Mother of Blue Stars

Episode 3

ELEANOR: Oh. Does he have a girl back home?

RAYMOND: Eleanor, I don’t know anything about him.

ELEANOR: Did you see a picture of a girl on his desk?

RAYMOND: I wasn’t paying attention.

MARY: Eleanor, help with supper.

ELEANOR: I’m still doing homework, Ma.  I’m trying to finish to be free for tonight.

RAYMOND: Who does homework on a Friday night?

ELEANOR: Ma, what did you need me to do?

MARY: When you’re done set the table.

ELEANOR: Okay.  I’m almost finished.  I’m writing an essay.  I’ll be down in a few minutes.

[ELEANOR exits]

RAYMOND: It’s getting late.  I’d better go find Pop.

MARY: I hope he-- oh, dear, the telephone.  Maybe that’s him.  Raymond, answer it.  My hands are messy.

[RAYMOND answers telephone]

RAYMOND: Hello?  Oh, hi, Sergeant Sotelo.  You got my note, huh?  [A few beats]  Oh, I see.  You don’t say?  Well, that’s understandable.  I’ll let my mother know. [Beat]  Okay, Sergeant, thank you for calling.  [Beat, then to MARY] That was Sergeant Sotelo.  He’s not coming.

MARY: Oh?  Something happened?

RAYMOND: He had a previous engagement.  He said thanks for the invitation anyway.

MARY: [Surprised] He had plans?

RAYMOND: Ma, it’s Friday night.  He probably has a date with a girl.  They really go for a guy in uniform.

MARY: That’s too bad.  He would’ve loved these pirogues. [Beat]  Hold on!  I have an idea!  Call him back!  Call him back right now!  Tell him to bring his girl here.  There’s plenty for everybody.

RAYMOND: Ma, he said he had plans. And I don’t know anything about a girl.  I was just guessing.

MARY: Call him back!

RAYMOND: I don’t know the number.

MARY: Was he calling from the recruiting store?

RAYMOND: Store? No, Ma, it not a store, it’s an office.  And I don’t know where he was.

Continued 11/11.