RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST CHICKEN MARSALA RESTAURANT

Vasilika Vanya Marinkovic                                                   Readers Theater for Teens

Characters-Clerk of Court / Narrator / Annie Reelan Suffrage / Chicken Marsala Restaurant Victim #1 / Judge Cooper / James C. Lovett Jr. III / Chicken Marsala Restaurant Victim #2 /

 

CLERK OF COURT

All rise!

 

NARRATOR

The entire courtroom of people stood for the judge, a staunch older man who entered the courtroom like he owned it and knew the people feared him.

 

CLERK OF COURT

For the Honorable Judge Sebold D. Cooper, Chief Judge in the 18^th District Court in the matter of the People VS. Chicken Marsala Restaurant. Parties please introduce yourself to the judge and the matter at hand.

 

ANNIE REELAN SUFFRAGE

Annie Reelan Suffrage, defense for the employees of Chicken Marsala and the patrons who dined there.

 

CHICKEN MARSALA RESTAURANT VICTIM #1

That’s right!

 

NARRATOR

Yelled an outraged woman from the gallery of the courtroom as a man was also yelling behind her and the crowd began murmuring angrily.

 

JUDGE COOPER

Defense you will get your witnesses and spectators under control immediately. I’m a busy man and don’t have time for any nonsense today.

 

ANNIE REELAN SUFFRAGE

Yes your honor.

 

NARRATOR

The courtroom of spectators immediately quieted down.

 

JAMES C. LOVETT JR. III

James C. Lovett Jr. the III, your honor. Proud to be here and proud to be representing the amazing Chicken Marsala Restaurant, who were so unfairly and unwisely served this ridiculous restraining order against their establishment, denying hundreds of fine people the right to eat in style, luxury and enjoy the most amazing chicken dishes ever dreamed, ever imagined-

 

NARRATOR

The courtroom of people lost no time in erupting with shouts, murmuring and a couple women burst into tears.

 

ANNIE REELAN SUFFRAGE

Your honor, objection. This is not a directive. We were merely introducing ourselves. The former patrons of Chicken Marsala Restaurant and former employees are very upset and for opposing counsel to insinuate that the restraining order we served upon his client was done improperly is absolutely out of order and should be stricken from-

 

JUDGE COOPER

Overruled. I decide when a matter is stricken, I alone. Everyone in this courtroom would be wise to keep yourselves under control and remain emotionless.

 

CHICKEN MARSALA RESTAURANT VICTIM #2

I refuse to pay $28 for a mediocre chicken patty and French fries meal. I absolutely refuse! I can get higher quality meals like this, including a drink for the love of God at a fast food restaurant!

 

NARRATOR

The courtroom interrupted with shouts, screams and the same two women crying along with a man also crying now. Several courtroom spectators were also up with a shoving match between two men starting. The judge pounded his gavel furiously. And two court officers broke up the shoving match. The judge angrily waved his finger at the outraged man who’d just had his day in court.

 

JUDGE COOPER

You sir will quit your histrionics or I will have you remanded into the federal prison system for the rest of your life!

 

NARRATOR

Several gasps shot out and Annie Reelan Suffrage and her assistant were whispering.

 

ANNIE REELAN SUFFRAGE

Uh, sir you can’t remand a courtroom spectator, witness or victim to Federal prison. You would only be able to have someone put in city jail if they were in contempt of court.

 

JAMES C. LOVETT JR. III

Well, I feel contempt for this court proceeding! We are being derailed left and right and I really need to beg of your honor to please lift the restraining order off of the esteemed Chicken Marsala Restaurant. First of all, many of their customers-my witnesses will state that the prices matched the quality of the menu, second, the restaurant is losing a ton of money being closed now for the third week-while it’s waited for this hearing to commence and third and not least-

 

NARRATOR

The attorney representing the chicken restaurant had veins sticking out of his neck as he pointed a shaky finger at Annie Reelan Suffrage.

 

JAMES C. LOVETT JR. III

Third; restraining orders cannot be served against an establishment or business! This is ridiculous and I move right away in request to have the restraining order lifted!

 

NARRATOR

Several shouts erupted from the gallery and several people including a baby began to cry. Three court marshals circled the courtroom like lions eyeing zebras hungrily.

 

CHICKEN MARSALA RESTAURANT VICTIM #1

The restraining order has to stay up until I’m paid! I’m a damn good waitress and the management owes me for three weeks of pay including my credit card tips!

 

NARRATOR

The judge gaveled angrily and pointed at the former waitress of Chicken Marsala Restaurant.

 

JUDGE COOPER

Miss Suffrage, you will restrain your witnesses. You are this close to being in contempt of court! In fact, I believe Mr. Lovett may have a point with the restraining order not being legal and I may move to dismiss.

