One Needful Thing

By
Chong Ket Fah
 Narrator
Brother Graball Christian a second generation TJC believer is a quiet
and unassuming youth in his mid-twenties. As a youngster he was studious
boy in school and consistently scored good grades. Moreover he was an
obedient boy who would follow his devout first generation parents to church
regularly. There he would sit ram-rod straight, huge bi-spectacled eyes
unblinking, attentively listening to the sermon speaker. In REU classes, he
seldom spoke, had few friends, but would be able to answer almost all the
questions thrown to the class by the teacher. This would probably be due to
his habit of sitting ram-rod straight huge bi-spectacled eyes unblinking,
attentively listening to the teacher. Of course, this habit was often quite
disconcerting to anyone who happened to observe him long enough, and
would explain his lack of friends in church as well as in school. But of
course, as a result of his habit, he could remember more facts, figures and
teachings of the bible than most his peers. However, whether he really
believed or understood what he memorized may be in doubt as is the case of
many second-gens. Also as is the for many second-gens he came into his
own faith after receiving the Holy Spirit during the short term theological
seminary at the age of 17. For a period of time from then on, he became
quite fervent in church, lost his “disconcerting” habit, and made more
friends. When it came time for him to enter the university, being the
practical person he is, he opted to study computer science because IT was
going to be the next big thing. Even though his course work was heavy,
through hard work, sheer will and the grace of God, he obtained good grades
while still maintaining his faith and fervor in church. Eventually he
graduated and secured a job as a junior systems analyst at the prestigious
software company Macrosoft. Once he started working, the demands of the
daily grind started to take its toil on his faith. However, with his never say
die attitude and quiet confidence in his own ability, he believed he would be
able to manage to juggle these two disparate aspects of his life.
FADE IN:

Internet Applications Development Department, Macrosoft, 8.15 a.m

(While most of the employees of Macrosoft are still not in yet, Graball is
already at his desk furiously pounding away at his keyboard.)

Mr Graball Christian
mutter … mutter this doesn’t make any sense, why
doesn’t my program compile.

(continues pounding furiously away)

If this doesn’t work soon, I’ll never be able to meet

the deadline tomorrow.

(rubs his temples as a wave of pain hits. He

quickly pulls out a bottle of aspirin from the
drawer and pops 2 pills, swallowing them whole)

(At this instance, Graballs’ colleague Mr Laissez

Faire comes in and sees Graball hitting the
aspirins)

Mr Laissez Faire
Are you ok Grab?

(look of concern on his face)

Graball
Yah I’m fine, just headache from 2 weeks of all
nighters trying to get my program working before
the dealine ..

(looks at his watch)

..1 hour from this time tomorrow.

 Laissez
Well, good luck on that, though I don’t see why
you’re torturing yourself like this. Most of the
other parts of the system aren’t working yet. I’m
sure they can’t fire the whole department now can
they ... heh heh

Graball
Yah, but the deadline can’t be pushed any further,
its costing the company too much money.
Remember it’s our responsibility to make sure we
have something to sell the client; we’re paid to do
it.

Laissez
Bah! There’ll never be an end to all this work.
After this there’ll be another project and another
and another … If you want to live past forty you’ll
be like me and go with the flow. Well I’m off to
have my morning cuppa

(takes a flamboyant bow and trots off)

Graball
(looks at Laissezs receding back for a while,
shakes head and continues pounding the
keyboard )

(mutters to himself)

well excuse me for doing my job

(more pounding)
hmm lets try hop this works.

(closes eyes and clasps hand in prayer)

Dear God, please let this work otherwise I’ll be

forced to pull another all nighter and won’t be able
to attend the spiritual meeting tonight
(opens 1 eye and peek at screen)

(pumps a fist into the air)

Yes! Finally! It works!

(stands up, puts a fist to his chest and holds the

other hand in the air)

Thank God! Thank God! I knew you wouldn’t

leave me high and dry as always! Thank you!

(slumps back into the chair in relief and

exhaustion)

Y
(walks by and takes a look at Graballs computer
screen and snorts)

market-spoiler ..

