Callings and Commandments

In short drama script Callings and Commandments, a father and son discuss trying to fix their broken family.

Featured Script – Callings and Commandments

FADE IN.

INT. BARN – NIGHT

DAVISON leans against a wooden/wired fence observing the chickens.

CHARLIE enters the barn. He slowly makes his way over to his father and joins him at the chicken coop.

After a moment.

CHARLIE:  Where are you?

Davison looks over at his son.

DAVISON:  Just looking out.

CHARLIE:  At what?

DAVISON:  Life. My life. Wondering if your mother is happy.

CHARLIE:  It’s been a year.

DAVISON:  And three days.

CHARLIE:  I think she’s doing what she needs to do, not what she wants to do.

DAVISON:  What in the hell you talkin’ about?

CHARLIE:  I don’t believe mom wanted to leave us, Dad.

DAVISON:  You drunk?

CHARLIE:  Remember when you told me how you didn’t have a choice to take over the reigns from Grandpa and work the land? Remember that?

DAVISON:  That’s cause I didn’t have a choice.

CHARLIE:  Maybe you didn’t want to take over things, but deep down inside you had to, you needed to. It was inescapable.

DAVISON:  I HAD to because if I didn’t we’d lose everything and when I say everything, I damn well mean everything ever.

CHARLIE:  But, wasn’t there a part of you that made you do what you do, like a commandment.

DAVISON:  Commandment?

CHARLIE:  Don’t you know what I’m saying or is it because you don’t want to hear it?

DAVISON:  Hear it? Ain’t nothing louder than a woman leaving you when that door closes shut. Ain’t no matter how quietly it’s done, there’s a ringing left in a man’s ear that never goes away, no matter how many lousy cans of beer he drinks!

CHARLIE:  Why you wondering if Mom is happy?

DAVISON:  Because I want her to be happy son, because I hate her… (pause.) What sort a man lets his wife leave for France to be a writer?

CHARLIE:  The sort of man that understands what it’s like to have a deep calling.

DAVISON:  Bet you think you’re smart, don’t ya?

CHARLIE:  I’m just saying—

DAVISON:  Talkin’ bout callings and commandments…what, you a preacher now? You gonna go off and start preaching along the bible belt? Telling people about how they should be living their lives and talking to me about forgiveness and love and sacrifice? Is that it? This is real life, son. There ain’t no automatic fix! There ain’t no prayer that’s gonna bring your momma back to us. Talkin’ bout remedies…don’t talk to me about–I had no choice! Get that through your dim witted mind. There was no commandment other than the fact that if I wasn’t up at 4a.m. each morning my Daddy would have given me the strap to start my day.

CHARLIE:  But, you never wanted to be a farmer?

DAVISON: Hell, no!

CHARLIE:  But, you told me you had a calling.

DAVISON:  I had you and your mother to think about, ain’t no greater calling than that.

CHARLIE:  But, what did you want to do for you?

DAVISON:  There was no me, only us.

CHARLIE:  No! You didn’t have to do sh’t, pop. You could have done it differently.

DAVISON:  And do what?

CHARLIE:  Whatever it was that you really wanted to do in the first place.

DAVISON:  You haven’t listened to a damn thing I’ve said to ya.

CHARLIE:  I just think that you could have done things you really wanted to do is all.

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Script Summary

In drama script Callings and Commandments, Charlie questions his father about his life and if he’s willing to meet with his mother in Paris to try and be a family again.

• Genre: Drama / Family Drama
• Length: ~10 Minutes
• Script Characters: 2 men
• Age Range: Any
• Themes: family, hope
• Best For: drama scripts

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Script Source: Callings and Commandments

Callings and Commandments is a drama by Joseph Arnone, 2026.