GROUNDEDby Eric Rohrer

CharactersJEREMY is an athletic and intelligent 11 year-old, but has a knack for getting in trouble. He is confident and smart, but sometimes a bit too much for his own good.GARRET is JEREMY’s twin, but unlike JEREMY he has more common sense and does not get in trouble as much. He plays ultimate Frisbee competitively but broke his leg playing it and wears a leg brace. Between GARRET’s injury and JEREMY being grounded, both boys are limited as to what they can do. HANNAH, 15-years-old, is JEREMY and GARRET’s older sister. She cares about her brothers but also has major sibling rivalries and will take any opportunity to annoy them or get them in trouble.JACOB is a notorious suburban street prowler, and is often seen strolling through the streets with his sidekick PAUL. Anything that goes wrong in the neighborhood can usually be blamed on him. JACOB is 13. He has a respect for JEREMY because of how he always gets in trouble, but JEREMY is disgusted by it.PAUL is Jacob’s sidekick and does whatever Jacob wants him to do. BRIANNA is HANNAH’s friend, and is 15. She’s always on her phone and is a very stereotypical teenage girl.MOM is strict, and is not afraid to use her parent authority to ground her children. She picks favorites, and loves Garret more than Jeremy.

SCENE 1

SETTING: This scene takes place in JEREMY and GARRET’s bedroom. They share their room, and they have a bunk bed and a desk. The floor has clothes and books all over it. There is a bin full of toys in the room. The scene begins with GARRET on the bunk bed, playing on a DS or some sort of portable device. JEREMY is sitting at the desk doing homework. It is midday on a Sunday. HANNAH barges into JEREMY and GARRET’s room.

HANNAHHey idiot! Heard you were grounded again! What’d you do this time?

JEREMYYou don’t need to rub it in, Hannah. It’s not like you’ve never been grounded.

HANNAHSure, I’ve been grounded, but never as much as you! What’d you do this time, leave all the vegetables you found in the fridge on a neighbor’s doorstep?

(HANNAH picks up a baseball bat lying on the ground)

JEREMYI’m not about to eat an “artichoke”! I’ll bet there’s a reason why the word choke is in it…

HANNAHAs long as whatever you did didn’t involve throw-up and coffee, then I don’t care.

JEREMYAw, don’t bring that one up. If you must know, this time it did involve coffee. It wasn’t totally my fault, though! It was Garret’s idea to play knee hockey in Mom’s meeting room!

GARRETDon’t even try to blame that one on me. If you want to attempt power plays in a room full of old ladies and steaming hot beverages, be my guest.

JEREMYIf you’re playing one on one and a player gets fouled off, are you going to take a leisurely walk into the net?

GARRETI’m certainly not going to dive bomb into the coffee maker…

HANNAHI wouldn’t put it past you, Garret. You’re the one who messed up your leg playing that stupid Frisbee sport of yours.

GARRETJust because you’re 15 doesn’t mean that you’re above us, Hannah.

HANNAHI’m not? Watch this! Observe, as I…leave this room! Unlike our grounded and injured friends can do! I’m going to go hang out with my friends! Another thing our grounded and injured friends can’t do!

(HANNAH exits, tossing the baseball bat aside. She takes exaggerated steps to mock JEREMY and GARRET. JEREMY grabs the baseball bat and puts it back in the toy chest. He stays at the chest, looking at old toys inside.)

JEREMYWant to do something? We can play a board game.

(JEREMY holds up an old board game from inside the chest. GARRET doesn’t look up and continues his video game.)

2

GARRETNah. I almost finished this level.

JEREMYNow that you’ve gotten that stupid DS you never do anything else!

GARRETNow that you’re grounded and have gotten your DS taken away, you sound like mom!

JEREMYDo not! Here! We can play this game instead.

(JEREMY holds up another board game.)

GARRETI already told you! No!

(JEREMY sighs again, and roots through the toy chest. There is a long pause, while JEREMY pulls out random stuff from the toy chest, looks at it, and puts it back. Finally, He pulls out a Frisbee.)

