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TAKE MY HAND
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EPISODE 09
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THE PERSONAL CASE OF OC MUTAASA
SFX:
NURSE MILDRED SIGNATURE TUNE
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MILDRED:
(NARRATION) They say, ‘the rich also cry.’ Today I say, ‘the
powerful also feel powerless.’ And so, I share with you the story of
OC Mutaasa and his wife, Beatrice. OC Mutaasa is of course the
OC of police and his wife Beatrice owns a food stall in the market.
This is their story.
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SFX:
FADE INTO
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SCENE I
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LOCATION:
INT-OC MUTAASA AND BEATRICE’S HOME-MORNING
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B/G SFX:
BIRDS SINGING OUTSIDE
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CHARACTERS:
OC MUTAASA, BEATRICE
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SFX:
CHILDREN PLAYING OUTSIDE
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SFX:
MUTAASA OPENS THE BEDROOM DOOR AND THE
SOUND OF THE CHILDREN GROWS LOUDER
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MUTAASA:
Beatrice, what’s the meaning of all this?
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BEATRICE:
Meaning of all what, Mutaasa?
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MUTAASA:
Why are the children not at school?
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BEATRICE:
Oh that.
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MUTAASA:
I wake up to go to work and the first thing I see is all four of them
in the living room playing about, why aren’t they at school?
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BEATRICE:
They are unable to go because somebody didn’t complete paying
the debt for their school necessities.
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MUTAASA:
And you are just telling me of this now – on a school morning?
You’re not serious, Beatrice. You shouldn’t have let it get to this
point.
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BEATRICE:
Then what should I have done, mister “serious”?
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MUTAASA:
You should have told me sooner.
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BEATRICE:
And what would you have done, Mutaasa?
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MUTAASA:
I don’t know… anything!
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BEATRICE:
Nothing! (SHOUTS) Kids, dress up and go to school, okay.
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CHILDREN:
(OFF MIC) Yes, mummy.
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BEATRICE:
You’re the one who’s been complaining about how broke you are
the last few days. So had I told you, what were you really going to
do about it? This is not the first warning from the school…
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MUTAASA:
(SIGHS) Am sorry dear. But I am busy… How am I supposed to
take care of every little detail… but look at them! This is so
embarrassing! The chief of police and his children are running
around on the street.
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BEATRICE:
I am sorry but what was I supposed to do? I can’t keep going back
to the school and making excuses.
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MUTAASA:
(SIGHS) This is terrible. I love my children and am willing to do
anything to make sure they get a decent upbringing.
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BEATRICE:
I know that. But the school just looks at the bill… is it paid or not?
If it is not paid, then the kids don’t go to school.
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MUTAASA:
(IRRITATED) I know the situation, Beatrice. But it’s becoming
increasingly hard. There are so many demands and my meager
police income doesn’t account for much.
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BEATRICE:
I know that too. Am also trying very hard to make extra money at
my restaurant but…
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MUTAASA:
People are not buying the food?
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BEATRICE:
They are, it’s just that so many people have eaten food on credit
and have not paid me yet.
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MUTAASA:
Why do you give food to people on credit?
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BEATRICE:
They are my customers.
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MUTAASA:
No, no, no, no business is business. You can’t just go around
giving people free things.
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BEATRICE:
It’s not free, it’s on credit. Besides I tried the no credit policy
already.
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MUTAASA:
Why did you stop?
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BEATRICE:
People avoided my joint. Food would remain and go to waste so I
made big losses.
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MUTAASA:
Damn. This is ridiculous. Which way am I supposed to turn?
Nobody pays for anything any more! What happened to hard cash
as currency? What happened to the days when a coin was worth
something…not just worthless paper?
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BEATRICE:
Well the reality is, Mutaasa my dear, in this community, you can’t
survive in business without giving people credit. Some of my best
customers eat on credit and eventually pay.
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MUTAASA:
I see.
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BEATRICE:
And some just never pay of course…so it is my loss, but that’s
business.
