Don't Look Twice. (3)
Ada: I’ve got no time now to talk. I’m tired. I’m going to bed. Monty: Can I sleep on the sofa for the night save me going back to my hotel? Ben: Sure. That all right, Ada? Ada: I suppose so. Monty: Thanks. It’ll save me time. I’m tired too. Ben: That’s that then. I’m off to bed too. See you, Monty. (Ben goes to Ada. Monty looks at Ada. Ada looks at him with a cool stare then she and Ben move up stage and go out the door. Monty shakes his head and sighs. Light fades.) End of Scene Three. Act One. Scene Four. After midnight. Room in darkness except around the sofa. Monty is lying on sofa. Door opens upstage and Ada looks in the room. She closes the door behind her and walks downstage to the sofa where she stands looking down at Monty. Ada: Are you awake? Monty: Who’s that? (Monty sits up quickly and looks up at Ada.)What do you want? Ada: Ben said your room is upstairs. I didn’t know it was yours. No one said anything about you. I didn’t even know you existed until Ben introduced you. Monty: I guess I deserved to be forgotten after the trouble I caused them. Ada: What did you do murder somebody? Monty: No. (Pause. Sits on the edge of the sofa. Ada walks around and stands facing Monty who now looks at the ground.)Though you’d have thought I had the way I’ve been exiled out of existence. Ada: They must have had their reasons. Your parents don’t look the type to be so unkind normally. Monty: Don’t be deceived by Dad. He can hold grudges like a ferret on a rabbit’s neck. Ada: I’m not deceived. I know he must have been upset to be the way he is with you. Monty: Hasn’t Ben filled you in on my shady past? Ada: He’s said little about you. He just said your room is empty if you wanted to sleep in it. Nothing’s changed since you left apparently. Mum wanted it to be left as it was for you. (Looks upstage.)As far as Mum is concerned, you can do no wrong. Monty: She didn’t mention me to you though, did she? Ada: I expect she had her reasons. (Looks at Monty.)Mothers aren’t usually the ones to give up on their children no matter what they’ve done. (Walks away a few feet. Stops and looks at Monty.)Ben said nothing either. We don’t keep secrets from each other, but he said nothing about you at all. Monty: There’s brotherly love for you. Who said blood was thicker than water? And you aren’t too happy about me turning up out of the blue. What’s got you uptight about me? Ada :( Moves back to the sofa and stands over Monty.) I don’t want any of them to be hurt. They’re my family now. Monty: They’re my family too, not that you’d know that by their reaction to my arrival. Ada: What did you expect, a party with a brass band and bunting? Monty: No, just little bit of welcome and interest in how I have got on. Ada: Why did you leave it for ten years? Monty: Time passes very quickly when you’re busy. Ada: Too busy for your family? Too busy to make a phone call or write a letter? Monty: I had to prove something to them. Had to prove I could make something of myself. Ada: And have you? Monty: You saw the car. They don’t come cheap you know. And my hotel is a five star and costly. Ada: Is money your god? Monty: No, it’s a means to my happiness. I worked my backside off to get where I am today. No one gave me a thing without I worked myself hard for it. And what happens? I come home and I’m treated like a bad penny. Like I was some kind of diseased idiot. Ada: You’ve got to give them time. Monty: Time? What they want me to do hang around for the next ten years sipping tea and visiting old aunts? Ada: They need you to give them time to get used to you being here. Monty :( Stands up and he and Ada face each other.)Time is a precious commodity. Time is money. Money is the means to happiness and happiness is what I want most of all. Ada :( Looks upstage.)What about their happiness? Monty: What about their happiness? Have I to stand still until they catch up with my lifestyle and me? Ada :( Looks back at Monty.)You’re quite shallow aren’t you? Monty: Who made you judge and jury? Ada: What have you got you hide, Monty? What have you done that makes your family so unfriendly towards you? Monty :( Laughs.)Unfriendly? I’ve been welcomed better by the screws in prison. Even the lifers gave