Teen Pregnancy 101: Mary and Joe have a Baby

Teen Pregnancy 101: Mary and Joe have a Baby
By Minnesotabrant

Narrator: Mary calls Joe on the phone to tell him the news.
Mary: Hi Joe, its Mary, I need to talk to you.
Joe: What do you want to talk about?
Mary: I’m pregnant.
Joe: I gotta go bye.
Mary: Joe?
Narrator: Joe hangs up the phone. Mary, feeling conflicted, calls her best friend Felicia’s house to figure out what she should do.
Felicia: Hi Mary.
Mary: I wanted to tell you I’m pregnant and Joe's the father.
Felicia: Joe, are you serious?
Felicia: Are you positive Joe is the father?
Mary: Yes, I never slept with anyone else before. I don’t know how this could have happened. I only slept with him once!
Felecia: What did Joe say?
Mary: He hung up on me!
Felecia that’s not very nice. I think you should call him and tell him what you think of him doing that.
Mary: OK.
Narrator: Mary calls Joe to find out why he just hung up on her.
Joe: Hello?
Mary: I just called to ask you why did you hang up so fast.
Joe: You caught me off guard? Why are you calling me?
Mary: I want to talk about the baby.
Joe: Ok, are you sure that it’s mine? We only slept together once.
Mary: Yes, I haven’t slept with anyone else.
Joe: We just started dating. I hope you aren't planning on keeping the baby.
Mary: Yes I am.
Joe: Besides assisting you to have an abortion, I really can’t help you.
Mary: I have decided not to have an abortion
Joe: I haven’t started working yet and I have no income. My parents won’t help; in fact they probably would cut me off if we did have a baby.
Mary: I don’t really care what you, or your parents think. I can raise my baby myself
Joe: At any rate I really insist that you have an abortion.
Mary: There is no way I am having an abortion.
Joe: There’s no way I can talk you out of this?
Mary: No.
Joe: Bye.
Narrator: Mary and Felicia have a discussion about Mary’s phone call with Joe.
Mary: Joe said that he won’t help me with the pregnancy unless I have an abortion!
Felicia: That really terrible. I am sorry.
Mary: I doubt that my family will help either.
Felicia: Why do you say that?
Mary: I am guessing that they will want me to have an abortion too.
Felicia: Why?
Mary: Because I am still in high school and don’t have a job.
Felicia: What are you going to do?
Mary: I guess it’s time to go home and talk it over with my family.
Felicia: Good luck!
Narrator: Mary then walks home to tell her parents about her pregnancy.
Mary: mom how are you doing?
Mom: fine.
Mary: Mom, I have to tell you something.
Mom: What’s that?
Mary: Mom, I am pregnant.
Mom: How did this happen.
Mary: I don’t know; we only had sex once!
Mom: Who is the father?
Mary: Joe.
Mom: Have you told him about the pregnancy?
Mary: Yes.
Mom: What did he tell you to do?
Mary: He said to have an abortion.
Mom: That’s probably for the best. You are too young to have a child.
Mary: I am keeping my baby.
Mom: Let’s discuss this when your father comes home.
Mary: OK.
Narrator: Mary and her mom named Melissa, wait for Mary’s father named Henry to come home.
Dad: Oh man, I had a rough day!
Mom: Well, sit down for a second because Mary has something to talk to you about later.
Narrator: Mary’s father Henry sits down and Mary begins to tell her story.
Mary: Dad, I have something to tell you.
Dad: What is it?
Mary: I’m pregnant.
Dad: What!
Mom: Mary told me all about it. According to her, the father is Joe.
Dad: What does Joe say about it?
Mary: He wants me to have an abortion.
Dad: Maybe that’s the best thing to do.
Mary: I want to keep the baby.
Dad: We can’t afford another mouth to feed. How are you going to support yourself and your baby?
Mary: I guess I will have to move out and get a job.
Dad: Well you better start looking.
Mary: OK.
Narrator: Mary starts looking for a job and soon finds herself working as a waitress at a local diner. Her best friend there is Kevin, another server. Mary has now been employed there for about 6 months.
Kevin: Busy day.
Mary: Tell me about it.
Kevin: So how are things going with your pregnancy?
Mary: It seems like I am working all the time, but there is hardly anything left over after rent.
Kevin: That sounds bad.
Mary: I have no idea how I am going to have my child with the money I make here, much less support it.
Kevin: Do you have any ideas?
Mary: I guess I am going to have to sue Joe for child support.
Kevin: I say go for it! There’s no excuse for what he did.
Mary: Ok I guess I will.
Narrator: Mary calls Joe to ask him for child support in order to have the baby.
Mary: I have to talk to you about something.
Joe: What do you want?
Mary: I don’t have the money to cover the pregnancy. I need your help.
Joe: I am in college now. I just don’t have the money.
Mary: I have been talking to a lawyer. I will have to sue you for child support.
Joe: Let me first talk it over with my parents and I will call you tomorrow.
