The GUIDE is unimpressed with this.
But I was right!
Guide
I’d try again if I were you.
Ketu
But . . .
Guide (with a sense of menace)
22, 23, 24 . . . anyone else?
KETU backs off.
Nia
Alex . . . Are you going to choose a memory of me?
Alex
Of course.
Nia
No hesitation?
ALEX looks slightly confused.
Haven’t you thought about what you’re losing? If I don’t choose say . . . the time I finally beat my big sister at Chess . . . then I lose her forever. And my family, friends . . . everything I did.
Sophie
What about all the things I did alone? If I’m not there to remember them, they might as well never have happened.
Guide
I really must urge you to decide. Eternity won’t wait forever you know.
The GUIDE allows himself a wry smile.
Sophie
You think this is easy?
Guide
I never said it was easy.
They stare at each other.
Nia (to ALEX)
I know! If we could think of a moment . . . something fantastic that we both shared.
ALEX is unable to concentrate.
Guide
35, 36, 37 . . .
ALEX shoots the GUIDE an angry look.
Nia (intervening)
I have an idea. The day we met.
Alex
(Recalls.) Yes . . . of course!
Nia (excited)
Let’s try. Yes?
ALEX nods.
The park. By the swings. I was babysitting my best friend’s kid.
Alex
And I was there with my nephew.
The lights slowly change.
Alex and Nia’s memory
The park. NIA pushes a child on a swing, while ALEX plays ball with a boy.
Alex
I thought . . . she looks . . . interesting. But she’s got a kid.
The children’s movement freezes. NIA approaches ALEX.
Nia (to ALEX)
And I knew you were thinking that.
Alex (to NIA) How?
Nia (to ALEX)
’Cos of the way you looked at me . . . and . . . ’cos I was thinking the same thing.
The children ‘come to life’ again. NIA returns to the swing.
Alex
I started to run all these scenarios . . . she’s a frustrated mother . . . her husband died for his country . . . or he’s so boring she’s looking for someone else.
Nia
And I thought . . . what’s he doing . . . looking at me like that? What’s his wife going to think?
Alex
Some guy walks up . . . I think . . . OK here we go . . . this’ll be good ole hubby.
The children’s movement freezes again. One of the performers crosses the stage.
Nia (to ALEX)
I didn’t even see him.
Alex (to NIA)
He walked on past.
The children ‘come to life’ again.
Nia
I’m thinking . . . if I’m out with my friend’s child maybe he’s babysitting too.
Alex
And I’m trying to devise a way to show he’s not mine. I try deliberately forgetting his name. (Calls.) Hey Tony . . . er . . . Timothy . . .
Nia
OK so it’s not his child . . . but that doesn’t make him single.
The children go into a sandbox.
And the kids start playing together.
Alex
Perfect!
Nia
Jenny, don’t get dirty . . . your mother’ll be here any minute now!
She gives ALEX a quick sideways glance.
Alex
Ah hah.
(Calls to the child.) Thomas play nice with the little girl. You’re a gentleman remember?
He smiles at NIA, who smiles back.
She’s definitely smiling at me . . . might as well show her I’m not wearing a ring.
ALEX puts his hand up near his face.
Nia
What’s wrong with his face? Is he picking his nose?
She looks away.
Alex
That did the trick. She’s gone all bashful on me.
Nia
OK . . . let’s play this nice and cool. Let him come and talk to me.
Alex
Maybe I should let her introduce herself. This is the twenty-first century after all.
They both wait. Nothing happens.
Meanwhile the children have a great time playing together.
Nia
Now what?
Don’t tell me I was wrong.
Nia
He’s not waiting for me is he?
Suddenly the GIRL throws sand on the BOY’s head. The BOY cries.
ALEX and NIA go into the sandbox.
Nia
Jenny, be nice to the little boy!
Alex
Thomas, it’s all right. Come on, let’s build a castle.
Nia
Yes, a castle! Look Jenny.
ALEX and NIA sit on the floor with the kids and start to build a sandcastle.
The kids leave unnoticed.
ALEX and NIA look up and find each other’s eyes.
And at that moment.
Alex
I knew.
Nia
I knew.
Alex
I’d met ‘the one’.
Nia
I was in for a wicked shag!
Lighting change.
Void
Alex
What?
Nia
What?
Alex
You were only thinking about sex.
Nia
Well, yes . . .
Alex
But . . .
Nia
Oh come on Alex . . . you were too . . . admit it. You couldn’t possibly have known I was ‘the one’.
Alex
Why not?
Nia
Because . . . People don’t just know.
Alex (irritated)
Well there’s no way I’m picking this memory, if you just saw me as a good shag.
Nia
Alex . . .
ALEX turns away. KETU approaches him.
