Devil’s Advocate

A MINI-PLAY: 3 ACTS in 12 LINES

Thursday ~ Lunchtime ~The HappyBean

Jill: “What do you think of the anti-Vax Whacks?”

Jack chuckles. “I guess I know where you stand on vaccination, huh?”

Jill nods emphatically: “Please tell me you’re not one of those wingnuts, Jack.”

Jack: I'm fully vaccinated, but how’bout I play Devil’s Advocate to test your steel?”

.   .   .

Jill: “My Gramps used to say the Devil doesn’t need an advocate, but okay.”

Jack: “It’s my body, and I have the perfect right to say No to a Covid shot.”

Jill: “Do you have the same right to dope and drive, to randomly accost people on the street?”

Jack: “Of course not. It’s not the same thing.”

.   .   .

Jill: “How is recklessly endangering the lives of others not the same thing?”

Jack: “I’m not a federal employee, and the law can’t make me.”

Jill: “Damn, doesn't your common sense tweak you just a little?!”

Jack: “Not since I've been taking Dr. Kangaroo's Pee Tonic, cures all itches, viral and virile.”

___________________________

Author's Note

...Whaddaya think???

Reviews

[andrew mitchell]

When we were all kids we lined up for our vaccines at school which did wipe out some diseases because everyone was vaccinated and no one blinked an eyelid or protested. When the bubonic plague hit London I bet they wished they had a vaccine. But having anti vaxers maybe a good thing ,we need to cull people for Earth is reaching full capacity ,so through their choice their sacrifice will do those who do the right thing a favour. A great write on underlying issues.

[Dylan Macadham]

Thanks Andrew!
I must admit, part of me subscribes to your Cull-orful solution :D haha

[andrew mitchell]

It seems callous I know but I want to be healthy and my loved ones safe and if it takes a vaccine to buy time, I will take it . Keep writing.

[Dylan Macadham]

If you ever need a henchman, I'm available! hah

[barleygirl]

It might just be that I unplugged from the Trump train some years back, but this one does not feel as snappy as your usual writing. There's nothing clever about the direction-turn in the middle and nothing enlightening comes of it. The slurs are the same-ole-same-ole. I think readers are saturated with this shallow level of joke-cracking, regarding MAGA or covid remedies. To enter into this arena, you need to come up with something undeniably clever or you just look like an opinionated fool & you offend half the older readers at the cafe who are the steady reviewers too. I love your writing & it hurts to give you a review like this. But it's truly unfair to stereotype all MAGA people as those who support bad covid ideas (((HUGS)))

[Dylan Macadham]

I wrote this one to provoke and sample reactions.
It worked! (((HUGS)))

[Dylan Macadham]

My nose out of joint, I reread your reaction, saw a kernel and made a tweak ... thanks.

[barleygirl]

You probably hate me & that's okay. You can totally reject this idea if you want & there will be no hard feelings becuz I really like you. So, this is how I think your little ditty could be brought into a fresh inventive realm. You need to think of a remedy that's a million times more outlandish than horse tranquilizer. You need to exaggerate & embellish to write satire on this topic, since a gazillion people have already commented on the ordinary everyday dumbness of it. Leap out of the realm of reality . . .

[Dylan Macadham]

Hi barleygirl ...
First, I like you too :) and I've been hoping to hear back from you, and here you are :)
...When I calmed, I realized, of course, that your "...intense" review was sent with the best intentions, and that there was value in it ... and thus my tweaking.
It's funny, my first reaction to your new suggestion re my last line was "Naw, I don't think so," but now it's growing on me, and I think maybe you've got a good point, and I'm going to put my satirical-mind at work on it :)
Thanks barleygirl,
Dylan
PS: I use way too many smiley faces, I'm trying to cut down :) ... Oops!

[barleygirl]

As I pondered horse tranquilizer a bit more, I realized why it doesn't have enough impact for a grand finale. Back in our hippie days, we took all kinds of tranquilizers meant for large animals just trying to get high, so I don't think anyone over 50 really thinks it's a big deal to try it for covid, if if we think it's dangerous to advocate useless remedies . . .

[Dylan Macadham]

Thanks again, barleygirl !I'm convinced! and grateful for your thoughts.
I'm playing with the notion of "Kangaroo Spittle," don't know how such a kooky thought popped into my head, but it'll have plenty of company!