by Courtney Williams Carter
Cast of Characters
Pearl: mid-forties solid, strong physically and emotionally, the oldest sister of 3, and the leader of her family.
Benjamin: Pearl’s husband, mild-mannered, supportive, loving, and a hard worker.
Ginger: preteen girl, sullen, mischievous, intelligent, wears black and a Discman at all times.
Jordan: three-year-old boy, active, precocious, good-humored, big for his age
Sally: Pearl’s younger sister, late thirties, gregarious, emotional, mother to Ginger and Jordan
Scene
A shotgun-style house that has been added onto several times in the nearly sixty years since it was built with GI bill money by Pearl’s grandfather after he returned to East Texas from the war in the Pacific. Almost everything in it is at least twenty-five to thirty years old (if not much older) but scrupulously clean and well cared for.
Time
The morning of February 1, 2003, at about seven. Despite the month, the weather is warm.
SCENE 1
(We open on the kitchen. A crackly radio plays Willie Nelson’s “Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain.” The song ends. The DJ announces, “Good Saturday morning. It’s February 1st, already 2003, and you are listening to KJ103.3, home of East Texas’s country favorites.” The couple are dressed and ready for a day’s hard work. Benjamin makes coffee while Pearl serves plates of eggs, bacon, and toast.)
PEARL
Ben, you want jelly?
BENJAMIN
We got any of your Mama’s yella plum left?
PEARL
Maybe. Lemme see.
(She rummages around and comes out with a mason jar of brilliant gold homemade jelly. She brings it and their plates to the table, and they sit down to eat.)
This is the last of it. We better enjoy it since the tree stopped makin’ plums.
BENJAMIN
It’s a cryin’ shame, Pearl. That jelly might give me the diabetes one day, but it would be worth it.
PEARL
You say that now, but when you’re hobblin’ down to muck out the houses minus a foot, you might be thinkin’ different.
BENJAMIN
You mean even footless, I still have to deal with those damn chickens?
PEARL
Honey, you gonna be muckin’ them houses armless, legless, and a hundred and two. Either that, or you’re gonna win the lottery…I know which one I’d druther, but I also know which I expect.
BENJAMIN
I suppose you’re right. I guess I’m just gonna have to win that ole lottery then, ‘cause Lord knows I ain’t quittin’ the jelly any time soon.
(He drains his coffee cup and takes his breakfast dishes to the sink.)
PEARL
Well, if you have a hidden supply of dollar bills to buy you some tickets with, you go right on ahead and try to win that lottery. Until then, you better get your boots on. Those chickens ain’t gonna wait all day. They need corralin’ so we can clean the houses and make room for the new batch. They’ll be here Friday whether we’re ready for them or not.
(She drains her cup, takes her dishes to the sink, and exits. The radio continues to play now, finishing George Strait’s “This is Where the Cowboy Rides Away.” The DJ announces, “Be on the lookout for the Space Shuttle Colombia as it makes its way back to Earth this morning after a two-week research trip.” As Pearl is leaving, the children come in. Ben pulls on his work boots, pauses, and looks at the kids.)
BENJAMIN
Hey! Big Joe! GiGi! Come over here and see your BenBen. You kids wanna eat pizza once a week instead of once a month and have a big house and a fancy TV and cool tennis shoes like all the rich doctor’s kids at school? Yeah? Well, you kids can help BenBen make that happen. I want you to keep your eyes peeled for spare change, okay? Look in cars and couch cushions, and GiGi, when you’re helpin’ with the laundry, you look out in pants pockets, okay? If you find any, put it in my big water jug over there in the corner. Can you find BenBen some monies, Big Joe? Go get it!
(JORDAN nods comically. The children begin to ransack the kitchen in search of coins. PEARL enters.)
PEARL
Benjamin, what on Earth do you have these children doin’ to my kitchen? You realize they get up to more than enough mischief without your help.
BENJAMIN
Baaahhh. It keeps ‘em busy.
(He winks at the children, who pop their heads up occasionally to display various coins.)
