Scene 45

Setting: jail

people:
Tinsmith
Jose
Lucia
Francisco
Jacinta
Adelina
Victor
Liberty

(The Tinsmith and Jose take the kids and throw them in jail.)

Tin: Will you tell me your secret?

Lucia: We will not.

Tin: Well, I’m going to keep you in here until you tell me your secret. (Walks out with Jose)

Francisco: Well, this is a strange way to spend a summer afternoon

Lucia: It’s past noon. We missed the Lady.

Jacinta: (upset) Oh, no.

Francisco: I wonder if our Lady will appear to us here.

(an excited wait in silence)

All: (together, sad) Sigh!

(Adelina comes in with two children: a boy Francisco’s age and a girl Jacinta’s age. Adelina is holding three plates of food.)

Adelina: (a baby cries) Oh, Democracy. (to the children) Victor, Libby, just give them their food. Don’t talk to them!

Vic & Lib: Yes, mom.

Adelina: (to the other room) Momma’s coming, Democracy! (leaves)

(Victor brings in a plate of food to Francisco, Libby gives two plates to Lucia and Jacinta.)

Victor: Here’s your food.

Francisco: Your name is Victor?

Victor: Yes, what is your name?

Francisco: My name is Francisco.

Victor: You’re named Francisco?

Francisco: Yes, why?

(the girls start playing)

Victor: My best friend is named Francisco.

Francisco: Really?

Victor: Yes. (Talking to Libby) Libby! You’re not supposed to be playing with these animals. (They stop)

Francisco: How many brothers and sisters do you have?

(the girls laugh again)

Victor: Well, there’s my sister, Liberty... Hey! Stop talking to the animals!

Libby: They’re not animals, Victor. Besides, you’re talking to them, too

Victor: They’re Catholic, Libby, don’t talk to them. (to Francisco) Can you read?

Francisco: Not much.

Lucia: I’ve started.

Victor: OK, let’s say a story one sentence at a time, and the first word of each sentence has to start with the next letter in the alphabet, OK?

Lucia: Jacinta doesn’t know her ABC’s

Libby: That’s OK, I’ll help her. Get started, Victor.

Victor: OK. What letter should we start on?

Libby: Let’s start on “Y”

Victor: (creepy) You never know who’ll come knocking at the door.

Francisco: So, my first word has to begin with...

Victor: With “Z”

Francisco: With Z? OK. (struggling, but smiles after a while with an idea) Zookeepers, farmers, soldiers at war.

Lucia: So, should we start again with “A”?

Victor: That’s right.

Lucia: A pitchfork to fight, or a head start to run away?

Libby: Better to run, so you can fight another day.

(All laugh)

Jacinta: So, how do you play?

Libby: You know your ABC’s, right, Jacinta?

Jacinta: No.

Lucia: Jacinta, think of something that starts yuh, yuh, yuh!

Jacinta: Hmmm!

Libby: No, it doesn’t have to start on “Y” Let’s start with “R”. Now, Jacinta, can you think of a word that starts “rrrrrr” “rrrrrr”

Jacinta: Rrrrrred

Libby: Good. Now say something that begins “red”

Jacinta: There’s a red rose resting on the rail.

Lucia: No, silly, just the first word has to star with “r”.

Jacinta: Oh, Red apples fall from a tree.

Lucia: Good!

(Adelina comes into the room holding a baby.)

Victor: Someone make them into pies for...

Adelina: Victor! Libby!

Victor: Mom, listen to the rhyme we made up.

Adelina: Your father told you...

Victor: But mom, they’re our friends!

Adelina: Oh?

Libby: Yeah. We played a game of alphabet story. Listen

Victor: (creepy) You never know who comes knocking at the door.

Francisco: Zookeepers, farmers, soldiers at war?

Lucia: A pitchfork to fight, or a head start to run away?

Libby: Better to run, so you can fight another day.

(All laugh, including Adelina)

Adelina: Come on, do another one.

Libby: Let’s do a limerick. We’ll start with Jacinta. Mom, pick a letter.

Adelina: Let’s start with “F”

Libby: OK, now, Jacinta, think of a word that starts “fffffffff” “fffffff”

Jacinta: Fffffffffffrancisco

Libby: Good now say something starting “Francisco”

Jacinta: Francisco, Francisco sing your song

Victor: Go on all night, and then all day long

Francisco: Hop, skip, and dance

Lucia: If you have the chance

Libby: Jacinta will only tell you you’re wrong.

(All laugh. They suddenly stop when the Tinsmith walks in.)

Tin: (furious) Adelina! What is the meaning of this?

Adelina: Artur!

Tin: Get those children out of there immediately!

Adelina: Let’s go, children.

Tin: What are you trying to do, Adelina, make Catholics of them?

(They leave)

Tin: (Locking the jail door) I don’t know how you did it this time, you little brats. But the gullible rabble have seen your Lady again. What’s your trick?

Lucia: She came without us?

Tin: (gives her an incredulous look, mixed with hate) What? You miserable little brats! You have no idea how much I hate you.

Lucia: But Mr. Administrator. You can’t hate someone, it’s a sin!

Tin: Bull!

(All three jump backwards)

Tin: There is no sin, because there’s no God to judge. And if there were one, I’d jump at the chance to go to hell so I’d be far away from Him.

(The three are shocked. The Tinsmith then leaves, slamming the door. The kids look at themselves in disbelief.)

Sr. L: (not seen) Mrs. Santos made sure we needed nothing. She was kind to us, and let her children play with us.)