INTRODUCTION TO ACT I
Today on TUNING IN THE U.S.A., Robbie Stewart tries to get a job. He wants to earn money to buy a car. We join Robbie at the offices of his hometown newspaper. He would like to work at the newspaper as a reporter. But the newspaper needs to fill a different job.
ACT I
Robbie: Here’s my job application.
Secretary: Let me see. Do we have all the information? Robbie Stewart, age seventeen, 46 Linden Street, Riverdale, New York, Telephone?
Robbie: 555- 3090. That’s my parents, phone, of course.
Secretary: And they are [reading] Philip and Ellen Stewart. Do you have other work experience?
Robbie: Just helping around the house. I have certain things to do every week, liking washing the car. And then my dad pays me extra or jobs like painting and mowing the lawn.
Secretary: I see. Well, that sounds just fine.
Robbie: That’s good enough?
Secretary: I think so. But I have to give your application to Mrs. Ling. She’s in charge of hiring new workers. She’ll call you in a few days.
Robbie: Is that all?
Secretary: That’s all!
Robbie: Thank you.
Secretary: Oh, one more thing. Do you have our own bicycle?
Robbie: Yes. Why do you ask that?
Secretary: Well, you’ll need a bike to deliver the papers to the homes of our readers. Some of our newspaper delivery routes are quite long.
Robbie: Newspaper delivery routes?
Secretary: Yes. I think Mrs. Ling will be very pleased with your application. We need good, strong riders.
Robbie: [He laughs.] Wait a minute! I wasn’t looking for that job.
Secretary: No?
Robbie: Uh-uh. I want a job as a reporter!
Secretary: A reporter? But you have no experience as a reporter.
Robbie: I write for my school newspaper.
Secretary: That’s fine. But all of our reporters have college degrees. And some of them have years of writing experience.
Robbie: But how can I get years of experience without getting a job first?
Secretary: Well, I’ll give this application to Mrs. Ling. But I don’t think you’ll get a reporting job.
Robbie: May I say hello to one of your reporters, Mr. Bill MacDonald? He came to my house one time to talk to my sister.
Secretary: I’ll call him. [She uses the telephone.] Bill, a young man is here to see you. His name is Robbie Stewart. He says you interviewed his sister. I’ll send him in. [to Robbie] He’s busy now, but you can see him in just a few minutes.
Robbie: That’s great! Thanks.
Secretary: Take a seat. Make yourself comfortable. Here. Take a look at this newspaper. It’s today’s edition. Robbie, may I make a suggestion?
Robbie: Yes?
Secretary: There is a list of jobs in the newspaper, the help-wanted ads. They start on page twenty-five.
Introduction to act II
This time on Tuning in The U.S.A., Robbie is in the office of a newspaper reporter, Bill MacDonald. Robbie would like to get a job writing for Mr. MacDonald’s newspaper. But he’s young, and he doesn’t have much experience. Mr. MacDonald offers Robbie some suggestions to help him get started as a writer. Then a messenger arrives, and Robbie and Mr. Macdonald get a new idea.
Act II
Bill: Hmm. Well, you decided to buy a car. But to get money to buy a car, you need a job. And so you want to be a reporter for this newspaper?
Bobbie: That’s partly right. There’s another reason. You wrote a newspaper article about my sister Susan. She had the idea to give toys to children in hospitals.
Bi: Yes. Of course.
Ro: Well, many people read your article, and now some of them want to help. And that kind of help makes the whole toy program possible. It’s just that I see it now. Journalism makes things happen.
Bi: Well, your sister had a good idea. And reporters like me like to write about good ideas.
Ro: I like that! [He thinks] A reporter…
Bi: Robbie, no one here will give you a job as a reporter. Not yet, anyway. But give me something interesting and well written, and I’ll show it to the editor, Mr. Maxwell.
Ro: You mean people like me do write articles?
Bi: Sometimes. We don’t always publish them, but sometimes we print a good story from someone like you. Now, we don’t pay much.
Ro: Oh no. I understand. I want to thank you, Mr. Macdonald. I’m going home now to start thinking about something to write.
Bi: I’m happy to help. Call me anytime.
Ro: I will.
Bi: By the way, Robbie, what about your job? Your car? Did you check the help-wanted ads?
Ro: I did, but with no luck. I’m still…
[We hear the secretary’s voice on the intercom.]
Secretary: Package from Speedy Messenger Service, Bill. Shall I send the messenger in?
Bill: Send him in.
Robbie: I’m still a student, Mr. Macdonald. I can only work part-time.
Bi: Hmm, Good part-time work is hard to find.
Messenger: [He enters.] Are you Mr. Macdonald?
Bi: Yes.
Me: I have a package for you.
Bi: Great! You got here quickly. I just called for this package.
Me: They call us Speedy for a good reason.
Bi: You must have a fast bicycle.
Me: Yes, I do. It’s a good one.
Bi: Should I sign right here?
Me: That’s the place.
Bi: [He signs his name.] Thank you. Just a moment! Young man? Uh, what can you tell us about being a bicycle messenger?
Me: It’s an Ok job. I can work a lot, or I can work a little. I can go fast and make a lot of money, or I can go slow and make less. It’s a good job.
Bi: Hmm. Well, thanks. And goodbye.
Me: You’re welcome. [He leaves.]
Bi: Well, Robbie, do you own good bicycle?
Robbie: I sure do. You know, being a messenger may be the job for me. |