Coming Out
Exported from Holy-Writings.com on 2026-06-20 - 1 clipping

Characters:
Four good friends, all in their early 20's.
 Richard:	jeans, sweat-shirt, sneakers;  an `ordinary guy' 
 Greg:	a mock tough guy exterior; but also an `ordinary guy'  
 Lindsey:	dressed rather punky; the clown of the group 
 Tasha:	the sensitive one; shows signs of being in love with Richard; 

A table in a coffee-bar. The 4 characters are sitting at the table. 

Richard: [ Hesitantly]
You're probably ... wondering why ... I ... invited you here ...

Lindsey:
You want to start paying back all the coffee you owe me ...

Richard:	[Sheepishly]
Well, that too ... I guess

Tasha: 	And ...?

Greg:	[Mocking]
Let me guess - you're going to reveal the deepest, darkest, most
horrible secret of your life ...

Richard:	[Stunned]
Holy smokes! How did you know?

Greg:	[Surprised]
I guessed it?

Lindsey:	[Mocking, with appropriate hand-gestures]
OOOOO Greg, maybe you're psychic ... Mr. Greg sees all, tells all ...

Greg:	[Leaning forward and staring at Lindsey; then in a foreign
accent]
Look into my eyes - and I will read your mind like a book ...

Tasha:	[Rolling her eyes; slightly annoyed]
O give it a rest would you ...

[Touching Richard's arm]
What's it about, Richard ...?

Richard:	[Hangs his head]
Me.

[ There is a pause. Just enough to be noticeable, Richard's 3 friends glance
at each other.]

Lindsey: 	[Exasperated]
I think ... we kind of knew that ...

Tasha:	[Sympathetically]
And ...?

Richard:	[Looking down]
Guys ... I ... I ... don't know how to say this but ...

Tasha:	[Sympathetically]
O come on now, we're all friends ...

Lindsey:	Just in case you haven't noticed ...

Richard:		Well ... it's ... just not ... easy ...

Lindsey:	[Impatient]
Come on Ricky-boy, spit it out ...

Greg:	Yeah, we're all big, we can take it ...

Richard:	[Worried, embarrassed]
I know ... it's just that ... I should have ... told you ... earlier -
months ago ...

Greg:	I forgive you. 

Lindsey:	Hold on there!  He doesn't get off that easy. He's got to do
penance. He can buy me more coffee ...

Tasha:	Oh cut it, you guys, just let him talk ...

Lindsey:	I wish he would ...

Tasha:	[Turning to him]
Richard, you said you should have told us months ago -

Richard:	Well, I really should have ... but I didn't ... and that makes it
worse ...

Tasha:	[Gently coaxing]
O don't worry about that. Just tell us now ... What's it about?

Richard:	Me.

Lindsey:	[Flops back in her chair, groaning in exasperation]

Greg:	[Annoyed]
What's the big secret, man? Look at all the stuff we told each other
before ... Can't be any bigger than some of that ...

Richard:	No, no, it's much bigger than anything like that ...

Lindsey:	[Now trampling her feet in frustration]

Tasha:	You know we're your friends - even though Lindsey's being a bit
of jerk right now. So, why don't you just tell us ... it'll be so much better
...

Richard:	I want to ... but it's so ... so different ...

Lindsey:	Yeah, we'll understand ... even a jerk like me.

Richard:	I know, guys, I know, but it's just not that easy ...

Lindsey:	[Suddenly sitting up and looking at Richard]
Tell me, Richard, this wouldn't be a ...a ... male bonding thing
- would it?

Richard:	[Thinks for a moment}
Yeah ... in a sort of way ...

[There is a moment of silence as the possible implications of this sink
in.]

Tasha:	[Immediately sympathetic]
But that's not a problem - at least not for us girls ...

[Looks at Lindsey]
Lindsey:	Definitely not for me ...

Greg:	Hey man, I'm open-minded.

Tasha:	[A little forced; she has romantic designs on Richard]
Me too ... for sure ...

Lindsey:	Whatever floats your boat ... it's fine with me. No big deal here.

Greg:	Hey, you're my friend, no matter what. I respect your  choice - and you
respect mine -
that's what friends are about ... I may not understand it, but ...

Richard:	[Breathing a big sigh of relief]
Oh man, I'm so glad you guys understand. I was so worried. Cause things
will be a a bit different  from here on in ...

Tasha:	[Obviously disappointed]
Just a bit ...

[She turns away]

Lindsey:	 [Sees Tasha's disappointment and tries to cheer her up by
sounding cheerful herself]
But it's not the end of the world. It's a start to a whole new
world ... new adventures and all that stuff ...

Richard:	Well, you know ... I won't be going to the bar any more ....

Greg:	Are you crazy? Say man, when did all this happen?

Richard: 	A couple of weeks ago. When I finally got my card ...

Lindsey:	[Incredulous]
You need a card for that?

Richard:	[Enthusiastic]
Oh yeah ... to get registered and all that kind of stuff ...

Greg:	[Suspicious]
What do you mean registered?

Richard:	So they know who's part of it ... no big deal ... but it's got to be
done ...