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MUTAASA:
What? No, tell me who they are and I will arrest them.
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BEATRICE:
You can’t do that!
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MUTAASA:
I most certainly can and will. Need I remind you…/
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BEATRICE:
OC, I know who and what you are. I am your wife! But you can’t
arrest my customers.
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MUTAASA:
Why not if they are being stubborn?
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BEATRICE:
Because that will freak out my regular customers and they’ll stop
eating at my joint.
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MUTAASA:
Well…I…
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BEATRICE:
It’s okay, dear. I can handle.
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MUTAASA:
I know, dear. You try hard to make ends meet and you contribute a
lot towards the up keep of this homestead. Am grateful.
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BEATRICE:
Thank you, dear.
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MUTAASA:
But we have still failed to make ends meet. I wish I could be
posted to some other police post with the prospects of a promotion.
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BEATRICE:
Dear, you vowed to fight and improve the situation here in your
native place.
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MUTAASA:
Its hopeless, I have given up all hope of changing this community.
It’s like nobody wants the change.
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BEATRICE:
How can you say that?
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MUTAASA:
It’s true. The other day I handled a case of a certain philandering
old married man who had impregnated a young teenage girl.
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BEATRICE:
Oh my God!
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MUTAASA:
But the parents were willing to let him off after he had paid them
off. Can you imagine?
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BEATRICE:
That’s so sad. How can anyone be that careless?
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MUTAASA:
I ask myself that every day.
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BEATRICE:
Anyway I will go ask the school to extend the grace period until
we have enough money to pay their debt.
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MUTAASA:
Okay dear, am off to work too.
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SCENE II
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LOCATION:
EXT-BEATRICE’S MARKET FOOD STALL-AFTERNOON
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B/G SFX:
MARKET CHATTER; SOUNDS OF PEOPLE EATING
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CHARACTERS:
BUGEMBE, BEATRICE
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BUGEMBE:
Careful there, Mrs. OC. Are you okay?
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BEATRICE:
Am fine, Bugembe, just a little dizziness. What can I get you?
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BUGEMBE:
Are you sure? Looks serious... As a matter of fact, you don’t look
okay at all.
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BEATRICE:
What are you? A doctor! I said am fine. Now are you eating or
not?
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BUGEMBE:
Of course… am eating… why else would I be here? Now make
that rice, posho, 3 pieces of meat and some salads.
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BEATRICE:
Order with cash, please.
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BUGEMBE:
Mrs. OC, my day has not yet brightened up. Let’s do the usual. I’ll
pay later.
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BEATRICE:
Am sorry, but no cash, no food. I badly need the money.
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BUGEMBE:
Come on now, you don’t mean that.
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BEATRICE:
We’ll see about that.
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BUGEMBE:
This is ridiculous… am a regular customer, treat me like one!
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BEATRICE:
Bugembe, you are already heavily in debt to me. I cannot continue
giving you food without pay.
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BUGEMBE:
What’s gotten into you, Beatrice? Just give me the damn food. I
will pay when I get the money.
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BEATRICE:
No, what’s gotten into you? Thinking you will continue eating free
food. My children are not going to school because am in debt to
the school.
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BUGEMBE:
How is that my problem? Am I the one who told you to have so
many?
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BEATRICE:
They are my children all the same, all four of them. And I take care
of them… unlike the ones you have scattered here there and
everywhere whose names you scarcely even know!
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BUGEMBE:
Are you going to give me the damn food or not?
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BEATRICE:
NO! How do you expect me to meet my own domestic needs if
you don’t pay me?
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BUGEMBE:
(MOVING FROM MIC) Fine, keep your damn food. It wasn’t
tasty anyway, just like its cook.
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BEATRICE:
(CALLING AFTER HIM) And don’t bother to come back!
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SFX:
BANGS SOME POTS ANGRILY
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BEATRICE:
(TO HERSELF) Oh, that ingrate. Now what am I going to do? I
need the money even if it was from Bugembe!
