Story: 2 girls, Anna and Christie, are at a July 4th cook-out at Anna’s house. Anna’s dad is very concerned about letting the US flag touch the ground, and Christie can’t understand it.  Anna’s family is from Kosovo, and she is aware of the suffering her cousins have had and is thankful to be an American.
Characters: Anna, Christie and “dad” in shorts
Setting: Small table with “picnic stuff” on it, several lawn chairs, radio playing in background. Anna is standing at the food table, eating potato chips
Lights up:
(Christie enters from side)
Christie: Hey, girl! (Christie turns around quickly with chip bag in hand) Stuffing those chips, huh!
Anna: (puts bag on the table fast) I just had a few!
Christie: (at table, picks up the bag, looks in it) A few, huh?!  I bet you opened this one! (pretends to weigh bag in her hand)
Anna: It’s a holiday...all diets are off on holidays
Christie: That’s right! It’s the “I’m sick of salads/I’ll eat what I want” holiday...(gets a few chips out of the bag) I guess I better start celebrating! (eats the chips)
(Both girls sit in the lawn chairs, Christie holds the chip bag)
Anna: So, what are your parents doing today?
Christie: I don’t know (eating a chip) I think they went out in the boat. They asked me if I wanted to go, but who wants to be stuck with family all day in a boat! (Sticks finger in her mouth) Gag!
Anna’s dad: (off stage; speaks very loudly) Be careful with the flag! Don’t let it touch the ground!!!!
(Anna’s dad walks onstage to the girls with US flag draped over his arm) Those boys drive me crazy! I’ve told them every time they take out the flag to not let it touch the ground. But do they listen?  NOOOOO! One day they’ll learn respect for the Stars and Stripes. (Walks down aisle carefully folding the flag)
Christie: Wow! Your dad’s pretty intense about the flag.
Anna: Yeah, I know.
Christie: (looking around, talking to no one in particular) My dad use to put the flag up on the 4th and Memorial Day, I think. Last year, we couldn’t find it. I think it got stored with the Christmas stuff, or maybe with the winter clothes.... Anyway, he couldn’t find it, so no flag this year. (Anna gets up and stands by the food table, looking down at the table, Christie eats another chip) Why would someone get all worked up over a flag. I mean, I believe in freedom and patriotism and all that stuff, but going postal over a flag? I don’t get it.(Christie eats another chip)
(pause)
Anna:(still looking down at table) It’s important to me...
Christie: (stops eating) What’d you say?
Anna: (turns to face Christie) The flag’s important to me... The American flag means a lot to me.
Christie: (surprised, sincere) Really? The American flag? Why?
Anna: Remember when I told you that my grandfather was from another country?
Christie: Yeah, I guess....
Anna: (Walks across the stage[stay in light] and faces the audience) Well, his home was Kosovo, and he was Armenian. He immigrated to the United States before World War 2 and married my grandmother here. He stayed in contact with his brothers and sisters that stayed in Europe, and even visited there about 10 years ago. (turns and sits in the chair next to Christie, turned to the side to face her) So, we know our family there. Some of my family were refugees.
Christie: Oh, wow.
Anna: (Sits back, looks forward) When I see the American flag, I think about what I’ve got, and what part of my family doesn’t have. I’ve got freedom, and they don’t. The flag means that somebody fought for my freedom and won. (pause) I wish my family in Kosovo could have what I have.
Christie: (leans toward Anna) Maybe someone will fight for their freedom (pause) and win.
Lights out