TAKE MY HAND
EPISODE 11
MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS
SCENE I
LOCATION: EXT-FRANCIS AND CECILIA’S HOME-AFTERNOON
B/G SFX: RADIO MUSIC COMING FROM INSIDE HOUSE
CHARACTERS: FRANCIS, CECILIA
MILDRED: (NARRATION) They say desperate times call for desperate measures. Francis the district veterinary officer is determined to work hard and farm a plot of land he bought 12 years ago in Bukulu. He can’t wait to have his own herd of livestock. His wife Cecilia, who’s turning 40, is a bookkeeper doing part-time work for local business. My husband Denis has sub-contracted her for some jobs.
SFX: FADE UP ON BANGING OF METAL AS CECILIA FIXES A BROKEN GUTTER
CECILIA: (GRUNTS – TO HERSELF) That’s it…
SFX: CAR ENGINE COMING UP, TURNING OFF, DOOR OPENS AND SHUTS
FRANCIS: (OFF MIC, CALLING OUT) Look at you, Cecilia my dear. What’s that you are banging away at?
CECILIA: I am fixing the gutter, Francis. I hoped I’d be finished and have it back up before you got back. (HEAVES)
SFX: SHE BANGS THE METAL TO GET THE PIECES TO FIT
FRANCIS: What’s wrong with the gutter? Why is it on the ground?
CECILIA: I can’t believe you’re actually asking me that. Don’t you hear anything at night?
FRANCIS: What was I supposed to hear?
CECILIA: It belched and gurgled in the storm nearly the whole night. Then finally it fell off… I barely got any sleep. (SHE GRUNTS AND PUSHES IT INTO POSITION) There!
FRANCIS: (NOW ON MIC, WITH HER) You know how I get when it rains. And last night was quite a storm. I must have snored like a baby.
CECILIA: I suppose you’ve gotten blind and deaf as well, doctor. It flooded the side window in the living room. Didn’t you see this morning?
FRANCIS: I was rushing, and I had to drive out early to some agricultural extension unit out of Bukulu and…
CECILIA: Yes, yes enough before you give me your ‘what a day speech.’
FRANCIS: Oh but it was indeed quite a day. A lorry overturned about 23kms out of town and we were delayed.
CECILIA: Oh my God, I hope no one was hurt. (SHE FINISHES) Hold the end of the ladder please... I want to put this up now…
FRANCIS: Policemen watched on as people picked spilled grain. I mean what could they do? There was no stopping them. Then I had to administer anti-biotics to half a dozen cattle…
CECILIA: Are you going to tell me the whole story!
FRANCIS: Yes, then I clipped the hooves of an old horse and helped a cow give birth. It eventually died but I saved the calf.
CECILIA: I guess you had your bit of adventure. Can you hold the ladder please, Francis?
FRANCIS: Sure. Are you going up?
CECILIA: Of course. I need to put the gutter back up.
FRANCIS: Now?
CECILIA: Of course. I am not going to spend another sleepless night with this gutter down….
FRANCIS: But I left you in bed this morning sleeping like a baby.
CECILIA: That was all the sleep I got, from about 4 to 7am. I had real difficulty getting up at 7.30am.
FRANCIS: What did you have to get up so early for?
CECILIA: In case it hasn’t occurred to you, dear, you’re not the only one who works around here. I had accounts for the local hardware store to do, chores all morning, and fixing the house most of this afternoon.
FRANCIS: That sounds like the woman I married.
CECILIA: Very funny. Give me a hand. I’ll get up on the wooden ladder and you can lift the gutter to me.
FRANCIS: Of course I’ll do that for you – and hold the ladder!
SFX: LADDER SQUEAKING AGAINST A WALL. SHE CLIMBS THE RUNGS
FRANCIS: There you go, oh my God.
CECILIA: (SLIGHTLY AWAY FROM MIC) WHAT?
FRANCIS: 40 years and you still have the best legs in the whole of Uganda. A blend of firmness yet…
CECILIA: Hey, I called you to help not to look.
FRANCIS: Can’t I do both?
CECILIA: You can do the looking later. Speaking of which, there is something I want to tell you.
FRANCIS: What?
CECILIA: Later.
FRANCIS: Then I can hardly wait.
CECILIA: Well you’ll just have to, and hold the ladder firmly please.
FRANCIS: Sorry, you know, your hips from this angle are the very best view I’ve had all day…
CECILIA: (LAUGHS) I should hope so, doctor. You’ve been studying the back end of cows all day!
SCENE II
LOCATION: INT. - FRANCIS AND CECILIA’S BEDROOM-NIGHT
B/G SFX: CRICKETS AND FROGS CROAKING, LIGHT RAIN
CHARACTERS: FRANCIS, CECILIA
SFX: BED SQUEAKING AS FRANCIS GETS IN
FRANCIS: Ah, I have been looking forward to this. Bed!
