There’s Always Clowns
By Ken Bradbury
The cast: Sally, a resident in a nursing home Jim, her husband Emily, her daughter Sydney, her granddaughter Wilson, an attendant Elly, an attendant Ally, a young girl
In the darkness we hear a scratchy recording of “My Blue Heaven,” then the lights come up to reveal Sally sitting alone onstage. She’s in her wheelchair and she stares . . . simply stares. A long beat, then. . .
WILSON: (an attandant, entering) Morning, Sally. Sleep well? (Sally responds to no one in real time throughout the play) (arranging the few items in Sally’s room, a water glass, a bouquet, a newspaper) It’s supposed to warm up today. Won’t be long and we’ll have green grass again. You’re looking mighty spiffy today, girl. Maybe you’ll have some visitors. Would you like that? Elly’ll be in to take you to breakfast before long. Just wanted to make sure somebody got you up in your chair. Can’t eat breakfast sitting down.
ELLY: (entering) She ready?
WILSON: Sally’s always ready. You’re always ready, aren’t you, Sally?
ELLY: I’ve got this whole hallway to wheel down. Tommy called in sick.
WILSON: Tommy’s always sick.
ELLY: Do they even know?
WILSON: What?
ELLY: If they’ve had breakfast.
WILSON: I don’t know. But if they don’t eat they die. I guess then we’ll know who ate breakfast.
ELLY: Why don’t they fire him?
WILSON: Huh?
ELLY: Tommy. He’s a jerk.
WILSON: It’s hard to get help. You still working on your GED?
ELLY: Sorta. I been busy. You gonna help feed ‘em this morning?
WILSON: I’ll be down later. Help me with this sheet. (the two busy themselves with making Sally’s bed)
ALLY: (a young girl, entering breathlessly) Can we go?
SALLY: Now? (neither Wilson nor Elly are aware of these conversations)
ALLY: Mom said I could go if your mom could take us. I hope she can. I never seen a real circus before!
SALLY: (getting up, a young girl again) Me neither.
ALLY: So can you?
SALLY: Got any money?
ALLY: A quarter.
SALLY: Mom’s got some. She said she’d take me. She always takes me places. Think they’re be clowns?
ALLY: It’s a circus, Sally! There’s always clowns in a circus! So can I tell Mom we’re goin’?
SALLY: Get your coat! Meet you on the porch! Sure they’re be clowns?
ALLY: There’s always clowns! (and she’s gone)
WILSON: (holding a sheet) We should change these.
ELLY: We change ‘em on Friday.
WILSON: But they’re…..
ELLY: Like she cares. (a beat, then) Sorry. I gotta start wheelin’. (and she’s gone)
WILSON: Looks like your ready for the day, Sally. Anything I can get you? (a beat, nothing) There’s fresh water. We’ll be taking you down to breakfast any minute. Everything okay? (nothing) Have a great day. (she leaves) (another long beat as Sally sits there, staring)
JIM: (entering) Hi girl.
SALLY: Morning, sweetheart.
JIM: Sleep well?
SALLY: Sleep, wake…it’s all the same.
JIM: Anybody been by?
SALLY: The road crew. They straightened my sheets and then went for a smoke.
JIM: Flowers?
SALLY: From the church. Saves a visit.
JIM: (laughs) I love you.
SALLY: Then why’d you go first?
JIM: It wasn’t my idea. Ask the cardiologist. Anything new?
SALLY: Are you trying to be funny?
EMILY: (entering with her daughter, Sydney) Mom?
SALLY: Here they are.
EMILY: (unaware of Jim’s presence or Sally’s words) Good morning, Mom! I brought Sydney. No school today.
JIM: There’s my sweetheart.
EMILY: Look at the flowers, Sydney! Aren’t they beautiful. (looking at the tag) They’re from the church.
SALLY: She’s a gorgeous little girl. I wish….I just wish . . . .
JIM: You could talk to her?
SALLY: More than that. I wish she knew me back before….all this.
SYDNEY: Is she awake?
EMILY: Sure, Grandma’s awake!
SYDNEY: Can she hear me?
EMILY: It doesn’t matter.
SALLY: Yes it does.
EMILY: She knows we’re here. She knows we’ve come to see her. Grab her logbook, Sydney. See who else has stopped by.
JIM: Had visitors?
SALLY: My sister stops by every week…signs names of people I’ve never heard of. (looking at Sydney) She’s got your eyes.
JIM: Lucky girl.
SALLY: Don’t flatter yourself.
SYDNEY: There’s lots of names.
EMILY: Let me see…(takes the book)
JIM: Emily comes every day?
SALLY: She’s a good daughter, Jim.
JIM: I know.
SALLY: She talks to me…she combs my hair….she complains to the front desk about how they run this place. It’s wonderful.
EMILY: This is wonderful. Hey Syd…want to help me fix Grandma’s hair?
SYDNEY: Why? Does she know how it looks?
EMILY: Of course she does.
SALLY: Of course I do. (Emily and Sydney begin to comb Sally’s hair) Do you think she’ll grow up…you know…thinking I’m just and old woman who sits and stares at the wall?
