The Magic Coin A play by D. M. Larson ISBN-13: 978-1546726845 *Freedrama scripts are FREE to use in a classroom, audition, competition, or workshop.  But ALL mentions and printouts of the script should include the author (D. M. Larson) and the source (Freedrama.net). You may add links to the scripts on your website, but do NOT repost the text of this script online, even for educational use. For more information, please see my blog post “How Plagiarism Hurts Authors.”

“THE MAGIC COIN”

By D. M. Larson

Copyright © 2017 All Rights Reserved

Please do NOT repost the text of this play online.

For permission to perform the play, contact doug@freedrama.net

SCENE

(RHONDA is a waitress in a cafe. HANK is at the counter drinking coffee)

HANK

You make an amazing cup of coffee.

RHONDA

What?

HANK

I just wanted to tell you that.

RHONDA

Well… thanks.  

HANK

I try to give at least one compliment a day. And today, it’s for you.

RHONDA

That’s a good way to be. Try to keep it positive.

HANK

I’ve done that since I was a kid.  I think I heard it on that show Captain Planet or something.

RHONDA

Wasn’t that show about tree hugging or some such thing?

HANK

I think they tried to teach kids all kinds of good things.

RHONDA

Well, that one worked on you.  If only it worked on more people. I don’t think I’ve had a good compliment in a long time.

HANK

That’s just wrong. People should be nicer. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect.

RHONDA

R-e-s-p-e-c-t - but there ain’t none for me.

HANK
I keep hoping if I do enough kind things it will multiply and grow. I keep picturing a better world around me and then I do little things to try and make it that way.

RHONDA

What do you see for this place?

HANK

Outside the door I want to see a guy dressed as Santa ringing a bell.

RHONDA

People don’t donate anymore. We all carry plastic.

HANK

That’s too bad. Those guys always make me smile. I love the bell and the bucket. But we’re a plastic world now. No more paper and money. Captain Planet has stopped the cutting of the trees and the digging up of the Earth for metals. All we have left is plastic.

RHONDA

Speaking of which, here’s your bill.

(HANK tosses some coins on the counter)

HANK

There you go.

RHONDA

What’s this?  Tossing some gold and silver my way?

HANK

Those are Sacagawea dollars and some 50 cent pieces. I love old coins.

RHONDA

These are cool.

HANK

Sometimes they’re worth more than their face value.

RHONDA

Then why give them away?

HANK

It’s no fun to keep it all to myself. I like to share.

RHONDA

Everyone needs to share more. I think I had sharing beaten out of me at an early age. We used to play Monopoly as kids and it brought out the worst in me. I had this terrible desire come over me to win it all and be in total control of the board. I wanted all the money and loved crushing my competition. But all of my brothers and sisters were that way too.  We had so many fights over that game that my dad finally set the board on fire.

HANK

On fire?

RHONDA

He tossed it in the fireplace along with all the money. All we had left were the little homes and hotels.

HANK

What did you do with them?

RHONDA

We used them like poker chips and played poker.

HANK

No way.

RHONDA

We did. Then dad burned the cards.

HANK

That’s too funny.

RHONDA

And some of it might be true.

HANK

So what did you dream about doing when you were a kid?

RHONDA

Win Monopoly.

HANK

Besides that.

RHONDA

Win the lottery.

HANK

You had a winning attitude.

RHONDA

I always wanted to be a winner. I just wasn’t sure what I wanted to win. Anything. But I ended up winning nothing.

HANK

You win every day you’re alive.

RHONDA

I guess so.

HANK

I win every time I have a great cup of coffee like this one.

RHONDA

I suppose that’s you’re subtle way of telling me you want a refill?

HANK

Maybe.

(RHONDA pours him another cup)

HANK (CONT.)

So you have any dreams? Ones that don’t involve winning the lottery?

RHONDA

You’re very chatty tonight aren’t you?

HANK

Well, it’s late. It’s just you and me…

RHONDA

And Joe… I think he’s still awake in the kitchen.

HANK

Just you, me and Joe and some great java.  But if you have stuff to do this fine cup of coffee is a good backup.

RHONDA

I don’t mind. I mean I see you in here all the time, but usually you’re pretty quiet… writing in your notebook.

HANK

I love writing. But tonight I feel like talking. I think I’m having writer’s block anyway. Talking might help.

RHONDA

Imagine me helping a writer.

HANK

What’s strange about that?

RHONDA

I can’t really write. I flunked English in school.

HANK

Being a writer has very little to do with school. I became a much better writer when I stopped going. I think college made my writing worse. I was a lot better off on my own. They always tried to get me to be something I wasn’t. Write like this guy. Say things like this lady. I was better being me.

RHONDA

I would love to be me but I’m not sure who I am.

HANK

You’re the best waitress in town.

RHONDA

I don’t know about that.

HANK

You’re my favorite.

RHONDA

Another compliment. You’re going overboard today.

HANK

I may have missed a day or two. I have to make up for it.

RHONDA

I see.

