OVERHEARD ONE-ACT THEATRE™: The Student And The ATM

The Student And The ATM
A One-Act Play Transcribed by JohnEats

INTERIOR: The lobby of a bank in a midwestern college town. It is 8:26a.m. Two ATMs stand next to each other, one being used by a YOUNG FEMALE STUDENT who holds a cell phone up to her ear. JOHN EATS enters the lobby and heads to the open ATM, inserts his bank card and starts to withdraw thirty dollars.


YOUNG FEMALE STUDENT: (into cell phone) Hi Dad...I'm standing at the ATM. Yeah, and something's wrong. Yeah. Do you have any idea why it won't let me take out six hundred dollars?

At this, JOHN EATS pauses, looks up at the wall above his ATM. He quickly glances at the STUDENT, then looks around the empty lobby.


YOUNG FEMALE STUDENT: (into cell phone) This thing is so stupid...I mean, why wouldn't it let me take out six hundred dollars? (pauses) I don't know. Yeah, like, there's enough money in my account, isn't there?

JOHN EATS removes the thirty dollars from his ATM, puts it in his wallet. The STUDENT turns around and begins walking out.


YOUNG FEMALE STUDENT: (into cell phone, as she opens the door of the bank and walks out onto the busy street) Ok, yeah, well, it only gave me five hundred dollars, so I'll have to get the other hundred later I guess.

JOHN EATS puts his wallet in his bag, turns around and leaves the bank.

(Curtain.)