me a smile when I passed them in their cells. Ada: Quite the hard man aren’t you? Monty: Isn’t it time you went back to your hubby in that warm bed of yours? Ada: The sooner you leave the better for all concerned. (Moves away from Monty, but Monty takes hold of her arm.)Let go of my arm. (Monty releases her arm casually and wipes his hand on his trousers.)Why don’t you just go, Monty? What is there to keep you here? Monty: I don’t give up on people so easily. Mum’s still only seen me a few hours. I can’t just go again, can I? And Ben for all his big man image is still the kid brother I had years back. He’ll need me to get him out of the rut he’s in. Ada :( Glares at Monty.)You leave Ben alone. He doesn’t need anything from you. He’s got all he needs. Monty :( Smiles.)You’re quite a firebird aren’t you? I like that in a woman. Shows character. Shows she’s got a bit of spirit. Ada: What do you about women? You’re just a user of people. You only use people. You wouldn’t know how to start a real relationship. You only know what you can get out of people. And that includes women too I should imagine. Monty :( Laughs.)You really have got a jaw on you, haven’t you? Like a some kind of guard dog. Ready to bite anyone who comes too close. Ada :( Sighs.)Your room is empty if you want it. Ben will wonder where I’ve got to if I hang down here much longer. Monty: Jealous type is he? Doesn’t he trust you? Ada :( Moves away from Monty and the sofa.)Don’t flatter yourself, Monty. You’re not my type. Monty: What is your type, Ada? Is Ben your type? Is he? (Laughs softly.)I never thought Ben was any woman’s type. But you, you’re different. You got that something that intrigues me. Ada: Shame. You’ll have to find someone else won’t you? Monty: Yeah, maybe I will. Maybe I’ll look for someone just like you. Some woman who’s got that something beyond the usual physical features that most women flaunt like cheap jewellery. Ada: Don’t make a noise if you go upstairs. Mum and Dad sleep lightly. (She walks upstage a little then stops.)And don’t outstay your welcome. Monty: Don’t I get a goodnight kiss? Ada: I don’t think so. Monty: Shame. I was thinking it might help me sleep. Ada: Goodnight, Monty. (Walks upstage and goes out the door.) Monty: Goodnight, Ada. (Softly.) Goodnight firebird. (Looks around for a few moments then walks upstage and goes out the door.) End of Act One and Scene Four. Act two. Scene One. Early morning two days later. Joe, Ben, Ada and Winnie are sitting around the table. The table has been laid for breakfast and each is at a different stage of their meal. Winnie: Where’s Monty? I thought he’d be back by now. Joe: You didn’t think he’d be back did you? He won’t show his face here again. He didn’t get the welcome he wanted, so he won’t be back. Winnie: How can you say that? He’s our son. Of course he’ll be back. Ada: Yes, Mum’s right, he’ll be back. Joe: You don’t know him as we do, Ada. He’s seen all that he needs to see. He won’t come back. Ben: I think he will, Dad. He said he would. He’s probably had business to attend to. Joe: Told you that did he? You always were a mug as far as Monty was concerned. I thought you’d have learnt your lesson by now. Ada: I think you’re being too hard on Monty, Dad. People can change. Joe: Not his type. They never change. Ben: Got to give him a chance at least. Winnie: He isn’t all bad. Just got off on the wrong foot that’s all. Joe: Wrong foot be buggered. He was always a bad apple. Ada: I think he’ll be back, if only to see Mum again. Joe: He didn’t care last time to come back for any goodbyes, so why should he this time? No, you’ve got it wrong about him. He won’t be back. (Pause.)Has he left anything here, Benny boy? Ben: No. Just slept the night and had breakfast then went. Back to his hotel. At least that’s what he said. (Pause. Silence for a few moments. Ada rises and takes some empty plates upstage to the kitchen.) Joe: Ada doesn’t know him as we do. Ben: She knows men. She knows when people are lying or not. She has the gift of knowing these things. Joe: Monty’s not just any man. He’s got the bloody devil in him. I know him of old. Ten years hasn’t changed him one bit. He’s still out for himself and no other bugger. Ada’s a good