The Sum
Page 4
Alan There are options in life, Eve. There always are. If you stick with someone who can’t take care of you or your kid – if you carry on complaining while nothing’s changing, aren’t they just the choices you’re making? (Beat.) I wish I could help you.
SCENE EIGHT
ZERO HOUR BLUES
Night. The band plays ‘Zero Hour Blues’. Eve enters her bedroom carrying a box. She sits on the bed, removing items. In the living room Lisa lies on the couch under a duvet, watching a documentary about space. Iris sits in the dark kitchen, watching and listening tensely. Alan is in the shop at his desk, staring ahead. The rest of the staff are each at home unable to sleep.
Eve ‘Child’s wellies. Red. Child size 12. Used. Current bid: £3.’ ‘Blue sun dress with floral pattern. Size 12. Current bid £6.60.’ ‘Gorgeous imitation pearl stud earrings. Winning bid: 99p.’ ‘Vintage 60s tea set. Winning bid: £8.99’. £3 + £6.60 + 99p + £8.99 = £19.58 minus 70p in seller fees = £18.88. (Beat.) £18.88 for Lisa’s wellies from when she was six that she wrote her name in and wore even in bed. For the dress I had on when Danny took me to Southport beach and the weather was so bad we got wind burn. For the earrings he bought me when we were nineteen and he told me one day he’d afford the real thing. For my mum’s china tea set I used to play with and pretend I was the Queen. All those precious things lined up, listed – categorised and washed out by the flash: a lifetime. A mountain of junk. Of treasured tat. All the things that made me and all the things I’m made of: worthless.
Steph (sung)
I heard things are looking up
God is in his heaven
And the stars are lining up
Tie my hair with white heather
Cross my fingers tight
Burn me a candle through the sleepless night
I’ll wish on the waxing moon
I’ve got the zero hour blues
I’ll keep in line, I’ll keep the rules
Keep good time, I’ll be anyone’s fool
I’ll be hanging on the line
For a drop of gratitude
For a better day to find me
Steph/The Staff (sung)
I’ll sing to the waxing moon
I’ve got the zero hour blues
Nod once for yes and tap twice for luck
Dance for your supper and keep your chin up
Give me a note
And I’ll sing to your tune
And hope you recognise it
Steph/The Staff
I’ll howl to the waxing moon
I’ve got the zero hour blues
As the song ends lights focus on Eve. Danny enters, improvises a trumpet-fanfare sound with his mouth, holding a bowl of bananas and custard with a candle burning in the top.
Danny Are you hungry?
Eve What exactly is that?
Danny This is finely sliced, slightly brown banana, smothered in custard à la tin from the most far-flung and exotic corner of our kitchen cupboard.
Eve You’ve been in the pub.
Danny And wait, wait for it …
He pulls a little tub of ice-cream sprinkles from his pocket, letting them fall on the dish.
Sprinkles!
Eve What’s this fabulous feast in aid of?
Danny (sitting beside her) Not in aid … in lieu. In lieu of any past anniversary or Valentine’s Days I might’ve missed. And also any future ones.
Eve (blowing out the candle) What a deal. I’m a lucky girl.
He offers her a spoonful. She takes it, eats, grimaces.
Danny Is it alright?
Eve It’s amazing. Bloody gorgeous.
Danny Is it?
Eve No, it’s a bowl of rotten fruit with Ambrosia on top. I think I’m gonna vomit here.
Danny Alright, give it to me gently.
She flicks some food at him. He ducks, laughs. He kisses her.
Eve You stink of ale.
Danny Ran in to Pav in a proper state. He thinks he’s gonna get bundled on the next plane home to Krakow.
Eve Poor sod.
Danny He had a smile on his face after two pints.
Eve And he was paying?
Danny My treat.
Eve You’re full of treats, aren’t you?
Danny That’s what they say.
He kisses her. Lisa turns up the sound on the TV/laptop. Danny looks towards it.
You gonna make her go to sleep at some point?
Eve I’ve said she can stay home tomorrow.
Danny So she can spend more time with your mother?
Eve It’s complicated. I’m handling it.
Danny Iris is teaching her to crochet, you know? Lisa doesn’t need to get any more weird – she doesn’t need to crochet.
Eve Found me mum under the bed earlier, scrambling round for a brooch.
Danny When did she lose it?
Eve 1978, as far as I can work out.
Danny Jesus.
Eve She’s dropping off the edge, Danny.
Danny She still remembers to call me a no-mark twice a day – can’t have lost all her marbles.
During the following, Iris finds a bread knife and the stub of a loaf of bread in the kitchen. She cuts the bread but then keeps cutting, sawing into the table.
Eve Psychiatric nurse came over today. Did all these little tests – ‘What year is it, Iris? ‘Can you hold a pencil steady?’ Apparently she’s got a critical or substantial need for care.
Danny Critical or substantial?
Eve She might get three free days a week in a centre. If a place comes up. If someone else pops it. And I could pay but that’s ten pound a day plus three-fifty for lunch and ten pound for the minibus.
