Play 25: You Got To Believe In Something

CHARACTERS
VINCENT, 16
BILLY, 16

(They are sitting at a table eating lunch.)

VINCENT
I dunno, I just don’t get it.

BILLY
Yeah.

VINCENT
I mean, religion’s just been used tot justify such fucked up stuff over the years.

BILLY
Yeah.

VINCENT
I mean, homophobia, racism, and prejudice. And violence--the crusades, suicide bombings, who knows how many wars and murders through the years.

BILLY
Yeah, and all in the name of trying to better the world.

VINCENT
Exactly! They all claim to support morals and being a good person. For what, so these “better” people can go kill everyone who believes something different?

BILLY
Yeah, it’s fucked up.

VINCENT
Yeah.

(Pause)

And I dunno, besides it causing a lot of bad shit, I just don’t really get religion in general.

BILLY
What do you mean?

VINCENT
I just don’t buy the idea that there’s some old bearded white dude up in the sky watching us and everything we do.

BILLY
So god can’t be a black guy?

VINCENT
Fine then, an old bearded dude of indeterminate race watching us.

BILLY
What about a woman?

VINCENT
What?

BILLY
God can’t be a woman.

VINCENT
Fine then, some person, come on, you still get what I’m saying.

BILLY
Yeah.

VINCENT
The whole concept of god is just so, well unbelievable.

BILLY
I agree. I dunno, you don’t have to believe in god though, just something kinda.

VINCENT
You mean to be religious?

BILLY
No.

VINCENT
What you mean then?

BILLY
Just, everyone’s got to believe in something.

VINCENT
I guess. What though?

BILLY
I dunno, you can believe in the good of humanity.

VINCENT
I find the older I get he less I believe in it. I mean, every day I just see more fucked stuff people do that convinces me it’s a lot easier to believe in the bad in people than the good.

BILLY
You shouldn’t be so cynical.

VINCENT
I try not to be.

BILLY
Then why are you?

VINCENT
I said I try. (Beat.) I just fail miserably.

BILLY
Then what do you believe in?

(Pause.)

VINCENT
I guess in just trying to be a good person and doing what’s right.

BILLY
That’s definitely a good way of looking at it. As I said, everyone has to believe in something.

VINCENT
Yeah, but that belief doesn’t help me those days I feel like shit and like nothing matters.

BILLY
Yeah, guess that’s the problem with not being religious.

VINCENT
Yeah.

BILLY
Well, it’s still something though.

VINCENT
I guess.

(Pause.)

What do you believe in?

BILLY
I dunno, I guess I try to believe in the good of humanity.

VINCENT
Naive fool.

BILLY
Hey, at least it helps those days I feel like shit.

VINCENT
Yeah, well they say ignorance is bliss.

BILLY
I guess so.

VINCENT
Doesn’t mean you’re not naïve.

BILLY
True.

(Pause.)

VINCENT
You lucky bastard.

BILLY
Yup.

(Blackout.)