The Meeting Point

Jack is a bully: his classmates are scared of him. Miss Anita, his English teacher, is concerned. The attention of Jake, his father, is called upon. It turns out that Jack’s change of character becomes a function of the meeting point between Jake and Miss Anita

               Characters

Jack                   Pupil

Jake                 Jack’s Father

Miss Anita          Jack’s English Teacher

In Class, during the Free Period time…

Jake is with Miss Anita to discuss about Jack’s unusual bullying behavior.

Miss Anita: Mr. Jake, looking at you, it’s no doubt to say ‘’blood is thicker than water’’.

Jake (chuckles): Yes. But what do you really mean?

Miss Anita: Jack is a split image of you

Jake: Oh yes! You can say that again

Miss Anita: Such a handsome boy he is. Big, of course he is in stature.

Jake: You’re right. You invited me here. I’m a very busy man, you know. So, what’s the matter with Jack?

Miss Anita: hmmm…. (Looks around) Do you think I should call your son?

Jake (angry): Why do that? He’s having fun with his peers. He shouldn’t be disturbed. Why involve a six-year-old boy in this?

Miss Anita: (changes her friendly mood to a strict one) Jack is fast becoming a thorn in my flesh!

Jake: How dare you say that?

Miss Anita: You know what?

Jake: Tell me, what’s it?

Miss Anita: Jack has bullied every of his classmates. In fact, many of them are scared of being his friends.

Jake (checks his wrist-watch): This is Free Period, right?

Miss Anita: Yes

Jake: He’s having fun with his fellow pupils. Am I right?

Miss Anita: How do you know when you’ve not seen him?

Jake: What makes you think I’ve not seen him before coming here?

Miss Anita: First, as a good father, you will let your son know that you’re in school. Then, Jack, being who he is, will accompany you here. He will let me know that you’re here! Second, you were invited by me! Chances are…you won’t see Jack. Why? It’s simply because of the urgency and the possibility of not seeing him at this time…simple as A, B and C.

Jake: Okay. What do you expect me to do?

Miss Anita: listen to what you’ve just asked?

Jake: Yes, what’s wrong with what I asked?

Miss Anita: Everything!

Jake: Then tell me!

Miss Anita: It’s affecting other pupils. Parents have complained about their children and wards being bullied by your son. He’s now a household name in the tongues of every parent, when it comes to bullying. And if not for me, Jack would have been expelled by the school management. That’s why I had to arrange for this meeting.

Jake: Is that all?

Miss Anita: Do you have the time to talk to your son?

Jake: How does it bother you?

Miss Anita: It does. Jack is not the only pupil I teach on a daily basis. Listen to what I’ve been telling you!

Jake: I’m so sorry. I express my heartfelt apologies, Miss Anita. I’ve not been around for him for quite some time. More demands at work. Busy on a day-in and day-out basis. I really do not have time for me, let alone, Jack. Sad story it is…

Miss Anita: Use your tongue to count your teeth.

Jake: Miss Anita, explain what you’ve just told me in simple language.

Miss Anita: Good. You need not to be everywhere at every time.

Jake: How do you mean?

Miss Anita: Let his mom take the role of a mother in his life. Simply, let her be there for him and you do your part as his father.

Jake (Shakes his head in contempt): Sadly, I’m a single father

Miss Anita: Never knew you were. But I’m very sorry to hear that.

Jake: Okay

Miss Anita: Permit me to ask: why are you a single father?

Jake: At first, I chose to keep it to myself. As a matter of fact, I try my best to dump it and move on. But it keeps coming back to me, time and time again! What’s hidden under the sun? This story I’m about to tell you is really depressing to me [looks up and down, stares at Miss Anita in sadness]

Miss Anita: I know. But you can confide in me.

Jake: I was once married. But my wife was not only fond of smoking and drinking abusively but also cheating. What really made our union hit the rocks was her incessant bullying attitude towards Jack when he was just two years old.

Miss Anita: What?

Jake: It got to the point where I couldn’t put up with her excesses anymore. Divorce was the only option. I’ve since been taking full responsibility of Jack.

