Good People David Lindsay Abaire
ACT ONE
SCENE ONE
(South Boston, MA. The Manager’s office at the Dollar Store. There’s a cheesy motivational poster on the wall – “If You Can Dream It, You Can Achieve It.” Margaret, early 50’s, stands by the door while Stevie, her manager, late 20’s gets a file from a cabinet.)
MARGARET
Did she ever tell you the ham story? Up at Flanagan’s?
STEVIE
No.
MARGARET
When I worked up there, and she came in? She never told you that story?
STEVIE
(goes to his desk)
I don’t think so.
MARGARET
She was pregnant with you. No, Jimmy actually – she was pregnant with Jimmy - because it was near Christmas, and your father was locked up in Walpole again, so she didn’t have any money for anything.
STEVIE
You can sit down.
MARGARET
She had nothing. Except Saint Vincent de Paul’s. Thank God for them. They used to give out toys at Christmas to the ones who couldn’t afford it. Nothing big, just little things to put under the tree so the kids had something to open. I don’t know if they still do that or not, but I went there a couple years for my Joyce, and I know your mother got most of your toys down St.Vinnie’s that / year.
STEVIE
Margaret, listen for a / second—
MARGARET
(but she keeps going)
I don’t think they did Christmas dinners though. Some churches do that, but not St. Vinnnie’s. And your grandmother had passed by then, so there was no dinner to go to. So your mother goes into Flanagan’s, and she’s out to here.
(indicates belly)
When’s Jimmy’s birthday?
STEVIE
January.
MARGARET
Right, so she’s out to here, and in this big coat. Remember that black coat she always wore?
STEVIE
Yeah.
MARGARET
And she’s walking up and down the aisles, slipping things in the pockets – potatoes, and cans of cranberry sauce, cookies, because you guys gotta eat, right? So she gets whatever she can fit in that big coat, and comes waddling up to my register. And I know something’s up, but I can’t quite figure it out. So, I’m like, “Hey Mary, how are the kids?” And
SCENE ONE
(South Boston, MA. The Manager’s office at the Dollar Store. There’s a cheesy motivational poster on the wall – “If You Can Dream It, You Can Achieve It.” Margaret, early 50’s, stands by the door while Stevie, her manager, late 20’s gets a file from a cabinet.)
MARGARET
Did she ever tell you the ham story? Up at Flanagan’s?
STEVIE
No.
MARGARET
When I worked up there, and she came in? She never told you that story?
STEVIE
(goes to his desk)
I don’t think so.
MARGARET
She was pregnant with you. No, Jimmy actually – she was pregnant with Jimmy - because it was near Christmas, and your father was locked up in Walpole again, so she didn’t have any money for anything.
STEVIE
You can sit down.
MARGARET
She had nothing. Except Saint Vincent de Paul’s. Thank God for them. They used to give out toys at Christmas to the ones who couldn’t afford it. Nothing big, just little things to put under the tree so the kids had something to open. I don’t know if they still do that or not, but I went there a couple years for my Joyce, and I know your mother got most of your toys down St.Vinnie’s that / year.
STEVIE
Margaret, listen for a / second—
MARGARET
(but she keeps going)
I don’t think they did Christmas dinners though. Some churches do that, but not St. Vinnnie’s. And your grandmother had passed by then, so there was no dinner to go to. So your mother goes into Flanagan’s, and she’s out to here.
(indicates belly)
When’s Jimmy’s birthday?
STEVIE
January.
MARGARET
Right, so she’s out to here, and in this big coat. Remember that black coat she always wore?
STEVIE
Yeah.
MARGARET
And she’s walking up and down the aisles, slipping things in the pockets – potatoes, and cans of cranberry sauce, cookies, because you guys gotta eat, right? So she gets whatever she can fit in that big coat, and comes waddling up to my register. And I know something’s up, but I can’t quite figure it out. So, I’m like, “Hey Mary, how are the kids?” And