Woman of Flowers
Page 3
Rose
But what would they be here for?
Gwynne
Sniffing around, thieving. Up to no good, simple as that.
Rose
They can’t all be bad.
Gwynne
That’s lack of experience talking. That’s words from a good, innocent heart that hasn’t been crushed or swindled and taught to fear or distrust. A dog turns wicked when mistreated. I don’t want to teach you the evils out there. Don’t want you to even know.
Rose
But you go to market, you trade. You have the vet come.
Gwynne
How d’you know that, girl?
Rose
I’ve seen his van in the yard.
Gwynne
You keep away from the windows when we send you upstairs. We send you for a reason.
Rose
But –
Gwynne
– It’s for your own protection.
Rose
It’s the vet.
Gwynne
Doesn’t matter.
Rose
But –
Gwynne
– There are those who would use you up then open the car door and tip you out like rubbish, like emptying an ashtray at the side of the road, the car not even slowing as they roll you out dead, or worse. So you heed what we say. The world... (He shakes his head.) Safe here.
He starts back towards the farmhouse.
Rose (Signs)
Maybe I don’t want to be safe.
Gwynne (Stopping)
Did you just do that thing with your hands?
Rose
No.
Gwynne
Good. It isn’t allowed.
Rose
I know.
Slowly she follows him in.
Six.
Later, the kitchen. Lewis and Rose busy with chores: he polishing up the shine on boots with newspaper, Rose preparing vegetables for dinner. She pauses and stares ahead, deep in thought.
Lewis notices and playfully throws some scrunched up newspaper at her. At first he throws wide and misses her, then catches her, making her startle. They laugh.
Lewis
Miles away.
Rose
What is?
Lewis
You.
Rose
No crime in that.
Lewis
Maybe I like you close.
They both go back to their chores. After some time Rose is again distracted and pauses in her chopping, making Lewis look up. He again throws some screwed up paper at her. She is startled, but there is no laughter this time.
Lewis
At least you saved your fingers and stopped chopping. That knife’s sharp.
Rose
No good if it’s blunt. More dangerous when the blade’s dull.
She continues chopping, but carefully and in a position where she can see Lewis’s face. He takes up the next boot to polish.
Rose
Lewis?
Lewis
Mmmm.
Rose
Hens lay eggs. They sit and hatch if we let them, have chicks, little hens. And the sow. The boar comes and covers her and time later she has a litter.
Lewis
Can’t disturb her then, or she’ll eat them all.
Rose
Don’t touch, I know. But I see. Maybe ten, twelve, all lying at her teats, sucking. Babies. Same for farm cats.
Lewis
There to keep the mice and rats out of the barn.
Rose
They have kittens, born blind, eyes tight in the straw, nested.
Lewis
And drowned if we find them. Can’t be overrun with cats yeowling and fighting all the time. They’re like us. Don’t like any company except their own.
Rose
Kitten has mother cat, piglet has sow, chuck has hen. So how did I get here?
Lewis
I don’t know why you’re asking how it works when you know how it works. Good at it, too.
Rose
Piglet sucks the sow, the chick has the hen. The pup cries when taken from its mother. How come I can’t remember?
Lewis
Remembering is for them with time on their hands. The idle. We don’t have time on our hands. Too busy being busy working, the hands full with things to do, mind on work, not trying to remember.
Rose
But how come I – ?
Lewis
– It’s not good you thinking. You know we don’t like you thinking. You weren’t built to be thinking.
Rose
Am I built to have little ones?
Lewis
With luck, in time.
Rose
But if I do, how’m I to look after it when I don’t know?
Lewis
You look after us fine.
Rose
Different for little ones. Like the kitten, born blind, How’m I meant to know what to do when I can’t remember?
Lewis
It comes natural.
Rose
Collie pup learns from mother bitch. She growls, nips, she teaches. Same with the cat. She teaches how to hunt, how to survive.
Lewis
You’re managing to survive all right here. We look after you, you look after us, that’s how it works.
Rose
But a little one. How am I meant to teach when I was never taught?
Lewis
It’s instinct, just like for the cat, the sow.
Some things you don’t need lessons for.
Rose
But how come I don’t remember being mothered?
Lewis
Because you’re the same as me. Reared without. And it didn’t do me any harm. Better, in fact. Gwynne says some mothers are more careless than a sow with her young.
Rose
But you had him rear you. He was mother and father all. There was no one to rear me. None. That I remember.
Lewis
What happened for you to be asking these questions?
Rose
Just thinking.
Lewis
I asked you not to, because we know what it does. Just brings unhappiness. You content now?
Rose
Never thought of it.
