

[0001] May (M), dishevelled grey hair, worn grey wrap
hiding feet, trailing.
[0002] Woman's voice (V) from dark upstage.
[0003] Strip: downstage, parallel with front, length seven
steps, width one metre, a little off centre audience
right.
DIAGRAM 1
[0004] Pacing: starting with right foot (r) from right (R)
to left (L), with left foot (l) from L to R.
[0005] Turn: rightabout at L, leftabout at R.
[0006] Steps: clearly audible rhythmic pad.
[0007] Lighting: dim, strongest at floor level, less on body,
least on head.
[0008] Voices: both low throughout.
[0009] Curtain. [0010] Stage in darkness.
[0011] Faint gong single chime. [0012] Pause as echoes die.
[0013] Fade up to dim on strip. [0014] Rest in darkness.
[0015] M discovered pacing approaching L. [0016] Turns at L, paces
three more lebngths, halts facing front at R.
[0017] Pause.
M |
[0018] Mother. [0019] (Pause. [0020] No louder.) [0021] Mother. |
[0022] Pause.
V |
[0023] Yes, May. |
M |
[0024] Were you asleep? |
V |
[0025] Deep asleep. [0026] (Pause.) [0027] I heard you in my deep sleep.
[0028] (Pause.) [0029] There is no sleep so deep I would not hear
you there. [0030] (Pau |
[0037] M halts facing front xxx at R. [0038] Pause.
M |
[0039] Would you like me to inject you again? |
V |
[0040] Yes, but it is too soon. |
[0041] Pause.


M |
[0042] Would you like me to change your position? |
V |
[0043] Yes, but it is too soon. |
[0044] Pause.
M |
[0045] |
[0062] Pause.
V |
[0063] Yes, but it is too soon. |
[0064] Pause.
M |
[0065] What age am I now? |
V |
[0066] And I? [0067] |
M |
[0070] |
V |
[0071] So much? |
M |
[0072] Eighty-nine, ninety. |
V |
[0073] I had you late. [0075] |
[0081] Pause.
M |
[0082] Well? |
V |
[0083] In your forties. |
M |
[0084] So little ? |
V |
[0085] I'm afraid so. [0086] (Pause. [0087] M resumes pacing. [0088] After first
turn at L.) [0089] May. [0090] (Pause. [0091] No louder.) [0092] May. |
M |
V |
[0095] Will you never have done? [0096] (Pause.) [0097] Will you never have done ... revolving it all? |
M |
V |
[0100] It all. [0101] (Pause.) [0102] In your poor mind. [0103] (Pause.) [0104] It all.
[0105] (Pause.) [0106] It all. |
[0107] M continues pacing. [0108] Five seconds. [0109] Fade out ofn strip.
[0110] All in darkness. [0111] Steps silent.
[0112] Long pause.
[0113] Gong Chime a little fainter. [0114] Pause for echoes.
[0115] Fade up to a little less on strip. [0116] Rest in darkness.
[0117] M discovered facing front at R.
[0118] Pause.


V |
[0119] I walk here now. [0120] (Pause.) [0121] Rather I come and stand.
[0122] (Pause.) [0123] At nightfall. [0124] (Pause.) [0125] My voice is in her
mind. [0126] (Pause.) [0127] She fancies she is alone. [0128] (Pause.) [0129] See how still she stands, how firm, with her face
to the wall. [0130] (Pause.) [0131] How outwardly unmoved. [0132] (Pause.)
[0133] She has not been out since girlhood. [0134] (Pause.) [0135] She
hears in her poor mind, She has not been out since
girlhood. [0136] (Pause.) [0137] Not out since girlhood. [0138] (Pause.)
[0139] Where is she, it may be asked. [0140] (Pause.) [0141] In the old
home, the same where she - [0142] (Pause.) [0143] The same where
she began. [0144] (Pause.) [0145] Where it began. [0146] (Pause.) [0147] It all
began. [0148] (Pause.) [0149] But this, when did this begin? [0150] (Pause.)
[0151] When other girls of her age were out at...lacrosse she
was already here. [0152] (Pause.) [0153] At this. [0154] (Pause.) [0155] The floor
here, now bare, was o |
[0190] M continues pacing. [0191] Five seconds. [0192] Fade out on strip.
[0193] All in darkness. [0194] Steps silent. [0195] Long pause.
[0195] Long pause.
[0196] Gong Chime a little fainter still. [0197] Pause for echoes.
[0198] Fade up to a little less still on strip. [0199] Rest in darkness.
[0200] M discovered facing front at R.
[0201] Pause.


M |
[0202] Sequel. [0203] A little later, when she was quite forgotten,
she began - [0204] (Pause.) [0205] A little later, when as though
she had never been, it never been, she began to walk.
[0206] (Pause.) [0207] At nightfall. [0208] (Pause.) [0209] Slip out at nightfall
and into the little church by the south door, always
locked at that hour, and walk, up and down, up and
down, his poor arm.
[0210] (Pause.) [0211] Some |


M |
[0268] kind. [0269] I was not there. [0270] Mrs W: Not there? [0271] Amy: Not
there. [0272] Mrs W: But I heard you respond. [0273] (Pause.) [0274] I
heard you say Amen. [0275] (Pause.) [0276] How could you have
responded if you were not there? [0277] (Pause.) [0278] How could
you possibly have said Amen if, as you claim, you
were not there? [0279] (Pause.) [0280] The love of God, and the
fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all, evermore. [0281] Amen. [0282] (Pause.) [0283] I heard you distinctly. [0284] (Pause.
[0285] Begins pacing. [0286] After three steps halts without |
[0310] Pause. [0311] Fade out on strip. [0312] All in darkness.
[0313] Pause.
[0314] Gong Chime a little fainter still. [0315] Pause for echoes.
[0316] Fade up to a little less still on strip.
[0317] No trace of Mary May.
[0318] Hold fifteen seconds.
[0319] Fade out.
[0320] Curtain.
DOODLE 3