JEREMYHey, this is a nice Frisbee. Where’d you get it?

GARRETHey! Put down my Alpha Limited Edition Scratch Protection RC-71 Smooth-Glide Survival of the Fittest Aerodynamic build Ultimate Pro Disk signed by Freddy “Frisbee” Johnson! And excuse you, it is a disk!

JEREMY (sarcastically) Oh c’mon, a little toss around the room can’t hurt the “disk”

GARRETWait! No! It may be perfectly weighted for an experienced Ultimate Frisbee pro, but one such as you couldn’t handle it! It could even be…scratched!

(GARRET stands up with a bit of trouble because of his leg brace)

JEREMYWait, so the sport is called Ultimate Frisbee, but you use a disk?

GARRETA disk is distinctly different than a normal Frisbee. They are weighted for athletic feats of endurance, not your common backyard tossing like the disk’s less impressive counterpart.

3

(JEREMY tosses the Frisbee to GARRET, who, caught by surprise, barely catches it)

JEREMY (not impressed)Feels like a Frisbee to me.

GARRET(GARRET holds up the Frisbee, shaking it.)

Do you realize how much this is worth? Freddy “Frisbee” Johnson’s signature is treasured by Ultimate Frisbee fanatics all over the world!

JEREMYYup! All three of ‘em!

GARRETIf you must know, the world’s Ultimate Frisbee Association boasts over 30 members! I know, Staggering! I receive their magazine weekly!

JEREMYJust staggering. Here, toss the Frisbee back! We can throw it around in here!

GARRETYou do not simply “toss” a disk of this magnitude around! And plus, I don’t trust you!

JEREMYI’m more trustworthy than everyone thinks!

GARRETYup! you’ve only locked me in the car, forgot to feed your fish for a week and they all died, lost your IPod, spilled coffee on a bunch of old ladies, left your back pack at home every other day, and-

JEREMYAlright alright! I promise I won’t do anything stupid with your Frisdisk.

GARRETJust remember, the things I listed were only last month. That Disk is worth over $200, and if you so much as scratch it, I’ll tell mom about the strudel incident!

JEREMYNo! Not the strudel incident!!! I’ll be really careful.

(GARRET cautiously tosses the Frisbee to JEREMY. JEREMY successfully catches it, and tosses it back. They do this a few times.)

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GARRETHere, I’ll show you how to flick it. You hold your hand like a gun, wrap your thumb around the top like this, and-

(GARRET shows JEREMY where to put his hands)Then you just flick your wrist and the disk should spin out if you put in enough force!

JEREMYAlright, I think I’ve got it.

(JEREMY attempts to flick the Frisbee, but he fails and the Frisbee is thrown out the window.)

GARRETNo!!! My Alpha Limited Edition Scratch Protection RC-71 Smooth-Glide Survival of the Fittest Aerodynamic build Ultimate Pro Disk signed by Freddy “Frisbee” Johnson!

JEREMYAw dang it! Here, we can go get it.

GARRETI shouldn’t because of my leg brace,

(gestures to his leg brace) but you should! I never should have trusted you with my Alpha Limited Edition Scratch Protection RC-71 Smooth-Glide Survival of the Fittest Aerodynamic build Ultimate Pro Disk signed by Freddy “Frisbee” Johnson!

JEREMYC’mon, you know I’m sorry. I’ll just zip down and zip back up and grab it. Even though I’m grounded, mom won’t care if I just go right back up!

(Jeremy exits. Garret looks out the window)Wait! Watch out! There are a couple kids down there! They picked up my disk! Get it back!!!

(BLACKOUT. END SCENE.)

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SCENE 2

SETTING: This Scene takes place in front of Jeremy’s house on the lawn. The Frisbee is lying on the ground. Jacob and Paul enter the stage, just as Jeremy enters, running.

JACOBHaven’t seen you around lately, Jeremy. Grounded again?

