MY FATHER GOES TO COURT

SETTING: TOWN (HOUSE OF POOR AND RICH FAMILIES)

SCENE 1: THE CHILDREN OF THE POOR FAMILY ARE PLAYING OUTSIDE WHILE THE CHILDREN
OF THE RICH FAMILY STAYED INSIDE THEIR HOUSE. THEY SEEM TO BE UNHEALTHY
AND LOOK SO PALE AND ANEMIC. THEIR MAID IS COOKING THEIR BREAKFAST
(BACON AND HAM)
CPF: PLAYING NANAY, TATAY AND SINGING ANG MGA IBON (ADLIB)
CRF: (LOOKING AT THEM ENVIOUSLY).
CRF1: HEY! LOOK AT THEM. THEY ARE ALWAYS PLAYING OUTSIDE. CAN WE ALSO PLAY
OUTSIDE?
CRF2: YOU ASK DAD IF HE COULD ALLOW US.
CRF1: DADDY, DADDY… CAN WE ALSO PLAY OUTSIDE?
RICH MAN: NO! YOU ARE NOT GOING TO PLAY OUTSIDE! WE ARE NOT ON THEIR LEVEL!
THOSE IMPOVERISH PEOPLE! YOU MIGHT GET SOME DISEASES FROM THEM SO
BETTER STAY INSIDE.
CRF: OK, DADDY.
RICH MAN: BE READY NOW FOR BREAKFAST! INDAY… INDAY…. INDAY… PLEASE PREPARE OUR
SUMPTUOUS BREAKFAST!
INDAY: YES, SIR! (COOKING THEIR BREAKFAST BACON AND HOTDOG)
WHILE THE CPF ARE PLAYING, THEY SMELLED THE AROMA OF THE FOOD.
CPF: WAIT… CAN YOU SMELL THAT?
CPF: WHAT SMELL?
CPF: THE SPIRIT OF THE FOOD
CPF: THAT SMELLS SO GOOD. IT SMELLS SO DELICIOUS. WHERE IS THAT COMING
FROM?
CPF: THERE…AT THE HOUSE OF THE RICH FAMILY. LET’S FOLLOW THAT SMELL!
(FOLLOWING THE AROMA OF THE FOOD)
THE CPF WENT TO THE WINDOW OF THE RICH FAMILY AND SMELL ALL THE
AROMA OF THE FOOD. SEEING THE MAID COOKING THE FOOD.
CPF: HERE… THAT GOOD SMELL IS COMING FROM THIS BIG HOUSE.
CPF: WOW! THAT REALLY SMELLS DELICIOUS!
CPF: YEAH! THAT FEELS SO HEAVEN! IT MADE ME SO HUNGRY. I COULD EVEN EAT A
HORSE!
(SUDDENLY, INDAY PURITA SAW THE CHILDREN AT THE WINDOW)
INDAY: HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE HUH?! WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?! YOU
POOR KIDS!
CPF: UH! NOTHING! WE ARE JUST ONLY SMELLING THE AROMA OF THE FOOD THAT
YOU ARE COOKING!
INDAY: WHAT?! SMELLING THE AROMA OF THE FOOD THAT I AM COOKING! HAY!
YOU BETTER LEAVE! AND NOT TRY TO SMELL OUR DELICIOUS FOOD ANYMORE!
YOU POOR CHILDREN!
THE CPF LEFT THE HOUSE OF THE RICH FAMILY
RICH MAN: PURITA INDAY! WHERE’S OUR BREAKFAST?!
INDAY: (SINGING AND DANCING) YES, SIR! BREAKFAST IS READY! YOUR FAVORITE CRISPY
BACON AND TENDER JUICY HOTDOG.
CRF: AGAIN! CRISPY BACON AND TENDER JUICY HOTDOG! WE HAVE BEEN EATING
THOSE FOR A YEAR NOW!
RICH MAN: ALRIGHT… ALRIGHT! PURITA INDAY, YOU COOK SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR MY
CHILDREN. YOU COOK OUR FAVORITE ROASTED CHICKEN.
INDAY: AYE AYE, SIR…! ROASTED CHICKEN IN A MOMENT!
MEANWHILE THE MOTHER OF THE CPF CALLED THEM…
MOTHER: (CALLING HER CHILDREN)! LET US EAT NOW, I PREPARED OUR FAVORITE DISH
CPF: WOW! MOTHER, WHAT IS THAT?
MOTHER: OF COURSE… WE HAVE HERE BLANCHED GREEN LEAFY VEGGIE WITH CRUSHED
SWEET TOMATO IN SPARKLING SALTED SEAFOOD (TALBOS NG CAMOTE) AND
FRESHLY FRIED DRIED SALTED FISH (TUYO)!
CPF: WOW! THAT’S REALLY OUR FAVORITES!
ALL: COME ON! LET’S EAT!
FATHER: OOPS… LET US NOT TO FORGET TO PRAY FIRST…
ALL: YES, FATHER… (AMEN) LET’S EAT!!!
 WHILE EATING
JESSICA: MOTHER… FATHER… YOU KNOW WHAT?! OUR NEIGHBOR’S HOUSE IS SO HUGE.
SUNSHINE: YEAH! I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN FIT IN THERE! MAYBE ABOUT ONE