Ketu
Your truth is not her truth. It was the same between me and my people!
When I told them of my great discovery . . . They could not see my intentions . . . that, at last, we could achieve great things. Instead they turned on me.
Sophie
I achieved great things . . . of course . . . why didn’t I think of this before?
Guide
Go on.
Sophie
Oh, where to begin . . . let me see . . . yes.
The lights slowly change.
Sophie’s memory
Sophie
I was twenty-one . . . It was my first day in a new job and I felt myself at the start of a great adventure.
SOPHIE enters the office. She is greeted by her boss MR GRAY.
Mr Gray
Sophie, bright and early I see, excellent. Go and see Jerry.
The office appears. Three desks: one downstage left (JERRY’s ), one further up stage and to the right (PHIL’s) and one upstage centre (MR GRAY’s). SOPHIE joins JERRY.
Sophie
It was a little daunting at first.
Jerry (at lightning speed)
If you’re sent a B.Y.30, you input the data into one of these cells, unless it’s marked ‘current imperative’ in which case it goes in here, but you must remember to create a separate hard copy, send a purchase order to accounts payable and cc it to me. Clear?
During this JERRY has put his hand on SOPHIE’s shoulder in a suggestive way. She moves away from him.
Sophie
Crystal.
Then MR GRAY presses his intercom button.
Mr Gray
Phil. I could do with those Tokyo figures as soon as you have them.
Phil
Sure.
Mr Gray
And if you’d grab me a coffee I’d appreciate it.
Phil
Hey Jerry . . . two coffees please.
Jerry (to SOPHIE)
Three coffees please, love. Thanks.
The office dissolves.
Sophie (narrates)
Those first days were tough, but I was determined. I followed my mother’s advice. Meet the right people, shake the right hands, laugh in the right places and always be ready to make your move.
My chance came at the staff Christmas party.
The party appears. Champagne is popped. A bar area appears downstage left and PHIL has made it his home. He cheerfully sings a line from ‘Jingle Bells’.
JERRY and another colleague, LUCY, are upstage right. The atmosphere is a little stilted at this point.
Lucy
Well . . . what a year.
Jerry
Yes indeed . . . it’s certainly been a year.
SOPHIE joins them. She smiles.
We were just saying how it’s been a . . . year.
Sophie
Yes . . . absolutely.
They all smile awkwardly. The action moves over to the bar area.
Just then the MR GRAY shows up.
Phil
Ah, Mr Gray, can I get you a Christmas drink.
Mr Gray
Er, large single malt scotch please.
Phil (to the barman)
Two large single malts please.
Mr Gray
Thank you.
Phil
My pleasure. Actually I’ve been looking for an opportunity to float a couple of ideas in front of you. The thing is I think I’ve figured a way to . . .
SOPHIE approaches.
Sophie
Sorry . . . I didn’t mean to interrupt.
Mr Gray
Sophie! No, not at all, join us please.
Sophie
I just wanted to say . . . I heard your speech at the WGB conference. It was . . . truly inspiring.
Mr Gray (pleased)
Really?
The action at the bar freezes. The focus switches to LUCY and JERRY. They are now a bit drunk and flirt with each other.
Jerry (telling a joke)
And he says . . . as long as it’s not with citrus fruit!
Lucy
Citrus fruit!
They laugh.
Action returns to the bar area.
Sophie
. . . Truly inspiring.
Mr Gray (grins)
Thank you. Can I get you a drink?
Sophie
Yes, orange juice, please.
Mr Gray
Orange juice? (He orders.) Orange juice.
SOPHIE smiles. PHIL, who has been trying to catch MR GRAY’s attention, gets the message.
Phil
Perhaps we can . . . continue our chat later.
Mr Gray (not interested)
Mmm.
Sophie (to PHIL as he goes)
Merry Christmas.
Phil (darkly)
Happy New Year!
SOPHIE joins MR GRAY at the bar.
Sophie
And your point about foregrounding ethical responsibility as a marketing tool really struck me. In fact I’ve been putting in some extra hours devising ways to maximise implementation on that front.
Mr Gray (laughs)
Excellent!
The party dissolves.
Sophie (narrates)
From there it all went very quickly. Three months later I was being welcomed to the ranks of middle management.
The office appears once again. SOPHIE now occupies PHIL’s old desk. PHIL is sat at the downstage desk with Jerry.
Phil (to Jerry)
I’ve got this whole plan . . . major strategy rethink . . . here’s what I figured . . .
MR GRAY presses the button of the intercom.
Mr Gray
Sophie would you come into my office. I’ve got a couple of ideas I’d like to run by you?
SOPHIE gets up, then stops to think.
Sophie
Phil, two coffees please . . . in Mr Gray’s office.
Phil (bitter)
Sure.
The office dissolves.