JEREMYEven if I was, it’s none of your business.

(JEREMY slowly edges towards the Frisbee in front of JACOB)

JACOBHow do you always manage to get caught? Remember when I pulled off the great bubble gum heist summer of ’09? Sure, I’m banned from the library for the next 28 years, but only scrubs like you manage to get grounded.

PAULYou can get caught all you want. Just not by the wrong people. People to avoid are your parents, the police…who cares about librarians? Remember her face when she saw all the gum wrappers?

JACOBYou weren’t even there, Paul. You’re right about getting caught, though. If you look like you own the place, no one will suspect a thing! Look! I can pick up this old Frisbee--

(GARRET yells from offstage “IT’S A DISK!” JACOB has picked up the Frisbee.)

JEREMYHey! Put that down! It’s not yours!

PAULIs it yours?

JEREMYYes! Well no, it’s my brothers.

JACOBWell, if it’s not yours, let’s just go by the “finders keepers” rule!

(JACOB tosses the Frisbee to PAUL over JEREMY’s head)

JEREMY

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Hey! Stop that! I live here! This is my house! This is my yard! You can’t just take our property!

PAULIt’s just a Frisbee. What’s the big deal?

JEREMYGarret, the owner of that Frisbee is maybe 10 feet away from you! His leg is broken and here you are, stealing from a cripple!

JACOBHmm. Who did you say this signature was from, again? Freddie…Johnson?

(JACOB studies the Frisbee closer, looking hard at it)

JEREMYHere, uh, put it into my hands so I can see it closer.

JACOBYah know, I’m starting to think there might be something special about this Frisbee after all. It’s no use arguing with kids, come on, Paul, let’s go.

(Jacob and Paul jog out)

JEREMYI shouldn’t even be doing this! I’m grounded! I’m not allowed to be leaving the house, let alone chasing bullies around the neighborhood!

GARRET (from off) WELL? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? HURRY! GET MY DISK BACK!!!

(Jeremy sighs, and exits, running after the kids. BLACKOUT. END SCENE.)

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SCENE 3

SETTING: The setting in this scene is a park. Paul and Jacob are tossing the Frisbee around when Jeremy enters, running.

JEREMYJacob! Paul! Just give me the Frisbee back!

PAULWhy don’tcha come and get it?

(PAUL winds up his arm like he’s going to whip the Frisbee really far.)

JEREMYWait! I’ll show you how to flick the Frisbee!

(PAUL lowers his arm)

OK. So you wrap your hand around the Frisbee like a finger gun,(Jeremy gestures his hands like he was holding a Frisbee)

Here, it would be easier if I could show you while holding the Frisbee…(Paul cautiously hands Jeremy the Frisbee)

JACOBWhat are you doing! Don’t give the Frisbee to him!

JEREMYAnd then you put your hands like so…and then just flick your wrist and it should spin out of your hands! Thanks for giving me the Frisbee, though!

(JEREMY sprints away, but is caught in seconds by PAUL.)

PAULHa! You thought you could get away!

JACOBWe’re definitely keeping the Frisbee now! We were just playing at first, but consider that Frisbee ours!

(HANNAH and friend, BRIANNA, enter. BRIANNA is on her phone and they are talking and laughing as they enter. HANNAH sees PAUL holding JEREMY and stops.)

HANNAHHey! Get off my brother!

8

PAULWho are you to tell me what to do?

HANNAHPssh. We’re not scared of a couple 13 year old boys! Come on, Brianna.

(BRIANNA puts her phone away. HANNAH and BRIANNA step towards JACOB and PAUL, and PAUL lets go of JEREMY. The boys exit, intimidated.)

Yeah. That’s what I thought.

BRIANNAAww! Why’d we have to let them go? They were, like, cute!

HANNAHBrianna, they’re middle schoolers. And Jeremy, You’re grounded! What are you doing outside?

JEREMYUm…I was just…

(BRIANNA pulls out her phone again.)

HANNAHI’m telling Mom! You’re gonna be in so much trouble!

