Letter of respect

Letter of respect

Scene 1


Ms. O' Connell sits behind her desk, her arms folded and watching the clock on the wall straight ahead. There's two knocks on the door to her office. She sits up straight.

Ms. O' Connell: Come in.

A plump boy walks in and closes the door behind him, then sits in the chair in front of Ms. O' Connells desk.

Geoff (Gives a short smile) Heya.

Ms. O' Connell (Smiles back) Morning, Geoff.

They sit in silence for several moments. Geoff's hands are shaking on his lap.

Ms. O' Connell: Don't be nervous, Geoff. If it was something serious i'd look angry. Do i look angry?

Geoff (Smiling) No.

Ms. O' Connell: That's because i'm not. Now, i've a fairly busy schedule and you've class to get back to, so lets make this as quick and painless as possible.

Geoff: Ok. (His face is serious now)

Ms. O' Connell (Links her hands together and watches Geoff, who is looking back at her) I don't have to ask you if you've heard about Mr Jefferson. You two were... close?

Geoff: As student and teacher, yeah.

Ms. O' Connell (Nodds her head) Mr Jefferson, on countless occasions, would talk about you and your progress as a student. You were his favourite student and he was your favourite teacher. He even helped you with your writing, i believe.

Geoff: Yeah. I'm lost without our after-school lessons now.

Ms. O' Connell: Are you sure your not more lost without him, than his lessons?

Geoff (Looks at her strangely) Both. (He swallows hard) I miss him. (He gives a short laugh) I didn't even know him that well, but it felt like we'd been related or something. It felt like i knew him a lifetime.

Ms. O' Connell: We all miss him. He was an asset to this school, one that can't easily be replaced.

Geoff: But he will be replaced. For a second, just a second, lets be honest and admit that he'll be replaced in no time. We both know that the principle doesn't care. He'll make a big speech at the funeral about how great Mr Jefferson was, and the skills we'll all lose out on. And all-the-while he'll know deep down, that what he's saying is for nothing but to boost his own image.

Ms. O' Connell: He wont be making be any speeches, because you see, i've had a visit from Mr Jeffersons wife this morning. Can you guess what she wanted?

Geoff: No.

Ms. O' Connell: Apparently, he talked about you, his favourite student a lot. His wife wants you to write the obituary at the funeral.

Geoff (Looks surprised) She wants me to speak at his funeral? Why... why me?

Ms O' Connell: From what shes told me, he spoke very highly of you outside school.

Geoff (Looks amazed) I... i don't know what to say.

Ms. O' Connell: I think "yes" would be a good answer. His wife wouldn't have asked if she didn't want you to.

Geoff: I don't deserve to.

Ms. O' Connell (Looks surprised) Excuse me?

Geoff: Who am i to stand in front of 30 or 40 people, telling them how much of a great guy he was.? I haven't earned the privilage. He probably has a Brother or Sister. Who am i to take that away from them?

Ms. O' Connell: Well Mr Jefferson certainly thought you had the privilage. And he has two Brothers and a Sister by the way, but he picked you. Now why would he do a thing like that if he didn't consider you worthy. He knew he was dying and he told his wife, out of all the people to speak for him... he wanted you to do it. I myself don't consider you, a sometimes troublesome boy, to speak in behalf of a great man, but he wanted you to. That's all that matters.

Geoff: You think i'm troublesome?

Ms. O' Connell (Smiles) Sometimes you can be a bit... uncontrolable. But it's not for me to decide wether you speak at the funeral or not. Only you can decide.

Geoff (Sighs) I know. (He looks at the floor) They say, that with every loved one you lose, a piece of you goes with them. (He looks at her) Is that true?

Ms O' Connell: I really don't know. I'm sure you'll find out eventually, that we all experience bad things. The only way out of them is to be strong, even on occasions when you want to cry. Be strong. Winston Churchill once said, "Never in the field of human conflict, was so much owed by so many to so few."

Geoff: Whats it mean?

Ms. O' Connell: Tell me when you find out. Now, i think it's time for you to get back to class.

Geoff walks towards the door and opens it, then turns around to look at Ms. O' Connell, who smiles at him.

Ms. O' Connell: He'd be proud of you.

Geoff: I know.

