Read A Baker's 6-Pack Of Plays (7-10 Minute plays) Page 5
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TECHNOLOGY FOR THE ELDERLY – THE PLAY
CAST:
2 females, 1 male (voice only)
- NANCY, elderly female, age 70’s-80’s.
- MARY, elderly female, age 70’s-80’s.
- GARY male, voice only by phone.
LOCATION: Lounge, indoors, general lounge furniture.
IMPORTANT PROPS:
- 2 lounge chairs
- a chair by a telephone table
- a telephone
- a coffee table which has one short leg propped up with notebook computer case.
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NANCY and MARY (sitting on a large lounge, are making small talk.)
(The phone begins ringing. NANCY gets up, and lifts the phone out of the charger.)
NANCY. Hello.
(The voice of GARY is from offstage playing the voice of the telephone caller)
GARY. Mum, Gary here. Just thought I’d phone and see how you are.
NANCY. Oh, hello, Gary. Nice of you to phone. I’ve been quite well you know.
GARY. S’pose you’ve got a busy day as usual?
NANCY. Oh yes. There’s always something happening. Mary, from next door, has just popped in, and I’m gonna make a cuppa for us both.
NANCY (smiles as she sees Mary looking at her, and temporarily puts her hand over the mouthpiece.)
NANCY. It’s my son Gary.
GARY. I really feel bad at times that I can’t visit you more often. But the 500 odd kilometers is a bit far to come just to pop in.
NANCY. I know. But it’s always nice to hear from you. Hang on Darling, I’ll just get a chair.
NANCY (pulls a small stool out from under the phone table, and sits.)
Now I’m ready. What were you saying?
GARY. We’ll try to make a visit next Christmas break though. We’re really sorry we didn’t make it last Christmas. But you know teenage kids. Last year they wanted to visit Disneyland; next thing, they want to see something else, and suddenly all the time’s gone.
NANCY. I know dear, I had children once. Sometimes I think they’re still in Disneyland.
GARY. I realise we haven’t seen you for over two years, but we’ll really try and come next Christmas. Maybe stay just long enough to take you out for dinner on your next birthday. When is it again?
NANCY. The same date as it always is. The same as last year. It would be nice to be taken out to dinner for my birthday. The last time you were going to take me out I had to cook it, and clean up the mess afterwards.
GARY. We’ll go to some nice restaurant.
NANCY. That’d be nice, dear. Remember, it’s not what you say you’re gonna do that is important. What is important is always what you do, do.
GARY. I know that Mum. We’ll bring you something useful that you can use every day. I bet you’ve found the microwave handy.
NANCY. Oh yes, I use it all the time.
GARY. You’ve got so much bench space. That’s why I bought that little bench-top deep freeze, with the door in the front. It’s a good height so you don’t have to bend down. With the sliding drawers it’s so easy to get at the stuff inside. You can buy the frozen stuff when it’s on special. Saves heaps of money. Or even freeze some of your special cooking.
NANCY. I do use it. But the shops and the green-grocer are so close though, and you know I like fresh, and get home delivery too. You know I believe fresh is best
GARY. I really wish you’d go to the Senior-Net classes to learn about the internet. Then we could send emails, photos and stuff. The kids are always on their computers. That little note-book computer I gave you wasn’t just to write letters. It should be properly used. I hope you’re writing memories and family history like I asked you.
NANCY. If nobody wants to listen to my family history while I’m alive, why would they be interested after I die? So, I didn’t sign up for any classes yet. But, yes. The little computer’s perfect for the little coffee table with the skinny wooden legs that you bought me.
NANCY’S (eyes look toward a small empty coffee-table near where she was sitting with Mary.)
GARY. I know your place is always spotless, but just remember to keep it in the computer case; keeps the dust out.
NANCY. It’s always in the case.
NANCY (stands and walks to the coffee table, using her foot to gently tap the notebook case propping up the short leg of the coffee table.)
GARY. Well Mum. Sorry. Gotta rush. We’ll probably see you in a few months. I’ll ring again soon. Say hello to Mabel for me.
NANCY. It’s Mary.
GARY. Whatever. O.K Mum. Love you. Bye.
NANCY. Bye Darling.
NANCY (replaces the phone and returns to the lounge chair next to Mary.)
MARY. Did you say that was your son Gary?
NANCY. Yes. He’s my eldest boy. As always, too busy.
MARY. I hear from my lot about every six weeks or so. Generally a few days after my birthday, which they always forget.
NANCY. The same with mine. I haven’t seen them for over two and a half years.
MARY. My nearest are only 30 kilometres away. I haven’t seen them in 18 months.
NANCY. All right. What was I doing?
MARY. Getting me a lovely cuppa tea with some of your lovely home-made shortbread biscuits, I hope. Best in the world to dunk. I used to dunk the ginger-nuts, but even they now seem too hard. So now it’s only shortbread. It is so annoying when I leave them in the cup too long. They get too soggy and break off and I have to eat them with a spoon.
NANCY. Of course. Now. I’ll get the jug boiling first. This lovely old silver teapot was given to me by my Gran. Makes the best tea. Gary’s wife is always trying to throw it out. I use all the replacements she’s bought as pot-plant holders for the herbs and spices that I grow. Very handy.
MARY. Your kitchen’s always so well organized.
NANCY. I use what I’ve got. The sliding drawers in the deep freeze are perfect to keep the crockery nicely sorted and away from the flies. I don’t plug it in of course. Now let’s have some lovely biscuits. I still dunk mine when I’m by myself.
MARY. So do I. I really love those decorated square biscuit-tins.
NANCY. Yes. I store them in the microwave. The four fit nicely. I threw out that silly round plate, and that thing with stupid wheels. I don’t plug that in either.
MARY. I used to plug mine in. It kept perfect time. Then since the power cut, well I don’t any more. Maybe I’ll try and get some square tins too.
NANCY and MARY (collectively place the cups and saucers in the right positions.)
NANCY. Here we are; all done. Just put the tea-pot on the cork mat on the coffee table. The sugar and spoons are in the little drawer below the table. I’ll bring the biscuit tins and we can help ourselves. No silver service with me, Mary.
MARY. Such a lovely table. Such a pity the bottom of the leg broke off.
NANCY. Yes. But apart from the fact that it juts out a little bit, the notebook computer was the perfect thickness to put under it to balance it properly again.
MARY. Too true. Once you get to our age you have to adapt to use whatever you’ve got.