LITR 3731: Creative Writing
Student Drama Submission 2003
Jessica Bacon
(revised version)
“Ten
Minute Rule”
Characters:
Jason
Dawn
Dominique
Jessica
Will
Concept Sentence: The classroom is anxiously awaiting the teacher’s arrival, he is running late. The class is deciding whether or not to leave.
Theme Sentence: Once a kid, always a kid.
Scene: The class is sitting down and waiting for Dr. White. He is 20 minutes late. Some of the students are anxiously checking their watches and tapping their feet in annoyance, others look bored.
Jessica: (looking
at the door) Where is Dr.
White?
Dawn: I hope he’s okay and just stuck in traffic or something…
Will: Yeah,
I’m kind of curious to see why he’s so late.
He’s always on time…
Dominique: Maybe he just
overslept.
Jason: Maybe
he was abducted by aliens last night and now he’s hovering somewhere over our
heads in space.
Dominique: (rolls
eyes, has sarcastic tone) Yeah, sure…he has wires sticking to his head
and aliens are examining his vital organs.
Jessica:
It could happen, there are reports all over the country. Why not here?
Dawn: Because the people that
claim they were abducted usually have an empty bottle of whiskey in their hands when they tell their “true” story.
Dr. White doesn’t exactly fit the type.
Jessica: Once
again, it could happen…
Dominique: (annoyed
look at his watch and then the door) Well fine…alien abduction,
overslept…the point is he’s still 20 minutes late.
Will:
(light bulb switches on over his head, has an idea)
Does the ten minute rule apply in college?
Dawn: What’s
the ten minute rule?
Jason:
It’s when you drop food on the floor but you can still eat it as long
as it’s on the floor less than ten minutes.
Dawn:
(looks
horrified) Gross!
Jessica:
It’s not ten minutes, it’s ten seconds.
(to Jason) You’ll eat anything won’t you?
Jason:
(nods head and grins at Dawn)
Sure will… unless it’s something wet, like pudding
on the floor.
Jessica:
(to Dawn) Yeah, then the rule is null and void…
Dawn:
The ten second rule…hmm, doesn’t sound
so gross now. What if the food you
drop is in the grass or dirt?
Jessica:
Still good, you just have to brush it off.
Will:
(sighs and cuts them off)) Didn’t
anyone pay attention in high school? The
ten minute rule? If the teacher is late by ten minutes or more, we can
leave.
Dominique:
Yeah, but we’ll get marked absent or something when he does show up.
Will:
No he can’t, that’s part of the rule.
Jason:
Yeah, I mean we did make to class…
Dawn:
That sounds pretty stupid to me…I can’t
imagine that working even in high school.
Jessica: Maybe
we can write our names on the board so he’ll know who showed up?
Jason: Just watch…I’ll be the first one with my name on the board and starting to leave, then Dr. White will show up.
Will: Okay then, I’ll go first.
Will walks to the chalk board and
writes his name. He grabs his stuff
and walks toward the door.
Will: See?
It’s that easy… Bye! (he
leaves)
All: (to Will)
Bye!
Dominique: But
what if Dr. White doesn’t know the rule?
Dawn: I
knew it seemed too dumb to work…
Jessica: We
can just leave a note with our names.
Jason: Not
me…he’ll recognize my handwriting, decide it was my idea, then I get a big
“F” on our next project…
Jessica: But
“F” is for fun! (grins at Jason and he smirks back)
Dominique: Okay,
I’m sick of waiting…
Dominique walks over to the board, writes his name next to Will’s
and then writes ASK US ABOUT THE TEN MINUTE RULE.
Dominique: I’ll
see you next week. Bye!
All: See
ya later…
Dawn: Well, I guess maybe we should go now.
It’s been almost 30 minutes…
They all get up and sign their names on the board, get their bags, and
head towards the door. Dawn stops
to read something on the door, blocking others behind her.
Dawn: Hey
wait a minute! Read this.
Jason: “Dr.
White’s Creative Writing Class is cancelled today due to illness.”