JEREMYWait! Wait! I’ll do what ever you want! Just don’t tell mom!

HANNAHFifty dollars!!!

JEREMYNo way! Why are we jumping straight to money?

HANNAHFifty dollars!

JEREMYFive dollars.

HANNAHforty.

JEREMY

9

Ten dollars!

HANNAHThat’s hardly worth my while! I’ll just go tell Mom now!

(HANNAH moves like she’s about to leave)

JEREMYWait! Stop! Twenty dollars!

HANNAHTwenty dollars. By Friday. That’s final.

BRIANNAWe haven’t been to Aeropostle in, like, days! Come on! Maybe the hot cashier guy will be on duty!

JEREMYUgh!

(HANAH and BRIANNA exit, laughing)

JEREMYHow am I supposed to make $20 while I’m grounded! (Sighs) At least Garret will get his “disk” back!

(JEREMY says “disk” with visible air quotes and says the whole line very sarcastically. He exits. BLACKOUT. END OF SCENE)

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SCENE 4

SETTING: The setting is JEREMY and GARRET’s room. GARRET is sitting at the desk, doing homework. When JEREMY enters, he turns around to face JEREMY.

(JEREMY runs into the room, clutching the Frisbee)

JEREMYI got your stupid Frisbee.

(JEREMY tosses the Frisbee at GARRET and slumps onto the bed)

GARRETGee, thanks. Only took you half an hour. Also, It’s a disk.

(They sit in silence for a moment)

Is something the matter?

JEREMYHannah saw me outside.

GARRETIs she going to tell Mom?

JEREMYYeah, unless I pay her twenty dollars.

GARRETOh! That’s not too bad! You can make twenty dollars easily!

JEREMYNot while I’m grounded, I can’t!

GARRETOh. Right.

(Another silence)

There are still things that you can do! Clean the room and bathroom and see if Mom will give you allowance!

JEREMY (more perky now)Hey! That’s an idea! Here, come help!

GARRET

11

Hey, you got yourself into this, not me.

(GARRET turns back around and continues his homework. JEREMY gets down on the floor and puts loose toys into the toy chest and tosses some clothes into a hamper and some into the drawer. After the floor is clean, JEREMY stands up. MOM enters.)

MOMHi boys! I’m home! How’s my favorite son doing?

(MOM walks towards JEREMY with her arms out)

JEREMYAw, thanks mom, I--

(MOM walks right past JEREMY and hugs GARRET.)

MOMOh, Garret, did you clean your room? Thank you so much!

GARRETNo mom, Jere-

MOMOf course you did! See Jeremy? If you were more like Garret, you wouldn’t get grounded so much! Oh, you’re such a dear, Garret. Double allowance for you this week!

JEREMYWait, mom! It was me who cleaned the room! Mom!

MOMGrounded AND lying? You should know better, Jeremy.

(MOM pinches GARRET’s cheek) I have to go get dinner started! I’ll call you down when it’s ready!

(MOM exits)

JEREMY(Gives a dirty look towards Garret.)

Gee, thanks.

GARRET Hey! It’s not my fault!

(JEREMY sits back on the bed)

12

JEREMY How am I supposed to get the twenty dollars now?

(Moment of silence)

GARRETCheck my wallet. There might be some loose change you can have.

JEREMYThat’s a good idea! I can find loose change!

(JEREMY jumps up from his bed and looks around the room collecting pennies and other change he finds. He also opens his wallet and GARRET’s wallet and dumps out any money. he holds them in his hand and counts them.)

There! 2 dollars, 17 cents!

GARRETHmm. It’s a start…I know! You could give Hannah stuff instead of paying her money. Or maybe try to sell other people things. That’s a nice Super Mario Bro’s game for your DS you have there…hint hint.

JEREMYThat’s a possibility…but not the Mario game.

GARRETDidn’t Hannah always want our pet fish we won at the carnival last summer?

JEREMYWe have a pet fish?

