One Person Can Make a Difference

One Person Can Make a Difference made its debut at the Bishop Arts Theater Center in Dallas, Texas, at the Banned Books Festival in February 2026. The play was submitted as part of a contest where six plays were chosen to be produced. It is written by Linda Boroughs, a native Dallasite. Linda is proud to have her play hosted on Dan Blanks’s website among his works. She hopes that her play will provoke conversations about our criminal justice system and how it can be improved.

CHARACTER GLOSSARY:
        
CHAD ROBINSON: Black man who moves from young adulthood to
middle age within the play

POLICE OFFICER: White man, authoritative and controlling,
wearing sunglasses and uniform

THE SYSTEM: Represented by one actor who plays several roles behind a screen. The screen is backlit so that THE SYSTEM is a silhouette.

Setting: Various settings in CHAD's life, represented by
minimal prop changes

Time: The present as we move through CHAD's life

Stage setup: Center stage contains a backlit screen for THE
SYSTEM. The screen is not backlit when the play begins. A
small box-like bench is in front of the screen.

ACT 1, SCENE 1

CHAD is center stage, in front of the screen, sitting on the bench. He is
facing the audience and driving. The driving is represented solely by holding
his hands as if they were holding a steering wheel. He looks up into his
rearview mirror.

CHAD
(worried)
A police car? Are they pulling me over?

Pulls over car and waits nervously.

POLICE OFFICER
Evening, sir. License and insurance, please.

CHAD
Sure. Here you go. Is there a problem? Did I do something wrong?

POLICE OFFICER
The names on these aren't the same. What is your real name?

CHAD
Chad Robinson. That's my license, but this is my mom's car. Her name is Barbara Lemmon.

POLICE OFFICER pulls out a flashlight and flashes it in CHAD's eyes repeatedly
as they talk. CHAD squints and turns away when he does this.

POLICE OFFICER
Hmph. You don't look like a Chad. Why don't you have the same last name as your mother?

CHAD
Well, she got married and changed her name. Officer, why was I pulled over?

POLICE OFFICER
I'll ask the questions here. (leans over and shines flashlight in CHAD's eyes.) Is that going to be a problem?

CHAD
(nervously) No, sir.

POLICE OFFICER
(said with skepticism) According to this license, Mister Robinson, you are underage. I'm going to need you to step out of the car.

CHAD steps out of the car.

Mister Robinson, have you been drinking?

CHAD
What? No! I'm underage. I was at school studying, and I'm driving home.

POLICE OFFICER
Mmm-hmm. School? The high school? There's no high school back that way.

CHAD
No, at the university.

POLICE OFFICER
(mocking) The university. Well now, aren't you a smart one. Well, I got a test for you. I need you to stand on one leg and count to 30. And count real slow.

CHAD
Officer, I swear I haven't been drinking. Let me call my mother. She can vouch for me.

POLICE OFFICER
I'll do all the vouching here. On one leg, and start
counting.

CHAD
Okay. (stands on one leg) One... two...three...

POLICE OFFICER starts shining light into car.

CHAD puts his arms out for balance.

POLICE OFFICER
(shouts) NO ARMS!

CHAD puts his arms down and starts to sway. He puts his foot down to catch
himself.

POLICE OFFICER
Mister Robinson, are you carrying anything illegal in this car?

CHAD
No! Of course not! I was just driving...

POLICE OFFICER
(interrupts)
Then you won't mind if I search the vehicle?

CHAD
Well, I guess not. But I don't know what my mom has in there.

POLICE OFFICER
So you're saying your mom might have something illegal in there?

CHAD
No! She wouldn't do anything like that!

POLICE OFFICER
So I can search it?

CHAD
Yeah... I guess so.

POLICE OFFICER reaches behind the bench and pulls out a small bag containing
what looks like marijuana.

POLICE OFFICER
What is this, Mister Robinson?

CHAD
I...I don't know.

CHAD casually reaches for the bag to look at it.
POLICE OFFICER yanks it out of his reach.

POLICE OFFICER
No, Mister Robinson, this belongs to me now. I am charging you with driving under the influence. I need you to hand over your keys. We'll call a truck for your car and send it to the pound.

CHAD
What? But I haven't been drinking! I swear! Please! Just let me call my mother! She can come get the car.

POLICE OFFICER
Maybe you haven't been drinking, but you failed my balance test and I have what looks to be an illicit substance in my hand that was taken from your car after you consented to a search. No, Mister Robinson, I have to take you to the jail tonight.

CHAD
What? No! I...but... I have a test tomorrow morning! That's why I was studying! I can't go to jail!

POLICE OFFICER
Guess you should have thought of that earlier.

CHAD
Officer, I swear I haven't been drinking -- or anything like that. I don't know what's in that bag, but it can't be illegal! My mother wouldn't do anything like that! Please, I can't go to jail!

POLICE OFFICER
If you aren't under the influence, you have to prove that in court. I'm charging you with driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance, and that means a trip to jail.

POLICE OFFICER takes CHAD by arm to Stage Left. POLICE OFFICER releases CHAD,
then moves to Downstage Left, stands with arms crossed and feet spread wide.

CHAD returns to center stage to address THE SYSTEM.

The screen is backlit, revealing the silhouette of THE SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM has
an open book in its hands.

CHAD
Professor, could I talk to you for a minute? I wanted to talk about the test we had last week.

THE SYSTEM
Yes, I saw you weren't there. And you know the rules - no make-up tests.

CHAD
I know, and I would have been there if I could have. But... I was arrested and taken to jail.

POLICE OFFICER nods.

THE SYSTEM
(concerned)
Arrested? Chad? What happened?

