mr-lean-the-bleach-machine

[mr-lean-the-bleach-machine]

W4: I agree. I hope people recognize this before it is too late. Walls turn. Man and woman enter holding hands Man 1 (Marvin): I love you babes. Woman (Asha): I love you more Mar: I love you more than all the grains of sand found on the bottom of the Caribbean sea. As: (giggles) Mar: Let‟s eat (they take out KFC). Only the best for you babes. As: Honey, you know we can‟t stay as long as before due to the curfew. Mar: I know babes. We will just have to make the most of this time we have here (smiles). (They begin to eat) As: Marvin Mar: Yes babes? As: Can we go… out? Mar: Out? And we out now? As: No, I mean out to a nice restaurant. More than this fried chicken, more than coming to this spot to sit on these boxes. I want more. Mar: More? You know how long I waiting for you to say this. Well let‟s go behind the walls and I will give you more. As: Stop playing nah. You know what I mean. And as for that you know we agreed to wait a bit. Mar: So you eh like what we have here. This has become our spot. A spot we can share our thoughts, our moments, to eat ah fowl. This is ours Ash baby, and you want to spoil that? As: I know babes, but look how long we have been coming here. Let us find a new place, a better place. Here is no longer safe. Mar: Asha, you know that I don‟t have that kinda money. I just start to work, you eh finish school. You know I want to give you the best and it does take all out of me not to satisfy this heat I have for you. I have been holding back for you every time and I get nothing from you in return except for complains and what you want. As: Oh Marv… Mar: Don‟t “oh Marv” me! Why you have to bring that up for eh? Just to spoil a good thing we have going on. You want to leave all this behind? (gestures to the space) As: Baby please… Mar: (Steups) Let‟s go and anyways, it getting late, the curfew will start soon and it better for you to go and get a taxi so at least one of us will get something this evening! As: Oh Marvin, don‟t behave like that nah. Mar: Is you that have me like this! As: Please stop. Mar: No, is you who want to have a good time and spend the money I don‟t have. To have rotisserie when all I could afford is fried chicken. All I wanted was a lil‟ banga banga with you but the way you behaving I see that and a good government eh happening. Silence As: You want to? (pause) You want to? (motions to the wall) Mar: (smiles. Goes behind the wall and takes off his pants. He throws it to the side of the wall. Girl begins to walk to the wall when she hears the sound of her mother) Voiceover: Don‟t give away your rose if he is not prepared to embrace the thorns…. Mar: Ah ready! (She stops, picks up his pants turns and runs away) Mar: Asha? Asha? That b____ (he moves off the stage hiding himself) Walls turn laughing W1: Now that was too funny! W3: You eh see how he ran away!  W2: And by the looks of things, that girl eh missing out on anything. W3: What really wrong with men? They really feel that a box of fried chicken would satisfy these women? W4: Some of them don‟t understand the complexities of the female species. They haven‟t learnt the art of love, of caring and… W3: Patience W1: These people are really in a state of emergency! They have so much to learn. The rights from the wrongs, how to love, who to love and respect. W4: One, I agree with you 100%, It will take some time for them to do this. W1: How much time should we give them? We here since when? 1976? And all we living on right now is hope. Hoping the people will change, hoping that the roads will be better, hoping that they put aside politics and start working for the people. W3: Well One, all we can just do is hope one day our walls will speak loudly enough for all to hear and that chance will come. Walls turn Woman enters frantic. She looks at her watch as she waits for a taxi. Man, decently dressed, enters. Man: Hello Woman: Hi Ma: Need help? Wo: I ok. Ma: Let me help you Wo: I say I ok. Ma: Ok, ok Pause Ma: It getting late Wo: I know Ma: Trying to go home? Wo: I want to but no taxis like they stop working. You here for a taxi too? Ma: No need to. Wo: Oh? Ma: Nah, I just stay here and listen to the walls talk. Wo: Ok Ma: They have amazing stories, these walls. It is amazing what you can learn from them. Wo: The walls… they talk to you? Ma: Not just to me. To all who are willing to listen. Wo: (mimes the word ‘crazy’. Paces up and down) I need to go home. Where are the damn cars? I eh know why they don‟t hurry up and legalize PH taxis! Ma: Is that going to solve your problem? Making the wrong right? Wo: I just want to go home. Ma: We all do. (Silence) Ma: You will get a car soon. Just be patient. Wo: (faint smile) Ok Ma: There is one coming now. Taxi! Wo: Thanks Ma: That is all we want to hear sometimes. God bless mam. Wo: Thank you sir. Good bye Ma: Good bye (he watches her go in the distance. Goes behind the walls gets his tattered shirt and cardboard sheet. He puts on his shirt and spreads his ‘bed’ near the case. He makes himself comfortable) Ma: Good night walls Wall 1, 2, 3 &4: (turn) Goodnight (walls return to their original position, man smiles) There is the sound of sirens in the distance as all prepare for the first night of the curfew As the homeless man sleeps a sweet song is heard indicating that he is in a state of sleep. (Hero – Enrique Iglesias). Characters move on the stage reflecting the good times the man had with his family. He rises and moves towards them enjoying their company. They begin to separate from him and move behind the wall. The music is cut with a loud bang. The man jumps out from his sleep. Two workmen appear on the scene looking at the walls and speaking to each other. Workman 1: Yep these buggers coming down all right. The boss says that we have to get cracking soon. A new car park is the best thing for this area. Workman 2: Right Charlie! Wm1: I could see it now a new tri-level car park that caters only for those who could afford. It will make the company a pretty penny once it is managed right. Man: Break down these walls you say? Who want to break them down? There is so much history in these four walls. If they are broken down, everything will be forgotten. Wm1: Do I look like I care? These walls are an eyesore. Who will miss them? Wm2: Yeah who will miss them? Wm1: Who cares about these walls? They should have been taken down a long time ago. They are a hazard to society. They breed rats and cockroaches. I could just imagine what happen in this place. Ma: I care about these walls they have become a comfort to me they mean so much to me. My creative juices came out because of the walls… Wm2: And by the smell of you kept all of it! Ma: I begging you don‟t destroy them. They are all I have. Wm1: (stares at the man) Ok. I wouldn‟t break them down. Just give me the $50,000.00 I would get for doing the job and maybe I could force the boss to change his mind. Ma: I look like I have that kind of money!? Wm1: well in that case kiss your walls goodbye. It will be down the next curfew start. See you later… (Wm2 sends a kiss to the wall)Man walks to the walls and caresses it. He looks at them and begins to hum song that was sung during his sleep. People casually walk by, not paying any attention to him. He moves about Man: Help me save them. Will you help me? (shouts) will anybody help me! (he runs off the stage) Workmen reappear with their equipment to begin working on the wall. They mill around waiting for approval to begin the demolition. Man returns and sits in front of the wall. Wm1: What the hell man get up and move! Ma: No! Wm: What the jail is this. Man, get up so we could do we wok nah! Ma: I said no. If nobody else eh want to fight for these walls I will stand here by their side. These walls mean something to me. You may not care, yuh boss doh but I care. These walls mean something to me and I sure it means something for others as well. Don‟t break them down please. I begging yuh. Make them stronger, better. They will last for year to come and mean a lot to generations… Wm: Yuh see this shit! (A scuffle begins. A workman walks and gets a hammer and begins to hit the wall). The man shouts NO! Some attempt to stop him and others look on. Freeze Song: Hero from the line I can be your hero baby… who can take my breath away… Curtain Call