Happy Days (5 page)

Pause. With a sigh.
] One loses one’s classics. [
Pause.
] Oh not all. [
Pause.
] A part. [
Pause.
] A part remains. [
Pause.
] That is what I find so wonderful, a part remains, of one’s classics, to help one through the day. [
Pause.
] Oh yes, many mercies, many mercies. [
Pause.
] And now? [
Pause.
] And now, Willie? [
Long pause.
] I call to the eye of the mind . . . Mr. Shower—or Cooker. [
She closes her eyes. Bell rings loudly. She opens her eyes. Pause.
] Hand in hand, in the other hands bags. [
Pause.
] Getting on . . . in life. [
Pause.
] No longer young, not yet old. [
Pause.
] Standing there gaping at me. [
Pause.
] Can’t have been a bad bosom, he says, in its day. [
Pause.
] Seen worse shoulders, he says, in my time. [
Pause.
] Does she feel her legs? he says. [
Pause.
] Is there any life in her legs? he says [
Pause.
] Has she anything on underneath? he says. [
Pause.
] Ask her, he says, I’m shy. [
Pause.
] Ask her what? she says. [
Pause.
] Is there any life in her legs.
[
Pause.
] Has she anything on underneath. [
Pause.
] Ask her yourself, she says. [
Pause. With sudden violence.
] Let go of me for Christ sake and drop! [
Pause. Do.
] Drop dead! [
Smile.
] But no. [
Smile broader.
] No no. [
Smile off.
] I watch them recede. [
Pause.
] Hand in hand—and the bags. [
Pause.
] Dim. [
Pause.
] Then gone. [
Pause.
] Last human kind—to stray this way. [
Pause.
] Up to date. [
Pause.
] And now? [
Pause. Low.
] Help. [
Pause. Do.
] Help, Willie. [
Pause. Do.
] No? [
Long pause. Narrative.
] Suddenly a mouse . . . [
Pause.
] Suddenly a mouse ran up her little thigh and Mildred, dropping Dolly in her fright, began to scream—[
Winnie gives a sudden piercing scream
]
—
and screamed and screamed—[
Winnie screams twice
]—screamed and screamed and screamed and screamed till all came running, in their night attire, papa, mamma, Bibby and . . . old Annie, to see what was the matter . . . [
pause
] . . . what on earth could possibly be the matter. [
Pause.
] Too late. [
Pause.
] Too late. [
Long pause. Just audible.
] Willie. [
Pause. Normal voice.
] Ah well, not long now, Winnie, can’t be long now, until the bell for sleep. [
Pause.
] Then you may close your eyes, then you
must
close your eyes—and keep them closed. [
Pause.
] Why say that again?
[
Pause.
] I used to think . . . [
pause
] . . . I say I used to think there was no difference between one fraction of a second and the next. [
Pause.
] I used to say . . . [
pause
] . . . I say I used to say, Winnie, you are changeless, there is never any difference between one fraction of a second and the next. [
Pause.
] Why bring that up again? [
Pause.
] There is so little one can bring up, one brings up all. [
Pause.
] All one can. [
Pause.
] My neck is hurting me. [
Pause. With sudden violence.
] My neck is hurting me! [
Pause.
] Ah that’s better. [
With mild irritation.
] Everything within reason. [
Long pause.
] I can do no more. [
Pause.
] Say no more. [
Pause.
] But I must say more. [
Pause.
] Problem here. [
Pause.
] No, something must move, in the world, I can’t any more. [
Pause.
] A zephyr. [
Pause.
] A breath. [
Pause.
] What are those immortal lines? [
Pause.
] It might be the eternal dark. [
Pause.
] Black night without end. [
Pause.
] Just chance, I take it, happy chance. [
Pause.
] Oh yes, abounding mercies. [
Long pause.
] And now? [
Pause.
] And now, Willie? [
Long pause.
] That day. [
Pause.
] The pink fizz. [
Pause.
] The flute glasses. [
Pause.
] The last guest gone. [
Pause.
] The last bumper with the bodies nearly touching. [
Pause.
] The look. [
Long pause.
]
What day? [
Long pause.
] What look? [
Long pause.
] I hear cries. [
Pause.
] Sing. [
Pause.
] Sing your old song, Winnie. [
Long pause. Suddenly alert expression. Eyes switch right. Willie’s head appears to her right round corner of mound. He is on all fours, dressed to kill—top hat, morning coat, striped trousers, etc., white gloves in hand. Very long bushy white Battle of Britain moustache. He halts, gazes front, smooths moustache. He emerges completely from behind mound, turns to his left, halts, looks up at Winnie. He advances on all fours towards centre, halts, turns head front, gazes front, strokes moustache, straightens tie, adjusts hat, advances a little further, halts, takes off hat and looks up at Winnie. He is now not far from centre and within her field of vision. Unable to sustain effort of looking up he sinks head to ground.
]

