ACT ONE – SCENE ONE

Year: 1936: Italy, night.

  ‘Santa Lucia’ playing softly; sound of mourning bell in background.  Lights up on Rosinella and Luigi.  Rosinella ready for a journey.  Luigi with black armband round his upper arm.  With great care he is handing a blanket with a sleeping child over to Rosinella.  The speak in whispers.

  ROSINELLA:  Dorme?

LUIGI:  Si.  Dorme sempre.

ROSINELLA:  (Fingers to her lips) Ssshhh…

Luigi takes a last look inside the blanket, then embraces Rosinella, kissing her on both cheeks.  He strokes the blanket and abruptly turns away, unable to deal with the pain.  He holds his hand out behind him to prevent further contact.  Rosinella aware of Massimo in background, standing with suitcase.  He picks it up and comes to Rosinella, puts an arm protectively round her shoulder and leads her away.

  ACT ONE – SCENE TWO

Year: 1939.  Pedreschi’s back shop.

  Lucia (age five,) preening in brand new party frock and shoes, doing a twirl.  Rosinella and Massimo up to her, fussing over her with delight: she loves it.

  MASSIMO:  Oh, who’s that lovely wee girl?

  ROSINELLA:  Turn round, hen.

  MASSIMO:  Isn’t she lovely?

  ROSINELLA:  And do you see the lovely wee shoes she’s got?  (Lucia shows them off).

  MASSIMO:  Oh would you look at those.  You know what they call them, don’t you?  Those are ‘kissing shoes’.

  Lucia holds up her feet one at a time and he kisses her shoes: she giggles.

  ROSINELLA: She’s a lucky wee girl.  Your Uncle Massimo had to make a lot of ice cream to get you that nice dress.  (Rosinella takes ribbons out of a bag and holds them up to the dress).  And look, we got the wee ribbons to match.  (To Massimo)  The shop been busy?

  MASSIMO:  (Shrugs) So, so.

  ROSINELLA:  And she got a new schoolbag for starting the school.  Go get it, Lucia!

  Lucia goes to get her bag.  Massimo pulls Rosinella aside, whispers.

MASSIMO:  Listen, Rosie.  I thought you went to Glasgow to buy yourself a new coat.

  ROSINELLA:  Oh, but seen when I saw that wee dress, I just had to get her it.  My Heart’s breaking for that wee lassie these days.

  MASSIMO:  She’s just a wean.  She’ll no’ understand.

  ROSINELLA:  But she’s lovely in it, isn’t she?

  MASSIMO:   Don’t get me wrong.  I don’t grudge the wean a frock, God forbid.  It’s just you I’m worried about.  Last year when I gave you money for a coat you bought jumpers to send to Italy.

  ROSINELLA:  So?

  Massimo smiles with great affection, squeezes her cheek between his thumb and forefinger.

  MASSIMO:  So what have I to do with you, you daft wee besom, you?

  Lucia back carrying her schoolbag:  Massimo takes it from her.

  MASSIMO:   Oh is this what I got?  Let me see.  Oh, that’s great so it is.  Just what I was needing for bringing home the tatties.  Oh, here it’s away wee.  You better just take it, Lucia.  (He pretends to put in on, Lucia giggles).

  LUCIA:  Uncle Massimo, you’re awful silly.

  ROSINELLA:  Now away you go, Lucia and take off your lovely dress.

  LUCIA:  (Mood changing/petulant) I want to keep it on!

  ROSINELLA:  (Coaxing) You need to take it off, love.

  LUCIA:  No!

  MASSIMO:  Keep it nice for something special.

  LUCIA:  No!

  ROSINELLA:  If you take it off now, I’ll let you wear it to Mass this Sunday.

  LUCIA:  I want to keep it on.

  ROSINELLA:  Come on, hen.

  LUCIA:  I’m keeping it on, I says.

  MASSIMO:  You better no’ let her away with that.

  ROSINELLA:  Come on, darling, we’ll get you changed.

  LUCIA:  (Starting to shout) No! No! No!

  ROSINELLA:  (Voice raised but pleading) Now Lucia! 

Massimo glances over shoulder in direction of front shop.

  LUCIA:  I don’t want to!  I don’t want to!

  MASSIMO:   Ssshh!  You two.  I’ve got customers out there.  (To Lucia) Do what your Auntie Rosinella tells you, darling – there’s a good girl. (Rosinella takes Lucia’s arm to lead her away).

  ROSINELLA:  Come on. Lucia!  (Lucia starts to scream and pull back).

  LUCIA:  No! No! No, leave me alone.  I want to keep it on!  I want to keep it on.  No! No! No!

  Rosinella and Massimo look helplessly at each other:  Massimo also keeps glancing in direction of shop, anxious to get back.

  ROSINELLA:  (Appealing) Massimo.

  MASSIMO:  Maybe you’re being too hard on her.

  ROSINELLA:  Me?

  MASSIMO:  Why not let her keep it on for a wee while, eh?

  ROSINELLA:  Just a wee while, then, okay.  (Lucia controls her sobs: she’s won)

  LUCIA:  Okay.

  MASSIMO:  Just this once.

  LUCIA:  Okay.

  ROSINELLA:  Seeing it’s new.

  MASSIMO:  Now, don’t be getting it dirty, mind.

  ROSINELLA:  There’s a good girl.

  MASSIMO:    Here.  Come here.  You forgetting your Uncle Massimo’s got a shop to run, eh?  (He pulls her to him, hugs her, takes out his hanky and wipes her eyes and her nose)  Blow!  Ach!  What use is that?  I said ‘blow’ – like this.  (He gives an almighty blow in the hanky; she giggles; he holds the hanky for her to blow her nose)  That’s better!  Now – one here.  And one here. (He points to one of his cheeks after the other and she kisses them)  Who’s my best girl?  (Rosinella looks on adoringly).

  FRANCO:V/O:  (Singing) Parla me d’amore, Marie…..

  LUCIA:  Uncle Franco!

  She jumps up with excitement and runs to meet him.  He comes in from front shop: she jumps into his arms and he swings her around and she laughs, delighted.  He puts her down and holds her back to look at her  Massimo goes out to shop.

  FRANCO:  Oh! Who’s a lovely girl the day?

  ROSINELLA:  You like her new dress, Uncle Franco?

  FRANCO:  (To Lucia) Did you miss me, then, eh?  Wait to you see this, wait to you see this.  (He takes a coin from his pocket, tosses it , puts both hands behind his back, holds both out fists clenched)

  LUCIA:       That one! (She opens his fist – it’s empty.  He laughs, opens the other fist and gives her the coin)  Look what Uncle Franco gave me.

  FRANCO:  There’s some queue out there.  Will I give Massimo a hand to shift it?

  ROSINELLA:  He can manage on his own for a wee while.  I want a word with you, Franco.  (She looks around, sees Lucia’s ears cocked)  Away you go into the shop, Lucia, pick a wee sweetie.  (Lucia goes reluctantly knowing she is missing something)  We’re doing awfy well with the hot peas just now.  (Rosinella is glad to get Franco on his own)  Tell me about Luigi.

  FRANCO:  I told you.

  ROSINELLA:  Tell me again. (Franco goes to speak but doesn’t get the chance).  Never took him long, did it?  It’s no’ two years since my sister died.  Crying his heart out, so he was, had everybody crying.  And look at him now, eh?

  FRANCO:  So he got married again.  You can hardly blame him for that.

  ROSINELLA: Oh, there’ll be something in it for him, likely.  Takes everything that’s going.  Don’t know what he thinks he’s playing at.  Starting a new family, he cannae even take care of the one he’s got.

  FRANCO:  Good luck to him.

  ROSINELLA: And what am I supposed to tell her, eh? (Pointing in the direction of Lucia).  Your daddy’s got a new wife, a new baby, he’s forgotten all about you.

  FRANCO:  Now, you know that’s not fair.

  ROSINELLA:  Well, what’s it look like to you?

  FRANCO:  See you!  Once you make up your mind about something…..

  ROSINELLA: (Interrupting/at full flow) Couldn’t even tell us himself, could he?  If you hadn’t went off to Italy, we’d probably still no’ know.  How often did you see him?  Did he come to see you?  Did you go to see him?  Did he talk about Lucia?  Did he ask about his lassie?  I have to know.  I want to know everything.

  FRANCO:     (He has been trying to get a word in) Just suppose I told you he’s miserable without her, he cannae wait to get her back.  For good!

  ROSINELLA:  (Clutching her heart) He is not?

  FRANCO:  He might be.

  ROSINELLA:  He cannae be.

  FRANCO:  But what if he was?

  ROSINELLA: Ach – he knows his lassie’s better off here.  Anyway, he’s got enough on his hands right now with his new baby boy. (Franco sniggers)  What you laughing at?

  FRANCO:  You!

  ROSINELLA:  (Mock annoyance) I’ll fix you.

  Massimo pops head in from front shop and shouts.

  MASSIMO:  Two teas and two hot oranges!

  Rosinella starts to make them.

  ROSINELLA:  How’s your daddy?

  FRANCO:  Crabbit as ever!

  ROSINELLA:  Enjoyed his holiday?

  FRANCO:  Alright I suppose. (A beat) Says to tell you to go up tonight and cut his toenails.

  ROSINELLA: (Scoffs) I’ve to laugh at him.  Isn’t talking to us, mind you, but still wants me to run after him!

  FRANCO:  What did our Massimo have to open up his own shop for anyway?

  ROSINELLA:  Oh, Franco, now don’t you start!  We got enough of that from your daddy.

  FRANCO:  No!  It’s no’ that I blame him.  It’s just that, since he left, it’s worse for me now.  Stuck in that shop with that moaning old get and I know I’m no’ going to stick it much longer.

  ROSINELLA:  What else can you do?

  FRANCO:  I can get out.

  ROSINELLA:  The pits or the steelworks – that’s all there is around here.

  FRANCO:  There must be something else.  There must be.  Look at me!  I’m young – I cannae be expected to spend my whole life working from morning to night in a wee pokey shop.  Apart from anything else, so long as I’m there, he’s got a hold over me.

  Massimo in.

  MASSIMO:  (To Rosinella) You’ll never guess who’s deid!

  ROSINELLA:  (Interested) Who?

  MASSIMO:  You’ll never guess.

  ROSINELLA:  Don’t tell me.

  MASSIMO:  You mind Sanny?

  ROSINELLA:  Sanny?

