ARRIVING
With the house lights still up and ominous music heard, the actors walk in from the rear of the stage; each holding a suitcase, they stand diagonally across the stage. They look out into the audience, acknowledging those they recognise, their eyes searching the audience for compassion.
Then each of the actors slips into their character as a child. Their body language changes, and they speak over the top of one another and in the âstream of consciousnessâ style of the very young. They talk about home, familyâespecially their mothers and fathers. Their voices are full of hope, but tinged with sadness. The cue to finish is:
RUBY: My mumâs coming for me.
ADULT FLASHES
RUBY rocks and sings a crazy lullaby.
RUBY: Donât need no home of me own. Got enough to do.
SANDY pats the suitcase on his bed.
SANDY: I carry my home with me.
ANNE straightens up the pretty bedspread on her bed.
ANNE: My homeâs got lace curtainsâand Iâve got a room of my own.
JIMMY gazes into the distance through the bars of his prison cell (his bed). His mood is heavy and foreboding.
JIMMY: Iâm finally gunna meet my mother.
SHIRLEY looks excited.
SHIRLEY: Eh! Iâm gunna be a grandmother!
Itâs dark and we hear sounds of a woman giving birth at SHIRLEYâs bed. Moans. Cries.
VOICE: One more push. Big push. Keep going. Youâre doing great.
A babyâs cry.
Itâs a girl!
SHIRLEY hurries to front centre stage. She waves a little hand-knitted jumper at us. And she has a parcel. Sheâs excited.
SHIRLEY: I know, sheâll probably get tons of baby clothes but sheâs gotta get something from her grandma. A new baby. I bet thereâs nothing like that feeling of holding your new grandchildâor any childâin your arms. The tiny little fingers. Those faces they pullâŠ
She pulls a few baby faces. At the same time the lights rise on RUBY, crying like a baby. RUBY wails, then listens to see if someone is coming to pick her up. The next time her cry is louder and more demanding. Again no one comes.
Babies are so helpless, but itâs funny, you know. You hold a new baby againâand I had two of my ownâand itâs you that feels vulnerable. Kate, I held you once in my arms and I didnât get to hold you for another twenty-five years.
She holds the jumper to her cheek tenderly and pauses, caught up in a distant memory.
Heavens, [laughing with exhilaration] why am I standing here talking?! Iâm going to be a grandmother!
RUBY meanwhile sits bolt upright and calls out.
RUBY: I want⊠I want myâŠ
SHIRLEYâs voice catches. Sheâs thinking about the past.
SHIRLEY: I didnât get the chance to be a mother to Kate and Lionel and now Iâm going to be a grandmother!
RUBY: I want my mummyâŠ
SHIRLEY: But this time, this time⊠[She wipes away a tear.] This time Iâm going to hold my baby and never let her go.
RUBY: [screaming out] Where are you?
A bell rings. JIMMY, ANNE, RUBY and SHIRLEY begin their cleaning routine. SANDY, with his suitcase, wanders reluctantly into the environment. He puts the suitcase under the bed. Music comes up as sandy makes his bed while the others sweep and scrub the floor. The smell of Phenol wafts out to the audience. Then they stand to attention again. Another bell rings.
HIDING SANDY
Lights up to dawn. SANDY is sitting on his bedhead fishing.
SANDYâS MUM: [voice] Sandy! Sandy. Weâve gotta go.
SANDY: [reeling in a fish] What about my fish? Iâve caught a beauty.
SANDYâS MUM: [voice] Sandy, please, be a good boy. Letâs go.
SANDY: What about my stuffâyou got my stuff?
SANDYâS MUM: [voice] Thereâs no time, Sandy. Iâll get them to send it.
SANDY: But Mum, my fishâŠ
SANDYâS MUM: [voice] Sandy, run!
SANDY moves in a panicky fashion as if he was running away from something.
SANDY: Always on the run.
COUSIN: When me cousin came to stay, he was crying all the time. He wanted his mum and dad. My mum tried to make him feel better. She said theyâd se...