CECILIA: (AWAY FROM MIC – DISTRACTED) Good job, uh?
FRANCIS: (ON MIC) What?
CECILIA: The gutter! Didn’t you notice? The rain is going where it should, into the gutter and down the pipe…
FRANCIS: You’re right. You’re a genius.
CECILIA: No, I am not, Francis. I am just exhausted. Looking forward to a good night’s sleep.
FRANCIS: Yes. What a long day! Even Melody went to bed early.
CECILIA: (STILL OFF MIC) Poor girl she must be exhausted.
FRANCIS: Being an S4 candidate is not what it used to be, it’s a competition for high grades to get you anywhere in life these days.
CECILIA: No wonder she’s so exhausted. (FRUSTRATED AS SHE TRIES TO TIE HEADSCARF) Goodness, this won’t stick...
FRANCIS: Forget the headscarf, dear, come to bed, I need the extra warmth.
CECILIA: (APPROACHING MIC) I’ve got it, there. How do I look?
FRANCIS: Like an angel…
CECILIA: (APPROACHING MIC) Francis…
FRANCIS: What is it?
CECILIA: (ON MIC) I think am pregnant.
FRANCIS: (TAKEN ABACK) Oh… oh.
CECILIA: I hope it’s not a problem. I know a 5th child was not really in our plans.
FRANCIS: No, it’s not that.
CECILIA: (GUILTILY) I ran out of pills – and then never got round to getting refills and so…
FRANCIS: Love, don’t worry about it. It’s not exactly the end of the world having another child!
CECILIA: I just didn’t expect I’d get pregnant. (SITS ON THE BED – ON MIC NOW) All the plans we had to develop the farm… all that is going to change with a new baby.
SFX: BED SQUEAKING
FRANCIS: Let’s wait and see what happens. It’s not the end of the world.
CECELIA: I think I’ve forgotten how to take care of a baby, Francis! I was looking forward to the day when Melody leaves home so that we can…
FRANCIS: So we can go on that holiday to the coast.
CECILIA: Yes, it would be like our second honeymoon.
FRANCIS: Don’t worry love. Let’s leave things to fate for now. I hope this doesn’t mean that ‘the doctor can’t examine the patient.’
CECILIA: (LAUGHS) No worries there, doctor.
FRANCIS: Then I will take a look. You know, am thinking of the sexy woman up the ladder. (THEY LAUGH)
SFX: MUSICAL TRANSITION FADE UNDER NARRATION
NURSE MILDRED: (NARRATING) And so the following day, after a ‘very happy’ night, Francis went off to work thinking that in all likelihood his wife, Cecilia, was pregnant…
SCENE III
LOCATION: INT.-FRANCIS’ OFFICE-MORNING
B/G SFX: COMPUTER KEYBOARD
CHARACTERS: FRANCIS, IRENE
SFX: FRANCIS’ PHONE EXTENSION IS RINGING
FRANCIS: Yes… I thought I asked not to be disturbed… My daughter? Irene? Yes, of course I’ll see my daughter. Send her in, please.
SFX: SQUEAKING CHAIR AS HE GETS UP. DOOR OPENS
FRANCIS: Irene, my little angel.
IRENE: (COMING ONTO MIC – UNABLE TO MASK AGITATION) Morning dad, I hope am not disturbing you at work….
SFX: DOOR CLOSES
FRANCIS: Nonsense, you know me I love to be out in the field helping a mare to foal…it’s this office work I can’t stand. What are you doing here, my angel?
IRENE: I just came to…
FRANCIS: Are you in recess already? The semester just begun!
IRENE: I needed to…
FRANCIS: Irene, what’s wrong? You haven’t been kicked out of the university?
IRENE: (BEGINS SOBBING) No, it’s not that…
FRANCIS: Hey, you know there isn’t a thing you can’t tell me. Talk to me.
IRENE: (CRYING) Am so sorry, dad, I messed up. It’s terrible,
FRANCIS: Come now dear, it can’t be that bad. Sit down… sit down. There isn’t a problem that can’t be solved.
IRENE: (SEATED) But this is worse, I blew it big time.
FRANCIS: (GENTLE) Well, whatever it is, we’ll fix it together. Now talk to me. (SITS ON THE EDGE OF THE DESK)
IRENE: I… am pregnant
FRANCIS: WHAT? Did I hear you just say you’re pregnant? Are you crazy? What the hell were you thinking?
IRENE: I wasn’t.
FRANCIS: That’s for sure. Is this what I’ve been paying for? How the hell did it happen?
IRENE: Am sorry, I made a mistake.
FRANCIS: (FURIOUS) Mistake? What do you mean – mistake?
IRENE: (CRYING) I didn’t mean for this, dad. I’ll go then… (VERY DRAMATICALLY SHE MAKES TO LEAVE)
FRANCIS: (PULLING HER BACK, VERY ANGRY) No, stay here, girl. Who is the guy? I want a name.