PEARL
Mmmhhmm.
(Sally enters with a towel wrapped around her head.)
SALLY
What are these goobers tearin’ up now?
PEARL
Everything, apparently, but I think we can blame their uncle this time.
BENJAMIN
Sure, sure. Blame BenBen.
SALLY
I will. So, what’s the plan for today?
PEARL
What you think? Try not to lose the farm.
SALLY
Why not? It ain’t like it’s worth a damn.
(Jordan continues mining the house for coins. Ginger has lost interest but occasionally directs her brother to new areas to search. He pops up and shows his uncle, who will show his approval.)
BENJAMIN
Sally, your Granny would whoop you ‘til you couldn’t sit down if she heard you say that.
SALLY
Benjamin, that don’t make me wrong.
PEARL
You are, though. And standin’ around this house blowing hot air ain’t gonna improve our situation. Those houses may need overhaulin’, but people ain’t about to stop eatin’ eggs any time soon. Hell, between me and this greedy SOB, we ate five this mornin’. It may take a minor miracle and a lot of hard work, but come hell or high water, we will get this place running right, and your children will have a livin’ when the time comes.
SALLY
My children don’t need a chicken farm to make a livin’, Pearl. Come to that; neither do we. We been workin’ ourselves half to death with those feathered shit factories since we were barely older than that little boy. What do we have to show for it but asthma and bad backs?
(She takes the towel off her head and rubs her hair dry.)
BENJAMIN
It’s your home. It’s given you stability, a place to call yours.
SALLY
This house, maybe. Not those damned chickens. They’ve given me grief. You, too. Both of you. Whether you admit it or not. You don’t need those houses. Just this one. (To the children.) Goobers! Quit tearin’ this place up. Let’s go outside. It’s time to get to your Dad’s, Gigi.
(Sally and the children exit. Benjamin crosses to Pearl and puts his arm around her shoulders.)
BENJAMIN
Whatcha thinkin’ babe?
(She shrugs his arm off, but not angrily.)
PEARL
I don’t know what I think anymore. None of what she says is wrong. I know that. I also know it’s none of it that easy. We ain’t exactly young or skilled at anything but farming chickens. If I’m gonna have to spend the next thirty or forty years checkin’ groceries at Walmart’s, I’d just as soon keep doin’ this. You?
BENJAMIN
It’s hard to say. Thirty or forty years is a long time. I might just decide to OD on jelly before then. (He pokes her ribs playfully.)
PEARL
If that’s your aim, I can cut off your supply right now!
BENJAMIN
You know I’ll just go straight to your Mama for it.
PEARL
That I do. Y’all are always conspirin’ one thing or another.
BENJAMIN
Whatcha say we go see what that boy is gooberin’ out there, and maybe you can loosen up and try to have a lovely mornin’?
PEARL
Yeah, let’s go.
SCENE 2
(We open on the front porch. There are a couple of ladder-back rocking chairs and window boxes with begonias. The yard has more flowers and a swing set, and the couple and Sally stand on it. Gigi twirls aimlessly on the swing set. Jordan digs randomly around the yard, apparently still looking for money. He finds a small boy fist-sized chunk of rock, inspects it with a mischievous glint in his eye, and tosses it haphazardly.)
SALLY
Boy! I told you about throwing rocks. Let me catch you at it one more time and see what happens.
PEARL
What? You’re gonna tickle him until he feels bad about it?
SALLY
Huh. He’ll be lucky if he still has any skin on his backside by the time he starts kindergarten. (Jordan throws another rock, which she ignores.)
BENJAMIN
(Stares into the middle distance.)
Is the roof on that house starting to sag? Look at that.
(Pearl rushes over. Sally rolls her eyes dramatically and joins them.)
PEARL
Good God almighty! As if there wasn’t enough wrong with this place.
SALLY
It was always a matter of time, Pearl. It’s all a matter of time. This place is damn near as old as the two of us put together, and it’s not big enough for corporate to be interested in making repairs themselves or buying us out.