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SCENE III
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LOCATION:
INT-HEADMISTRESS BAKULU’S OFFICE-AFTERNOON
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B/G SFX:
CHILDREN PLAYING
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CHARACTERS:
HEADMISTRESS BAKULU, BEATRICE
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BAKULU:
Mrs. Mutaasa, you’re welcome. Please come in.
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BEATRICE:
Thank you, Headmistress.
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BAKULU:
Please have a seat. You don’t look okay! Could it be the heat?
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BEATRICE:
I don’t know. Of late I’ve been having dizzy spells and it is hot out
there. The market is like hell.
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BAKULU:
Trust me I know, if I could make it rain, I would.
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BEATRICE:
Actually you can.
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BAKULU:
Pardon me!
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BEATRICE:
I was hoping you could consider giving us some more time to pay
our debt.
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BAKULU:
What debt might that be?
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BEATRICE:
Brian, Sarah, Mary and little Tim’s debt for their scholastic
materials. You had sent them home yesterday because we hadn’t
yet paid.
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BAKULU:
Oh yes… I have them here on my list. I really can’t say am in
position to help. These extensions affect the entire school.
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BEATRICE:
Surely you can afford a little extension. I normally make some
extra money from the restaurant but…
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BAKULU:
Times are hard everywhere.
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BEATRICE:
Indeed, I have gone into debt, people owe me money but aren’t
paying and now I can’t pay my debt to the school.
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BAKULU:
From one mother to another, I understand. I will give you an
extension.
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BEATRICE:
Thank you very much, Mrs. Bakulu.
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BAKULU:
But only until the end of next week. It’s the best I can do.
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BEATRICE:
I understand and am grateful all the same. Let me run back to my
stall… business awaits.
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SFX:
STUMBLING
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BAKULU:
Are you okay? Here, let me give you a hand.
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BEATRACE:
I haven’t been feeling well lately, I keep feeling nauseated. Am
afraid I might be pregnant.
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BAKULU:
What! Here sit down.
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SFX:
CHAIR SQUEAKING
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BEATRICE:
(SIGHS) I can’t cope with another pregnancy. Not now, the last
one was difficult enough and now with this heat and the financial
difficulty, having to work to support Mutaasa’s income, where will
it all end?
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BAKULU:
But don’t just jump to conclusions just yet. Maybe you’re not
pregnant.
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BEATRICE:
I see no other explanation. I must be pregnant.
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BAKULU:
Have you been to the health center?
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BEATRICE:
I can neither afford the time or the money for medicines.
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BAKULU:
Maybe it’s a flu. There has been one going around. Just go to the
clinic…you just might be lucky and not be pregnant.
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BEATRICE:
Lucky?
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BAKULU:
Well yes, but of course luck would have nothing to do with it if
you were on modern family planning.
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BEATRICE:
What do you mean?
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BAKULU:
Am talking about spacing a family. Truth is I couldn’t have
succeeded as a teacher to become Headmistress had I not planned
my family.
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BEATRICE:
REALLY?
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BAKULU:
Yes, and there is a very good family planning clinic here.
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BEATRICE:
But Mutaasa and I normally count the days between my periods
and avoid “office duty” as he calls it when I can get pregnant.
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BAKULU:
That is “hit and miss”…get one day wrong and you’ll make a
mistake, I assure you. You should really try modern family
planning. It’s much easier to use and more reliable.
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BEATRICE:
But I’ve heard that those “things” might cause infertility or make
one deliver a…strange baby.
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BAKULU:
The modern family planning “things!” No way.
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BEATRICE:
Are you sure?
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BAKULU:
That’s the value of education, yes, we learn science, math, history
and biology but we also learn that you can use safe, effective
family planning.
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BEATRICE:
So what are you saying? That I should go to school.