WINNIE
[
mondaine
] Well this is an unexpected pleasure! [
Pause.
] Reminds me of the day you came whining for my hand. [
Pause.
] I worship you, Winnie, be mine. [
He looks up.
] Life a mockery without Win. [
She goes off into a giggle.
] What a get up, you do look a sight! [
Giggles.
] Where are the flowers? [
Pause.
] That smile today. [
Willie sinks head.
] What’s that on your neck, an
anthrax? [
Pause.
] Want to watch that, Willie, before it gets a hold on you. [
Pause.
] Where were you all this time? [
Pause.
] What were you doing all this time? [
Pause.
] Changing? [
Pause.
] Did you not hear me screaming for you? [
Pause.
] Did you get stuck in your hole? [
Pause. He looks up.
] That’s right, Willie, look at me. [
Pause.
] Feast your old eyes, Willie. [
Pause.
] Does anything remain? [
Pause.
] Any remains? [
Pause.
] No? [
Pause.
] I haven’t been able to look after it, you know. [
He sinks his head.
] You are still recognizable, in a way. [
Pause.
] Are you thinking of coming to live this side now . . . for a bit maybe? [
Pause.
] No? [
Pause.
] Just a brief call? [
Pause.
] Have you gone deaf, Willie? [
Pause.
] Dumb? [
Pause.
] Oh I know you were never one to talk, I worship you Winnie be mine and then nothing from that day forth only titbits from Reynolds’ News. [
Eyes front. Pause.
] Ah well, what matter, that’s what I always say, it will have been a happy day, after all, another happy day. [
Pause.
] Not long now, Winnie. [
Pause.
] I hear cries. [
Pause.
] Do you ever hear cries, Willie? [
Pause.
] No? [
Eyes back on Willie.
] Willie. [
Pause.
] Look at me again, Willie. [
Pause.
] Once more, Willie. [
He looks up. Happily.
] Ah! [
Pause. Shocked.
] What ails you, Willie,
I never saw such an expression! [
Pause.
] Put on your hat, dear, it’s the sun, don’t stand on ceremony, I won’t mind. [
He drops hat and gloves and starts to crawl up mound towards her. Gleeful.
] Oh I say, this is terrific! [
He halts, clinging to mound with one hand, reaching up with the other.
] Come on, dear, put a bit of jizz into it, I’ll cheer you on. [
Pause.
] Is it me you’re after, Willie . . . or is it something else? [
Pause.
] Do you want to touch my face . . . again? [
Pause.
] Is it a kiss you’re after, Willie . . . or is it something else? [
Pause.
] There was a time when I could have given you a hand. [
Pause.
] And then a time before that again when I did give you a hand. [
Pause.
] You were always in dire need of a hand, Willie. [
He slithers back to foot of mound and lies with face to ground.
] Brrum! [
Pause. He rises to hands and knees, raises his face towards her.
] Have another go, Willie, I’ll cheer you on. [
Pause.
] Don’t look at me like that! [
Pause. Vehement.
] Don’t look at me like that! [
Pause. Low.
] Have you gone off your head, Willie? [
Pause. Do.
] Out of your poor old wits, Willie?

[
Pause.
]

 
WILLIE
[
just audible
] Win.

[
Pause. Winnie’s eyes front. Happy expression appears, grows.
]

WINNIE
Win! [
Pause.
] Oh this
is
a happy day, this will have been another happy day! [
Pause.
] After all. [
Pause.
] So far.

[
Pause. She hums tentatively beginning of song, then sings softly, musical-box tune.
]

Though I say not

What I may not

Let you hear,

Yet the swaying

Dance is saying,

Love me dear!

Every touch of fingers

Tells me what I know,

Says for you,

It’s true, it’s true,

You love me so!

[
Pause. Happy expression off. She closes her eyes. Bell rings loudly. She opens her eyes. She smiles, gazing front. She turns her eyes, smiling, to Willie, still on his hands and knees looking up at her. Smile off. They look at each other. Long pause.
]

Curtain