Mary: Ok, I will talk to you tomorrow.
Narrator: Joe finally tells his parents Charles and Diane who are not happy with him.
Joe: Dad, I have to talk to you about something.
Dad: What’s that?
Joe: Mary got pregnant and now she is suing me for child support. What can I do about it?
Dad: Who is her lawyer?
Joe: I don’t know but I hardly see how she can afford a lawyer. From what I hear she is barely getting by working as a waitress.
Dad: It’s probably best she sues for child support rather than voluntary payments.
Joe: Why is that?
Dad: Well, we can hire better lawyers on our side to get a more favorable settlement for you. In fact, to appear to be fair, let’s pay for her lawyer as well.
Joe: OK Dad, whatever you say.
Mom: You have plenty of money dear, why don’t you just help her out with the child support?
Dad: I don’t really like Mary. I prefer for her to go through the court system. Don’t push it Diane.
Mom: Ok then.
Narrator: Joe then calls Mary to discuss his family’s plans for the court date.
Joe: Hi Mary
Mary: What did your family say?
Joe: My dad agreed to pay for both lawyers.
Mary: OK, I don’t really have enough money for my lawyer anyway.
Joe: OK see you in court.
Mary: Bye.
Narrator: The court date arrives and both Joe and Mary arrive into the courtroom. Judge Kilgore is presiding
Judge: I have reviewed the case as presented from both sides, and decided that, in lieu of child support, the child shall have a trust fund set up in its name. Further all other medical bills relating to the pregnancy are to be paid for by Joe, the father.
Narrator: After the court date, Joe talks to his father.
Joe: I don’t have the money to pay the court settlement.
Dad: I will pay for it as long as you don’t go anywhere near the mother, or the child.
Joe: I have college to think about: Agreed.
Dad: I mean it. Don’t have any conversation with either of them what so ever or I will cut you off.
Joe: Yes, I understand.
Narrator: Mary goes into labor and goes to the hospital. She delivers her baby. The baby is born healthy and Mary names her Penny. Six months go by, and later, during Penny’s checkup, Doctor Hemphill discusses with Mary, her baby’s health.
Doctor: Your baby seems healthy in every way. The only thing that concerns me is that she doesn’t seem to smile. She’s so young to look so unhappy.
Mary: Thanks for your concern that does seem unusual, I am sure she will be fine.
Doctor: let’s hope so. Good luck.
Mary: Thank you.
Narrator: A month after the visit with the doctor she finds that she doesn't have enough food to feed herself or her baby. So, while at work, she talks to her friend Kevin about it.
Mary: Kevin, I am feeling so weak because there is not enough food in the house to feed the two of us. I have not eaten in two days.
Kevin: Mary, you gave it your best shot but it doesn't seem to be working, I think you should go down to the welfare office to apply for benefits.
Mary: I guess I have no choice. I have to feed my baby.
Kevin After your shift, will you go down to the benefits office and apply?
Mary: Yes Kevin, thanks!
Kevin: Good luck!
Narrator: Mary and her daughter Penny go to the welfare office to try to get some help. She talks to a worker named Morris who is very helpful.
Morris: Hi my name is Morris what can I do to help you?
Mary: I come for you for help. I have not eaten for two days and there is no more food to feed my baby.
Morris: My goodness! Here is some money. Go down to the vending machines downstairs and get yourself a sandwich, and some milk for Penny, then come back and we’ll talk.
Narrator: Penny and Mary go downstairs and get some food then come back to talk to Morris about getting some help with welfare.
Morris: Tell me about yourself and your baby Mary.
Mary: I have been trying to support myself and my baby but it is very hard. There is not enough money to both buy food, and pay the bills too.
Morris: Well, it certainly looks like you need help. I can give you some emergency funds to get you by for now.
Mary: Thank you!
Morris: you’re welcome.
Narrator: Mary leaves her job and goes on welfare. For the first time in a long time, Mary feels relatively free. However, as time goes by, Mary feels that she is not living up to her full potential. Mary then decides to go to school. Mary discovers that she is actually a good student and starting to get A’s. Her child now 7 years old goes with Mary to her school to meet her professor in the student center.
Mary: Hi professor, I would like you to meet my daughter Penny.
Professor: Hi Penny, you look like a bright girl. Someday you will be in college too.
Penny: Thank you professor, I do want to go to college.
Professor: I am sure you will get there. Do you want to play a game of ping pong?
Penny: I sure would!
Narrator: Mary and Penny go to the supermarket after the meeting with her professor, while wandering through the produce department they run face to face into Penny’s father Joe.
Mary: Hi Joe.
Joe: Hi Mary it’s been a long time.
Mary: This is your daughter Penny.
Joe: Oh hi Penny. Mary, I just wanted to tell you that I missed you.
Mary: Are you seeing anyone now.
Joe: No, I haven’t seen anyone for a very long time.
Mary: Aren't you interested in talking to your daughter Penny?