Danny Cuts, isn’t it? Everywhere you look. Heartless bastards.
Eve And even then she’d be back here by four. I could apply for carer’s allowance if I didn’t work, but they’d only give me half what I earn now. And care homes – we can’t begin to afford –
Danny (going to her) Aren’t we getting ahead of ourselves?
Eve No we’re not. We’re getting behind. We’re going under. One of these days I’m gonna come home and she’ll be lying at the bottom of the stairs or the house’ll be on fire.
Danny Nothing’s going on fire, alright? We’ll work it out.
Eve How? Tell me how, Dan.
During the following Lisa becomes aware of the sound from the kitchen, approaches Iris.
Danny Look, I didn’t want you getting excited … I’ve got this thing the day after tomorrow – St George’s Hall.
Eve What thing?
Danny Something to do with the council. It was just an email: ‘You’ve got an interview. Turn up midday.’
Eve They said ‘interview’?
Danny Listen, there’s plenty more skint than we are. Pav’s been selling off the furniture since his missus left.
In the kitchen Lisa sees Iris with the knife, approaches quickly.
Lisa (grabbing her arm) Nan?
Iris screams in fright, brandishing the knife at Lisa.
Danny (jumping up off the bed) Jesus!
Eve (jumping up) Mum?!
Lisa (to Iris) Nan, it’s me. It’s me.
Lisa tries to take the knife but Iris shoves her away, staring, wild. Danny and Eve approach.
Eve (going to them) Mum, what are you doing?
Danny tries to intervene but Eve pushes him aside, going to Iris.
Mum. Mum, it’s alright. (Of the knife.) Give me that.
Iris What’s she doing? What the hell’s she doing?
Eve She’s not doing anything, Mum.
Iris Sneaking around the house. What about little Lisa?
Eve (taking the knife) This is Lisa, Mum.
Iris looks at Lisa sharply.
Eve Look at her. This is Lisa.
Iris stares in confusion, as if looking in a distorting mirror. She shakes her head.
Iris I don’t …
Lisa It’s me, Nan.
Iris I to
ok the day off work when Lisa was born – I said to the boss: ‘I can’t be messing round here. I’ve got a baby to meet.’
Lisa I’m not a baby any more, Nan.
Eve You were dreaming, Mum. Imagining things.
Iris (nodding) I was dreaming. It was a dream.
Danny (putting his arm round Iris) How about you get to bed eh, Iris?
She shifts away, startled and wild again.
Eve (hugging Iris) Leave her. (To Iris.) It’s alright. It’s all alright.
Iris I was dreaming. It’s only a dream.
Lisa and Danny look on.
It was only dreaming.
Danny turns, exits. Lisa looks to him for comfort, watches him go. Iris moves away from Eve, looking out, searching for something. Lights down on everyone but Iris.
Iris (sung)
I’ve been sleeping with the dead
I’ve been watching their shapes in my bed
The things I think I thought I was
Carried away with the wind on the rock
I’m sand
I’m sand
I’ve been beating my retreat
I’ve been burying my most precious things
In the garden in the flower bed
My blindest thoughts, my things unsaid
I’m soil
I’m soil
I remember every thud
Every name of everyone I ever loved
My heart’s still beating through the mud
Don’t know who you are
I know I should
Chorus.
Storm’s coming over I’ve fallen in love
With what’s left of me
The rest of me
Storm’s coming over I’ve fallen in love
With what’s left of me
The rest of me
Throw it to the dogs
Throw me to the gods
Think of me now I’m losing slowly
The thing about me now is I’m losing slowly
Strange children talk to me I’m losing slowly
The better part of me moving slowly away
I’m sand
Moving slowly away
I’m sand
Repeat chorus. Music continues. Lisa approaches, watching her.
Iris (turning) Jimmy …?
Iris smiles at Lisa, puts out her hand. Lisa approaches, taking it. They dance a waltz, Iris elated. Lights down.
SCENE NINE
CLOSURE
The band plays ‘Whole Again’. The staff approach the shop to discover it closed up. Perhaps sheets have been thrown over everything, a closure notice pinned up. Faisa takes the notice, reads it in disbelief. They all stand and stare.
The Staff (sung)
One of these days I’m gonna rant and rail
One of these days I’ll be whole again (Repeat.)
I tell you I reached the bottom and reached for the top
Kicked off the sand and I swam for the rocks
I saw the high sweet horizon and the sun gold hot
And it was slipping through my fingers like an old silk cloth
One of these days I’m gonna rant and rail
One of these days I’ll be whole again (Repeat.)
I climbed a mountain just to see down town
Where they’re turning the money, grinding smiles out of frowns
I worked for days and years to make a life’s work pay
And watched them dash it all down the wall again
These days … these days …
One of these days I’m gonna rant and rail
One of these days I’ll be whole again
Steph, Theresa and Faisa exit, still singing. The song dies out as Bryn and Ismael move in different directions. Paul stands absolutely still, staring at the shop. Gabi goes to him.
Gabi You getting the bus home?
Paul I can’t go home … She’ll say it’s my fault.