  MASSIMO:  You mind a Sanny?  Big Sanny?

  ROSINELLA:  Big Sanny?  From the Auld Toon?

  MASSIMO:  Aye

  ROSINELLA:  Big face?  Dark hair?

  MASSIMO:  Aye.

  ROSINELLA:  Worked wi’ the bins?

  MASSIMO:  Did he?

  ROSINELLA:  Aye.  Never married.

  MASSIMO:  Aye. (A beat). Naw!  I’ll tell you who you’re thinking of.  You’re thinking of Wee Sanny.

  ROSINELLA:  Wee Sanny?

  FRANCO:  Wee Sanny Mulligan.  I’m talking about Big Sanny.  Big Sanny Kerrigan.

  ROSINELLA:  Ah!  That Sanny!  Sanny Kerrigan?  You mean he’s deid?

  MASSIMO:  Who says he was deid?

  ROSINELLA:  You did.

  MASSIMO:   No him.  His next-door neighbour.  Dropped deid at the bookies.  His wife had his dinner on too. (A beat.  Turns to Franco) Where are you off to the night, Frankie-boy?

  FRANCO:  That reminds me, Rosinella.  I told ma faither I was going to the Casa to play cards with Massimo.  Mind and back me up when you see him.

  ROSINELLA:  How?  Where are you going?

  MASSIMO:  These ready? (Picks up tray with drinks and goes)

  FRANCO:  I’ve got a date on.

  ROSINELLA:  (Disapproving) Who with? (Franco smiles and touches his nose)  A Scotch girl?  (Franco winks)  I’m right, amn’t I?

  FRANCO:  Could be.

  ROSINELLA: You better watch these lassies. (Franco scoffs) Who is it anyway.  Anybody I know?

  FRANCO:  (Face lights up talking about her) This is not ‘anybody’.  It’s Bridget Devlin.  You know her?

  ROSINELLA:  (Disapproving) From the Auld Toon?  Adam Devlin’s lassie?

  FRANCO:  What if she is?

  ROSINELLA:  No harm to the lassie, Franco, but look at that family.  Must be eight or nine    weans.

  FRANCO:  Eight.

  ROSINELLA:  (Shocked) Eight weans!  She keeps having them and she cannae even look after them right.  And look at me!  It’s no fair, is it?  Twelve years I’ve been married – and nothing.  Me an Italian as well.

  FRANCO:  They’re a great family, Rosinella.  Really close.

  ROSINELLA:  You never met anybody in Italy?

  FRANCO:  I wasn’t looking.

  ROSINELLA:  I says to Massimo.  I wouldn’t be surprised if you came back engaged.

  FRANCO:  I told you, Rosinella.  I’ve got someone.

  ROSINELLA:  You’re surely no keen on this Scotch girl?

  FRANCO:  What if I am?

ROSINELLA:    Then she must be giving you something you can’t get from an Italian girl.  I’m telling you, you better watch yourself.

  FRANCO:  You know nothing about Bridget.

  ROSINELLA: Now, you listen good to me, son!  These Scotch girls, they’re all the same.  They just go out with you for one thing…. Because your faither’s got a shop and they think you’ve got money.

  FRANCO:  (Indignant) Thanks very much!

  ROSINELLA:  Alright.  Alright.  And because you’re tall….

  FRANCO:  Good-looking…

  ROSINELLA:  You’re good fun to be with…

  FRANCO:  …a good kisser, a good dancer….

  ROSINELLA:  Aye, but that’s because you’re Italian.

  FRANCO:     Oh, they like that alright.  All I have to do is say ‘Ciao Bella’ and they’re all over me.  (Lucia in from front shop)  Ciao Bella!  (She jumps on his back for a piggyback)  See what I mean?

  ROSINELLA: Listen – these girls (lowers voice so Lucia won’t hear).  Don’t think I don’t understand.  You’re no different from all the other Italian men.  You’re young, you’ve got the warm blood.  But it’s one thing to play around with them, so long as you marry your own kind.  You watch none of them catches you.  That’s the kind of thing they do here.

  FRANCO:  What?

  ROSINELLA:  They see a man they want and – you know- they know how to make sure they get him.

  FRANCO:  (Cheeky) That’s god coming from you, Rosie, seeing as how you got yours.

  ROSINELLA:  (Shocked) Franco Pedreschi!

  FRANCO:  I didn’t mean anything.

  ROSINELLA:  In front of the wean too.  (Massimo in.)  Talk to him, Massimo!

  MASSIMO:  Hello, Franco.  (Rosinella cuffs Massimo)

    ROSINELLA:  And you’re no better

Franco starts to march with Lucia on his back, singing:  after first couple of words Massimo joins in conducting with his finger.  Rosinella pretends to despair but is loving every minute.  Massimo takes her hands and dances around pulling her into the song

  FRANCO AND MASSIMO:

                                    Prima vera di bellezza,

                                    Nella vita, nell’asprezza

                                    Il tuo canto squilla e va..

                                    Giovanezza, Giovanezza

ACT ONE - SCENE THREE

Same evening: street

  Hughie: scruffy looking, short trousers, dribbling his football.

Franco enters from opposite side of stage.

  FRANCO:  Here, Hughie

Hughie kicks it to him.  They kick it around a bit.  Franco picks up ball and takes it to him and ruffles his hair.

  FRANCO:  How you doing, Hughie son?

HUGHIE:  Alright

FRANCO:  You starting the school soon?

HUGHIE:  Worse luck

Franco takes a coin from his pocket.  Hughie’s eyes light up, don’t leave the coin.

  FRANCO:  See your big sister –

HUGHIE:  What one?

FRANCO:  Bridget.  Who else?

HUGHIE:  What about her?

FRANCO:  Do you ever hear her talking about me?

HUGHIE:  Who to?

Franco tosses coin, catches it, puts both hands behind his back.

FRANCO: To anyone.  Have you ever heard her saying anything about me?

HUGHIE:  Like what?

Franco brings his clenched fists out and hold them in form of Hughie

  FRANCO:     Oh, I don’t know – maybe something like she likes me, or she thinks

I’m nice.  What hand is it in?

HUGHIE:  No really.  That one!

Franco opens his hand

FRANCO:  Wrong.

HUGHIE:  Anyway, why don’t you ask her yourself?  She’s standing over there.

Franco looks over his shoulder.  Bridget is standing.  He opens the other hand and gives Hughie the coin.

  FRANCO:  Here y’are son.

Franco pats him on the head and goes over to Bridget who is looking the other way: he pauses, runs fingers through his hair and gets his pose ready.

  FRANCO:  Ciao Bella!

BRIDGET:  (melting) Oh, Franco, hello.

FRANCO:  Buona sera

BRIDGET:  I like your tan.

FRANCO:  It’s all over my body – except for my –

BRIDGET: (interrupting) Did you miss me?

FRANCO:  Did I miss you?   Did I miss you?

BRIDGET:  What about all those lovely girls in Italy?

FRANCO:  Never clapped eyes on them.

Bridget scoffs

  FRANCO:     Honest to God.  They’re no allowed past the doorstep.  And see if you

fancy someone over there, you’ve to go to the house and sit with the whole family.

BRIDGET:  And how would you know?

FRANCO:  Rosinella told me.  Look, I’ve brought you a present.

BRIDGET:  Oh, Franco

FRANCO:  It’s a wee corneet

BRIDGET:  A what?

FRANCO:  An Italian good luck charm.  You can wear it on a chain.

BRIDGET:  I don’t have a chain.

FRANCO:  Or a bracelet.

BRIDGET:  I haven’t got a bracelet either.

FRANCO:  You could even put it on a watch   (Bridget laughs)

  FRANCO:  Don’t tell me – you don’t have a watch.

BRIDGET: It doesn’t matter - I still love it!

FRANCO:  I’m sorry it’s so wee.  But it’s real gold.

BRIDGET:  Thank you (she kisses him)

FRANCO:  In Italy, if you like someone, you buy them gold.

BRIDGET:  Is that right?

FRANCO:  So, what have you been up to while I’ve been away?

BRIDGET:    Never been out the door. (Sees Franco’s look of disbelief).  Honest to God.  And my Da’s driving us mad.  Does nothing but talk about war.  Him and his cronies.  ‘There’s going to be a war…. we were in the last war…we know the signs’.   I’m glad just to get out.

FRANCO:  (indignant) Just – to get out?

BRIDGET:  No.  To see you

FRANCO:  Good!  Let’s go.  (He offers his arm and she snuggles in)

FRANCO:  (Sings) Parla me d’amore… Bridget.

They go off.

ACT ONE - SCENE FOUR

Back shop:  a few weeks later

  Rosinella and Massimo: mid-discussion

  MASSIMO:  You’re sure that’s what she said?

ROSINELLA:   Sure as God’s my judge standing here.  Says we’ve to stop speaking

Italian in the house.  What do you make of that, eh?

Franco enters

  ROSINELLA:  Ciao, Franco.  She says Lucia won’t speak the right English in the

school.  Then she says if she doesn’t talk she’ll no can get on with her reading.  (To Franco)  Do you want a wee cup of coffee?  So we’ve no to talk Italian in the house.

FRANCO:  But you two talk English most of the time.

ROSINELLA:  I told her that.  I says Lucia speaks the good English.  But she says she’s collapsed back into Italian.

MASSIMO:  Come to think of it, Lucia has been speaking Italian these days.  Where is she?

ROSINELLA:  Upstairs

MASSIMO:  Get her down.

ROSINELLA:  (shouts at the top of her voice) Lucia!

Massimo rubs his ear

  MASSIMO:  I could have done that.

Lucia, huffy, pokes head downstairs

  LUCIA:  Che e?

MASSIMO:  Come here, hen.

Lucia comes down.  Massimo lifts her up and kneels her on the table, they crowd round her.

  FRANCO:  You like the school, hen?

LUCIA:  No lo so.

ROSINELLA:  She does like it.  Sure you do, hen?

LUCIA:  Non-mi piace la scuola.

MASSIMO:  Yes you do.

ROSINELLA:  Speak English, Lucia

  MASSIMO:  You have to speak English

  LUCIA:  Non mi piace l’Inglese.

ROSINELLA:  Say that in English

Their speech gathers pace and volume.  Lucia pulls more and more into herself.

  FRANCO:  Your teacher says you’ve to speak English.

MASSIMO:  Parla Inglese.  Non Italiano.