Joe: I am more interested in talking to you.
Mary: It’s nice that you want to talk to me but what about your daughter? There has been no support-nothing!
Joe: The welfare office came after me for support; it was really hard for me at first.
Mary: It was hard on us too.
 Joe: But, I finished college anyway, then my father died. I started my own business with the inheritance I received.
Mary: It sounds like you are set.
 Joe: I was so afraid of something like that happening again after I broke up with you that I hardly dated since then.
Mary: I am doing better as well. I am currently in college.
Joe: I know this is hard to say after what has happened, but do you think I could be a part of your life again?
Mary: Yes, but you have to respect that I am a mother now with a little girl to take care of.
Joe: I understand that we have a girl, I will call you then!
Mary: I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Joe: Bye
Narrator: Joe and Mary have started dating again after 7 years of separation. After dating for a few months, Joe invites Mary on a date to the Como Zoo. After looking at the animals, Joe gives Penny 20 dollars’ worth of tickets to go on the rides in Como Town.
Joe: here are your tickets Penny, have fun!
Penny: Thanks I will!
Joe: Mary I want to ask you something.
Mary: What do you want to ask?
Joe: We have been dating a few months. I was wondering if you want to move in with me.
Mary: Both Me and Penny you mean.
Joe: Yes of course!
Mary: I will move in on one condition; that you let me finish college and have my own career.
Joe: Agreed
Mary: Ok, let’s make the arrangements.
Narrator: Mary and Penny move in together with Joe. Soon they are married. Joe is financially well off, and is also interested in Mary, but he is controlling. He is the boss in the household and Mary, liking the financial security, is somewhat ok with it, but would like him to try to be a father to Penny as well.
Mary: Joe I have something to tell you.
Joe: What is it you want to talk about?
Mary: I am wondering why you don’t seem to act like you like your daughter Penny.
Joe: Mary, I dated you, not our daughter, it’s hard to start a relationship with a child that I never saw for 7 years.
Mary: I guess I can understand that, but what I don’t understand is why you are not trying to build one now?
Joe: Don’t you understand? It’s too late for that now!
Mary: Never say it’s never too late.
Joe: Let’s not talk about this again.
Mary: Yes sir! You’re the boss!
Joe: Don’t you forget it!
Narrator: Mary and Joe continue to live together, and two more very stressful years go by. Mary finishes college and gets a clerical job at the same university that she attended. Penny goes to day care near the university. On the first day on the job Mary gets a call from Joe’s doctor. Joe has been in a near-fatal car accident and is in the hospital but is expected to pull through. Several hours later, after work, Mary picks up Penny to go with her to the hospital to visit with Joe.
Joe: Hi Mary.
Mary: How are you feeling?
Joe: I am hurt pretty badly and am in a lot of pain, but what hurts me most is that no one in my family has called or visited; only you and Penny.
Mary: We are here for you, and we both care for you.
Joe: I can see that. Penny, Mary, I am sorry for the way I have treated you. I will try to make it up to both of you.
Mary: We both hope you get better.
Joe: From now on I will try to make us a family.
Mary: I hope so, both for me, and Penny as well.
Narrator: Joe recovers from the hospital and is a changed man. He is caring to both Mary and Penny and never controlling. After some time he is fully recovered. He talks to Mary about going on vacation together as a family. Something they have never done before.
Joe: Mary I got an ad for Sandals resort in the mail and I was wonder if that was something that we might be interested in doing as a family.
Mary: Yes, I personally have never been to a beach resort before. I am sure that Penny would love it as well. Just to be on the safe side, for Penny, make sure that they have the Disney channel. I don’t want her having a temper tantrum if she is not into the beach.
Joe: I will check on that.
Mary: Let me go tell Penny the news!
Joe: Ok, I will go with you.
Mary: Penny?
Penny: What is it mommy?
Mary: Daddy and I decided that we wanted all of us to go to a beach resort called Sandals located in Jamaica. Does that sound fun?
Penny. Yes! I want to go to Sandals!
Joe: Ok, I will book it.
Penny: Yay!
Narrator: Penny, Joe, and Mary go to Sandals and have the best time of their lives. They live happily ever after.
THE END
Cast: What parts would you be interested in playing? Please rate the following parts from 1 to 12. Thanks.
The narrator: ___
Mary, the pregnant teen: ___
Joe, the teenage father: ___
Penny, the child in question: ___
Felicia, Mary’s friend: ___
Kevin, Mary’s work friend: ___
Melissa, Mary’s mother: ___
Henry, Mary’s father: ___
Charles, Joe’s father: ___
Diane, Joe’s Mother: ___
Kilgore, Penny’s doctor: ___
Morris, the social worker: ___
The professor: ___
The Judge___
We are having a talent show after the play, after the talent show will be food. What talents if any do you want to perform for the show? Name: ____________________________ Talent: _________________________________________ I understand that some people will be singing and karaoke will be available.