(walks off again)

Laissez
(comes back again with his coffee)

Another thing Grab. Don’t forget our chalet

barbeque tonight.

Graball
(startled out of his stupor)

What? Chalet? Barbeque?

Laissez
Oh come on don’t tell me you forgot? We changed
our barbeque timing to Thursday especially for
you, what with all your church activities on
Saturday and Sunday.
 Graball
Erm .. well you know …

Laissez
Oh that’s it! Don’t tell me you started having
church on Thursday too!

Graball
It’s not a regular session ….

Laissez
Sigh … ok never mind, next time we won’t be
inviting you to any more of our gatherings.

(turns to walk away, a look of disappointment on

his face)

Graball
Hey wait! Ok! Ok! I’ll go, I did promise you after
all.

Laissez
(turns around sharply, eyes glistening)

That’s the spirit! I promise you’ll have the time of

your life tonight.

Graball
(smiles weakly, sighs and gets back to his work)

FADE OUT
FADE IN:

Internet Applications Development Department, Manager’s Office,

Macrosoft, 11.30 am

(After a spectacular meeting with the client, where the system

demo just crashed spectacularly, the project group is in the
manager’s Mrs Eville Stranglehold’s office)

Mrs Eville Stranglehold

(seething with anger, thunders at the cowering
group)

This is outrageous! The system was supposed to be

working yesterday! You

(points a bony finger with 2 inch sharpened nails a

the group)

are all bloody nimcompoops!

Mr Harassed (team leader)

But I did inform you that the inventory subsystem
won’t be working and you told me the client won’t
be asking to see everything and to just show them
the other …

Eville
I said! I said! Hell if I told you to eat XXX! Would
you go do it? Use your brains lah!

(group cowers into a corner)

Harrassed
Now there’s really no need to be abusive …

Eville
Abusive! If the higher-ups pins this disaster on me!
There’ll be bloody murder!
(everyone gulps)

Laissez
(whispers to Graball)

She knows nuts about what’s going or the

difficulties we face, and now she’s acting like
she’s going to be martyred.

(Graball stays silent and tries to blend into the

wall as much as possible)

Eville
Well I’ve had it with you lot. From now on, I’m
setting up a standards and methodology committee
whose job is going to … to … draw up standards
and methodologies for you incompetent bunch to
follow.

Laissez
(whispers to Graball)

Does she even know what she’s talking about…

(Graball stays silent)

Eville
Now let’s see … who to head this committee…
Graball!

(Graball jumps and let’s out a guttural sound)

Seems like you’re the only one who knows what

you’re doing. I’m appointing you to head this
committee. Do whatever it takes to whip this
incompetent bunch into shape. One more thing,
from now on you’ll take over as project leader
from Harrassed.
 Graball & Harrassed
What!

(Graball and Harrassed simultaneously protests)

Graball
No! I can’t! I don’t have the experience to do the
job. I see no reason why Harrassed should be
removed from the post, the problems
encountered ..

Harrassed
It’s not as if the whole system crashed and given
the impossibly tight deadlines and the limited tools
we were given for job, it’s lucky that …

Eville
SILENCE! My decision is final. Harassed you
have only yourself to blame for this.

Harrassed
I…I…

(drops his shoulders and hangs his head in

resignation)

Graball
(feels sickened to his stomach, and looks at
Harassed apologetically)

Y
(In a stony tone)

Hurray for Graball …

(rolls her eyes upwards and claps sarcastically)

Eville
Well then what are you all waiting for? Get out of
my office and get to work ! Think you sorry bunch
look very pretty ah! Sickening!
(Everyone rushes to get out of the office, causing a
mini pile up at the door. Once outside, Y turns to
Graball, arms folded and nose in the air)

Y
Well Mr spoil-market has done it again. Once
more you’ve lifted yourself by stepping on the
corpses of others.

Graball
(a bit agitated)

Now hang on, it’s not my fault that she’s

(points to Evill’s door)

a potty-mouth hag, and it’s not my fault the others

couldn’t get their part working.

Y
(reacts furiously)

What? So it’s our own fault? You know how

impossibly tight the deadline was! You think that
everyone is like you?! A robot who doesn’t need to
eat or sleep or have any life outside work or you
church

(spits out the last word like it’s poison)

we’re human beings you know! We’re born on

planet earth not planet metallica.