JIM: At least she’ll remember you. I didn’t even get that.
SALLY: Emily will tell her. I know she will.
SYDNEY: What was she like?
EMILY: She’s still here, Sydney.
SYDNEY: But I mean . . .
EMILY: Grandma loved to laugh. She had the biggest, happiest laugh you’ve ever heard. They’d do plays down at the high school and the director would always send her a free ticket. Everybody wanted to hear your grandmother’s laugh. She’d walk into a room and people would always smile.
SALLY: Good for you.
JIM: Told you.
SYDNEY: And Grandpa?
SALLY: You’re in trouble now.
EMILY: Well, he believed in following rules.
SALLY: Here it comes. Better duck.
SYDNEY: Was he mean?
SALLY: Yes.
EMILY: No, no. He just liked things in order. His tools, his socks, his ….(laughs) . . . his children.
JIM: Oh no.
EMILY: He came to pick me up from school one day and when I opened my locker he saw that it was a mess. So right in front of my friends and everybody he took every single thing out, spread it all over the floor of the hallway, and he gave me a lesson in neatness. I thought I’d die of embarrassment.
SALLY: Jim!
JIM: It was a mess!
SYDNEY: I’ll bet that was awful.
EMILY: The kids just stared at him. They couldn’t believe what he was doing.
SYDNEY: What’d they do?
EMILY: They all started straightening their lockers. It was like a big party. Hand me that hair spray.
SALLY: I hope she talks. I hope she keeps talking and talks forever. I want her to know.
JIM: So do I.
SALLY: And you were a bit of a nitpicker.
JIM: And she was right. I miss your laugh.
SALLY: I didn’t lose my laugh. . . I lost my reason for laughing. Did you know that they serving dinner at four? It’s like they’re in a hurry to get us put away for the night so they go do. . . whatever they do.
JIM: I wish I could do something.
EMILY: She always like to have it swept back like this.
SYDNEY: Let me do it. (she takes the comb)
SALLY: Oh God…this is the happiest I’ve been all week.
JIM: She’s really…
SALLY: Shhh…shhh…I want to savor this.
JIM: I wish she could talk to you, Sally….just for an hour. I wish. . .
SALLY: That’s when I knew I was done for.
JIM: What?
SALLY: When I quit even wishing. Oh wishing hurts, don’t misunderstand, but one day when I even gave up on wishing. Well….that was the day I died.
JIM: Don’t say that.
SALLY: That was the day I died, Jim. Hope flew out the door. I sound dramatic, don’t I?
EMILY: That’s perfect, Syd! Grandma would love that!
SALLY: See? “Grandma would love that.” Grandma does love that.
ELLY: (entering) Oh.
EMILY: Yes?
ELLY: I was just going to take uh….(looks at a name tag on the door) …uh .. . Sally for breakfast.
EMILY: She hasn’t had breakfast?
ELLY: My helper called in sick.
EMILY: It’s almost nine o’clock. When do you start lunch?
ELLY: 10:30.
EMILY: I can’t believe this place.
SALLY: Sick ‘em, girl.
EMILY: That’s alright. We’ve got go.
SALLY: No you don’t.
JIM: Sally…..
EMILY: Kiss your grandma goodbye, Syd.
SYDNEY: (with a kiss and a hug) Goodbye, Grandma.
EMILY: (hugging Sally) Bye Mom. See you tomorrow. (to Elly) I’ll talk to the front desk. This is ridiculous. (drawing Elly very close to her, more than a threat) And if somebody doesn’t change those damn sheets in ten minutes you’re going to have a lawsuit. Understood? (Ally, frightened, nods.) (a final happy wave to Sally) Bye! (and they are gone)
SALLY: I love that girl.
ELLY: Oh shoot. My belt. Be right back, Sally. (she exits)
JIM: Belt?
SALLY: I have to be belted in to travel. Like luggage.
ALLY: (entering) You ready, Sally?
JIM: Where are you going?
SALLY: To the circus. Mom’s taking us both.
JIM: Could I go?
ALLY: You’re too old.
SALLY: (looks at Jim a moment then burst forth with her famous laugh) I love that! You’re too old, Jim!
JIM: (smiling) I miss that laugh.
SALLY: Not as much as I do.
ALLY: Who’s he?
SALLY: An old friend of mine. A really old friend.
JIM: See you tomorrow?
SALLY: Maybe tomorrow I’ll just come see you.
ALLY: Come on, Sally! We gotta go! (producing a handful of change) Look! Mom gave me enough of popcorn!
JIM: Think you’ll see any clowns?
ELLY: (entering with a carrier belt) Okay Sally, I think we’re ready now. (notices that Sally’s eyes are closed and her head has collapsed onto her chest) Sally? Sally! Mrs….Mrs…(frantically runs to the door to look at the name) Mrs. Peterson! (a beat, then) Oh hell. Oh hell….(runs out the door)
JIM: Sally?
SALLY: (raising her head and looking at him) There’s always clowns, Jim. There’s always clowns. (reaches out and takes Elly’s hand and smiles)
----Blackout----