Brian Friel Plays 2 (54 page)

Berna
Need it – need it!

Trish
Got it! Yes!

Terry
Please –!

Frank
Pull – pull – pull!

George
stops
playing.
Now
Frank
stands
up
in
triumph,
a
portion
of
Terry’s
shirt
held
aloft.

There!

Trish
Well done, Frank.

Berna
Now hang it up, Terry. (
to
all
)
Yes?

George
Yes – yes!

Trish
Hang it up there, Terry. Come on – be a sport!

Terry
gets
to
his
feet
and
pulls
the
remnant
of
his
shirt
together.

Terry
Happy now, are you?

Frank
On the lifebelt stand. Has to be done in person.

Terry
You’re a shower of bastards – you know that.

He
takes
the
piece
of
the
shirt
and
hangs
it
up.
They
applaud.

Berna
Terry Martin Was Here.

Terry
Satisfied?

Trish
Wonderful!

Terry
OK?

Frank
You’ll be remembered here for ever, Terry.

Terry
Happy now? I hope you’re all happy now.

Berna
Don’t be such a crank.

Frank
Bit of fun, Terry. That’s all.

Terry
(
relenting
)
Not a button left.

Frank
Just passing the time – killing time.

Terry
And I could have split my head on those stones!

Frank
Just a bit of fun. (
He
goes
to
one
of
his
bags
and
produces
a
shirt.
)

Trish
You look wonderful, Terry. Doesn’t he?

Frank
This should fit you.

Terry
raises
his
hand
in
a
pretended
gesture
of
striking
him.

And it’s your colour.

Terry
I like this now. I’m not going to part with it. Bastards …

The
moment
has
passed.
They
finish
tidying
up.
They
look
around
the
pier,
now
restored
to
what
it
was
when
they
arrived.

Trish
So …

Berna
So …

They
look
like
people
at
a
station
–
some
standing
–
some
sitting
–
just
waiting
patiently
to
get
away.

Trish
Lovely harvest day, isn’t it?

Berna
What time is it now?

Frank
Coming up to seven thirty.

Brief
pause.
Frank
sees
two
stones
a
few
feet
away
from
the
mound
of
stones.
He
picks
one
up
and
places
it
on
top
of
the
mound.

Simple domestic instincts …

He
now
picks
up
the
second
stone
and
places
it
on
top
of
the
mound.

(
to
Terry
)
At seven thirty in the morning the rage for the absolute isn’t quite so consuming … The acceptance of what
is
…

Brief
pause.

Angela
He’s out there somewhere, just below the surface.

Terry
Who’s that?

Angela
His dancing porpoise.

Frank
Damn right. Waiting for an audience.

Terry
Not many audiences around here.

Frank
Or maybe just searching for the other thirteen. Who’s to say?

Short
pause.

Trish
Is he punctual?

Terry
(
laughing
)
Carlin?

Trish
(
wearily
)
God! Your driver – Charlie!

Terry
He’ll be on time. He’s always on bloody time.

Short
pause.

Trish
(
to
George
)
Are you not going to put that into the case?

George
No.

Trish
What’s got into you?

George
I’m not finished playing.

Short
pause.
Angela
is
still
by
herself
at
the
end
of
the
pier.

Angela
There was a city called Eleusis in Attica in ancient Greece; and every year at the end of summer, religious ceremonies were held there in honour of Demeter, the goddess of the harvest – what we would call a harvest festival. And they were known as the Eleusinian Mysteries.

Frank
Off again!

Trish
No more stories, Angela. Let’s get back to real life.

Angela
All we know about the ceremonies is that they began with a period of fasting; that there was a ritual purification in the sea; and that young people went through a ceremony of initiation. And there was music and dancing and drinking. And we know, too, that sacrifice was offered. And that’s about all we know. Because the people who took part in the ceremonies vowed never to speak of what happened there. So that when the civilization came to an end it took the secrets of the Eleusinian Mysteries with it.

Frank
What’s your point – that they had bishops too? I’ll tell you something; it’s going to be another roaster of a day.

Brief
pause.

Berna
Play something for us, George.

George
What?

Berna
Whatever gives you pleasure.

George
My pleasure … right …

He
strikes
a
few
chords
as
he
wonders
what
he
will
play.
Then
suddenly:

Trish
Shh! Listen! Listen!

Berna
What is it?

Trish
Stop! Quiet! Stop!

Frank
Is it –?

Trish
The minibus! Isn’t it? Listen!

Frank
I don’t hear –

Berna
It is! She’s right!

Trish
At last! At last!

Terry
Told you he was bloody punctual.

They
are
all
suddenly
animated,
excited,
joyous.
They
pick
up
their
belongings.
They
all
talk
at
the
same
time.

Frank
Good old Charlie!

Terry
Whose is this?

Trish
What new jokes will he have?

Angela
Don’t forget your sleeping-bag.

Berna
We’ll be home by lunchtime.

Angela
Can you manage all that?

Frank
You’re sun-burned.

George
Am I?

Frank
Your forehead.

Trish
The moment I get home – straight to bed!

Frank
You’re very lucky to have Charlie.

And
gradually
as
the
minibus
gets
closer,
their
chatter
and
their
excitement
die
away.
Now
the
minibus
has
arrived.
The
engine
is
switched
off.
Frank
goes
to
the
exit.

Good man, Charlie. With you in a moment. (
He
now
sees
the
tin
of
honey
cake
and
picks
it
up.
)
What’s this?

Terry
That’s for Carlin.

Frank
Like hell. I’m taking –

Terry
Leave it, Frank.

Frank
Sorry …

Nobody
moves,
they
look
around.
Nobody
speaks.
Finally:

Trish
Nice place all the same … Isn’t it?

Frank
Lovely.

Trish
It really is, Terry.

Berna
So peaceful.

Trish
Lovely.

Frank
Really peaceful.

Trish
Wonderful.

Frank
Wonderful.

Trish
(
to
George
)
Isn’t it wonderful?

George
Yes.

Terry
Angela’s right: it was a mess, the whole thing.

Frank
Terry –

Terry
The least said … I just feel I’ve let you all down.

Frank
Don’t say another word. It was a great birthday party. We had a wonderful time.

Trish
He’s right, Terry. Terrific.

Frank
Thank you. And we’ll do it again some time. (
to
all
)
Agreed? (
to
George
)
Right, George?

George
spreads
his
hands
and
smiles.

Only this time I’ll take Mr Carlin in hand and he’ll do what he’s supposed to do.

Trish
And even though we don’t make it out there –

Frank
Of course we’ll make it! Why wouldn’t we make it?

Trish
Well, at least now we know … it’s there.

Frank
(
calls
)
’Bye, Conall!

Trish
(
calls
)
’Bye, Conall!

Frank
sings
‘Aloha’.

Terry
I should tell you –

Trish
(
calls
)
Be good, Conall!

Terry
I should have said –

Frank
Trish, my love, you’re looking nowhere near it.

Trish
What do you –?

Frank
turns
her
head
to
the
right.

Frank
Got it now?

Trish
Ah.

Frank
Still County Sligo.

Trish
I know it’s County Sligo, Frank.

Frank
(
to
all
)
See? Nothing changes.

Angela
(
to
Terry
)
You should have told us what?

Terry
Nothing.

Angela
What should you have told us?

Terry
(
reluctantly
)
What I said yesterday afternoon – this morning – I’m confused – when was it? – anyhow, when I told you I owned the island, that
is
true – well, partially true. I
have
taken an option on it. The option expires in a month. And I’m not going to pick it up.