Calling Home
by Catherine Lang
| FX | A HUBUB OF VOICES MURMER IN THE BACKGROUND IN HUSHED TONES. A PHONE STARTS TO RING - A DOOR CLOSES SLOWLY AND HEAVILY - PHONE STOPS RINGING. |
| Antony | Hello, Carol |
| Carol | (nervously) Who’s there? |
| Antony | Darling, it’s me. |
| Carol | (surprised, excited) Antony! It can’t be. |
| Antony | (tentatively) How are things? |
| Carol | (through clenched teeth) Fine! |
| Antony | They don’t sound fine. |
| Carol | How do they sound? |
| Antony | You tell me. |
| Carol | Your sister’s come to stay - to help me get organised. |
| Antony | Ah! |
| Carol | Arrgh, you mean. |
| Antony | (laughing) She has a good heart. |
| Carol | It’s not as if I’ve never been on my own before, with your job… |
| Antony | Yeah, but not for this long… |
| Carol | …and she has a way of making me feel totally inadequate. |
| Antony | Which you’re not… |
| Carol | All very well for you to say … you don’t have to face the flak |
| Antony | Not any more… |
| Carol | Oh my love … I didn’t think. |
| Antony | Don’t worry about it. |
| Carol | What’s it like… where you are? |
| Antony | Very, very quiet. Quite nice really. |
| Carol | (tentatively) Have you …met anyone yet? |
| Antony | That’s not the way it works, love. I’ve got to sort of .. sort things out first, then I’ll get to move on. It’ll take a bit of time to get used to things. |
| Carol | You and me both. |
| Antony | Your coping ok? |
| Carol | I’ve got your photo up in every room just in case I forget what you look like! |
| Antony | (quietly) That’s nice. |
| Carol | Yeah, well, your sister thinks it’s a bad idea. |
| Antony | You can tell her I think it’s a lovely idea |
| Carol | That might freak her out. |
| Antony | Doubt it – she doesn’t have enough imagination. It doesn’t exist if you can’t put it on a list. Has she started making them for you? |
| Carol | And how! Lists of who needs to get a preprinted card, a personal card, a personal letter – I had no idea that this was all so complicated. |
| Antony | It’s meant to keep you focused. |
| Carol | (voice cracking) But it’s all so trivial… |
| Antony | Oh, darling, don’t get upset |
FX: MUFFLED SOUNDS OF MARCHING FEET, AS ON A PARADE GROUND
| Carol | (gulping) You said you’ve got to sort things out? What sort of things? |
| Antony | Can’t do anything major – but we have an opportunity to – well, you know – say a few things we should have said before. It’s the same for all the guys. |
| Carol | Are you all there then? |
| Antony | Yes, the five of us came together and John a bit later. How’s his Jenny coping? |
| Carol | I don’t want to talk about Jenny. I want … Oh, I miss you so much. I wish… |
| Antony | Don’t waste your life wishing. Just remember I love you and get on with living. |
FX: A LARGE AIRCRAFT – C130 – FLIES OVERHEAD
You can speak to me any time, anywhere, my darling.| Carol | Oh, no. Not yet. It’s too soon. |
| Antony | Your time to go and face the music. |
| Carol | Can I get to talk to you again? |
| Antony | You can speak to me any time, anywhere, my darling. |
| Carol | But you won’t be able to answer me will you? |
| Antony | (fading) I’m sorry, my love. I have to go now. Keep your chin up. I LOVE YOU. |
FX: UNLOCKING AND OPENING THE DOOR. HUBUB OF FEMALE VOICES. THEN SILENCE
| Carol | OK, ladies. The aircraft is on approach and the ceremony awaits. Let’s go and welcome our men home. |
FX: BAND PLAYING THE DEAD MARCH IN THE BACKGROUND – GETTING LOUDER