I MARRIED YOU

A Two-Act Drama

SETTING: Daniel's church. Saturday 7 PM. At front center stage are a simple podium and a blackboard. On the blackboard is written Genesis 2:24, "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh." Also on the board is drawn a large triangle with the words "Leaving," "Cleaving," and "Becoming One Flesh" written at the corners. A wooden cross is visible behind the podium. Unobtrusively seated in the audience are MAURICE, FATMA, MIRIAM & TIMOTHY, and DANIEL & ESTHER. Collectively, they play the role of the AUDIENCE. In addition to their assigned lines, as the AUDIENCE they respond extemporaneously and loudly to all dialog, especially during the question and answer session. (Another option is for other actors to join them, thus giving the impression of a larger crowd.)

AT RISE: WALTER stands at the podium teaching, speaking and pointing to the blackboard.

WALTER: So, in summary, the Bible says three things are essential to marriage: leaving, cleaving, and becoming one flesh.

"To leave father and mother" means that marriage is not a private matter. It concerns the family, the community and the state. There is no marriage without a public and legal act of leaving--usually in the form of a wedding.

"To cleave to one another" means to be glued together. Cleaving is mature love, love that has decided to stick permanently to the person you cherish.

"To become one flesh" refers to sex. But it also includes sharing home and possessions, thoughts and feelings, joys and trials.

In a circus, I once saw three jugglers standing in a triangle. Each juggler threw and received balls from the other two in perfect rhythm. In the same way, marriage is the rhythm of leaving, cleaving, and becoming one flesh.

Now, do you have any questions?

MIRIAM: After two sheets of paper have been glued together, if you try to separate them they'll rip apart.

WALTER: True.

MIRIAM: So why take the risk of getting stuck to the wrong person?

WALTER: Marriage is worth the risk, because husband and wife become closer to each other than to anyone else on earth. Cleaving to one another is more important than their jobs, careers, or friends. For example, a young wife may make the mistake of becoming closer to her baby than to her husband, making him feel like an outsider.

TIMOTHY: That's why some go hunting for another wife.

WALTER: Polygamy is not God's model for marriage. Neither is the successive polygamy practiced in the West, where people marry and divorce repeatedly. To cleave to one another is only possible between two persons. Monogamy is an exciting adventure.

DANIEL: Many consider talking about sex taboo. Why do you speak so openly about it?

WALTER: When I advise African parents to teach their children about sex, they say, "Maybe American and European parents can do that, but for Africans, it's impossible."

Meanwhile, American and European parents tell me, "Mr. Trobisch, you lived too long in Africa. Maybe Africans, who live closer to nature, can talk about sex, but for us it's impossible."

My friends, the embarrassment is universal, but God is not embarrassed. Because He created our bodies, we can talk openly about becoming one flesh.

FATMA: Why are there no children in your triangle?

WALTER: Excellent question. What do you all think? Where does the child fit in? (Sees ESTHER in the crowd, eager to respond.) Esther?

ESTHER walks on stage, steps to the black board, and points to the center of the diagram.

ESTHER: Children go here! The triangle shelters children.

AUDIENCE applauds and shouts approval.

LIGHTS down.

SETTING: Daniel and Esther's home. Saturday 8:00 PM. Center stage is a kitchen table set for a meal, positioned lengthwise to the audience. Stage right is a door set at an angle to the audience, so that they may view the action both indoors and outdoors. Center stage is a window. Stage left is an interior doorway. A telephone, notepad, and pencil are on a table or small desk near the window.

Note: The back wall resembles the hotel scene, so that the same set may be used for both, if the section with the stage right door has a hinge allowing it to pivot.

AT RISE: WALTER sits at the center of the table.

ESTHER enters with a bowl of food.

ESTHER: Supper is ready.

WALTER: Esther, I see you are a very efficient homemaker.

ESTHER: Thank you. I try to be.

ESTHER gazes out the window. DANIEL appears stage right outside the door under a soft SPOT to indicate darkness. During the following lines of WALTER and ESTHER, DANIEL carries on an inaudible conversation with his visitors.

WALTER: Doesn't Daniel know the meal is ready?

ESTHER: Yes.

WALTER: Can't you call him?

ESTHER: It's no use. (Changes the subject.) I enjoyed your presentation. It must be very tiring to lecture.

WALTER: It was too long, wasn't it?

ESTHER: They kept asking questions.

WALTER and ESTHER pause and wait again. DANIEL makes a move to go inside, but then is called back by a further comment from the unseen visitors. ESTHER sighs, picks up her plate and places it over the bowl to keep the food warm.

WALTER: Do you have to wait like this often?

ESTHER: Daniel acts on the spur of the moment. I prefer to plan my day. Instead of throwing the balls to each other, we toss them in different directions. They fall on the ground, and no one picks them up.

