It's a story focusing on patience.
“Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance of justice. Injuries are revenged; crimes are avenged.”
(Samuel Johnson)
Sharing first two scenes. Comments always welcome and wanted. Listing the characters that are in these scenes.
RETRIBUTION
Lily, 37, Owner of hair
styling salon
Mrs.
Clemens, 60’s Salon client
SETTING:
Interior of Lily's Hair’n’Things Styling Salon.
A manicurist's table in centre stage,
accented with a small lamp. The table surface is covered with a white towel and
a tray filled with colored nail varnish bottles. An empty barber chair is
located directly opposite the manicure table. An old freezer sits on a dolly,
at a door entrance/exit.
The interior layout of the salon is circa 1950's/1960's. There are two work stations against a wall on which hang two large mirrors. On another wall are two well-worn chairs with two chrome-colored, dome hair dryers attached. It is a salon that exhibits neglect and long past its prime.
An elderly woman sits under one of the dryers.
Manicurist/stylist,
SUE ELLEN PARKER, wearing a light
blue uniform is seated on a stool behind the manicure table. Her shoulder-length
blond hair is tied back with a ribbon and she wears a uniform consisting of
pants and a zippered top
The salon owner, LILY, dressed in a black micro-mini skirt and tight sleeveless
blouse, enters, fanning herself with a magazine as she approaches Sue Ellen,
who is examining bottles of nail varnish
RETRIBUTION
SCENE I
(glancing at
wrist watch)
It's gone five already and I'm willing
to call it a day. This heat sucks the life out'ta me
SUE ELLEN
I still have to comb Mrs. Clemen’s hair
and she'll want her nails done, like always. You'd think she had something
special going on than a night in front of the TV
LILY
Kind’a reminds me of someone I know
‘cept she’s got a half-century on you
SUE ELLEN
Don't start in on me again!
LILY
The lady’s old but what's your
excuse?
MRS. CLEMENS, lady under the dryer, signals
for someone to come over
SUE
ELLEN
(signaling to MRS. CLEMENS)
ASIDE TO MRS. CLEMENS:
‘Too hot, Mrs. Clemens? I’ll-make-it-cooler, o-kay?’
LILY
With the amount of customers we get,
you're lucky I don't close up shop all together
SUE ELLEN
Maybe they'd come if you'd invest in
central air
We’re back to that again?
SUE ELLEN
When you gonna move into this century,
girl? Your hairdryers are older than electricity
LILY
Better think seriously ‘bout selling
this place, before wasting money on extras like air. What’s with you, today?
SUE
ELLEN
It’s the heat, is all. Forget I said
anything
LILY
Sure it’s just the heat? Nothing you
wanna talk about, maybe?
SUE
ELLEN
Usual crap. Life in general and everything
that goes with it. Nothing new
LILY
I’ll tell you what’s wrong. You
need’a get out more. All work and no sex makes a person edgy. We’ll close up after
you finish with your friend, there
SUE ELLEN
Aside to Mrs. Clemens: 'Coming Mrs. Clemens!'
(cont'd. SUE ELLEN) The sign in the front says we're open to six and we gotta respect that.
Shoot! It’s so friggin’ hot!
Do yourself a favor. Go home and take a
shower, preferably with someone else
SUE ELLEN
Talk about a one-track mind! I’ll rest
after finishing Mrs. Clemens. Shouldn’t take long combing the dozen hairs on
her head
LILY
No reason to stay open so lemme know
when you’re done and I’ll come lock up
SUE ELLEN
How
'bout if I close for you, tonight? Nothing for me to do at home and I'd just as
soon hang around here for a last minute client
LILY
Don't
much like the idea of leaving you alone on a Friday night, 'specially with all
them refinery workers hittin'
the bars
SUE ELLEN
They don't bother me, none. It's the guys
sitting across the table from me acting all genteel and polite-like, trying to
cop a feel under the manicure table that bug me. I'm more than able to take
care of myself and I don't mind hanging around.
LILY
Lemme think
on it while I cool off outside
LILY EXITS
SCENE II
AT RISE: SUE ELLEN removes hair
dryer and helps MRS.CLEMENS
up
and into the styling chair
and into the styling chair
SUE ELLEN
You’re
dry
MRS. CLEMENS
(feeling her scalp)
On
fire, more likely
SUE ELLEN
The
usual?
MRS. CLEMENS
How
‘bout an upsweep for a change. I’m tired of the same old, same old
SUE ELLEN
You
know what they say – if it ain’t broke – don’t fix it
MRS. CLEMENS
Don’t
get me wrong dear – I love the way you do my hair but a person needs to restart
the engine now and then, if you get my drift. My friend Rosie? She went out and
dyed her hair fire-engine red and it makes her look ten years younger. Okay, maybe
five but at our age we need all the help we can get and you know what else?
SUE ELLEN
Turn
your head to the right a bit. So what else did Rosie do?
MRS. CLEMENS
This
is embarrassing to even say but…she found herself an m-a-n at a church social, of all places. A
good looking young stud she tells me. Course her idea of young might be
different from ours. How ‘bout adding a couple of blond streaks here on the
side…
SUE ELLEN
How young?
MRS. CLEMENS
Doubt
whether she even bothered to ask. She tells me that Hal - that’s what he goes
by – is the 'be-all-and-end-all'.
SUE ELLEN
Does
Hal have a second name? She could have him checked out
MRS. CLEMENS
You
kidding? She don’t wanna know the truth!
SUE ELLEN
You
think he’s lying?