HUNDRED?!
ALL: (LAUGH)
JARED: ANYWAY, I NOTICED THAT WHENEVER WE PLAY OUTSIDE, IT SEEMS TO BE THAT
THERE’S SOMEONE WHO LOOKING AT US FROM THAT BIG HOUSE. SHE SEEMS TO
BE OUR AGE TOO!
TESSA: OH YEAH! THE GIRL WHO LOOKS LIKE A DOLL. SHE IS EVEN SO CUTE BUT SHE
LOOKS SO PALE… AND THEY SEEM TO BE ANEMIC…
JARED: I ALSO NEVER SAW THEM GO OUT OF THEIR HOUSE EVEN ONCE…
SUNSHINE: MAYBE THEY'RE AFRAID OF THE SUN LIKE VAMPIRES…. OOOH SPOOKY!
ALL: (LAUGH)
JESSICA: OH STOP WITH YOUR IMAGINATION THEY MAY PROBABLY BE TOO WEAK TO GO
OUT SINCE THEY'RE VERY PALE.
CPF: HMMMM…. MY BROTHERS… SISTERS… MOTHER… FATHER… CAN YOU SMELL
THAT AGAIN?
ALL: WHAT? WHAT SMELL?
CPF: THAT SMELL…*SNIFFS… SMELLS REALLY GOOD
CPF: YEAH! SMELLS LIKE HEAVEN! WHAT IS THAT?!
FATHER: COME ON! LET US FOLLOW THAT SMELL. LET US SEE WHERE IS THAT COMING
FROM.
THE POOR FAMILY FOLLOWS THE SMELL OF THE AROMA OF THE FOOD
CPF: HERE AGAIN AT THE HOUSE OF THE FAMILY!
MOTHER: OH! I KNOW THAT SMELL! THEY ARE ROASTING A CHICKEN!
CPF: OH! MOTHER! WE HAVEN’T EATEN THAT ONE YET!
FATHER: OH! THAT REALLY SMELLS GOOD! REALLY DELICIOUS!
AT THE HOUSE OF THE RICH FAMILY
INDAY: SIR! HERE IS NOW THE ROASTED CHICKENS. I COOKED THREE SO YOU CAN EAT A
LOT… I COOKED THAT WITH ALL MY HEART, SIR!
RICH MAN: ALRIGHT! CHILDREN, LET’S US EAT NOW. (HE SUDDENLY NOTICED THAT THE POOR
FAMILY IS PEEPING AT THEIR WINDOW)
RICH MAN: HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE?! WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO HUH?!
IMPOVRISHED FAMILY!
FATHER: MY FAMILY AND I ARE JUST ONLY SMELLING THE AROMA OF THE FOOD BECAUSE
WE HAVEN’T EATEN THAT KIND OF FOOD YET!
RICH MAN: SMELLING?! YOU MEAN…YOU ARE STEALING THE AROMA OF OUR FOOD!!!
MAYBE THAT IS THE REASON WHY MY CHILDREN ARE GETTING WEAKER AND
WEAKER EVERYDAY BECAUSE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IS STEALING THE AROMA
AND THE SPIRIT OF OUR FOOD!
FATHER: NO THAT’S NOT TRUE!
RICH MAN: THAT’S TRUE! LOOK AT YOUR CHILDREN! THEY ARE ALL SO HEALTHY AND
ENERGETIC! YOU KNOW WHAT?! I WILL SUE YOU IN THE COURT FOR STEALING
THE AROMA OF OUR FOOD! INDAY PURITA CALL OUR LAWYER!
SCENE 2: INSIDE THE COURT ROOM (FACE TO FACE SCENE)
THE RICH MAN ARRIVED WITH HIS LAWYER. SPECTATORS CAME IN AND ALMOST
FILLED THE CHAIRS. THE JUDGE ENTERED THE ROOM AND SAT ON A HIGH CHAIR.
JUDGE: DO YOU HAVE ANY LAWYER?
FATHER: I DON’T NEED A LAWYER JUDGE.
JUDGE: PROCEED.
LAWYER: DO YOU OR DO YOU NOT AGREE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN STEALING THE SPIRIT OF
THE COMPLAINANT’S WEALTH AND FOOD?
FATHER: I DO NOT!
LAWYER: DO YOU OR DO YOU NOT AGREE WHILE THE COMPLAINANT’S SERVACNTS
COOKED AND FRIED FAT LEGS OF LAMBS AND YOUNG CHICKEN BREASTS, YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY HUNG OUTSIDE YOUR WINDOWS AND INHALED THE
HEAVENLY SPIRIT OF THE FOOD?
FATHER: I AGREE!
LAWYER: HOW DO YOU ACCOUNT FOR THAT?
FATHER GOT UP AND PACED AROUND, SCRATCHING HIS HEAD THOUGHTFULLY.
FATHER: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CHILDREN OF THE COMPLAINANT, JUDGE.
JUDGE: BRING THE CHILDREN OF THE COMPLAINANT.