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BAKULU:
(LAUGHS) No. I am saying that just as you can get a little pill
these days that will take your headache away, there are also
modern family planning methods that really do help you if you
want to delay having another child or stop having children. That’s
what family planning is there for. It’s not a big mystery. But,
really, you should go see Nurse Mildred. Find out first if you are
pregnant or not and if not…/
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BEATRICE:
I can start modern family planning?
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BAKULU:
Of course you can. I personally don’t see why it’s such a big deal
for so many women. The service is available. And as far as I know,
all government health services are free of charge so it shouldn’t
cost a thing.
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BEATRICE:
Free treatment! Are you serious?
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BAKULU:
Yes, now go. I’ll see you at the end of the week.
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BEATRICE:
Oh, yes, sure.
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SFX:
MUSICAL TRANSITION FADE UNDER NARRATION
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MILDRED:
(NARRATION) But Beatrice didn’t come straight to see me.
Instead she went back to open up her food stall to see if she could
make a sale. She was desperate to raise cash so that she could pay
the school and keep her kids educated.
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SCENE IV
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LOCATION:
EXT- BEATRICE’S MARKET STALL-EVENING
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B/G SFX:
MARKET CHATTER
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CHARACTERS:
SSENGA DORA, BEATRICE
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SFX:
CLATTERING OF A PADLOCK AGAINST METAL AS
BEATRICE OPENS UP
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S.DORA:
Young girl, are you serious?
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BEATRICE:
Ssenga Dora, what is it?
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S. DORA:
How dare you abandon your stall like this, Beatrice? I come here
to eat food and am greeted by chairs and a closed stall.
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BEATRICE:
Am sorry, Ssenga.
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SFX:
THE METAL DOOR OPENS IN A CLATTER AND
GRINDING SQUEAK.
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BEATRICE:
Please come in and have a seat. I’ll attend to you right away.
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S.DORA:
So what is the excuse for closing up in broad day light like this?
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BEATRICE:
I had to run to school to try and arrange a delay in paying some
school debts.
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S. DORA:
And what on earth is the matter with you? You look like a ghost.
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BEATRICE:
Trust me, Ssenga, you are not the first to notice. I am pregnant.
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S. DORA:
That’s wonderful news.
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BEATRICE:
No, it’s not. It’s horrible news. This pregnancy couldn’t have come
at a worse time.
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S.DORA:
What’s wrong with this time?
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BEATRICE:
Plenty, there’re debts to pay, a struggling business and clients who
refuse to honor their debts.
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S. DORA:
That’s rubbish. You, the wife to the chief of police! You shouldn’t
even be slaving in the market. This is surprising.
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BEATRICE:
Yes, but life is hard. May be I should abort this pregnancy before it
takes over my life.
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S.DORA:
If that’s what you’ve decided then it’s easy, I can provide you with
the herbs any time. You’ll have to pay me of course.
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BEATRICE:
Ssenga, I’ve just told you I don’t have the money.
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S.DORA:
You’re pathetic. You think there are free things in life? May you
remain broke for good.
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BEATRICE:
What of the food, Ssenga?
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S. DORA:
(MOVING FROM MIC) Keep your damn food. A whole police
chief’s wife and you have no clue what you want!
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SCENE V
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LOCATION:
INT-POLICE POST-EVENING
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B/G SFX:
POLICE SIRENS, POLICE RADIOS WHEEZING
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CHARACTERS:
MUTAASA, SSENGA DORA
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OC MUTAASA:
Ssenga, I really don’t have time for this.
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S.DORA:
Typical of you, OC, never to have time for anything or anyone.
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MUTAASA:
Look, Ssenga Dora, if you have a case to report, report it and leave
me in peace.
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S. DORA:
No, this is more serious. I have terrible news to tell you.
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MUTAASA:
Okay, what is it? Is there a problem?
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S.DORA:
Hhooo, it is serious, I don’t even know where to begin. That girl!
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MUTAASA:
What girl?
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S. DORA:
Beatrice, she is apparently pregnant and is planning on getting rid
of it.
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MUTAASA:
Beatrice, my wife?
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S. DORA:
Is there any other in this town? What! You mean you didn’t know.