GARRETI guess I’m the only one who’s ever fed it…

(Jeremy moves some clothes around revealing a little toy fish in a fishbowl)

You’re telling me you completely forgot about Rodney?

JEREMYI assumed “Rodney” had been flushed a while ago! Since when was he still alive!?

GARRETNever mind. Anyways, Hannah used to want Rodney. You can check if she still does.

JEREMY

13

Is she home yet?

GARRETYeah. She got home 30 minutes ago. You can call her in.

JEREMYHEY HANNAH! GET IN HERE!

(A few seconds pass by, and HANNAH enters, holding a thing of nail polish and holding one of her hands out like her nails are drying.)

HANNAHWhat do you want, idiot.

JEREMYDo you remember Rodney?

HANNAHThe hot camp counselor from camp fun-and-games back in 2006?

(HANNAH walks back in)

JEREMYHannah! Fun-and-Games was like 7 years ago! How do you remem--never mind, forget it. I don’t want to know. I’m talking about Rodney, our pet fish!

HANNAHWho?

GARRETWhy does everybody forget about Rodney?

JEREMYHannah, I have a deal for you. You can keep Rodney because I remember you really wanted him, but then I won’t owe you 20 dollars.

HANNAHJust the fish? No.

JEREMYWhat else do you want?

HANNAHTwenty dollars.

JEREMYHow about the fish, five dollars, and five things from the toy chest.

14

HANNAHI guess. You still owe me big time, though.

JEREMYShake on it?

(HANNAH and JEREMY shake hands)

HANNAHOkay, Let’s see.

(HANNAH walks over to the toy chest, blows on her hand, and sets the nail polish down. She pulls out a stuffed panda)

I’ll take this panda…a deck of cards…these headphones….hmm. I guess I’ll take this etchi sketch… and…

JEREMYOk...

HANNAHAnd this old Frisbee, I guess.

GARRETNo! Not my Alpha Limited Edition Scratch Protection RC-71 Smooth-Glide Survival of the Fittest Aerodynamic build Ultimate Pro Disk signed by Freddy “Frisbee” Johnson! And Hannah, it’s a disk.

HANNAHWell, Your brother made a deal, and he better follow up on that deal!

(JEREMY looks guiltily at GARRET)

GARRETWell, you’re not walking out with my Alpha Limited Edition Scratch Protection RC-71 Smooth-Glide Survi--

HANNAHOh really? Watch me!

(HANNAH grabs her stuff and moves towards offstage)

GARRETOh no you aren’t!

(GARRET grabs a pillow and whacks HANNAH with it.)

HANNAH

15

OWW! That hurt!

JEREMYHow? It’s a pillow!

(GARRET feels around in the pillow and pulls out an IPod)

GARRETHa! Look who’s been sneaking his IPod while he’s grounded!

(MOM enters, carrying a spoon)

MOMI heard screaming! What’s all this about!

HANNAHHe hit me with a pillow!

(HANNAH gestures in the general vicinity of both of the boys.)

MOMJeremy! Why did you hit your sister with a pillow!

JEREMYI didn’t! Garret is holding the--

MOMOh, thank you, garret, for taking the pillow away from your brother! You certainly are the role model in this family! And what’s this! Jeremy’s IPod! Have you been sneaking technology while you’re grounded?

JEREMYMom! I didn’t--

MOMThat’s it! Hannah, get out. You’re not allowed to be near Jeremy. That goes for you too, Jeremy. And also...

(HANNAH exits, and MOM waves the spoon at Jeremy in a scolding way)

MOMYou’re grounded for another week! Oh, you wait ‘til your father comes home!

(MOM exits, muttering about naughty kids. JEREMY sits down on the bed.)

16

JEREMYWell now Hannah’s going to tell mom about where I was today for sure!

(BLACKOUT. END OF SCENE.)

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SCENE 5

SETTING: This scene takes place in JEREMY’s room. JEREMY is taking out the trash from a small, overflowing trashcan. GARRET is sitting in bed, reading.

