31 Plays in 31 Days: #24 - "The Old House"

This is based on a truly fabulous scene from The Golden Girls featuring some excellent acting by Betty White and some brilliant, spot-on-for-the-character writing. I love that show, and I love how it deals with issues so rarely seen on prime time television.

Day #24 - "The Old House"

(An older lady, ELLA OSSING, cooks in her kitchen. The table is laid with two places of fancy china and has tall candles on it. ELLA lays her meal in a pretty dish and brings it to the table. She lights the candles with a match and sits down. She addresses the place across from her.)

ELLA: Surprise, Bill. Montalcino chicken and figs! Well, I guess it’s not really a surprise. I make your favorite every anniversary. And, well… I always make your favorite when I have something tough to tell you. I hope you won’t be upset, Bill, but… I’m thinking of moving. Of selling the house. I know, I know. We’ve got so much time in this house. It’s not like I want to leave. Feels like I just got it all done up the way I like it. Goodness, I don’t like the idea of anyone greasing up my countertops or letting their dog mess up my Berber carpets. I don’t like the idea of leaving the place where we’ve got so many memories. God. I miss you, Bill, I miss you so much. That’s why I’ve stayed. Because I like looking around the house and remembering… everything we did here. The kids’ birthdays, and the block parties, and watching movies on the couch. When I’m here, it’s easier to pretend that things are just the way they always were. It’s less lonely with those memories. But, Bill… it’s still lonely. There’s not much here for me besides those memories. I like setting places for you and playing your favorite radio shows and keeping your shirts ironed, but… it just makes me see all the places where you should be where you aren’t anymore. I read in a book just now that stuff is all just ways of making the dead stay dead. I don’t want that, Bill. I want you along with me. So I can’t just… stay here where I used to be, doing things that keep you dead. That’s not good for either of us. That’s what’s keeping me from moving on with my life. I could have a long time left, you know. So I think I’m going to have to start somewhere new. Somewhere without… all of this to hold me back in old things. So… that’s why I’m selling the house. To get that new start. Not sure where yet. I’ll have to do a little research. But I’m looking forward to it, actually. It’ll be hard, letting go… but after that, I think it will be good for me. And that’s what you always wanted for me. So I knew you would understand.

(She serves herself some of the dinner and picks up a fork.)

ELLA: I love you, Bill. Happy anniversary.

(She begins to eat the lovely meal.)