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MUTAASA:
No, this is news to me. She never mentioned anything about being
pregnant.
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S.DORA:
Eeeeh, women!
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MUTAASA:
Surely, I should be the first to know.
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S. DORA
Poor man. Am just doing you a favor by telling you “the truth”.
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MUTAASA:
Thank you very much, Ssenga Dora.
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S.DORA:
Yes, a woman who thinks of removing a child from her womb
can’t be honest to her husband.
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MUTAASA:
(SIGHS, MOVING AWAY) Okay, Ssenga. Let me get back to
work.
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S.DORA:
(RAISING HER VOICE AS HE WALKS AWAY) You are very
lucky that an honest citizen like me can take time to come and
inform you.
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MUTAASA:
(TURNS BACK TO HER) Ssenga, I’ve got it, now please excuse
me I need…
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S.DORA:
My money.
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MUTAASA:
Excuse me!
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S.DORA:
Of course you don’t expect me to leave without my money.
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MUTAASA:
I don’t think I follow. What money of yours?
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S.DORA:
Money for my services of course.
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MUTAASA:
Ssenga Dora, don’t be hopeless. I have enough problems to deal
with as it is. Don’t be yet another one.
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S.DORA:
You are very right; you have every right to be mad.
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MUTAASA:
Am glad you understand.
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S.DORA:
How can she think of getting rid of your child? And…
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MUTAASA:
Ssenga! Enough! If you do not leave right now, I will arrest you.
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S.DORA:
How can you, an OC threaten to arrest people who come to report
to you? You don’t really deserve to be the OC.
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MUTAASA:
Okay that’s it, (CALLING) Constable, come in here.
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S.DORA:
(MOVING FROM MIC) Relax, am leaving. My God! This police
of nowadays, we are supposed to report crime yet…
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SCENE VI
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LOCATION:
INT-MUTAASA AND BEATRICE’S HOME-NIGHT
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B/G SFX:
FROGS AND CRICKETS
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CHARACTERS:
OC MUTAASA, BEATRICE
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MUTAASA:
Beatrice, what is going on?
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BEATRICE:
I did it, Mutaasa. The headmistress agreed to give us an extension.
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MUTAASA:
That can wait, am less concerned about it at the moment.
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BEATRICE:
Less concerned about our children’s education! What’s your
problem?
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MUTAASA:
Don’t play games with me, woman. I know you are hiding
something from me and I demand that you tell me the truth right
this minute.
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BEATRICE:
If you could just…
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MUTAASA:
You are expecting again, aren’t you?
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BEATRICE:
How… where did you hear it from?
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MUTAASA:
Just answer me and don’t even think of denying it because I got it
from Ssenga Dora.
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BEATRICE:
You don’t have to attack me like that all because of Ssenga Dora.
She also confronted me in the market trying to sell me herbs.
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MUTAASA:
What? I know she is always trying to extort money or goods and
services from people but…/
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BEATRICE:
Exactly and she’s like all the others who never pay for a damn
thing.
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MUTAASA:
(SHOUTING) Well, are you pregnant? Stop avoiding the question.
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BEATRICE:
(SHOUTING) I don’t know. (PAUSE, TAKING THE HEAT OUT
OF THE EXCHANGE) I thought I might be but I can’t say for
sure. I wanted you to escort me to the health center so I can find
out.
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MUTAASA:
I…. (SIGHS HEAVILY)
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BEATRICE:
The headmistress, Mrs. Bakulu, had suggested that I go there and
confirm whether I was pregnant or not first
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MUTAASA;
And then?
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BEATRICE:
Then perhaps think about modern family planning.
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MUTAASA:
That’s a sensible idea. More sensible than taking herbs from some
crazy person like Ssenga Dora…
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BEATRICE:
Are you serious?
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MUTAASA:
Of course I am serious. I would never trust Ssenga Dora for
anything any more, especially not in making decisions over our
children, or whether we have children… or how we have
children…ha! Don’t know how I ever even gave her the time of
day!
