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Hey Joe, What Do You Know
Cast
Bob……………………………………………………………………………………Gender neutral part
Setting: A home at Christmas
Prop list: A Nativity scene with removable pieces
This performance piece is copyright Everett Robert, 2011. Please give credit to the author if used, royalties paid by donation.
The lights come up slowly to reveal a traditional Christmas scene. The stockings are hung, the tree is lit, and the nativity scene is in place. A man is entering just as the lights come up. He stops and looks at the nativity scene and then sits down next to Joseph.
BOB
Hey Joe, what do you know?
(Pause, as if listening)
Is that so?
(Another pause, followed by a laugh)
You know Joe; I’ve always viewed you as the unsung hero of the Nativity story. Everyone else gets songs; round yon virgin, mother and child and all that jazz. While shepherds watch their flocks by night. We Three Kings of Orient are. Angels We Have Heard On High.
(A laugh)
Even animals and drummer boys get songs, but not you Joe. Why is that?
(Picks up the Joseph Nativity piece)
I sometimes wonder if they would even know if you were gone Joe. If I took you, would anyone notice? Oh sure, they’d know if I took the baby Jesus, or Mary, or one of the wise men, or even one of the sheep.
(Sigh)
Maybe I sound jealous, I don’t know. What I do know is that they couldn’t have done the story without you Joe, and yet we know so little about you.
(Smile)
I Goggled you one time. Over 850 million results came up for Joseph. Yeah, you came up. You were lumped in on Wikipedia with a bunch of other Josephs. You mention Joseph at any other time other then Christmas and they think about a “Technicolor dream coat.” Or they think of Joseph of Arimathea if it’s Easter time.
He pauses and looks at the Nativity Joseph for a long time.
BOB
Who were you Joe? We know you were a "tekton", which probably meant you were a carpenter or a builder of some sort. But we don’t know if that meant you were an itinerant worker or a skilled artisan. The Bible tells us you lived in Nazareth but that’s about it. We don’t even know how old you were.
Some traditions say Mary was never your wife, only your betrothed. Some say she was your second wife. Others say she was your only wife.
(Another sigh and a pause looking down at Joseph)
I’ll tell you what I know. I know you were a brave man. You faced the shame and embarrassment of having a betrothed pregnant out of wedlock. What did Mary say when she told you?
(A laugh)
I can only imagine THAT conversation.
(Imitating Mary)
"Joseph, I’m pregnant, but don’t worry its Yahweh’s"
(Another laugh)
Yeah right. That’s what I would have said. What did you say Joe? Did you comfort her, or did you walk away angry?
What did they say Joe, when the news came out? Your friends, your family, what did they say to you? Did they accuse you of getting her pregnant? Did they blame Mary and absolve you? I know Jewish law said you could have had her stoned, but who suggested it? Your mother? Your father?
I know that you were compassionate, because you didn’t want to see that happen to Mary. Did you come up with that on your own? And then you had a dream. "Marry that girl" the angel told you. I bet that went over well.
I know you were faithful Joe. You listened to the angel then and later when they he came and told you to go to Egypt. I’m guessing you didn’t understand it, but you trusted and you listened. You followed the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law.
(Shakes head again)
God put you in an uncomfortable position. He tested you, because He trusted you Joe. If only we could all be so lucky.