Sophie (narrates)
The following years marked a period of rapid growth. I was responsible for much of the company’s streamlining. With an aggressive package of acquisitions we are now more strongly placed in the market than ever before. And tonight I am delighted to accept your award of Manager Of The Year!
The office has transformed into a conference centre. The other performers applaud. A PHOTOGRAPHER gets into position to take SOPHIE’s photo.
Photographer
Smile!
Lighting change. The camera has failed to flash.
Void
Sophie
But . . . My success . . . Everything I’d achieved.
Guide
Were you happy?
Sophie
Oh please, I thought here at least we’d be beyond such simplistic thinking.
The GUIDE gives her a searching stare.
I made sacrifices. I didn’t want a family . . . or a lover . . . not until I’d achieved my goal.
Ketu
What was your goal?
Sophie
Respect.
Nia
From whom?
Sophie
Everyone.
Guide
No one in particular?
The GUIDE’s manner has become that of a barrister conducting a cross-examination.
I put it to you . . . You worked day and night . . . you rejected the advances of any men who came near you. You had no hobbies, or home life. Who were you trying to impress?
Sophie
You want me to say my mother.
Guide
Yes I do . . . and you have . . . thank you.
Sophie
But . . .
Alex
Is he right?
Sophie
My mother helped me to see what was important in life. Work hard when you’re young . . . get somewhere and then enjoy your success.
Ketu
So what went wrong?
Sophie
Nothing.
Guide
Really . . . so what about . . . this?
He sticks his finger into the top of her head, where the scar is. SOPHIE leaps away from him.
Sophie
How dare you!!
Guide
I’m sorry . . . but this really isn’t a time for self-delusion!
Sophie
It was my life . . . I did with it what I felt best.
Guide
Any regrets?
SOPHIE is upset and angry.
Sophie
I was a success . . . I had money and power . . . I have nothing to be ashamed of.
Guide
That’s not what I asked.
Sophie
I achieved more than anyone I knew.
Guide
So what have you got? Where is it?!
SOPHIE is fit to burst.
Sophie
I . . . It wasn’t my fault.
Guide
What wasn’t?
Sophie
My illness! It wasn’t my fault. Why couldn’t it have struck at some tramp . . . some non-achiever . . . why me?
They told me how much time I had . . . It was pitifully short . . . (Beginning to crack.) I could feel my mind . . . rotting! Within a month I was a useless . . . disgusting . . . bed-bound wretch!
They came at first . . . my so-called friends . . . when they thought I could still be useful to them . . . But when they found out there was no hope . . . the visi
ts stopped . . . just like that.
My mother kept coming of course . . . She told me how impressed she was . . . with all that I’d achieved . . . and how bravely I was dealing with my own death.
SOPHIE breaks down.
What have I achieved?
Guide (sympathetic)
Please . . . You must understand I’m only trying to help.
Sophie
‘One day’ . . . I always said to myself . . . ‘One day I’ll be able to sit back and enjoy all this’. But I couldn’t stop. Even when I knew I was ill I couldn’t stop working.
Pause.
Nia
In all that time, there must be a special moment . . . something you want to remember?
Sophie
It must be so easy for the two of you. I bet you have a million tender memories.
Alex
We’re still here, aren’t we?
Ketu
You don’t have to impress us.
SOPHIE thinks.
Do you know why birds can fly? Because they let them-selves be taken by the wind.
SOPHIE hesitates.
Sophie
Well . . . there was this time . . .
Guide
Yes.
Sophie
It’s probably not important.
Ketu
Go on.
Sophie
It was strange . . . strange . . .
The lights slowly change.
Sophie’s memory
Sophie
It was the beginning of a week like any other week.
The performers create a busy tube train.
Voice
Mind the closing doors.
SOPHIE jumps on the tube. The tube starts.
Sophie
Another week of early mornings and late nights.
Voice
The next station is Bank. On arrival the first set of doors will not open. Passengers in the first carriage please move to the rear. Please mind the gap between the train and the platform.
Doors open, passengers burst out and transform into the office.
PHIL and JERRY are at their desks. LUCY approaches JERRY, noticing he has something unusual on his monitor.
Phil
Jerry . . . send it over . . . send it over.
Jerry
OK, but you didn’t get it from me, alright?
Phil
Yeah, yeah.
Lucy
Oh that is utterly gross.
JERRY hits the send key.
Phil
Oh whoa . . . (He clicks his mouse.) Enlarge . . . enlarge.
Lucy
You two are crazy . . . she’ll be here in a minute.
Phil
Uh huh. (Laughs.) I gotta cc this to everyone.
SOPHIE arrives at her desk. She now occupies the top desk, centre stage.
Sophie
Good morning.
All
Morning.
SOPHIE picks up on the atmosphere in the office.