WALTER: Let me call him.

ESTHER shrugs her shoulders.

WALTER goes to door, opens it, and voices are heard.

WALTER: Ladies and gentlemen, (Voices cease.) Daniel is a very tired man. Also a very hungry man. In his house, the food is getting cold. Besides that, he has a guest, who is also very tired, hungry, and grouchy--

Laughter and apologies interrupt WALTER. ESTHER removes her plate from the bowl and sets it before her.

DANIEL enters the house.

DANIEL: I could never do that.

WALTER: Have you tried?

DANIEL smiles sheepishly at ESTHER. WALTER and DANIEL sit down, the latter at the right end of the table.

DANIEL: The meal looks delicious. Sorry I was late. (They bow their heads for prayer.) "The eyes of all wait upon You, O Lord, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing." Amen.

ESTHER dishes out the food.

SOUND: Telephone rings.

DANIEL jumps up. WALTER also rises, putting his hands on DANIEL's shoulders and forcing him back in his chair.

WALTER: Esther, please answer it.

ESTHER picks up phone. DANIEL and WALTER eat as she converses.

ESTHER: Hello. (Pauses.) Excuse me, sir, but my husband is having his dinner. Could you call back later? Or would you like to leave a message? (Pause. Jots message on note pad.) Thank you. Good-bye. (Hangs up.)

ESTHER returns to table. All three resume eating.

ESTHER: It's always the same. As soon as we sit down for a meal&emdash;

SOUND: Telephone rings.

DANIEL exerts all his strength and willpower not to get up. ESTHER answers again and speaks in subdued tones.

DANIEL: You see now why we put you up in a hotel?

WALTER: I understand. But you must find a solution.

ESTHER: (Returning.) Someone is ill, but it's not serious. I'll go see her tomorrow.

WALTER: Esther, you could train a church member to take these calls at certain hours.

ESTHER: It's not only the telephone. Visitors come at any time.

WALTER: Could you decide on certain hours to be available, and post the times on the door?

DANIEL: People would consider that very impolite.

WALTER: Once there was a lighthouse keeper who was responsible to keep the light supplied with oil and burning. But the people of the nearby village would beg the lighthouse keeper for "just a bit" of oil for their lamps. Little by little he gave away all his oil. One night, the light went out, and a ship was lost on the rocks.

DANIEL: You're right, Walter. I just can't say no.

WALTER: You place your ministry in jeopardy. Perhaps also your marriage.

DANIEL and ESTHER gaze at each other across the length of the table. ESTHER begins to weep. After a few moments, WALTER speaks.

WALTER: Can you put what you are feeling into words?

ESTHER: I'm sorry, Daniel.

DANIEL: For what?

ESTHER: I've been doing something a wife should never do.

DANIEL: What?

ESTHER: On Sundays I look around at the men in our church, wondering which them I would rather be married to than you. (Weeps some more.) Can you forgive me, Daniel?

DANIEL: Yes. And please forgive me. You're only thinking of another husband because your present one has deprived you of the cleaving and sharing you deserve. What can I do, Esther, to improve?

ESTHER: I'd welcome even fifteen minutes together every morning.

DANIEL: It would be better than stumbling into the day without a plan. Let's start tomorrow.

ESTHER: Even on Sunday, your busiest day?

DANIEL: If we need it, we need it.

WALTER: In addition, may I suggest you find a getaway place?

DANIEL: What's that?

WALTER: Somewhere out of town that nobody knows about. Go there once a week for a whole day--just to relax.

ESTHER: That sounds wonderful!

DANIEL: Do you and Ingrid have such a place?

WALTER: Yes. But--

Sound: Telephone rings.

DANIEL: (Waves his hand to ESTHER like an Arab sheik.) I'll let my beloved answer that.

ESTHER answers phone.

ESTHER: Hello. (Pauses, laughs, and speaks to Walter.) It's for you.

WALTER jumps up just as Daniel did earlier. DANIEL roars with laughter while WALTER stands in embarrassment.

DANIEL: Thanks for showing me you are human.

WALTER goes to phone. ESTHER hands it to him. WALTER steps left of center stage.

LIGHTS on DANIEL and ESTHER dim. SPOT on WALTER. SPOT on INGRID standing at far stage right.

WALTER; Hello.

INGRID: Walter, my dear.

WALTER: What a surprise. It's not like you to phone long distance.

INGRID: I wanted to hear your voice. I miss you. We've been so busy.

WALTER: Daniel and Esther have the same problem. Do you have any advice for them?

INGRID: Walter, I didn't call to talk about other people, but about us.

WALTER: At five dollars a minute?

INGRID: Walter, be reasonable.

WALTER: I am. Why phone now when we're going to see each other tomorrow?

INGRID: This isn't working. Good-bye.

INGRID hangs up phone.

LIGHTS down.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.