31 Plays in 31 Days: #14 - "Back East"

Catching up. Another piece based on The Stand, involving PC Rebecca Sinclair and her NPC mother Mayella. Probably nothing spoilery here. This is meant to be an exercise in getting a point across by characters' behavior rather than what they say to each other. It's a bit sparse, but I actually think I did better than I usually do.

Day #14 - “Back East”

MAYELLA SINCLAIR, Philadelphia-born wife of California cattle baron Arlen Sinclair
REBECCA SINCLAIR, their daughter, age nine
~~~

(California, 1830s. MAYELLA SINCLAIR mopes moodily on a chaise. Enter her daughter REBECCA in her nightdress.)

REBECCA: Mama?

(Pause.)

REBECCA: Mama!

MAYELLA: Not now, child.

REBECCA: It’s my bedtime.

MAYELLA: Where’s your nan?

REBECCA: She tucked me in already, but I can’t sleep.

MAYELLA: Go back to bed, Mama’s head aches.

REBECCA: But I’m lonely.

MAYELLA: I won’t tell you twice, Rebecca.

REBECCA: Will you tell me a story?

MAYELLA: Rebecca...

REBECCA: I promise I’ll sleep if you do.

MAYELLA: Mama’s not much good at stories.

REBECCA: Tell me about the city. Tell me about Philly-delia.

MAYELLA: Philadelphia. Very well, then, girl.

(She pats the seat on the chaise beside her. REBECCA toddles over and sits on it.)

MAYELLA: Oh, Philadelphia. It’s just the most wonderful place. Back east, the buildings are all brick and marble and have been around for decades. And the people! They’re genteel there. They ride around in carriages, not jostling wagons. And they’re so busy, all the time. They never idle the evenings away.

REBECCA: What do they do?

MAYELLA: Oh, but there’s so much to do. Museums full of important works of art. Ballrooms for dancing and mixing with all the most fascinating people. Theaters and opera houses that put on the grandest shows. Back east, the ladies and gentlemen can go out every night and never see the same place twice.

REBECCA: And they wear pretty clothes.

MAYELLA: The prettiest. Everything is pretty there. Pretty, and clean, and everything’s taken care of.

REBECCA: What do you mean, everything’s taken care of?

MAYELLA: Back east, it’s not like out here, where… it’s all catch as catch can, and all manner of folk can do what they like, when they like.

REBECCA: I don’t understand.

MAYELLA: Not to worry, child. You needn’t.

REBECCA: Philly-delia sounds nice, Mama.

MAYELLA: It is. Nicer than I can tell you. Now. I think it’s quite time for bed.

REBECCA: All right, Mama.

(She climbs down off the chaise.)

REBECCA: Good night.

MAYELLA: Good night, Rebecca.

(She starts to exit, but stops.)

REBECCA: Will you take me there someday?

MAYELLA: If I do, it’ll be a miracle for both of us.

(MAYELLA turns away again. REBECCA turns and exits.)