JEREMYI’m grounded, and I’m not allowed to go outside, but that’s ok! I still get to take out the trash!

GARRETWell, the bin was overflowing. Quite frankly, I’m glad Mom made you take it out.

(JEREMY hurriedly and carelessly stuffs the bin in a bag, trying to get all the trash in the bag. Paper and scraps go everywhere in his sloppy attempt. He grumbles and picks up all the loose rubbish. He stops and holds a piece of paper up.)

JEREMYWait! This says Hannah on it! What’s this doing in here!

GARRETWith the size and dirtiness of that trashcan, I wouldn’t be surprised if you find enough money to pay off Hannah in there.

JEREMYBut...That’s exactly what it is! Get a load of this, Garret! It’s one of Hannah’s failed math tests!

GARRETWhatever it is, it probably isn’t your business. Just throw it away!

JEREMYHa! Listen to this! “ If you don’t bring your grade up soon, we might have to consider remedial private lessons. I am disappointed in your work.” I’ll bet Mom won’t be happy to see this!

GARRETBut how is that going to help paying off Hannah? Telling Mom will only make Hannah more angry at you, exactly what you need!

JEREMYBut don’t you see? If I threaten Hannah with this, she can’t tell mom I was outside at the park instead of at home, grounded!

GARRETI don’t know...how did Hannah’s test even get into our trash?

18

JEREMYI’ll bet Hannah put in here so that Mom couldn’t find it in her room!

GARRETHow will you talk to Hannah when you aren’t even allowed to be near her?

JEREMYMom’s not home right now, is she?

GARRETOh no. If you guys start fighting...

JEREMYDon’t worry. HEY HANNAH!

HANNAH (from offstage)I’m not allowed to talk to you! Shut up.

JEREMYCOME IN HERE! I’VE GOT SOME MONEY FOR YOU!

(Hannah enters, looking excited.)

HANNAHMoney?

JEREMY

No, but I’ve got something else you might like!

HANNAHChocolate?

JEREMYSo, I found this test of yours. It would be a shame if Mom found out about this!

(Hannah reaches over, snatches the test from Jeremy, and tears it in half.)

No!

HANNAHLooks like Mom won’t be finding out about it. Is that all you wanted to show me?

(Hannah walks towards the door. Just when she is about to leave, Mom enters.)

19

MOMHi boys-Hannah! Didn’t I tell you to stay away from Jeremy? And why is there trash everywhere?

(Hannah hastily drops her test back into the waste bin, but not before mom notices.)

What was that? Are you guys rooting through the trash?

GARRETJeremy was about to take the trash out, and...um, Hannah needed to throw something away.

(Mom bends over, and picks up the ripped test.)

MOMHmm. The name is ripped off...This is an F! Jeremy, is this yours!

JEREMYNO! Of course not! It’s Ha-

MOMREMEDIAL PRIVATE LESSONS?! Jeremy, why didn’t you tell me?

JEREMYIt’s not mine!

MOMHmmph. Blaming it on someone else, as usual. I will be contacting your teacher. Please finish up taking the trash out. You are grounded until the end of the month.

(Mom exits)

JEREMYUntil the end of the month? It’s October first! This is so unfair!

HANNAHThanks for taking that for me, you know. I’ll talk with mom and see if she’ll shorten it. You don’t have to pay me twenty dollars, either. Don’t think I’m being nice though, I just don’t need Mom up in my grades.

(HANNAH exits)

GARRETGee, Hannah wasn’t an absolute maggot that time!

20

JEREMYI have a whole month, grounded? This is going to be awful!

GARRETI can teach you how to play ultimate Frisbee!

JEREMYYou know, that probably wouldn’t be that bad, having something to do.

(JEREMY picks up the Frisbee, and tries to toss it to GARRET. He knocks over all the stuff on the desk.)

MOM(from offstage)WHAT WAS THAT BANGING? JEREMY!!!

JEREMYOh, no. Not again.

END

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