HANK

I bet you’re good at other things too… like Monopoly.

RHONDA

If only the real world were as easy to figure out as Monopoly. There aren’t as many good chance cards in the real world. I don’t collect $200 every time I pass Go.

HANK

But hopefully you don’t get to jail as often either.

RHONDA

Nope. Just visiting.

HANK

What if I told you one of those coins I paid you with was worth a lot of money?

(RHONDA gathers them and looks at them)

RHONDA

Really?

HANK

What would you do with it?

RHONDA

I’d like to give people a warm place to sleep. I always see all those people outside in the cold and want to help them. I would love to make them all coffee… and pay Joe cook them all something to eat. It’s hard watching them all out there, especially this time of year.

(HANK is counting)

HANK

I see about 6 out there tonight. I’d like to order six cups of coffee and six burgers to go.

(HANK pulls out some more coins)

RHONDA

What are you doing?

HANK

I feel like granting some wishes tonight.

RHONDA

You my fairy godmother or something?

HANK

Fairy godfather.

RHONDA

You’re serious?

(HANK counts out more coins)

HANK

This stack of sacajawea's pays for one. This stack of Kennedy’s pays for another…

RHONDA

Fine… Joe?  Joe!  You awake back there. Grill still hot?  We need six burgers with fries to go.  (To HANK) Fries are on me.

HANK

And this one is your tip. That one is for you.

RHONDA

Said in a mysterious voice… what’s special about this one, Fairy Godfather?

HANK

It’s magic.

RHONDA

Magic?

HANK

When the time is right, make a wish… and maybe it will come true.

RHONDA

What if I wish for world peace?

HANK

Well, us Fairy Godfathers have limits… no wishing for more wishes, I can’t kill anyone, I can’t make anyone fall in love and I can’t do world peace…

RHONDA

You’re not a very powerful Fairy Godfather.

HANK

There’s so little magic left in the world.  Except for this coin. Whenever I find a little bit of magic, I tuck it away for just the right occasion. And this little bit of magic is for you.

RHONDA

I have to say this is the most creative tip I’ve ever gotten. Is this a nickel?

HANK

A very special nickel. The 1913 Liberty Nickel.

RHONDA

I thought 13 was an unlucky number.

HANK

But 1913 is very lucky.  It was the year of the very first crossword puzzle. And the prize for being the first person to solve that puzzle?  A nickel.  But not just any nickel.  This nickel. The Liberty Nickel.

RHONDA

The magic Liberty Nickel.

HANK

Correct.

RHONDA

And what is this magic nickel worth Fairy Godfather?

HANK

More than a nickel.

RHONDA

It better be. Otherwise this is the worst tip I’ve ever gotten.

HANK

You’re a good waitress so I bet you’ve never been left the dreaded single penny.

RHONDA

I came close once. Some teens were in here and they left a couple dozen pennies hidden all over the table.  Every time I picked something up, another penny appeared. It was kind of maddening. I threw them all out.

HANK

I wonder how many pennies we all throw away?

RHONDA

They’re hardly worth messing with.

HANK

Yet, they say finding a penny is lucky.

RHONDA

Not if you’re a waitress.

HANK

True.

RHONDA

Thanks for the nickel. Do I have to spend it before midnight?

HANK

Save it for a rainy day, okay?

RHONDA

Yes, Fairy Godfather.

HANK

Smells like those burgers are coming out great, Joe!

RHONDA

Hey, I thought this was my time to get compliments.

(HANK laughs)

HANK

Sorry about that.

RHONDA

Well?

HANK

Okay, I have another compliment for you. The reason I gave you that magic coin is because of all the things you could wish for in this world, you wanted to help those people out there.

RHONDA

Actually I wanted world peace but that was my second choice.

HANK

And I really believe you would help those people. So many people say that stuff because they think they have to. They dream of cars and vacations. Then they throw in helping the homeless as an afterthought. But you thought of others right away. And I see you do nice things around the diner all the time.

RHONDA

Keep it down. I could get fired for some of those nice things.

HANK

I think your boss knows about the nice things you do. The extra food for people short on money. The little treats for the kids. Little things like remembering people’s names and listening to them talk. All that makes this a great diner and keeps people like me coming back for more.

RHONDA

You think I make this place good?

HANK

I know you do. And that’s what everyone needs to do. Make their little corner of the world a better place. If we all did that, then things would change for the better. To quote Captain Planet, think globally, act locally.

RHONDA

That Captain Planet knew his stuff.

HANK

He changed my life.

(RHONDA laughs)

RHONDA

Really?

HANK

Well… I might be exaggerating a bit.

RHONDA

We’re closing soon. Want me to help give out those burgers and coffee?

HANK

Sure, that would be great.

RHONDA

I’ll go get my coat.

HANK

Don’t forget your lucky nickel.

RHONDA

I can’t lose this one. It’s magic.

HANK

You better believe it.

END OF SCENE

View version for younger actors called "The Magic Coin and the Lemonade Stand"

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