Lewis
See? You think, you question, you doubt, you’re unhappy. You’re fine now. You think and you’re not fine. No good comes from you thinking this way, or any other. You want to be happy, content? (She shrugs) So stop using this.
He taps her head, then tries to be tender. She is brusque, brushing him off.
Lewis
Why can’t you be soft like some of them girls in town?
Rose
Never been to town, least, never let out the back of the van.
Lewis
I buy you stuff from the chemist don’t I? The lipstick and stuff. To put on your face and make yourself up.
Rose
That’s just what you like. It isn’t for me.
Lewis
I thought all girls liked that.
Rose
Never been shown how.
Lewis
You see it in the magazines. The pictures I give you. TV, when it’s allowed. You seen it then.
Rose
But I don’t know how… And I’m better, without.
Lewis
That’s because you’re not like other girls.
He begins to nuzzle her.
Rose
I’ve got to get on.
Lewis
But what about your Lewis?
Rose
What about him?
Lewis
He’s lonely. Look: his arms are empty ...
She puts the fencing stakes into his outstretched arms.
Rose
Fence needs fixing.
Lewis
Later.
Rose
Now.
Lewis
I want my comforts
.
Rose
You’ll get them after supper.
Lewis
I want them now.
Rose
I want never gets.
Lewis
Is that so?
He catches her up in his arms.
Rose
Don’t.
Lewis
Don’t tell me to don’t. Come on, Rose. Sweet Rose.
Rose
I’m not sweet.
Lewis
Kiss me. Just a little one.
Rose
I’ve my chores and dinner to cook … And you’re to fetch up all the newspaper you’ve thrown.
Lewis
Leave it.
Rose
Farmer’ll be in and there’s mess –
Lewis
– Just a taste, just a...
Rose
– you know newspapers aren’t allowed.
Lewis
Rose …
Rose
It’s my job to keep the place clean and –
Lewis
– Your first duty is to me.
Resigned, Rose turns to him and embraces him with a short kiss.
Lewis
Is that all I get?
Rose
Your Uncle’ll complain if I don’t –
Lewis
Kiss me. (She does, perfunctory) Come on, put a bit more effort into it ... Come on, do it how your Lewis taught you, how he likes it best.
Without letting him see, she hides some of the scrunched-up newspaper in her pocket before he leads her out.
Seven.
Graham is outside. He uses a Swiss army knife to dissect an owl pellet. He dictates a note of what he sees into a voice recorder.
Graham
Teeth, a few claws. What appears to be insect head parts and wing cases, enclosed by fur – from the rodent prey, perhaps. Some kind of vegetable fibre.
He abandons the pellet, moves on. He hears an owl call. He listens, thinks, dictates.
Graham
Athene notua. Not native. Introduced to Britain in the –1840’s? Check date. A sedentary species often found in open country and mixed farmland. In mythology, the familiar to Athene Pronoia, goddess of wisdom and darkness. In ancient times they inhabited the Acropolis in great numbers. It was their inner light, the Athenians believed, which gave them their night vision. As Athena’s symbol, the small owl was a protector, carried into battle by Greek armies on amulets and coins. Protector and harbinger of death. Watcher of the dark flying past on soundless wings.
He realises Rose has been watching him, lip-reading. Motionless, they look at each other for some time. He begins to move but she indicates she will take flight if he comes closer.
He stops. They look at each other. He tries to reassure her, engage her, keep her there. She looks at the wind through the trees in the forest.
Graham
Trees. (She looks to him.) Trees grow from a tiny seed into one of the biggest and longest living organisms on this planet. Using sunlight, trees build themselves from the nutrients and minerals found in water, and gases in the air. It’s miraculous.
He moves, but she indicates he should be still, or she will go. He is still.
Graham
They give shade, provide food, and building materials. Trees can heal. Aspirin was developed from the bark of the willow tree, the cancer drug taxol is from the yew, and pine tree bark yields pycnogenol, which helps prevent DVT … Deep Vein Thrombosis – during long distance flights…? But it’s not just the pharmaceuticals. It’s the energy from them – these massive plants – so permanent, and yet –
Did you know that in one year a single tree can absorb as much carbon as a car produces when driving 26 thousand miles? And a hectare of trees makes enough oxygen to keep 44 people alive for 12 months. You must be drunk on all the oxygen here.
Rose
Why trees?
Graham
I like them. I study them – and who they give shelter to. Walking through just now – this canopy – a cathedral of trees, breathing out, absorbing in… It’s alive. If you listen with your blood, you can feel the pulse of its great heart.
Rose
You don’t talk like others.
Graham
You’re not the first to tell me that.
Rose
I’m told I’m made from flowers of the oak.
Graham
I could almost believe that.