MRS. CLEMENS
Could
be one of them there con men tryin’ to bilk a stupid old woman out’ta money. Why
else would a decent looking guy pay attention to an eighty year old woman with
a face that looks like a dried up prune?
SUE ELLEN
(laughing)
Don’t
hold back now. Tell me your real feelings
MRS. CLEMENS
Anyway,
if he’s after money, he’s got a big surprise coming. She lives on the money her
late husband left her and a small pension. Like they say, there’s no fool like
an old fool. Ouch! Careful dear. You’re gonna pull out the last few hairs I
have
SUE
Sorry.
I hate it when a guy tries to take advantage of a woman. Nothing gets me
madder. What’s even worse is when they get away with it!
MRS. CLEMENS
Rosie
uses a walker to get around and now she’s gone bought herself a whole new
wardrobe AND a mini skirt. She should be covering up instead of showing off
them blue veins of hers!
SUE ELLEN
Some
women will believe anything. I’m getting the feeling you don’t like the idea of
her dating, period
MRS. CLEMENS
It’s
not like I’m not happy for her or anything but she’s like a teenager in heat, struttin’
around wearing blue eye shadow and red lipstick. Not decent, a woman of her
years
SUE ELLEN
(laughing)
Could be
you’re a little jealous of your friend? Now that Rosie has red hair – well - Hal
probably thinks she’s hot-to-trot
MRS. CLEMENS
Honey
– sex is a memory for us and Rosie never was one to go in for that type of
stuff. No – he’s probably after her money
for sure. Now about some blond here and maybe some in front here…
SUE ELLEN
Some
people hide from the truth all their lives. There – we’re finished! So?
LILY ENTERS
You
have a last minute customer
SUE ELLEN
I
thought you wanted to close up early?
LILY
I know
but things have been so slow lately. Every dollar counts
LILY EXITS
MRS. CLEMENS
What
about my nails? Look at ‘em! All chipped and broken
SUE ELLEN
You heard
Lily. I have another client
MRS. CLEMENS
I
can’t go ‘round with these. A quick manicure won’t take long
SUE ELLEN
Tell
you what, how ‘bout forgetting a manicure this week, and I’ll give you a
special nail strengthener treatment, free, on your next appointment?
MRS. CLEMENS
Can’t
be seen in public with these claws, honey. Make an old lady feel good?
SUE ELLEN
(examining MRS. CLEMENS nails)
They
are in bad shape…
MRS. CLEMENS
Do it
just for me this time. Please? I’ll make it worth your while
SUE ELLEN
It’s
not the money, you know that… Damn! Never could say no to you
MRS. CLEMENS
You
just made my day
SUE ELLEN
Been
digging in the earth, again, huh? How many times have I told you t’go and hire
somebody to take care of your garden?
MRS. CLEMENS
You
think I’m gonna pay a stranger to come in and ruin all the good work I
done over the years? Took me forever to get it lookin’ like it does and I ain’t
gonna let nobody lay a finger on one flower. I don’t need help from nobody
SUE ELLEN
Everyone
needs help at some point in their life. How’s that cat of yours?
MRS. CLEMENS
We
just celebrated her fifteenth birthday, bless her. Lives better than a lot of
people I know
SUE ELLEN
Still
a beast at heart, though. In the end her real nature comes through - just like
a lotta guys I know
MRS. CLEMENS
Ouch! Know
what you’re missing? The love of a good man
SUE ELLEN
(laughing hard)
Oh
yeah - just what I need right now. A male in my life to make me complete
MRS. CLEMENS
Don’t sneer
at the idea, honey. Notice I said a good man. I was married three times
and all of ‘em were fine samples of manhood
SUE ELLEN
You
been a widow a long time?
MRS. CLEMENS
Widow
hell, girl! Divorced ‘em all. I didn’t waitress all those years saving up my
hard-earned cash for them to throw it away on poker and liquor. I’d marry again
tomorrow if the right man came along but like they say, a good man is hard to
find, but a hard man is good to find
SUE ELLEN
Judging
by the males I’ve seen in these parts, I’ll stay single
MRS. CLEMENS
It
ain’t good t’be distrustful at your age. Someone could walk through that door
this very minute and steal your heart away. Happens all the time
SUE ELLEN
The man
of my nightmares more likely
MRS. CLEMENS
So
there was a special someone in your life? Anyone I know?
SUE ELLEN
Unlikely
you’ve crossed paths with the creep
MRS. CLEMENS
He
hurt you that bad?
SUE ELLEN
Now
listen up – you have to wear gloves when you do dirty work or your nails will
keep breaking. I keep telling my customers
that the only way to keep nails proper is to keep them covered. Your hands
deserve to be taken care of
MRS. CLEMENS
You’ve
gone changed the topic on me!
SUE ELLEN
That I
have
MRS. CLEMENS
When
it comes to nail manicures you’re the best in these here parts but take it from
someone who’s been there and seen a lot. Work ain’t everything. Don’t let life
pass you by and end up old and wrinkled with nothing but memories to keep you
going
SUE ELLEN
Helps MRS. CLEMENS out of the
chair
I got
a lotta memories. That’s why I’m single. Pencil you in for next week, same
time?
MRS. CLEMENS
Your
personal life is none of my business but...
SUE ELLEN
You
got that right. Don’t wanna rush you out but Lily is waiting
MRS. CLEMENS
Okay
if we settle up next time? I swear, I’d forget my head if t’wern’t attached to
my neck
SUE ELLEN
A lot
of people forget things - or try to. No problem. Pay me next time
MRS. CLEMENS
Now
you remember what I told you. Gotta keep an open mind and be ready when love
enters the door
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