Calcutta Kosher by Shelley Silas

Author:Shelley Silas [Shelley Silas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-78319-399-8
Publisher: OBERON BOOKS Ltd
Published: 2013-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

ACT TWO

As before. The candles burn. SILVIE picks at the bread. MOZELLE dozes in her day chair. MAKI enters.

MAKI: Shall I bring you some food?

SILVIE: No need. (Beat.) She seems calmer. Did Dr Chuck say anything else? You were out there long enough.

MAKI: Just that he’ll come again in the morning. She’s his favourite patient you know.

SILVIE: Really? I wonder why? He’s a good-looking man, Maki.

MAKI: He’s a married man, Silvie.

SILVIE: Don’t let that stop you, Maki. I just said he was good looking. Anyway, you already have a man.

MAKI: Apparently I do.

SILVIE: You know, Dr Chuck’s father delivered me. I don’t suppose he delivered you too?

MAKI: I was born in Darjeeling.

SILVIE: Oh.

SILVIE continues to break and eat pieces of bread.

MOZELLE stirs.

MAKI: You’re sure I can’t get you something?

SILVIE: If I pick I always feel as though I’m not really eating. It’s the stupidest thing, but I keep doing it. (Beat.) I’d forgotten how quickly it gets dark here.

MAKI: No twilight.

MOZELLE quietly starts to say the Shema.

MOZELLE: Shema Israel – Adoni E-Lo-Hey-Noo – Adonai E-Had. Ba-ruch Shem Ke-Vod Mal-Koo-Tow Le-o-Lam Va-Ed.

SILVIE: I wish she’d let us take her to hospital.

MAKI: She was choking, that’s all.

SILVIE: Didn’t look like it to me.

MAKI: She eats so fast and doesn’t chew her food properly.

SILVIE: Won’t she let us put her to bed.

MAKI: No. She doesn’t want to miss anything.

SILVIE: She never did. She always liked to know what was going on. (Beat.) Didn’t you ever want to tell us who you were?

MAKI: It was easier to say nothing.

SILVIE: But didn’t you ever feel the need to say something? Anything?

MAKI: Not really.

SILVIE: I couldn’t have kept my mouth shut.

MOZELLE’s praying becomes louder.

I wish she’d stop doing that.

MAKI: It was what Maisie did the night before she died.

SILVIE: Maisie?

MAKI: As if she was getting ready.

SILVIE: Did she know about you too?

MAKI: I think so.

SILVIE: Please don’t tell me everyone knew except Esther and me?

MAKI: Not everyone.

SILVIE: So what, she just kept you here like a companion? What did she tell everyone, that you were an orphan and she felt sorry for you? (Beat.) She’s driving me crazy.

MAKI: Are you always so hard?

SILVIE: I’ve been known to be even harder. My therapist calls it survival. Silvie, she says, you must open up and allow yourself to feel, to respond. Helen, I say, I am responding, it just looks like I’m not. Besides, if I responded in the way everyone else did, I’d never stop crying. You know, I could do with something a little more substantial. All this bread isn’t doing me any good.

MAKI: I’ll go and ask Siddique.

MAKI exits.

SILVIE: Why do you keep doing that?

MOZELLE: I’m dying.

SILVIE: You’re not dying.

MOZELLE: I’m dying so I’m praying.

SILVIE: You’re not dying. You’re just having a bad hair day.

MOZELLE: What were you saying to Maki?

SILVIE: Nothing.

MOZELLE: Won’t Esther come down?

SILVIE: She won’t look at me let alone talk to me. She’s hiding under the sheets. Afraid the pigeons will crap on her.

MOZELLE: It’s meant to be good luck you know?

SILVIE: Maybe you should tell that to Esther.

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