Friday, September 21, 2007

A scene from my unSCRIPTed life


Many who are familiar with Tricia Goyer are aware she recently released her book My Life Unscripted. To kick off her blog tour, she has challenged those of us, who will be a part of the blog tour, to write a scene from our life to share on our blogs. So, though she will not be featured on my blog until Oct. 10. I have written the script from a scene in my teen years and am ready to share it.

May anyone who knows a teen take heart to the sensitive issues surrounding their life.

Fade In

Int. School Hallway – lined with lockers
Lunchtime – Establishing

The hallway is lined with TEENAGERS EATING LUNCH. Several are SITTING on the floor. Some are STANDING near lockers, TALKING about their morning classes, last night’s television programs, etc. A COUPLE is KISSING.

With her locker open, JENIJO DEE, 14, is HANGING UP the lightweight jacket she wore during her morning classes. PJ MARTIN, also 14, has his locker OPEN beside her. Upperclassman CARTER is nearby and RAY is WALKING toward the open lockers.

PJ – Your Dad deserved to die. He was a drunk. It’s no wonder he got drunk, since he had such a goody-goody for a daughter.

JENIJO – (growing angry) Watch what you say about my Dad! You never knew him, and you have no right!

Carter WALKS over to the twosome after having overheard the exchange.

CARTER – She’s right! Don’t talk about her Dad. He was a good man….(shakes his head) Like you would know! If you make her angry, you’re likely to experience a lot of pain as a result…Believe me!

PJ FACES Jenijo.

PJ – Your Dad was a loser. He took the right path…getting away from you!

Jenijo’s FACE GROWS RED WITH ANGER and her KNEE MAKES CONTACT with PJ’s GROIN. He BENDS OVER in pain.

CARTER – I told you, man….you deserve it.

Ray REACHES INTO Jenijo’s locker while all attention is focused on PJ. He GRABS a BLUE BOOK, known to be her diary and RUNS in the OPPOSITE DIRECTION. She TURNS, SPOTS the diary and CHASES Ray OUT THE DOORS at the end of the hallway, past the QUAD BUILDING next door, up a SMALL HILL toward the GYM, DOWN the stairs leading from the gym to the hallway and back into the building. Ray HANDS OFF the diary to a junior named TRE.
Tre OPENS the diary and begins to READ.

TRE - …I couldn’t find my underwear.

JENIJO – Give that back! You don’t know what you’re reading!

TRE – (shock registering on his face) What is this?

JENIJO – (crying) It’s my rape!

Tre CLOSES the diary, looking sad that he had chosen to read it. He HOLDS IT OUT to Jenijo.

RAY – Now we’ll call you “Diary!”

Jenijo WALKS back to her locker in tears.

Fade Out.

Teens can be incredibly cruel to one another, but I knew something no one else in this scene of my life did. In spite of all the mean-spirited behavior they dished out to me throughout my years of growing up with them, I knew I could take it all to God.

Yes, I was devastated at what had transpired. No, no one in that hallway knew the contents of the diary. It had been between God, a small group of friends from another town, my rapist and me. God KNEW and I KNEW.

He brought three compassionate upperclassmen to my aid after I had returned to my locker. They comforted me and helped me to hold my head up the remainder of the day.

Someone reported the incident with PJ, and he received a three-day suspension for “disrespecting the dead.”

God brought me through that day and many others, growing me into a person determined to always show compassion toward others. I became stronger in knowing He is there in my worst moments as well as in my best moments. And, I learned there are caring individuals in the world, even if I am unaware of who they might be, when the world around me may seem to have gone awry.

Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strenthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.- Isaiah 41:10 Living Bible

For more about Tricia's book, go to her website www.triciagoyer.com
Her blog can be accessed via a link at the bottom of this blog.


God bless you all!

3 comments:

Christina Tarabochia said...

What a powerful, sad scene you shared. WIthout the love of God, how could we go on? Thanks for opening your life up to us. Tricia's book sounds fantastic!

Jan Parrish said...

Wow. Thanks for sharing. Sounds like we share similar experiences.

I'd love for you to visit my blog and enter the contest for a 2008 Scenic Calendar.

I'll be back by. Have a blessed day.

Jan Parrish said...

I am 43 and I still have nightmares about high school. When someone told me that my high school years were supposed to be the best years of my life, I tried to kill myself. By God's grace, I was unsuccessful. And the best years are yet to come. Life is nothing like high school. :)