girl. She won’t have seen his type. He’s a one off, thank God. Winnie: He’s my Monty. He’s isn’t all bad. He cares about me at least. That I do know. Joe: You don’t know. You hope so. You don’t know him as much as you think you do. He’d run ring round you as soon as look at you. It’s the way he is. (Pause. Silence follows for a few moments. Ada returns and takes some more dishes on a try she has brought with her. Silence as she does this. She goes back upstage to the kitchen.) I’m surprised we haven’t had the bloody police round here asking about him again. Ben: He’s gone straight now. Joe: He couldn’t go straight to save his life. He’s as bent now as ever. Winnie: He’ll be back. Joe: No, he won’t. Ben: I think he’s straight now. I can tell. Joe: You can’t tell bugger all. You’re as daft as he’s crafty. Winnie: Mark my words if he isn’t. Back to see his old mum. Joe: No way he’ll be back. Might as well say goodbye to him here and now. Ben: Ada thinks he’ll be back, too. Joe: I don’t give a damn what you lot think, he’ll not be back in a thousand years. (Pause. All are silent. Ada walks downstage, empties the table, and takes it away on the tray into the kitchen.)What’s he got to come back for? What’s here for him? He got the welcome of a leper in a theme park. He won’t be back here. (Pause.)And if he does, it’s because he’s after something. He wants something. No reason for him to come back. Winnie: My Monty’ll be back to see his mum. He loves his mum. I know him because he’s my eldest son. I carried him for nine months. I should know him better than you, Joe. Joe: You’re blind to his faults. You always have been. Ben: He’ll come back to see Mum, I know he will. Joe: He didn’t last time. Your mother was broken hearted when he didn’t show up. The man doesn’t give a damn. He’s got his head in a different world from us. He mixes with people who’d cut your throat as quick as look at you. Winnie: So you say. You mixed with some roughs when you were young and you made your mother cry on more than one occasion. Joe: But I grew up and faced up to my responsibilities. (Silence. Ada walks downstage and sits down. She looks at Ben and then at Joe.)It’s true Ada. Monty won’t be back. Not unless he’s after something. If he sees something he wants he’ll hang around until he gets it then he’ll be off like a bad smell. Ada: He is back. He in the back garden sitting on the seat smoking. Winnie: Told you he’d be back. He wouldn’t go off without seeing his old mum first. Joe: How long’s he been out there? Ada: He came a few minutes ago. He waved and sat down and lit a cigarette. Ben: I knew he wouldn’t go off like he did last time. He’s a changed man. Joe: Then he’s after something. He’s after something and won’t go until he gets it. Ada: He looks happy enough sitting out there. I think he might have changed, Dad. Joe: No, Ada my dear girl, he hasn’t changed. He can’t change because he’s riddled with selfishness and greed. Winnie: What’s he doing out there? Why didn’t he come in and have breakfast with us? Ben: Perhaps he had breakfast at his hotel. Stands to reason he’s going to have his breakfast at the hotel. Joe: Look in his eyes. You’ll see the real Monty there. The dark eyes reveal the real man behind the mask. Ben: Why are you so bitter about him? Joe: Your memory may have failed you, Benny Boy, but not me. I know all that he’s done and remember him when he did thing that brought pain to us and your mother was heart-broken by him and his damned deeds. So don’t give me any of that why business. Ada: Calm, Dad. (Puts her arm around Joe’s shoulder.)You know what the doctor said about your heart and getting over excited. Joe :( He sighs deeply. He closes his eyes.)All right, I’ll calm down. But don’t expect me to be taken in by him. Cause I won’t. (Pats Ada’s hand and looks at her.)I wish you were my real daughter. I wish to hell you were my flesh and blood. I’d be a very proud man if you were. (Joe rises and Ada’s looks at Ben. Joe walks upstage to the door and goes out.) Ada: He shouldn’t get too excited. The doctor said he wasn’t to be upset. Ben: I’ve never seen Dad take to anyone like he’s taken to you, Ada. You seem to get right through to him and touch something we can’t. Winnie: Is