Her In The Room Upstairs. (2) Sally: Your wife won’t mind? Sidney: Why should she? Only keeping us company. Not as if there’d be any trouble to it. Sally: I’d like to listen to the radio. Might like what I hear. Sidney: You never know until you listen. Life’s like that. Give things a go. Try something new. Sally :( Pause. She looks upstage to the kitchen door, then looks around the room.)The walls are a bit bare. Don’t you like paintings? Sidney: Not got around to it. Sally: I like paintings. A friend of mine was a painter. Sidney: Violet doesn’t like the walls cluttered up. Sally: Bit bare though aren’t they? (Looks at Sidney.) Sidney: You tell her, not me. Maybe she’ll listen to you. Sally: I like walls with pictures on. Something to look at. Sidney: Well, Violet thinks it clutters up the place. She hates things untidy. Sally: My mum was like that. Despite the fact there were so many of us about the place. Walked about with a duster in her hand. (Giggles.)Think she must have gone to bed with a duster in her hand. Sidney: I thought a mirror over the fireplace would be all right, but she thinks it looks out of place. Sally: We had this dark brown paint on our doors when we were young and mum hated it. Said it made it look dingy. (Pause.)Your wife won’t mind me having dinner here will she? Sidney: No, of course not. We advertised meals as well as room. Easier that way. Sally: Don’t want to put people out. Sidney: It won’t put us out. (Pause.)Has Violet said anything? Sally: No. (Pause.)Where’d you work? Sidney: Underground trains. I work at the ticket office. Charing Cross. Sally: Oh, I see. (Pause. Picks up her glass and stares at Sidney through it.)Have you always been faithful to your wife? Sidney: Yes. (Looks at Sally feels uneasy.)Why’d you ask? Sally: Just wondered. (Sips from the glass.)Some men aren’t. Sidney: Well, I am. (Looks upstage at the kitchen door.)Always have been always will. (Pause. Looks at Sally.)You’re a bit nosey aren’t you? You ask so many questions. Sally: Sorry, Sidney. I don’t mean any harm. Just bloody nosey, my mum says. Says I’ll have a nose like a parrot if I’m not careful. Sidney: Some people might find it disturbing. Sally: Do you, Sidney? (Looks at him and smiles.) Does it disturb you? Sidney: You’re very forward. I thought you were shy when I saw you this morning. But you’re quite pushy, aren’t you? Sally: Don’t you think I’m pretty, Sidney? (Looks at him with a childlike expression.)My dad says I could knock a bloke over at fifty feet. Sidney :( Put his finger to his lips.)Not so loud. Violet might hear you. Sally: I like Violet. I don’t mean anything. Sidney: I know you don’t it’s just that Violet might think otherwise. (Pause. Looks around the room, then at Sally.)Some men might get the wrong idea. You ought to be careful what you say to men. They can get the wrong impression. (Sighs. Stares at Sally.)I think you’re pretty, yes, you are, but that don’t mean that… Sally: My sister got herself pregnant when she was sixteen. My dad went for her something rotten. Sidney: What happened? Sally: Didn’t your parents tell you anything? Went with a bloke from Chelsea and that was it. (Smiles.)Blokes are all the same, I told her. Keep your legs crossed and your fingers uncrossed. Sidney :( Looks upstage at the kitchen door.)Violet should be out soon with the dinner. She’s a good cook. Likes to do it all herself. Sally :( Looks at Sidney.)Good on her. Maybe she’ll show me how to cook. Sidney: I don’t know about that, she’s very… (Stares at Sally.) Sally: I was joking, Sidney, joking. (Pause. Both look upstage in silence.) End of Scene Three. Act One. Scene Four. Late evening. Violet sits on the sofa extreme left, Sidney is in the centre and Sally is on the right. Violet has book in her lap. Sidney has one of his stamp albums open on his lap and Sally sits looking at the floor. The sound of some classical music is heard softly from an unseen radio. The room is dim except over the sofa. Sidney: And this is one of my favourites. It’s a Penny Red. I like its colouring. Violet: Don’t go and bore the poor girl or she’ll not come down here again. Sally: No, it’s all right. I asked Sidney if I could see some of his