JERRY FROSTJUDGE
INMATELAWYER
PROPS: small podium, wooden or rubber mallet, clipboard, stapled papers, piece of paper with large inkblot, small black bottle of water, ink stamp, large piece of cardboard with prison bars cut out (painted black), chair
TWICE SET FREE
(Opening Scene: In Prison – Two INMATES are conversing left of center-stage. Behind them is a large piece of cardboard with prison bars cut out, painted black. Right of center-stage is a small podium. On top of the counter is a wooden or rubber mallet and clipboard with an ink-blotted piece of paper attached, stapled papers on top of it, a small black bottle of water, and an ink stamp.)
INMATE: So tell me what you’re in here for.
JERRY: (frustrated attitude) I’m in here for armed robbery, okay? I tried to knock off a liquor store.
INMATE: How did you get caught?
JERRY: I’m not sure. Probably some silent alarm tipped off the police. Cops had the building surrounded in two minutes. Here’s what really gets me though – I could have walked. I had a chance to get off scot free, and I blew it.
INMATE: No kidding?
JERRY: Yeah. I remember like it was just yesterday. There I was in court, and the judge had all the evidence against me on a clipboard. He even declared me guilty and sentenced me. Then something amazing happened. I’ll never forget it . . .
(Scene Two: In Court – JUDGE (who has been frozen in place) is standing behind the small podium, and LAWYER (who has also been frozen) is standing beside JUDGE. JERRY crosses the stage and takes a seat facing the judge. INMATE freezes in place.)
JUDGE: (stamping a couple of the stapled papers) Now we will enter the minutes of our next case, the state of Arizona vs. Mr. Frost. Mr. Frost, you have been charged with armed robbery of a liquor store, on the sixth of September of last year. How do you plead, guilty or not guilty?
JERRY: Which store are you talking about? Are you talking about the Fourth Street liquor store, or the Alley Cat liquor store? I actually knocked off two liquor stores that day, so which one are you talking about?
(LAWYER kicks JERRY)
JERRY: Ow! You shouldn’t be kicking me like that!
LAWYER: (moving next to the counter, turning to face audience) Objection, Your Honor!
The accused has been under a lot of stress lately . . . his memory can’t be trusted.
JERRY: That isn’t true; I remember everything just fine.
JUDGE: (smiling) In that case, we have all the evidence we need right here (waving the clipboard in the air so only the back of the clipboard faces the audience), and since the accused has just admitted to this crime, we will skip the plea and proceed with a verdict of “guilty.”
LAWYER: (getting in JERRY’S face) You dummy! You couldn’t even keep your mouth shut like I told you!
JUDGE: Mr. Frost, I hereby sentence you to 20 years in state prison.
(JUDGE slams the mallet down on the counter, supposedly causing the small black bottle of water to fall over onto the paper on the clipboard.)
JUDGE: Oh, no. I’ve never seen this happen before . . . the ink from my bottle just spilled all over the evidence in this case (he shows the front of the clipboard with the ink-blotted paper to the audience). The evidence is now worthless, and I have to set you free.
This must be your lucky day, son. Case dismissed.
(JERRY stands up and faces the audience with an expression of joy and disbelief)
LAWYER: Jerry, you must be the luckiest guy on the planet. Don’t blow it.
(Scene Three: In Prison – JUDGE and LAWYER EXIT, while JERRY crosses stage back to prison background)
INMATE: Wow . . . dude, I’ve NEVER heard of that ever happening before. Even though you were totally guilty, you were totally set free. So how did you get back in here again?
JERRY: Believe it or not, the very next day I celebrated by trying to knock off another liquor store, and then got caught by the cops . . . again.
INMATE: Wow . . . that’s too bad.
JERRY: I know. I had a once in a lifetime opportunity . . . and I totally blew it.
INMATE: (pausing to think) Hey . . . what if I told you that you COULD have that same opportunity once again?
JERRY: Dude, there is no freaking way! I even heard that they took all the bottles of ink out of the courtroom after that.
INMATE: Trust me, the opportunity exists, and I’m free. I’m freer than most of the people running around outside these walls destroying their own lives with bad choices.
JERRY: How can you say that when you’re locked up in this place just like me?
INMATE: I got saved and set free right here in this prison when someone shared the Gospel with me. Listen . . . it’s true that we’re guilty of committing crimes against other people, but as sinners we also stand guilty before God. Even so, God loves us so much that he sent His son Jesus to die for us on the cross. And just like that ink covered up all of the evidence against you, the blood of Jesus can cover your sins so you can stand before God completely clean and forgiven, and ready for eternity. (to audience) Are you tired of being a prisoner to sin? Let Jesus set you free.
THE END