Monty coming in or not? Ada: He will Mum, when he’s ready. Winnie: He’s my Monty. I won’t have you father running him down like that. Ada: I’m sure everything will be all right, Mum. Dad’ll calm down once he sees Monty isn’t up to anything. Ben: I hope so. I hate these scenes. They wear me out. Makes me feel like I was a young kid again and him and Dad would go hammer and tongs at each other. Ada: That was then. This is now. Winnie: Yes, Ada’s right. This is now. Monty’s changed. Ben: I hope he has for all our sakes. Ada: I’m going to see that Dad’s all right. (Gets up, walks upstage to the door, and goes out.) Ben: You all right, Mum? Winnie: Yes, I’m all right, Benny. (Pause.)Your brother isn’t as bad as your father makes out. I know he was a bit of a tear away when he was young, but he’s still family and he’s still my son. My Monty. My Monty who only wanted to prove his father wrong and be something. Your father said he’d amount to nothing and Monty said he would. Said he’d be a rich man and have things that Dad only dreamed of. (Pause.)He wrote to me. He wrote to me, but I never told your father because I knew he would be bitter and tear up the letters. But Monty wrote to me. He said what he was doing and…Anyway, he’s back. My Monty’s back. Ben: When did he write to you? Winnie: When you and your father were running him down. He wrote to me because he knew I’d always be there for him and stand by him. Ben: You didn’t tell me. You let us worry about him and said nothing. Winnie: Monty made me promise I wouldn’t say anything. He wanted me to be in the picture. Wanted me to know things were changing for him. Ben: But you said nothing to me. Me his brother. Winnie: I couldn’t break my promise could I? I mean Monty made me promise. Ben: When did he write last? Winnie: Five years ago. Then it went all quiet. He never wrote again. I thought he’d been killed. But he’s back now. My Monty’s back. (Silence. Ben looks at Winnie and shakes his head. Winnie smiles and closes her eyes.) End of Scene One. Act Two. Scene Two. An hour later. Monty and Ada are sitting on the garden seat. Ada: So where have you been? Monty: I had business to attend to. Why did you miss me? Ada: No, not me. Mum was worried about you. Monty: Mum always worries about me. She always has and always will. It’s what mothers do best. Ada: You could have said you’d not be here yesterday. Monty: Why? What’s it to you? Ada: To me nothing, but to Mum it’s everything. Monty: She knew I’d come back to see her. Ada: Dad said you wouldn’t. He told her wouldn’t be back. Monty: That’s just like him. Always putting me down. He’s never trusted me. Never given me credit for anything. Ada: Can you blame him? Monty: What do you mean? Ada: The way you’ve behaved in the past is enough to give him a fair scope for judging you as a person. Monty: Don’t you start putting me down. I’ve enough of him at it. Ada: I’m not putting you down. I’m merely saying by your past record you can’t expect Dad to see you through rose coloured glasses. Monty: He’s always seen me through dark glasses and never seen me for what I might have been if he’d taken the trouble to understand me. Ada: So what now? Monty: What now? What do you mean what now? Ada: What do you intend to do now? Monty: That’s for me to know and you to find out. Ada: And what about Mum? Is she to find out when it suits you? Monty: I’m not beholden to anyone. I’m a free agent. I can come and go when I want. Ada: Not here you can’t. Monty: And who says? Ada: Dad won’t put up with that attitude. Monty: And what’s he going to do about it? Throw me out? Ada: Have you always been so arrogant or did you take lessons? Monty: I’ve always been sure of myself. I had to be or get sat on by him. He gave me credit for nothing. He was always putting me down. Ada: But you’ve not helped your case by your attitude. Monty: Who made you spokesperson for the family? You’re only an in-law. You’re not real family. Therefore, if I were you, Ada, I’d keep my nose out of family affairs. Ada: When Dad says I’m not to say anything, then I’ll say nothing, until then I’ll say what I think needs saying, whether that upsets you or not. Monty: Where’d Benny Boy find you? He might put up with your mouth going off like