

On meatloaf day get the pizza. Here you go.

[Mark hands Tara another fork]

Lori:

Isn’t he so sweet?

Tara:

Anyway, on weekends I’m usually with my parents. And we…

Lori:

Hey, what are you doing Saturday? We could show her around.

Everyone:

Yah

Mark:

Play tour guides, why not?

Friend:

Sounds like fun

Erin:

Count me in.

Lori:

So what do you say?

Tara:

I don’t know, I have to be up early on Sunday.

Mark:

We’ll start early we’ll get back early.

Lori:

Come on Tara

Tara:

Well, I guess so.

Mark:

All right, we’re on. So we’ll meet after lunch, and I’ll pick you up at your house.

Lori:

Great.

Tara:

That’s okay, I’ll just get a ride to Lori’s.

I never would of admitted it but I did think Mark was cute and a day with the girls sounded like fun.

Scene: Stacey and Tara out in service

That Saturday morning I went out in field service with Stacey Evans, but my mind was not on preaching. I told Stacey that I was hungry and wanted to stop service early. She insisted on buying me lunch.

Scene: Stacey and Tara at the Silver Spoon Diner having lunch

[Stacey has a fruit salad and Tara has a burger and fries]

Stacey:

So, how you doing? I mean getting used to new school and everything?

Tara:

Ok actually, most everyone’s been pretty nice.

Stacey:

Oh, that’s good. Hey listen I’m having some friends over tonight I want you to come. I actually made a cheesecake that I’m proud of.