stamps. Sidney: I don’t see how anyone could not like stamps. They’re beautiful. A form of art. Violet: I like chocolate, but I wouldn’t want it down my throat every minute. Sally: My friend’s brother collected stamps. Had lots of stamp albums he did. He’d pore over them for hours pointing out those he liked best. Violet: Don’t encourage him, Sally, he’d spend even more hours over them than he does now. Sidney: Would you I rather I was down the pub drinking? Violet: I didn’t say that did I. I just said that you spend enough time and money on stamps without being encouraged even more with the damned things. (Pause.)There are things you could be doing in the garden. Sally: Stamps do have a certain attraction though. Sidney: Thank you, Sally. I’m glad someone appreciates them apart from me. Sally: Not that I’d collect them, but they do have a certain beauty. Violet: Beauty? I don’t see any beauty in a lot of old stamps. All right for kids, but a man should have other interests. Sidney: Some men do. Stamps are mine. I like my stamps. Violet :( Picks up her book and scans through a page or so.) It’s not as if they’re worth anything. I could understand it, then. It’d make sense to collect stamps if they were worth a few pounds, but what you’ve got aren’t worth much at all. Sally: Is there any news about that murder? Sidney: Haven’t heard anything. There were still police there this morning when I went by. Violet: Makes you think doesn’t it when a murder’s committed close by? Usually you read about it, but when it’s on your doorstep it makes you think. Sidney: Not actually on our doorstep is it. It’s round the corner up the road a bit. Violet: You know what I mean. It’s not far away. Could be someone we know that committed the murder. Sidney: Just as likely to be someone from outside. Police know what they’re up to. They’ll be knocking at doors soon. Sally: Will they? (Looks at Sidney.)What come here? Sidney: They do if they want any eyewitnesses and such things. Not that we’d have seen or heard anything, but none the less I expect they’ll be round sometime or other. Violet: Looking for a man I expect. Sidney: Not necessarily. Could have been a woman with an axe to grind. Sally: Could have been a domestic. Was he married? (Looks at Violet.)Sometimes married couples get on each other’s nerves. On the other hand, he may have cheated on someone. Violet: I don’t like it. Makes me feel uneasy knowing there’s a murderer about somewhere. Sidney: There’s always a murderer about somewhere in the world. Just happens to be here this time that he or she’s turned up. Violet: You’re a great comfort you are. Sally: Long gone now, I expect. Won’t hang around waiting for the police to pick them up will they? Sidney: That’s right. Long gone. Fled the country maybe. Violet: None the less, I’ll be happy when they’re caught. (Pause. Looks at Sidney.)Best make sure all the doors and windows are shut tight. Don’t want any murderer in here after us. Sidney: They won’t come here. What’d they come here for? What have we done to warrant a visit from some murderer? Nothing. You talk a load of nonsense at times. Enough to make young Sally here get the jitters. Violet: You can’t be too careful. Sidney :( Looks at Sally.)Don’t take any notice of her; she’ll have you running for cover at the first sign of a knock at the door. Sally: I best go up to bed. Been a long day for me. (Rises from the sofa and stands looking around the room.)I do appreciate you letting me have the room. Violet: Nice to have you here. Shame we had this murder near by. It isn’t usually like it around here. Sidney: Yes, nice to have you here. Hope you sleep all right. (They both watch as Sally walks upstage to the door and goes out.)You and your big mouth. Going on like that about blooming murderers. Violet: Just saying how scaring it was. I have to say things that frighten me. Can’t just bottle it up. (Pause.)Anyway. She’ll be all right. She looks quite confident about things. Sidney: No thanks to you. (Pause.)And going on about my stamps and me. I don’t moan about you and your hobbies. Violet: I don’t have any hobbies. I don’t have time for hobbies. (Pause. Opens her book and stares at the page.)Just saying, that’s