Sketch summary: Three sisters are sorting through the personal effects of their recently deceased mother. Two of the sisters are on non-speaking terms. The third sister comes across a journal of their mother's that reveals their mother's aching heart.
Cast:
Shirley – Julie Havens
Becky - Jeanne Fox
Audrey - Nina Welding
Credits:
Director - Harold Rodgers
Author – Harold Rodgers
Script:
Lights up on Shirley and Rebecca sorting through boxes of personal effects. They have positioned themselves so that they don’t look at each other. Occasionally they may glance in the direction of the other. This goes on for a while to help the audience realize that they are not talking with each other. Audrey Enters with another box. She takes a seat that is between Shirley and Rebecca.
AUDREY
Only a few more boxes to go. Some times I wonder why she hung on to some of this stuff. It makes me want to go through some of the things I’m hanging on to. I really appreciate you two helping go through this.
[Shirley and Audrey respond with expressions and body movement when the other speaks.]
SHIRLEY
You shouldn’t have to sort through this stuff alone Audrey.
BECKY
All you need to do is ask Audrey, and I’ll help out.
SHIRLEY
I’d never let you down.
[pause while they continue to sort through the boxes.]
BECKY
A cow bell from Geneva Switzerland. When did mom ever go to Switzerland?
SHIRLEY
Becky obviously doesn’t remember that mom and dad took a vacation that summer we were all sent to summer camp.
AUDREY
Mom and dad needed that vacation. The only way they could go was to send us to summer camp at the same time that they went to Europe. Wasn’t that the year you both liked Anthony whats-his-name?
BECKY
Delon. And although both Shirley and I liked him [beat] it was me that he liked.
SHIRLEY
That’s what Becky would like to believe.
AUDREY
So, is there anything interesting in your box Shirley?
SHIRLEY
Not really. Old purses, some old recipes.
BECKY
Audrey I’d like to have the recipes.
SHIRLEY
Audrey, I’d like to have the recipes. You know how I love to cook.
AUDREY
Why don’t I make copies of them and we can all have them.
BECKY
I’d like to have the originals.
AUDREY
I’ll take them for now and we’ll sort it out later.
SHIRLEY
So Audrey, is there anything interesting in your box?
AUDREY
Not so far . . . wait a minute. It looks like a journal.
[Audrey starts leafing through it.]
It looks like short letters to God.
Thank you Lord for the beautiful sunrise this morning. You are the great artist.
[Audrey leafs to another entry.]
“Dear Lord, I’m so weary and my heart aches. Please take this pain from me. Please let. . .”
BECKY
“Please let” what? What pain?
SHIRLEY
You can’t just stop reading it. Finish it.
AUDREY
“Please let Becky and Shirley reconcile before you take me home.”
[Becky gets up and exits. Audrey and Shirley look at each other. Audrey gets up and exits. Shirley puts her face in her hands and the lights go down.]
Author's Notes:
In order to write this sketch, I had to first get some boxes with "stuff" in them so that I knew what items I could write into the sketch. These were items from stuff that we boxed years ago when we moved into our current house. My girls quickly recognized the "stuff" that was coming out of the boxes when the sketch was performed.
The name of the boyfriend is actually the name of the son of a famous French actor Alain Delon from the 60s. Alain's son Anthony also did some acting.