(tears starts to show around the edges of her eyes)

Graball
(in a fluster)
Ok … ok … don’t cry … I’m sorry for shouting at
you, I was just too agitated .

Y
( wipes the tears from her eyes and shouts)

Who says I’m crying. It’s just sand in my eyes.

Laissez
(standing behind Graball)

Sand? Here in an air-con room?

Y
(ignores Laissez, says sinisterly to Graball)

Regardless, congratulations on your instant

promotion Mr spoil-market. But I wouldn’t be too
happy if I were you, this only means your head is
next to roll. So do take care…

(turns around and walks away)

(Graballs breathes deeply and shakes his head,

muttering to himself. Just then another wave of
pain hit his head and he absently massages his
temples)

Laissez
(dismissively)

Bah .. she’s just jealous.

(throws his arms around Graballs shoulder and

walk him back to the seats)

Well congratulations on your promotion. Since

we’re such buddies, you’ll be sure NOT to include
 me in the standards and methodology committee
right?

FADE OUT.
FADE IN

In church, Saturday, 3.15 pm

(Graball quietly slips into the church hall from the back,
having just rushed from a standards and methodology meeting.
Preacher Cheong is giving the sermon)

Cheong
… once again, I say don’t be lulled into a false
sense of security by the seemingly peaceful times
we’re enjoying in this country. We already hear
and read much reports of escalating natural
disaster, civil and international unrest happening
all over the world. These are the signs of the end
times as recorded in Matt 24…

Graball
(still distracted by thoughts of work, only catches
snippets of the sermon, and thinks to himself).

Really? It’s been the end times since the apostolic

period. When will the END of the end times come?
Highly unlikely to be tomorrow, still too many
events prophesized in the bible hasn’t come to
past...
oh yah! Websphere is the exact solution we need
to the problem of placing the different subsystem
on a common platform. I’ll propose this to the
committee during the next meeting …

Cheong
… so we should be ever vigilant and not kid
ourselves into thinking that the end is still far off.
Dear brethren, that’s the problem, we never really
know do we? So we should admonish ourselves
with the bible …

(after the service, Graball tries to quickly sneak

away, but brother goodheart a former REU
teacher of Graballs’ sees him and walk over to
talk to him)

Goodheart
(slaps Graball on the shoulder from behind,
causing him to jump suddenly)

Hey Graball how are you? Been busy lately?

Graball
(looks shocked at first, then a bit sheepish)

Oh hey, yah never been busier, I’ve just been

assigned to head a committee and project group at
work. I tried to turn down the post, but my boss
was insistent, so I had to take it up.

Goodheart
That’s the Graball I know, always responsible in
every thing he does.

Graball
Heh well, I would trade in these responsibilities
any day to have kopi with you guys at the hawker
center anyday. But as it is, I have to rush for a
dinner appointment with my boss to update her
about the meeting.

Goodheart
What? More of the fake work-cum-makan
sessions? My boy, sometimes you just have to put
your foot down, otherwise your boss will just
bleed you dry, and soon we won’t even be seeing
you around.
 Graball
Try telling that to my boss. She’ll claw out your
eyes faster than you can say “Not the face!”

Goodheart
(Pats Graball on the shoulder)
Take it from an old-timer. There really is but one
needful thing in our lives. Choose that over all
else.

(sees Graball’s skeptical look)

Don’t be looking like that, you’ll come to realize

how true this statement is. Well I guess you better
be going for your dinner appointment. See you on
Wednesday then.

Graball
Yah ok see you …

(Goodheart walks away)

If I can meet the next project deadline.

FADE OUT.
FADE IN.

Along corridor to Graball’s house, 12 mn.

(The months roll by and Graball becomes more and more busy
with work, hardly even able to make it to church once a month.
On this night, Graball has just got back from work and passes
his neighbors the Vew family, incidentally also church
members of TJC)

Mdm Nominal Vew

Ah boy! Stop playing the computer! Have you
finished your homework?

