No Words

CAST:

MUM

ME

SISTER

SET in the kitchen

ME comes home and enters the kitchen.  She throws her bag down by the kitchen table and opens the fridge, not because she’s hungry, just simply because it’s a force of habit.  MUM is by the stove cooking.

ME: What are you making?

MUM: The ricotta and spinach–

ME: Shit, AGAIN!

MUM: What?  I like it.

ME: We’ve eaten it for two weeks straight.  I should be bloody made of ricotta and spinach by now.

MUM: Well, then, if you don’t like it, you should start cooking dinner more often.

ME: And where am I going to find the time to do that Mum? I’m barely home enough as it is.

MUM: Well, you just have to find the time.

ME: How? Do you know how many things I have on right now?  Not to mention how much I have to put up with.

MUM: Hmm.

ME: You don’t understand.  I’m trying to get this play off the ground, whilst doing research for my exegesis, and I have to work in between that, and also prepare for rehearsals and production meetings.  I barely find time to eat!  I’m working the equivalent of five jobs here.

MUM doesn’t answer, but continues with her cooking, serenely stirring the tomato sauce.  SISTER’s footsteps can be heard coming from her bedroom into the kitchen as she gets ready to pack her bag to go out.  When she enters, she spots ME.

SISTER: Hi.

ME: Hey.

SISTER: Howzyerday?

ME: What?

SISTER: How – was – your – day?

ME: Yeah alright. Where are you going.

SISTER: Have to pop into the hospital.

NB: SISTER is in placements for her nursing degree.

ME: Do they put you on night shifts?

SISTER: Nah, just have to go in there. <leaves>

ME: <to MUM> What’s she going to hospital for?

MUM: She needs to file a report.

ME: Report?  Why? What for?

MUM: She’s doing her clinicals at a psychiatric ward.  One of the patients tried to commit suicide by hanging themselves in the bathroom.  She just happened to walk in as the patient was loosing consciousness.

ME: Holy shit.  Is she alright?

MUM: Well, she’s in critical care, but she’s alright.

ME: No not the patient–

MUM: Oh.  Well, she was a bit shocked, but she’s alright.  She just has to file an incident report.

ME: Jesus.  I don’t know what I would have done if I had walked in on that.

MUM: You do what you have to do.  A person is in trouble you either help them, or call for help.

NB: MUM is an intensive care nurse

ME: Shit.

MUM: What?

ME: She’s only 19.  19 years old, and she’s walked in on that on her first day.

MUM: Hmm.

ME: You see stuff like that every day too don’t you?

MUM: Well, different cases, but they’re all the same – people dieing, or close to dieing.

ME stares at MUM for a long time, taking in what she’s just learnt.

MUM: What?

ME: Nothing.  Here, I’ll help with dinner.

END.

A day in the city

Character:

ME: A foul-mouthed twenty something year old, who hates being late.

Random people who make up the rest of the world.

Setting: A day in the life of Melbourne (present-day)

The early morning rush.  Me gets up and must be at work by 9am in the city.  Living in the South Eastern suburbs she needs to make sure she’s on time.  She gets to the station, the clock reads 8 am.  The platform is crowded, with everyone either on their phones, reading the paper or reading a book.  One singular person is smoking a cigarette pacing the platform eyeing off the clock.

20 minutes pass.  In that time there are two uniformed station hands that have appeared and stand motionless in front of the crowd.  A couple of people try to get their attention but there’s no response.  After several attempts of trying to ask them a question, the crowd ignore the station hands and begin to make phone calls to their respective places of work.

CROWD MEMBER 1: Prithi?  Hello?  Are you there?  Look I’m at the station–what?  No Heatherdale…hello?  Hello!?

CROWD MEMBER 2: No, I don’t think I’ll  hold off calling until I’m sure I’ll be late, like, I’ll call at 9:15.

CROWD MEMBER 3: I don’t know, they said some dude was ill at Blackburn so there aren’t any trains coming…yeah.  They, like, stopped the trains.

VOICE OVER: Good morning passengers on the…um…Lillydale line.  This is a group message to inform you that there will be no trains heading into Flinders Street.  There’s a passenger ill at Blackburn Station, and we are waiting for the ambulance to arrive.  There is a passenger ill at Blackburn Station, and we are waiting for the ambulance to arrive.  So just letting you know, there will be no trains running to Flinders Street.

Pause

VOICE OVER: Um…thanks.

Me hesitates, but she can’t bear to stand still.  She tries for the trams.  The route is longer, but at least she will be moving.

Once on the tram she gets out her phone and makes necessary texts and calls.

ME: SMS: Jesus Christ I’m running late, are you trying to catch a train too?

makes a call

ME: Hey Lisa, just letting you know I’ll be late…I know, I’m terribly sorry, something happened with the trains and they just weren’t running.  I’m so sorry.  I’m on a tram now, so I’m definately on my way.  Okay, see you soon.

SMS recieved: Yeah I know!  I’m late too!

ME: SMS: They said that some dude was sick at Blackburn station.  Pfft.  Whatever.  When I was in high school and there was a hostage situation near Mitcham station, they still let the trains run.  Pathetic.

SMS recieved: Yeah, I think the dude had a heart attack, so I guess stopping the trains isn’t so bad.

ME: SMS: Shit, now I feel bad for being a dick about it. Are the trains running though?

SMS recieved: Well, they are now, I’m at Melbourne Central now.  I’m hungry.

ME: SMS: Shit.  ME 0, Karma 1.  I’m so late.

ME arrives at the city and begins hurrying towards work.

STREET VENDOR: Big Issue!  Get your Big Issue, help the homeless and the terminally unemployed.

Me runs past him without a second glance.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WORKER: Excuse me, do you have two minutes to–

ME: I’m an hour late for work <pushes past her>.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WORKER: Yep, ok fine.

ME: I’m so sorry.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL WORKER: Hey, I’ve got nothing to worry about.

Me 0, Karma 2.

At the End of the day.

ME exits work and heads to Bourke Street Mall to visit a friend.  She pushes her way through the crowd and runs into a man with his hat extended towards her.

BEGGAR: Spare any change Miss?

Me clutches her wallet and walks away.  She goes to buy lunch with her friend, and the soup is so hot it burns her mouth.

ME 0, Karma 3.

After lunch Me goes back to Bourke Street Mall with her friend.

STREET VENDOR: Big Issue!  Get your Big Issue! Help the homeless and the unemployed.

Me ignores him and walks into Myer.  She spends $100 on make up she really shouldn’t have bought.

ME 0, Karma 4.

Me finishes the day and comes home.  She is tired, and has long since washed the day away and has readied herself for bed.  Despite her bed being comfy and her pillows nice and soft, there’s a heavy feeling within her heart that doesn’t allow her to sleep.

ME 0, Karma 5.

END.