source: www.youthwork-practice.com | 2000 Games, Devotions, Themes, Ideas and more for Youth Work
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Responsibility

Ensemble:

Mr. Junk
Mrs. Industrious
Mrs. Kleever
Boss
Frank

Mr. Junk:	Puhhh, she’s keeping us in suspense. She will either sack somebody or we are going to be promoted. She isn’t usually so secretive.
Mrs. Industrious:	Be patient for a while. Our boss will have her reasons.
Mrs. Kleever:	I agree.
Mr. Junk:	Come on, as if you aren’t fed up with the Big Boss (derogatory) keeping us on tenterhooks.
Mrs. Kleever:	I don’t really understand your point of view. Is there to be scared of? I think that everything is alright. I don’t expect to be fired.
Mrs. Industrious:	Yes, that’s right. I agree with you that you do a good job. The boss values that. Besides, the company’s financial situation is not bad. So my expectations are positive.
Mr. Junk:	Ok, if that’s true we won’t have to worry. I work too; sometimes more and sometimes less… (The boss calls for his employees)
Boss:	Take a seat.
Mr. Junk:	Is it so bad?
Boss:	Don’t worry Mr. Junk. If you prefer standing, please do so. But let us get started…
Mr. Junk:	I agree with you. Please begin… (Mrs. Industrious and Mrs. Kleever look at each other shaking their heads)
Boss:	Our enterprise has expanded on the international market since December, as you surely know. This is proof of our employees work and their engagement and willingness. I want to thank you for this great work.
Mr. Junk:	(Mutters) a lot of use that is to me!
Boss:	That’s right, Mr. Junk, you also get a bonus. I hadn’t finished talking. I want you to inform about my business trip to Tokyo. It will take 5 weeks and should improve our new trade relations. I will try my best to represent our company well and will try to win new customers for our products.
Mr. Junk:	Cool, we have the run of the house for five weeks, right?
Boss:	I wouldn’t describe it that way. I put my trust in the fact that you take things serious because you will have some important tasks. Mrs. Kleever - I appoint you as acting manager, Mrs. Industrious will be responsible for customer service and you, Mr. Junk, will take care of marketing. Are there any questions?
Mrs. Kleever:	I will mainly be responsible for the administration and will do my best to stand in for you.
Boss:	Do as you think best. You can make the decisions on behalf of the company.
Mrs. Industrious:	I’m going to make customers enthusiastic for our products. Are there any financial restraints?
Boss:	As I already told Mrs. Kleever: Do as you think best. You make the decisions for the good of the company. I trust you and I’m convinced that you will do your best. And what do you think, Mr. Junk? Are there any questions?
Mr. Junk:	What should I ask? You told us that we can make the decisions.
Boss:	Right, (stresses) if it is for the good of the company. Well, good luck with your work. I am looking forward to seeing the results. (The employees leave the office)
Mr. Junk:	(Talks to Mrs. Kleever) you see; you got what you want… But be sure: I won’t accept your orders.
Mrs. Industrious:	Don’t talk such rubbish! Aren’t you satisfied with your position? I think it is an honour that our boss entrusts that kind of work to us. If I were the boss, you wouldn’t get this job.
Mrs. Kleever:	Come on, it is not our right to judge about this situation. We should throw our energy into our work and the company. I wish you good luck. We don’t want to disappoint the boss, right?
Mr. Junk:	Are you sure that the boss will ever be satisfied by our work? If I were such a suck-up, I would be an acting manager, too.
Mrs. Kleever:	If you think so. Sorry but there are more important things for me to do instead of talking to you. Excuse me. (Mrs. Kleever and Mrs. Industrious leave)
Mr. Junk:	(Takes his mobile phone and talks) Hi, Mike here. What are doing tonight? Let us meet at 10 o’clock in front of the pub, right? What? No, don’t have to work… it’s OK, I’ll tell you later. See you. (He goes to Mrs. Kleever’s office) Ok, I call it a day! After all I have to divide my work over five weeks. Why do you take work so seriously? A few days holiday is also in the company’s interest. Bye! (Leaves)
Mrs. Kleever:	(Cries out) but you can’t go on holiday! You can’t treat your work so lightly. (She shakes her head) it doesn’t look good for Mr Junk. Imagine what may happen if the boss comes back…
(Sign: in the evening at the pub) (Mr. Junk sits in the pub and waits for his friend Frank)
Mr. Junk:	Boy, where have you been. I thought you wouldn’t come.
Frank:	No, come on you know my wife! But I haven’t got much time to spend with you. Tomorrow I’m going to start work at six o’clock in the morning.
Mr. Junk:	Poor guy! I feel sorry for you. Take a few days off.
Frank:	That’s easy to say. If I want holiday, I have to apply half a year in advance. Above all that, my days off are limited. I have to divide them.
Mr. Junk:	And if you skive off work?
Frank:	Yeah, that’s your plan… Are you ill again? I cannot understand why your boss doesn’t complain.
Mr. Junk:	No, my boss is not there FOR FIVE WEEKS. That is 25 working days.
Frank:	Yes, and what? You can’t go on holiday for five weeks.
Mr. Junk:	No, of course not. The boss has given me a few tasks. I have to work on marketing.