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SFX:
MUSICAL TRANSITION FADE UNDER NARRATION
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MILDRED:
(NARRATING, WITH A LAUGH) It’s funny how the world turns
and what makes people’s brains work. I never cease to wonder at
how people change. And this, my friends, is how I got to see
Beatrice at the health centre, accompanied by a very shy but very
brave OC Police, Mutaasa.
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SCENE VII
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LOCATION:
INT-HEALTH CENTER COUNSELING ROOM-MORNING
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B/G SFX:
DISTANT CRIES OF BABIES
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CHARACTERS:
OC MUTAASA, BEATRICE, NURSE MILDRED
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BEATRICE:
How long will it take, Nurse Mildred?
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MILDRED:
Just a few minutes, Beatrice.
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MUTAASA:
And we will know for sure whether or not she is expecting?
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MILDRED:
Actually OC, am surprised that you have not yet embraced modern
family planning.
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MUTAASA:
How so?
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MILDRED:
You were very vocal about some of the things that caused mayhem
in the town.
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BEATRICE:
He still is.
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MILDRED:
And you were at the community meeting when the people
embraced the need for modern family planning.
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MUTAASA:
Sometimes we don’t always practice what we preach.
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MILDRED:
I know what you mean.
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MUTAASA:
And I always had excuses like am too busy, it’s a woman’s job to
come to the health center and discuss such matters and so on. But
here I am now.
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BEATRICE:
The important thing is that you are here, dear.
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MUTAASA:
So what’s the verdict? Are we to expect a fifth child?
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MILDRED:
Actually, Beatrice, you are not pregnant.
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MUTAASA:
Oh thank God!
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BEATRICE:
Thank God indeed.
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MILDRED:
Am guessing you two are ready to use a modern family planning
method.
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MUTAASA:
We would be stupid not to. For the first time since we got married,
we have had a conversation about it.
403
MILDRED:
Good… I love it when both partners get into family planning!
404
405
BEATRICE:
And it all came about when Ssenga Dora suggested that I pay her
to use herbs to abort!
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407
MILDRED:
Good God no! I’ve seen the danger of trying to abort. Some
women die, others become infertile.
408
MUTAASA:
Say no more I’ve seen it in my line of work. I know it all too well.
409
410
MILDRED:
And yet we have a clinic that can safely offer family planning so
that you can have children only when you want to have them.
411
412
BEATRICE:
Nurse Mildred, am a little scared. I heard that modern family
planning makes one infertile.
413
414
MILDRED:
Those are claims of ignorant people. Modern family planning is
perfectly safe. Shall we begin?
415
MUTAASA:
Sure.
416
417
MILDRED:
There three types of modern family planning methods; the short
term, long term and permanent methods.
418
419
BEATRICE:
I need to take a long break from having children so definitely long
term.
420
MUTAASA:
You’re sure about that dear?
421
422
BEATRICE:
Am sure, really. It’s too much. I need to concentrate on the rest of
my children.
423
MUTAASA:
Our children.
424
BEATRICE:
Yes, if we can educate them and feed them well, it will be enough.
425
MUTAASA:
You’re so right, dear. The long-term method will work for us.
426
427
BEATRICE:
Then let me suggest the coil. It’s perfect for you two since you
don’t plan to have any kids for some time.
428
MUTAASA:
How long will the coil work?
429
430
MILDRED:
It can effectively be left in place and can prevent pregnancy for up
to 12 years.
431
432
BEATRICE:
12 years is a lot. What if things change and we want to have
another child?
433
434
MILDRED:
That’s the beauty of it. Whenever you feel like having children,
you just come back to the health center and get it removed.
435
BEATRICE:
Just like that?
436
MILDRED:
Just like that… and you can conceive immediately.
437
MUTAASA:
How does this thing really work?
438
439
440
441
MILDRED:
I thought you’d never ask. The coil is a small piece of plastic with
some copper wrapped around it, and these thin threads at the end.
