JESSICA

by Kevin Henkes

Parts(2): Narrator 1    Narrator 2     Narrator 3     Narrator 4     Narrator 5 
          Dad           Ruthie         Mom            Jessica
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Narrator 1:    JESSICA
Narrator 2:    Ruthie Simms didn't have a dog.  She didn't have a cat, or a brother, or a sister.
               But Jessica was the next best thing.

Narrator 3:    Jessica went wherever Ruthie went. To the moon, to the playground, to Ruthie's 
               grandma's for the weekend.

Mom and Dad:  "THERE IS NO JESSICA," 

Narrator 4:    said Ruthie's parents. But there was. She ate with Ruthie, looked at books with 
               Ruthie, and took turns stacking blocks with Ruthie, building towers.

Narrator 5:    If Ruthie was mad, so was Jessica. If Ruthie was sad, Jessica was too.  And if 
               Ruthie was glad, Jessica felt exactly the same.

Narrator 1:    When Ruthie accidently spilled some juice, she said, 

Ruthie:       "Jessica did it, and she's sorry."

Narrator 2:    When Ruthie's parents called a babysitter because they wanted to go to a movie 
               one night, Ruthie said, 

Ruthie:       "Jessica has a stomachache and wants you to stay home."

 
Narrator 3:    And when Ruthie turned five, it was Jessica's fifth birthday too.

Mom and Dad:  "THERE IS NO JESSICA," 

Narrator 4:    said Ruthie's parents. But there was. She went to bed with Ruthie, she got up 
               with Ruthie, and she stayed with Ruthie all the while in between.

Narrator 5:    On the night before the first day of kindergarten, Ruthie's mother said, 

Mom:          "I think Jessica should stay home tomorrow."

Narrator 1:    Ruthie's father said, 

Dad:          "You'll meet a lot of nice children.  You can make new friends."

Narrator 2:    But Jessica went anyway. 

Narrator 3:    Jessica wanted to go home so badly that Ruthie had to hold her hands and whisper to
               her.  When the teacher announced everyone's name, Ruthie and Jessica weren't
               listening.

Narrator 4:    Jessica crawled through a tunnel with Ruthie, she took a nap with Ruthie, and she 
               shared Ruthiešs paintbrush during art.

Narrator 5:    When all the children lined up two-by-two to march to the lavatory, Jessica was 
               right next to Ruthie.  A girl came up to Ruthie and stood by her side. 

Jessica:      "Can I be your partner?" 

Narrator 1:    she asked. Ruthie didn't know what to say.
 
Jessica:      "My name is Jessica," 

Narrator 2:    said the girl.

Ruthie:       "It is?" 

Narrator 3:    said Ruthie.

Narrator 4:    The girl nodded.

Ruthie:        "Mine's Ruthie," 

Narrator 5:    said Ruthie, smiling.  And they walked down the hallway hand-in-hand.

Narrator 1:    Ruthie Simms didn't have a dog.  She didn't have a cat, or a brother, or a sister.
               But Jessica was even better.