ROSINELLA:  (annoyed. To Massimo)  Ma, tu parla Inglese!

FRANCO:  All the other wee boys and girls speak English.

ROSINELLA:  You don’t want them laughing at you, do you?

FRANCO:  You want to do well at school, don’t you?

ROSINELLA:  Speak English, Lucia.

MASSIMO:  Parla Inglese.

ROSINELLA:  Let me hear you say something.

FRANCO:  You need to speak English at the school.

ROSINELLA:  You speak good English, don’t you Lucia?

MASSIMO:  Speak English.

ROSINELLA:  Parla Inglese.

FRANCO:  Say something.

ROSINELLA:  Something in English.

MASSIMO:  There’s a good girl.

  ROSINELLA:  Speak English.

MASSIMO:  Parla Inglese.

FRANCO:  Say something.

They are now like vultures round her, repeating ‘speak English’ ‘parla Inglese’, ‘say something’ until Lucia breaks

  LUCIA:  (screams)  FUCK OFF!    Stunned silence

  MASSIMO:  You bliddy bitch!

  He slaps Lucia.  A typical Italian volatile fight erupts (possible some in Italian) with much pointing of fingers and nose-to-nose contact.  Lucia howling in time to it. 

Rosinella slaps Massimo

  ROSINELL:  Don’t you dare hit that wean!

MASSIMO:  And don’t you hit me.

ROSINELLA:  Don’t you ever hit that wean.

FRANCO:  Now don’t you two start

ROSINELLA:  And don’t you call her a ‘bliddy bitch’.

FRANCO:  Will you calm down the pair of you.

MASSIMO:  The wee bugger swore.

ROSINELLA:  My sister would turn in her grave.

FRANCO:  Rosinella!

MASSIMO:  You cannie let a wean swear.  She’s got to learn.

FRANCO:  Massimo!

ROSINELLA:  Turn in her grave with her legs up!

FRANCO:  Are you going to pack it in?  You’re upsetting the wean.

ROSINELLA:  What’s it to do with you?

FRANCO:  I’m only trying to help.

ROSINELLA:  I’ll deal with it!  Me!

MASSIMO:  He’s just trying to help.

ROSINELLA:  I’ll deal with it!  OK?

By this time Lucia’s howls are deafening.

  FRANCO/MASSIMO/ROSINELLA:  (to Lucia)  Shut up!

Silence.  The three adults look guiltily from one to the other, Lucia starts to sob gently; they talk softly, cajoling.

  ROSINELLA:  There, there, darling.  It’s alright.

FRANCO:  It’s alright now, Lucia.

MASSIMO:  Don’t cry now, there’s a good girl.  You know I hate to see you cry.

FRANCO:  It’s all finished now.

MASSIMO:  Come to your Uncle Massimo.  Come on, we’ll pick a wee sweetie.  Come on.  Hup – two – three.  There you go.

He takes her on his back.  Rosinella and Franco watch them go.

  ROSINELLA:  (shrugs) She’s only a wean.

FRANCO:  What’ll happen if there’s a war, Rosie?  Will you send her back?

ROSINELLA:  What are you talking about?

FRANCO:     I mean, if we go into war, she might be better off over there out of the road of it.

ROSINELLA:  What’s it got to do with us?  We just live here.  It’s no even our country.

FRANCO:  I’m just saying –

ROSINELLA:  (cutting him off) Then don’t!

FRANCO:     (gently)  She’s not your lassie, Rosinella.  You’re getting to love her too much.  That’s all I’m saying.

He squeezes her arm and goes out through front shop.

  ACT ONE - SCENE FIVE

Same day:  Street outside Pedreschi’s

Hughie in, gets his marbles out of his pocket and sets up and starts to play.  Massimo sweeping out his shop, spots him, comes and stands beside him.  Hughie nose to the ground to fire his marble.  It hits off Massimo’s boot.  Hughie stares at the boot then raises his eyes slowly up Massimo’s body, to his face.

  MASSIMO:  Sorry if I wasted your plunk, son.

Hughie picks up the marble: Massimo crouches down beside him, holds out his hand:  Hughie gives him it.

  MASSIMO:  Let me see.  What do you call this one?

  HUGHIE:  My ‘whitey’.

MASSIMO:  Can I have a go?

HUGHIE:  Aye

Massimo starts to play with the marbles

MASSIMO:  You’re Adam Devlin’s boy, am I right?

HUGHIE:  Aye

MASSIMO:  Knew it soon a I looked at you.  You’re his double.  A good man, your faither. 

Still working at the pits?

HUGHIE:  Aye

MASSIMO:  Don’t say much, do you?

HUGHIE:  Aye.  I mean no.

MASSIMO:  Do you go to school?

HUGHIE:  Aye.

MASSIMO:  Saint Mary’s?

HUGHIE:  Aye.

MASSIMO:   And would you know a wee lassie called Lucia Ianelli?  She goes to your school as well.

HUGHIE:  Aye.  (Massimo just about exasperated with the “ayes”).  She’s in my class.

MASSIMO:  Listen son, would you like to do a wee job for me?

HUGHIE:  Aye, whit?

MASSIMO:   I’m needing somebody to tidy up the ginger store.  I’ll pay you, and you can help yourself tae a wee bottle of ginger.

HUGHIE:  Alright.

  Enthusiastic: he rushes off: Massimo grabs him back.

MASSIMO:  Hang on!  You don’t know where it is yet.

HUGHIE:  Oh, aye, right.

MASSIMO:  I’ll show you.  Oh, and if you see Lucia I want you to talk to her – in English.

HUGHIE:  (Confused) What?  You mean posh?

MASSIMO:  (Amused/exasperated) No, son.  Just talk.

Hughie gathers up the marbles and Massimo ruffles his hair and points in direction of ginger store:  Hughie goes:  Massimo starts to sweep again.  Franco in.

  FRANCO:  She’s calmed down now.

  MASSIMO:   She’s a wee soul.  Come her, Franco.  What are you thinking about all this talk?

Is there going to be a war or what?

  FRANCO:     If it comes to it, there could be.  We cannae let that wee German bastard throw his weight around.

  MASSIMO:  I hope and pray it’s just talk.  Nobody really wants a war..

  FRANCO:  I know a lot of people who do.

  MASSIMO:  Like who?

  FRANCO:     A lot of the young guys that come into the shop.  To hear them talk you’d think they can’t wait.

  MASSIMO:  It’s just talk, son.  Don’t you listen to them.

  FRANCO:     Listen, Massie, I better go.  I’m going out the night.  Oh, by the way, I told my faither ……..

  MASSIMO:  …..you were playing cards with me.  Right, right.  I get the picture.

  Franco goes: Massimo carries on sweeping.

  Pick up on ginger store: Hughie deeply engrossed in tidying the crates: Stops and surveys it with satisfaction.  Takes a bottle of ginger and drinks from it.  Enter Lucia, indignant when she sees him.  She goes right up to him, eyeing him up and down suspiciously: Hughie keeps drinking from the bottle.

  LUCIA:          (Increasingly self-righteous) Hughie Devlin!  What are you doing here?  Who says you could come in here?  This is my Uncle Massimo’s ginger store… this is my Uncle Massimo’s whole shop, so it is!  Everything in here is my Uncle Massimo’s… Did you ask for that ginger?  That’s my Uncle Massimo’s ginger!  I’m going to tell my Uncle Massimo on you – I’m telling him you took his ginger.  You better not take any more of that ginger…

  Hughie takes the bottle from his mouth and involuntary lets out an almighty belch: she is horrified, punches him on the upper arm.

  LUCIA:  You stop that, you!

Hughie hands her the bottle.

  HUGHIE:  Want a slug?

  Lucia turns away in disgust.

  LUCIA:  No, thank you.

  HUGHIE:  You can if you want.  It’s my ginger.

  Lucia scoffs.

  HUGHIE:  Honest.  It is.  Mr Pedreschi says I’d to help myself.

  LUCIA:  How come?

  HUGHIE:  (Chuffed) Because I work here, that’s how come.

  LUCIA:  You do not!

  HUGHIE:  I do sot. (A beat). Want a slug?

  Lucia eyes the bottle then slowly takes it: she makes a great show of wiping the top of it with the palm of her hand.  She looks Hughie in the eye then does it again, very hard.  Then she pulls the sleeve of her jumper down over her hand and rubs the bottle feverishly with it before deigning to put it to her lips.  She takes a dainty little sip.  Hughie watches carefully.  She takes another little sip.  Finally she tips her head back taking huge gulps, thoroughly enjoying it.  Hughie is right up to her, examining the bottle and her progress with its contents with some concern.

  HUGHIE:  If you get my chewing gum in your mouth, will you spit it back into the bottle?

  With a horrified scream, Lucia stops, spits out the liquid from her mouth, showering Hughie.

  Bring up romantic waltz music.  Bridget and Franco waltz I, Hughie and Lucia creep behind ginger boxes (unseen by audience if possible)

  Fade down the music, Franco carries on humming it: Franco is a good dancer, Bridget is not, she stands on his toes, they stop.  She laughs, embarrassed.

  BRIDGET:  Sorry, Franco.  I done it again!

  FRANCO:  It’s alright.  It’s not the same foot.

  BRIDGET:  I told you I cannae dance.  My da’ll no’ let us go to the dancing.

  FRANCO:  Green’s Playhouse, Thursday nights.  That’s how I learnt.

  BRIDGET:    Says lassies just cheapen themselves.  Getting all done up to stand in a line to wait for some man to dance them.  He says half the time you don’t even know who you’re dancing with.

  FRANCO:  He’s let you come with me, surely.

BRIDGET:  Maybe – but I still cannae dance.

  Franco puts his arm around her again.

  FRANCO:  Who needs to dance?  It’s just nice to get my arms around you.

  They kiss.  She pulls away, looks around.

  FRANCO:  It’s okay.  Nobody will come in.  Come on.  Sit down.

  He sits with his back to the crates, pats the ground beside him: she sits: he puts his arm around her: they kiss again: a giggle from behind stack of crates.  Bridget sits up.

  BRIDGET:  What was that?

  FRANCO:  Relax, Bridget.  You’re a bag of nerves.

  They kiss again.  Hughie’s head appears from behind the ginger crates: the kissing gets more passionate: Hughie’s mouth opens wide in amazement: Bridget breaks free, Hughie’s head disappears.

  BRIDGET:  I’m sorry.  (A beat). Can we not just talk?

