Brian Friel Plays 2 (53 page)

Berna
Isn’t this your hat, Angela?

Angela
Thanks.

Berna
Do you want it?

Angela
My good hat for God’s sake! Why wouldn’t I want it? Thank you. The only sun hat I have.

Berna
hands
the
hat
to
Angela.
A
moment’s
hesitation.
Then
she
removes
the
scarf
from
her
neck
and
knots
it
on
one
of
the
arms
of
the
stand.
Frank
witnesses
this
episode.

Trish
(
to
George
)
I’ll take that (
accordion
)
.

George
Why?

Trish
What d’you mean ‘why’? I’ll put it in the case for you.

George
Why?

Trish
Because we’re about to – Fine – fine! Suit yourself!

George
Yes.

Trish
moves
away
from
him.
Frank
goes
to
the
stand,
takes
off
his
belt
and
buckles
it
round
the
upright.
Now
he
sees
Terry
watching
him.

Frank
(
breezily
)
Maybe that’s a bit reckless, is it? D’you think they’ll stay up by themselves?

Terry
I’m all for a gamble.

Frank
Pot belly. Safe enough.

Trish
witnesses
this
episode.
Trish
looks
at
the
mound
of
stones.

Trish
Should we put these back where we found them?

Berna
I wouldn’t bother. They were scattered all over the place when we got here.

Trish
goes
to
the
stand.
She
takes
off
her
bracelet
and
hangs
it
on
one
of
the
arms,
balancing
Berna’s
scarf.
Then
she
goes
back
to
George,
who
is
standing
immobile
beside
their
belongings.

Trish
Give me your handkerchief.

George
does
not
move.
Trish
takes
the
handkerchief
out
of
his
breast
pocket,
returns
to
the
stand
and
knots
the
handkerchief
beside
her
bracelet.

Angela
(
to
Terry
)
Did you say you had honey cake?

Terry
Yes. Are you hungry? (
He
produces
the
cake
from
the
hamper.
A
sealed
tin.
)
How do you open this thing?

Angela
No, no; don’t open it. I’ll leave it here, I think. (
She
places
the
tin
on
top
of
a
bollard.
)

Terry
What are you doing?

Angela
For Carlin. You don’t mind, do you? He’s sure to come snooping around after we’ve gone. A present.

Terry
Will you ever come back here?

Angela
Just to keep him sweet.

Berna
Is this yours, Frank (
camera
case
)?

Frank
Just looking for that. Thank you.

Angela
(
to
Terry
)
Sorry for that outburst a while ago.

Terry
Please …

Angela
It was a lovely birthday.

Terry
We’ll not talk about that. Interesting place, though.

Angela
Pretty.

Terry
Wonderful, isn’t it?

Angela
(
gesturing
to
the
island
)
I can live without all that stuff, Terry. Honestly. Housework – the kids – teaching – bills – Frank – doctors – more bills – just getting through every day is about as much as I can handle; more than I can handle at times. (
remembering
that
the
island
is
his
)
I really wish you luck with it. Yes–yes–yes, of course it’s wonderful – beautiful and wonderful.

Terry
When will I see you?

Angela
Terry –

Terry
Next Sunday?

Angela
No. Please.

She
spreads
her
hands
as
if
to
say
,
‘What
’
s
the
point? 
Can’t
you
see
there’s
no
point?
’
Then,
very
quickly,
she
takes
his
hands
in
hers,
squeezes
them,
and
then
swiftly
moves
away
from
him.
Frank
has
found
a
small
bottle.
He
holds
it
up.

Frank
Anybody mind if I pour this out? (
He
reads:
) Cherry Brandy. (
He
empties
it
out.
)
God, that’s a sin, isn’t it?

Now
he
picks
up
a
plastic
cup,
scoops
whatever
water
is
left
in
the
‘well’
and
pours
it
into
the
brandy
bottle.
Now
he
is
aware
that
Terry
and
Angela
are
watching
him.
He
laughs.

For a quick shot on the way home. In case Charlie’s jokes get too bad. Hardly any (
water
)
left …

He
corks
the
bottle
with
paper
tissues.
Trish
goes
to
the
small
pile
of
rubbish
(paper
tissues,
plastic
cups,
etc.)
that
Angela
gathered.
She
strikes
a
match.
Just
as
she
is
about
to
set
fire
to
the
refuse,
Angela
rushes
to
her
and
stamps
the
fire
out
with
her
foot.

Angela
For God’s sake, woman!

Trish
What have I –?

Angela
You can’t light a fire here! (
calm
again
)
We can take this away with us, can’t we? That would be simpler, wouldn’t it? (
She
begins
piling
the
rubbish
into
a
plastic
bag.
)

Trish
(
excessive
astonishment
)
Oh good Lord, we’re suddenly very house-proud, aren’t we?

Angela
puts
her
hand
on
Trish
’
s
elbow.

Angela
Sorry, Trish. Could do with some sleep.

She
moves
away
to
the
end
of
the
pier
and
looks
around.
The
various
tasks
have
been
completed.

Frank
Now, Terry. Yourself.

Terry
What’s that?

Frank
You’re going to leave a visiting card, aren’t you?

Terry
A visiting –?

Frank
On the stand. ‘Terry Martin Was Here.’

Terry
(
laughing
)
Nothing to leave. (
He
produces
coins.
) Is money any good?

Trish
Useless, Terry.

Terry
What else can I give you?

Frank
What else can he give us? What about that shirt?

Suddenly
everybody
is
listening,
watching.

Berna
Yes, Terry. The shirt.

Frank
Is the shirt what we want?

Trish
The shirt will do.

Berna
We want the shirt!

Trish
Hand it over, Terry.

Terry
Ah, come on now –

Frank
We all want the shirt, don’t we?

George
Yes–yes–yes!

Now
Trish
sings
rapidly
–
and
keeps
singing
again
and
again:
‘
I
want
the
shirt
–
I
want
the
shirt
’
;
to
the
air
of
‘
Here
Comes
the
Bride
’
.

Frank
We’ll take it now, Terry.

Berna
We want it now, Terry, now.

Terry
Here – I’ll give you a pen-knife – matches –

Frank
No good. The shirt, Terry. Hand it over.

Terry
tries
to
back
away
from
them.
They
encircle
him.
They
sing
with
Trish:

All
‘We want the shirt – we want the shirt – (
etc.
)’

Terry
My shoes! My shoes and socks –

Berna
The shirt, Terry.

Trish
The shirt – the shirt!

Frank
The shirt – the shirt – the shirt!

All
sing
again
,
‘We
want
the
shirt
–
we
want
the
shirt
–’
George
starts
playing
‘Here
Comes
the
Bride
’
.

Terry
For God’s sake, this is the only shirt I have here!

Frank
Grab him!

Terry
Frank –!

And
suddenly
they
all
grab
him
(all
except
Angela
who
is
by herself
at
the
end
of
the
pier
–
but
watching).
Terry
falls
to
the
ground.
They
pull
at
his
shirt.
As
they
do,
overlapping:

Berna
We have him!

Frank
Hold his feet!

Terry
For God’s sake!

Trish
Give it to us!

Frank
Hold him – hold him!

Trish
We want it – we want it!

Terry
Help!

Berna
Want it – want it – want it!

Frank
Want it, Terry – want it!

Berna
Pull – pull – pull!

Trish
I’ve got it!

Berna
Rip it off!

Terry
Angela, help –!

Frank
Hold his hands!