CHARACTERS

Ben, 10 years old

Maddie, in her fifties

 

SETTING

The street in front of Maddie’s house.  Paint from a couple of small paint jars, being left out for pickup, has spilled onto the street in front of Maddie’s house.  Maddie has just walked out of her house and Ben is standing there, with his bike at his side looking very distraught and upset.

 

BEN:  Maddie, I’m so sorry.  It was an accident. I’m so sorry.

MADDIE:  Ben, it’s cool, no worries.  Accidents happen. We’ll clean it up.

BEN: No really, I’m so, so sorry.  I was biking and hit the can by mistake.

MADDIE:  Really Ben, it’s totally cool.  No need to be upset.

BEN:  I’m just so sorry.

MADDIE:  I know you are.  No worries.

BEN:  Is your husband going to be mad??

MADDIE: No, not at all!

BEN:  Are you sure?

MADDIE: Positive.

BEN:  Okay, well, I’m really sorry.

MADDIE:  Hey, how about you help me clean it up?  After all, when we make a mess, better to clean it up then beat ourselves up. Don’t you think?

BEN:  I can do that.

MADDIE:  Cool. I will get some rags.  Don’t go anywhere!

BEN:  Okay, I won’t.  You sure your husband won’t be mad?

MADDIE: I’ve been living with him for over 30 years and I can tell you that he doesn’t get mad at people for making mistakes.  He’s a pretty chill person.

BEN: Okay.  I feel better now.

MADDIE:  How about I just pick up these jars and move them out of the way so that when your younger brothers come out to bike later, we don’t have the same mistake.

BEN:  Yeah, that’s a good idea. You know little kids.  They’re always making mistakes!

MADDIE:  I’ll tell you a secret.  We all make mistakes! It’s how we learn how to be a good person.

BEN: Well then maybe you should leave the paints out and let my brothers make the same mistake I did so that they won’t do it again and become good people.

Maddie laughs.

MADDIE:  Okay then, I guess the paints are staying here on the sidewalk.

BEN:  Just make sure that they clean up the way I am going to do it now with you.  You have a lot of rags right?

MADDIE:  More than enough….

 

THE END.