  Franco sighs, puts his hands behind his head, leans back.

  BRIDGET:  Have you told your dad about me yet?

  FRANCO:  There’s no need.

  BRIDGET:  (Indignant) And what am I supposed to make of that?

  FRANCO:     See women!  I didn’t mean anything, right?  All I’m saying is I’m biding my time till I get out that shop.  Then it doesn’t matter any more what he thinks.  Alright?

  BRIDGET:  Listen, Franco, I don’t want you leaving your dad’s shop because of me.

  FRANCO:  What’s that supposed to mean?

  BRIDGET:    I don’t want to be the cause of any bust up between you and your dad.  You’d only blame me for it later.

  FRANCO:     Come here, you. (He kisses her) I’ve worked in that shop for as long as I can remember, and for as long as I can remember I’ve thought about getting out.  Coming in from school, straight behind the counter.  Saturdays, Sundays, the lot.  I might’ve done something different but what chance had I?

  BRIDGET:    Poor wee love. (She makes an affectionate clucking noise and kisses him gently)  I’ve heard it all before, Franco.  “I could have been a brain surgeon but I was tied to my father’s shop”.  You’ll never get out.

  FRANCO:  I will.

  BRIDGET:  You’re just like the rest of the men round here.  All you can do is talk.

  FRANCO:  (Sings) Parla me d’amore, Marie.

  BRIDGET:  Alright – and sing. (A beat)  Who’s Marie?  Some wee girl you met in Italy?

  FRANCO:  That’s just the song.

  BRIDGET:  Sing me the rest of it.

  FRANCO:  I can’t.

  BRIDGET:  Why not?

  FRANCO:  I only know the one line.

  BRIDGET:  Typical!  Sing me something else then.

  FRANCO:  Like what?

  BRIDGET:  (Settling back to enjoy it) Something Italian.  I love to hear Italian so I do.

  FRANCO:  (Sings) ‘Giovanezza, Giovanezza, prima vera di bellezza’.  I learnt that in Italy.  Everyone was singing it.  On the radio.  In the streets.  ‘Giovanezza, Giovanezza’ – that means young people, young people.  ‘Prima vera di bellezza’ – the spring time of – beautiful things.

  BRIDGET:  That’s beautiful!

  FRANCO:  (Sings) ‘Giovanezza, Giovanezza, prima vera di bellezza …….

  He slows down, aware of a wee voice, behind the ginger boxes, singing along with him.

It is Lucia:  she carries on alone.

  LUCIA: V/O:  (quietly)  Nella vita, nell’asprezza Il tuo canto squilla e va.

  Franco jumps up and looks behind the ginger boxes: Bridget scrambles to her feet.

  BRIDGET:  If you tell my daddy about this, Hughie Devlin,  I’ll ….. I’ll ….

FRANCO:     (bellows) Get your arses out of there, the pair of you, before I murder you.  Go on…… scram!

The kids scarper.

ACT ONE - SCENE SIX

A week later

Scene inter-cut between Massimo and Rosinella in back shop and Hughie and Lucia in ginger store.

Lights up on Rosinella and Massimo.

  MASSIMO:  You’ll never guess who’s deid?

  Pick up on Hughie and Lucia.  Hughie is standing facing the crates of ginger, back to Lucia, head bowed: Lucia standing near him, horror struck.

  LUCIA:  Hughie?  You’re in here?

Pick up on Rosinella: she is blessing herself.

  MASSIMO:   They say it happened quick.  He wouldn’t have felt anything.  A wee build up a gas down the pit and Adam Devlin got the worst of it.  A good man too.

ROSINELLA:  His poor wife.

MASSIMO:  Poor wee Hughie

Pick up on Lucia and Hughie again; as before, Lucia finding it difficult to cope with Hughie’s silence.

  LUCIA:  (Almost pleading) You going to cry?

Hughie shakes his head slowly

LUCIA:  Are you not?  Are you not going to cry?

  Hughie shakes his head

  LUCIA:  How come you’re not going to cry?

HUGHIE:  I’m not supposed to cry

LUCIA:  Who says?

HUGHIE:  Everybody.  I’ve to be the big brave man.  I’ve to be strong for my mammy.  I’m not going to cry.  I cannie cry.

LUCIA:  I’m great at crying so I am.  I can cry whenever I like.

Hughie silent.

  LUCIA:  If I want something I’m not supposed to get – I just – cry

Hughie silent.

  LUCIA:  My Auntie Rosinella says your daddy’s in heaven

Hughie silent.

  LUCIA:       I remember the night my mummy went to heaven.  It was great.  I was just wee and they kept passing me round one to the other and kissing me and crying.  And I was crying all the time.  Then they took me in to see my mummy dead.  They said “look at your mammy, she’s only sleeping, she’s beautiful”.  Then they lifted me up and said ‘kiss your mammy’.  And I did.  But she was cold.  So cold.  Poor mama.

HUGHIE:  She’ll be alright now.

LUCIA:  How?

HUGHIE:  She will.  She’ll be alright.  She’s got my daddy to look after her.

LUCIA:  Look at your shoes, Hughie Devlin.  Where have you been?

HUGHIE:  Nowhere.

LUCIA:  You’ve been down at the river.  You’re not allowed down there.

HUGHIE:  I have not.

LUCIA:  You have sot.

HUGHIE:  I have not

LUCIA:  Yes you have sot.  Look at your shoes.

  HUGHIE:  I have not been to the river.

  LUCIA:  Look at your shoes!

  HUGHIE:  (screams)  I’m looking at my shoes and I’ve not been to the river.  (He starts to cry) I’ve not.  I’ve not been to the river.  I have not!

  LUCIA:  (Scrutinises him in amazement ) Is that you crying?

HUGHIE:  Aye…  I mean, no…. I mean….  Oh, you going to cry as well?

Lucia, on request, starts to cry:  they put their arms round each other’s shoulders, acknowledge fact they are both crying and walk off together.

  ACT ONE - SCENE SEVEN

Back shop:  two months later

  Bring up accordian music, very plaintive, playing ‘Santa Lucia’.  It is Massimo, sitting in the back shop wrapped in his own thoughts.  Rosinella in, coat on, pulling off a black mantilla, Lucia is with her, nice wee hat on.

  ROSINELLA:  She was an awful good girl at mass today, Uncle Massimo.  On you go and pick a wee sweetie, Lucia.

Lucia hovers

  ROSINELLA:  Guess who was sitting right in front of us.  That Bridget Devlin.  On you go, Lucia.

  Lucia goes, reluctantly.

  ROSINELLA:           Listen, Massimo, you’ll need to have a word with Franco about that lassie.

MASSIMO:  Rosie…….

ROSINELLA:  I’ve tried, but he’ll no listen to me.

MASSIMO:  Rosinella…..

ROSINELLA:  Now don’t you start sticking up for him.  You can start stopping covering up for him for a start.  Telling his daddy he’s with us when all the time he’s out with HER!  Bliddy cheek!.

  MASSIMO:  (Massimo puts down his accordian ) Rosie, please……

  ROSINELLA:  Do you know what I think?  God forgive me, right enough, but I think since she lost her daddy, she’s just using that to make Franco feel sorry for her.

MASSIMO:  Rosie, there’s bad news.

  ROSINELLA:  (Full of fear)  No from Italy?

  MASSIMO:  On the radio.

ROSINELLA:  (Relief: scoffs) See you and that radio!

  MASSIMO:  Rosie – we’re at war.

  ROSINELLA:  Who is?

  MASSIMO:      This country’s at war against Germany.  It was on the radio.  Oh, Rosie…….

  ROSINELLA:  (Soothing)  OK, so it’s happened.  You’ve been saying it would all along.  But it’s got nothing to do with us, Massimo.  We’re Italian, we just live here.  It’s not our country.

  MASSIMO:  I don’t know, Rosie.  Maybe you’re right.

  ROSINELLA:  Course I’m right.  Now come on, they’ll all be in after twelve o’clock mass and the ice cream’s no even on.

  MASSIMO:  I suppose I better get a move on.

  He goes out wearily.  Rosinella much more worried that she lets on.  She goes to door to front shop.

  ROSINELLA:  (Shouts)  Lucia!

Lucia in, eating a sweetie.

  ROSINELLA:  Who does your Auntie Rosinella love most in the whole wide world?

LUCIA:  Me  (Rosinella looks at her adoringly and hugs her)

 ACT ONE - SCENE EIGHT

  MASSIMO:  (Furious: incredulous) You did what?!

FRANCO:  I’ve joined up.

MASSIMO:  How could you do that?

FRANCO:  I took the train into Glasgow and I –

MASSIMO:   Right. OK.  You got carried away.  Ok.  I can see that.  But we’ll get you out of it somehow.  What can we do?  Go and see them – I’ll come with you.  Explain you’re Italian and –

FRANCO:     But I’m not.  I was born here.  That makes me British.  There’s no going back now.  I’m telling you, I’ve joined up.

Massimo takes Franco’s head in his hands and shakes it gently

MASSIMO:  (Gently) Oh, Franco, Franco, what have you done?

FRANCO:  Stop treating me like an idiot, Massimo!  I know what I’m doing.

MASSIMO:  But why?

FRANCO:  Why do you think?  To get out that shop.

MASSIMO:  Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

FRANCO:  (Defensive) Well, you got out, didn’t you?

MASSIMO:   Aye, to sell hot pea specials and double nougats, you stupid bastard!  No to get my fucking brains blown out in a fucking war that’s got fuck all to do with me!

Franco glares at him, would like to hit him but calms down.

FRANCO:  I don’t have to answer to you.  I don’t have to answer to anyone.  Not any more.

Franco storms out: passes Rosinella on the way in.

FRANCO:  (To Rosinella) And before you start, it’s got nothing to do with you either!

Rosinella looks at Massimo, frightened.

MASSIMO:  Rosinella

ROSINELLA:  I heard

MASSIMO:  I thought you might.

ROSINELLA:  (Getting quite angry) I heard alright.

MASSIMO:  I just can’t understand it.

ROSINELLA:  Oh, I can, Massimo.  Believe me, I can.

    ACT ONE - SCENE NINE

Ginger store: a week or so later

Bring up romantic music.  Franco and Bridget in, not exactly waltzing, more leaning against each other, swaying gently to the music.

  FRANCO;  You alright?

BRIDGET:  Mmmmmmm

FRANCO:  You sure?

BRIDGET:  Hmmmmm.