Jaded Vew (younger brother)

Aiyah! Homework is only due next week lah! Why
worry so much?

Lofty Vew (elder brother)

(looks up from doing his revision)

That’s the problem with you. There’s no fighting

spirit in you, and no aim in life. Computers games
aren’t going to feed you.

Jaded
Ah shut up! There’ve professional gamers also
what! And they earn a lot ….

Lofty
Yah right, dream on…

Nominal
Stop arguing both of you. Ah boy you really
should follow your elder brother’s example. It’s
not like you’re not clever. If you could just put in
more effort, I’m sure you’ll be able to do well for
your O’Levels.

Jaded
Yah Yah .. getting good grades and a good job is
everthing meh? Can get you to heaven meh?

Lofty
Oh? And playing computer games can get? Please
stop giving excuses and just admit you’re lazy.

Jaded
Shut up lah! Don’t think just because ..

Nominal
Stop arguing both of you! Ah boy if you insist on
your way, I have nothing more to say, but mark my
words you’ll regret it one day.

(turns to her elder son)

Son, are you going for the student theolo? Seems

like the application is closing soon.

Lofty
Emm, yah, can’t. Going for an intensive study
camp for the A’ Levels next year. But I‘ll make it
up after the A’Levels, and there’ll be plenty of
time when I get into the U.

Nominal
Well yah, I guess at this stage studies come first.
Anyway without a proper education how will you
be useful in church next time.

Lofty
Exactly

Jaded

Che! God doesn’t need knowledgeable people. He

needs sincere people.

Lofty
Right … and you’re one of the latter…

Nominal
Stop it!

(both shuts up).

(Graball suddenly feeling a bit uneasy quickly

walks back to his unit. He presses the door bell
and his mother opens the door for him)

Mother
Aiyoh! So late again

Graball
Yah, what can I do? I’m at the wrong end of the
gun.

(slumps into the chair, pressing his temples)

Mother
Your head hurting again?

Graball
Don’t worry about it. It’ll go away … it always
does.

Mother
(pauses for a moment, then speaks slowly)

You know, if the job is to stressful, you can always

quit. It’s not worth it to lose your health over, or
 worse to lose your faith over… you know you
haven’t been to church for a long time.

Graball
I wish I can, seriously, but the job market is so bad
nowadays, I can’t guarantee I can find another job
soon. Anyway once this current project is over, I’ll
make is up to God.

Mother
I sure hope you’re making the right decision here.

(that night, Graball suffers from a splitting

headache and isn’t able to sleep all night. He tries
all the prescribed medicine to no avail).

Graball
Arghh … ok that’s it, let’s go to the hospital, this
is killing me.

Mother
Ok but let’s pray first. It is after all up to God
whether to heal you or not.

Graball
(holds his head in his hand and sways back and
forth rhythmically, grimacing in pain)

Ok, ok but let’s be quick.

FADE OUT.
FADE IN.

Internet Applications Development Department, Macrosoft, 11.00 a.m

(2 days after the headache incident)

Eville
Graball! Come into my office!

Graball
(Graball jumps from his seat with a start. Then
quickly hurries into Eville’s room, looking at her
apprehensively)

Yes? Is something wrong with the project?

Eville
(Smiles warmly at Graball which just causes him
to shudder more)

No no, there’s nothing wrong with the project.

There’s something wrong with you.

Graball
(taken aback)

Me? What’s wrong? I think I’ve been doing quite a

reasonable job up till now, and I haven’t made a
mess of anything yet … er have I?

Eville
Calm down, and sit down. What’s wrong with you,
is that your position is horrendously incompatible
with your talent. So I’m offering you a chance of a
lifetime. I’m offering you my seat.

Graball
(opens his mouth wide, jaws coming unhinged)

Eville
Well don’t just stand there gaping like a fish. Do
you accept the offer or not?

Graball
(quickly closes his mouth, wiping away saliva
which was starting to drip)

You can’t be serious …

Eville
I’m always serious ..

Graball
But I can’t .. I mean I can barely cope with being a
project leader.

Eville
One week, give me an answer by then. But I must
remind you, if you reject this offer I can guarantee
you will never get this chance ever again. Now out
you go!

