Day 218: Extreme Nice

Extreme Nice
by
Matt Zurbo

 

Hey, look! There’s the new kid.
(Young school kids parting to look back at shy girl giving a cute wave.)

Watch out! She’s a fundamentalist!
A whats-i-whatist?
She is really full on about something!
Oh, what?
(Two kids arguing. In background, girl is hugging bully.)

She’s a radical!
A what-i-cal?
A radical. That means she’s really loopy about what she believes in!
Oh, what!?
(Girl offering flower to tall, really stern-looking teacher. Other two kids in background. First is throwing hands into air, still arguing. Other is looking at girl.)

KINDNESS!!
(Girl smiling, playing ball with kids much smaller. First of other kids is sitting on arse as if bowled over in shock. The other is slapping his own head.)

We can’t have this!
(Alpha boy and girl pushing aside other two while girl gives other kid shoulder ride to get kite in a tree.)

Somebody stop her! 
(Sour, eating their fish and chips, while shoo-ing off seagulls. Main girl is smiling, feeding them.)

All this…. niceness…. is not our way!
(Girl pouting and giving cute puppy eyes as, huddled, other kids use broom to try and push her away.)

You’re allowed to be nice sometimes. 
(Others, serious/angry, towering over girl. One of meanies is wagging finger at girl.)
Occasionally friendly. Like when Nan visits.
Only if she gives you presents! 

But that’s it!
(Meanie looking startled as girl kisses his wagging finger.)

Bad weather DOES NOT STOP HER!
(Girl and Aboriginal kid laughing, jumping in puddles, while others walk along, under raincoats, sulking, while watching her.)

She doesn’t care what nationality you are.
Why would she?
Love is love.
(Girl holding the hands of a dark-skinned girl in a head-scarf, as the both twirl in circles, happy.)

The meanies aren’t happy! Not at all!
Let’s take what she loves the most for ourselves!
(Whispering to themselves while girl puts baby bird back in nest.)

Hm. The new girl doesn’t seem to love toys…
(Girl kicking along, contently smelling daisy, while toys with strings attached are being ignored. Meanies on other end of strings with drop cages waiting.)

or money,
(Meanies like a wall behind girl, all sour, as she, smiling, gives small boy coins from her inside-out pocket, while boy looks at ice-cream van.)

or even sport.
(Girl standing on grassy footy oval, playing a musical triangle, while bundle of kids covered in mud charge by behind her with a ball.)

She LOVES EVERYTHING!
(Girl forefront, head tilted back, facing rays of sun, arms wide, smiling. Three or four meanies in background, arms super full with toys and sports balls and money, etc…)

THAT’S IT! FREAK!
(Biggest bully raging, waving arms, shouting. Girl, much smaller, smiling, walking into frame, with wheelbarrow full of coloured paper, scissors, jars of glitter, a helium jar, bucket and a big, airless balloon.)

IF YOU CAN’T BE EXACTLY LIKE US, I’LL BE MEAN!
(Bully, face red, raging at girl, who is sitting, happy, cutting out shapes, we can just make out are love hearts. Muslim kid and one of bullies watching her.)

I’LL BE NASTY!
(Bully shouting to sky. Bully and Muslim kid straining, pulling back mouth of balloon as girl pours bucket of cut outs and jar of glitter into it.)

CRUEL! he grumbled.
(Girl, biting tongue, happily putting helium into balloon, as now three other kids in background catch butterflies. Nets and jars with holes in lids. Bully hunched, clenching fingers with evil glee.)

HA!
(Bully, face lit with evil joy at balloon floating in front of him.)

POP!
(Bully squeezing balloon, which has popped. Looking startled as he is covered by a rain of confetti, glitter and love hearts. Two kids in background letting out butterflies.)

Aw, that’s not fair! 
(Girl and others wrapping bully in really big hug. Girls arms pinning bully’s, other two hugging his legs.)

Okay, okay, you win! 
(Everybody, girls’ friends, and meanies, dancing, happily in a circle around bully, confetti and streamers still in air.)

(Girl and bully walking into sunset, holding hands. Girl with a little love heart above her head, bully with a confused spiral.)

 
The End