FRANCO:  You don’t regret it then?

Bridget lifts her head from his shoulder, shakes her head; puts it back on his shoulder and snuggles in.

  FRANCO:  I wouldn’t want you to regret it.

BRIDGET: Franco, listen to me.  My mammy saw my da off to his work one morning.  Never saw him alive again.  I’d regret it more if anything happened to you, and we hadn’t….. (embarrassed, she can’t find the word for it).

FRANCO:  Nothing’s going to happen to me, Bridget.  I promise.

BRIDGET:  First I lose my daddy.  Now you’re going away.

FRANCO:  Ssshhh.

BRIDGET: You know my mammy still makes up my da’s piece.  Every single morning. (Pause).  We’ve tried telling her. (Pause). I don’t want to end up like that….

FRANCO:  You won’t.  I promise.

  They carry on dancing.  Franco starts to sing ‘Parla me d’amore’…

  ACT ONE – SCENE TEN

  Rosinella, Massimo, Lucia standing waiting, very serious.

  FRANCO: V/O:  That’s me.  I’m off!

ROSINELLA:  You sure you don’t need anything?

FRANCO:  I’m sure.

MASSIMO:  You all right for money?

FRANCO:  Aye.  My Faither’s seen me alright.  (A beat)  I better go, eh?

ROSINELLA:  Say good-bye to your Uncle Franco, Lucia.

FRANCO:  (Hugging her and kissing her two cheeks)  You  be a good girl now, you hear?  And don’t go kissing too many boys.  (Lucia giggles.  Franco comes to Rosinella; he holds out his arms)  Ciao, Bella.  (Rosinella throws her arms around him and kisses him on both cheeks.  She can’t speak.  He takes her two hands). You better keep an eye on that daft faither o’ mine.  Keep cutting his toenails.  (Rosinella nods, he pats her hands)

Massimo is scared to look at him.  He reaches Massimo, holds out his hands.

  FRANCO:  Fratello mio.

Massimo looks at him, he holds his hand up to Franco’s face, his fingers toughing each other and shakes his hand angrily at him: Then they hold each other in a strong embrace: Massimo, fighting back the tears sings.

  MASSIMO:   ‘Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile….’ You might at least get the song right, you daft bastard.  Franco nods: claps Massimo on the back and goes abruptly.

  ROSINELLA:  This is all wrong, Massimo.  All wrong. 

Massimo still trying to get himself together.

  ROSINELLA:  Him away there, away from his family.  God only knows what he’s got ahead of him.  He could get blown to bits.  (Massimo notices Lucia’s frightened look)

  MASSIMO:      (To Lucia) Away you go and play, hen.  You should watch what you say in front of the wean.

  ROSINELLA:  Somebody’s put him up to this.  And I think I know who she is!

  MASSIMO:   Nobody put him up to anything.  Franco’s all the man he’ll ever be. (A beat) There’s something else that frightens me.

  ROSINELLA:  What?

  MASSIMO:  Italy coming into the war.  It’s looking bad, Rosie.

  ROSINELLA:  What’s that got to do with us?

  MASSIMO:  We’re Italian, aren’t we?

  ROSINELLA:  So what?  We just live here.  We’re just ordinary working people.

  MASSIMO:  But if Italy’s at war with this country –

  ROSINELLA:  (Interrupting) Italians are food for this country!  Who else is prepared to work till eleven o’clock every night, eh?  You tell me that.  And we work for ourselves, so it’s no’ as though we take any jobs away from Scotch people.  We stick together, pay our own way, stick to the laws.  What more do they want?

  Hughie, arms outstretched, making aeroplane noises, comes ‘flying’ across the stage, making shooting noises – ‘pee-aiow, pee-aiow’.  Lucia saunters in, looks at him disdainfully, he circles her, still an aeroplane.

  HUGHIE:  Pee-aiow – pee-aiow!  Pee-aiow – pee-aiow! 

  Lucia continues to look at him with contempt, which begins to fade as she becomes uncomfortable.  Freeze on Lucia and Hughie.  Pick up on Massimo and Rosinella.

  MASSIMO:  Maybe we should go back to Italy, Rosie.  While we still can.

  ROSINELLA: No.  We’ve worked hard for everything we’ve got.  We’re no’ going to throw it all away.

  Pick up on Hughie and Lucia, he continues to circle her, shooting sounds getting louder.

  HUGHIE:  Pee-aiow – pee-aiow!  Pee-aiow – pee-aiow!  Pee-aiow – pee-aiow! 

  Lucia cowering, threatened by it.  Freeze on Hughie and Lucia.  Pick up on Massimo and Rosinella.  

MASSIMO:  I’m frightened, Rosie.

ROSINELLA:  What for?  Everybody likes you.

Freeze on Massimo and Rosinella.  Pick up on Hughie and Lucia.  He is still making shooting noises, she is still cowering.  It dawns on her that it is a game, comes out of it and kicks Hughie on the shin. 

LUCIA:  Beat it, Hughie Devlin!

HUGHIE:  (Rubbing his shin) I don’t like this game.

LUCIA:  And I don’t like it either.

She struts off.  Pick up on Massimo.

  MASSIMO:   I’ve lived here since I was a wee boy.  I went to school here, my brother was born here, my mammy’s buried here.  I always thought I was lucky.  I had two countries.  Now I feel I’ve got nowhere.

    ACT ONE – SCENE ELEVEN

Back shop: two months later.

  Rosinella making a pizza at table.  Bridget in, very worried looking.  Rosinella surprised and not very pleased to see her.

  BRIDGET:  I’m sorry to bother you, Mrs Pedreschi.

  ROSINELLA:  You’re looking for your wee brother?

  BRIDGET:    It was you I wanted a word with, Mrs Pedreschi, if I could.  Lucia said you were through here.

  ROSINELLA:  So, what is it you want to see me about?

  BRIDGET:  Franco.

  ROSINELLA:  (Scoffs) I’ve to laugh at you girls.  You never give up, do you?

  BRIDGET:    Please, Mrs Pedreschi, I was hoping you could give me some news.

  ROSINELLA: Oh, aye.  I’ll give you news alright.  He’s no here.  Went away to the war, as if you didn’t know.  His faither’s going daft worrying about him.

  BRIDGET:  I thought you might know where he is.

  ROSINELLA:  I’ve hardly slept a wink since he left.

  BRIDGET:  I just have to know where he is.  How can I get in tough with him?

  ROSINELLA: What’s this war got to do with him, eh?  You tell me that.  He’s an Italian!  I don’t know what to think any more.  My heid’s sore thinking.

  BRIDGET:  Please, Mrs Pedreschi, it’s important.

  ROSINELLA: What got into him, eh, made him forget where he really belongs? (Looking at Bridget directly) Who was it turned his head, that’s what I’d like to know.

  BRIDGET:  Mrs Pedreschi, please….

  ROSINELLA: Please what?  Don’t tell me you’ve come to say sorry.  A bit late now isn’t it?

BRIDGET:    Mrs Pedreschi, I just want to know how I can get in touch with Franco.  Just a letter.

  ROSINELLA: (Eyeing her up and down) So he took you out a couple of times.  Don’t think that means anything.  Franco, he’s Italian, he’s played around a wee bit with some Scotch girls – so what?  You’re not the first and you’ll not be the last.

  BRIDGET:  Franco’s not like that.

  ROSINELLA: Don’t you kid yourself – they’re all like that.  I’ve lived here long enough and I’ve seen it time and time again.  Do you think if Italian girls were allowed out, if they got doing all the things you girls do – do you think for one minute Franco would’ve looked twice at you?

  BRIDGET:  (Almost in tears) It’s not true!

  ROSINELLA:  Now, I’m no saying it’s right but you girls bring it on yourself.

  BRIDGET:  But I love Franco, Mrs Pedreschi.  I need him….

  ROSINELLA: (Relenting slightly) You just think that, hen.  That’s because you’re still upset over your daddy.  I know I sound hard, but it’s for your own good I’m telling you this.  You forget about Franco, you hear?

  BRIDGET:  Franco loves me.

  ROSINELLA: (As if annoyed at Franco) Did he tell you that?  I’m no kidding you.  I love him like a brother, but he can be a right fly-boy at times.  Saying things he doesn’t mean, making promises he can’t keep.  I just hope you didn’t fall for that one.  Because I tell you this, hen, Italian men, they only love one girl – and that’s the girl they marry.

  BRIDGET:  But it’s ME Franco loves!

  ROSINELLA:  So, did he ask you to marry him?

  BRIDGET:  No – but –

  ROSINELLA: Well – there you are then.  Just you forget him, hen.  Because see when this war’s over, Franco will be marrying an Italian girl.  Now you find yourself a nice wee Scotch boyfriend, you hear?

  Rosinella returns to her pizza base, bashing it about, freezes Bridget out.  Bridget walks away slowly.

  ACT ONE – SCENE TWELVE

Ginger store: same day

  MASSIMO:  You got your gas mask, Lucia?  You got yours, Hughie?  Right.  You sure you can manage the pair of you?

HUGHIE:  (Miffed) I thought it was supposed to be my job.

LUCIA:  You said I could help, sure you did, Uncle Massimo?

MASSIMO:  You know all your prices, Hughie?

HUGHIE:      (Knows it off by heart) Pokey hats a penny and tuppence; wafers a penny and tuppence; single nugget tuppence, double nugget thruppence: No snowballs, no sponges, no flakes, no tick and plenty of Tally’s Blood… Oops, sorry Mrs Pedreschi, I meant to say ‘raspberry’.

MASSIMO:  Now off you go, the pair of you.

Watches them go affectionately, they jostle each other for handles of the barrow.

  HUGHIE:  I’ve to push!

LUCIA:  I want to push!

HUGHIE:  It’s my job!  I always push!

LUCIA:  It’s my Uncle Massimo’s barrow!  I can push it if I want to!

HUGHIE:  Chances each, then?

LUCIA:  Alright.  Me first.

She gets the barrow form him and pushes ahead, he follows on, knows he’s beat.  Massimo watching them, wipes his hands, laughs to himself: doesn’t see Bridget creep softly in behind him.

  BRIDGET:  Mr Pedreschi?  (Massimo turns round surprised but pleased to see her).

  MASSIMO:  Wee Bridget Devlin!

  BRIDGET:  Hello, Mr Pedreschi.

  MASSIMO:   If you’re looking for Hughie you’ve just missed him.  They’re away down the Palace Grounds with the barrow.

