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AT RISE:
An elderly womoan in a robe sits
staring in a shaft of sunlight when
her Nurse comes and breaks into the
light.
NURSIE
And how are we today, dearie?
FLORENCE
We, or me?
NURSIE
We're looking so much better.
FLORENCE
Better than what?
NURSIE
We're looking so much better all the time.
FLORENCE
Time, you say?
My watch is broken.
See here.
No face at all.
No face in time.
NURSIE
Would we like a walk in the sun now dearie?
Would we like a nice long walk in the sun?
FLORENCE
I would like to walk, not ride, but the tide is too strong
for anything so long as a walk in the sun.
NURSIE
A nice warm bath would do us both some good.
(NURSIE brings in a white bowl of water. Slowly
she begins to wash Florence's feet.)
A nice warm bath would do us both some good.
FLORENCE
But the tide is too strong and my shoes are already wet.
(NURSIE takes a big book out of her bag and sits
down next to FLORENCE)
NURSIE
Better yet, let's read ourselves a story.
NURSIE (cont'd)
(NURSIE begins reading nonsense syllables "Da-DAH-
Da-dAH Da-DAH" in a singsong speech pattern like
a nursery rhyme throughout FLORENCE's speech)
FLORENCE
I heard the story on my watch face yesterday.
I heard the story on the face of time.
There is no story I have not heard
though my voice is weak and my eyes are blind.
NURSIE
Better yet, let's tell a story about ourselves. "Once upon a
time when the bears were three"... (pause) Once upon a time
Florence, when the bears were three? Damn it Florence once
upon a time when the bears were three what happened?
FLORENCE
Thye little girl ate the porridge.
NURSIE
Excellent. Now can you remember what happened next?
FLORENCE
They ate the little girl and forgot her name.
NURSIE
Well I am shocked.
FLORENCE
And so was she.
NURSIE
That's not the nice story we all know at all.
FLORENCE
But it's the true story.
NURSIE
Tell us the nice story we all want to remember.
FLORENCE
The boy was in blue and his face was all gone.
The boy was in brown and his face was all blue.
The boy was dead and no one remembered his name.
NURSIE
No, no, no, Florence that story is not the nice story we all
want to remember.
FLORENCE
But it's true.
NURSIE
Come, come, now, it's Sunday and we want a nice big smile for
the visitors.
(NURSIE takes out a camera)
FLORENCE
THIS IS NOT SUNDAY AND THERE WILL BE NO VISITORS.
NURSIE
This is Sunday and even our Lord needs a day of rest.
FLORENCE
There will be no rest.
NURSIE
Let's give us a big smile! Click! Click! Click!
FLORENCE
Fix the smile on my face and pull the plug.
NURSIE
We must eat to keep our strength up.
FLORENCE
The strength is up and my face is turning inside out.
NURSIE
Your guests will be arriving soon.
Just one more smile, Florence. Please?
Click! Click! Click!
FLORENCE
Fix the smile on my face and pull the plug I say.
NURSIE
But it's Sunday and we're looking so much better all the
time.
FLORENCE
Time?
NURSIE
Your guests will be arriving soon.
Click! Click! Click!
FLORENCE
No boy in the ditch?
NURSIE
Some flowers will brighten this room.
FLORENCE
Not the boy with the lunchbox full of peanut butter
and jelly.
NURSIE
Some flowers for color.
FLORENCE
No husband flatiron face in the tomb next to mine.
Only the boy and the ditch and the death and the time.
NURSIE
It's Sunday and your guests will be arriving soon.
Click! Click! Click!
FLORENCE
Too late. Three days too late.
NURSIE
We're looking so much better all the time.
Smile!
FLORENCE
My watch is broken and the tide is in.
NURSIE
Click! click!...
FLORENCE
I say it's too late, damn it!
Listen.
Just this once, listen to me.
I say it's too late and it's time to go.
So pull the plug now and watch my face run out.
Don't speak anymore about children and wolves.
I pray you listen just this once.
I say it's been long enough.
Do it for me.
Now.
Amen.
NURSIE
Your guests will be arriving soon. Smile!
(FLORENCE opens her mouth wide)
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
BLACK OUT
END OF PLAY
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© 1998 Halem Studios
Last updated February 2000
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