A translation from Joe CisarOne Act Play:
"The friends you have now are not the same friends you had before"
A dark comedy loosely based on the motives of life in one act
Actors:
A a devout Scientologist
B a devout non-ScientologistStage:
A cozy sit-in kitchen (decorated by B)
A and B eating an evening mealB: Do we want to have a barbecue in the park this weekend with your friends from town?
A: No!
B: Why not? Wouldn't it be nice to be with your old friends and chat a little.
A: I already have something planned. I'll be in the Org!
B: (annoyed) But not on the weekend!!! Do you want to leave me alone again? Say, don't your friends from town mean anything to you any more?
A: I haven't been interested in that deluded gang for a long time!!!
B: What's that supposed to mean?
A: That means I can't see those bad-mouthers any more!!!
B: I still don't know what you're trying to say. What happened?
A: They told a bunch of lies about my religion!
B: There has to be a reason for what you're saying. What have your friends been saying that bothers you so much?
A: Lies, all the time.
B: So tell me, what lies are it this time?
A: (angrily) Don't be so hypocritical, you already know, you're always hanging out with them.
B: And what's so bad about that? Your old friends here from town simply became my friends, too. Can't I talk to them anymore?
A: All these lies!
B: Which lies? I've asked you now a couple of times and can't get anything out of you other than "all these lies". But you can't say what the lies are.
A: But you also have counter-intentions and you believe those lies too!
B: Here comes that word at me again, why are you always hitting me over the head with "counter-intention", just why? I ought to tell you something. You're doing your old friends wrong. They are honest people and lead decent lives.
A: (screaming) Are you trying to tell me I am not honest and don't have a decent life?
B: You're not listening to me again. I'm talking about your friends here in town and not about you!
A: (still screaming) But you implied that I'm not honest!!!!
B: (also screaming) Tell me, are you dreaming or did you just make this all up. What is this religion pouring into your head? Listen to me very closely now. I like these people a lot because they are respectable, decent people. That is what I'm telling you! And your friends in town are very worried about you. That's all I can say.
A: (continuing to yell) Now I have other friends who mean more to me!
B: Yes I know, one of them helps himself to your wallet!
A: (angrily) Now that's enough, my old friends are criminals and my new friends are honest.
B: (just as upset) I'm asking you for the last time, why are your old friends criminals? Because they take a critical attitude toward your religion? The friends you have now are not the same friends you used to have! What could have happened? Your old friends have not given up on you. They hope that one day you'll be the same person you used to be.
A: (mocking) You'd like that just fine!!!
B: Your new friends in the organization will drop you like a hot potato the moment you don't have any more money. Not only that, they'll tell you that it's your fault! Then you'll see who your true friends are!! That would be the same ones by whom you're now doing wrong.
A: (very angry) takes a full bottle of beer and hurls it at the floor - Wham! - the entire floor is covered with shattered glass and beer.
B: Stop that! What are you trying to do?
A: (still very angry) takes a second full bottle of beer, eyes B, but misses his target and the beer bottle lands with a loud crash on the floor.
B: at a loss for words because of A's horrible helplessness.
A: (now in total rage) and takes a dart board and smashes it on the floor which is already covered with slivers of glass.
B: is frightened and flees the house to friends.The small, cozy live-in kitchen looks awful.
* THE END *
(Should certain practices in the above narrative contain similarities with the practices of Scientologists, then those similarities are neither intentional nor coincidental, but unavoidable.)