Time To Reflect

Today we had a lovely day out in Warrington, at the Waterstones there where Sam and I were signing copies of our new books.

One of the customers, a lovely lady called Emma, was in a bind as she needed a two-hander script for her College work, and had no idea how to source it. So I offered to write her something.

Here's what I put together ... presented here for your enjoyment. I hope it helps her out :)



TIME TO REFLECT
(c) 2011 David J Howe


KATIE is in her room, reading a book, when there is a knock at the door. KATIE puts her book down and gets up to answer the door. She moves with a depressed gait. Life is pressing down on her.

She returns to the room with SUSAN, who is talking really fast.

SUSAN
… sorry to burst in like that, it’s something of a new thing for me and I’ve not had the time to …

KATIE
Woah. Slow down will you, what are you on about.

SUSAN
Sorry. Yes. Well. You see. It was …

KATIE
Slow. Down.

SUSAN relaxes a little and KATIE gestures to the sofa/chair to sit down. SUSAN smiles and sits. SUSAN gives a couple of deep breaths and then does a long exhale as her hands, outstretched and palms down move towards the floor as she breathes out.

SUSAN
Thanks. That’s better.

KATIE
Yes it is. Now. First things first.

KATIE fixes SUSAN with her eyes.

KATIE (cont)
Who are you?

SUSAN
Oh! Of course. Yes. You’ve not met me yet. That’s funny.

KATIE
What’s funny?

SUSAN
That you’ve not met me yet.

KATIE (giving a withering look)
Well of course I’ve not met you. I have no idea who you are!

SUSAN (giggling)
Oh, you will …

KATIE (Shaking head)
What?

SUSAN
Nothing. Nothing. Sorry. Who am I? Yes. I’m Susan. And you’re Katie.

KATIE
How do you know who I am, I’ve never met you before.

SUSAN
Oh you have, but you don’t know about it yet.

KATIE (confused)
I have … but I don’t know … look … what are you talking about?

SUSAN
I’m sorry.

KATIE
And stop apologising.

SUSAN
Sorry … (smiles) Sorry.

KATIE
So where do I know you from?

SUSAN
Oh, you know me very well indeed.

KATIE (looks at SUSAN critically)
Do I?

SUSAN
Oh, yes.

KATIE (studies SUSAN)
So … from Uni … no. I don’t remember anyone like you from there. Maybe … maybe from the Bar? Are you one of the girls from the bar?

SUSAN shakes her head.

KATIE (thoughtful)
Not the bar then … hmmm … are you … are you a friend of … of Peter’s? Yes! You’re a friend of Peter’s.



SUSAN
Peter! PETER! That loser. Do me a favour.

KATIE
Not Peter then … now you’re just trying to confuse me.

KATIE stands and starts pacing while SUSAN watches her, an amused expression on her face.

KATIE
So not Uni, not the bar, not Peter …

KATIE stops and point at SUSAN in triumph.

KATIE
Got it! You’re someone from the town … one of those girls I met the other month while working at Boots.

SUSAN
I wish it was that simple …

KATIE
OK.

KATIE slumps back in the chair.

KATIE (cont)
I give up. How do you know me?

SUSAN
Well …

KATIE nods and looks attentive

SUSAN (Cont)
This isn’t going to be easy …

KATIE frowns.

SUSAN (cont)
You see. Katie

SUSAN swallows and there’s a long pause

SUSAN (cont)
I’m your mother.

There is silence.

KATIE silently mouths ‘You’re my mother’ and shakes her head.

SUSAN
I knew you wouldn’t believe me.

KATIE
But … but my Mother is dead … she died four years ago.

SUSAN nods

KATIE (cont)
And she was sixty five years old.

SUSAN smiles

KATIE
And you … you are what … the same age as me? Seventeen?

SUSAN
Eighteen.

KATIE
I don’t get this at all.

SUSAN
Nor do I to tell the truth.

KATIE
Why do you say you’re my mother then? Her name was … was …

Realisation dawns over KATIE’S face.

KATIE (cont)
Her name was Susan …

SUSAN
Indeed … and I am she. No. I mean, she is me.

KATIE rubs her hand over her face.

