Sarah Daly
The Painting
CAST OF CHARACTERS
SHEILA Thirty-something housewife.
MARY SHEILA’s mother
SAM SHEILA’s four year old child.
VIOLET SHEILA’s friend and neighbor.
Place
Living room in Cleveland house, midmorning
Time
1960
ACT 1:
AT RISE:
A living room, mid-morning. UPSTAGE, there is a picture window revealing a neighborhood of closely spaced wooden houses and a street with tightly packed cars. STAGE RIGHT is the front door. DOWNSTAGE of the door is an upright piano crowded with knick-knacks. STAGE LEFT there are a sofa, two chairs, and a coffee table, and beyond them, the door to the kitchen. Colorful rugs adorn the floor. CENTER STAGE there is a painter’s stand, small table containing paints and brushes, and a low stool. SHEILA is sitting on the stool, painting. On the stand, there is a canvas which shows a foggy lake surrounded by woods. The style is one of passion and enthusiasm, rather than educated technique. The proportions are slightly off, but SHEILA radiates contentment as she works.
SHEILA (To Herself)
Mm maybe a little more gray…
SHEILA dabs more gray paint onto the canvas. MARY enters STAGE LEFT with SAM in tow, clutching her hand.
MARY
Sheila, we’re going to the store, need anything?
Pauses and shifts weight.
SHEILA
Not bothering to remove her eyes from the painting.
No, no.
MARY
Violet should be coming over soon?
SHEILA keeps her eyes fixed on the painting but nods.
You going to say goodbye again?
SHEILA
Well, we had that dinner the other night, but she should stop by today.
MARY guides SAM towards the painting, expectant for SHEILA to make some gesture towards him. SHEILA continues to paint, not noticing SAM.
MARY
Look at Mommy’s painting, what do you think?
SAM
Boot-ful.
MARY
Maybe a little less fog, show the water more.
MARY stands back and looks at the canvas critically.
SHEILA
Maybe, I don’t know. I want it to be realistic, but the water at that lake is so dirty all the time…
MARY
Well, we’re off, probably be back in an hour or two. Maybe we’ll go to the park. You’d like that Sam?
SAM makes a gesture of excitement.
SHEILA
Goodbye.
SHEILA doesn’t look up and continues to paint. MARY looks back at her expectantly, but when there is no response, she and SAM exit STAGE RIGHT.
SHEILA continues to work but is interrupted when the doorbell rings. She gets up and goes to the front door. She hastily smooths her untidy hair and straightens her shabby skirt and sweater before opening the door to admit VIOLET. VIOLET is attired in a navy blue travelling blouse and skirt. Her outfit has been carefully ironed and is rather expensive. She has a small hat on and her hair is curled in long shoulder-length ringlets. Her makeup is heavy, and her lipstick very red. A canvas bag is slung over her shoulder.
SHEILA (Enthusiastically)
Oh, Violet, I’m glad you could stop by. Come in, come in.
VIOLET smiles warmly as she enters the home and SHEILA shuts the door.
Coffee?
VIOLET
No, no, unfortunately I can only stay a few minutes, Fred’s double parked.
SHEILA
Oh, that is too bad, but we can make him wait a little longer?
Her disappointment is clear, but is tempered by her happiness at seeing VIOLET.
VIOLET (SMILING)
Yeah, I’ll let him watch the kids for a bit. God knows we’ll be trapped together long enough for the next several days.
SHEILA
You know, after our dinner the other day, Cy’s been talking about us moving to the country, getting our own place, bigger than this.
VIOLET
What are you going to do in the country? How will you get around?
SHEILA
Cy will teach me to drive, I guess. He wants more land, to move out of Mother’s house, I guess. Mother will be lonely though.
VIOLET
Hmm.
SHEILA
But what am I going to do when you’re gone? I mean, we’ve known each other since high school, part of me didn’t want to believe it, you leaving the neighborhood, I don’t think it’s even sunk in yet. I’ll get up tomorrow and knock on your door and think you’re there.
VIOLET
I dread it, having to find all new places to shop, meeting new people, finding a new dentist, a new doctor. I mean, another one may be coming along soon, after all this.
Pats her stomach. SHEILA looks slightly uncomfortable.
...But it’s good for Fred, he’ll have his own church now. He’ll be able to really run it, and not be under Pastor Bob’s thumb the whole time.
Awkward silence.
VIOLET goes over to SHEILA’s painting, studying it critically.
That’s different than what you usually paint. Are you going to try to sell it?
SHEILA
SHEILA looks intensely at VIOLET as she studies the painting.
Maybe, I don’t know. This is just from my imagination.
VIOLET
You’re really good, I mean, painting and all.
SHEILA
SHEILA smiles broadly but tries to hide it.
I’m lucky I can paint whatever I want, not sell out, I guess.
VIOLET
I do wish I had your talent, or any talent…
SHEILA
You’ll have to send me photographs of Colorado, so I can have something new to paint.
She struggles not to cry and instead, smooths a blanket on the back of the couch.
The kids will love it, being out in the country. It’s been nice, you know, having your kids so close by, Sam will miss them a lot too.