Miss Anita: I feel for you. Again, I’m so sorry to hear that, Mr. Jake. Do you know any of your siblings, close relatives or any persons whom you know could help you in this regard?

Jake: At the moment, the ONLY person is my sister. Unfortunately, she has her family and she is a very, very, very busy person. As for my relatives, I have them at distant. I really don’t know them. How can I put in their hands such responsibility?

Miss Anita: I see. Usually, I’m always free whence I’m done teaching everyday. I’m always on duty for just six hours. I have the rest of the day to myself! I really love children. I’m very passionate about them. Seeing them grown to be responsible adults has been the sole reason for my teaching.

Jake: Great!

Miss Anita (uses her head to play with her long hair): We could establish the meeting point.

Jake: I don’t get you. Throw more light, please

Miss Anita: What part of the statement you didn’t get? You ought to get my drift.

Jake: You know time is of the essence. Hit the nail on the head.

Miss Anita: Let me come straight. Let me come out of my shell.

Jake: Okay.

Miss Anita: You told me you’re always busy, didn’t you?

Jake: Yes

Miss Anita: You also established that you’ve been taking full responsibility of Jack since you divorced his mom.

Jake: I said that.

Miss Anita: Mr. Jake, you told me you’ve not been able to have the time for yourself, and in your words, ‘’…let alone Jack’’

Jake: Of course, yes.

Miss Anita: In addition, your only sister is busy and has her family to take care of. And you really don’t know how your relatives are?

Jake: I told you those

Miss Anita: Of course, you did.

Jake: What are you trying to drive at? What’s your point?

Miss Anita: Like I earlier suggested, let’s establish the meeting point.

Jake: There you go again!

Miss Anita: I told you I love children and love to see them grow as responsible adults.

Jake: Yes, you did tell me.

Miss Anita: We’re getting somewhere

Jake: Where?

Miss Anita: The meeting point!

Jake: Oh my goodness! What sort of dilly-dallies is this? I’m not down for this at all! Left playing hide-and-seek games a long time ago. I don’t delight in any form of hanky-panky situations such as this. One last time, what’s your point?

Miss Anita: Without wasting much of your time, let me help you out.

Jake: With what? You’ve my time! You told me you coming to me straight. You also said you want to come out of your shell. Yet, it appears you haven’t even started! I hope, you won’t waste more time in trying to help me out!

Miss Anita: Why are you here in the first place?

Jake: Your invitation

Miss Anita: Over what?

Jake: My son. So…how do you want to help me out? I need straight-forward answers!

Miss Anita: I thought it wise for me to be with Jack in the house and take care of him mentally. Through that, I am sure Jack will be well-behaved. His bullying character would be a thing of the past.

Jake: This has never come crossed my mind before! I’ve been looking for a way out of Jack’s challenge.

Miss Anita: That’s what I’ve been saying all along…establishing the meeting point.

Jake: I now get what you’ve been trying to say to me. Interesting, I now get your drift (laughs mildly) Women and the way they think.

Miss Anita: How I wished we were understood by men…I guess our world would be a better place

Jake: How can I understand someone who can’t understand her person?

Miss Anita: Are you saying women don’t understand themselves; yet, we desire to be readily understood by men?

Jake: That’s left for you to find out.

Miss Anita (laughs in admiration): You’re quite interesting, Mr. Jake.

Jake: So are you, Miss Anita.

Miss Anita: It’s a pleasure talking to you.

Jake: Same here…’’You are welcome’’, as they’d say

Miss Anita (joking): Who are the ‘’they’’?

Jake: Not ready for yet another drama! Ha! Ha! Ha! I’ve had enough doses of it.

Miss Anita: In that case, I reserve my comments. Lest I forget, has my offer been accepted?

Jake: Yes. But let me talk to my BULLY son, Jack [laughs]

Miss Anita: I see not only a handsome but a well-behaved Jack, just like his father [laughs]

Jake: You’ll hear from me soon!