  BRIDGET:  No, it’s…Eh, you I wanted to see, Mr Pedreschi.  If you’ve got a minute.

  MASSIMO:  (Surprised) Aye, right.  Sure, hen. (He waits for Bridget to speak, she doesn’t).  I was that sorry to hear about your daddy.  How’s your mammy?

  BRIDGET:  Lost without him. (A beat). Mr Pedreschi – I have to ask you a favour.

  MASSIMO:  What is it, hen?

  BRIDGET:  I know I’ve no right to ask…

  MASSIMO:  Just ask.  Come on.

  BRIDGET:    I was wondering… could I ask you for a wee loan of some money.  I hate asking – only I don’t know who else – I’ll pay you back sometime – honest – I just….

  MASSIMO:  How much do you need, Bridget?

  BRIDGET:  If you could spare two pounds?

  Massimo takes money from trouser pocket.  Bridget watches, distressed.

  BRIDGET:    It’s just I – I – need –I’m a wee bit – I – I don’t want my mammy to know… it’s just….

  MASSIMO:  It’s alright, hen, you don’t have to explain anything to me.

  BRIDGET:  I’ll pay you back, Mr Pedreschi.  Somehow.

  MASSIMO:   Listen, hen, you’ve no to bother about paying it back, you hear?  I was awfy fond of your daddy.  He was a good man and I know your mother’s had it hard since he – since she lost him.  Here, hen, is three pounds enough?

  Bridget reaches out to take it, bends over and kisses his hand. She starts to cry, her tears running on to his hand, Massimo distressed for her.

  MASSIMO:  Oh, no, hen, come on now, come on.  There’s no need for that.

  BRIDGET:  Oh, God, if my daddy only knew.

  MASSIMO:   He’d do the same for me.  Now come on, hen.  I know you miss him, but you need to be strong for your mammy.

  BRIDGET:  (She pulls herself together) Mr Pedreschi, thank you.

  MASSIMO:  You alright now, hen?  (Bridget nods).  I’ll no’ breathe a word to a soul.  (Bridget starts to walk out, turns back)

  BRIDGET:    See if Italy does come into the war, Mr Pedreschi, you’ll no have to worry.  Everybody likes you.

  Bridget goes, Massimo looks after her sadly then carries on with his work (maybe sweeping)

  MASSIMO:   My faither’s got a house in Italy.  I’ve no been back since we got Lucia.  Her dad’s supposed to look after it for us.  You know what that means?  It’s just got the two rooms, bare walls, bare floors, and the hens march in and out all day long.  There’s not water, no cludgie, no lights, no gas.  You’ve to walk two miles for water and cook on a big black pot on the fire.  If you want a keigh, you’ve to go outside.  There’s a hole in the ground with a plank across it and the flies buzz round your arse.  (A beat) God, I wish I was there now!

  ROSINELLA: (Screams) Massimo!  (Massimo runs to her)

  MASSIMO:  (Shouts) Lucia!  (Lucia runs up to them).

  LUCIA:  What’s wrong?

  ROSINELLA: (To Massimo) Shut the shop up quick!  (Massimo runs to front shop, Rosinella grabs Lucia).  Lucia, my darling, I want you to do everything your Uncle Massimo says. You have to be brave.  For me….

  LUCIA:  What’s happening?

  ROSINELLA: You’re too wee to really understand, but Italy is in the war against this country and the people are taking it out on the Italians.

  Massimo in.  Lucia runs to him.

  LUCIA:  Uncle Massimo, I’m frightened!

  MASSIMO:  It’s alright, darling.  Your Uncle Massimo’s here.

  ROSINELLA:  Get the black-outs up quick!

  MASSIMO:  They’re up.

  ROSINELLA: We better shift some stuff.  You come give me a hand, Lucia.  You get the cigarettes, Massimo, take them upstairs.  (Lucia and Rosinella go in to front shop)

  MASSIMO:   Rosie, get back in here.  (Rosinella and Lucia in each carrying boxes of sweeties)  What you doing?

  ROSINELLA: Get these upstairs! Quick!  Hide as much as we can.  They’ll waste everything.

  MASSIMO:   No, Rosie, leave it.  Let them take what they like, waste what they like.  So long as they leave you two alone….

  ROSINELLA: (Shocked)  Massimo!  You don’t think…surely?  They’ll no touch us!

  Noise of bricks bashing against boards: the ‘mob’ outside, banging on the doors and windows shouting

  MOB:  Get the Tallies!  Fascist bastards!

  Lucia starts to weep, frightened. Rosinella holds her, crouches with her.  The level of noise increases: Massimo crouches over them, arms protectively round them.  Rosinella trying to shoosh Lucia: Massimo looking round his in despair.  Rosinella putting a restraining hand on his arm.

  MOB:  Get the bastard!  Waste the place! Fascist pigs! Greasy Tallies!

  MASSIMO:  (Whispers) The cannae do this to me.

  ROSINELLA:  (Whispers) Massimo… please… don’t do anything.  Please!  Please!

  MOB:  (Jeering continues) Come out and fight you bastarding Tally !

  ROSINELLA:  Oh Sant’Antonio.  San Guiseppe.

  MASSIMO:  (Making to go to the door) I can’t just stand here and do nothing.

  ROSINELLA:  Massimo… please, don’t leave us!

  She holds on to his arm as they break into the front shop, we see their silhouettes carrying sticks and stones.  We see and hear the smashing up and the jeers ‘Tally bastards!’, etc.  Rosinella. Lucia and Massimo stay huddles; Lucia buries head in Rosinella’s shoulder and keeps it there.  Rosinella praying and shooshing Lucia; Massimo hovering over them protectively, but looking over his shoulder in direction of the front shop, feeling every blow: Rosinella, slowly reciting the Our Father, in Italian, to herself.  The noise dies down and the mob moves on.  Massimo gets to his feet. 

  ROSINELLA:  Stay here.

  MASSIMO:  I need to go.  I need to see what they’ve done to my shop.  (He goes. Lucia still can’t look)

  LUCIA:  Have they gone away?  Have they gone away? 

  ROSINELLA:  Oh, darling, you’ve wet yourself.  (Lucia starts to cry)  It’s alright, it’s alright, it’s all over.  They’re away.  See – they’re away.  Look, there’s Uncle Massimo.

  MASSIMO:  (Looking defeated) Eight years work in eight minutes.

  LUCIA:  They’ll no come back will they?

  Loud banging at door again, Lucia screams.  They jump back into their huddle, heads down. Banging continues, insistent.

  V/O:    Massimo Pedreschi!  (They crouch: no reply)Massimo Pedreschi!  (No reply) 

            Massimo Pedreschi!  Open up!  This is the police!

  MASSIMO:  Oh, thank God!

  ROSINELLA:  Go let them in.  Quick.

  Massimo goes: Lucia tries to grab him.

  LUCIA:  Uncle Massimo, stay here.

  MASSIMO:  It’s alright, hen.  (He goes)

  ROSINELLA: It’s Alright, hen, I told you it’s alright.  The police are here.  They’ll catch the bad men.  It’s all over now.  It’s all finished.  All gone!

  MASSIMO:  (Shattered: in from front shop)  They’re taking me in, Rosie.

  ROSINELLA:  I’ll come with you – give a statement.

  MASSIMO:  No, you don’t understand.  I’m being arrested!

  ROSINELLA:  Arrested?  You?  Ma, what you done?

  MASSIMO:  I’m a ….. Tally.

  ROSINELLA: What about the pigs did this to our shop?  How can they no take them in, leave you here?

  MASSIMO:  I better just go.

  ROSINELLA: No, you cannae go.  You cannae leave me.  Us two, on our own.  With that lot out there.

  MASSIMO:  I have to, Rosie.  The police are waiting for me.

  ROSINELLA:  Where?  Out there?

  MASSIMO:  Yes.

  ROSINELLA:  I’ll soon fix them!

  Rosinella heads for the door to front shop; Massimo stands in her way.

  MASSIMO:  Rosie, please.  I’ll just go.

  ROSINELLA:  What’s to happen?  You’ll be back tonight or what?

  MASSIMO:   They’ll tell me nothing.  Better get in touch with the lawyer.  And don’t worry.  If we do as we’re told we’ll be alright.  (A beat) Oh, Rosie!  (He hugs her and goes)

    ACT ONE – SCENE THIRTEEN

Ginger store: two weeks later.

  Lucia and Hughie fixing ginger boxes to play at schools.  Lucia in charge, Hughie reluctant.

  HUGHIE:  You got going the teacher last time!

  LUCIA:  Whose Uncle Massimo’s ginger boxes are they?

  HUGHIE:  (Resigned) Yours 

  (Lucia picks up something to use as a pointer)

  LUCIA:  Right, sit up straight.  Fold your arms.  (Hughie obliges)  Two and two?

  HUGHIE:  Four.

  LUCIA:  Three and two?

  HUGHIE:  Five.

  LUCIA:  Six and three?

  HUGHIE:  Nine.  I mean eight.  No, nine I mean.

  LUCIA:  Seven and five?

  HUGHIE:  Eh…. Eh… that’s a hard one.

  LUCIA:  It’s not hard for all the other wee boys and girls.  Is it boys and girls?  Seven and five?

  Hughie starts counting on his fingers.

  LUCIA:  Come on, come on, seven and five?  He’s not doing very well, is he boys and girls?

  HUGHIE:  Seven and five?

  LUCIA:  You heard. (She pokes him with the pointer)

  HUGHIE:  Seven ADD ON five, you mean?

  LUCIA:  You heard.  (She pokes him with the pointer.  Hughie trying to count on fingers, mouthing figures, gets to ‘seven’ then to ‘ten’.  Lucia makes him lose count and jabs him with her pointer).  Too long!  I can’t spend all day with one child!  I’ve got all these other little children to see to as well you know.  Little SCOTTISH boys and girls.  I think they deserve some of the teacher’s time too.  You should have done these sums last night, Franco.  Why didn’t you?

  HUGHIE:  Eh, well, I forgot.

  LUCIA:  Oh, you ‘forgot’ did you?  Do you hear that boys and girls, little Franco ‘forgot’.  Sure you weren’t too busy serving the shop?

  HUGHIE:  No, Miss.

  LUCIA: Or maybe you don’t have pencils in your house.  Or maybe you don’t have a house.  Have you got a house?