IRENE: He’s…he’s someone on the course with me.
FRANCIS: What do you mean… someone on the course with you? I sent you to university to get a damn education, Irene! I did not send you there to… to find some other kid… he must marry you!
IRENE: He doesn’t want anything to do with me.
FRANCIS: This boy doesn’t want to take responsibility!
IRENE: No.
FRANCIS: Good God! What is your mother going to say?
IRENE: That is why I came to you first, dad. I thought you would understand.
FRANCIS: I don’t. I don’t. How would any father understand…? Dammit, Irene, what am I going to tell your mother?
SCENE IV
LOCATION: INT.-NURSE MILDRED’S CONSULTING ROOM-DAY
B/G SFX: DISTANT CRIES OF BABIES
CHARACTERS: NURSE MILDRED, CECILIA
CECILIA: Are you sure, Nurse Mildred?
MILDRED: I’ve checked twice, Cecilia. You are definitely not pregnant.
CECILIA: Then maybe am sick, this has never happened before. Why am I not getting my period? It’s a month late already.
MILDRED: Relax. You are not sick either. Sometimes, women just miss their periods.
CECILIA: Really, because I’ve never been this late.
MILDRED: Could be due to stress. You’re still taking the pills, right?
CECILIA: I was. But then I ran out and I just forgot to come back here for the refills.
MILDRED: You have to come back for refills, Cecilia. You have to take the pills every day!
CECILIA: I know. But I ran out of pills – and then, to be honest… I thought to myself: I am 40. I am hardly likely to get pregnant, if I am careful.
MILDRED: Well, you could very easily. I have plenty of women in their forties, my dear, attending antenatal care. So what are you going to do now? You’re not pregnant, but if you want to stay that way you’d better get back on the pill.
CECILIA: Do I have to?
MILDRED: Cecilia, I take it you don’t want to have another child. You are still fertile…
CECILIA: Nurse Mildred, I am relieved I’m not pregnant. Francis and I want time to ourselves… we don’t really want another child… not now.
MILDRED: You have 5 children already. Maybe you two ought to consider a permanent method.
CECILIA: Hmmm, something final!
MILDRED: Yes… If you and Francis don’t want any more children…
CECILIA: I get broody when I see other people’s babies but, truth is, Francis and I are planning to start farming…
MILDRED: Farming?
CECILIA: Francis bought land a few years ago. He has been dreaming of the day he can go and farm it.
MILDRED: What of you?
CECILIA: I enjoy my book keeping; I don’t mind the extra income. But I like the idea of a farm. You know, over the years, I have bought about 30 cattle that are at my mother’s place in the west.
MILDRED: Really!
CECILIA: I feel so proud of myself. It’s so right.
MILDRED: Wow, all that wealth! Now am jealous. (THEY LAUGH) The question is: will you and your husband want to have any more children?
CECILIA: We have been using family planning for 8 years. And we do have 5 children. And we were thinking that once the kids were all settled we could have time to do the things we really wanted to do – like farm…
MILDRED: Sounds like you are saying you don’t want any more children.
CECILIA: I find it hard to say it outright. But yes, I guess that is true.
MILDRED: Well, you might want to consider tubal ligation.
CECILIA: What’s that?
MILDRED: It’s a simple operation where your fallopian tubes are tied and cut so that you can’t have any more children.
CECILIA: That sounds so permanent!
SCENE V
LOCATION: INT.-FRANCIS AND CECILIA’S HOME-AFTERNOON
B/G SFX: SOFT RADIO MUSIC
CHARACTERS: CECILIA, FRANCIS, IRENE
NOTE: THIS SCENE BECOMES BITTER AND ANGRY AND EMOTIONAL
SFX: CECILIA OPENS THE FRONT DOOR
CECILIA: (HUMMING) Francis! You’re home! Why? I saw your car…
FRANCIS: (VERY SERIOUS) Cecy… Irene came to my office…
CECILIA: (SHOCK) Irene! She is here? But she’s in town…at university…
IRENE: (APPROACHING MIC – ENTERING FROM BEDROOM – VERY SOMBRE) Good afternoon, mum.
CECILIA: Irene! Goodness! What a surprise! (SHE EMBRACES HER DAUGHTER) What’s wrong? What’s going on?
FRANCIS: (DEEP, SOMBRE VOICE) Irene has something to tell you. Let’s sit. (HE SITS)
CECILIA: (FEARFUL OF BAD NEWS) What’s happened? Has something happened?
IRENE: Mum, I didn’t mean for it to happen.
CECILIA: Didn’t mean for what to happen?
FRANCIS: It’s nothing serious it’s just that she is…
IRENE: Am pregnant.
CECILIA: Pregnant?
FRANCIS: And it seems…
CECILIA: Did you just say pregnant? Irene, what were you thinking?