ACT I
Scene 8
SETTING: The 8th grade classroom of St. James the Lesser Catholic School, after lunch on that same day.
AT RISE: The class is in session.
ALL are present except TOMMY who has yet to return from lunch.
SISTER RAPHAEL
has her back turned and is writing "Our Government" on the blackboard. KITES
stands at the pencil sharpener, sharpening a pencil, and then throws a paper airplane into the middle of the class. A student bends over to pick it up, does so, but knocks something off his/her desk that causes SISTER RAPHAEL
to whirl around. SHE immediately goes and grabs the airplane from the student's
grasp.
SISTER RAPHAEL
Passing notes,
are we?
STUDENT
Oh, no, Sister. It just landed here.
SISTER RAPHAEL
(Reads aloud)
"I hope you had
a Merry X-mas."
(Gasps)
Who sent this
note to you?
STUDENT
(Sobbing)
I don't know. I really don't know. I just… I
just heard this noise and… I looked down and there it was… I was going to throw it away…
SISTER RAPHAEL
I want the truth
now.
(KITES raises HIS hand)
Mr. Callahan,
do you know something about this?
KITES
When I was sharpenin'
my pencils, I looked out the window and saw some public school kids walkin'. I
sits down and looks up and that piece of paper comes flyin' in the window. Then,
from my seat, I sees those public school kids runnin' away and laughin'. And
Sister… one of 'em made a rude gesture.
SISTER RAPHAEL
(Goes to the window and yells out)
Heathens!