Gabi Who will?
Paul Three years it took me to get in here. I’d get interviews and interviews and if I could just talk to people, just know the right and wrong words … That’s what Mum says. (He begins to stutter as he speaks.) I’ve got A-levels you know, I …?
Gabi You’re talking to me now.
Paul Not really. I’m more talking at you.
Gabi It’s a start.
Paul I’ve had lots of things to say. To you. On different days. Lots of times I wanted to …
Gabi You want to go to a pub?
Paul I have been to a pub. Me and my mum did the Toby Carvery once –
Gabi I mean with me now.
Paul Really?
Gabi No, I’m being sarcastic.
Paul (turning away) Oh, okay …
Gabi Paul …
She holds out her hand. He takes it.
Paul I like your eyes.
Gabi (leading him off) Did your mum tell you to say that?
Paul No. (Beat.) Well, yeah. But it’s true …
Gabi smiles. They exit. Bryn approaches Ismael. Ismael holds his watch up to the light.
Bryn Hey mate … nice watch.
Ismael glares at him, turns and walks away.
It won’t make a difference, will it?
Ismael stops and looks at him.
All this stuff lately. It won’t change anything? (Beat.) I was in the pub, night after the vote came in, and all these fellas were shouting, and singing: ‘Rule Britannia’. And I’ve never liked that tune and I don’t know why anyone needs to rule waves, but just then it felt good to sing about ruling something – like something was happening, like something must be happening if everyone believed it – like something must’ve bust open. But it hadn’t, had it?
Faisa No. No, I don’t think so.
Bryn Nothing’s changing, is it? Not for us.
Faisa So it’s ‘us’ now?
Ismael starts to walk away. Bryn follows.
Bryn You haven’t got a sofa I could kip on? Just a day or two. My girl kicked me out.
Faisa Why would you want to sleep on the sofa of a scab?
Bryn That was only talk, mate – you know the way I talk.
Faisa I never took anyone’s work. I never took anyone’s money.
Bryn I was just pissed off.
Faisa So now I’m pissed off. So piss off.
Ismael exits. Bryn looks after him hopelessly.
SCENE TEN
A PROPOSAL
In darkness we hear Eve banging on metal shutters, yelling from outside.
Eve (outside) A text message?! A fucking text message, Alan?!
Lights up on Alan sitting at his desk in the semi-darkness of the boarded-up shop. He rises, moves towards the noise as a door opens and slams and Eve staggers in.
(Gesturing around.) Is this it, then? Board us up and pack us away? Not even a closing-down sale?
Alan Nothing’s ours to sell. We’ve been absorbed.
Eve Is that right?
Alan The stock, the capital, the assets such as they are –
Eve Five years running round after you making your mistakes look passable, tidying up your crumby little business –
Alan It happened overnight.
Eve You sneak behind my back and shut the place on my day off.
Alan I got a phone call. That was it.
Eve You could’ve rung me. You could’ve told me –
Alan I couldn’t bear to say the words.
Eve You saw this coming.
Alan If I saw it you saw it, Eve.
Eve I asked you straight –
Alan My dad never let a single person go. Started with a staff of ten, finished with two hundred. That was his pride.
Eve You couldn’t bear to fall so you drag the rest of us through the muck.
Alan The day he opened the second shop in Aintree … Standing there grinning in the middle of the industrial estate like he’d discovered the new world. He said to me, ‘We were shopkeepers, kid. Now we’re businessmen.’ He had no bloody idea.
&nb
sp; Eve You pinned a note to the door, Al.
Alan The further you climb the smaller you feel. The further you look up, the more you see there’s something unreachable, untouchable … These men and their money. You think I’m the man with the money – you’ve got no idea.
Eve A note on the door.
Alan Would it’d’ve felt any better if I’d rounded them up and given them a hug? It’s all the same, it’s all done. I’ve got nothing.
Eve If you’ve got nothing, where does that leave the rest of us?
Alan He never knew I’d signed everything away. He was doolally by then. He thought he’d left me an empire.
Eve I didn’t come here to talk about you, Al.
Alan We had each other and we had the business. Me and him. It’s all gone.
He crumples, tears in his eyes. Beat. She goes to him. He takes her hand.
You’re kind to me, Eve … People aren’t any good really – you see that in business.
Eve Maybe you need to meet some new people.
Alan You’re good.
Eve Good doesn’t pay the bills though, eh?
Alan The directors offered me a job out in Cheshire: management consultancy. Corporate nightmare, but I’ll have to take it –
Eve pulls her hand away sharply.
Hang on, I’m trying to say something –
Eve You’re the one with no idea. No idea what it means to lose.
She turns to go quickly but he follows.
Alan Don’t, don’t go …
Eve I’ll see you around.
Alan You won’t though, will you?
Beat. She turns and looks at him.
Stay with me.
Eve What?
Alan I’ve got space to spare. Good area. Good schools. You and Lisa and your mother …
Eve Don’t be stupid.
Alan What’s stupid? You wanted me to help: this is how I can help.
Eve And Danny? You’ll help him too?