“The Forget Me Tea” is the story of a clever hotel owner and his wife who try to solve their money problems with a very unusual tea. But sometimes, when we try to trick others, we end up being the ones who are fooled.
CHARACTERS:
MANUEL – A hotel owner.
GLORIA – Manuel’s wife.
CUSTOMER – A well-dressed, confident traveling salesman.
SCRIPT:
ACT 1 – IN THE HOTEL LOBBY
(The scene is a faded, but once-grand hotel lobby. A sign on the wall reads, “The Forget-Me-Not Inn.” Manuel is meticulously polishing a small, dusty vase on the reception desk. Gloria is counting a small stack of bills with a worried expression.)
GLORIA: (Sighs) Manuel, this is it. We’re out of money. The electricity bill is due tomorrow, and I’m pretty sure we can’t pay it with this pile of ten-dollar bills.
MANUEL: (Without looking up) We’ll find a way, my dear. We always do. This place has been in my family for generations. It has a soul. A very dusty, very broke soul, but a soul nonetheless!
GLORIA: A soul doesn’t pay the bills. We need a miracle, not a dusting cloth. Maybe we should buy a lottery ticket.
MANUEL: (Chuckles) My dear, our luck is so bad that if we bought a ticket, we’d probably get hit by a car on the way to the store. We need something more… organic. More elegant.
(The bell on the front door chimes. A well-dressed Customer enters, carrying a large, locked leather briefcase. The briefcase is scuffed but looks expensive and heavy. The Customer scans the lobby with a knowing smile.)
CUSTOMER: Good afternoon.
MANUEL: (Snapping into salesman mode) Good afternoon, sir! Welcome to the Forget-Me-Not Inn! We have rooms, charm, and… a slightly leaky faucet in room 301.
CUSTOMER: I appreciate the honesty. I need a room for the night. I’m a traveling salesman, and I have a long journey ahead of me tomorrow. I’m delivering this merchandise, so I’ll need to leave at the crack of dawn.
GLORIA: We have a beautiful room available, sir. Just sign the register, and we’ll get you the key.
(The Customer signs the form with an ornate pen. Gloria hands him a key. The brass tag on the key reads “Room 202.”)
MANUEL: Let me show you to your room. It’s our finest. The ghost in the hallway is especially quiet tonight.
(The Customer laughs and follows Manuel offstage. A few minutes later, Manuel rushes back into the lobby, a look of wild excitement on his face. He’s clutching a small, mysterious-looking pouch.)
GLORIA: What is it? Did you tell him about the leaky faucet?
MANUEL: No, no, no! I saw his briefcase! It’s solid leather, heavy… and it’s locked with a beautiful brass combination lock. This isn’t just any merchandise. This is a very big sale. And I have an idea. A brilliant one!
(He pulls a pinch of herbs from the pouch.)
MANUEL: This is it, Gloria. The secret ingredient. The Forget Me Tea. I got it from a traveling merchant years ago. Anyone who drinks it… forgets something.
GLORIA: And what is he going to forget? His wallet?
MANUEL: Better. He’ll forget that briefcase with all his valuable merchandise.
GLORIA: Manuel! We can’t do that! That’s… that’s theft!
MANUEL: No, it’s not! It’s… a donation! From him, to us! For a truly forgettable stay! We can sell the merchandise and pay off all our bills. Just make a cup of tea with a little sugar, and take it to his room. Tell him it’s a welcome gift.
GLORIA: (Hesitates, then her eyes light up as she looks at the stack of bills) A donation… I can live with that. Let’s do it!
(Manuel and Gloria rush off toward the kitchen.)
ACT 2 – THE NEXT MORNING
(The lobby is bright with morning light. Manuel is at the desk, nervously tidying up. He keeps looking at the clock. Gloria bursts through the door, out of breath.)
GLORIA: Manuel! Manuel! He’s gone!
MANUEL: (Jumping) What?! Who? The ghost from the hallway?
GLORIA: No! The man from room 202! I just went up there. The door was open, and the room was empty. His briefcase isn’t there! He didn’t forget anything!
MANUEL: What are you talking about? The tea always works! It’s infallible! He must have forgotten something. I know it.
GLORIA: He took his briefcase. His suitcase is gone. The bed is made. The room is spotless. He didn’t forget a thing!
MANUEL: (Slamming his hand on the desk) No! He had to! He… he’s so smart! I bet he figured it out. He saw the sign… The Forget-Me-Not Inn… He knew what we were up to.
GLORIA: So he was smarter than us?
MANUEL: (Slumping into his chair, defeated) No… not smarter. Just… he forgot the one thing that really mattered.
GLORIA: What?
MANUEL: (His voice a whisper) He forgot to pay his bill.
(Manuel pulls a bill out from the counter. It’s a neatly written invoice for one night’s stay, with the words “PAID IN FULL” at the bottom. The handwriting is the same as the Customer’s on the registration form.)
GLORIA: But… but how? He didn’t leave the money. He just… signed it?
MANUEL: He’s not a salesman, Gloria. He’s a con man. He’s been selling us a story all along. We were so busy trying to steal his merchandise, we didn’t notice he had already robbed us. He didn’t forget his briefcase… he forgot his bill, and his tea… and probably his manners.
(The sound of a car horn honks from outside. Manuel looks at the sign, then at Gloria, and then back at the empty, quiet lobby.)
And so, Manuel and Gloria learned the hard way that tricks and shortcuts are not the answer. Instead of solving their problems, their plan only made things worse.
THE END
Author: K I D S I N C O
Moral: When we try to fool others, we are often the ones who end up being fooled. Honesty is always the better choice.
Moral Values:
- Honesty is the best policy – Trying to trick others only leads to bigger problems.
- Greed leads to failure – Wanting quick and easy money usually brings trouble instead of solutions.
- Hard work is the real answer – Instead of looking for shortcuts, effort and responsibility bring lasting success.
- Cleverness isn’t always wisdom – A “smart” plan isn’t truly smart if it’s dishonest.
- Treat others fairly – Respecting people is more rewarding than taking advantage of them.
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👉 External Resources:
- 10 Ways to Teach Your Children to be Honest
- How To Stop Your Child From Lying at Any Age, According to Psychologists
- What is Honesty – Wikipedia
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