all. Nothing meant by it. Just saying. (Pause.)And don’t get all over her. Sidney: What you mean all over her? I was only talking to her. Violet: Mustn’t frighten poor Sally. You and she seemed quite friendly. Sidney: Talking that’s all. Just being friendly. After all, she is our lodger. Can’t ignore her can I? Can’t not speak to her. Violet: There’s speaking and speaking. Sidney: What you on about, now? Violet: Just saying, don’t get all over her. (Pause.)The girl needs her space. Needs her peace and quiet. Time to herself. Doesn’t need you sniffing round her like some blooming dog. Sidney: You said she could have the room. You said she could come down and share our lounge. I just went with what you wanted; now I’m getting the blame because she talks to me. (Pause.)I knew this would happen. Get a woman near me and you’re like a cat on hot tiles. Can’t believe I’m just being friendly, no. It has to be something more. (Pause.)Well, you’re wrong. She is just a girl whose happens to be our lodger nothing more, nothing less. Violet: Better just be that. I don’t want any nonsense while I’m out shopping. Sidney: Your trust in me is so comforting. You’d have thought I was a bloody Casanova instead of a station worker. Violet: Just saying that’s all. Can’t be too careful. Have to be on your toes with these young girls. Might make a pass at you. Sidney: You’ve seen her. She’s not made a pass at me once. Violet: Just be careful. (Pause. Closes her book with a thud.) Sidney: I’ll keep my hands in my pockets and my eyes averted shall I? Put my hands over my mouth when she speaks to me? Violet: You’re just being silly, now. Can’t talk to you nowadays. (Gets up hurriedly and walks upstage with her book under her arm and out the door. Sidney shakes his head and sighs. Opens his stamp album at stares at the page. Lights fade.) End of Scene Four. Act One. Scene Five. Midnight. A bed lower centre stage. Upstage right a door. Lower stage left a window with curtains drawn. Room is dim apart from bed and window area. Sally is wearing a white nightdress standing on the edge of the stage staring into the auditorium. Sally: Not a bad room. I’ve seen worse. They’re an odd couple though, but I quite like them, each in their own way. (Pause.)This’ll do me for a while. I can stay here without much fuss. Don’t want any fuss. Had enough of that recently. I hope the police don’t come sticking their nose in round here. They’re always sticking their noses in where I am. (Pause.)Things mustn’t get out of hand. Don’t want that. Don’t want that at all. (Smiles.)Him and his stamps. Never met anyone as fond of stamps as him. They don’t get on very well. She’s all right. He’s a little bit staid. Little bit mediocre. But I reckon I can wake him up if I try hard enough. (Pause. Looks back at the bed.)The bed looks comfortable, but the wallpaper’s a bit plain. Could do with a few pictures. Bring colour in to the room. (Pause. Looks out over the auditorium.)They know nothing of me yet. They think I’m just a young girl without much knowledge of things, but they’ll know different soon. Oh, yes, they’ll know different soon. (A gentle knock at the door. Sally walks upstage to the door and opens it. Violet stands there and Sally beckons her in.)I wondered who it was. Violet: Just thought I’d ask how you were settling in. Sally: It looks fine. (Looks at Violet intensely.)You all right? You look a bit tearful. Violet: I’m all right. (Looks around the room.)You should be comfortable in here. It’s not been used much. I aired the bed last week. (Looks at Sally.)Don’t take any notice of Sidney and me. We have our arguments occasionally. He’s all right most of the time. (Looks away from Sally.)Yes, you should be all right in here. (Sighs.)I hope you stay. Sally: I’m sure I will. (Places her hand on Violet’s arm.)And don’t worry about me. I’m sure we can get to know each other better. (Violet looks at Sally’s hand.)Early days yet. (Moves her hand by her side.)Best get to bed, it’s been a long day. Violet :( Looks unsure of herself as Sally’s hand moves away.)Yes, of course you must. I hope you do stay. (Looks at Sally.)I really do. Sally: Me too. Violet: Well, I’ll be off. Have a good night. (Goes