Ms. O' Connell: You already have a Father, Geoff. Think of his kids. Go home, hug your Father and think of what so many kids haven't got, that you do. Appreciate it all, because one day it might be gone, faster than you know.

Geoff nodds and walks out the door, closing it shut behind him.


Scene 2


Geoffs room. It's the morning of the funeral and he's trying on his suit. He looks in the mirror at the reflection of his Dad, who is now behind him .

Dad (Smiling) You look smart.

Geoff (Sighs) Yeah, i do.

Dad: I'm proud of you, kiddo.

Geoff: Why? I'm just a boy, a stupid boy who doesn't know what he's doing.

Dad: You're not stupid, far from it. You're my Son and i love you.

Geoff: Whatever. Deep down i know i'm an idiot who doesn't even deserve to live.

Geoff's Dad grabs him by the shoulders and turns him around. He looks into his eye's.

You're a little genius, and don't forget it. Remember two things: One, it only takes one blow to kill a man, always remember that. Two, there are bigger places out there than our stupid little estate, bigger, more important questions to be asked. You understand?

Geoff (Looks confused) Dad, the first one doesn't even make sense.

Dad (Shakes Geoff) Do you understand?

Geoff (Sighs) I understand.

Dad: Good. (He lets go of Geoff) Remember what i said. It might come in handy one day.

Geoff's Dad walks out of his room. Geoff stares in the mirror, straightening his tie.

Geoff: What am i doing?

Outside. Geoff walks behind a line of 30 or more people, his Father on one side and his Mother on the other. Most of the people are dressed in black. The line stops and Geoff walks up to the front, where he see's Mr Jeffersons wife, Maria. She is crying.

Maria: You must be Geoff. (She offers her hand)

Geoff: Yeah (He shakes her hand)

Maria: Michael spoke very highly of you, almost as if you were the most important thing in his life.

Geoff (Looks speechless) Thanks. I'm gona miss him.

Maria: I can't think of a person who won't. (She smiles) He was loved by everyone, or atleast that i know of.

Geoff: Yeah. (He begins to cry)

Maria (Wipes the tears from his eye's with a tissue) Don't cry, we have enough misery today as it is. I'd like to see atleast one person smiling.

Geoff: That one person won't be me.

Maria: Or me.

Everyone gathers around in a circle. A prayer is said. Some are crying and some just look sad. It's Geoff's turn to say a few words. He steps forward.

Geoff (Looks at everyone around him, his hands at his sides) I don't know what to say. First of all, i'm greatful that i'm here today, speaking for a man i don't really deserve to. If someone had asked me a week or two ago how i was doing, i would've told them i was over the moon with joy. If someone had asked me how i was today... i would've broke down into tears. (He coughs) They say that we're all born with a pre-ordained destiny. I don't believe that, and either did Mr Jefferson. I believe that destiny is what you make it. We can control our own faith, our own decisions, just like i did today. I decided to come and speak for a man that i truely didn't know that well, but who seemed to know me a lot better. Don't ask me how, he just had a way of knowing everyone, even the most strange. I think i speak for everyone when i say he was a great man. I think i wouldn't be speaking for everyone though, if i said that he was a man with flaws, like all of us he wasn't invincible. I thought he was. I think most of us thought he was.

Tears begin to drip from Geoff's eye's. He looks in the crowd and see's Ms. O' Connell who just nodds with a smile as always.

He was, without a doubt, a great teacher. I'm sure he was also a great Husband and Father. For some of these reasons i don't understand why a man like him would have to be taken from us at only thirty-five. I don't understand why God takes the lives of men who deserve to live, and gives men who deserve to die the chance to live. I do know this: One must never under-estimate the healing power of hatred. In every mans eye's are revenge, just with different reasons. Winston Churchill once said, "Never in the field of human conflict, was so much owed by so many to so few." I didn't know what it meant then but i know now. I owe Mr Jefferson. People who never even met him, owe him. They owe him for the work that inspires other teachers to improve. They owe him a lot. We all do. I'm proud to have been taught by him, to have been able to sit there and listen to a teacher that actually know's what he's talking about. Mr Jefferson. (He looks up into the sky) I don't know if you can hear me, but if you can... you'll be loved and missed forever, even by people you thought hated you. (He looks around one more time) This isn't an abituary. This is my letter of respect, only it's in my head. This is my letter of respect, for the greatest man that used to live.