A trained health worker like me places it inside the woman’s
womb.
442
BEATRICE:
Okay, then what happens?
443
MILDRED:
Once in place, it stops sperm from reaching the woman’s eggs.
444
445
MUTAASA:
If you don’t mind me asking, can’t the strings hurt the man
during… aah... “Office business?”
446
447
MILDRED:
Not at all, the strings are very soft and short and do not interfere
with “office business.”
448
BEATRICE:
Nurse, can’t it fall out?
449
450
MILDRED:
Well, it can, but it’s not common. If it does though, you can always
have it replaced by a trained health worker like myself.
451
BEATRICE:
Isn’t it painful? Inserting it, I mean.
452
453
MILDRED
It can cause some discomfort during insertion and for some women
it causes heavier and longer periods during the first month.
454
BEATRICE:
Goodness! Am not sure I like the whole idea anymore.
455
456
MUTAASA:
Dear, don’t be silly. Look at the bigger picture here. What’s a little
discomfort compared to the pains of childbirth?
457
458
BEATRICE:
You’re just saying that because you’re not the one to undergo all
the pain.
459
460
MILDRED:
Well, Beatrice, consider yourself lucky in one way. Your husband
came with you. That’s support for you!
461
462
BEATRICE:
I know, Nurse Mildred. But I am a bit concerned. Can the coil
move and travel to other parts of the body?
463
464
MILDRED:
The only place the coil can travel to is out of the womb through the
birth canal… Which does not usually happen.
465
466
BEATRICE:
But you’re absolutely sure that when we decide to have a baby it
won’t be born with the coil on its head or look funny?
467
468
469
MILDRED:
No, that can’t happen. When you want to get pregnant, we will
remove the coil. And, there is no way you can get pregnant while
the coil is in place.
470
BEATRICE;
And what of…
471
472
MUTAASA:
Honey, what are all these questions for? Do you want to adopt
modern family planning or not?
473
474
BEATRICE:
Am only trying to make sure am making the right choice. After all,
am the one going to be with the coil in me, not you.
475
476
477
MILDRED:
That’s really nice, and she’s right, Mutaasa. So many women seek
modern family planning but don’t bother to make sure that their
choice is the best for them.
478
479
MUTAASA:
I want what is best for my wife. What’s best for her is going to be
best for the whole family!
480
SFX:
MUSICAL TRANSITION FADE UNDER NARRATION
481
482
483
484
485
486
MILDRED:
(NARRATION) Beatrice and OC Mutaasa decided together that
the coil was a good idea. And Beatrice had the coil inserted. Very
soon, she was back at work with more energy than ever, and I hear
her business is back on track. She collected her debts from
everyone-- except Bugembe! And, they managed to pay the fees at
the school.
487
SCENE VIII
488
LOCATION:
EXT-BEATRICE’S MARKET STALL-MORNING
489
B/G SFX:
MARKET CHATTER
490
CHARACTERS:
BEATRICE, PAMELA
491
PAMELA:
Hey Beatrice, have you got some of that delicious chicken?
492
493
BEATRICE:
Good morning, Pamela. You mean the one your husband loves so
much? Sure.
494
PAMELA:
I can see someone is in a good mood.
495
BEATRICE:
One chicken coming right up.
496
PAMELA:
Here’s your money.
497
BEATRICE:
Cash, I love cash. Here’s the chicken.
498
499
PAMELA:
Thanks and I love your food. It seems to get better and better by
the week.
500
501
502
BEATRICE:
That’s simply because I don’t have to worry about having small
children bothering me around the fires and hot plates. I cook freely
without worrying.
503
PAMELA:
So that’s your secret?
504
BEATRICE:
(LAUGHS) All I can say is a happy woman makes a good cook.
505
506
PAMELA:
Hmm. Smells good. Whatever you’re doing, it’s making your
cooking better than ever!
507
OUTRO:
NURSE MILDRED SIGNATURE TUNE