(Graball leaves the office in a daze, and bumps

into Laissez)

Laissez
Mrs Satan wants to pass over her fork to you eh?

Graball
(startled out of his daze, stares at Laissez)

How did you know?

 Laissez
Word has it that the powers that be have offered
Mrs Satan a chance at redemption from eternal
damnation. They are offering to raise her status
from the fires of hell to the golden palaces of
heaven if someone will just take her place. So once
I saw you entering her lair, I knew you were going
to be scapegoat.

Graball
The way you put it, everlasting torment is the only
way to go if I agree to her Faustian offer.

Laissez
Let’s put it this way. You’ll have no good ending
ether ways, but at least you’ll be king in the down
under if you agree. People have killed for less. I’d
give this once in a lifetime opportunity more
thought if I were you…

(pats Graball on the shoulder and walks away)

Graball
Sigh … I never knew getting a promotion would
make me feel so unhappy.

FADE OUT
FADE IN

Graball’s house, at night

(that night Graball tells his mother about the offered

promotion)

Graball
The way I see it, I really have no choice but to
accept the offer

Mother
The promotion is definitely a huge step forward in
your career, but are you sure you can handle it?
It’s seems like you’re moving up way too fast.

Graball
(jokingly)

Heh, well I can just do like Eville and leave the job
to all my underlings. That way I’ll have even less
stuff to do than I have now.

Mother
That would be very irresponsible of you wouldn’t
it?

Graball
Just joking mum. Of course I’ll do my best ... as
always … sigh.

Mother
 Sighing means you feel stressed about the manager
position. Like they say it, don’t wear a hat too big
for your head.

Graball
(slightly offended)

I’ll have you know your is perfectly capable of

taking on this job. You just see.
Mother
I certainly hope so. By the way does your head still
hurt?

Graball
Nope, in fact I’ve never felt better.

FADE OUT
FADE IN

Internet Applications Development Department, Macrosoft, 10.00 a.m

(next day at work, Graball is at his desk when the phone rings. He answers
it)

Graball
Hello?

Other End
May I speak to Mr Graball?

Graball
Yes speaking

Other End
Hi Mr Graball, I’m calling from the hospital
regarding your visit to the A&E 2 days ago on the
22nd.

Graball
Ah yes. Are the test results out yet?

Other End
Yes, but we have to set the next appointment for
next week. Can you make it at 10 am?

Graball
Yah sure, so what’s the problem with my head?
 (jokingly)

Hope it’s not brain cancer. I’m not yet married.

(laughs)

Other End
Let me see … hmm, yes it’s a brain tumor

Graball
Ha ha ha brain tumor ha ha ha … ha …… ha

(silence)

Other End
(in a cheerful voice)

Well that’ll be all, have a nice day Mr Graball,

bye.

(line goes dead)

Graball
(slowly puts down the receiver, and turns to face
Laissez)

Laissez, I’m feeling so well today, so I’m just

gonna crash. Help me call in sick?

Laissez
(not turning back)

Huh, uh ok, go see the doctor just in case. Bird flu

is pretty rampant nowadays. Would be serious
trouble if you came down with one ….

(Graball doesn’t hear him, but shuffles out of the

office like a zombie)

FADE OUT
FADE IN

At Graball’s house, 12 noon

(Graball arrives back home, and goes straight into the room,
pulls all the curtains shut and just sits in the dark)

Graball
This can’t be happening to me … it just can’t

(thoughts of death, of his life up till now, of all his

unfulfilled dreams and all his unpaid promises to
God flashes through his mind)

What’s the use of it all the effort I’ve put into my

work, it all ends up a big fat zero …

(suddenly drops to his knees in prayer)

God, I now know that what you have said is true,

there is only one thing which is needful. I cannot
express how regretful I am over all the times I had
to make a choice between my work and you, and I
had chosen my work. Please if it is your will,
deliver me from this trial of death awaiting me.
But even if I am to die, God, help me to resolve
from this day onwards to always choose God over
all else in the world. Amen.
 (with that, Graball stands up, a peaceful yet
resolute look on his face, knowing what he must
do)

FADE OUT.