out the door and closes it softly behind her.) Sally :( Walks downstage towards the bed.)See what I mean? Nice woman. She and I will have to get to know each other better. More intimately. (Pause. Sits on the edge of the bed facing the auditorium.)Yet, Sidney mustn’t be left out. Can’t have him left out in the cold. Not just yet. I need to worm my way in here very carefully. Need to weigh up the balance between them. Need to get right into them. Make them feel that they can’t do without me. (Pause. Smiles.)But I have to be careful. I don’t want a mistake to upset the whole thing before I start. I’ve made that mistake before and had to sort it out in a way that ended up very messy. (Pause. Gentle knock at the door. Sally walks upstage to the door and opens it. Sidney is standing there. They look at each other for a few moments and then Sally nods for him to enter the room and she shuts the door behind him. Sidney looks around the room and then at Sally.) Sidney: Just wondered how you were settling in. Sally: Just getting ready for bed. Sidney: Oh, right. Sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude… Sally: That’s all right, Sidney. Nice of you to come and see how I was. (Smiles.)The bed looks very comfortable. I should sleep like a baby. Sidney: I should go. (Turns to leave, but Sally touches his arm.)Violet might wonder where I’ve got to. Sally: Do you think, Sidney, I could… (Looks around the room.)Put up some pictures on the walls? Sidney: Walls? Pictures? Oh, yes I don’t see why not. Sally: Violet won’t mind? Sidney: No, I shouldn’t think so. (Stands staring at Sally.)It ought to be fine. Pictures are fine. Nice. Might brighten the place up a bit. Make you feel… (Looks upstage.)Feel at home. Sally :( Moves her hand away from Sidney’s arm.)That’s what I thought, Sidney. Make it more homelike. Sidney: Yes, homelike. (Looks at the walls and then at Sally.) Sally: And Violet won’t mind? Sidney: No, it’ll be fine. Nice pictures will make it look warmer. Sally: Yes, warmer. Does it cold in here during the winter? Sidney: Well, I don’t think it gets that cold. Just a bit chilly that’s all. You can always have a hot water bottle. We do in winter. Gets a bit chilly in our room in the winter. Sally: Does it? Sidney: Yes. (Pause.)Need a hot water bottle, then. Sally: Yes, I suppose you do. Sidney: Look, I best go. Hope you sleep all right, Sally. Sally: Oh, I expect I will. Sidney. Snuggle down in between the sheets. Sidney: And breakfast is about seven o’clock. Violet’s quite punctual. Sally: Yes, I expect she is. Sidney: Likes to have a sense of order. (Pause. Smiles weakly.)A place and a time she says. Sally: Yes, a time and a place. (Smiles.)For everything. Sidney: Yes, that’s what she says. Right, see you in the morning. (Opens the door and looks at Sally. He hesitates a moment or two and then goes out closing the door behind him. Sally walks downstage to the bed and sits on it staring at the auditorium.) Sally: See? I think I’m going to be all right here. Think I’ll be able to worm myself right into their very souls. (Giggles.)Oh, the time and place thing. I could almost feel his eyes wanting me just now. Could almost sense his fingers wanting to feel me all over. (Pause.)However, I have to play it right. Have to take it slowly. One step at a time. Ease myself in between them. (Laughs softly.)They’re almost like children. Like little kids fighting over who’s going to have the top of the milk first. (Laughs softly again.)I’ll have them eating out of my hands by the time I’ve finished. Have them wanting to have me each to themselves not knowing the other has me as well. What a game. (Giggles.) What a bloody game this will be. (Pause. Gets off the bed, climbs in the bed pulling the sheets, and covers over her. Light fades. End of Act One and Scene Five. Act Two. Scene One. Early morning three days later. Table set out for breakfast as before. Curtains drawn back. Sidney standing wearing his underground uniform on the edge of the stage staring at the auditorium. Sidney: You’ve got to be honest about these things. At least honest with yourself or you’ll go mad and end up in some lunatic asylum. (Pause. Looks behind him and then back at the auditorium.)She’s given me the impression that she’d like to get me in her bed, but is holding out for the right opportunity. Can’t swear to it of course, but these things seem quite obvious when you think about it. I mean she hasn’t actually said so as such, but, well, it stands to reason, she must want me or why the hell give the impression you do, if you don’t?