  HUGHIE:  Yes, Miss.

  LUCIA: No use telling fibs, now, is it Franco?  We all know you live in a shop.  Now don’t laugh boys and girls.  It’s not Franco’s fault he lives in a shop.

  HUGHIE:  Twelve!

  LUCIA: Oh, so there’s twelve of you living there.  My, oh my!  Not all in the same bed I hope.  Now stop laughing boys and girls, it’s not funny.

  HUGHIE:  Seven and five is twelve.

  LUCIA: Oh, you’re too late now!  I don’t know what you’re doing in this class in the first place.  A little ruffian like you.  A sleekit little, greasy little, smelly little….

  It’s gone too far.  Hughie jumps up knocking away his ginger box.

  HUGHIE:  I don’t like this game!

  LUCIA:  Well, I don’t like it either.  (They are staring at each other.  It is broken by Rosinella’s screams)

  ROSINELLA:V/O:   Lucia!  Lucia!

  Rosinella, highly distraught, clutching a newspaper, in back shop.  Lucia and Hughie run to her, she thrusts the paper at them.

  ROSINELLA:            Lucia!  Lucia, what’s it say?  What’s it say?  Tell me what it says.  (Blessing herself).  Oh, Sant’Antonio, San Guiseppe.  Oh, no!  Don’t tell me!  Oh, Massimo! Oh, Massimo! 

  The children spread the paper out on the table.

  LUCIA:  Where?

  ROSINELLA:  (Pointing wildly to the paper) Something about a ship.

  Hughie and Lucia try to read the report.  Rosinella in background going spare: blessing herself and repeating ‘Sant Antonio’ ‘San Giuseppe’.  Lucia and Hughie study the paper.

  LUCIA:  It says ‘ship’ there.

  HUGHIE:  ‘T.O.R – TOR’

  LUCIA:  ‘p’ – ‘Torp’ – something.

  HUGHIE:  I’ve got it!  Torpedo.

  LUCIA:  A ship got torpedoed.

  ROSINELLA:  Oh, San Guiseppe!

  LUCIA:  What’s that word?

HUGHIE:  ‘En…. En…. En….. Something….  my’

  LUCIA:  ‘Enemy’.

  HUGHIE:  ‘Italians’ – I know that word!

  LUCIA:  K…K- I.  K-I-L-L.  Kill.

  HUGHIE:  Killed.  (Rosinella grabs the paper)

  ROSINELLA: Give me that!  (She looks at it helplessly – she can’t read).  What about your Uncle Massimo?  Does it say he was on that ship?  See if it says who was on that ship.  Oh, Massimo!  Massimo.  (Hughie takes paper and stumbles with words)

  HUGHIE:      At six o’clock this morning a British ship, something Italian and other enemy aliens, was torpedoed.  You mean your Uncle Massimo was on that ship?

  ROSINELLA: Nothing!  I’ve heard nothing!  I’ve no seen my man since they took him out of here.  (Near hysterics) Oh marito mio.  Marito mio e morto.  E vero, vero, vero.  E morto.

  Lucia starts to cry, frightened; this pulls Rosinella up, forces her to calm down

  HUGHIE:  It says it’s called the Ar-an-do-ra Star.  The Arandora Star.

  LUCIA:  Auntie Rosinella, what about his daddy?  They took him too, didn’t they?

  ROSINELLA:  (Fresh worry). Oh, my God, daddy!  Surely to God no him. (A beat) Wait a minute; did you say ‘enemies’?

  HUGHIE:  It says here…. ‘Enemy aliens’.

  ROSINELLA: (Hope returning). That cannae mean Massimo.  Surely your Uncle Massimo’s no an ‘enemy’, eh, Lucia?  They must be okay, eh?  I mean they’re no ‘enemies’. 

                        (Rosinella takes money from her purse and hands it to Lucia)  Here, Lucia, take this.  I want you to go and light a candle for all the souls that were on that ship, and pray to God your Uncle Massimo wasn’t one of them.

  LUCIA:  I thought you said –

  ROSINELLA:  (Interrupting) Just do it, Lucia!  (Blesses herself) Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them, may they rest in peace.  Amen.

    ACT ONE _ SCENE FOURTEEN

Same day: candle stand in church.

  Lucia lighting candle and putting it on the stand beside other lit candles: she kneels and prays.  While this is going on Massimo appears, framed by the candlelight.

    MASSIMO:   When they lifted us that night I’d two or three pound I my pocket.  That’s one thing my faither always drummed into us.  Spent the night in the cell with the other Italians they’d lifted.  The one that sticks out in my mind was old Albert Cipoline.  Poor old bugger couldn’t stop crying, wouldn’t let me out his sight.  The last I’d seen him he’d been playing bowls with my faither down at the Palace Grounds.  Never missed a Tuesday.  Three o’clock next morning they put us on these trucks and took us to a camp in Edinburgh.  The worst of it was we couldn’t get anybody to tell us anything.  Rosinella sent Mr Galbraith to see me.  She was outside but they wouldn’t let her in.  I kept asking for news of my faither but nobody would tell us anything.  I don’t know how many days passed before they put us on a train.  Turned out it was going to Bury.  They’d turned an old mill into a camp and were filling it up with Italians from all over the place, and it was the same story I heard over and over again.  This one got his café smashed up – that one’s left seven or eight weans and he’s showing us their pictures.  Another one’s got his sons fighting in the British army and someone else is frightened for his family back in Italy.  Me – I was frantic for news of my faither.  But I was trying not to think.  That’s what got me through.  If I thought about what was going to happen to us – I just got scared.  If I thought about Rosinella.  (Stops.  His voice catches)… so I tried to keep thinking about my shop.  How I was going to fix it up again, back the way it was.  It was never fancy mind you, but always nice and clean.  And I kept looking for my faither, asking everybody if they’d any word about my faither.

                          Finally, this day, he turns up.  He’s been picked up in Glasgow that night, kept in Barlinnie, then sent down here, to wait with the rest of us.  You know the first thing he says to me?  ‘Who’s minding the bliddy shop?’  He was an awfy swearer, my faither.  I says ‘who do you think? Rosinella’  He says ‘She’ll be looking after mine as well.  It’s bliddy stupid anyway, having two bliddy shops in the one bliddy family’.  I had to laugh.  I says ‘Dad, how can you worry about that at a time like this?’  He says ‘what the bliddy hell do you want me to do? – Lie down and let the bastards shoot me?’  He was an awfy swearer, my faither.  No use arguing with him.  Twisted auld bugger, so he was.

                          Then this particular morning these officers come in, set themselves up at this big table at one end of the room and one of them starts reading names off a list.  He calls ‘Stasio Pedreschi’ and I goes forward with my faither, but the soldier says to me ‘Wait till you’re called’ I says ‘But, that’s my faither’ – he says ‘Stand back!  Wait till you’re called!’  He tries to push my faither into the line but my faither’s holding on to my arm.  I can still feel his nails digging into me, he was holding on that tight.  I says ‘you cannae split us up.  He’s my faither!  Let me go with him’ He says ‘Wait till you’re called.  Now stand back, please’.  I looked at my faither.  He was that wee looking.  I’d to wrench his hand off my arm.  ‘You see and behave yourself, auld yin’ I says, ‘and watch that tongue of yours’.  He says to me, ‘you alright for money, son?’  Next thing I know they’re marching them out and my name still hasn’t been called.

                          A couple of days later they came for the rest of us.  Put us on the trucks, took us to Liverpool docks and piled us on the ‘S.S Etterick’.  Wouldn’t tell us where they were taking us.  I didn’t know, before I left, what had happened to my faither.

  Lucia lights another candle and gets to her feet and hands it to Massimo and goes.

  MASSIMO:    Arandora Star.  Non vi scorderemo mai.  (He puts the candle on the stand)

                        We will never forget you.

    ACT ONE – SCENE FIFTEEN

Ginger store: 1943

  HUGHIE:  (Up to Lucia) You sure you want to become blood-brothers?

LUCIA:  Sure I’m sure.  You got the knife?

HUGHIE:  That was my daddy’s penknife.  Where do you do it?

LUCIA:  On the thumb…. Your ‘thumb’, I said.

HUGHIE:  Give me your hand.

LUCIA:  You go first.

HUGHIE:  What, cut myself you mean?

LUCIA:  Yes.

HUGHIE:  My own self?

LUCIA:  Yes.

HUGHIE:  Right.  OK.  You’re sure?

Lucia covers her eyes.  Hughie nips himself with the knife, sees his blood, sucks his finger, but is delighted with himself.

  HUGHIE:  Done it!

  LUCIA:  (worried) You did?

HUGHIE:  Your go.

LUCIA:  Wait a wee minute.

HUGHIE:  Come on.  It’s no sore – no really.

LUCIA:  Just give me a wee minute.

HUGHIE:  What for?

LUCIA:  Just to get ready.

Hughie grabs her hand and puts knife up to it.

  HUGHIE:  It’s dead easy!  Just do it.

LUCIA:  (Hysterics) Oh mammy, daddy…..Mammy, daddy, no, no, no, no.

Hughie stops.

  HUGHIE:  What is it?

LUCIA:  It’s too sore!  It’s too sore!

HUGHIE:  I never even touched you.  Just close your eyes, you’ll hardly feel it.

She closes her eyes and turns away.

  LUCIA:  Alright, I’m ready now.

The minute he touches her with the knife, hysterics start.

  LUCIA:  Oh mammy daddy mammy daddy – stop! Stop! Stop!

HUGHIE:  Something wrong?

LUCIA:  I can’t do it.

HUGHIE:  After all I’ve been through.  I’ve shed my blood for you.

Lucia examines his thumb.

  LUCIA:  (With contempt)  You can’t even see it.

HUGHIE:  There it’s there.

LUCIA:  Where?

HUGHIE:  There.

LUCIA:  I don’t see any blood.

HUGHIE:  Well, it’s stopped bleeding now hasn’t it?  You’ve took that long.

He is annoyed.  Plonks himself down.

  HUGHIE:  Women!

  He takes a bottle of ginger, takes a gulp:  she holds out her hand and he gives it to her.  She sits down.

  LUCIA:  I did want to do it, honest, Hughie.

Takes a gulp of ginger and hands it back.

  HUGHIE:  You’d think you were a wee baby.

Takes a gulp of ginger and hands it back.

  LUCIA:    Couldn’t we just – you know – kid on we done it – we could still call

                  ourselves blood brothers.

