Mother of Blue Stars

Scene 5

ANDY: I don’t like this.  Have you met this boy?

MARY: Eleanor said he was nice.  They’re in the same class.

ELEANOR: We’re in the same homeroom.

ANDY: Why didn’t you speak with me first?  I should’ve known something was up.  And since when do you make plans with Father Penik behind my back?

MARY: We have plenty of space.  The boy will be no trouble.

ANDY: You should have come to me first.  I’m the man of the house.

MARY: I choose not to.  You’re a hardhead who sometimes drinks too much.

ANDY [Standing]: Now I’m a drunk!  Don’t speak to me like that!  Don’t ever speak to me like that!

RAYMOND:  Don’t touch her, Pop!

ELEANOR: Oh my goodness!

MARY: Let go of me!

RAYMOND: Let her go, Pop!  You’re hurting her!

MARY: It’s okay, Raymond. Just call the police.

RAYMOND: Break it up!  Break it up! Please, everyone, just calm down.  Pop, please sit down, over there.  Ma, you too, over here.

ANDY: Didja hear what she said?  She said I was a drunk!

RAYMOND: You didn’t mean that, didja Ma?

MARY: I didn’t say that.  I said he drank too much.

ELEANOR: Stop it, both of you!  This is Raymond’s big day and you’re ruining it!

RAYMOND: This is all my fault. Ma, I’m sorry if I stretched the truth about school.  And I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you and Pop first.  But can’t you just wish me well?  It’d mean a lot.  [Beat]  And I’m not sure what to think about the Stefanek boy living—-

ELEANOR: [Interrupting RAYMOND] He’ll fit right in!

RAYMOND: I know everything will work out.

MARY: You don’t know anything!  You don’t know what it means to join the Army, or why you need to finish school, or why I’m taking in Tomas Stefanek.

ANDY: Oh Christ, here we go again!  I need to warm-up the car.

[ANDY groans and exits]

[Beat]

MARY: You know, Raymond, I knew this day would come.  I knew it was just a matter of time before the war took you like it took your brothers.  The war gets what it wants and who am I to stop it?  I’m a housewife in Cleveland.  So I’ve decided not to worry.  You’ll be okay and I’ll be okay.  In the meantime, Tomas Stefanek needs a mother.  He needs a family.  He needs . . . us.  And we need him too.

RAYMOND: You’re right, Ma, we’ll be one-hundred percent okay.

[ANDY re-enters]

ANDY: Raymond, time to get going.

RAYMOND: Okay, Pop.  Sis, take care of yourself.

[RAYMOND and ELEANOR embrace]

ELEANOR: Good by, Raymond.  I’m actually going to miss you!  Here, this is for the train. [She hands him a book]

RAYMOND: “A Farewell to Arms?”

ELEANOR: It’s easy reading.  You’ll enjoy it.  I promise!

RAYMOND: [Incredulously] Okay, thanks, I guess.

ANDY: Can we please get going?

RAYMOND:  Okay, Pop.  [RAYMOND turns to MARY] Hang in there, Ma.  We’ll all be home soon.

MARY: I know.  Just watch yourself.

[RAYMOND kisses his mother on the cheek, tenderly.]

RAYMOND: Take care now.

[ANDY and RAYMOND begin to exit]

MARY: RAYMOND!

[RAYMOND stops, turns]

MARY: Oh, dear . . . what’s the saying? [MARY looks at ELEANOR]  Oh, yes, I remember now.  Give ‘em hell!

[RAYMOND smiles, gives a sloppy salute, then exits]

Concluded 6/1.