(Pause.)I mean she not a whore or anything so you’ve got to take it easy, but the way she looks at me and talks to me, it’s obvious to me at least that that’s what she wants deep down.(Pause. Breathes in deeply.)But I can’t be too bloody open about it not with Violet about so much. She’s got her blooming ears to the ground most of the time like a bloody Sioux Indian. Or she’s sniffing around me like a bloodhound wanting to see if I’ve any of Sally’s perfume on me. As if, I’d be so stupid to actually go about reeking of her scent. Women. They’re like a load of Sherlock Holmes at times. Always asking questions. Always looking for a reason behind the obvious. Fair makes me want to spit. And I do sometimes. Get this urge to spit at her. Like I did her mother if I saw her. (Pauses suddenly as the door opens upstage and Sally enters. She is wearing a green dress and stands looking at Sidney for a few moments. Then she walks downstage and sits at the table. Sidney walks upstage to the table and sits opposite her. They stare at each other. Sidney pours her a cup of tea from the teapot and then adds a little milk. Sally spoons in sugar. Sidney pours himself a cup of tea and adds milk and sugar. They both stir their teas.) Sally: Where’s Violet? Sidney: In the kitchen. Sally: Is she all right? Sidney: Why shouldn’t she be? Sally: She seemed a little quiet last night. She didn’t say much while we were in the lounge. Sidney: She's like that sometimes. One moment she can talk the tail off a vixen the next she’s as quiet as fish in water. Sally: You don’t think she’s fed up with me being around do you? I mean I can always leave if she’s not happy me being here. Sidney: No, no, she’s fine about you being here. Sally: As she said as much? Sidney: Well, not in so many words, but I know she likes you being here. Sally :( Sips her tea.)Are you sure? Sidney: Course, I am. I’d soon know if she were unhappy about your presence here. She’s not mentioned it to me at all. Quite happy about it I’m certain. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that she’s very pleased you’re here. (Pause. Looks upstage to the kitchen door.)Why should she mind? Sally: Well wives get jealous sometimes of another woman in their house. It’s part of a woman's make up. Mothers get jealous of their daughters and daughters of their mothers or sisters. It’s quite normal. Sidney: No, I’m sure she’s not jealous. What would she have to be jealous of? I mean nothing is going on between us. We’re just… Sally: Good friends. Sidney: Yes, that’s it. Good friends. We’re good friends. Sally: But women can still get jealous of friends. Sidney: They can? Sally: Sure, they can. Women don’t trust other women. It’s in their blood. Sidney: Really? I never thought of it that way. I never realized. Sally: Well women know women. It’s part of their way of surviving the difficulties of life. Sidney: It that right? I would never have known. (Pause. Sips his tea. Violet wearing a blue dress enters from the kitchen carrying a tray with three plates on it. She places the tray on the table and puts the plates in the three spaces in front of each chair. Then she puts the tray on the floor by the window, returns to the chair, and sits down. They all look at each other then at their plates. A fried breakfast is on each plate. They pick up the knives and forks and begin to eat.) Violet: The police came this morning. Sally: The police? What did they want? Sidney: Was it about that murder? Violet: Yes and no. Sidney: Yes and no? What do you mean yes and no? They must have been here about that or not. They can’t have been here about it and not been here about it. Violet: Well, yes it was partly about the other murder, but also about another murder. Sidney: Another murder? Where the hell was this murder and when?
Copyright © 2005 Terry Collett |