 

NARRATOR

The crowd began to get unruly once again, people shouting and crying.

 

CHICKEN MARSALA RESTAURANT VICTIM #1

They can’t be operating a restaurant without paying their employees. The employee with the baby hasn’t been paid either and her baby hasn’t eaten in two weeks.

 

NARRATOR

The entire courtroom let out a gasp of shock and the baby began to cry.

 

JUDGE COOPER

I move for continuance at a later time. I have a business dinner at the Steakhouse Royale at the casino. We have business to discuss, succulent steak to eat, drinks to enjoy, gambling and lovely showgirls to-

 

ANNIE REELAN SUFFRAGE

Your honor, with all due respect, we have business to discuss. Your steak, your drinks, your gambling and your showgirls can wait for another day. As you have heard, I have Chicken Marsala restaurant employees who haven’t been paid, empty bank accounts from diners that were naïve enough to opt for the 38% Chicken Marsala preferred dining credit card and one case of salmonella. The doctor in this case would like to testify now, because, just like your time, his time is valuable.

 

JUDGE COOPER

What? I wasn’t briefed about a case of salmonella in this case?

 

JAMES C. LOVETT JR. III

Objection! It’s bogus your honor. The salmonella was self-inflicted by a masochist.

 

ANNIE REELAN SUFFRAGE

Objection your honor. The salmonella victims’ situation and account are on Pages 3, 4a, 6b, 18a, 19d and 41, with all the appendixes. That is not including all the medical briefings. Should I go on?

 

JAMES C. LOVETT JR. III

Your honor, there was a drunken patron that wanted some flavor in his dry martini, ran to the kitchen without permission and grabbed a piece of raw chicken, brought it back to the table and dropped it into his drink, believing the high proof of the alcohol from his beverage would kill all toxins from the raw chicken. This account too-is in the legal briefing.

 

JUDGE COOPER

What? What an idiot! Which one of you guys was nuts enough to do a thing like that?

 

NARRATOR

The judge scoped out the entire courtroom in shock.

 

CHICKEN MARSALA RESTAURANT VICTIM #2

It was me! And I stand tall and proud by my decision, even though I got a bad bout of diarrhea from it and now I’m part of this lousy civil suit and only entitled to receive $4,000 stinking dollars if the esteemed Miss Suffrage will hurry the case along. Because I’m getting really hungry. Do we get a break for lunch?

 

JUDGE COOPER

Tell you what son, I’m breaking everyone for lunch and dinner, because this case is gone. My ruling is that the Restaurant Chicken Marsala pay all the employees owed money plus the three weeks they’ve been off and hungrily looking for work-

 

CHICKEN MARSALA RESTAURANT VICTIM #1

That’s right! I still haven’t found a job.

 

JAMES C. LOVETT JR. III

Your honor, you can’t possibly settle the case on such limited testimony, on top of which the restaurant has been irreparably harmed by this temporary closure and the owners need compensation for the time it’s been out of commission due to this lousy and ridiculous restraining order.

 

ANNIE REELAN SUFFRAGE

Objection your honor.

 

JUDGE COOPER

Sustained. The restaurant cannot and will not receive any monies for the closure since there is nobody to pay them back anything. This restraining order was illegal, but a good idea I guess. Of for God’s sakes, look at the time. I have to be at the casino and steakhouse for steaks, drinks, dancing, gambling and beautiful showgirls.

 

CHICKEN MARSALA RESTAURANT VICTIM #2

But what about my money and the diarrhea I suffered? I ruined several pairs of good briefs.

 

JAMES C. LOVETT JR. III

I ruined several briefs with this terrible case! Objection!

 

JUDGE COOPER

Overruled.

 

JUDGE COOPER

You sir, the diarrhea victim will not be compensated by the restaurant-

 

NARRATOR

There was a cheer from Chicken Marsala owners from the gallery.

 

JUDGE COOPER

It is not a win for you guys-quiet! You are on your own about the lousy three weeks of closure and the loss of revenue to your restaurant. You will pay back all monies to your employees, plus the weeks they’ve been out of work and looking.

 

NARRATOR

The judge pointed at the diarrhea man, officially victim #2 in this case.

 

JUDGE COOPER

You sir, in lieu of you losing the $4,000 settlement of afflicting your own self with salmonella due to running into the kitchen and grabbing a piece of raw chicken for the love of God, then putting it in your drink-instead you are coming to the casino and steakhouse with me where I will use you as my good luck charm when I play poker, craps and roulette! Case dismissed.

 

CLERK OF COURT

All rise!

 

NARRATOR

The End