“THE MAGIC COIN AND THE LEMONADE STAND”
By D. M. Larson
(A short script for two young actors)
Copyright © 2017 All Rights Reserved
Please do NOT repost the text of this play online.
SCENE
(OLIVIA has a lemonade stand. NOAH is drinking a cup of lemonade)
NOAH
You make amazing lemonade.
OLIVIA
What?
NOAH
I just wanted to tell you that.
OLIVIA
Well… thanks.
NOAH
I try to say one nice thing each day. And today, it’s for you.
OLIVIA
That’s a good way to be. Try to keep it nice.
NOAH
My grandpa taught me that.
OLIVIA
He sounds like a good man.
NOAH
The best.
OLIVIA
Well, you’re lucky to have him. If only more people had someone like that. I don’t think I’ve had a good compliment in a long time.
NOAH
That’s just wrong. People should be nicer. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect.
OLIVIA
R-e-s-p-e-c-t - but there ain’t none for me.
NOAH
I keep hoping if I do enough kind things it will catch on and grow. I keep picturing a better world around me and then I do little things to try and make it that way.
I keep hoping if I do enough kind things it will catch on and grow. I keep picturing a better world around me and then I do little things to try and make it that way.
OLIVIA
What do you see for our street here?
NOAH
Trees… lots of trees. And a cleaner park. And no more rent payments for the Williams family. I heard they were getting kicked out of their house.
OLIVIA
Their mom lost her job and the dad isn’t around anymore.
NOAH
That’s sad. I wonder what they are doing to do?
OLIVIA
There’s no free rides in life. You owe me a dollar for that lemonade.
(NOAH tosses some coins on the counter)
NOAH
There you go.
OLIVIA
What’s this? Throwing some gold and silver my way?
NOAH
Those is a Sacagawea dollar and two 50 cent pieces. I love old coins. My grandpa gives them to me. One more cup of lemonade, please.
OLIVIA
These are cool.
NOAH
Sometimes they’re worth more than their face value.
OLIVIA
Then why give them away?
NOAH
It’s no fun to keep it all to myself. I like to share.
OLIVIA
Everyone needs to share more. I think I had sharing beaten out of me. My family and I play Monopoly and it brings out the worst in me. I have to win it all and be in total control of the board. I want all the money and love crushing my competition. But all of my brothers and sisters are that way too. We have so many fights over that game that my dad finally set the board on fire.
NOAH
On fire?
OLIVIA
He tossed it in the fireplace along with all the Monopoly money. All we had left were the little homes and hotels.
NOAH
What do you do with them?
OLIVIA
We use them like poker chips and play poker.
NOAH
No way.
OLIVIA
Then Dad burned the cards.
NOAH
That’s too funny.
OLIVIA
And some of it might be true.
NOAH
So what did you dream about doing with your life?
OLIVIA
Win Monopoly.
NOAH
Besides that.
OLIVIA
Win the lottery.
NOAH
You have a winning attitude.
OLIVIA
I want to be a winner. I’m just not sure what I want to win. Anything. But so far, nothing.
NOAH
You win every day you’re alive.
OLIVIA
I guess so.
NOAH
I win every time I have a great cup of lemonade like this one.
OLIVIA
I suppose that’s your way of telling me you want a refill?
NOAH
Maybe.
(OLIVIA pours him another cup)
NOAH (CONT.)
So you have any dreams? Ones that don’t involve winning the lottery?
OLIVIA
You’re very chatty today, aren’t you?
NOAH
Your customers don’t usually hang out and talk?
OLIVIA
I don’t mind. I mean I see you around all the time, but usually you’re pretty quiet… sitting by a tree… or in a tree… and you always have that notebook. You doodle?
NOAH
I write stories.
OLIVIA
You write stories… on purpose? For fun?! Weird.
NOAH
I love writing. But today I feel like talking. I think I’m having writer’s block anyway. Talking might help.
OLIVIA
Imagine me helping someone write.
NOAH
What’s strange about that?
OLIVIA
I can’t really write. I get bad grades in English.
NOAH
Teachers wouldn’t like my stories. They’re pretty crazy.
OLIVIA
It must be fun to have a talent. I’m not good at anything.
NOAH
You make the best lemonade.
OLIVIA
I guess.
NOAH
I bet you’re good at other things too… like Monopoly.
OLIVIA
If only the real world were as easy to figure out as Monopoly. There aren’t many good chance cards in the real world. And I don’t collect $200 every time I pass Go.
NOAH
But hopefully you don’t get to jail as often either.
OLIVIA
Nope. Just visiting.
NOAH
What if I told you one of those coins I paid you with was worth a lot of money?
(OLIVIA gathers them and looks at them)
OLIVIA
Really?
NOAH
What would you do with it?
OLIVIA
I think I’d help the William’s family keep their house, so their mom didn’t have to worry anymore. I wish people didn’t have to worry like that. Imagine losing your home. That must be so horrible.
(NOAH pulls out some more coins)
OLIVIA
What are you doing?
NOAH
I feel like granting some wishes tonight.
OLIVIA
You my fairy godmother or something?
NOAH
Fairy godfather.
OLIVIA
You’re serious?
(NOAH pulls out a specific coin)
NOAH
This is the one we need.
OLIVIA
Said in a mysterious voice… what’s special about this one, Fairy Godfather?
NOAH
It’s magic.
OLIVIA
Magic?
NOAH
When the time is right, make a wish… and maybe it will come true.
OLIVIA
What if I wish for world peace?
NOAH
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…
OLIVIA
You’re not a very powerful Fairy Godfather.
NOAH
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.
OLIVIA
Is that a nickel?
NOAH
A very special nickel. The 1913 Liberty Nickel.
OLIVIA
I thought 13 was an unlucky number.
NOAH
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.
OLIVIA
The magic Liberty Nickel.
NOAH
Correct.
OLIVIA
And what is this magic nickel worth Fairy Godfather?
NOAH
More than a nickel. My grandpa gave it to me and said it was very special and to save it for something really important. I think the Williams are important enough, don’t you?
OLIVIA
So what do we do? Do we have to spend the magic nickel before midnight?
NOAH
How about I give you some more Sacajawea's and we’ll take the rest of the lemonade over to the Williams kids?
OLIVIA
What about the magic coin?
NOAH
Should we give it to Mrs. Williams?
OLIVIA
If we don’t help her, who will?
NOAH
I don’t know.
OLIVIA
You’re a good neighbor, Noah.
NOAH
Like my grandpa always says, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not.” Well, I don’t think he made that up, but he said it a lot.
OLIVIA
I like that. Let’s take your magic coin and make things better.
(They take the lemonade and exit)
END OF SCENE