KATIE
But if you are her.

SUSAN
Yes.

KATIE
And you are here.

SUSAN
Yes.

KATIE
And you are eighteen.

SUSAN nods encouragingly.

KATIE
Then … then … HOW THE FUCK CAN YOU BE MY MOTHER?

SUSAN smiles

SUSAN
Oh, that’s easy.

KATIE
Is it?

SUSAN
Yup. I came back in time.

KATIE
… what?

SUSAN
Yes. Back. Or probably forward. Yes. Forward.

KATIE
Forward?

SUSAN
From the past. Yes.

KATIE
Erm …

SUSAN
Oh, I know what you’re thinking. The girl is nuts. She’s bonkers. Crazy in the coconuts … but every word is true.

KATIE moves away from Susan, looking at her warily.

SUSAN
Yes. I have come forward in time, from the past, with a very important message for you.

KATIE shakes her head as if to clear it.

KATIE
A message.

SUSAN
Yup. Not everyone can do the travelling thing.

KATIE
Well, to be honest I’m surprised anyone can …

SUSAN
Tell me about it.

KATIE (muttering)
I wish you would.

SUSAN
Well, it’s like, you know Doctor Who?

KATIE
Erm … Doctor Who? What like off telly?

SUSAN
That’s the one.

KATIE
Yeah … I’ve seen a few episodes. The one with some statues that came alive, and something else with that bloke off Gavin and Stacey …

SUSAN (overjoyed)
You got it! Yes!

KATIE frowns again and looks at SUSAN quizzically

KATIE
You’re … telling me you came here in a police box?

SUSAN (laughs)
Oh no, don’t be daft. That would be stupid.

KATIE
Stupid. Right.

SUSAN
No, I meant it’s like that timey wimey stuff they go on about there … sometimes you find yourself moving about in time … just kinda happens yeah?

KATIE
No. Not really. I can’t say I’ve ever found that myself.

SUSAN
No? Ah, well, maybe that comes later. Anyway … the important thing I need to tell you is …

KATIE
Go on … am I going to be kidnapped by Daleks or something?

SUSAN (amazed)
How did you guess!

KATIE
What?

SUSAN (grins)
Kidding.

KATIE
Yeah, thanks for that. Look. What do you want?

SUSAN
Lottery.

KATIE
What?

SUSAN
Lottery? I wondered if you did the lottery?

KATIE
No. Not at all.

SUSAN
Good. No point. You’d never win.

KATIE
Oh, thanks for that. So you came all the way from the past to tell me not to do the lottery? Brilliant.

SUSAN
Sorry. Got distracted there.

SUSAN checks her watch.

SUSAN (cont)
Whoops. Nearly out of time. Look. Katie.

KATIE
You are a very strange person.

SUSAN
I know. But listen. I came from the past to tell you … tell you …

KATIE
Yes?

SUSAN
Well … I love you.

KATIE
What?

SUSAN
That’s all. I love you. And I’ve always been proud of you.

KATIE looks at SUSAN and starts to sniffle.

SUSAN
I’m sorry, dear. What with everything going on, I never actually got to tell you. And now … well … now I can see how that has held you back. Stopped you trying because you thought there was no point. Well there is a point, and you have to keep trying.

KATIE
What?

SUSAN keeps an eye on her watch.

SUSAN
Sorry … I only have so long, and only one chance. So use it Katie. Get out there and kick ass like there is no tomorrow.

KATIE nods.

SUSAN
Atta girl.

KATIE
But … if you’re my mum, then …

SUSAN
Sorry. No more time … just know that I love you and I’m proud of you … so get on with your life …

KATIE nods tearfully.

SUSAN
Right … that timey wimey stuff is happening again … got to get back to the point of collection …

SUSAN jumps up and hugs KATIE tight.

SUSAN
Be happy love.

Then SUSAN rushes for the door and off set.

KATIE is left standing there with one hand over her mouth, wondering what just happened.

KATIE shakes her head and frowns a little.

Then the frown turns into a smile.

KATIE
She did love me. And I never realised.

KATIE looks up into the air.

KATIE
Thanks mum.

KATIE moves off stage with a spring in her step which was not there before.


ENDS