THEY CAME SHYLY. THE SPECTATORS COVERED THEIR MOUTHS WITH THEIR
HANDS. THEY WERE SO AMAZED TO SEE THE CHILDREN SO THIN AND PALE. THE
CHILDREN WALKED SILENTLY TO A BENCH AND SAT DOWN WITHOUT LOOKING
UP. THEY STARED AT THE FLOOR AND MOVED THEIR HANDS UNEASILY.

FATHER COULD NOT SAY ANYTHING AT FIRST. HE JUST STOOD BY HIS CHAIR AND
LOOKED AT THEM.
FATHER: I SHOULD LIKE TO CROSS-EXAMINE THE COMPLAINANT.
JUDGE: PROCEED

FATHER: DO YOU CLAIM THAT WE STOLE THE SPIRIT OF YOUR WEALTH AND BECAME A
LAUGHING FAMILY WHILE YOURS BECAME MOROSE AND SAD?
CRF: YES.
FATHER: THEN WE ARE GOING TO PAY YOU RIGHT NOW.
HE WALKED OVER TO WHERE WE CHILDREN WERE SITTING ON THE BENCH AND
TOOK MY STRAW HAT OFF MY LAP AND BEGAN FILLING IT UP WITH CENTAVO
PIECES THAT HE TOOK OUT HIS POCKETS. HE WENT TO MOTHER, WHO ADDED A
FISTFUL OF SILVER COINS. MY BROTHERS THREW IN THEIR SMALL CHANGE.
FATHER: MAY I WALK TO THE ROOM ACROSS THE HALL AND STAY THERE FOR A MINUTES,
JUDGE?
JUDGE: AS YOU WISH.

FATHER: THANK YOU.

HE STRODE INTO THE OTHER ROOM WITH THE HAT IN HIS HANDS. IT WAS
ALMOST FULL OF COINS. THE DOORS OF BOTH ROOMS WERE WIDE OPEN.
FATHER: ARE YOU READY?
JUDGE: PROCEED.

THE SWEET TINKLE OF COINS CARRIED BEAUTIFULLY INTO THE ROOM. THE
SPECTATORS TURNED THEIR FACES TOWARD THE SOUND WITH WONDER.
FATHER CAME BACK AND STOOD BEFORE THE COMPLAINANT.
FATHER: DID YOU HEAR IT?
RICH MAN: HEAR WHAT?
FATHER: THE SPIRIT OF THE MONEY WHEN I SHOOK THIS HAT?
RICH MAN: YES.
FATHER: THEN YOU ARE PAID.

THE RICH MAN OPENED HIS MOUTH TO SPEAK AND FELL TO THE FLOOR
WITHOUT A SOUND. THE LAWYER RUSHED TO HIS AID. THE JUDGE POUNDED HIS
GRAVEL.
JUDGE: CASE DISMISSED.
FATHER STRUTTED AROUND THE COURTROOM. THE JUDGE EVEN CAME DOWN
TO HIS HIGH CHAIR TO SHAKE HANDS WITH HIM.
FATHER: BY THE WAY, (HE WHISPERED) I HAD AN UNCLE WHO DIED LAUGHING. YOU LIKE
TO HEAR MY FAMILY LAUGH, JUDGE?” FATHER ASKED.
JUDGE: WHY NOT?
FATHER: DID YOU HEAR THAT CHILDREN?

MY SISTER STARTED IT. THE REST OF US FOLLOWED THEM AND SOON THE SPECTATORS WERE
LAUGHING WITH US, HOLDING THEIR BELLIES AND BENDING OVER THE CHAIRS. AND THE
LAUGHTER OF THE JUDGE WAS THE LOUDEST OF ALL.