Moments with Joey – The Decision

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SCENE 1, EXTERIOR. AFTERNOON. MIDDLE-CLASS SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD. A boy—aged eleven—and his mentor from the Big Brother’s program are traveling the streets after the day’s activity of Penny Golf and lunch at Wendy’s. The boy is talking animatedly, leaping from topic to topic as they pull in to his cul-de-sac. He pauses for a second as he notes that of the cars are absent from the driveway. He surmises that his family is not home.

JOEY: You know nobody’s home at my house right now [pause]. I was just thinking…You know, I could take off all my clothes and run naked around the house if I wanted to.

[Joey pauses, in contemplation. He is unaware that the comment is a bit uncomfortable for his mentor. After a silent beat, the mentor responds.]

MENTOR: Well, if you do, just make sure that the blinds are pulled—otherwise the neighbors will talk.

[Joey bursts into a fit of uncontrollable laughter for nearly thirty seconds. His mentor joins in laughing as well. The car comes to a stop in front of the house.]

JOEY: [Quietly, to himself]. That’s funny; ‘the neighbors will talk.’

[Joey chuckles softly for another few seconds. He opens the car door and starts to get out.]

JOEY: I probably won’t do it though…but I could if I wanted to.

[Voice trails off into silence.]

SCENE 2, EXTERIOR. AFTERNOON. MIDDLE-CLASS SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD. Exactly one week later. Mentor pulls up outside same house. Joey comes out, he’s wearing a grin. Opening the car door, he climbs inside. Even before the door closes he starts to talk.

JOEY: I didn’t do it after all—you know, running around the house naked. I thought about it, but then changed my mind. I just thought I’d tell you.

MENTOR: Thanks, I was wondering all week....

JOEY: [Spoken quietly]. But I could have, if I wanted to.

MENTOR: I bet you could have.

Fade to black.