Jessica walks over to the chalkboard, erases it, and walks out the
door with the others. .
(original version)
“Ten
Minute Rule”
Characters:
Jason
Dawn
Dominique
Jessica
Will
Concept Sentence: The
classroom is anxiously awaiting the teacher’s arrival, he is running late.
The class is deciding whether or not to leave.
Theme Sentence:
Once a kid, always a kid.
Scene: The class is sitting down and waiting for Dr. White. He is 20 minutes late. Some of the students are anxiously checking their watches and tapping their feet in annoyance, others look bored.
Jessica: (looking
at the door) Where is Dr.
White?
Dawn: I hope he’s okay and just stuck in traffic or something…
Will: Yeah,
I’m kind of curious to see why he’s so late.
He’s always on time…
Dominique: Maybe he just
overslept.
Jason: Maybe
he was abducted by aliens last night and now he’s hovering somewhere over our
heads in space, with wires coming out of his eyeballs and stuff.
Jessica: It
could happen, there are reports all over the country. Why not here?
Dawn: Because the people that
claim they were abducted usually have an empty bottle of whiskey in their hands when they tell their “true” story.
Dr. White doesn’t exactly fit the type.
Jessica: Once
again, it could happen…
Dominique: (annoyed
look at his watch and then the door) Well fine…alien abduction,
overslept…the point is he’s still 20 minutes late.
Will: (light
bulb switches on over his head, has an idea)
Does the ten minute rule apply in college?
Dawn: What’s
the ten minute rule?
Jason:
It’s when you drop food on the floor but you can still eat it as long
as it’s on the floor less than ten minutes.
Dawn:
(looks horrified) Gross!
Jessica:
It’s not ten minutes, it’s ten seconds. (to Jason) You’ll
eat anything won’t you?
Jason:
(nods head and grins at Dawn)
Sure will… unless it’s something wet, like pudding
on the floor.
Jessica:
(to Dawn) Yeah, then the rule is null and void…
Dawn:
The ten second rule…hmm, doesn’t sound so gross now.
What if the food you drop is in the grass or
dirt?
Jessica:
Still good, you just have to brush it off.
Will:
(sighs and cuts them off)) Didn’t
anyone pay attention in high school? The
ten minute rule? If the Teacher is late by ten
minutes or more, we can leave.
Dominique:
Yeah, but we’ll get marked absent or something when he does show up.
Will:
No he can’t, that’s part of the rule.
Jason:
Yeah, I mean we did make to class…
Dawn:
That sounds pretty stupid to me…I can’t imagine that working even
in high school.
Jessica: Maybe
we can write our names on the board so he’ll know who showed up?
Jason: Just
watch…I’ll be the first one with my name on the board and starting to leave,
then Dr. White will show up.
Will: Okay then, I’ll go first.
Will walks to the chalk board and writes his
name. He grabs his stuff and walks
toward the door.
Will: See?
It’s that easy… Bye! (he
leaves)
All: (to Will)
Bye!
Dominique: But
what if Dr. White doesn’t know the rule?
Dawn: I
knew it seemed too dumb to work…
Jessica: We
can just leave a note with our names.
Jason: Not
me…he’ll recognize my handwriting, decide it was my idea, then I get a big F
on our next project…
Jessica: But
“F” is for fun! (grins at Jason and he smirks back)
Dominique: Okay,
I’m sick of waiting…
Dominique walks over to the board, writes his name next to Will’s
and then writes ASK US ABOUT THE TEN MINUTE RULE.
Dominique: I’ll
see you next week. Bye!
All: See
ya later…
Dawn: Well, I guess maybe we should go now.
It’s been over 30 minutes…
They all get up and sign their names on the board, get their bags, and
head towards the door. Dawn stops
to read something on the door, blocking others behind her.
Dawn: Hey
wait a minute! Read this.
Jason: “Dr.
White’s Creative Writing Class is cancelled today due to illness.”
Jessica walks over to the chalkboard, erases it, and walks out the
door with the others. .