PEARL
Jesus, Sally, I know all that. I was just hoping for time to fix a few problems before another one came along.
(The kids wander over to see what the adults are staring at.)
SALLY
Ginger! Go play this instant. This ain’t no business of yours.
(Ginger mopes back to her post on the swing. Pearl bends to pick up Jordan.)
PEARL
You got a kiss for your Aunt Pea this mornin’, Goob? (Jordan kisses her. She hugs him tight. Benjamin joins their embrace, then Sally.)
SALLY
Oh, hell. Ginger, come over here and hug us.
(Ginger runs up from the bus stop and hugs the family disinterestedly. There is a deafening bang and the Earth trembles. A chunk of metal the size of a quarter falls into the yard, followed by another, and more continue every few seconds.)
PEARL
What in the hell?
(The baby jumps out of their arms and off the porch. He has one of the chunks in his hands before the adults can stop him. Benjamin takes it and inspects it.)
BENJAMIN
Maybe a plane exploded? Joe, get back on the porch. It sounded like the old Air Force jets when they’d break the sound barrier. I’ll get the radio. Maybe there’s some news. (Jordan complies. Ben exits.)
PEARL
And now we’re losing daylight. Perfect.
SALLY
Pearl, whatever this is, it seems likely someone has lost their life. I think their tragedy trumps ours for the time bein’.
PEARL
You’re right. Of course. I can’t imagine what it could be. Can you?
SALLY
I suppose Ben’s probably right. A plane exploded.
PEARL
Or a satellite maybe… fell out of orbit and broke up in the atmosphere…
SALLY
Could be, I suppose. Or that old Russian space station, what’s it called? Mare? More?
PEARL
Mir. They’ve got a new one, too. Where’s Benjamin with the radio? Did he stop to eat a jar of jelly?
SALLY
How do I know? I been out here speculatin’ and starin’ at the sky same as you. Police your own husband.
(Benjamin returns with the radio and sets it up on the window sill.)
BENJAMIN
You hens quit squawkin’, and maybe we can see what’s what.
SALLY
Say what now?
PEARL
Excuse me.
(Ben laughs and shakes his head. He continues to fiddle with the radio. Jordan appears at his side to “help.” Ginger has her nose in a Harry Potter novel.)
Sally, go call Mama and see what’s happening over there!
SALLY
Oh, hell! You’re right! (Exits.)
BENJAMIN
(Sits in a rocking chair and deposits Jordan on his knee.) What do ya say, Big Joe?
PEARL
What happened to the radio?
BENJAMIN
It’s there. It’ll keep.
PEARL
Well, Babe, find the news. Let’s see what’s happened.
BENJAMIN
Whatever happened happened. Whatever’s comin’ is comin’. There’s nothin’ we can do to change anything now.
PEARL
We can be prepared.
BENJAMIN
The sky is literally fallin’ right now, Pearl. How you gonna prepare for that? Just stay under cover and close to the ones you love. We’re doin’ that. (He gives the baby a squeeze.)
PEARL
We can’t know what we can do to be prepared unless we know what it is. That’s how this family survived hurricanes, tornados, floods, droughts, and God Almighty Ronald Reagan.
(Sally returns.)
SALLY
Mama’s fine. They heard the boom but haven’t seen anything falling. They haven’t turned on the TV or radio yet. So they don’t know anything either. Why haven’t we turned the radio on?
PEARL
We were just debatin’ that. (She leans down to turn the radio on. We hear static as she searches the channels.)
(Ginger is looking high up into the sky, eyes wide. She grabs Pearl’s sleeve, tugs, and points. The adults look up, eyes and mouths gaping. They follow whatever it is down to the area where we’ve been looking at the chicken houses. We hear ABC News announcing the explosion of the Space Shuttle Colombia.)
PEARL
I sure am glad we paid the insurance. See. Prepared. You go ahead and buy you some lottery tickets, Ben. Luck is a funny thing.
(BLACKOUT)
(END OF PLAY)*
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