Players:

       

Mother / Ms. Believer

Son / Johnny Fair Play

Vice Principal / Vice Principal / Mr. Irons

 

Scene opens in Mother / Ms. Believer’s living room as Johnny returns from school.

 

Mother / Ms. Believer "You're late getting home... What's up?"

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Son / Johnny Fair Play (Victim) "Oh nothing... That bitch, Mrs. Killjoy kept me after school again!"

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Mother / Ms. Believer (Rescuer)"Are you kidding me? I thought we had an agreement after I met with her at parent conferences!" "What was it this time?"

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Son / Johnny Fair Play (Victim) "She says I was mocking her during class!"

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Mother / Ms. Believer "What did you say?"

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Son / Johnny Fair Play "I can't remember... you know just kidding around; got a good laugh!"

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Mother / Ms. Believer (Persecutor) ''This has gone far enough. I am calling the principal on her... What's his name again?"

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Son / Johnny Fair Play "Vice Principal / Mr. Irons"

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Mother / Ms. Believer (on telephone) "I need to speak to the Vice Principal / Mr. Irons" can you find him for me'? This is important! (waits impatiently tapping fingers on imaginary table)

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Vice Principal / Mr. Irons "Hello, Principal Irons speaking; How may I help you?"

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Mother / Ms. Believer (Persecutor) "I'll tell you what you can do... you can straighten up the teachers at your school. (Victim) My little Johnny was kept after school again after I talked to Mrs. Killjoy just the other day! (Persecutor) What's wrong with her anyway'?

 

Vice Principal / Mr. Irons (Persecutor) "I'm glad you called. I was going to contact you. I don't know what Johnny told you, but he has been badgering poor Mrs. Killjoy constantly since school started. 

She comes crying into my office every day. (Victim) We might lose her, and she is a really good teacher. She has a daughter who is in and out of hospitals regularly with heart problems. Johnny just won't cut her any slack."

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Mother / Ms. Believer (Persecutor) (to Johnny) "Vice Principal / Mr. Irons is telling me about Mrs. Killjoy’s daughter, do you know about her health problems?"

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Son / Johnny Fair Play (Persecutor) "Yeah, some of the kids were talking about it. It is not my problem.

Mother / Ms. Believer (Persecutor) "Not your problem? Don't you remember when we made all those visits to your Grandma when she was dying in the hospital? How can you be so thoughtless?

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Vice Principal / Mr. Irons (Victim) "Well, you know if we could afford to give her some time off, we would. The school board has cut way back on child illness leave for teachers. I feel helpless to help her!"

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Johnny is really basically a good kid... (Rescuer) I just wish he could be in a smaller class where he could get more attention from the teacher."

 

Son / Johnny Fair Play (Victim)"What's he saying? He really hates me you know!" (Persecutor) Why do they put guys like him in charge of schools anyway?"

 

Mother / Ms. Believer (Persecutor) "Listen you, you're in big trouble! (Victim) I don't understand how you could be this way. It's not easy being a single parent... "

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Son / Johnny Fair Play (Rescuer) "You're doing the best that you can. No one should blame you for what I do wrong."

 

Vice Principal / Mr. Irons “Pardon me for overhearing this load of crap. (Persecutor) Johnny, you need to suck it up; you and only you are responsible for the horrible things you have done to Mrs. Killjoy. (Victim) It is not easy to have my job... everybody wants a chunk of my ass. (Rescuer) I'm going to take you out of her class so maybe she will be able to finish out the year without a nervous breakdown."

 

Mother / Ms. Believer "I understand... (Persecutor) Johnny can go to summer school to make up the credits. He has got to learn that I'm not going to jump in and rescue him all the time. It just makes him worse!" ·

 

Son / Johnny Fair Play (Victim) "I might have known that you would take every one’s side but mine. (Persecutor) You call yourself a caring mother? Ha!"

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From this little skit you can see how people play the three roles in the victim game and how easily they can switch from one role to another. The only way to stop it is to tell the people you find yourself playing it with is that you realize it is a game and you do not want to play anymore. A good way to phrase it is: "I don't want to be your persecutor or rescuer so maybe then I can help you to stop being a victim. I think this is what a true friend would do!"