an old record, but I don’t like it. Ada: Oh, what a shame. (Pause. Monty gets up, walks down towards the edge of the stage, and stares out at the auditorium.)You might have money and your own business, but this is family, not an extension of your business empire. Monty :( Sighs. Shakes his head.)You know nothing about my business. Ada: I don’t want to know. Monty: You’d be the first woman who didn’t. They’re always after something. Always after something are women. Ada: Well I’m not. I’m only concerned about Mum, Dad, and Ben of course. Monty: You’re a real family girl aren’t you? (Turns and stares at Ada.)I suppose that’s what attracted you to Benny. He’s such a stick-in-the-mud it makes me want to vomit. Ada: Well, we can’t all be roving big shots can we? Some of us have to keep our feet on the ground and keep the world turning. Monty :( Laughs.)You’re quite a woman aren’t you? Full of that old world wisdom and good folks nonsense. Ada: I’m me. I’m what I am. I don’t pretend to be other than I am. Monty: What do you want: a medal? Ada: No, Monty, just a little respect. Monty: Oh, respect is it? That’s what you want is it? Ada: Not for me so much, but Mum and Dad. They deserve your respect. Monty :( Laughs. Shakes his head and moves upstage to the garden seat and stands looking down at Ada.)My father, girlie, deserves nothing from me. He deserves only what he gives out to me and that’s condemnation. Ada: Why did you come back? What made you come here? Monty: Because I wanted to see them and let them see how I’d got my life together and made it in the real world. Is that so bad? Ada: Well, Dad’s not impressed. I think he wants to be, but something is eating at him inside. Monty: Well, let’s not waste our time on the impossible. Let’s talk about the possible. Ada: And what’s that? Monty: You and me. I could make your life much better than Benny Boy could ever do. I could give you a life of luxury and style. Ada: I don’t think so. Monty: What? You doubt I’d keep my word? You think I’ve no business at all? Ada: No, I expect you have what you say you have. But I don’t think we would have much in common. Monty :( Monty sits down next to Ada.)You’re a woman who could make it in this world. You’ve got spirit. You’ve got sense. I admire that. I think you and I could go places. Ada: And what about Ben? Doesn’t he deserve a thought in this? Monty: Benny’s going nowhere. He’s got no sense of business or adventure. He wants nothing beyond his mediocre tastes and whims. You could do better than him. You could live your life rather than waste it on the likes of him. Ada: But he’s your brother. Surely, you must have some thought for him? Monty: No. He’s a brother. Brothers are a matter of biology. I had no choice of who my brother was going to be, but my partner and business associates are my choice and I choose them from my own knowledge and trust. Ada: How little you know me. Do you think I’d even give the matter an honest thought? You and I have nothing common except the fact that we are related by my marriage to your brother. Monty: Shame. You could have had a life worth living. You could have been somebody. Ada: I am somebody. I’m me. Monty :( Sighs.)I thought you had sense and the spirit of adventure, but I guess I was wrong. Sad. Really sad. I quite like you. Ada: And I love Ben. Monty: Easy to love losers when that’s all you’ve ever known. Ada: Did you come back only to upset people again? Or was there something else? Monty: Business is my first consideration. And it was business that brought me back to this country for a few weeks. I thought it time I showed my face and let them see how well I’d done. Ada: Well, now they’ve seen perhaps you’ll go again. Monty :( Takes hold of Ada’s hand and kisses it.)I’ll go when I’m ready. I’ll go when I’ve sorted what needs sorting and not before. (Releases her hand.)So, stick around and think about what I’ve said. Ada: I’ve thought about it for all five seconds. No need to hold your breath for any different answer from me. (Gets up from the seat and walks to the edge of the stage.) Monty: Time will tell. I’m in no hurry. I’ve got a few more weeks yet. Time will tell about your decision, Ada, time will tell.
Copyright © 2005 Terry Collett |