Miss Anita: Good. I’ll be waiting to hear from you. I have a class to teach in the next five minutes. [She checks the wall-clock. Then, she offers Jake, who gives in, to a handshake]. Let me get myself ready. Have a great day ahead!

Jake: You too! Is the Free Period not yet over?

Miss Anita: No. But it will be in the next two minutes.

Jake: See you next time!

Miss Anita (waves passionately): Bye!

Jake leaves the school premises as Miss Anita is in class to teach.

At Jake’s Apartment

In the Living Room…

Jake and his son are in the house. After lunch and resting for an hour, Jake calls Jack for a talk.

Jake: How was your day at school?

Jack: It was fine.

Jake: What did you learn in school?

Jack (tries to remember): Mmmmm….

Jack: What?

Jack: Yes! Writing!

Jake: What did you learn about writing?

Jack: A sentence

Jake: What’s a sentence?

Jack: A sentence is one that has a subject, verb and an object.

Jake: Correct! Who taught you this one?

Jack: Miss Anita!

Jake: Okay.

Jack: I was given an assignment

Jake: By who?

Jack: Miss Anita gave us.

Jake: Show me

Jack gets his bag and brings out his English Language notebook. Jake sees what the assignment reads:

‘’Write a poem about your father’’

Jack: Dad, this is the assignment. [He hands over his notebook to his father]

Jake: I’ve read it. [Talks to himself to the hearing of Jack] Miss Anita never told me this…very funny of you.

Jack: What did you just say, Dad?

Jake (puts his hand on Jack’s shoulder): Never mind. But before we work on it, I want us to discuss something.

Jack: What’s it, dad?

Jake: Miss Anita is not happy with you.

Jack: Why?

Jake: She told me you’ve been bullying your classmates a lot. Jack why?

Jack: But you never told me you’ll be coming to my school. Dad, why?

Jake: Jack, answer my question! Why are you bullying your classmates?

Jack: They are always seeking trouble!

Jake: How can all of your classmates trouble you?

Jack: They do!

Jake: How?

Jack: They’re always calling me an idiot!

Jake: Stop lying!

Jack: I’m not lying!

Jake: I know you’re a bully

Jack: It’s unfair dad. I don’t like what you just said to me

Jake: Then, stop being a bully.

Jack: I’m not a bully. I’m not, dad!

Jake: I’ll know when Miss Anita tells me otherwise. That reminds me! Miss Anita will be coming to pay us a visit. Is it okay by you?

Jack: Yes! When will she be coming?

Jake: Soon.

Jack: My best teacher! I want her to stay with us!

Jake: I will let her know how much you like her…Only if you stop bullying your classmates

Jack (frowns): Okay.

Jake: Very well then. Let’s work out this assignment. First, what do you like about me?

Jack (shy): Well, you’re nice, gentle and not selfish.

Jake: Alright. What’s it you don’t like about me?

Jack: You are...

Jake: Say it…dad, I won’t hurt you

Jack: You’re always not there for me

Jake: Oh sorry. But now that I’m around…

Jack: Okay.

Jake: Jack, I understand. But you will understand better when you grow up.

Jack: Okay

Jake: I’m going to write the poem on a sheet of paper. After, I’m done writing it, you will read it. You will copy it into your notebook. Do you agree?

Jack: Yes

Jake: Let me begin [Jack watches his dad pen the words on paper].

The Sides of my Dad

Dad is caring;

He’s all about giving

Dad is nice;

He doesn’t give room for lies

Dad is gentle;

He’s harshness on me is little

Dad is not always around;

He’s always finding money around

Dad hardly has the time;

He’s always seeking a dime

Dad believes everything will be fine;

He’s certain the meeting point will positively be mine.

Jake: Son, I’m done writing the poem. You can now write it down in your notebook and after that, you read it out.

Jack: Thanks dad. I’ll do just that.

Jack writes down the poem as Jake looks on. It takes Jack ten minutes to finish up. Jack reads the poem.

Jake: Good! Now you’re done with the assignment, go and play with our neighbors around.

Jack: Ok dad [Jack leaves the house to play with his peers---children of his neighbors]