  HUGHIE:  No.  You’ve wasted it.

  LUCIA:  Who would know?  It’s supposed to be a secret anyway.

  HUGHIE:  It’s not the same as mixing your blood.

  Takes a gulp of ginger and hands it back.

  LUCIA:  Listen.  I’ve got a great idea!  We can do it with the ginger.

  HUGHIE:  How?

  LUCIA:    If I take a slug and spit it back in – then you take a slug and spit it back in

–        then I take another slug.  And we’ll mix it all up.

  HUGHIE:  Do you think it will still take?

  LUCIA:  Yes.  I’ll go first this time.

  He watches her as she performs her bit then he follows suit, with her watching every move.  He hands it back and she drinks.

  LUCIA:  That’s it done.

  HUGHIE:  So what are we now then?

  LUCIA:  I suppose I must be your….. ?

  HUGHIE:  Slever-sister.

  LUCIA:  (appalled) No! No! I’m your ‘ginger-sister’.

  HUGHIE:  And I’m your ‘ginger-brother’.

  LUCIA:  For ever

  HUGHIE:  And ever

  LUCIA:  Amen.

  A reverent hush:  Hughie breaks it.

  HUGHIE:  My bum’s still sore.

  LUCIA:  I’m sorry, Hughie, honest.

  HUGHIE:  What did you have to tell them it was my birthday for?

  LUCIA:  I didn’t.  They caught me making your birthday card.

  HUGHIE:  Thirteen bumps.

  LUCIA:  How come?

  HUGHIE:  Nine for my birthday, one for good luck, one for bad luck, one for

                     Christmas, one for Easter.

  LUCIA:       My Uncle Massimo’s missed two of my birthdays now.  I think he’s

                     never coming home.

  HUGHIE:  You’ve not to say things like that, Lucia.

  LUCIA:       Well, my Uncle Franco’s never coming home.  And my Auntie Rosinella

                     cries all the time.

  HUGHIE:  That’s funny – so does our Bridget.

ACT ONE – SCENE SIXTEEN

Pedreschi’s back shop: a week later

  Back shop; Rosinella ironing on table.  Bridget in.

  ROSINELLA:  Bridget

  BRIDGET:  Hello, Mrs Pedreschi.

  ROSINELLA:  You heard about Franco?

  BRIDGET:  That’s why I’m here.

  ROSINELLA:  That was good of you.

  Rosinella puts down her iron, gets hanky from up her sleeve and wipes her eyes.

  ROSINELLA:  I don’t know how much more I can take.

  Bridget touches her arm gently

  BRIDGET:  I have to show you something.

  ROSINELLA:  Twenty-three year old.  How’s Massimo going to take this?  That’s him lost his father – now his brother.

  BRIDGET:  How is he – Mr Pedreschi?

  ROSINELLA:  Still in Canada.  The lawyer keeps trying to get him home, but we’ll need to wait and see.

  BRIDGET:       Mrs Pedreschi, I have to speak to you.  It’s important.  I got a letter from Franco.

  ROSINELLA:  A letter?  How can that be?  What are you saying? They’ve made a mistake? Oh, please, God, they’ve made a mistake.

  BRIDGET:       Oh no, Mrs Pedreschi, there’s no mistake.  Franco wrote this the night before he went into that battle – turned out to be is last – to be posted in the event  of his…

  Bridget sits down, gets letter out of her bag, she handles it with tenderness and reverence: Looks at the first page very lovingly, and goes to the second.

  BRIDGET:    He asked me to come to see you…  This part here.  It’s about you.  Do you want me to read it out?  ‘Tell Rosinella and Lucia how much I love them.  Tell Lucia she has to work hard and do well at school.  Tell them they were in my thoughts up till the last.  Tell Rosinella not to grieve too much for me.  What has happened is the will of our Blessed Lord.  When Massimo gets home, tell him he has to be strong and carry on.  I will be with my father in Heaven.  No doubt he is still moaning and groaning and annoying all the saints,  Tell them I love them all with all my heart’.

  Rosinella manages a wee laugh, despite the tears:  Bridget kisses the letter and folds it and puts it in her envelope.  They sit in silence for a moment then Rosinella gets a thought.

  ROSINELLA:  Why did he send it to you?

  BRIDGET:  (Too upset to answer) I……

  ROSINELLA:  I wonder why he sent it to you

  BRIDGET:  You really don’t know, do you?

  ROSINELLA:  It must be because he knows I cannie read.

  Rosinella turns away.  Bridget looks at her in disbelief.

    ACT ONE – SCENE SEVENTEEN

Back shop: Year – Late 1944

  Rosinella up to Lucia with half-made long white dress helps her into it and starts to pin it.  Lucia yawns.

  ROSINELLA:  I know it’s late, hen but I’m nearly finished.  You’re lovely in, so you are.  I’ll cut the lace off this wee party dress and make a nice collar out it.  You mind this?

  LUCIA:  You got me it just before I started school.

  ROSINELLA:  It’s not what I would have wanted for your Confirmation but I’ll make it up to you.  Here, try on the veil.

  Rosinella helps her with the veil, fixes her hair, etc.

  ROSINELLA:  If only your Uncle Massimo could be here to see it.

  LUCIA:  Is my Uncle Massimo never coming back?

  ROSINELLA:  Don’t say things like that, my darling, of course he’s coming back.

  LUCIA:  When?

  ROSINELLA:  Soon.  It’ll be soon.

  LUCIA:  That’s what you always say.

  ROSINELLA:  That’s four years, Lucia.  Four years.  But one of these days he’ll walk through that door – and it’ll all be over.  We’ve got to keep telling ourselves that.

  LUCIA:  Auntie Rosinella

  ROSINELLA:  Mmmmmm?

  LUCIA:  Do you ever think I’ll see my daddy in Italy again?

  By now Rosinella has finished putting the veil on Lucia and is preoccupied with it.  She stands back and looks at her and gets a hankie out to wipe her eyes.

  LUCIA:  What’s wrong?

  ROSINELLA:  You look just like a wee bride.  I’m telling you this now, Lucia Ianelli, some

                           day I’ll give you a wedding.  I’ll give you a wedding like nobody here has

                           ever seen before!

  LUCIA:  (Enthusiastic) Just like yours?

  ROSINELLA:  (Cagey) I didn’t have much of a wedding, hen.  We were awfy poor in they

                            days.

  LUCIA:  (Sympathetic) Oh, Auntie Rosinella

  ROSINELLA:  No, don’t get me wrong.  I wouldn’t change your Uncle Massimo for any film star.  No for Humphrey Bogart, no for Victor Mature.  My father wanted me to marry someone else you know.

  LUCIA:  (Enjoying it) He did not!

  ROSINELLA:  (Getting into it) He did that.  Ferdinando.  He’d it all fixed up with Ferdinand’s faither.  He wasn’t very good looking, Ferdinand, but all the girls were aifter him because he had a beautiful big piece of land.  That’s what it’s all about over there, you know.  The man’s got to have land.  So my daddy was that pleased when his daddy picked me.  It was all set.  Then I met your Uncle Massimo.  I must have met him when he was a wean, before him and his faither moved to Scotland, but I don’t remember.  I’m no kidding you, Lucia, I knew the minute I looked at him that he was for me.  He was that handsome!

  LUCIA:  (Disbelief) My Uncle Massimo?

  ROSINELLA:  That was before he put the weight on.  And he’d much more hair then and it was shining black!  Nero.  Nero.  Oh, Massimo!  Swept me off ma feet he did.  Oh, hen, I shouldn’t be telling you this…..

  LUCIA:  (Desperate to hear the rest) Oh no, go on, Auntie Rosinella.

  ROSINELLA:  Well I never married Ferdinand.  I married your Uncle Massimo instead.  That’s why I didn’t have much of a wedding.  (A beat: she is deciding whether to tell her or not, then does so, with glee)  We ran away.

  LUCIA:  (Impressed) You did not!

  ROSINELLA:  (enjoying it now) We did.  You see, in Italy, where we come from anyway, if a boy and a girl stay out together all night, then they must get married.  It’s true.  We planned it and we did it.  My father locked me in my room because I said I wasn’t going to marry Ferdinand and your Uncle Massimo came with a ladder and stole me out the window.

  LUCIA:  (Laughing) He did not!

  ROSINELLA:  Without a word of a lie, as sure as God is my judge standing here.  We just had to spend one night together, on our own.  But we had nowhere to go so we hid up a tree.  And we could hear them out looking for us, all round the village, calling our names and chapping all the doors.  My daddy was screaming and shouting at the top of his voice and calling me for everything.  And the next morning, the priest rang the bell – (She mimics the sound) ‘Do-ing, Do-ing, Do-ing’ – the way he does when someone has died, to let everyone in the village know I’d disgraced my name and brought shame on my whole family.  (Moved by her own story) Oh, it was lovely, so it was!

  Banging on door in front shop: they jump in fright, automatically cower: Rosinella grabs Lucia’s hand.

  ROSINELLA:  (Whispers) Who’s that at this time?

  LUCIA:  You want me to go and see?

  Rosinella restrains her; banging persists.

  ROSINELLA:  Sssshhhh.  Stay still – they’ll go away.

  Banging persists

  ROSINELLA:  (Shouts) Who is it?

  MASSIMO: V/O:  It’s Massimo

  ROSINELLA:  (Screams) MASSIMO!

  Runs to front shop; Lucia waits, takes off her veil, listening to their reunion; Rosinella fumbling with the door, crying.

  ROSINELLA: V/O:  Massimo, I can’t get the door!  I can’t get the door, Massimo!  Just wait! 

                                    I can’t get the door!!

  Noise of door opening.

  ROSINELLA:  Oh grazie dio.

  Lucia waits in silence.

Rosinella holds open the flaps of the doorway and Massimo comes in.  Rosinella stands at doorway watching.  Massimo stops and opens his arms at the sight of Lucia.

  MASSIMO:  Lucia?

  Lucia is shy.

  ROSINELLA:  Kiss your Uncle Massimo, Lucia.

  Lucia runs into his arms: he holds her and holds out his other arm to include Rosinella: he holds them both looking from one to the other.

  MASSIMO:  (Struggling for words)…..Nothing… Nothing  

  He is trying to say ‘nothing will ever part us again’ but he can’t get it out: Rosinella understands: she puts his head on her shoulder.

  ROSINELLA:  It’s alright.  It’s alright.