God Bless the Striking Goodyear Workers

TIM:
And God bless the striking Goodyear workers, every one.


PRINCIPAL:
So you admit that you said that on stage, in our assembly, in the middle of our Christmas pageant.


TIM:
Yes sir.


PRINCIPAL:
And is that what you were supposed to have said?


TIM:
No sir.


PRINCIPAL:
Then why did you say it, Timmy?


TIM:
Because I support the Goodyear workers who are on strike for decent wages and benefits. Because we have to stop the race to the bottom that's beating down the wages of workers all over the world and destroying our livelihood and our dignity. And an injury to one is an injury to all.


PRINCIPAL:
But you said it on stage. During our Christmas pageant.


TIM:
Where else was I supposed to say it?


PRINCIPAL:
You're 10 years old. You don't know anything about striking workers. This was our Christmas show. You ruined our Christmas show. This whole entire show was ruined because of what you did. You ruined it for all your classmates.


TIM:
They all applauded.


PRINCIPAL:
What the hell do they know?


TIM:
Well I just thought.....


PRINCIPAL:
You didn't think at all, Timmy. And to make matters worse, you had to say "God?" You had to invoke the name of God in school? During the school day. In school. You said God in school.


TIM:
It's a Catholic school.


PRINCIPAL:
I know it's a Catholic school. What are you doing talking about God?


TIM:
I was just asking God to watch over the striking Goodyear workers who are standing up for you and me and all working people everywhere.


PRINCIPAL:
We were performing A Christmas Carol. What does God have to do with anything? You were supposed to say the lines from A Christmas Carol. There's nothing in A Christmas Carol about workers going on strike. Why did you say that?


TIM:
It's what Dickens would've said.


PRINCIPAL:
You're not Dickens.


TIM:
He spoke up for poor, working people his whole life.


PRINCIPAL:
You were supposed to be playing a character. You were supposed to be playing Tiny Tim.


TIM:
I am Tiny Tim.


PRINCIPAL:
Just because your name is Tim, that doesn't mean that you're Tiny Tim.


TIM:
But Sister Angela picked me to be Tiny Tim. She told me that I'm Tiny Tim.


PRINCIPAL:
But you're not Tiny Tim.


TIM:
But Sister Angela said that......


PRINCIPAL:
Forget Sister Angela. I don't give a damn about Sister Angela.


TIM:
But I've studied for the role for three months. I am Tiny Tim. I am Tiny Tim. I am Tiny Tim.


PRINCIPAL:
Shut up. Monsignor Cross is outside. Do you know why Monsignor Cross is outside?


TIM:
Because you won't let him in?


PRINCIPAL:
No, not because I won't let him in. I called Monsignor Cross. Do you know why I called Monsignor Cross?


TIM:
Because you really like him and you want to buy him a drink?


PRINCIPAL:
No, that is not why I called him.


TIM:
You mean you don't like him?


PRINCIPAL:
Of course I like him. I called him because we have been getting phone calls all afternoon, ever since you ruined our assembly. Every two minutes, there's another phone call. Phone calls, phone calls, phone calls. Do you know what that means?


TIM:
That the phones are working?


PRINCIPAL:
It means that the parents are unhappy. The board is unhappy. The diocese is unhappy. And all because of you. You made them unhappy.


TIM:
I'm sorry.


PRINCIPAL:
You should be sorry. Because you're going to have to apologize to the whole school in the assembly next week.


TIM:
Can I also talk to them about raising the minimum wage and passing the Employee Free Choice Act?


PRINCIPAL:
No, you may not.


TIM:
Well it might slip out.


PRINCIPAL:
Nothing is going to slip out. You will apologize from your heart exactly the way I tell you to.


TIM:
But the Pope's encyclical on the fair value of work said that.....


PRINCIPAL:
Who told you about that? Forget about that. Every year we have more schools being closed because they lose support. Do you want our school to be shut down? Do you?


TIM:
I'm thinking.


PRINCIPAL:
ls that what you're going to say to Monsignor Cross?


TIM:
No.


PRINCIPAL:
I should hope not. Ruth, can you please ask the Monsignor to step in?


RUTH:
He had to leave.


PRINCIPAL:
He had to leave?


RUTH:
Said he had more important things to deal with than some kid's play.


PRINCIPAL:
Well never mind. Ask the boy's mother to come in.


TIM:
I told you she can't come in.


RUTH:
She says she can't come in.


PRINCIPAL:
Why can't she come in?


RUTH:
She says she'll lose her job if she leaves work.


TIM:
No union.


PRINCIPAL:
Timothy, that will be all. Send in Sister Angela.


TIM:
She had to leave.


RUTH:
She said she had to leave.


PRINCIPAL:
What?


RUTH:
And she says she's not coming in tomorrow. She wrote you this message.

(He reads.)