Despairing Housewife
In the hallway/sitting room of a fairly simple family home. Telephone on table against wall stage right. Dining-table with two chairs centre stage. Front door/main entrance down stage right. Door to kitchen stage left.
Characters:MOLLY – late middle-aged woman anxious, visually impaired, music teacher BILLY -- son of Molly, early teens, highly imaginative, spoilt brat FIONA -- lives next-door to Molly, insensitive
SCENE 1
Billy enters stage right, returning home from school. He sees a note on the table beside the phone, picks it up, reads and reacts to it. He puts it in his pocket and goes to sit down at the dining-table. He takes out his mobile phone and starts to play a game. Molly enters stage right, also returning from school, carrying a bag which she puts on the dining-table. She is tired.
MOLLYHello (takes off coat)
Has Jose come in yet?
BILLY (smirking)Haven't seen him.
MOLLYOh. How was school today?
BILLYFine.
MOLLYWhat did you do?
BILLYNothing
MOLLY (exasperated)You must have done something!
BILLYJust stuff…. Carries on with game
Pause
MOLLY (to herself)I wonder what's keeping him. (to Billy) Have you got any homework?
BILLYSuppose so……French.
They sit, Molly working out a melody on a descant recorder, Billy pretending to do his homework. Molly checks her watch
MOLLYHave you checked the answering-machine in case José's left a message?
BILLYThere were no messages on the phone…
MOLLYIt's not like him to be so late…….I suppose you're getting hungry – I'll not eat until José comes in. do you want to wait or have something now?
BILLYNow, I guess.
MOLLYThere's a pizza in the freezer, second drawer. Just pop it in the microwave.
BILLY (puts mobile in his pocket) Okay.
He exits stage left.
Short pause.
SCENE 2
Telephone rings. Molly goes over and picks up. She listens intently to the person on the other end. She holds herself stiffly, looks slightly shocked.
MOLLYYes, this is Maureen Malone…that's right, José Riba…oh, no!...yes, of course…Thank you.
She puts the receiver down carefully and looks into the distance, trying not to cry. Slowly goes back to chair and sits with head in her hands.
Lights down.
SCENE 3
It is the following day. Molly sits at the table, head in hands, looking as if she hasn't slept.
Billy moves Molly's bag to the floor.
BILLY(exiting stage right) Bye Mum, see you later!
MOLLYBye (slightly distracted)
FIONA(enters stage right, calling as she enters) Are you okay, Molly? I saw Billy leave, but you didn't go off to do your shopping as usual. You're are not ill or something?
MOLLYOh Fiona, I don't know what to do. José didn't come home last night. He's never done that before.
FIONANo! What do you think has happened? Had an accident or something have you been in touch with the police or phoned the hospitals?
MOLLY He's been working up the road at that woman's house. You know, the one whose husband ran off with the bar maid. She really fancies herself but she's a lot younger than me, more José's age and I could never believe that he would be with me forever it was so fantastic when he said he loved me too and wanted to come back home with me.
FIONADo you mean that Laura. I heard she was looking for a man. (pause and Molly sobs quietly)
MOLLYAnd Billy and he seem to get on really well, oh I can't tell Billy that José's gone…(weeping now)…
FIONAYou're so lucky, I mean men don't seem to want to spend time with me. I think I scare them off even though I like things like football and…did you see the match last night, I mean 3 – 2, it was a fluke…..
(long pause as Fiona self consciously pats Molly on the arm)
FIONAHave you seen the price of a loaf in the local shop, ridiculous, no wonder people go to……..(embarrassed pause)
MOLLY(can no longer keep back the worst)…and there was a dreadful phone call last night I don't know who it was but they said that they were looking for José and they were going to hurt him you hear of such awful things I can't bear to think of hurting that beautiful man. I couldn't bear it if he never came back oh what am I to do? (breaks down in tears)
FIONAOH! It's like on the telly, maybe he's been kidnapped and sent back to Spain, maybe they think he is a terrorist. …..Well I wouldn't think so, I mean he is so… so...well yes you know what I mean…..
After a while they both fall silent, Fiona patting Molly awkwardly on the shoulder, Molly sobbing and wiping her nose. Fiona unsure what to do
FIONAWell if he has gone off with- you know who- (pause) that happened to someone I worked with and she had a terrible time his family blamed her but I think that really he was the one who was wrong – typical man!
Molly starts crying again)
FIONA(looking at watch) Well time is getting on, nearly lunchtime
MOLLY(hears footsteps off-stage) Billy is that you?
Billy enters stage right.
MOLLY (to Billy) Hallo, love, Fiona and I have to talk over something, why don't you go and make yourself a sandwich?
BILLYOkay then. exits stage left.
MOLLY(whispers to Fiona) Oh, don't let Billy know José's not back. …What am I going to do?
FIONANot sure
MOLLYDo you think I should phone the police?
Telephone rings. Molly rushes over to answer.
MOLLYHallo… Maureen Malone speaking…hallo?.…hallo?.. (she puts the phone down turns to Fiona) that was strange, they didn't say anything. Oh what am I going to do? etc.
Billy returns and sits down in Molly's seat.
BILLYI can't find the cheese, Mum!
MOLLYFor goodness' sake Billy! exits stage right.
SCENE 4
Fiona and Billy sit at opposite sides of the dining-table.
FIONAWell, what are we going to do?
BILLYWhat do you mean "we"? (stands up)
FIONAWell, about José, of course, "leaving" ? (realises she's put her foot in it)
BILLYWhat's that got to do with you?
FIONAWe need to help your Mum because she's very upset. I remember in this TV programme when this sort of thing happens….
BILLY (interrupting)It's got nothing to do with you, you nosey old bat!
FIONAIt's very upsetting and your Mum could get depressed and….
BILLY (interrupting again)Get lost!
FIONABut she might go off and do something terrible.
BILLYI'm not listening to this you old cow. (to audience) Why won't she shut up?
FIONA(to audience) Oh what a cheek nothing exciting ever happens to me.
Billy turns to exit stage right, stops and pulls the note from his pocket and throws it on the table. He exits stage right.
FIONA(picks up note and starts to read it as Molly returns to her seat. She puts the note back on the table and looks indifferent.)
CURTAIN
8 April 2006, Susan, Jay & Jacqueline
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