VIOLET
Well, have you and Cy talked of having another?
SHEILA
You know I think I had Sam, only to keep up with you.
She shakes her head, then looks up hopefully.
Will you be back at Christmas?
VIOLET (Shaking her head)
No, it’s too expensive and Christmas is the busiest time for Fred. I need to be there, to support him.
SHEILA
But your folks will miss you.
VIOLET
They might visit us, or we’ll write letters, or talk on the phone, though long distance is so expensive, Fred says.
SHEILA
We’ve done everything together, high school, prom, getting married, supporting Fred and Cy through school, then the babies.
VIOLET
It’s been a true blessing.
SHEILA
Oh don’t give me that voice, your minister wife’s voice.
VIOLET
Sheila …
SHEILA
Walks around the chairs and couches, her fingers running along the edges, unable to look VIOLET in the eye.
You know, last night I dreamed we were still working in that dress shop. We were running behind like we usually were and Mrs. Grindle was barking at us to get the alterations done, and we were all flustered and worried we’d be fired.
Laughs hollowly.
Maybe it was because I walked by it the other day, and Mrs. Grindle was still there, barking at the poor girls running around back. But really, I mean, it was nice to you know, make some money and seeing you every day…
VIOLET
Yeah, I miss seeing you, but I hated working at the shop.
SHEILA
I don’t know, it was interesting, learning about the stock and inventory and all that...
A car horn honks
VIOLET
I won’t miss the city noise though…
rubs her shoulder
SHEILA
Is your shoulder sore? Let me get some liniment…
VIOLET
No, no, it’s fine... I’ve been doing a lot of packing and lifting these past few days.
SHEILA
EXITS STAGE LEFT to the kitchen. VIOLET looks around the room, as if memorizing it, but straightens up when SHEILA returns with a tube.
Here, take it, please Violet. Fred doesn’t take care of you enough.
VIOLET sets down the canvas bag, takes the tube, and squeezes the ointment on her hand, and slips her hand under the shoulder of her jacket rubbing.
VIOLET
Well, if you want to give me something, maybe I could take one of your paintings.
SHEILA
Oh, which one? I have so many, and a lot aren’t finished.
VIOLET
Oh, never mind, Fred will kill me if I add another thing to the car. We’re packed in like sardines already. I had to get rid of so many things.
SHEILA
You know, I’ll send you one for Christmas. I’ll have time to frame one real nice then.
VIOLET
I’ll look for it, thank you. That would be really nice, getting a package from home out there.
SHEILA
Colorado, wow. Those mountains would be something to paint. Hey, you know, maybe it’ll be romantic, driving cross-country.
Both laugh.
VIOLET
The kids will be fighting after an hour, Fred will be grumpy…I mean I don’t know how he’ll stand it, he’s rarely ever alone with them, let alone in a confined space for hours on end. I suggested that we just sell our car here and go by train, at least. He thinks we can make it in three days, but looking at the map, I don’t think that’s possible. But once he gets something in his head…well you know how men are.
SHEILA
Yes…
VIOLET
Opens the canvas bag and rummages through it.
I just had to keep my books, Fred fussed and fussed. But I held my ground. I found a few of my old textbooks from school. Here, I’d like you to have them, if you want them.
SHEILA
Wow, thank you.
SHEILA takes the books gingerly, flipping open a few and looks at each one reverently, as she sets them on the table near her painting.
I’ll keep them, of course I’ll keep them for you. I’ll really treasure them.
VIOLET
In the English book there’s that poem you wrote for me. For that assignment, in Miss uh, Sarson’s class? You were so smart, you wrote one for me and one for you, and I never even asked you to…I well...was never good at words. I guess you knew that.
SHEILA
I think I do remember that. Oh yes, all those silly limericks I came up with.
VIOLET
You were so good at everything you did, getting on the school newspaper, winning those art contests, getting on the Honor Roll.
SHEILA
Oh yes, Miss Homecoming Queen. You always had a million friends, I didn’t. That’s why I was so good at everything, you know, I had lots of time. Just me and Mother.
VIOLET(Laughing)
Well you didn’t do so bad for yourself, in the end. Took those college classes, met Cy.
SHEILA
Yeah. Well he’s the writer now.
VIOLET
Anyway, you write to me. You have the address?
SHEILA
Yes, I have it in my book. And of course I will. I’ll send one tomorrow, so it’ll be waiting for you when you get there. And we’ll visit, maybe we’ll take a vacation, or you’ll come back here, when Fred’s not so busy?
Her voice is high pitched, and she speaks quickly.
VIOLET (Nods)
I’ll look out for that painting.
Horn honks.
That must be Fred, I really have to go now, Sheila.
They hug tightly. They pull apart slightly, almost seem to kiss, but then VIOLET turns and exits STAGE RIGHT.
SHEILA sits down on the stool in front of her painting and picks up her brush, dabs a bit of gray paint on the canvas. A car motor revs loudly and then fades away. SHEILA sets the brush down, and picks up one of the textbooks, and carefully opens one, tracing her fingers on the pages, then puts her head in her hands and cries.
