A Couple More Boy Scout Skits:

After my posting on June 12th of Rhode Island Randall's boy scout skit, "Clothing Shop," I heard via email from two of you who likewise were involved as boys in similar skits. Here's a story Owen remembered.  

Updated August 27, 2024 from Conrad, Fort Collins, CO:

Chris: One skit we used to do was "The Quartermaster's Store." 

It required a brave boy dressed in his scout uniform standing behind a blanket. Two other scouts held the blanket up on a pole. The kid behind the blanket is the "Quartermaster." 

A different scout would come up and ask for a specific part of a Boy Scount Uniform: "I need an Official Boy Scout Neckerchief." The Quartermaster would repeat the request and then throw the neckerchief up over the blanket to the boy requesting it.

 

More scouts would come in to the store asking for other parts of the uniform: an Official Boy Scout Shirt, Belt, Shoes, Socks, T-shirt, and Pants. 

You guessd it. When the last boy approached and ordered a pair of Official Boy Scout Underwear, the Quartermaster repeated "One pair of Official Boy Scout....(followed by yelling) NOOOOOOO!!" 

And then ran off from behind the blanket wearing only his underwear! 

Previously From July 4, 2024:

"Chris, a few years back, my boy scout troop acted out the following, 

The General Store

The scene is a general store. A Boy Scout plays the part of a Storekeeper. He stands behind the counter which is represented by a long table with a few articles of clothing and other items piled on it.

Behind the storekeeper is a curtain which conceals another scout, the storekeeper's son. In this skit, the storekeeper introduces himself and his son in the back of the shop to the audience. He explains to them that this is his clothing store and his son helps him run it. He says he is very proud of his son and how very hard they work to satisfy every customer, no matter what the customer requires.

Just then, a customer enters, walks up to the counter, and asks for a hat. The storekeeper turns and calls out, "Hey son, I need a hat." The curtain moves, and a hand reaches through holding a hat. The storekeeper takes the hat and hands it to the customer. He admires it and they agree on a price. The customer pays, puts on the hat, and walks out acting pleased.

Other customers continually enter the store. The process is repeated for a jacket, a shirt, a pair of shoes, some socks, and a pair of pants. Each time, there is progressively more movement of the curtain, and with each article of clothing, there's a longer delay before the clothing is handed through the curtain, especially for the pants. 

There are sounds of grumbling each time various clothes are requested and provided for the customers. The storekeeper reminds his ever increasingly reluctant son about their commitment to service, selling whatever the customer needs.

After the pants are gone, a final customer walks in hesitantly and asks in quiet, embarrassed tones for long underwear. He speaks so softly, the storekeeper cannot hear him and makes him repeat it until everybody can hear him clearly say, more loudly, "Long Underwear." 

Finally the storekeeper says, "Oh, of course sir, Long Underwear! Son, we need long underwear for this gentleman." Nothing happens. The storekeeper repeats his request several times, each time emphasizing the words, "Long Underwear." There is no answer.  

He apologizes to his customer for his lazy son, and says he will get the underwear himself. He stomps off, going behind the curtain. The curtain shakes violently, and we hear, "No, Pa! No! Not my Long Underwear, No, Pa!"

The son then runs through the curtain and across the stage wearing only his union suit underwear!"

And, then here's another skit from Conrad of Fort Collins, Colorado, who provided this memory from his Cub Scout Days:

"Scout Skit: The Cub Shop

Setting: Cub Scout Uniform Shop.  Actors: 4 Clothing Shoppers, a Storekeeper, and one Kid (first in his full cub scout uniform, then later in his underwear).

Store Customer #1 enters and says: "I'd like to buy a Cub Scout Uniform Shirt." 

Storekeeper: "Sure. One moment, please." The audience hears the storekeeper struggling offstage in the background, a boy yells out: "No, you can't have my shirt!"

The storekeeper returns with a scout shirt and sells it to Customer #1. 

Customer #2 enters and says: "I'd like to buy accessories to go with my Cub Scout Uniform."

Storekeeper: "Sure. One moment, please." The kid is heard struggling with the storekeeper in the background-"No, you can't have them!" The storekeeper comes back with a boy's belt, hat and socks.

Customer #3 enters and says: "I'd like to buy a pair of shoes to go with my Cub Scout Uniform. "

Storekeeper: "Sure. One moment, please." Once again the audience hears the kid struggling with the keeper in the background-"No, you can't have the shoes!" But the storekeeper comes back with shoes.

Customer #4 enters and says: "I'd like to buy some pants to go with a Cub Scout Uniform."

Storekeeper: "Sure. One moment, please."  The audience hears the kid struggling with the storekeeper in the background "No, you can't have them!") But, the storekeeper soon comes back with scout pants.

Then the cub scout comes running out barefoot and in his underwear. He asks: "How am I supposed to go to my Cub Scout meeting without my uniform?"

The End."

"I want my uniform back!"

Thanks, Owen and Conrad, for sharing those great memories. I think much of the fun for the attending audience is the growing expectation as each article of clothing is provided, that some poor unfortunate boy is going to show up in nothing but his underwear. And then, it happens! 

Fellas, I appreciate you sending these in for me to share with the readers of Union Suit Fan. I'm sure you, like me, have many great experiences in boy scouts. Entertaining skits were just one of the really fun times in Boy Scouts....Chris