Humble Boy by Charlotte Jones

Author:Charlotte Jones
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781466891111
Publisher: Faber & Faber

Act Two

Late summer.

As for the first act, except now the garden is set for a party. There is a large table which has been laid for five people. Flora has gone to quite a lot of effort. During this act the light fades very slowly.

Jim is there. He is tidying up round the garden. He sees the pot of ashes on the floor. He absently picks it up and places it on the table. He exits at the same time as Mercy enters. Perhaps he makes way for her.

Mercy comes out, carrying a very large bowl of soup, with a ladle. Her shoes are a little too high and she proceeds with extreme caution. She is dressed rather eccentrically for the party and in a state of excitement.

Mercy (shouts back towards the house) I can manage! (She places the soup and ladle on the table. Shouts back:) Oh it looks heavenly out here, Flora. (She puts out her hand to check for rain. Shouts back:) I think it’ll hold out, you know. (She adjusts several settings on the table. Shouts back:) We’re a chair short, Flora. (She waits for a response. There is no response. She sighs, looks around and sees the gardening chair that Jim sat on earlier. She brings it over to the table. It is considerably shorter than the other chairs.) That’ll do for me.

Then she tastes the soup. She wrinkles her face, indicating that the soup needs something. She spots the ashes, which are now next to the salt cellar on the table. First of all she adds a little salt. Then she takes the lid off the honey-pot and sees what she thinks is pepper. She takes a sprinkle and adds it to the soup. She tastes again. She is still not sure. She adds a bigger handful. She tastes. She is more pleased.

George enters. He looks dapper. He carries flowers and a bottle of champagne. He comes up behind Mercy and pinches her bum. Mercy is absolutely delighted. She is obviously infatuated with George.

George There she is, the little corker!

Mercy George!

George Looks delicious.

Mercy Gazpacho. Although I held back on the pimentos. I’m worried it hasn’t got enough zing.

George Gazpacho! Where did you learn to make that?

Mercy Oh, I just followed a –

George Don’t tell me, Spanish Civil War?

Mercy What?

George Don’t try and fool me. I can see through the innocent act, Mercy Lott. You were out there with Franco, giving it some.

Mercy giggles, hits him playfully. She revels in this attention.

Mercy (laughing) You know I’ve hardly even been outside the Cotswolds.

George Balls! We’ve got a little red under the bed, haven’t we? She’s only small but she’s at the nub of things. Cuban Missile Crisis. Fall of the Berlin Wall. There she is in the background, waving. Cooee!

Mercy You do tickle me, really you do.

George Where’s the main girl?

Mercy Inside making the salad. I did the starter and the pudding. To help Flora out, you know. I’ve done my fig tart.

George Well, bugger me.

Mercy giggles.

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