CHAD
Please, I promise you, it was just a misunderstanding, and I didn't do anything wrong.

POLICE OFFICER scoffs.

CHAD (CONT'D)
I was hoping I could get some sort of make-up test. I need to keep my grades up to keep my scholarship.

THE SYSTEM
Chad, you've been a great student, but I can't change the rules. But don't worry, as long as you make an A on the final, you can still pass. Your other grades have been good, so that shouldn't be a problem for you.

CHAD
(turns away from THE SYSTEM) Yeah, I can pass, but this is going to ruin my GPA, and that means I lose my scholarship.

POLICE OFFICER nods.

THE SYSTEM puts down the book and picks up a
briefcase.

Anyway, I guess I need to get a lawyer to take care of this arrest and get my name cleared. Can you help me with that?

Turns to THE SYSTEM

THE SYSTEM
Absolutely. I've handled lots of cases like this. We can get this taken care of.

CHAD
Great! What do I need to do?

THE SYSTEM
Right now we just wait for charges to be filed.

CHAD
How long does that take?

THE SYSTEM
For a DUI, they have two years.

CHAD
Two years!

POLICE OFFICER nods and smiles

THE SYSTEM
In the meantime, we need to work out a payment plan for my fees.

CHAD
(turns away from THE SYSTEM to the audience) Well, with the lawyer's fees and no scholarship, I guess I'll take a year off from school and make some money.

THE SYSTEM puts down the briefcase and picks up a clipboard.

(turns to THE SYSTEM) I was hoping for a job as a delivery driver. Your ad says that pays the most.

THE SYSTEM
Of course, and I wish we could do that, but when we ran our background check, we saw an arrest for a DUI. So the best we can do is offer you a job in the warehouse.

POLICE OFFICER nods and smirks.

CHAD
(turns away from THE SYSTEM) Well, I guess that would work.
It'll take longer, but at least I'm making money so I can pay the lawyer and get back to school.

THE SYSTEM puts down the clipboard and picks up a file folder.

(turns to THE SYSTEM) Yeah, so I had to take two years off to save up some money for school, and now I am ready to re-enroll.

THE SYSTEM
You had almost all As when you were here, except for that one class. But when we ran a background check, (opens file folder) we found an arrest for a DUI. While that raises a red flag, I think we can re-enroll you with no problem.

POLICE OFFICER scowls.

CHAD
Great! I promise that I didn't do anything wrong, (turns to audience) and once I go to court, I'm sure I will be found not guilty.

As CHAD turns to the audience, THE SYSTEM puts down
the file folder and picks up the briefcase.

CHAD (CONT'D)
(CHAD turns to THE SYSTEM) So, it's been two years since my arrest and I haven't heard anything. Are we still going to court?

THE SYSTEM
No, now we don't need to go to court.

POLICE OFFICER scowls.

Since no charges have been filed on your arrest, that means the statute of limitations has expired. So you are considered not guilty in the eyes of the law. Oh, and by the way, that illegal substance that the officer found?

CHAD
Yeah?

THE SYSTEM
They sent it to the lab. It was catnip. (laughs) Does your mom have a cat?

POLICE OFFICER scowls.

CHAD
(laughs) Yeah, she loves that cat.

THE SYSTEM

Well, you're officially not guilty for that and everything else. Congratulations!

CHAD
But what about my record? Does it still show that I was arrested?

THE SYSTEM
Yeah, that's still on your record. But we can expunge it. That would make it totally disappear from your record.

CHAD
I like the sound of that! Let's do it!

THE SYSTEM
I'll get to work on it. I'll have my receptionist work out a payment plan with you.

THE SYSTEM puts down the briefcase and picks up a file folder.

CHAD
(turns to audience) So now I am officially not guilty! I'll file to have the record expunged, and once it is expunged, (turns to THE SYSTEM) I have the right to answer no even if I am asked if I am arrested. The law tries to protect people like me who have been arrested but found not guilty. Because having that arrest on your record, even if you are not guilty, can bar you from job opportunities, housing, and even college.

POLICE OFFICER nods sternly.

THE SYSTEM
(laughing good-naturedly) Well, I'm not sure you even need to go to law school. Sounds like you have already been studying! Anyway, your application looks great. Welcome to law school!

CHAD
Thank you! I can't wait to get started!

THE SYSTEM puts down the clipboard and picks up a
reporter's notepad.

(turns to the audience) Once I become a lawyer, maybe I can fix some of the problems that my arrest caused me, so that others don't have to go through the same thing. (steps onto bench and speaks as if giving a speech) I want to look toward the future, and I want to make things better for me and all the working families out there.

POLICE OFFICER smirks.

THE SYSTEM
Mister Robinson, if you are elected, what issues do you plan to focus on?

CHAD
(turns to THE SYSTEM) I think it would be important to look at our criminal justice system and find ways to improve the outcomes for everybody. (turns back to audience)

POLICE OFFICER comes over and talks to THE SYSTEM.
POLICE OFFICER hands THE SYSTEM a piece of paper.
POLICE OFFICER returns to Downstage Left, standing
with arms crossed and legs spread.

Our nation has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, and our people of color are imprisoned at higher rates than our white people. We need to fix this. Our society is missing out on the contributions of these people, and those people are missing out on their lives.

THE SYSTEM
Mister Robinson, have you ever been arrested?

CHAD
No. My record is clean.

THE SYSTEM
Mister Robinson, I have in my possession a report from law enforcement that states you were once arrested for a DUI. How do you respond to that?

POLICE OFFICER smiles and nods.

CHAD stares straight ahead with a mixture of
resignation and determination.

End scene.