Eight.
The kitchen. Rose has ironed flat the scrap of newspaper with her hands and is carefully but slowly reading the words, keeping alert for anyone coming in. She puts it away when Lewis enters with tools and clumsily tries to fix the window. Rose watches.
Rose
You’re not very good at this.
Lewis
Wouldn’t have been my first choice for things to do after a day out working.
Rose
Do we get to choose?
Lewis
I reckon not. Beggars can’t be choosers. You heard that before?
Rose
What?
Lewis
Beggars can’t be choosers.
Rose
I’m not a beggar.
Lewis
I didn’t mean it – literally.
Rose
– I work hard for what I get. I’m not given. I earn.
Lewis
Okay.
Rose
You don’t give me charity.
Lewis
I never said that, did I?
Rose
And I’m good at what I do. What are you good at, Lewis? Isn’t stories, like the farmer.
Lewis
No.
Rose
And it isn’t wringing chickens’ necks. So what is it you’re good at, boy? You good at anything?
Lewis
What has you like a nettle today?
He goes back to trying to fix the window. Some silence.
Rose
They found him.
Lewis
Who?
Rose
Little boy went missing.
Lewis
What are you on about now?
Rose
Little boy, missing in Spain.
Lewis
How d’you (know about that)?
Rose takes out part of the newspaper scrap. Lewis immediately takes it from her.
Rose
Careless, that, you leaving it around.
Farmer doesn’t like me seeing news.
Lewis
Doesn’t want you worrying.
Rose
Trembling in my bed?
Lewis
There’s things out there ...
Rose
Like what, Lewis? (Long beat) You said right. People go missing all the time. Many, paper said. Gave a list of children disappeared over the last twenty years.
Lewis
Runaways to London, mainly. City lights. Or first love. They’ll learn. Leave home, and that’s it.
Rose
Maybe some get lost in the forest?
Lewis
And accidents. Falling down mineshafts. Old quarries. Lakes. And people. People are the worst. But maybe some come good. Maybe some change their name and start all over again. Be who they want.
Rose
Are you who you want, Lewis?
Lewis turns his back on her, appearing to be engrossed in his handy work. Rose watches him.
Rose
He was eight – the little boy. He didn’t go missing. He was taken. (Beat) Lewis?
Lewis
Mmmmm.
Rose
What happened?
Lewis
When?
Rose
Before.
Lewis
Before what?
Rose
I was here.
She tries to help, so she can see his face.
Lewis
Don’t.
<
br /> Rose
Don’t what?
Lewis
You know what.
Rose
I’m not. I’m –
He gets irritated apparently by the way she is assisting him.
Lewis
Not like that! You’d think nobody’d shown you.
Rose
Nobody did.
Lewis
You made a right cack-handed –
Rose
– If there’s any complaints, it’s just yourself you have to blame. You taught me, it’s your fault.
Gwynne enters, aware of the growing argument between them.
Lewis
Don’t get funny with me, up on your high horse …
Rose
Well, don’t expect me to be better than I can be. I don’t know how to do this, was never shown, never taught, just kept apart, and some things don’t come natural, no matter how much you say it does.
Gwynne (approaching)
Now – now children. Lewis, say sorry to Rose. Ask for her forgiveness.
Rose
For what?
Gwynne
Ingratitude.
Lewis
I’m sorry.
Rose
It’s all right.
Gwynne
No, it’s not.
Rose
It is. It’s fine.
Gwynne
Sometimes you need to count your blessings and we’re blessed, as we have you to look after us.
Rose
Doesn’t matter, it’s –
Gwynne
– Greatest day of our lives when you came to live with us. A gift. I only wish we could give you more.
Rose
Don’t need it.
Gwynne
It’s what you deserve.
Rose
It’s fine.
Gwynne
But when I think about where you could be, what you might –
Rose
– I wouldn’t want anything else. Here’ll do.
Gwynne
Good. (In an instance, almost magically, he fixes what they have been trying to mend.) The girl speaks right. (To Rose) And shall I tell you why that’s right? Because you’re nothing. Unimportant. Nobody knows you’re here. Nobody cares. They’d step over you if you fell down in the street. Got their own troubles to think about, their own to look after, their own little lives to lead. Selfishness, the world … This here is all we have; this is all there is. We’re fortunate to have one another. Be grateful.
Rose
I am.
Gwynne
A perfect, beautiful fit. (to Lewis) Check everything’s in and safe for the night.
Lewis leaves. Rose starts preparations for supper.
Gwynne
It does something to you, not being wanted by your mother. Rejected from the start – he was thrown away, abandoned, denied a name, denied protection, denied comfort. So what are you going to do? Deny him also?
Rose