Lindsey:	[Defiant]
I wouldn't go on some register... there's gotta be a law about that
somewhere ... It's like communism or Nazis or something ...

Richard:	[Defensive]
Well, they've got to ... administration and all that stuff ...

Greg:	[Somewhat angry]
So they can pick you up any time they like ...?

Lindsey:	And make you wear a pink triangle ...

Richard:	Pink triangle? Are you kidding? These guys use nine-pointed stars
...

Tasha:	[Puzzled]
I can't remember reading anything about nine-pointed stars in my history
books ...

Greg:	[Appalled]
So what do you need all this registration for ?

Richard:	Well, once in a while for some of the special meetings ...

Greg:	[Stunned]
Meetings?

Tasha:	Support group meetings ...

Richard:	Not really, it's not a support  group ...

Lindsey:	OK, get-togethers... call 'em whatever ... for others like you ...

Richard:	Exactly. But don't worry, I want you all there! I'll invite you to
some of our parties ...

Greg:	[Mixed feelings]
You will?

Tasha:	Well, I'll be happy to come with you ...

Richard:	[Enthusiastic]
That's great! Maybe you'll all join some day ...

There is a shocked silence.]
Greg:	[Hesitantly]
Richard, good buddy, I think I better say this up front - I'm not wired that
way ...

Richard:	[Enthusiastically]
Uh uh. You're so wrong about that! I think everyone's
wired that way - they just don't know it yet ...

Greg:	Oh, I know it all right, good buddy. And the answer is no. It's not for
me.

Richard:	But it's made me so happy! I want to share it with you!

Lindsey:	 Some things just aren't meant to be shared ...

Tasha:	[Hesitantly]
I don't know about you guys, but I'm ... really confused ...

Lindsey:	About what?

Tasha:	Everything.

Greg: 	Like what?

Tasha:	[To Richard}
Richard, you just told us you're gay - didn't you?

Richard:	[Shocked]
Me?!? Are you kidding? Whatever made you think that?

[A long pause as they all glance at each other in confusion.]
Lindsey:	[Matter of factly]
So you're not gay ...

Richard:	[Protesting]
No, of course not ...

Tasha:	[Touching his arm]
That makes things a lot simpler ...

Greg:	Yeah, I'll say. Not that we'd care if you were ... a bud is
a bud is a bud ...

Tasha:	So what are you?

Richard:	I'm a Bahá'í.

Greg:	Same thing almost, isn't it?  Except you  like girls too ...

Richard:	[Slightly annoyed]
Huh?

Greg:	Well, if you're bi you like guys and girls, right? You swing both
ways, sort of ... you know
what I mean ...

Richard:	I said Bahá'í - not bi ...

Lindsey:	[Worried]
If this one of those wierdo things, Richard, I hate to say it, but I'm
outta here! I'm just a plain simple girl ... guys, and later on babies the old
fashioned natural way ...

Tasha: 	[Despondent again; head in her hand]
Me too.

Richard:	You guys are nuts! This has nothing to do with sex!

[He starts laughing.]

Tasha:	[Perking up immediately; with increasing desperation]
Richard, I know you don't mean to, but you're jerking us around. So quit
it! It's driving me crazy. I want you to come right out and say it - no beating
around the bush ...

[Greg and Lindsey voice their support.]

Richard:	[Hesitantly]
I sorry guys, but ... it's just not an easy thing to explain.

Tasha:	[Sternly]
Well, I think you'd better start ...

Richard:	[Taking a deep breath]
I've joined the Bahá'ís. They're a religion.

Lindsey:	So when do they shave your head?

Tasha: 	[Impatient]
Lindsey, would you just listen - before we get all confused again ... I
just couldn't stand any
more of that ...

Richard:	No head shaving, Lindsey.  It's simple as ABC. A: All religions and
peoples are basically one so the world is really one country. B: Bahá'u'lláh is
the manifestation of God for this age. C: Civilization won't progress until
we're all working together.

Lindsey:	[Slightly disappointed]
That's it? That's the great secret?

Richard:	That's it.

Greg:	So tell me, good buddy, why all the chicken poop? Why didn't you just
come out and say so? That doesn't sound too bad.

Richard:	[Hesitant]
Well ... you got to admit ...it's not easy these days - admitting you
got religion ...

Lindsey:	No kidding ... and maybe for a good reason ...

Greg:	Will I burn in hell for not joining?

Richard:	There isn't a hell to burn in.

Greg:	No hell? Now there's a new twist ...

Lindsey:	What do they use to scare you?

Richard:	Nothing. Your conscience maybe ... it's up to you ...

Tasha:	[With a large sigh of relief]
Guys, I've got to go ... this has been quite a ride ... and I'm just
exhausted ...

[She gets up. The others also get up ...and they start leaving, still
talking.]

Richard:	[Laughing as they exit]
Thanks guys. For understanding. And the misunderstanding. Wait'll I tell
them!

[He mimics two different voices.]
`I'm a Bahá'í.'

`Oh. I guess that means you like girls too ...'

[Their laughter fades out as they exit.]
-- Coming Out (Used by permission of the curator)