Frank:	Yes, but have you already finished your tasks? Or is there anyone who can do the work for you?
Mr. Junk:	Take it easy. Don’t you understand; five weeks are a long time. Besides we already have a lot of customers; why should we spend a lot of time and money for unnecessary advertisement? That’s my opinion.
Frank:	And that means five weeks’ holiday for you?
Mr. Junk:	Yeah! Perhaps I’ll work a bit on the last three days to have something to show the boss.
Frank:	(Shakes his head) I cannot understand you: You’ve got a great job; your boss trusts you and gives you special tasks. But you don’t care about your job. My boss would chuck me out of the firm.
Mr. Junk:	No, never. The boss knows why she can’t do without me. And I’m such a good boy!
Frank:	In my opinion your boss won’t stand for it much longer … (His mobile phone rings) … Where I am? Uh, on my way home, see you! You see; I have to go. If I were you, I would go to work but it’s your choice. (Leaves)
Mr. Junk:	Fine, I’ll go on holiday alone. Let’s see what last-minute-flights are on offer. I think that will work; I’ll have to be back two or three days before the boss arrives. Let’s fly to the sun.
Sign: almost 5 weeks later (Boss comes into the office to Mrs. Kleever)
Boss:	I’m back again. The negotiations went very well so I was able to come back 2 days earlier. I hope that is not a nasty surprise and you have managed your tasks well. Please tell Mrs. Industrious and Mr. Junk. We will assess your work in half an hour in my office. See you soon ... (leaves).
Mrs. Kleever:	(Calls Mrs. Industrious and then calls Mr. Junk:) The boss has come back 2 days earlier and we have to report to the office. I hope that it is not a problem for you ... yes, I could have told you that before, you’ll never manage anything now...no, the boss said in half an hour ... what do you mean, you’re still at the airport? Then get a move on. See you soon, bye.
Sign: after half an hour (Mrs. Industrious and Mrs. Kleever are standing in front of the boss’ office)
Mrs. Industrious:	(Looks at her watch) Mr. Junk is really intolerable!
Mrs. Kleever:	At least it isn’t our problem. I am very pleased with my work. What about you? (Boss opens the door)
Boss:	Ahhh, there you are. But what about Mr. Junk? Didn't you tell him?
Mrs. Kleever:	Yes, I did tell him. But he's still at the airport.
Boss:	Airport? Oh well, come in first and I hope that Mr. Junk will join us soon. We'll start with you Mrs. Kleever. What have you done in the past five weeks as my assistant manager?
Mrs. Kleever:	I have managed a lot and hope that you are happy with my work. I have invested two thirds of the company's budget in new shares and after three weeks we achieved growth on capital of 11%. I have also conducted discussions with our people in product development and have already developed a new idea for a product which we think will be well received on the international market. The first prototype is already finished. So you see, I certainly wasn't lazy and hope that I have dealt in the interests of the company.
Boss:	You are a very clever and reliable employee. You have fulfilled your tasks reliably and profitably so I would like to entrust you with more tasks in the future. You are also invited to my welcome back party. And what about you Mrs. Industrious? Were you just as productive?
Mrs. Industrious:	I didn't have quite as many opportunities as Mrs Kleever but I have certainly given my best. I worked on a new advertising strategy to target 9% more customers for our main range of products. I invested the development of the strategy has already doubled the amount of new customers.
Boss:	You are trustworthy and reliable too. I would therefore like to entrust you with more tasks in the future and I am pleased to invite you to my party. (There is a knock at the door; boss opens the door and Mr. Junk comes in wearing holiday clothes)
Mr. Junk:	Hey boss, did you have a good holiday? It probably wasn't that good if you're back earlier than you thought?
Boss:	Quite the opposite is true. I am very happy with my business trip even if I certainly can't call it a holiday. But Mr. Junk, where have you come from? What have you been up to in the last five weeks? Were you just as hard-working and reliable as Mrs. Kleever and Mrs. Industrious?
Mr. Junk:	What should I say? I know that you are diligent and an extremely strict boss. I thought to myself: Why should I bother wasting my energy? I never get paid for what I achieve here anyway. You take everything we earn and I end up with a pittance. Anyway, I was too worried to make any investments and lose your hard earned cash. That's why I left everything as it was. The product sells itself anyway. So you see, nothing has worsened so you should actually be pleased with me.
Boss:	You are lazy, cheeky and unreliable employee. If you had just sent a few e-mails with product advertisements out it would have taken five minutes and you might have gained an extra customer. But you haven't done anything. You are sacked without notice! With the way things are in the world of employment, you won't have a chance at another job. And that is all your own fault. Anyone who deals with large tasks reliably is entrusted with more. But those who can’t be bothered to do small tasks are rewarded with nothing. Please leave our company premises immediately.

Author: Thomas Baberowski