Forgotten History [RSWC]

The World After Conflict

Announcer:
Lancaster Drive Retirement Home sweltered in the Mid-day July heat. Normally the air conditioning cooled its 30 residents but due to the recent power cuts; for the residents new technology had become a laughable joke. Even the one remaining Carer, who managed to stay in work, seemed to be at a loss without electricity. To the residents, they had more worrying concerns. The daily food deliveries had stopped a while ago; luckily a new member of staff had over-ordered canned chicken soup, enough to last what seemed a month.
Albert Stonehard at 83, kicked the motionless floor-fan, making Una at two years his senior jump in fright.

Albert: Stupid #ing thing!

Una: I see you’ve got it working then?... Oh!... I can feel a breeze!

Albert: Well!... What a bloody load of # this stuff is,… isn’t it?

Una: Just like the person who kicked it?

Andy, the newly appointed work experience apprentice, rushed into the communual lounge, carrying a tray so large, he had trouble getting through the doorway, clashing the bowls loaded onto it.

Albert: Not more chicken #ing soup is it?

Andy: Sorry,.. it’s all we’ve got.

Una: It smells very nice, thank you Andy.

Andy: You’re welcome. …Here you go Albert, sorry!… I found a packet of cake mix in the cupboard but we’ve no eggs. At least chicken soup is good for you though, innit?

Albert: Not with the amount of sweat you must have dripped into it. And where’s the #ing chicken in this?

Una: ALBERT! The boys trying to help! For goodness sake!

Albert Grunts

Andy: I’ll open another window…It’s getting hotte…

The sound of breaking glass erupted from within the corridor adjoining the lounge which startled the 2 residents and one staff member in the living room. The now hushed voices from the 12 residents in the adjacent dinning room quietened. The other 16 residents, all housed within one small bedroom couldn’t hear anything. Their lifeless stench filled the complex, something they all tried to ignore. Andy rushed over towards the noise and dissappeared off into Una’s bedroom.

Voice from Andy in the distance: Arggghh!

Silence

Albert: What the hell now?

He slowly put down his soup and shuffled off towards Una’s room.

Voice from Albert in the distance: What the # are you doing in here! PUT THAT DOWN! Get OUT!
A young hooded youth stood in Una’s bedroom, having crawled through her open window and proceeded to route through her drawers.

Albert: Get out of here!

Hooded Youth: # YOU! Grandpa!!

Albert: WHY…YOUU!!!

Albert entered the room and swung his walking stick at the young man who shoved him to the floor even before his feeble swing could connect with the hooded youth.

Banging noises from the room

Una: (screamed) ALBERT!!!! ( her bowl of soup smashed as it hit the floor)

Bangs from the room

Una: Albert?

Screams from Andy , Albert and the hooded youth. Then silence.

A worried Una : Albert?

Silence.

Albert: Tie the #er up!...... That’s it, around his hands, ….tie it tight!... No! TIGHT!

Andy: You alright Albert?,…. come on grab my hand.

Albert: I’m FINE,…. I’m fine…. No!.... Hang on a mintute lad…. Give me my stick
.
A whipping noise then a dull thud

Andy: NO! No leave him, Albert, come on, let’s get you back to the lounge. Please.

Andy and Albert shuffled towards Una

Una: Albert, WHAT’s happened? Are you alright? What’s happened to your face Andy?

Andy: I’m okay. Sit down Albert. Come on, there you go.

Una: Who is it?

Andy: I don’t know, one of the lads from the estate. He’s tied up, you’re gonna be okay, alright?

Una: In MY ROOM? OH! Your head Andy, please let me see to it.

Andy: I’m okay, I need to call the Police.

Albert: No #in chance!

Andy: Oh!

Albert: Bring him in here and tie him to a chair! Go on lad! Go!

A shuffling noise accompanied with a low moan came from the now un-hooded youth and grunts in effort expressed from Andy struggling to half-carry the semi-conscious thief into the living room.

Albert: There THAT CHAIR! Tie his hands behind the back! Loop it underneath the leg!

Andy: Tie it with what?

Silence

Albert: Una ! Take off your tights!

Una: ALBERT STONHARD DON’t You DARE!

Albert: He’s already got one pair on around his wrists! Come on! He’s waking up! TIGHTS Una TIGHTS!

A exasperated struggling sigh from Una

Una: Oh, hold on!... No!.... Oh!

Albert: COME.. ON.. UNA!!!

Una: I’M TRYING! !!!...Will you just shut up for five seconds.! …No, Andy you going to have to help me!

A sigh from Andy

A rustling of cloth

Albert: Tie it around the back of the legs, that’s it! Well done lad.

Andy: What now?

Albert: He’s not going anywhere! I’ll sort it from here lad. Go and take a look at the others in the Dining Room won’t ya lad? Be back in a moment Una, shout if he struggles.

Andy checks on the other residents reassuring them that everything’s okay, eat their soup and cake will follow soon. Oh how he wished he hadn’t said that. He then returns to the lounge.

Andy: Una, stay away from him!

Una: He’s hurt. It’s worse than that bump on your head for sure. He’s bleeding.

Andy: Come on, sit back down, please!

Una: ANDREW SMYTHE! Don’t you tell me what I can and can’t do!...you’re almost as bad as Albert!

Andy: Where is he?

Una: Who?

Andy: ALBERT!

Una: Oh, yes he went to…

Albert: UNA! Get away from him!

Gasps from Andy and Una

Una: Albert! PUT DOWN THAT GUN!

A very scared Andy: Where did you get the gun Albert? Please, put it down!

Albert: Get back Una!

A murmur from the young thief

Albert: DON’T #IN MOVE! You little piece of #!

Andy very sheepishly to Una: Where did he ‘that’ gun?

Una: ALBERT STONEHARD PUT DOWN THAT GUN….NOW!!

Young hooded thief: What the #! ….Do as Granda-ma says old man! ….#!

Sounds of struggeling from the theif in the chair.

Albert: Don’t #IN MOVE!!!!

Una: Albert, PLEASE! Put the gun down!.

Albert: NO! YOU can shut the # up too and sit back down….. I’m sick of your moaning!

A gasp from Una

Una: Well! Albert Stonehard, I Never thought I’d hear the day you speak to me like that! And in THAT tone!
Thank goodness I DIDN’T go to the dance with you at the Ritz if that’s how you’ve turned out!

Albert sounding like he’d been hit by an emotional overkill bullet straight through the heart.:
I’m sorry Un. …sorry.

Una: Well….it’s okay…. Just put that gun down!......(her voice shaking with emotion) Where did you get that gun anyway?

Albert: Joe.

Una: Oh!

Silence

Una: The boys bleeding Albert! We need to look after our own.

Albert: Our own? ….That little piece of # wouldn’t know what that means! He doesn’t deserve our help!

Una: Now Alb, you remember when Joe bloodied your nose?

(she chuckled)

Una: What were YOU doing at that time?

Albert: That was different!

Una: Yeah it was. (she said with a sigh) our reflections looked younger.

Albert: What WAR is he fighting for? WHAT DID WE FIGHT FOR UN? What did we really fight for? This?

silence

Una: the ones we love Alb.

silence

Una: I do love Chicken Soup.